Find all of our Pinot Noir for the 99 selections here.
Pinot Noir from Monterey County, California.
SRP of $15 and available for as low as $12. Sample submitted for review.
Pinot Noir is hot, and has been for awhile. But as Gregory Dal Piaz pointed out in a recent article at Snooth, as popular as it is there is a disconnect between what consumers want and what winemakers want to give them:
“If you ask consumers what it is they like about Pinot they’ll tell you a few things. The wines are fruity, they are also soft and easy to drink, or at least tend to be in the most popular incarnations. The funny thing here is that this style, profitable as it may be, is not what has driven the passion of vintners for decades. No, there are very few winemakers out there dreaming of producing a fruity, easy to drink Pinot from fruit farmed on the flatlands in some back water appellation. The industry wants to make art, the consuming public by and large wants to drink something that’s fun.”
While the article itself makes the case for Grenache as the next big variety (an idea we wholeheartedly support, just check our most recent Top 10 Red Wines Under $20 list) I think GDP is exactly right about Pinot Noir and it is a confirmation of Tenet #5 of Reverse Wine Snobbery: “The wine industry often seems to forget about the one person that matters, the average consumer.”
And so in the spirit of Tenet #2 (“We believe you should drink what you like”) we heartily recommend this fruity, inexpensive, and easy drinking Pinot Noir from Darcie Kent Vineyards!
From the bottle:
“The Rava Blackjack Vineyard is situated on a hillside overlooking the fertile Monterey Valley where vines are cooled by brisk coastal breezes and the Pacific fog. This combination is ideal for growing the Pinot Noir used for this wine: a unique combination of flavors including blueberry and ripe cherries. Enjoy!
14.5% Alcohol”
The 2010 Darcie Kent Vineyards Rava BlackJack Vineyard Pinot Noir begins with a very enticing candied aroma of vanilla and cherry cola. Those same flavors come through when tasting along with some excellent spice. There may not be a ton of depth or complexity but it sure is tasty, fruity and fun. It ends dry with good length.
Find more Pinot Noir for the 99 selections here! You might also enjoy Five Favorites – Fantastic Pinot Noir Under $20.
See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.
Overall Rating: 7.8
Highly Recommended
Would You Like To Save This?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
We won't send you spam, unsubscribe at any time.
