Fess Parker Pinot Noir "Ashley's Vineyard" 2008

It's been quite a while since I've written a review so as a treat I thought I would start with one of my favorite wineries, Fess Parker. In the latest wine club shipment I received a bottle of their Ashley's Vineyard Pinot Noir. Now I've had it in the past and over the years their Ashley's is one of my most enjoyable domestic Pinot Noirs and the 2008 vintage is no different. A lovely ruby, concentrated showing it's youth in the glass this wine delivers cherries, strawberries, a hint of vanilla and just a touch of lovely earth to the nose. In the mouth a combination of smooth tannins (like a fine tea), bright acidity, and dark red fruits and strawberry give a long finish that starts with fruit and ends with hints of minerality and spice that is delicious.

Drink now through 2014 for yet another Fess Parker delight!

Number of wines reviewed in 2011: 28

Saintsbury Pinot Noir 2007 "Carneros"

I have to say, this was a little different style than I've had lately. Due to the malolactic fermentation and use of small oak barrels there is something rather interesting in this wine. Unlike many of the big jammy wines on the market this is a nicely balanced Pinot Noir, a good combination of smooth tannins, solid but not racy acid, and lean red fruits this is a good, everyday Pinot Noir. Not complex but does show some characteristics typical of Burgundy more so than New World Pinot Noirs.

Drink now through 2012.


Number of wines reviewed in 2011: 16

Au Bon Climat 2008

Jim Clendenen has been a force in the California Pinot Noir world for about a quarter of a century and year after year produces quality wine all price points. The Au Bon Climat "Santa Barbara County" Pinot Noir is a good example. This Au Bon Climat (affectionately called ABC) offering for the "everyday" wine lover is a fine California Pinot Noir you can pick up at a price that won't break the bank. The wine is clean, medium intensity almost cherry red in the glass. The nose does display some complexity giving up juicy red fruits (primarily cherry and strawberry for me), a little hint of plum, spice, and just the slightest nuanced touches of earthiness. The wine is medium/(-) bodied, balanced with good acidity, juicy red fruits, and smooth tannins that come up with a hint of grip at the end of a medium length finish. This wine is very good now and should continue to hold up well through 2014, hard to beat for less than $20 a bottle.

Number of wines reviewed in 2011: 1

Laird Pinot Noir 2007 "Ghost Ranch"

I love a good Pinot Noir and I found one in Laird Pinot Noir 2007. The wine came from Ghost Ranch in the Carneros which is a wonderful AVA that straddles both Napa and Sonoma and known for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (think Burgundy). The wine looks lovely in the glass, a light clean garnet. The nose was medium (-) intensity delivering cherries, rapsberry, a little strawberry and just a touch of earthiness that I really like in my Pinot Noir. The wine is medium (-) bodied, juicy acidity, almost mouthwatering with just enough smooth tannins to create a fine medium length finish. A juicy, subtle (for California) experience that I really enjoyed.


Number of wines reviewed in 2010: 110

Fess Parker Pinot Noir "Bien Nacido" 2008

I was ever so happy to get my latest shipment from Fess Parker and it was time to open one of the bottle. I was a little worried that the 2008 was too young (even for a Pinot Noir) but hey, it was from Fess Parker and they have become one producer that I have problems not opening the day the shipment arrives. So after proper chilling off came the foil, out came the cork and into the glass it went. The wine was a lovely medium intensity ruby in color. The nose was clean with the expected aroma of cherry, strawberry, cola and just a little bit of earthiness that I love so much. I think on the back end of the nose I detected just the slightest touch of "game" which went well in the melange of scents. So look, swirl, sniff then taste. Nice. The wine is dry, tannins a little tight because of the youthfulness of the wine (give it another year and it will be fantastic). Wonderful flavors of cherry, red currant and just a touch of sweet spice that all comes together in a medium length finish. Yum. I need to order a second bottle for next year just to test my theory of age on this wine but even in its youth is quite a fine wine.

Wines reviewed in 2010: 60

Edna Valley 'Paragon Vineyard' Pinot Noir 2007

Tonight is a night to relax, a simple dinner of roasted chicken, green salad, a slice of garlic bread... easy, simple. To drink I decided to open a bottle of Edna Valley 'Paragon Vineyard' Pinot Noir 2007, a wine from an SLO vineyard that showed itself to be a good choice. A beautiful garnet color in the glass the nose was delightful showing cherries, cola all lightly tinged with rose petal... think of a sniffing a cherry cola in a rose garden and you get the idea. The wine is light bodied, good acidity without being racy, smooth supple tannins and jammy fruit all coming together to create a lingering finish that brought out wonderful flavor in an already juicy roasted chicken. A great little wine to drink now that you can easily find for about $15 a bottle.

Number of wines reviewed in 2010: 39

Fort Ross Pinot Noir "Sea Cliff Cuvee" 2006

After a long Saturday spent working what better way to relax that with a nice glass of wine. Tonight that glass was filled with Sonoma's Fort Ross "Sea Cliff Cuvee". I was looking forward to this for several reasons. When it comes to California wines a good general rule of thumb is Sonoma = Burgundy, Napa = Bordeaux, which means for Pinot (and Chardonnay) look to Sonoma while Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are generally best from Napa (no religious wars here, just speaking in broad terms). This being a Pinot Noir I was on the right track going with one from Sonoma. Also, Fort Ross has a good track record with their wines, known for their "Burgundian" styles and I love that traditional Burgundian "funkiness" on the nose. Luckily this wine didn't disappoint. The wine was a clear garnet that created lovely legs in the glass when swirled. After letting it breath I got my desired funkiness, a combination of earthiness with dried herbs and mushrooms that was taking me back to wine tasting in Burgundy. Mingled with the earthiness were hints of cherries and strawberries, delicious! In the mouth the wine displayed decent fruit with more strawberries, good acidity, soft tannins and a touch of "Old World" minerality that all come together to provide a lingering, mouthwatering finish.

Number of wines reviewed in 2010: 38

Stephen Ross Central Coast Pinot Noir 2007

An, another Tuesday night, another night to meet Sarah and Efrain at temple. For tonight's enjoyment I brought a bottle of Stephen Ross Central Coast Pinot Noir 2007. This wine is produced with grapes sourced primarily from three vineyards: Wolff and Lewis in the Edna Valley and Kick On Vineyard in Santa Barbara County. Lovely maritime climate allowing the growth of some fine Pinot. As Nick unscrewed the top (yes, it comes screw top), I got the first hints of fruit and something else but rather than rushing in I enjoyed conversation before diverting time to the wine, allowing it to breath. The nose opened up with the scents of cherries, a touch of dried fruit, a little spice, and what would best be described as "dirty mushrooms" (like just before you washed them off). The wine was a lovely light garnet in the glass, pretty to watch while one swirled it. The wine is good, very easy to drink, smooth medium bodied with supple tannins and good acidity to blend into a fairly long finish. The wine is meant to be imbibed young (but should keep well another year or two) and comes at a good price point if you're looking for a nice, quality wine.

Number of wines reviewed in 2010: 28

California and Lebanon

Another night of packing for the move and with the hubby out doing grown-up stuff I was left alone for dinner. Since it has been quite a while I walked down to The Vine for a quick bite and sample a few wines. I opened with a comparison of two Pinot Noirs, Handley Cellars 2006 Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley and 2006 Talisman Wines Thorn Ridge Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir (see picture on the left). At the onset they seemed virtually identical in color and nose, hints of strawberry, spice, and a bit of clove. Boy, it going to be hard to differentiate them. But as always, time told the true story. While both wines started out extremely close in terms of nose, body, taste, and finish, time was not so kind to the Handley as it was to the Talisman. After a bout 20 minutes it seems virtually everything was gone from the Handley while the Talisman continued to open up to provide a lovely little Pinot with good acidity, lean but not racy, soft but slightly dry with a medium length finish.


After this comparison I was convinced to try something different. The server poured me a sample of 2002 Chateau Musar Hochar Père & Fils, a wine from Lebanon. This wine is blend of the "three C's", Carignan ,Cinsaut, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The nose was lovely, like a strawberry wrapped in licorice accented with rose petals. I detected a hint of petroleum and earthiness (which I attribute to the fact that it is unfiltered). The wine is medium bodied but round with a slightly thick texture (again, probably because it isn't filtered) with smooth tannins and just enough acid to support the other components. A surprise what was pleasant!

Number of wines reviewed in 2010: 27

Hob Nob With X Winery

Another night for light dinner and wine at Jake's On Sixth with the hubby. While he settled into his Riesling I decided to sample as my first wine Hob Not 2007 Pinot Noir. "Hob nob" is an interesting word that goes back to the early 1800s and means "to drink sociably" (One would drink "hobnob" if you took turns drinking to one another) and this Pinot Noir is definitely a wine conducive to sociable drinking. This is a French Pinot Noir but not from the traditional Burgundy. It comes from the very interesting Languedoc-Roussillon region. The wine is simple but pleasing with notes of violets and red cherries with just a hint of spice. The wine is medium-light bodied, nice acidity and fruit with enough tannins to give it a decent finish. A very nice Pinot Noir for the price (about $10 a bottle).

After finishing my lovely salad and Pinot I decided on one more pour. One thing I have come to like about Jake's, I tend not to know the wineries so I get to have a bit of vino adventure. Hubby spotted a bottle of red wine with a big "X" on it so being intrigued I asked Greg to pour me a glass. The wine turned out to be 2006 X Winery - Special Release Spring Mountain Merlot. A Napa region Merlot this dark wine delivered a lovely nose of dark fruits and cherries with hints of currant and coffee. Medium-full bodied this wine delivered good fruit and firm tannins, a nice depth and complexity but for some reason I found the finish coming up a little short for what I expected (guess I'll have to go back and give it another try). Still, quite a good Merlot and shouldn't be passed up if you get the chance to try.

Number of wines reviewed in 2010: 18

Last Night At Temple With Friends And MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir

I was blessed to spend the last Temple night with my hubby, Sarah, Efrain, and Alana at temple. As per Tuesday night convention I brought along a bottle of wine, this time was MacMurray Ranch 2007 Pinot Noir, "Sonoma Coast". From the very beginning this wine was a joy. When "Bartender Mike" pulled the cork he said he could smell the fruit. The nose was extremely enticing, just bursting with red fruits (strawberry and red cherry) with hints of earthiness and cocoa. In the glass the color was red and bright ("Pretty" was the word everyone used). The wine is medium-bodied and elegant with soft tannins and good acidity leaving the mouth watering. It went well with the pork medallions that I had and would probably go well with a baked chicken and even a pasta with red sauce. A fine wine with good food and close friends... an all around enjoyable evening.

Number of wines reviewed in 2009: 225

What We Had For Thanksgiving

In a word... wine. This year we attended two Thanksgivings, one served at the house and one at a Tio Ely's. It made for an exhausting but fun day and of course an opportunity to share from the wine stash. The offerings we had were fairly traditional but of course there are reasons for traditions, in the case of wine, because they go well with the typical Thanksgiving meal. In no particular order those around us got to share the following:

2007 Louis Jadot Beaujolais: What a pretty wine, a lovely garnet in the glass that delivered what you would expect from a Thanksgiving wine. Very fruit forward with crushed strawberries, hints of cherry and peppercorn leading the way. Excellent acidity and gentle tannins make this a favorite of mine for Thanksgiving (or just when I want something light and fruity).

2008 Alex's Red Barn Grenache: A newer offering from one of my Temecula favorites, this wine is loaded with black fruits, high-finish acidity and smooth tannins. An extremely food-friendly wine for most any meal with roasted or braised meat.

2007 Fess Parker ATR Pinot Noir: Since I recently reviewed this wine I won't say anything more than this wine did not disappoint and was as expected a crowd pleaser.

2008 Baily's Temecula Valley Dry Riesling: Had to throw a white in and this one was lovely. Slightly less dry than the name suggests this wine, this was a crisp, lightly spicy, "appley" wine that blended stunningly with the turkey.

Wines reviewed in 2009: 220 (not counting the Fess Parker since it was recently reviewed)

Fess Parker American Tradition Reserve Pinot Noir, 2007

As any reader of this blog knows I am a big fan of the Fess Parker wines, especially their Syrah and Pinot Noir. Last night at "Temple" I brought a bottle of 2007 American Tradition Reserve Pinot Noir from my most recent shipment. It was a touch young but a lovely wine that lived up to my expectations for any wine from ol' Fess. The color was a beautiful red, I would venture garnet but the lighting was a little dim so exact determination eludes me. The nose was fruity, heavily strawberry and raspberry with a hint of smoke and vanilla that I adore. Medium-light bodied, the wine delivered a nice blend of strawberries, black cherries and chocolate supported with good acidity and tannins producing a medium-length finish. I paired it with the pork appetizer at Temple for a nice synergism of flavor.

Wines reviewed in 2009: 216

Battling Pinots At WineSellar

Saturday for lunch I decided to attend the wine tasting at The WineSellar and Brasserie, Pinot Noir "taste-off" between Sonoma and Oregon. It looked delicious on the announcement and I was not disappointed. For a pairing I selected the braised pork which was fantastic. Since the tasting was blind I will post my notes in the order poured and give the name of the wine after each note.

Wine 1: Light, "cherry red" in color. Light nose, slightly floral with cherry and raspberry notes. Fine acid/fruit bend, lighter bored. enough tannins to help create a longer finish than expected. Excellent with the braised pork! William Selyem 2007, Russian River Valley

Wine 2: Deeper in color than the first wine. Violets and blueberries on the nose, hint of cola here. Light bodied, nice blend but not as pleasing for me as wine #1. A littler shorter finish but there was some enhancement of taste with the braised pork. Merry Edwards, 2007, Russian River Valley

Wine 3: Red with hint of violet in color. Nose brings hints of earth and coffee along with red fruit. A little more dry than the first two wines. Not thrilled with the finish and no real synergy for me with the meal. Et Fille 2007, Willamette Valley

Wine 4: More deeply colored than wine 1. Big cola, vanilla, and fruit on the nose with lovely notes of spice. Bigger tannins than the other three but not overpowering. Excellent with the braised pork. Hartford Court 2006, Fog Dance Vineyard, Russian River Valley

Wine 5: Back to slightly deeper cherry red. Pretty nose full of cherries, berries, hints of herbs and earthiness that I love. Lovely mouthfeel, a bit fuller than the others but not at all flabby. Fine acid/fruit/tannin combo making for an excellent finish. Blends well with the lunch, my favorite thus far. Dusky Goose 2006, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley

Wine 6: Deepest red of the six. Cola, violets, maybe blueberries and nuts on the nose, quite a pretty blend. Lovely, lively mouthfeel, medium finish. Works quite well with lunch. Cristom 2004, Eileen Vineyard, Willamette Valley

So at the end of the day I would say that the 2006 Dusky Goose (Oregon) and the 2007 Williams Selyem (Sonoma) were my favorites but it's hard to go wrong with any of these beautiful Pinots.

Wines tasted in 2009: 212

2007 Foley Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir

Today is a day for me to celebrate. I got the results back from my comprehensive exam and passed with high honors (yeah me). To celebrate I opened a lovely bottle of Pinot Noir, my lone bottle of Foley 2007 Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills and opened a Fuente Opus X Cigar. Obviously I tasted the wine (well, "tasted" a glass) before smoking the cigar. The wine is absolutely lovely (Wine Enthusiast gave it a 92). The color is a beautiful deep cherry red hinting at what is to come. On the nose hints of cherry, cranberry and a touch of cola. The wine is a medium-light body, lovely mouthfeel and my salivary glands worked overtime. The fruit was "bright", making the wine seem a little light but lovely with soft tannins combining with the other parts to create a medium-length finish that brings a touch of spice into the mix. Perfect for an evening like this.

Number of wines reviewed in 2009: 204

Philosophy and Wine - Aquinas 2007 Pinot Noir

While in my local Von's I spotted this black labeled little wine on the bottom shelf of the Pinot Noir section and was taken immediately by the name. After all, something that combines three of my favorite interests (Christianity, Philosophy, and Wine) must have something going for it, so into the basket it went. What a happy bit of serendipity (after all, I wasn't there looking for wine but on my way to the bakery section). This lovely little wine made for a pleasant tasting experience. First the color, a pretty rose petal red, light (I could read the page on the journal I had under it). The nose was extremely pleasing, full of cherries and rose petals (to match the color) and just a hint of plum and a little tiny "gaminess" coming through. Nice, medium-light bodied with plenty of raspberries, hints of clove and cinnamon (with just a touch of cedar on the finish), good acid, soft tannins all coming together for a medium-length finish that made the mouth want a second sip. A fine job by this Napa producer at an excellent price. I'm going to pick up a couple of bottles to hold for Thanksgiving.

Wines reviewed in 2009: 185

Memorial Day BBQ

My honey and I has a few friends over Sunday for a Memorial Day weekend BBQ. Last minute improvisation wrecked havoc with the menu but the food and drinks flowed for several hours and I don't think anyone went away hungry. While margaritas, beer, and mojitos were the mainstays several bottles of wine were opened. Strangely, people avoided the whites (since they kept their corks on they will live to serve another day). For the red drinkers (your author included) we had a lively little offering:

Beckman Estate Grenache 2006: I tell ya, every time I taste a Beckman wine I am happy and this time was no exception. Aged in 100% neutral barrels you get the full head-on expression of the fruit. The bouquet is lively with wonderful red fruits (especially strawberries) and just a hint of vanilla set the mouth to water. The medium-bodied wine delivers fantastic fruit and soft tannins with good acidity to swirl around the mouth and ending in a nice lingering finish. The alcohol runs a little on the high side but you don't really notice it (at least not in the first glass). Brilliant job and I loved it as a summer BBQ wine.

Francis Coppola 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Collection Ivory Label: What a mouthful that is... and so is the wine. Big, bold, expressive, rich. Beautiful nose of red currant, plum, and a hint of vanilla this wine was delicious delivery just the right mix of blackberries, mellow tannins (surprising in a pretty young wine) and alcohol in a concentration that produced a lingering finish well received buy the assembled company.

Fess Parker 2005 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard: Believing you should always share your good stuff with friends I broke open a bottle of one of Fess' great Pinots. I gotta tell you, I love Fess Parker wines more and more and I think I am winning converts. This is a GREAT wine for any New World Pinot Noir lover. The nose is a wonderful blend of plumb, currants, and I swear a hint of smoky meat linger in there (which of course could have been the ribs on the grill but since I liked the hint of smoke I'll keep it in the review). This wine was bold with the structure behind it to make it more than just a flash in the pan (or mouth in this case). The blend of red fruits, solid but not harsh tannin, fantastic acid, and alcohol was a near perfect blend for me on this day delivering a lip-smacking joy that lingered for a long, long time.

Leonesse 2006 White Merlot: From the best reds on the Central Coast (Beckman, Fess Parker) I decided to throw in something from probably the best wine maker in our own Temecula, Leonesse. Wanting something that looked like a summer wine but was unusual I chose the Leonesse White Merlot. I confess, I like this wine for a warm-weather, spicy food companion. This fruity wine bursts with strawberries and cherries both on the nose and palate without being a "sweet" wine. The folks at Leonesse have been dabbling in this area (fruity wines that aren't cloyingly sweet) with some good success and the White Merlot is just one more example of this.

Wines reviewed in 2009: 182

Wine Tasting At WineSteals

Well, they call it a tasting but on Sunday afternoons it is more "getting snockered with wine" since they have a $10 for 6 tastes but what they don't always tell you is that on Sunday they change over their by-the-glass offering and to move last week's product the "taste" gets to be rather large in the glass. Most of them I stopped myself at about one-third of the pour just as not to (1) get drunk and (2) dull my taste buds so I can fairly access the other wines. From the vat-o-bottles my love and I selected the following:

Qupe 2007 Marsanne: Qupe makes great Rhone wines. This is the first white wine of theirs I have tasted and it was good. As typical with this Marsanne has a little Roussanne blended in producing a nice citrusy/honey nose, good fruit and a definite minerality on the tongue and finish that is quite nice. Enough acidity to make it crisp and moderately lower in alcohol made this a delightful opener.

Macon Uge 2007:Macon, Burgundy, so if it's white it's Chardonnay (amazing how many people there seemed confused by this). Macon will always hold a special place for me because it was the place where being American got me out of a traffic ticket (long story). Nice Chardonnay, full of fruit and hints of citronella and toast on the nose. Crisp acidity, some minerality in the finish.

Martin Alfaro 2006 Pinot Noir: Medium ruby color, aromas of red raspberries and cherries and a hint of spice. Good acidity, felt the tannins a little harsh but my partner seemed not to thing so. Overall good Pinot Noir.

Tres Ojos 2006 Old Vines, Garnacha, Calatayud: Definitely made to be a crowd pleaser. Not complex but a delighful, fruit-forward wine. Medium bodied, dark chocolate, cherries, pepper and spice on the nose, good fruit, balanced acidity and tannins leading to a medium-length finish. Well worth seeking out if you want to try a Spanish Grenache.

Montebuena 2006 Rioja: Got a strange look from the lady pouring when I said "I like Tempranillo", not sure if she disagreed with my assessment of that varietal or was confused because I gave the varietal rather than the winery (or region) name. Either way, a nice example of Tempranillo that is still affordable. Deep, ruby-red in color with a fruity bouquet laced with vanilla and spice. Smooth and fruity on the tongue with good tannin/acid balance.

Chateau du Claray Muscadet Savre et Maine sur Lie: Yeah, a white after reds, so sue me. This was a pleasant, not overly serious Loire wine made from the Melon-de-Bourgogne grape. Light, almost effervescent, with lemon leading the way to a nice, minerally finish. Probably should have had it first but heck, this is WineSteals so who noticed? LOL

Wines reviewed in 2009: 139

A Two Pinot Night

Feeling a bit blue I was approached by my friend Bacchus and invited out for a drink. Upon reaching the establishment (location to remain a secret because if people found out he was showing up they would crowd the place) we decided to sip something delicate and deep to reflect the mood.

First up was Handley 2006 Pinot Noir "Anderson Valley". Anderson Valley in California’s Mendocino County now ranks with the top Pinot Noir regions in North America so expectations were high. The wine was a deep cherry red in color with lovely legs as I swirled the glass. The nose delivered cherry with hints of chocolate and spice (cloves perhaps). The wine is light-to-medium bodied, fruit forward with smooth tannins and nice acidity culminating in a medium-length finish. Definitely a "New World" Pinot, quite enjoyable.

The second wine for the evening was Perfecta 2006 Pinot Noir "Edna Valley". California's Edna Valley is located in the southern corner of San Luis Obispo County and developing quite a reputation for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. AGain the wine was cherry red with nice legs on the glass. The nose was not as fruit forward as the Handley but there was a hint of cherries, but I also detected a slight something that I will call "vegetalness" that while not off-putting didn't stimulate me positively either. There was a bit of "heat" translating through the nose, perhaps due to the fact that the bottle was not chilled. The mouthfeel was more full than the Handley which was nice, but then something strange happened... I got almost nothing from the taste. The tannins were extremely soft, there was some acidity, but when it comes to fruit it seemed like I wasn't getting anything. My friend Sarah described it to me via text as "red water" and in a way it did seem like colored water that had been through a water softener. Given the reputation of the AVA I won't give up on it and will try it again, but this time it made me terribly disappointed.

Wines reviewed in 2009: 132

Queen of Hearts Pinot Noir

Today after work was hair cut day and after Diego got me all ready for Valentine's Day I decided to stop for a glass of wine at Wine Steals in Hillcrest. Normally I don't go there because it tends to be way too crowded and the depth of perfume and cologne in the room often makes it difficult to determine the nose of your wine. This time though the place was almost empty as it was just at the start of "Happy Hour", so I settled in at the bar and ordered a glass of Queen of Hearts Pinot Noir. Sadly I didn't catch the vintage of this Santa Barbara Pinot, I need to make sure to start asking when I order wine by the glass.

The was rather pretty in the glass, a clear garnet, but I have to say that right from the bottle it didn't impress me. The nose was almost non-existent except for a little spice and the indication of "heat". The first sip was alright, some cherry and spice, soft tannins and decent acid but nothing exciting. After putting the glass down and reading an article in Wine and Spirits I picked up the glass, stuck in my nose and was greeted by a much more pleasant aroma of cherries, red fruits, and the same spice with a hint of oak. The taste was of a light-bodied Pinot, nice cherries, a little spice and oak, soft tannins and nice acidity. Over the span of about 30 minutes the wine unfolded quite nicely. It was never complex, never what the heavy hitters would call a "serious" Pinot, but it was a very drinkable, fruit-forward, short-finish Pinot. A nice Pinot for those nights you just want a Pinot and not think about it. With a price point of around $10 a bottle it's a decent drink, just remember to decant first to let it find its voice.

Wines reviewed in 2009: 109