Best Quotes of 2006
“It’s nontraditional now, but in thirty years, this will be the traditional style of Pinot Noir.” … .Michael
Browne, winemaker, Kosta Browne Winery
“The riper styles: I’ve made them and I’ve gotten high scores from them. But they weren’t my best
Pinots by any means.” … .Bob Cabral, winemaker, Williams Selyems Winery
“For all sorts of reasons, success could spoil Pinot Noir. It could drive up prices for wines already in
short supply. It could encourage people to make nominal Pinots that taste like generic red wine.”
… .John Winthrop Haeger, author, North American Pinot Noir
“Jim Clendenen has been making wine for over 20 years in a style I love, and he doesn’t really care
what the critics say. He’s a pioneer not only in creating great, balanced Chardonnay and Pinot Noir,
but making people understand that wine is supposed to be drunk with food. There are very few New
World producers doing this.” … .Rajat Parr, wine director, Mina Group
“Too much fine wine is sacrificed on the alter of competition - great bottles tasted “against” each other
to see which producer comes out on top.” … .Jasper Marris MW
“Let’s be honest: there’s only one activity more satisfying than drinking good wine with good food;
and if you’re drinking wine in the right company, the one pleasure, more often than not, will lead to the
other.” … .Jay McInerney, author, A Hedonist in the Cellar
“Good Pinot Noir has a delicate elegance and a luscious succulence that can transport you to another
place. The charms of Pinot Noir are subtle and require patience. Pinot Noir rewards those with astute
palates and experience. Great aged Pinot Noir provides the most ethereal wine drinking pleasure
known to this detective.” … .Jake Lorenzo, writer, Wine Business Monthly
“Pinot Noir is like your best lady. You have to treat her nice.” … .Anthony Austin, winemaker, Sonoma
Coast Vineyards
“The ‘bigger is better’ mentality is sweeping the world. Some of them are problematic. They are losing
the elegance and finesse that drew me to the grape (Pinot Noir) in the first place.” … .Peter
Palmer, wine director, Farallon Restaurant
“You see an awful lot of smart guys with bad Pinot, but you rarely see a good Pinot with a dumb guy.”
… .Prince of Pinot