Varietal: Â Pinot Noir
Region: Â Russian River Valley, CA – USA
Cost: Â $50
Winemaker’s Notes: Â Our best expression of a full-bodied Pinot Noir. Lush fruits of cherry, blackberry, and sweet raspberry end with a long, smooth, and sensual finish.
My Review: Â So a few months back I helped Underground Cellar run a contest to give away $50 to use on their site. Wanting to try it out, I decided to pick out an offer on their site that looked good. For those that haven’t checked out the site, you purchase an offer, mine was $28 dollars, and you can receive one of several wines, which range in price from what you paid to much more. In my case, I received a bottle that was $50, making my investment a great value.
The wine itself was pretty amazing. A dark rusty red color in the glass, it had definitely seen some oak and some age. On the nose I picked up soft cherry and oak notes, while in the mouth the wine was full of lush cherry, a bit of raspberry, and featured an amazingly smooth finish that made it eminently sippable.
I really enjoyed this wine, both by itself and with food, but I do have a small confession – I’m really glad I only paid $28 for this. I’m not saying it’s not worth more than that, but I don’t know that I’d have been as confortable with paying $50 for it (and there are wines out there that I’m fine with paying that amount).
Again, that’s not to disparage the wine in any way – it was balanced, with good character and an amazing flavor. I just don’t know that I would have spent $50 on it, even having been able to taste it ahead of time. Fortunately I got the great deal I did.
