Mirassou wines great for Easter Sunday -- and beyond

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"Bad Pinot is just brown water."

I laughed out loud — and long, I must confess — when my friend Brenda first made that comment to me.

Because while I’ve never heard it put quite that way, I couldn’t agree more heartily.

My mirth, and my solidarity with her observation, come from the fact that, despite it being hailed as "wonderful, fabulous, exquisite, and (add your own glowing adjective here)" by probably millions of people worldwide, Pinot Noir is just not my cup of tea.

In fact, in my opinion, it often tastes like used tea leaves or coffee grounds. Though I’ve tried it many times, I’ve never really found Pinots of which I’m terribly fond.

Just by way of explanation, the reason I keep trying to like it is because on a press junket to Australia in late November of 2000 (the trip of a lifetime, by the way — if anyone ever has the opportunity and the means to go, especially to Tasmania, Sydney or anywhere along the incredible Gold Coast, DO so — the country is absolutely remarkable, and snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef was unquestionably the greatest experience of my life), I was treated to incredible food and wine everywhere I went. And while I was a big fan of Australian wine before I left, I came home an even bigger one.

And that’s because one of the meals I remember most vividly was served on Lizard Island, a heavenly paradise in northern Australia that my guide (Anne Miller), another journalist from Argentina (Andrea Tammarazio) and I were flown to courtesy of the Australian Tourist Commission. This resort was exclusive — a retreat for the rich, to be sure — each villa cost $1,000 a day per person, which included food but not wine. The three of us were treated to wine, however, because Andrea was writing for a Spanish magazine called Marco Polo and I was writing travel features about my adventure for the Brandon Sun and the Winnipeg Free Press.

Anyway, I ordered salmon, which the chef recommended be served medium rare — yet another gastronomic improvement I’ve made to my food repertoire since returning from that magical land of Oz. And with the salmon, which was unquestionably the best I’ve ever had, they served Pinot Noir.

Now this was new to me. Keep in mind this was more than 11 years ago, and my tastes, and experiences, have expanded substantially since then. But red wine with fish? Even pink/red-coloured fish? I was surprised. But when in Rome …

So I tasted the salmon, which I’ve already said was exquisite, and then, with the second bite, I took a sip of the wine.

The pairing was extraordinary.

And I’ve been trying to recapture it ever since.

Now granted, we don’t have just-out-of-the-ocean-fresh salmon here. So there’s one strike. And given the costs of the goods at the Lizard Island Resort, I’m betting the wine we had was no shabby pretender, either. So whatever it was would likely be out of my reach price-wise anyway.

Strike two.

But you can’t blame a girl for trying. So every time the opportunity comes along to sample a new Pinot, even though, generally speaking, I don’t like it, I HAVE to give it a go.

And honestly, there has been the odd one over the years that’s turned my head. Most noteworthy was the Blue Grouse Pinot Noir from Vancouver Island (it was $35 a bottle in Victoria last May), which was so spectacular it made me weak in the knees. But for the most part, your average Pinot just leaves me completely cold.

And while the one I’m about to describe is no Blue Grouse, it was and is good, it’s available here, and it’s only $12.99 a bottle.

The Mirassou Pinot Noir went beautifully with a salmon fillet I prepared a few weeks back. As well, it was wonderful with breaded veal scaloppini served with lemon and/or parsley (or for an alternative, with mango chutney — I sometimes go for a real mash-up and have it with all three). With a hint of cherry, a fair dose of vanilla, a smattering of earthiness, and just a hint of sweetness to soften it, this light but gutsy Pinot won me over.

So now I have a go-to accompaniment for the above dishes, and one for which I’m more than willing to pay. In fact, I went back to get another couple of bottles of the Mirassou after the first two pairings were so successful.

And for the sweet wine fans, a group which, again, does not regularly include me, the Mirassou Riesling is also a lovely sipper, as well as a super partner for spicy dishes. We had it with jalapeno-and-guacamole-enhanced quesadillas, and it was absolutely the right wine for the job.

I mention these wines today because for many folks, this is Easter weekend, and both Pinot Noir and Riesling go brilliantly with turkey AND ham. And the Mirassou Riesling is the same reasonable price as the Pinot — $12.99 a bottle.

So if you’re having either of those dishes, or salmon or veal, give the Mirassou Pinot Noir a try.

Ain’t no brown water, this.

Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition April 7, 2012