How big is your Pinot?

Last night I opened a huge Pinot, both in bottle size and palate weight: 2001 Sine Qua Non "No. 6" Shea Vineyard Yamhill County Pinot Noir.

The wine was delicious, no question. Lots of cherry fruit with a very long finish. It wasn't complex initially but as it got some air the aroma added a little violet perfume and a little slate. Generally, though, this was a pleasant mouthful of fruit that lingered on the palate.

The body wasn't huge -- I've enjoyed Sine Qua Non Syrah, and this wasn't that. But it was made in that style. It was medium-full bodied, and the mouthfeel was muscularly sensuous.

I liked the wine. My companion liked the wine. The waiter liked the wine.

So why do I feel something missing?

I'm not a Burgundy purist -- the alcohol level (14.2%) doesn't bother me, and while the absence of great complexity isn't a plus, that wasn't why I had a nagging, nitpicking feeling.

It comes down to weight on the palate -- I simply do not want a Pinot Noir to feel heavy. I don't mind that quality in a Cab, Merlot or Syrah. But for Pinot, I want something -- always -- that's a little bit more delicate. This wine was like C.C. Sabathia in a ballet outfit -- impressive, but out of place.

Increasingly, though, because America loves both big reds and Pinot Noir, the two are intersecting. That's a shame. To me, what makes Pinot Noir great is that it's not a big red. Except when it is.