COLOR: Liquefied raspberry jam. A little darker than usual for a Pinot Noir, but at least you can still see your fingers through it.

NOSE: Wet rock, dark overripe strawberries and raspberry. Reminded me of something that I could not place until the taste…

TASTE: So, to preface, this is technically a Burgundy, so that explains a lot of what I’m about to say. Ok, this baby is pure rock. Some might say granite, but let’s not get all frutti-tutti-tasting-note here and just say rock. The scent I couldn’t place that arrived on tasting was a camping morning. You know, a stiff chill in the air, you dread getting out of the tent, much less the sleeping bag, everything shriveling, dead campfire smells with pine and a lot of dirt and rock. Very very interesting. Then the fruit comes through. Stiff cherries, which is rather odd for a Pinot since it’s meant to be lighter. Merlots, Cabernets, Syrahs, these are the wines meant to have strong cherry flavors, but Pinots are supposed to be more strawberry-focused. Weak acid and a somewhat short finish, but still, all in all, not bad for under $12.

WITH FOOD: Because of the rock flavors, it almost mimics minerality with red wine tannins, meaning this works very well with Ahi Tuna. I don’t know about pairing it with red meat, per se, so I wouldn’t go farther than pork. A little too much rock for duck or chicken.

WHERE TO BUY: $11.89 at RyeBrookWines.com!

WINERY WEBSITE: http://www.hangtimewines.com

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Little bit of helpful information first. This is a Burgundy wine, from, you guessed it, the Burgundy region of France. Red Burgundy wine from France is always Pinot Noir. Many Americans are used to seeing a bottle of wine (typically a gallon-sized jug) that says “Burgundy” on it and may think that it simply means red wine. However, Burgundy is a region, not a grape, and many of the jug wine/mass producers will simply call a mix of cheap red wine “Burgundy.” Also, it’s very doubtful that there is any Pinot Noir in the jug “Burgundy,” so if you can spare a few extra dollars, get a real French Burgundy like this instead. Always remember, if it is called “Burgundy,” but not from France, it’s not going to be very good at all, no matter what the price. Also, don’t be fooled by the “Imported From France” note some bottles have; go for a label that’s in French (I just sometimes go for what I can’t read).

Bad News First: Nothing. Move along.

Now The Good: Louis Jadot is one of the top producers in France. Their wines are consistently well-crafted and almost always appear on “Top-Ten Lists” every year. What that basically means is that if you find one for less than $20, odds are you will enjoy it…if you like Pinot Noir. The flavor of this is much more subtle and understated, as Pinot Noir should be. This isn’t a BIG BOLD RED. Less fruity and more earthy, vegetable-type flavors, which is something we really enjoy. Slight smoke and wood, caramel, and with a long finish. This should be opened and left for a little while before enjoying.

With Food: Wood-grilled meats and vegetables. Grilled fish is as low as you should go, preferably Ahi Tuna. No shellfish. Or, as with a lot of these kinds of wines, this can be enjoyed on it’s own too.

$14.49 at WineLibrary.com

Louis Jadot website

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