Category Archives: Pinot Noir

RECOMMENDED: Flipflop 2010 Pinot Noir, California. $5.99. 13.5% ABV.

Posted on October 10, 2011 by The Frugal Wine Snob

COLOR: Clear ruby. Nice legs. AROMA: Raspberry. A brewed, steeped orange tea. Just a little bit of oak. Cinnamon toast. A beautiful, rich nose. TASTE: Black currant. Cherry pie. Tea and orange. The tiniest bit of pepper emerged a third … Continue reading →

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RECOMMENDED: Two by Acacia. 1. “A By Acacia” 2010 Pinot Noir, California. $14.99, available for as little as $11.99. 13.5% ABV. 2. Acacia 2009 Pinot Noir, Napa Valley/Carneros, CA. $19.99, available online for as little as $16.95. 14.4%.

Posted on October 2, 2011 by The Frugal Wine Snob

1. “A BY ACACIA.” COLOR: Clear garnet. Legs! AROMAS: Cedar, orange, tea, cola, a little bit of cherry pie. MOUTH: Medium-bodied, moderately mouth-filling. Smooth. FINISH: Long, slightly spicy finish of tea and tannins. CONCLUSION: An approachable, yummy example of the … Continue reading →

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“Wine Spectator” 600 California Pinot Noirs

Posted on September 20, 2011 by The Frugal Wine Snob

Wow. Out of 600 wines reviewed for the long list of California Pinot Noirs in the Oct. 15 “Wine Spectator,” only 15 had pricetags @less than $20. The Meiomi, reviewed here on July 27, was on the list but @$22. … Continue reading →

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RECOMMENDED: Mark West 2009 Pinot Noir, California. $9.99-11.99. 13.8% ABV.

Posted on September 16, 2011 by The Frugal Wine Snob

This one is … different. To me, most Pinot Noirs taste spicy and white-peppery, and frankly that isn’t my favorite style of wine. However, the Mark West is a kinder, gentler Pinot. It’s smooth, clear, and well-behaved while fruity and … Continue reading →

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HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Meiomi Pinot Noir 2009, California. $22-25, but available for as little as $15.99 online. 13.9% ABV. Hint: It’s a Caymus offspring!

Posted on September 16, 2011 by The Frugal Wine Snob

I’m not normally much of a fan of Pinot Noir. It’s notoriously fussy to grow and turn into wine, can be unreliable even once it’s bottled, and to my palate it’s usually spicy and sharp rather than round and rich. … Continue reading →

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