Stafford Hill Pinot Noir

Stafford Hill Pinot Noir is a Massachusetts-appellation red from Esplanda, made from Pinot Noir, a thin-skinned grape that tends toward a lighter, more translucent style than most red varieties. The producer hasn't published vintage, ABV or oak details, so what follows describes what Pinot from a cool New England climate typically offers. Expect red-fruit character such as cranberry, tart cherry and raspberry, possibly with earthy notes of forest floor or dried leaves. Wines from cooler regions tend to show bright, mouthwatering acidity. Tannin in Pinot Noir is usually soft and fine-grained, and the body medium-light, so the wine should feel lively and fresh instead of heavy. If any oak was used, it is more likely to appear as a light touch of spice or toast than as bold vanilla. The finish in this style is usually moderate, leaning on fruit and acidity. That higher acidity and low tannin make Pinot Noir one of the more flexible reds at the table. It suits roast chicken, duck breast, pan-seared salmon and mushroom dishes, and it handles herb-driven foods such as thyme-roasted pork or a mushroom risotto. Local fare fits too: a Thanksgiving turkey with cranberry sauce is a natural match, and so is a seared tuna steak. Soft, nutty cheeses such as Gruyère or a mild brie work better than sharp or heavily aged ones, which can overwhelm a delicate red. Serve it lightly cooled, around 55 to 60°F (13 to 16°C). A 15-minute rest in the refrigerator before opening usually brings a room-temperature bottle into range. Serving too warm exaggerates alcohol and flattens the fruit, while too cold mutes the aroma. A wine like this doesn't normally need decanting, though pouring it into a decanter or simply giving it ten to fifteen minutes in the glass can help if the nose seems tight at first. A wide-bowled Burgundy-style glass concentrates the delicate aromatics and gives the red fruit room to open. Most Pinot Noir at this level is made for drinking within a few years of release, and without producer information on structure or vintage, it's best treated as a drink-now bottle instead of one to cellar. Open it while the fruit is fresh, and keep it somewhere cool and dark if you're holding it for a few weeks.