I finally get it. After visiting Sonoma for a few days, I actually found a couple of Pinot Noirs I liked. AND one from Napa too.  But this is really unusual for me. So I wanted to dig into what made these Pinots palatable for me, and most of the others so meh.  A Pinot Noir primer…

I’ve read over the years that Pinot Noir is a finicky grape, and that makes it a challenge winemakers want to tackle. It likes cooler temperatures and thrives in Burgundy (France),  Oregon, and parts of California, like Sonoma. It goes by another name in Germany – Spatburgunder.  Pinot Noir is also used in sparkling wines…ever seen one that says “blanc de noirs”…? That’s Pinot Noir. The stereotypical flavor for Pinot Noir in a still (non sparkling) red wine? Cherry. But there are others. In my tastings I came across a lot of cranberry too, and these are younger wines. I’ve also noted strawberry and raspberry – I thought I was confusing it with rose!  But these tart notes are very present in young Pinots. So where were all the notes I loved and had tasted in the Sonoma Pinot Noirs – the tobacco and leather, the spice, the earthiness? They were in OLDER vintages.  So now I think I know what I like and hopefully that helps you some as well.  For Pinot Noirs under $25, well, they’re going to be young for the most part, which means they won’t be my favorite. But if you like the freshness, the tartness, the zing of a young pinot, then you are in luck, and they all paired well with food due to medium and high acidity.

I feel like this post needs a disclaimer: Take my star ratings with a grain of salt – I’m comparing them to some pretty divine older models that have matured, and I’m really not a huge Pinot Noir fan.  Plus your taste buds are probably different than mine, and if you know what flavors you like, regardless of my ratings here you can get a good sense of the taste of the wine.   And I imagine if you keep some of these around for a while they will change.

In this section I’ve reviewed mostly Sonoma Pinot Noirs. Sonoma Valley has 5 AVAs (American Viticultural Area)  and while Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are their specialties – Burgundy anyone? –  they have pockets that produce great Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignons.  In future reviews I’ll take on Pinots from some other areas like France (Burgundy and Champagne) Oregon, New Zealand and Southern CA.

First, Sonoma County At $19.99 I gave it 2 stars.  I picked this one up at Total Wine. Any by the way I usually really like Martin Ray – a reliable brand.

• Wine: Martin Ray Sonoma County Pinot Noir 2016
• Look: Brilliant, Medium intensity, Ruby
• Smell: Clean, Low intensity, Cranberry, Strawberry, Raspberry
• Taste: Dry, High acidity, Low tannin, Light body, lots of Cranberry, some Strawberry, Raspberry
• Notes: Medium alcohol, Short finish,  Poor quality,  Immature, and Unbalanced.  Like I said, take it with a grain of salt…I bet it will age well.

The second Sonoma County also from Total Wine was $26.99 (it was on sale so I’m including it since I got it for under $25). Although I really liked the aromas on this one, the taste left me with that cranberry again, so another 2 stars.

• Wine: Tuli Sonoma County Pinot Noir 2017
• Look: Brilliant, Medium intensity, Purple
• Smell: Clean, Medium intensity, Strawberry, Cherry, Tobacco, Vanilla
• Taste: Dry, Medium acidity, Low tannin, Light body, Raspberry, Cherry, Plum
• Notes: Short finish, Acceptable quality, Ready but could age, Unbalanced

The last Sonoma County, again, Total Wine, is another brand that I have really enjoyed their other varietals.  2 stars at $16.99.

• Wine: Olema Sonoma County Pinot Noir 2016
• Look: Brilliant, Medium intensity, Ruby
• Smell: Clean, Medium intensity, Strawberry, Cherry, Vanilla, Toast, Charred
• Taste: Dry, Medium acidity,  Low tannin, Light body, Sour Cherry, Mint
• Notes: Medium alcohol, Medium finish, Acceptable quality, Ready but could age, Balanced

This next one is a blend of Sonoma Coast and Sonoma County.  While visiting vineyards in Sonoma, they talked about the effect that the winds can have on the wine, most notably it keeps the temperatures more even from day to night and can slow the ripening process, which means less sugar in the grapes, so lower alcohol.  This one was $19.99 and got 3 stars. It has a little bit of the qualities of the older vintages, so I will buy a couple of these and set them away for a while.

• Wine: Fend and Foster Sonoma Coast and Sonoma County 2016
• Look: Brilliant, Medium intensity, Purple
• Smell: Clean, Medium intensity, Strawberry, Cherry, Toast, Oak
• Taste: Dry, High acidity, High tannin, Medium body, Cranberry, Raspberry, Cherry, Oak
• Notes: Medium alcohol, Long finish, Good quality, Ready but could age Balanced Cranberry

Finally a blend from Sonoma, Monterey, and Santa Barbara counties, it tied for 3 stars. And with a price of $15.99 was the best value of the bunch.  I probably liked it most because of the southern climate’s influence (I wonder if it has anything to do with my preference for Southern France…will need to check into this).

• Wine: Verada Sonoma, Monterey, and Santa Barbara 2016
• Look: Clear, Medium intensity, Purple
• Smell: Clean, Low intensity, Cranberry, Cherry, Mushroom, Black Pepper, Toast
• Taste: Dry, Medium acidity, Low tannin, Light body, Cranberry, Raspberry, Musk
• Notes: Medium alcohol, Short finish, Good quality, Ready but could age, Balanced