Last night I lined up a blind tasting of seven California PInot Noirs, with price tags that ran the gamut from $16 to $65. Quite a range, I realize, but that can be part of the fun of a blind tasting. More often than not, one of the less expensive ones will beat out one of the pricier bottles.

To go with, I fell back on my favorite Pinot Noir cheese match — goat cheeses. I picked five different domestic chevres, sliced up some artisan breads (a dense pumpernickel and a pepper- and roasted garlic-flecked sourdough) and started tasting alongside a couple of friends.

The cheeses included Cypress Grove’s Humboldt Fog and Purple Haze — for my money, two of the best goat milk cheeses in existence — plus a goat brie, and a prettily flower-adorned but otherwise disappointing fresh chevre.

Here’s how things shook out:

Wild Horse 2005 Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley Cheval Sauvage ($65). This was the most expensive wine in the tasting, by a considerable amount, and it was also the most full bodied. Deep, dark cherry aromas and flavors are layered with loads of baking spices, vanilla and sweet earthy notes that evolve through some generous peppery oak influence on the finish. Ready to drink now and over the next three or four years. Locate this wine online or in your area.

MacMurray Ranch 2006 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley ($37). Deep black cherry and plum fruit is accented with aromatic clove, chocolate and a slight bacony note. Folds together on a fruity finish that shows some grip. Appealing now but would benefit from some time in the bottle — drink now over the next three or four years. Locate this wine online or in your area.

Cambria 2006 Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley Bench Break Vineyard ($30). We didn’t get much from this wine — it seemed closed on both the nose and the palate, even after several hours of breathing. Locate this wine online or in your area.

MacMurray Ranch 2006 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast ($24). This one was the surprise hit of the tasting, and was the unanimous favorite for its ripe but elegant blackberry and blueberry flavors, lightly earthy nose and lush vanilla-touched finish. Ready to drink now and over the next couple of years. Locate this wine online or in your area.

Cambria 2006 Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley Julia’s Vineyard ($21). Savory herbal aromas made for an appealing nose, but the rather simple red cherry and slightly cloying cola flavors didn’t fare too well with us. Locate this wine online or in your area.

Pietra Santa 2006 Pinot Noir Cienega Valley ($18). This one just seemed heavy, with a creamy, almost thick mouthfeel that didn’t seem particularly Pinot-like compared to the others. But the tangy red cherry and strawberry jam flavors weren’t all bad. Ready to drink now. Locate this wine online or in your area.

Edna Valley 2006 Pinot Noir San Luis Obispo County Paragon ($16). By coincidence, this was the first wine we tasted — and it was also the lightest bodied. And although it didn’t stack up to the fruit intensity of most of the others, a couple of us thought it was still appealing. Delicate red berry and cherry fruit is laced with toast and earth, with a moderate finish. Ready to drink now. Locate this wine online or in your area.