The Pinot of Our Discontent

Can it be that hard to make great or even good pinot noir wines? Sure, it's a delicate grape, a little high-strung, requiring careful nurture. Here, however, is my more than reasonable dicta to (mainly) producers in California, for whom pinot noir is a sort of Holy Grail: Lay off the oak! Avoid deep extraction! Keep the freakin' alcohol at a sane level!

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