100% Pinot Noir from Central Coast, California.
SRP of $20 and available at that price. Sample received courtesy the winemaker for review purposes.
From the bottle:
"Hand-sorted Pinot Noir clusters were fermented in open tanks, with extraction by frequent punchdown. The wine matured in French oak for fifteen months and is deeply-colored with scents of black cherry, ripe plum, licorice and vanillin.
13.9% Alcohol"
And so we've come to the last wine in our series on Pinot Noir under $20. Today's wine comes from winemaker William Knuttel's new line of wines "Robin K." named after his wife. This new line also includes a Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio which we will be reviewing in the future, but today is all about the Pinot Noir and this is a good one. In fact, on taste alone this may be my favorite of the whole series. The $20 price tag brings the overall rating down a bit but I'm guessing as this new wine gains distribution you'll be able to find it for a few dollars less than the $20 SRP.
The 2008 Robin K. Central Coast Pinot Noir begins with wonderful aromas of plum, spice, licorice, lots of vanilla and a little violet. The wine tastes of smooth dark fruit and a little spice. It also has a great mouthfeel with a bit of liveliness to it. The finish features soft oaky tannins plus intense and juicy dark fruit that lasts for awhile. Excellent and perhaps even better on Day 2.
See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.
Overall Rating: 7.0
All ratings use a simple 10 point scale with 10 being the best. Find out more about my rating systemhere and check out the Interactive Wine Rating Chart to find all my reviews! You can sort by type of wine, cost, rating, etc. in the interactive spreadsheet.
Wines in the Hunt For The Best Pinot Noir Under $20 Series:
2008 Stone Wolf Vineyards Willamette Valley Barrel Select Cuvée Pinot Noir
2009 Stoneleigh Marlborough Pinot Noir
2009 Smoking Loon Pinot Noir
2007 Seufert Winery Pinot Noir Cuvée
2010 McManis Family Vineyards Pinot Noir
2009 Red Rock Reserve Pinot Noir
2010 Robert Mondavi Private Selection Pinot Noir
2009 Dashwood Marlborough Pinot Noir
2008 Robin K. Central Coast Pinot Noir
