Category: $15 – $25

Domaine Loubejac Pinot Noir

91
Domaine Loubejac
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2016
Country of Origin: Oregon
Appellation: Willamette Valley
Retail Price: $19.99

Tasting Notes: Opening with an outstanding bouquet of rose petal, cherry and raspberry. Zesty and medium-bodied on the palate, it displays a savory flavor and long finish.
Domaine Loubejac Pinot Noir

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Fire Road Pinot Noir

91
Fire Road
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2016
Country of Origin: New Zealand
Appellation: Marlborough
Retail Price: $15

Tasting Notes: Dark and bright ruby red, across the glass. The nose and palate share a common thread of cherry and bright berry fruit. The finish is balanced, with elements of spice, texture and balancing acidity. Excellent for the price!
Fire Road Pinot Noir

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Verada Tri-County Pinot Noir

91
Verada
Fanciful Name: Tri-County
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Country of Origin: California
Retail Price: $17.99

Tasting Notes: Rich, deep and complex, with notes of cherry, blackberry and a range of spices on a lush texture. Excellent integration of oak with notes of vanilla lingering on the finish.
Verada Tri-County Pinot Noir

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Samuel Roberts Pinot Noir

92
Samuel Roberts
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2016
Country of Origin: Oregon
Appellation: Willamette Valley
Retail Price: $17.99

Tasting Notes: Bright and focused, showing lovely subtlety but not lacking in structure and flavor. A layer of light tannins underlies powerful notes of cherry and raspberry flavors; slight spice notes linger with the fruit on the finish.
Samuel Roberts Pinot Noir

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Straight Shooter Pinot Noir

92
Straight Shooter
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2015
Country of Origin: Oregon
Appellation: Willamette Valley
Retail Price: $22

Tasting Notes: The aromas of raspberry, strawberry and ripe plum lead into a mouth full of the same, supported by supple tannins and a strong mineral backbone. This is real crowd pleaser that works with loads of dishes, including Asian cuisine.
Straight Shooter Pinot Noir

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Siegel Special Reserve Pinot Noir

92
Siegel
Fanciful Name: Special Reserve
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2015
Country of Origin: Chile
Appellation: Leyda Valley
Retail Price: $18.99

Tasting Notes: Bright ruby, a touch on the lighter side, in the glass. The nose and palate share a common theme of bright red fruit, with floral hints. The finish is bright, and very well balanced. An excellent Chilean pinot noir.
Siegel Special Reserve Pinot Noir

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Coelho Atracao Pinot Noir

93
Coelho
Fanciful Name: Atracao
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Country of Origin: Oregon
Appellation: Willamette Valley
Retail Price: $24.99

Tasting Notes: Lively, and tangy, with raspberry overtones to the strawberry and spice flavors. The fruit-forward palate and bold acidity meld together to create a long finish.
Coelho Atracao Pinot Noir

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Nicolas Potel Bourgogne Pinot Noir

95
Nicolas Potel
Fanciful Name: Bourgogne
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2015
Country of Origin: France
Appellation: Bourgogne Rouge
Retail Price: $19.99

Tasting Notes: An excellent example of real Burgundy that dispels the myth that Bourgogne is always expensive. The light ruby color is eye-catching. There is a bouquet of rose petal, wild red fruit, and “la garrigue.” Flavors of not-quite-ripe cherry and raspberry balance with subtle hints of allspice and minerality. The finish is lengthy with supple tannins and sweet/tart acidity. The wine is nice now, but will develop for 2-3 more years. It’s a great value!
Nicolas Potel Bourgogne Pinot Noir

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Calista The Coast Range Pinot Noir

95
Calista
Fanciful Name: The Coast Range
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2013
Country of Origin: California
Retail Price: $22.99

Tasting Notes: The grapes are sourced from Sonoma, Mendocino and Monterey Counties, three great AVAs for pinot noir. The wine is fermented in small open-top fermenters and the cap is punched down twice daily. The wine is then aged in French barriques, 30% new, for 14 months. Stylistically, it’s quite “Burgundian,” with a pretty ruby color. Floral and red fruit aromas harmonize with hints of yeast and lightly toasted oak. Lovely flavors of cherry, strawberry and sweet spice gently coat the palate and finish with nuances of coffee and terroir that balance and linger with soft tannins and bright acidity. This is a very classy, complex wine that is approachable now and which will pair with many cuisines.
Calista The Coast Range Pinot Noir

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Fable Pinot Meunier 2016

96
Fable
Varietal: Pinot Meunier
Vintage: 2016
Country of Origin: California
Appellation: Russian River Valley
Retail Price: $19.99

Tasting Notes: There’s not much of this grape produced as a varietal and this one is quite a treat! In Russian River Valley, the grapes are grown on the Dommen Vineyard, which is composed of deep, dusty red earth; the terroir shows nicely. The wine is vinified in a “Burgundian” fashion, with partial whole-cluster fermentation and indigenous yeasts. It is then left on its lees in neutral French oak barrels for 11 months. The color is a lovely bluish purple. There are intriguing aromas of dark fruit, sweet spice, mocha and a hint of orange zest. Flavors of baked cherry, cinnamon/ginger, coffee and mocha harmonize beautifully with supple tannins and bright acidity. This is very interesting and delightful wine that will complement lamb, game, duck, or mild curries. It’s also nicely priced.
Fable Pinot Meunier 2016

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Samuel Robert Pinot Noir Willamette 2015

89
Samuel Robert
Fanciful Name: Willamette
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2015
Country of Origin: Oregon
Retail Price: $15

Tasting Notes: Red cherry, cranberry, smoky undertones engage the senses. Fresh flavors of cherry and raspberry excited the palate. Elegantly finished with delicate acidity. The quality of 2015 vintage is present in this wine.
Samuel Robert Pinot Noir Willamette 2015

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Big Six Bourbon Barrel Cabernet 2016

89
Big Six
Fanciful Name: Bourbon Barrel
Varietal: Cabernet
Vintage: 2016
Country of Origin: California
Retail Price: $15

Tasting Notes: A perfect pairing expressing the flavors of cabernet and oak influence of bourbon. The flavors of black currant and blackberry are wrapped by vanilla and caramel.
Big Six Bourbon Barrel Cabernet 2016

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