I am looking for some good recommendations of Pinot Noir wines. Thanks!?!
I am looking for some good recommendations of Pinot Noir wines. Thanks!?
Answers:
Pinot Noir is extremely popular right now, in fact, in some places they are running out of juice! Anyway here are some suggestions of the best sellers from my wine shop at different price ranges:
Low end- Redwood Creek (California) very simple but elegant, good value for price ($7)
Mirassou (California) excellent value, very easy drinking ($10)
Bogle (California) always reliable, great winery ($15)
Jadot (France) nice reliable french winemaker, yummy (%15)
Macmurray (California) very elegant ($17)
***Magnet (California) easily one of the best bottles of Pinot around, super delicious and worth every penny ($21)
Anything from Willamette valley is great too, but due to juice shortage they may be difficult to find and are quite pricey right now.
Pinto is a rather finicky grape, so you can;t always tell and price is never an indication of quality.
I would go to the higher end wine stores for help (even BevMo)
Good wine is in the tastebuds of the beholder, so I'm not going to drop names here, but maybe I can help with your personal exploration a bit.
"Pinot", by the way, got its name from the pine-cone shaped grape clusters; "noir" means black. Growing in France since the Roman Empire, it's a pretty difficult grape, which may explain some of the outragous prices. Pinot Noir is the grape of the Burgundy region, and some Cote d'Or can seriously set you back. Look for a Burgundy in your price range (some wine shops will list a score; the closer to 100, the more respected by professional tasters. an 85 or so is respectable.)
Definately explore Oregon Pinot Noir, as the growing season there befits this finicky grape. I suggest the Willamette (rhymes with "Dammit") Valley.
New Zealand is in on the growing game, too, with some interesting results.
Pinot Noir is a pretty genetically unstable grape, and some of these mutations have become respectable in their own right, so toy around with some Pinot Gris or Pinot Blanc.
I keep notes as to what appeals to me and what doesn't, and names I've enjoys and those I haven't. This helps more and more when I'm shopping for something new.
Cheers!
Five Rivers makes a great, reasonably priced pinot noir. It should be available from the grocery store or local liquor and wine shop. Enjoy