($9). This
is a funny wine. In a good way. Here's
how a typical blind tasting of this wine
goes: "Hey, I like this. Good fruit.
Not too tannic." And then the label
is revealed: "It's a Pinot Noir?"
And it's true. This wine
does have good fruit -- dark plum and
black cherry, and a bit of spice that
jazzes things up. It also seems to have
just a touch of sweet purple grape juice
-- not even enough to call it off-dry
-- just a touch. In other words, it doesn't
exactly transport you to Burgundy. Or
Oregon, for that matter.
But it is a good wine, and
we can definitely recommend it. I would
think about serving this wine slightly
chilled, just thirty minutes or so in
the fridge ought to do it. It would pair
easily with summer grilling, anything
from vegetables to barbeque. And the value
pricing is great -- a mere $9 (or less)
a bottle.
