A lot of wine snobs would suggest that good + cheap pinot noir is something that just doesn’t exist. But I disagree. And I would suggest that those who hold this belief are just assholes.
But you know who’s not an asshole? The folks at The Other Guys wines. They create wines that I’ve found to be consistently tasty and not overpriced, like this California pinot noir.
This is not some fancy single vineyard wine from one of the elite appellations appellations in California. It’s not even designated to an AVA more specific than California at large. The producers of this wine sourced the grapes from a number of different growers in different parts of California, yet it’s still a tasty pinot noir.
OK, well it’s not 100% pinot noir. Maybe that’s how they made such a good “pinot noir” for such an affordable price. This wine is made from 78% pinot noir, 11% grenache, 6% barbera, 3% petite sirah and 2% merlot. That’s a lot of different stuff, but it has enough pinot noir in the blend to be labeled as a varietal pinot noir. (Although I’m sure it’s the petite sirah that makes it so good.)
While it may not measure up to some of the $50+ pinot noirs out there, it’s good. And better yet, you can enjoy four bottles of it for less than one bottle of $50 pinot noir.
This is a very aromatic pinot noir with intense cherry, strawberry, floral, cedar and black pepper fragrances. The palate is also quite tasty, offering light raspberry, cherry and strawberry flavors. Some might find this wine a little “thin” but a pinot noir should be medium-bodied, not too concentrated and I think this one is right on. The mouthfeel is pleasant, but could be a little richer. The acidity is good. It finishes relatively long with lingering berry flavors and a touch of spice. The bottom line is it’s a nice pinot noir for the money.
Wine: Pennywise Pinot Noir
Variety: 78% pinot noir, 11% grenache, 6% barbera, 3% petite sirah and 2% merlot
Vintage: 2012
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 86
Price: $12.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a sample.
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