Masked Rider Pinot Noir

If there’s one thing you can’t accuse Masked Rider wines of doing, it’s marketing with the same old clichés that so many others use.  This is one name and label that’s easy to remember, because it’s unique in the wine world.  No regal designed labels, no family names, no critters — unless you consider the horse a critter, but in my book that doesn’t count.  None of that stuff you typically see on a wine label is found here.  Instead, it’s 1950’s style western art, and a little bit campy too.  How fun is that?

This is from a relatively young wine company, Panther Rock Wine, which is owned by the next generation of a family that’s been in the wine business for ages, the Franzia family.  This is one of a few different brands they’ve put out over the past year or so.

Although it’s labeled as Pinot Noir, there’s more than that in this bottle.  It’s made with 76% pinot noir, 10% merlot, 10% arinarnoa, and 4% primitivo, although as a Californian wine I don’t know why they call the last grape primitivo when that’s just the Italian name for zinfandel.

Cherry cola with a little bit of spice and a little bit of violet is the best way to describe the nose of this wine.  It also has a touch of bacon fat aroma.  Actually, bacon would probably be pretty good with this wine.  BLT anyone?  The nose has good intensity too.  The palate is a bit of a fruit monster, with loads of ripe cherry and plum flavors.  The tannins and the acidity are both soft, a touch more of each would make this wine more lively and improve the mouthfeel, but it’s not horribly off.  This is a simple, fruity and approachable pinot noir… and good for enjoying with a BLT.

Wine: Masked Rider Sagebrush Pinot Noir
Variety: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2009
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 83
Price: $11.99

Disclosure: This wine was received as a sample.