Pinot Noir and Value don’t intersect as often as one might imagine. There are myriad reasons for this. In short though, it’s a notoriously finicky grape that has too often been planted in the wrong spots, bastardized by having other varieties blended with it, over cropped or over-manipulated. Many who really love this grape would agree that more than most other varieties, genuine Pinot Noir has a real “true north.” Some of the other incredibly widely planted grapes of the world such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and to a degree Cabernet Sauvignon have a broader array of styles acceptable to a purist.
As a result finding examples of Pinot Noir that exhibit genuine character while also providing value is harder than it reasonably should be. This can be particularly true in California which is home to quite a few well known wines labelled as Pinot Noir, that have little in common with the soul of this great grape. Certainly California is home to many outstanding Pinot Noirs as well, but most of those are outside of the everyday drinking category for most.
Here are three that have suggested retail prices of $25 or under and can often be found on store shelves across the United States for under $20.
Cherry Pie 2017 Tri-County Pinot Noir ($23)
A bit of an outlier in this trio in that it’s the only one not from Russian River Valley. Instead the fruit here is a cuvee from the producer’s sources in Monterey, Santa Barbara, and Napa. Red cherry, and strawberry characteristics are evident from the first whiff to the last sip. Along the way wisps of savory herbs and spice are evident as well. Persistent acidity rums the gamut here too. Appealing fruit aromas and flavors plus fine structure makes this an excellent value and a lovely example of the fact that Pinot Noir can be an everyday value when treated properly.
Rodney Strong 2017 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($25)
from the trio of wines this one has been been around the longest and thus has a suitably matching track record of excellence over many years. Rodney Strong is a venerable producer of Sonoma County wines in a large swath of price tiers. Year after year their wines over deliver. The Russian River Valley Pinot is no exception. Currant and red cherry drive the aromatics. The palate shows off tart black cherry and bits of black tea. Hints of graham cracker crust and cocoa are evident on the long, acid rich finish. I’ve been drinking this wine consistently for over a decade, it’s always been an excellent value in the past and that’s still true today.
Raeburn 2019 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($25)
Raeburn Winery has been around for less than a decade, but they’re already leaving an impression. Over the last year of so I’ve sampled several vintages of their Pinot Noir as well as their Chardonnay and Rosé. Each is produced from Russian River fruit, which is evident the moment you taste them. And they’ve all been well crafted and represent solid, or better values. Both in aromatics and flavors this Pinot Noir leans towards dark fruit. Blackberry, raspberry and black currant are all evident. Cinnamon as well as hints of crème fraiche and leather are all evident on the above average finish.
Yes Virginia, you can get well-made Pinot Noir for less than $25.