Pinot Noir

Country: US / Variety: Pinot Noir California Winery: Rusack / Santa Barbara County There’s a lot of unripeness going on here, showing up as lean, tobaccoey flavors verging on mint. Drinks acidic and thin, and while there are some black cherry flavors, the wine is basically herbal. Yet it’s not without its charms.

Country: New Zealand / RKV Reserve Variety: Pinot Noir Central Otago Winery: Amisfield / A ripe, powerful Pinot, this wine is bursting with sweet cherry, chocolate and vanillan oak spice. The palate brings forth more ripe fruit with chewy but well structured tannins and a savory finish. Drink now–2024.

Country: New Zealand / Variety: Pinot Noir Marlborough Winery: The Better Half / The nose on this Pinot is the kind that makes it impulsive to keep on smelling. Exotic Middle Eastern spices mix with tamarind, earth, meat and oak spice. There’s power to the tannins but they’re fine-grained and balanced by plenty of acidity […]

Country: US / Temperance Hill Vineyard Variety: Pinot Noir Oregon Winery: St. Innocent / Eola-Amity Hills This drinks a bit lighter than previous vintages, with light strawberry and thin, tart cherry fruit. The tannins are astringent and slightly green. It’s worth cellaring until 2019 to let additional bottle age smooth out the finish.

Country: US / Variety: Pinot Noir Oregon Winery: Franchere / Eola-Amity Hills Made in a careful, non-intrusive, natural style, this combines wild strawberry and peppery herb flavors. It offers moderate tannins and a strongly herbal finish.

Country: US / Cargasacchi Vineyard Variety: Pinot Noir California Winery: Siduri / Sta. Rita Hills All types of tea, from black to nettle to Greek mountain to chamomile, show on this wine’s herbally powered nose, with bits of sagebrush and wild berries thrown in for good measure. Tea elements also power the palate, along with […]

Country: US / Shea Vineyard Variety: Pinot Noir Oregon Winery: Rex Hill / Willamette Valley This pulls off the neat trick of being both light and dense, with fruit running the gamut from strawberry to cherry to cassis. Deeply concentrated, and with lovely purity and length, this is delicious now but will surely drink even […]

Country: US / Kite’s Rest Vineyard Variety: Pinot Noir California Winery: Black Kite / Anderson Valley A beautiful trio of fruit flavors—red cherry, rhubarb and raspberry—provides harmony in this vivid and pure-tasting wine. The freshness and clarity of the fruit elements is well backed by lively acidity and moderate tannins to keep it clean and […]

Country: US / Looney Vineyard Variety: Pinot Noir Oregon Winery: Archery Summit / Ribbon Ridge The Ribbon Ridge AVA is home to a small, select group of near-cult wineries, and fruit such as this is the reason why. Compact and refined, it delivers beautiful aromas of raspberries, with a subtle dustiness that might be Oregon’s […]

Country: US / Pisoni Vineyard Variety: Pinot Noir California Winery: Siduri / Santa Lucia Highlands Fresh raspberries, red cherries and even blackberries arise on the juicy nose of this wine from Adam Lee, but it’s lifted by wild mint, hummingbird sage and damp coyote scrub. The palate is very herbally spiced, with thyme, marjoram, black […]

Country: New Zealand / Variety: Pinot Noir Marlborough Winery: Catalina Sounds / Although it starts on the oaky side, the ripe red fruit, olive and baking spice notes soon come into play. The palate integrates silky tannins with plush fruit, making this a straightforward example of Marlborough Pinot Noir.

Country: US / Emerson Block Burnside Road Vineyard Variety: Pinot Noir California Winery: Balletto / Russian River Valley Rose aromas emerge on the nose of this block-designated, light-bodied wine. It’s full of crisp red fruit and bright acidity.