WTN: Presque WIne Cellars 2005 Noiret

A few weeks ago Howie Hart was traveling through Lexington, and we met for dinner. He, being the generous soul that he is, had wine in tow. Most of them were his own home made, but one was this bottle of Presque Isle (Pa) Noiret. The next 4 paragraps were lifted from the Cornell University web site found here http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/July06/3.new.grapes.ssl.html

"Cornell officially debuted three new wine grapes today (July 10)(2006), Noiret, Corot noir and Valvin Muscat, which are broadly adapted to the wine-growing regions in the East and produce high-quality varietal wines that are superior to those currently available to eastern growers today, says grape breeder Bruce Reisch, professor of horticultural sciences at Cornell's New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, N.Y.

Reisch developed and tested the grapes with Thomas Henick-Kling, professor of enology at the Experiment Station and leader of Cornell's enology program.

The grapes were released at the 31st annual American Society for Enology and Viticulture/Eastern Section Conference and Symposium, held July 9-11 (2006) in Rochester, N.Y.

Noiret (pronounced nwahr-ay), a mid-season red wine grape, is a complex interspecific hybrid resulting from a cross made in 1973 between NY65.0467.08 and Steuben. Corot noir, a mid- to late-season red wine grape, is a complex interspecific hybrid resulting from a cross in 1970 between Seyve Villard 18-307 and Steuben."

Now on to the wine. This grape obviously make a very dark purple black wine that has an interesting nose. It reminds me of a well made lower alcohol zinfandel, Loads of brambly black berry fruit, with a good shot of sour red cherry also. there seems to be a very light hint of mint on the nose as well. In the mouth the wine continues to be very zinfandel like to me, again with the mix of black fruit, and I do believe I get a bit of folic acid on the back palate. Tannins are evident, but not coarse at all, the acid on this wine is very obvious, what I call "Jolly Rancher" I think I need to seek out more of this winery's wares.

...I think I need to seek out more of this winery's wares.

Bob, they make a very nice Vignoles and Traminette also. Unfortunately, a link to their website doesn't show their wines, only their home winemaking supplies. http://www.piwine.com/

Hiya Bob!

I tried this same wine at NiagaraCool this year and was duly impressed. I can see where you're coming from with the Zinfandel comparison, though personally I found it very Zweigelt-like (peppery) with overtones of Syrah-like fruit. A very interesting grape for our region. I certainly hope that acreage increases rapidly so that more of our local small-farm wineries can produce Noiret and turn it into one of our region's hallmark reds.

Thanks for the reply Paul. I did find it more zin like than anything else I have experience with. I don't know about Zweigelt, never had one, nor did I find it syrah like. Pepperiness is also a hallmark of many zinfandels as well as syrah, and the brambly aromas turned me toward zin.. It seems that this vine is a winter hardy vine and that bodes well for the eastern wine growing regions. I like the grape, but I wouldn't get my hopes up for it to over shadow any of the varietals. .

I've tasted Presque Isle Noiret as well, and am in general agreement with the above comments. I would add that it has little or none of the hybrid character many find so objectionable. More experience in the vineyard and wine cellar will no doubt provide improvements. I think it's asking a lot to expect it to compete successfully with established vinifera varieties, but I think Noiret is very close to doing so.

Hi Howie,
I think you can buy Preque Wine's from Country Wines
http://www.countrywines.com/PDF_Files/W ... an2006.pdf

Salute

I've tasted Presque Isle Noiret as well, and am in general agreement with the above comments. I would add that it has little or none of the hybrid character many find so objectionable... I think it's asking a lot to expect it to compete successfully with established vinifera varieties, but I think Noiret is very close to doing so.

This is excellent news. To my taste, some of the white hybrids were competitive with well-made vinifera, but I have not encountered a red hybrid without a weedy tone and short finish. Who else makes Noiret?

Sorry, don't know. Presque Isle has always been free with information, and you might try calling them at 800-488-7492. Also, Howie, Ed Draves, Paul B. and others may be able to help.

To my taste, some of the white hybrids were competitive with well-made vinifera, but I have not encountered a red hybrid without a weedy tone and short finish.

In my experience, the weedy short finishes usually indicate poor vineyard practices, including overcropping. I have also tasted very fine Baco Noir and Foch, however, that were treated as any respectable premium wine in the vineyard (limited yields, shoot positioning, hand harvesting) and the wines were free of sourness and weediness, showing smoky black cherry fruit and balanced acidity.

That said, I do think that Noiret is a variety that will bridge the wide divide between traditional French hybrids and the vinifera-attuned wine drinking world, since its wine already resembles the more recognizable vinifera mould.

To my taste, some of the white hybrids were competitive with well-made vinifera, but I have not encountered a red hybrid without a weedy tone and short finish.

In my experience, the weedy short finishes usually indicate poor vineyard practices, including overcropping. I have also tasted very fine Baco Noir and Foch, however, that were treated as any respectable premium wine in the vineyard (limited yields, shoot positioning, hand harvesting) and the wines were free of sourness and weediness...

I wish this was true for me too. But I have had what I thought were very well-made Baco, Chambourcin and Foch (and more to the point were touted by hybrid fans as top quality). They had nice fruit (especially Baco) and complexity (the Foch and Chambourcin) but still either somewhat weedy and/or quite short. They were drinkable and pleasant, but nowhere near (to my taste) the satisfaction of good Vignoles, Traminette, Seyval, Chardonnel etc.

For what it's worth, I don't get the weediness from Norton, although it can sometimes be rather short and hollow.

I've tasted Presque Isle Noiret as well, and am in general agreement with the above comments. I would add that it has little or none of the hybrid character many find so objectionable... I think it's asking a lot to expect it to compete successfully with established vinifera varieties, but I think Noiret is very close to doing so.

This is excellent news. To my taste, some of the white hybrids were competitive with well-made vinifera, but I have not encountered a red hybrid without a weedy tone and short finish. Who else makes Noiret?

Dan Smothergill had a bottle of Arbor Hill Noiret, I believe. He liked it, but when he tasted the Presque Isle Noiret at NiagaraCOOL he told me he liked the Presque Isle better.

A Google search for Noiret wine found:
http://bashakillvineyards.com/Vineyard.htm
http://fingerlakesweekendwino.blogspot.com/2007/06/finger-lakes-wine-notes.html
And according to this site, the Presque Isle is 95% Noiret and 5% Cab Franc. Other wineries listed here use some Noiret in blends.
http://www.fliwc.com/results/2007results.asp

Glad to see PIWC mentioned here. I've been buying juice and supplies from them since the 1970's, before the commercial winery began. The Moreheads always have run a first class operation. It's a 450 mile round trip for me, considerably further than to some other juice plants. But I do it gladly, knowing that I can count on the quality of the juice.

Edited August 2.
Howie has since told me that he bought a red juice from PIWC last year that was a real bummer. Sic transit gloria mundi.

Edited August 2.
Howie has since told me that he bought a red juice from PIWC last year that was a real bummer. Sic transit gloria mundi.

It was some very light colored and high acid Foch. However, after treating it with some oak, putting it through M-L and using it to make a Dry Rose blend of 50% Foch, 30% Vidal and 20% Leon Millot, it's not too bad, but it's not what I was hoping to make.