I’ve been on a Pinot Noir kick of late, primarily because I find this thin-skinned grape to be a friendlier red wine during summer. And yes, while I am usually drawn to Pinot Noir from Europe, I’m finding some of the Pinot Noir coming out of California to be more pleasant this summer. Fruitier and more approachable…

So there, I’m not a European wine snob after all.

Anyway, all that aside, there are a few areas in California that are better for Pinot Noir than others. The Russian River Valley and Los Carneros in the north are very well-known. The Central Coast is also well-known and some of the more popular sub-AVA’s within that zone, like the Santa Rita Hills are well documented in these pages. Another sub-AVA that is growing in stature is Monterey County. A few years ago, I was on the Monterey Penisular and found myself knee deep in really yummy Pinot Noir. Mostly from small producers, the wines don’t make it to the east coast very often, if at all. Yes, Cuvaison is an exception and one that I have touted before, but so many others never get past the Rockies.

The ones that do make the trip are usually more commercial offerings, which often lack personality, which is why I was pleased to stumble across the Bridlewood recently. A relatively inexpensive, Pinot Noir made from Monterey County fruit that is quite nice.

Interestingly, Bridlewood is a mid-size estate in the Santa Ynez Valley, which is smack dab in the middle of the Central Coast AVA. The estate consists of approximately 105 acres of total land, of which 40 acres are “set on a high bench of ancient seabed on the eastern edge of the Santa Ynez Valley, where the vines produce an intensely rich Syrah.” The Bridlewood web site had this to say about their Pinot Noir :

Monterey County enjoys a cool, foggy climate that is ideal for Pinot Noir. Typically, bud break begins several weeks earlier and harvest ends several weeks later than other growing regions. This extra month of time on the vine allows the grapes to develop intense, complex flavors. Monterey County houses the significant Monterey AVA, which includes nine sub-regions, united by the cooling influence of Monterey Bay.

Their winemaker added :

Most of the fruit was picked at night to keep the grapes as cool as possible. The fruit was then destemmed, but not crushed, leaving a significant portion of whole berries going into the fermentor. The skins had approximately 5 – 7 days contact, and the wine was racked as needed to maintain the purity of fruit flavors in the finished wine.

Judging by what I tasted, their appraisal is not too far afield.

Another interesting fact… Bridlewood was the starting location for The Amazing Race reality show on CBS back in February of 2012…

My tasting notes:

Ripe, jammy nose with cherry, red currant and lilac hints. Medium-bodied with moderate acidity and moderate tannin – good balance. Dense, fruity palate with blackberry jam, vanilla and raspberry notes. Moderate length – smooth, easy drinking. Not for aging

At an average retail cost of $16.99/bottle pre-discount, this wine is an okay value – with the special discounts my cost dropped to $12.59/bottle – at that price this wine is a better value and worthy of consideration.

Cheers!

I first became acquainted with Mark West Pinot Noir with the 2003 vintage. I touted it then as a great value because the price was sub-$10 and the product was solid, if not overly simple. My point at the time was, not every bottle has to curl your toes or send you into rapturous convulsions – having a solid, well-made quaffer is fine, especially when that sip is really cheap. Here, here…

So I watched with dismay as successive vintages came to market several dollars over $10 and when it hit $16.99, I moved on. No great loss, but I was disappointed that such a clear cut value leader had succumbed to what I have dubbed “the West Coast disease,” wines that are clearly priced beyond their provenance.

And you can imagine my pleasure when a recent trip down the wine aisle yielded the current Mark West vintage priced at $12.99/bottle, with a special markdown to $9.99. Boo-yeah. We were back in the sub-$10 zone, so I picked up a bottle and was equally pleased that the quality was still there. Again, this is not a paean to age-worthy Pinot Noir with layers of complexity, unfolding with grace and elegance that conjures images of red-robed Chevalier paying homage to the Dukes of Burgundy. No, it is just a really fun, drinkable glass of red wine that’s weighted perfectly for summer. And it’s cheap enough not to worry about the fact that ketchup and BBQ sauce is going to spoil the party.

My tasting notes:

Bright, fruity nose. Ripe red berry and soft floral hints. Medium-bodied with moderate acidity and supple tannin – good balance. Juicy raspberry and strawberry palate – very easy drinking. Moderate length – smooth – not complex, simply quaffable. Not for aging.

At an average retail cost of $12.99/bottle pre-discount, this wine is an okay value – with the special discounts my cost dropped to $8.99/bottle – at that price this wine is a superb value!

Cheers!

I started collecting wine with a case of Bordeaux wine almost exactly 30 years ago… The case in question? A 1983 Château Kirwan – magical wine indeed! It was expensive, but worth the investment and over the years, Bordeaux has remained one of my favorite regions. It is also fairly easy to understand from an appellations perspective and the many classifications make it fun to collect.

No shock, the prices in Bordeaux continue to escalate with a string of strong, vintages serving as the primary driver. My advice has always been to look at lesser labels, or second labels of “classified growths” in really strong vintages, because you can find some really tremendous values that have great aging potential and great drinkability. One needs to be careful, of course, but generally this approach has garnered some real gems in the cellar.

Another strategy is to look to the many sub-regions of Bordeaux that lack name recognition and notoriety. In these smaller, less-well-known areas, wine makers craft some really nice wine and sell it at very fair prices.

To me, Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion is one of those lesser-known regions; a small satellite of the more well-known Saint-Émilion region, which has the potential for producing really nice wine, usually at very reasonable prices. Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion itself is on the right bank of the Dordogne River, northeast of Saint-Émilion proper, and was granted its AOC status in 1936. There are a little less than 2,000 acres under vine producing a little less than 1 million gallons of wine. Not prodigious, but enough. Only red wine is produced in the region, and while all of the five grape varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot) allowable in Bordeaux can be and are used, it is Merlot that dominates the blends.

Château Côtes de Saint Clair is a bit of a mystery… I could find almost no information about the property, but that does not diminish my enjoyment of the wine. A definite winner, which underscores the validity of my aforementioned Bordeaux wine-buying tip.

My tasting notes:

Lush nose with plum, blackberry and minerally hints. Medium-bodied with moderate acidity and firm, dry tannin – well balanced. Dark fruit core with tobacco leaf, cocoa dust and black currants – very nice. Long finish – smooth with layered complexity – anise and bittersweet chocolate on the aftertaste. Drinking well now and should continue to improve for another 5 to 7 years in the bottle, at least. Great value!

At an average retail cost of $14.99/bottle pre-discount, this wine is a fantastic value!

Cheers!