Spring Sprung. Picnic Pinots.

Now that Spring has finally arrived in New Haven, it's time to have yourself a little picnic.
New Haveners treat the picnic as an art form, or even a competitive sport. Everyone has "their" spot. There's lots of veggies, poetry reading, romance, and, hopefully, wine.
I find that the first picnic of spring, on a perfect day, goes great with a big Pinot Noir. This combination always trumps any food pairings, and the bigger, the better.

Here are some of my favorite Picnic Pinots...

Caymus Belle Glos Pinot Noir: Clark & Telephone Vineyard ($$$), Taylor Lane Vineyard ($$$), or Sonoma Coast ($$).
C&T and TL bottles have a wax top a la Maker's Mark; the extra effort is worth the wait. SC is a blend of grapes from the region, and Caymus grapes that didn't make the cut for the others. (It's still pretty good). I won't get into the differences in these wines, as they will be subtle to the beginner. Be sure to check out Alder Yarrow's Vinography blog for some neat tidbits about the Clark & Telephone (my personal fave of the lot).

Adelsheim Vineyard Williamette Valley Pinot Noir ($$-$$$)
The flavor starts out with wild berries and fades into cooking spices. The wine is big, yet subtle (if that's possible). The tannins have enough bite to please drinkers who normally go drier. The finish is as strong and powerful as the initial nose.

Campion Santa Lucia Highlands ($$$) - The wine smells of Cherry Coke and sage or pepper, and a taste of blackberries is balanced by something earthy. BIG!!!

Bethel Heights Estate ($$-$$$), Erath Prince Hill Vineyard ($$$), Williamette Valley Vineyards ($$-$$$) or W.V.V. Signature ($$$$-$$$$$), are also worth trying.
Orogeny ($$-$$$), also from Oregon, was already reviewed.

I haven't given you any vintages here, as almost any will do. Some things to keep in mind -- a. Pinot is usually best while somewhat young, and b. there was very little bad California or Oregon Pinot Noir in 2002.
I've also gone a bit over my usual price range. The first picnic of the season is worth that special bottle.