Dan and Ellen O’Connell at The Wine Shop in Koloa. Photo courtesy of The Wine Shop.
Tasting Kauai is happy to partner with the O’Connells for Winesday with The Wine Shop. Owners Dan and Ellen O’Connell are a delightful couple whose passion for wine is infectious, their knowledge is vast, and the service is friendly. Their beautiful store carries everything from wine and spirits to gourmet foods and sweet treats. Check in with Tasting Kauai every Wednesday to learn about their favorites. ¡Salud!
Who hasn’t watched the movie Sideways? If you have not had a chance, please put it on your list of must-see films. The story is a classic and actually helped put Pinot Noir on the map, essentially killing the popularity of Merlot.
This week we are featuring Pinot Noir. The regions covering from the upper reaches of the Oregon/Washington border and south to Santa Barbara, California, offer the most diverse growing climate and terroir in the world for these grapes. The varietal Pinot Noir itself is the most difficult grape to work with for wine makers because of its very thin skin and susceptibility to many pests and viruses.
Believe it or not, most of the rootstock for Pinot Noir arrived from France. In fact, all Burgundies that come from France are made from the Pinot Noir grape. However, the difference between French wines and the rest of the world is another blog post!
Pinot Noir has the widest scope of palatability. The wine pairs well with many different types of cuisines and can also be enjoyed on its own while you watch a beautiful Kauai sunset. Even the colors of Pinot Noir vary from a pale light pink to a deep dark ruby red. If you’ve never experienced a Pinot Noir, please go out and buy a bottle and taste what it’s all about. I hope this has piqued your interest in the varietal of Pinot Noir or maybe rekindled an old one that you thought you’d lost.
See you at The Wine Shop!
Aloha,
Dano and Ellen O’Connell
The Wine Shop is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. On the first Saturday of each month from 4 to 7 p.m., they host monthly wine tastings. For more information call 808-742-7305 or visit www.thewineshopkauai.com. The shop is located just across the street from the Koloa Post Office.
