Trader Joe’s Sunshine Mountain Vineyard Pinot Noir Review

Crowd-pleasing and true to the variety, we review the Northwest Collective Sunshine Mountain Vineyard Pinot Noir from Trader Joe’s.

100% Pinot Noir from Sunshine Mountain Vineyard on the Oregon side of of the Columbia Valley. The wine spends 12 months on French oak (12% new).

Sample submitted for priority review. Sponsored by Precept Wine.

The Sunshine Mountain Vineyard Pinot Noir is available exclusively at Trader Joe’s and is priced at just $14.99.

Inexpensive Pinot Noir can be a challenge. Oftentimes, you’re getting more of a red blend than a true Pinot Noir as labeling laws in most states only require 75% of the grapes to come from the named variety.

In Oregon, that percentage goes up to 90%, which is very helpful. Even better, the producer of today’s wine, Precept Wines, tells this example is 100%. Add on 12 months in French oak and that $15 price tag is looking pretty incredible. Let’s check it out.

From the winery:

Sunshine Mountain, a family-owned vineyard in the Columbia Valley of Oregon, boasts 300 days of sun a year. This sun-soaked vineyard produces bright and vibrant notes in our Pinot Noir.

This wine presents an elegant nose with aromas of ripe cherry, raspberry, and subtle hints of violet and spice. On the palate, it offers a silky texture with flavors of red currant, plum, and a touch of earthiness. Bright acidity balances the soft tannins, leading to a persistent finish with nuances of spice and mineral notes. This vintage showcases both freshness and complexity, making it a versatile choice for pairing with a variety of dishes.

RS (g/L): 5.46
TA (g/L): 5.3
pH: 3.89
Varietal Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
Aging: 12 months on 12% new, 100% French oak

Produced and Bottled by Northwest Collective
14.5% Alcohol

The 2023 Sunshine Mountain Vineyard Pinot Noir from Northwest Collective begins with a pleasing aroma of black cherry, raspberry, a little strawberry, some light baking spice notes and a touch of dried herbs. It’s a good start.

Tasting the wine reveals nice depth on the fruit, well-integrated spice throughout, good acidity and balance plus a soft and smooth mouthfeel and similar flavors to the nose. This is a crowd-pleasing kind of Pinot Noir that is also a really nice example of the variety.

It ends dry on the quite long and lasting finish and was similar on day 2.

As always you can find an updated list of our recommended wines from Trader Joe’s as well as more info on their pricing model and some tips and tricks for shopping the store in our giant guide.

You can also find more of our favorite Pinot Noir here!