Why does California Pinot Noir taste like that?

Characteristically medium-plus acidity. Commonly associated with red cherry, raspberry, strawberry, forest floor.

Not claiming: That every wine from this variety shows these characteristics. This is the range across the category, and site and winemaking move wines within and beyond it.

Cooler growing-season temperatures are associated with slower sugar accumulation and with higher retained acidity, because malic acid is respired more slowly at lower temperatures — particularly at night.

Varies: Season length matters as much as temperature. A long cool season can ripen fruit fully while retaining acidity; a short one may not ripen it at all.

Not claiming: That climate puts flavours into grapes. Climate acts on the vine’s physiology, and the picking decision then determines what reaches the bottle.

Warmer growing seasons are associated with faster sugar accumulation and lower retained acidity, so fruit reaches a given potential alcohol earlier in the season.

Varies: Above the vine’s photosynthetic optimum the relationship reverses: extreme heat stalls ripening, inhibits anthocyanin synthesis and can raise sugar only through berry dehydration.

Not claiming: That warm regions necessarily make high-alcohol wine. Potential alcohol at any moment is a choice point; the producer decides when to pick.

Proximity to a large body of water moderates temperature extremes, which is associated with a longer, more even ripening period and a lower risk of both spring frost and extreme summer heat.

Varies: Maritime influence also raises humidity, which raises fungal disease pressure. It is not uniformly an advantage.

Not claiming: That a maritime climate is cool. Maritime describes variability, not temperature.

A Mediterranean pattern of wet winters and dry summers is associated with reliable ripening and with mild late-season water stress, which restricts berry size and raises the ratio of skin to juice.

Varies: Where the dry season is severe or lengthening, the same pattern produces damaging rather than beneficial stress, and irrigation becomes necessary rather than optional.

Not claiming: That water stress is beneficial as such. Mild stress helps; severe stress halts ripening.

Skins float during red fermentation. What the winemaker does about that determines much of the wine.

Not claiming: That every producer of this style uses this method, or that using it is required.

Holding crushed red grapes cold before fermentation starts, to extract in water rather than in alcohol.

Not claiming: That every producer of this style uses this method, or that using it is required.

Pinot Noir has thin skins and low phenolic content, and producers commonly extract gently — punch-downs rather than aggressive pumping over — because over-extraction is easy and hard to undo.

Not claiming: That Pinot Noir cannot be made in a more extracted style. Many producers do.

Including stems in the ferment, which adds structure, spice and aromatic lift.

Not claiming: That every producer of this style uses this method, or that using it is required.

Five to ten years. The cooler appellations — Santa Rita Hills, Anderson Valley, the true Sonoma Coast — hold the longest; warmer, riper bottlings are best in their first five.

Not claiming: That a wine of this style will develop these characters. Ageing potential varies by producer, vintage and storage, and most wine is better young.