2004 Battle Alsace v. California: '04 Schuller Pinot Noir no. 24 v. '04 Kynsi Edna Valley Pinot Noir

This was a surprising upset as the Schuller won the battle. I wanted to have Alsace represented during our fondue dinner, and it was a shining example of a red from a traditionally white wine region and winemaker. Distributed by the Fountainhead, Schuller's Pinots can be really funky to the point of undrinkable - varying from vintage to vintage and bottle to bottle.

Muted fruit with sulphur, tar and dark chocolate jammed you on the tongue with a slight effervecence and pleasant finish. The Kynsi, a Pinot that I have had at least 8 bottles of this year and love dearly, was suprisingly sweet and yeasty. It is Californian but not a big fruit bomb - against the Schuller and with the fondue, it was like candied raspberry water.