The first thing I need to mention is: Ignore what I wrote previously. Perhaps they accidentally bottled the wrong wine in the bottle I had purchased before, perhaps it was corked and I was far too innebriated to notice, or perhaps I never in fact drank the Little Penguin Pinot. The holidays do weird things to you, folks. Just accept it.

Second, I want to focus for a moment on the fact that’s this is a 2010 red wine. That is wacky to me. It’s January of 2011 and we’re already drinking a 2010 Pinot Noir? I mean, this wine is from South Eastern Australia, but their seasons can’t be so different than ours in the U.S. that they’re releasing 2010 Pinots by January 2011 can they? What kind of oak are they using? Krypton oak?

I guess I’m not really here to complain, but it just seems odd for a 2010 Pinot to be released in 2010. Granted it’s a cheap wine, but still. I don’t know. I’ve done enough rambling now, so let me get to the damn review.

Color

I can’t see my hand through it so there’s something a little fishy here. Pinot, even cheap Pinot, is meant to be so light and filtered in color that you can practically read through it. This stuff is as dark as Zinfandel. Perhaps we’re looking at a new potential phenomenon here: Depending on the varietal, the cheaper it is, the more it’s color will reflect opposite of traditional varietal characteristics. Cheap Syrah is light in color, cheap Pinot is dark.

Nose

Delicious. Smoke and those strawberry candies that they wrap in plastic paper that looks like strawberries. You know the ones. Grandma always had them in a bowl. The best thing about them was that the wrapper was large enough for you to spit the candy back into it so you could toss it when she wasn’t looking. Anyway, fantastic nose.

Taste

Rich, thick, pronounced. This is not a Pinot Noir. I don’t care what the label says. I refuse to believe it. I know the Aussies make some real bruisers when it comes to wines, but this is getting out of hand. Not to say that it isn’t delicious. It is lip-smacking and tasty. Great fruit, rich cherry and strawberry fruit rollups. Some nice smokey bacon elements start aerating through your mouth. The finish is quick, but it’s quick in the sense that a jab is quick: Powerful and gone before you know it, leaving you with nothing but pain. I’m rambling again.

With Food

Well we can’t pair it based on the label. Think of Syrah or Zinfandel. Nothing light with this one. For instance, Pinot can sometimes go with fish depending on how it’s cooked. Not this one. Aim for BBQ sauces, rich ragús or slow roasted game. Ostrich or lamb would be quite good with this. I feel like I should take a Sharpie to every wine shop I can find, scribble out “Pinot Noir” on the bottle and write “Syrah.” So, if you see this, try not to accept what it says on the bottle. Obviously you can see how much this has traumatized me.

Where to Buy

Also found it for a better price than that damn BevMo.

$5.49 at WeSpeakWine.com!

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This is the first of a two-parter (duh) because I wanted to break up my Christmas wine suggestions according to the major parts of the big day: Afternoon and evening.

Now, this may seem a bit unorthodox (neé alcoholic), but it’s the Christmas. The family has gathered, everyone is worried about that weird uncle or the asshole sibling, your grandmother forgot to put on pants, and all the kids are puking and hate their presents. Nothing helps complement such blatant joy better than cheap wine, amiright?

Picture this: Your alarm rings in the morning (why are we still forced to set alarms on Christmas-effing-morning?), you roll out of bed, down the hall, stop at the bathroom, then head out to the family room where everyone has already conspired against you, leaving you with nowhere to sit but the floor. You can see a pathetically small pile of gifts sitting behind the pajama-ed feet of your nieces and nephews, all of whom have dried snot and boogers crusting their faces (What is it with kids under 10? Do they not know how to work a mirror? You stare at it, stupid.) Someone forgot to make coffee, all there is to eat is cold bread and mustard, and it’s raining out. In short, Christmas morning sucks.

That’s why you need to look forward to finally reaching the socially-acceptable drinking time: Afternoon.

So here are two wines perfect for Christmas afternoon while that bird or ham is in the oven bubbling away.

Chateau Ballan-Larquette Bordeaux Blanc 2009

A beautiful white effort by this awesome producer. Their Chateau Ballan-Larquette Rose is a contender for our Best Wine of 2010. The Bordeaux Blanc is 50% Sauvignon Blanc and 50% Semillon.

Color

Wonderful, bright color with a nice green shade to it. Looks quenching.

Nose

Fresh, crisp, with the scents of herb fields in France: Rosemary, lavender, thyme, and a shot of sweet grass.

Taste

A long, delicious wine. Firm citrus acidity balances out the delicious tart apple and lemon peel. Great backbone to this and it does not let up. Crisp and sharp like cut steel, but it’s not pummeling or puckering you. It’s just right for that cheese plate (or-God help you-cheeseball) or salty appetizer before the main Christmas meal. Delicious.

Where to Buy

$9.99 at BevMo.com!

Little Penguin Pinot Noir 2010

A 2010 already you might say? And red? Well, yes, in fact. While just born, this little baby is delicious and worth more than it’s asking price of $6.99. And it’s from Australia.

Color

Light red with some hints of garnet. Just as a Pinot should look.

Nose

Weak, tight, some sense of red fruit but nothing really present, though I did detect a bit of cocoa for some reason. All this was expected drinking a 2010 already released.

Taste

Ok, so the wine may have a weak nose, but I have to say that I found it delicious. Strawberry, a bit of mint, and some delicious acid. The wine, for some reason, has balance. It’s not too firm or too weak and by all respects, a 2010 should taste like bitter grape juice right now, forget about a 2010 under $10. Still the wine has promise and though it disappears quickly on the finish, it’s worth it’s price.

Where to Buy

$6.99 at BevMo.com!

That’s it gang. Look for Part 2 tomorrow for suggestions on what to have during one of the most depressing parts of the year: The end of Christmas Day.

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This is how I stumbled upon the Salmon Creek Pinot Noir. It costs $15 at the restaurant which, taking the markup into account, makes it about an extremely affordable Pinot. Now this is what I don’t understand: It’s good. Really good.

Color

Light, transparent purple with some garnet around the edges.

Nose

Strong strawberry juice and white gummi bears. Whatever flavor those were supposed to be. Pineapple? The nose is slightly worrisome, however, once you realize that that’s it. No other structural elements or backbone scents.

Taste

Ok, so now the structure appears. A fruit forward wine nonetheless, there is a brief shot of chocolate and some dirt flavors. I can’t say that the wine has a textbook construction, but everything is there when you need it. Nothing over the top. The strawberry makes way to a tart cranberry juice and we’ve moved away from white gummi bears to pink Sweet Tarts. The caramelly finish makes you realize that you’ve just sipped cheap wine, but it is far from a deterrent, especially at this price.

With Food

I’ve only had this at the kabob place, where I usually order lamb or a gyros plate, so i’d stick with that. Red meats that are spiced. It works well and doesn’t beat the food to death. It can hold up to the spices in their Greek salad as well. Let’s put it this way: it says something when a cheap red wine can fight a good battle against Kalamata olives.

Where to Buy

$6.94 at SaratogaWine.com!

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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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Definitely give this one a day or so once you pop the cork, otherwise decant it for at least 2 hours before enjoying. This seems odd for a wine at this price, but we might as well take this time to suggest that you DECANT EVERY SINGLE RED WINE YOU INTEND TO DRINK.

Color: Clarified cranberry cocktail. Watered down and light in a decidedly Pinot way.

Nose: Sour cherry, must, white pepper and garlic. Sounds like a crappy dessert.

Taste: Cola (Pepsi Cola to be exact), hard cherry candy, white pepper and paprika. Nice shot of green bell pepper on the mid-palate leading to a strong finish of cherry preserves and smokey blackberry.

With Food: Game, sweet spice-rubbed meats and pork. Also good on its own.

Where to Buy: $8.04 at InternetWines.com! Also at Cost Plus World Market for around $6.99.

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Beaulieu Vineyards has long been a staple of the novice wine lover and a “Go-To” wine for the avid wine drinker looking to save some money on a decent bottle. But BV (as it is more commonly known), makes wines that run the gamut when it comes to quality, from budget-priced bottles to exclusive, high-end releases. The vineyard itself was founded in Rutherford, CA in 1900 by Georges de Latour.

Color

Juicy and light, displaying the ruby colors we expect.

Nose

Strong cherry, smoke, fresh-cut redwood and trailing with some blackcurrant.

Taste

Delicious through and through, even in the young vintages. The quality to price ratio on this wine is ridiculous, with the BV tasting far better than some $25 Pinot Noirs we’ve had. Great smokey cherries and some tobacco coming through, without overcompensating on the acid. Good fruit with a clean finish that has hints of autumn leaves and vanilla.

With Food

Since Thanksgiving is rolling around, it should be noted that Pinot Noirs actually go surprisingly well with turkey and stuffing. Otherwise, grilled lean meats such as lamb, ostrich or game would do just fine. Or, crack open a bottle and just enjoy it alone.

$6.99 at All Star Wine & Spirits!

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Background

Claiborne & Churchill is a small winery in the Edna Valley of California’s Central Coast, a stone’s throw from Pismo Beach. We stumbled across this place after the recommendation from pretty much every other winery in the area:

“If you like whites, you need to visit Claiborne & Churchill.”

C & C is known for its Alsatian varietals, particularly Dry Riesling, Dry Gewurtztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat dessert wines. Their book of red varietals is also stellar and should not be missed. We highly recommend you visit them if you are ever in the Central California area, and be sure to ask about their “straw-bale house,” which houses some of their casks. It’s a house made completely of straw that has no heat or air conditioning; rather, it maintains the perfect temperature for storing wine at all times.

Color

Beautiful, clarified, red. Nothing too inky. Light, but with the expected juiciness.

Nose

Brilliant pepper, sour cherry, broccoli and dirt. Fantastic and complex, but with balance. Nothing outweighs another.

Taste

Well-crafted and absolutely delicious. This wine is not challenging but also not easy. It has complex flavors that pretty much match the nose, but with more dark fruit. Very well balanced with great, subtle fruit, good tannins that come on slow and linger. Great balance of heat as well, without overdoing it. Amazing, amazing Pinot that showcases the brilliant climate of California’s Central Coast.

With Food

Lamb, steak, pork, maybe even chicken, so long as your meat is either smoked or served with a form of black pepper. Spice-rubbed pork loin or filet mignon seems perfect.

$18.95 at NapaCabs.com!

Of course, we recommend you also head to the Claiborne & Churchill winery in Edna Valley, CA to see things firsthand.

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A Quality Pinot Noir for Less Than $20. Repeat: A Quality Pinot Noir for Less Than $20

Before we get into this, we feel the need to again point out (besides the title of this review and the header right above this) that this is a Pinot Noir for under $20, made by a world-renowned winery. That should really be enough to go on, but we’ll review it anyway.

Au Bon Climat was started in 1982 by Jim Clendenen (this handsome devil). Over the years, through solid techniques learned in the vineyards of France and throughout California, Jim has carefully reinvested in his winery to become a 30,000-case-per-year business. Good for him.

So, just to reiterate: Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir for under $20.

Color

Red fruit juice and a bit more solid than other pinot noirs. Pinot noirs tend to be slightly clearer rather than inky purple.

Nose

Smells of earth, strawberry, cherry and must. Also, if sour has a smell, this smells sour.

Taste

Do not drink this right after opening. If you can, open it, decant it, and leave it for 30 minutes to an hour. The tartness will really kill you if you don’t. What this means is that the wine is essentially unbalanced and needs air so that the fruit can be pushed to the top a bit. Once it’s ready, there are great strawberries and slightly sour cherries right from the get go. The mid palate isn’t that strong as the acid starts to take over again. The finish is…well, the finish. The wine doesn’t linger, just packs its bags and takes off. Still, for the price and the winery it comes from, a spectacular deal.

With Food

Duck would be ideal because the wine isn’t built to stand up to anything to muscular. Even turkey or chicken would work. We would suggest staying away from steaks, rich red sauces or strong cheeses with this one. Enjoy it with the white meat or by itself.

$17.94 at NapaCabs.com!

Au Bon Climat website

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Cheap, tasty Pinot Noir is hard to come by these days, but the BevMo 5¢ Wine Sale certainly helps. This one is the Stanza Pinot Noir.

Good News: Like the Fess Parker White Riesling we reviewed yesterday, the Stanza Pinot Noir is focused. Another laser beam on the classic smells and flavors of the varietal. Floral nose, smelling of dusty roses and a touch of smoke. Like you dried some roses, dumped them in a cedar box, and put a flame under it all. Full mouthfeel with supple tannins that don’t overdo it. The strawberry juice is here in full force, along with a lingering, velvety, slight vanilla finish. The wine goes on and on rather than ending abruptly once you’ve swallowed. This is one to savor and roll around your tongue.

With Food: As usual, Pinot Noir is versatile and works with a variety of foods. Try it with Ahi Tuna or steak, or if you’re in a lighter mood, chicken with a light tomato sauce. Salads will work too, with bitter greens, strawberries and chicken. We suggest you lay off the turkey with this one, it needs something with some more oomph.

$16.04 for 2 at the BevMo 5¢ Wine Sale!

NOTE: This is going fast. Some locations may be out of stock already, so jump on it!

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Have we got a treat for you…

Bad News First: We’re struggling to come up with something bad, but it’s just not happening. So let’s say that the……screw top, is bad. There. This seems to be happening more often here lately, but, once again, there is NOTHING wrong with a real Pinot Noir coming in at under $10. These will be rare on this site.

Now The Good: Besides the excellent flavor found in buying a bottle of Pinot Noir with a $10 bill and getting change back, we can start with the color. Ruby red with a slight cranberry-juice look. The immediate smell is of a cherry Blow Pop (remember those?) and roses mixed with a touch of leather. The taste is a well-balanced mix of floral scents (when you taste a wine, you are really still smelling it) and very ripe cherries. Smoke helps to balance it all out. The wine gives off the impression of being very alcoholic, but don’t worry, the heat is not overpowering in the least.

The Cantus Pinot Noir is made by Vina Indomita, a very technologically-advanced winery in the Casablanca Valley region of Chile. They source their grapes from two vineyards: one in Casablanca and the other in Maipo. Casablanca is in the very middle of the long, slender country, to the west of Santiago.

With Food: Hearty foods. Steaks, game, possibly the white meats depending on how they are prepared. A nice, hard, smelly cheese would also do very well.

$7.98 at WineLibrary.com

Visit the Vina Indomita site

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Little bit of helpful information first. This is a Burgundy (in French, “Bourgogne”) 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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