Varietal:  Pinot Noir
Region:  California – USA
Cost:  Approx $10

Winemaker’s Notes:  Rich earthiness and bold robust flavors. Pairs well with full-flavored hearty meats, stews, and soups paired with rustic bread.

My Review:  You ever have one of those moments when you see a bottle of wine on your rack and have absolutely no idea where it came from? I had that moment last night with my wife when we were trying to decide which bottle of wine to open up with some chili we had made for dinner. I had no memory of the wine being purchased, was confident it wasn’t a sample that had been sent to me, and didn’t remember anybody bringing it over during one of our holiday parties, and it wasn’t until I sat down to write this review that I realized where it came from – my wife and I did buy it at a local store that was offering a free tasting. This is what age does to you.

In the glass, after spending some time in a decanter, the wine was a medium-light garnet color. It wasn’t super light, but I could still see the bottom of my glass with the wine in it. On the nose I got mostly cherry notes, though the wine didn’t have a big nose even after being allowed to open up in the decanter. In the mouth I got more of the cherry notes along with some cola on the finish and very subtle hint of effervescence. It paired well with the chili, the fruit flavor actually doing a good enough job with the chili, though I think something with a bit of spice might have been even better.

To sip on the wine after we were done eating was easy enough, and while the wine certainly didn’t blow me away, as budget Pinot Noir goes I’ve certainly had a lot worse. It didn’t set my world on fire, but if you happen across it and you’re in the market for a value Pinot Noir it’s definitely worth giving a second or third thought to.

Related posts:

1. Winfield Estate Proprietor’s Select Pinot Noir 2009
2. FlipFlop Pinot Noir 2009
3. Biltmore Reserve Pinot Noir 2009

White

• Jacob’s Creek Chardonnay
• Dr. Loosen Red Slate Riesling
• Château Ste. Michelle Sauvignon Blanc

Related posts:

1. California Wine Country Day 1 – Napa Valley
2. California Wine Country Day 2 – Sonoma
3. Saying Goodbye to Summer

Varietal:  100% Pinot Noir
Region:  Willamette Valley – Oregon – USA
Cost:  $22

Winemaker’s Notes:  The medium garnet color introduces a bright aroma of raspberry, cherry, and cedar with hints of pie spice, sandalwood, and dried cherry. On the palate it opens to ripe cherry, red and black raspberry, and mocha accents supported by a medium plus body and full, fine grained tannins. Pairs well with grilled meats, flavorful sauces, and rich farmhouse cheeses.

My Review:  This wasn’t the first time I’d had the 2009 Montinore Estate Reserve Pinot Noir, no that would have been some weeks ago at my local Fleming’s Steakhouse & Wine Bar where Mike, our favorite bartender there, convinced my wife and I to give it a try during a visit there for happy hour. We liked it so much I went online and ordered half a case of it.

The wine is a beautiful light garnet color in the glass and on the nose I got notes of raspberry and cedar that were welcoming and just invite you to take a sip. On the palate cherry, raspberry and earth notes with a touch of spice on the nice smooth finish make this an incredibly easy wine to just sip on. In addition, the wine has been certified biodynamic and organic, so if you’re looking to try a wine that has less of an impact on the environment, this is a great one.

I didn’t pair this wine with food last night, but I did have a bottle opened at my parents’ house for Thanksgiving dinner and it went quickly, going well with the spread my Mom had prepared, especially the turkey. If you want to try this wine, and I highly recommend it, and can’t find it at your local store, you can follow this link and have it shipped directly to you…just like I did. http://www.winezap.com/search/searchResults.cfm?r=181364

Related posts:

1. Biltmore Reserve Pinot Noir 2009
2. Winfield Estate Proprietor’s Select Pinot Noir 2009
3. FlipFlop Pinot Noir 2009

There are a lot of different wine sites out there giving suggestions on what you should be pouring during your Thanksgiving festivities. Since, however, it’s been fairly well established what varietals go well with the traditional Thanksgiving feast, I thought I would change it up and let you know what I’m pouring at dinner, or rather, what I’m taking up to my parents house to pour for the army-sized feast my mother will be cooking.

2009 Coastal Vines Pinot Noir – Sonoma, CA – $10

I picked up a pair of these at my local Richmond wine shop since it would have been irresponsible of me to not show up with some Pinot Noir. While there are plenty of wine sites that will be recommending $30 and $40 bottles, I don’t see the reason to break the bank when there are perfectly serviceable bottles under $20. I’ve never had this one before, so it will be interesting to try it out on Thursday.

2010 Ponga Pinot Noir – New Zealand – $14

I’ve had other Ponga varietals before (namely Sauvignon Blanc), so I’m holding out high hopes for this being a good value wine that over-performs for the price.

2010 Alamos Torrontes – Argentina – $13 (SRP) *

Much like the Ponga, I’ve had other wines from Alamos, so I’ll be interested to try this one. For those unfamiliar with Torrontes, the best approximation I can give, and the comparison I usually use, is Viognier. Given that I live in Virginia, and that I’m not bringing any Viognier myself (sorry VA Wine Marketing Board), it seems appropriate to bring something similar.

2009 Steininger Gruner Veltliner – Austria – $25

A few months back I received a case of summer white wines to try out, and of those my favorite was a Gruner Veltliner. I found it to be light, minerally, and refreshing. Since Gewurztraminer is a popular choice for Thanksgiving, I wanted to mix it up and try something a bit different though similar. As I’ve only had one Gruner (that I remember), I’ll be interested to see if this one is as enjoyable to me as the other one.

Freixenet Cordon Rosado – Spain – $12 (SRP) *

Rose’ in general has been finding its way more and more into my wine selection, as have sparkling wines. It’s only natural that they should combine. A blend of Trepat and Garnacha grapes, this wine will probably be a good selection before and during the dinner. I may use this bottle as a way to entice my parent’s neighbors that pretty much only drink bubbles to come over for a drink at some point in the evening.

2011 Christmas at Biltmore – California – $12 (SRP) *

This one will most likely get brought out for dessert, as one of the suggested pairings is pumpkin pie. A blend of Gewurztraminer, Muscat Canelli, Chenin Blanc, and Riesling, this wine has 4% residual sugar, so it’s definitely going to need something to either cut or compliment the sweetness.

2008 Foris Gewurztraminer – Oregon – $15

Since I was grabbing some Pinot Noir to bring, I of course had to bring some Gewurztraminer as well. I’m always a bit gun-shy around this particular grape, so I had my guy at my local wine shop show me to his driest Gewurztraminer. Hoping that this will go well with the feast my mom puts out.

Elyssia Pinot Noir Brut – Spain – $18 (SRP) *

A blend of Pinot Noir and Trepat (85%/15%), it will probably be a coin flip to see if this or the other sparkling rose’ makes it to the dinner table and which one gets opened up early for cocktails before dinner. I’m leaning towards dinner with this one though.

2009 Montinore Estate Reserve Pinot Noir – Oregon – $21

My wife and I actually bought half a case of this wine thanks to enjoying a glass of it so much at our local Flemings while there for happy hour. Since it’s rude to not share, I grabbed a bottle of this to throw into the selection that we’re taking up to Norther Virginia with us.

Hopefully you’ll all enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner and I hope you all have a safe Thanksgiving and have safe travels. If you feel like sharing what you’re pouring I’d certainly be interested to hear it.

Wines marked with a (*) were received as samples.

Related posts:

1. Thanksgiving Wine Pairing
2. Robert Mondavi Private Selection Pinot Noir 2010
3. 2011 Virginia Wine Expo

Varietal:  90% Pinot Noir; 6% Petite Sirah; 3% Syrah; 1% Merlot
Region:  California – USA
Cost:  $11 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes:  Reflecting the character of a cool vintage, which fostered the development of classic varietal aromas and flavors in our Pinot Noir grapes, this vivacious red wine’s hallmark is fresh, vibrant fruit. On the nose, lovely rose petal, violet, and red cherry aromas mingle with complementary scents of smoky vanilla and nutmeg. Very soft and round with good length and richness on the palate, the wine displays supple, silky berry and cherry jam flavors. Enjoy this delectable Pinot Noir with grilled salmon, herb-roasted chicken, baked ham, or lighter pork dishes.

My Review:  So remember yesterday when I talked about the bottle of 2007 Biltmore Blanc de Blancs exploding all over my kitchen? Well, since my wife and I were making salmon to go with that, and since exploding wine meant I was really going to need a drink, we decided to open up this bottle of 2010 Robert Mondavi Pinot Noir that I had received as a sample.

A light to medium red in the glass, with hints of some rust coloring, I got aromas of cherry and spice on the nose which lead into a very smooth, almost juicy wine with flavors of berry and a touch of a cola finish that I’m finding more and more on Pinot, and that I’m finding myself enjoying quite a bit.

Paired with the salmon the wines richness was a nice compliment to the fatty fish, making the entire meal just a wonderful, rich experience. For the price this was a surprisingly robust Pinot Noir, and if you’re looking for a budget wine to put out with your Thanksgiving dinner, this is certainly a good choice.

On the off chance you can’t find this wine in your local store, you can follow this link and get some shipped directly to you.

No related posts.

Varietal:  100% Pinot Noir
Region:  Chile – South America
Cost:  $7

Winemaker’s Notes:  This voluptuous Pinot Noir is full of rich aromas and flavours of cherry, plum, and strawberry, finished with a subtle spiciness. Balanced and New World styled, this is an elegant wine; the perfect partner for robust fish dishes, white meats, and pork.

My Review:  As a slight preview to this Thursday’s Wines of Chile Virtual Blogger Tasting, I decided to open up a bottle of Cono Sur Pinot Noir that I had picked up at Costco during a recent grocery trip. I’ve had Cono Sur wines during several blogger tastings and they tend to always make my list of the top wines for the tasting, and for the value I just couldn’t pass up trying this particular bottle.

The wine was a bit darker in the glass than I was expecting, though certainly not so dark as to make me question it’s Pinot Noir-ness. On the nose I got cherry and strawberry mostly, with the plum not really coming through until the palate, and even then it was very subtle, mostly hidden by the cherry and strawberry notes.

My wife and I paired the wine with a pizza and I have to say that the wine was enjoyable. I’d be lying if I said this was the best Pinot Noir I’ve ever had, hell, it wasn’t even the best Pinot I’ve had from Chile, but it was a great value, and it wasn’t bad by any stretch of the imagination, and I suspect that I’ll be grabbing another bottle of this the next time I come across it, as it’s better than most of the value Pinot Noirs I’ve come across in recent years.

If you can’t find this wine at your local store (I’ve seen it at multiple locations so I think they’re doing a good job of placing it on shelves), then you can follow this link and have some shipped directly to you. It’s a great value and probably an upgrade on most table wines.

Related posts:

1. FlipFlop Pinot Noir 2009
2. Pinot Evil Pinot Noir
3. Rodney Strong Pinot Noir 2008

Varietal:  100% Pinot Noir
Region:  Russian River Valley – California – USA
Cost:  $25 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes:  Cherry red color with aromas of cherry, raspberry, peppery spices, and a touch of oak. In the mouth an elegant to full body Pinot Noir with elegant balance and good depth. Pairs well with pork tenderloin, salmon, and filet mignon.

My Review:  I’ve had this wine sitting on my racks for a while, which is a bit weird since I usually don’t let Pinot last that long in my house. Regardless, last week on an evening the wife was out and I was home alone, I finally got around to opening up the bottle and I definitely regretted taking so long to get to it.

A medium-dark red color in the glass, aromas of raspberry, spice, and oak were the most noticeable to me, and on the first sip the raspberry and some cherry really came through. It wasn’t until I had finished cooking myself some dinner and paired the wine with it that I started to be really blown away.

For dinner I had cooked up a piece of salmon that I had covered in a mustard/lemon/herb mixture that while not fancy, at least added some nice flavor to it, and for a side dish I cooked up some pesto risotto since it just sounded good. Without food the wine was a good, quality, but somewhat unremarkable Pinot that I wouldn’t have told people to pass on, but that I don’t know that I would have rushed out to buy again over something else. With the food it was something else.

I don’t know if it was my particular way of cooking the food, the food in general, or something else, but when paired with the food, the wine went from good to great. All of the same raspberry, cherry, and spice notes were still there, but right at the finish there was added this mocha/espresso/coffee/chocolate note that I just found amazing. I couldn’t get enough of it. I wanted to make more food just to keep getting it.

Sadly the food, and the wine, were both gone after some time, but I can say that having had this experience, it makes me want to try the 2009 Biltmore Reserve Pinot Noir again to see if it was just what I cooked or if it’s something that I can replicate with other food pairings, because it was amazing.

If you can’t find the 2009 Biltmore Reserve Pinot Noir near you (and I haven’t seen it in my local store either), you can follow this link and have it shipped directly to you, which I recommend.

Related posts:

1. FlipFlop Pinot Noir 2009
2. Rodney Strong Pinot Noir 2008
3. Winfield Estate Proprietor’s Select Pinot Noir 2009

Varietal:  100% Pinot Noir
Region:  Spain
Cost:  $13

Winemaker’s Notes:   Pale, bright raspberry pink, with an abundant, uninhibited mousse. Intense raspberry aromas, backed by strawberry and aniseed, and a hint of cherry caramel. Red berry flavours dominate the palate, complemented by strawberry, touches of peach, watermelon, and lemon. There is a lovely minerality which adds to the complexity, and just a hint of sweetness which will increase its versatility in both food pairings and when it will be drunk.

My Review:  My wife and I picked up this bottle at a local store after having dinner last week as the bottle looked interesting and we didn’t have any bubbles in the house, something we’re trying to do a better job of remedying. While neither of us was familiar with the maker, a Cava made with 100% Pinot Noir was intriguing so we bought and this past week, opened.

We both suspected the wine would be a rose’, but given the darkness of the bottle it wasn’t possible to know for certain until the first bit fell into the glasses. On the nose I got a the raspberry and strawberry, which I expected from a rose’. In the mouth I continued to get strawberry but it was more subtle. The actual bubbles were very small, to the point that once would almost think this a still wine that just happened to have a hint of effervescence to it.

We paired the wine with some seafood and while it wasn’t a bad pairing, I just honestly wasn’t a huge fan of this wine. There was nothing that was categorically “bad” about it, but I also know that for the price I can get a Cava that I will really enjoy, not one that’s just meh.

If you’re looking for a rose’ Cava to try out, I don’t think you’ll hate yourself for picking up this one, but neither do I feel like you’ll be missing anything if you pass it over in favor of another.

Related posts:

1. Rodney Strong Pinot Noir 2008
2. Mumm Napa Pinot Noir 2007
3. Louis Latour Pinot Noir

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
Region: Oregon – USA
Cost: $20

My Review: I’m never one to turn away a sample bottle of Pinot Noir, but I was intrigued when the Good Works Wine Club asked if I would review a few bottles for them. I’ve been seeing a trend in wine and charity going hand in hand, and it’s a trend I’m enjoying. I won’t lie and say I’m the most charitable person in the world, but if I can combine charity with something that I do enjoy, like say wine, well then we can talk.

The Good Works Wine Club is a wine club with no membership fees. When you sign up, you will be asked to choose a non-profit, they have a list to choose from or you can request to add another, and 20% of your purchase price will be donated to that non-profit. That alone should have people rushing to sign up and order wine as there’s some really good causes already listed on the site.

As for the wine. I have three bottles to sample, but I naturally started with the 2009 Pinot Noir because, as I’ve stated, I love Pinot. The wine was light in the glass, and on the nose I got notes of cherry and cola. In the mouth this was a more fruit-forward Pinot Noir, with the cherry and cola carrying over from the nose to the palate. A bit of tartness on the finish was a good finishing note, especially considering how light the wine was. Paired with a dinner of pizza (half pepperoni, half fresh basil and mozzarella), it was a great table wine, and a good red wine as we move into the warmer months – nice and light.

Starting off with the 2009 Winfield Estate Proprietor’s Select Pinot Noir has made me look forward to the other two bottles I was sent (a Syrah and a Pinot Gris), and if for no other reason than there are some really good non-profit organizations that are always in need of help, it’s worth ordering at least one bottle. The 2009 Pinot Noir isn’t going to blow your mind, but it’s also not going to disappoint or make you regret having spent the $20 on it. Give it a try and do some charity work at the same time.

Related posts:

1. FlipFlop Pinot Noir 2009
2. Rodney Strong Pinot Noir 2008
3. Mumm Napa Pinot Noir 2007

It was that time again, this past Wednesday, that time when I get to taste some great wines from Chile along with some of my fellow wine bloggers, all while getting to interact with the winemaker’s down in Chile. It’s easily one of the highlights of writing this site, and something that I look forward to well in advance of each tasting.

This time around the tasting featured Pinot Noir and Syrah. As you can probably guess I was somewhat beyond excited when I found out that I was going to get to sample Chilean Pinot Noir, and add in the Syrah, and the tasting date couldn’t arrive fast enough for my taste. It should be noted, before I start talking about the actual wines, that this is the fourth Wines of Chile that I have had the fortune to participate in, and it may actually have been the best so far, which is saying something. Alright, on to the wines.

2009 Valdivieso Reserve Pinor Noir

Casablanca Valley

100% Pinot Noir with a SRP of $17, the Valdivieseo was light in the glass and on the palate. With tart flavors of cherry and unripened strawberries. It was probably the lightest wine we would drink all night, and was a great way to start off the tasting.

A darker wine than the Valdivieso that mixed dark earthy flavors and aromas with a nice brightness of cherry and nice long finish. The Nimbus is a good value with an SRP of $20.

Bright ruby red in color with aromas of black cherry. In the mouth the wine was fruity with a green, herby finish. I liked the Ritual better than the first two Pinot Noirs, and it may have been the best value of the night with an SRP of $20 for a great wine.

Great fruit on the nose and smooth on the palate. Med-dark in color with a hint of purple streaking through the wine. Black cherry and berry with a touch of strawberry and spice on the finish. A SRP of $65 will turn some people off, and I usually don’t recommend wines at that price because of the cost, but this is not one of those times. If you have the extra cash to spend and are looking to indulge in an expensive bottle of wine, the 2008 Cono Sur Ocio is a good one to splurge on.

97% Syrah and 3%Viognier with an SRP of $17-$18. I got vanilla on the nose and spice on the finish, with a hint of floral in the middle that I attributed to the Viognier. This was a good start to the Syrah portion of the tasting.

Deep and purple in the glass with a jammy, juicy feel in the mouth full of currants. On the finish I got a footy/Robittusen flavor on the finish that faded as the wine opened up more, but was a bit surprising at first. A heavier wine than the previous offerings, the 2006 Loma Larga has an SRP of $29.

2009 Undurraga T.H. Syrah

Leyda Valley

Lots of jammy dark fruit such as raspberry, this wine made me want a steak and a cigar and is easily one I would buy with an SRP of $25.

Aromas of black cherry with flavors of cherry, eucalyptus/Robittusen and a musty, bittersweet chocolate finish. A great value at $13.

This was another great tasting put together by Wines of Chile and The Thomas Collective, both of whom I’d like to thank for including me in another of their tastings. I look forward to doing another of these in the future and thanks to all my friends that came over and helped me finish the wine (waste not want not).

Related posts:

1. Wines of Chile: Blended Reds Blogger Tasting
2. Wines of Chile Sauvignon Blanc Virtual Blogger Tasting
3. Rodney Strong Pinot Noir 2008