Pellegrini Family Vineyards
Olivet Lane Vineyard
Pinot Noir
Russian River Valley
Santa Rosa, California, USA
2008
14.3%
$18.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX
Color: Light garnet
Nose: Cherry, strawberry, Slim JimTM
Body: Medium
Front: Dry cherry, orange
Middle: Smoky honeysuckle, black currant
Back: Bacon, soft tannin
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
First off, this wine goes very well with food: tonight, a lettuce and tomato salad with a little stunning Pasolivo olive oil and balsamic, together with some Hole Foods brisket. The wine is rich, fruity but earthy, and well balanced. It's not a complete enchanter, as it's strong on the smoky flavors (doubtless a source of its partnership with the brisket) but...well--this is the second thing: Pinot Noir is hideously overpriced in the US, so to find one that is this good at a reasonable price is a delight.
