Description

La Crema offers a bold Pinot that captures the big flavoured Californian/American style. It is a wholly unfamiliar style for most Australian drinkers. But the combination of ripe fruit and new oak would bridge the gap between lovers of Pinot Noir and Cabernet and Shiraz drinkers.

30 years of experience working with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in California have established La Crema as a winery of consistent quality.  La Crema produces wines from California’s top cool-climate appellations: Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, Los Carneros, Anderson Valley and Monterey.  Outstanding vineyard sources, limited yields and carefully crafted wine making have produced wines that receive high acclaim.

Service

There is so much going on from the first pour. Time in the glass will reveal more of its lovely secrets. Don’t serve too cold as you risk masking all of the flavour.

Food Matches

You’ll want some big flavours to match. Peaking duck would be nice.

California

California was thrust into fame after 1976 ‘Judgement of Paris’ tasting. The top wines are world class and priced accordingly. No doubt some of them are totally amazing wines with the ability to age. The styles tend to be fuller and more powerful than the old world, mostly due to the grapes basking (baking?) the the glorious Californian sunshine.

Sonoma

Best described as “the place where they make wine while the Napa makes money”. There is a lot more wine made here than in Napa. The area is quite diverse climates means you get big Zinfandel or Cabernet through to quite elegant Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Pinot Noir

This is the most elusive grape. It is relatively early ripening and extremely sensitive to terroir. Its perfect place on earth is the Cote d’Or in Burgundy. So haunting are great red Burgundy’s charms that growers everywhere try to emulate them. Pinot Noir is not just a one trick pony, it can make great reds, rosé, sparkling and even sweet wines, whites on occasion and I’ve tasted a decent fortified Pinot Noir too.