Pinot Noir, the noble Queen of Burgundy. The vine that produces ample aggravation for some and amazing reward for others. Joel Fleischman of Vanity Fair describes Pinot Noir as “the most romantic of wines, with so voluptuous a perfume, so sweet an edge, and so powerful a punch that, like falling in love, they make the blood run hot and the soul wax embarrassingly poetic.”

My romance with Pinot Noir has yet to be discovered. At times we’ve stolen away for a quick embrace but each encounter left me feeling betrayed and empty as I longed for the full thick flavor of Cabernet or the smooth softness of Merlot. One affair caused my heart to quicken. A sultry, sweet seductress from the Willamette Valley gave me hope for a lasting romance. But alas, it was not meant to be, as I returned to my spicy lover, Syrah. When my good friends Ed Thralls, Joe Herrig and Tamara Belgard announced the group Pinot Noir twitter orgy on July 15, I secretly agreed. I kept my cheating intentions from my lovers and eagerly circled the date on my calendar.

As the date arrived, I found myself excited to share in the rendezvous with six Pinot Noir from Oregon and California. The sultry queen prepared herself and the seven of us hid away in a quiet room of the house. While my wife did homework in a nearby room, I explored each of them uncovering layers of lush fruit, velvet vanilla and even hints of spice. One queen was a little dirty and liked it funky. I hope it wasn’t too kinky that I brought my video camera to capture the passion, excitement and lust. One intoxicating beauty captured my heart. Her scent, her taste will remain in my heart and on my lips for eternity. Alas, I have discovered the joy of Pinot Noir.

The NectarView

2008 Duck Pond Cellars Pinot Noir

• The Stuff: 98% Pinot Noir 2% Gamay Noir; Aged 7 months in oak; 13.5% ABV; 17,000 cases 
• The Swirl: Light cherry cola color with sparkling jewel tones at the edge. About 40% opaque.
• The Sniff: More immediate presentations of earth and cedar that open up to subtle aroma of cranberry and light cherry.
• The Sip: A good structured Pinot Noir that would pair well with all kinds of food dishes. The Duck Pond lacks depth in layers and structures to compete with more expensive wines, but for the price point this is certainly a label to keep on your radar.
• The Score: At $20 retail I score this a 3/5

2007 Tom Eddy Pinot Noir Manchester Ridge

• The Stuff: 100% Pinot Noir from Manchester Ridge; Aged 9 months in 66% new French oak; 14.6%ABV; 72 cases
• The Swirl: Smoky cherry with muted color at the edge. About 50% opaque
• The Sniff: Candied cinnamon and cherry with slight undertones of earth and funk
• The Sip: Amazing structure that I described during the tasting as “elegance in a glass.” There is a slight tartness on the finish that presents cranberry and vanilla. Wonderful acidity.
• The Score: At $55, Tom Eddy shows they can do more amazing Cab. 3+/5

2007 Solena Estate Domain Danielle Laurent Pinot Noir

• The Stuff: 100% Pinot Noir from Yamhill Carlton District; 11 months in 52% new French oak; 13.9%ABV; 573 cases
• The Swirl: Light cherry colors with pink undertones and pink hued edges. About 50% opaque.
• The Sniff: Mushroom, earth, funk, and hints of cranberry
• The Sip: Layers of earth, vegetal components, and thin cherry fruit. A good acidity finish cleanses the palate to prep you for another sip. Could see this pairing well with ham, turkey, and Christmas.
• The Score: At $45 this is the type of Pinot that some may turn their nose up. It’s a well made wine with good structure and layers. If you like terroir driven Burgundian Pinot, you’ll love this wine. Give it a sip before you commit to a whole case. 3+/5

2008 Solena Estate Hyland Vineyard Pinot Noir

• The Stuff: 100% Pinot Noir from Hyland Vineyard; aged 13 months in 80% new French oak; 13.7%ABV; 300 cases
• The Swirl: Medium plum and garnet colors with about 60% opacity
• The Sniff: Cherry cola, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.
• The Sip: Elegant vanilla on the front palate with enchanting tart strawberry and under ripe cherry. Love the layers in the wine as it progresses during the sip. Finish is strong and lingering with a very well balanced acidity.
• The Score: At $50 this may be a special occasion Pinot for a lot of people. A safe bet that will impress you with every sip. Drink alone or pair with food for a memorable experience. 4/5

2008 Meiomi Belle Glos Pinot Noir

• The Stuff: 100% Pinot Noir from Sonoma, Monterey, and Santa Barbara; 9 months in 60% new French oak; 13.9%ABV
• The Swirl: Strong plum color with good color to the edges. Presents about 50% opaque
• The Sniff: Tight aroma of red berry, baking spice and cedar.
• The Sip: A book of layers that turns one page at a time across the entire drinking experience. I love the initial smooth mouth coating feel where the wine envelops your tongue and gives it a nice warm hug. Beautiful ripe strawberry and cranberry flavor appears and then transforms into a smoky baking spice. The long lingering finish wraps up a fantastically well made wine.
• The Score: At $25 this is a superstar Pinot Noir that fits in most people’s budgets. A MUST try! 4/5

2008 Belle Glos Las Alturas Pinot Noir

• The Stuff: 100% Pinot Noir from Las Alturas; Aged 9 months in 60% new French oak; 14.8%ABV
• The Swirl: Medium dark plum and crimson colors that borderline Merlot. About 70% opaque
• The Sniff: Close your eyes and picture yourself in the kitchen. Your grandma just baked her world famous cherry pie. The room is filled with aroma of bright ripe cherry, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and that slight burnt aroma from the pie filling that spilled on the rack. That is this wine!
• The Sip: The aroma comes across very well on the palate as well bringing supple fruit flavors that showcase the amazing winemaking and extraction achieved by Joe Wagner. This Pinot Noir is without a doubt the best Pinot Noir I’ve had to date and is an established baseline for me.
• The Score: $44; a wine to remember, long for and diligently seek out. 4+/5

The Blind Tasting Results

The Pinot Noir twitter event turned into an all out smack down pitting region against region. This gave me an idea. I decided to taste along during the event AND then host a blind tasting with 12 of my closest wino friends. Prior to people arriving I brown bagged and tagged each wine. I was the only person who knew the contents. My friends were instructed to taste the wine, take notes and then make their votes indicating a 1 with their favorite and a 6 with their least favorite. Below are the results in order from least favorite to favorite:

• Solena Estates DDL $45 – Avg Score 4.5 (received a 2 and several 3’s)
• Duck Pond $20 – Avg Score 4.1 (received several 3’s)
• Solena Estates Hyland $50 – Avg Score 3.9 (polarizing with lots of 2’s and 6’s)
• Tom Eddy Manchester Ridge $55 – Avg Score 3.6 (received two first place votes, no 6’s)
• Belle Glos Las Alturas $44 – Avg Score 2.8 (received mostly 2’s with a few 1’s and one 6)
• Meiomi Belle Glos $25 – Avg Score 2.0 (received mostly 1’s with a few 2’s and 3’s)

Put 12 palates in a room and you see the diversity of taste, but in the end a consistent pattern emerges.

Things overheard at a Pinot Noir tasting!

@winecouver: She thought his Pinot lacked length. The poor winemaker hung his head in shame. #pinotentendre

@SipwithMe: I’m thinking someone’s going to have a really big Pinot in their mouth soon. #pinotentendre #pinotnoir

@girlwithaglass What is happening when your tongue feels like you are sucking on wood? #pinotnoir #pinotentendre

@NINhilista Excuse me, but your pinot is showing…Thx 4 multiple corkasms! #pinotentendre

Store shelves seem to be lined with large selections of wine at and around $10. The challenge at that price point is getting a wine that provides more interest than grape flavored alcohol, thin fruit taste, poor aroma, or big woody oak to hide inferior quality juice. With beer, it’s pretty safe to assume that most light beers have certain flavors. The majority of main line beer has distinct tastes that register in our memory. With so many wine labels on the shelves, selecting one can be pretty hit and miss.

I believe the $10 price point is pretty status quo for the daily drinking wino on a budget and the occasional wine sipper. Therefore it is important to have a list of trustworthy labels that can be counted on to deliver.

The Under $10 Wine Team

In early 2010 I began the mission of fielding a team of wine players that could score at parties, hit it out of the park for value, and be trusted to step to the plate in most any situation. The rules were that each wine had to be purchased for $10 or less (sales, club discounts, bulk discounts were considered). Wines showed up to spring training and specially scheduled tryouts to show their stuff for the coaches. Each was vying for a coveted spot on the 12 man roster of 9 starters and 3 reserves. While legal issues (state distribution) kept us from trying out every player referred to us, we made every effort to select players who are widely available. After reviewing the scouting reports and film, I am pleased to reveal the 2010 “Under $10 Wine Team.” I’ve included the coach’s summary, roster position, and stats for each player. Links to the full scouting report are included for your reference. Many of these players’ tryouts were filmed. Enjoy the footage and make a note of the jersey (label) so you can get an autograph next time you are in the store.

	2008 Chateau St. Michelle Riesling (WA) Batting Order 1; Position RF; Scouting Report Stats: The Stuff: 100% Riesling from various Columbia Valley vineyards, 12%ABV  The Swirl: Very light, pear in color  The Sniff: Mild peach, citrus, and metallic aroma  The Sip: Moderately sweet front end with a well balanced dry back end wine. This would be considered an off-dry Riesling. Hints of peach and lemon peel  The Score: This is a solid wine for the money. 3+/5
	2008 J.Lohr Syrah (CA) Batting Order 2; Position SS; Scouting Report Stats: The Stuff: 93% Syrah, 3% Petite Sirah, 3% Grenache, 1% other red; Paso Robles AVA; 14 months in 25% new French and American oak; 13.4%ABV  The Swirl: Cloudy deep purple color that presents about 80% opaque.   The Sniff: Aromas of boysenberry, toasted almonds, and dark red fruit on the nose. Very aromatic and full with subtle notes of campfire.  The Sip: Medium bodied Syrah that is slightly thin on the front but opens up nicely to dark red fruit, hints of smoke and a beautiful long velvet finish. An easy sipping Syrah that will have you wanting more.  The Score: Retail is $15 but I scored this wine for only $10. At that price this well balanced, nicely flavored Syrah. 3+/5
	2008 Duck Pond Chardonnay (CA) Batting Order 3; Position C; Scouting Report Stats: The Stuff: 95% Chardonnay, 4% Semillon, and 1% Gewurtraminer that was fermented in 90% stainless steel and 10% in barrel (4 months in new French and American); Partial malolactic fermentation; 15% abv; 19,665 cases produced; all Desert Wind Vineyard fruit  The Swirl: Great golden yellow tone with a slight creamy quality  The Sniff: An abundance of tropical flower and fruit with a good amount of heat as well.   The Sip: Good rich mouth-feel without feeling flabby and fat. I really appreciate the fruit components of pear and pineapple along with other topical flavors. Everything is going well for this duck until the finish which is slightly stinging due to the alcohol.  The Score: At only $10, this is a crazy value because the wine has some great aroma, flavor, acidity and minerality. The only misfortune is the heat on the finish. Pair this wine with food to compensate for the alcohol (preferably something sweet or rich). 3/5
	2008 Dancing Bull Zinfandel (CA) Batting Order 4; Position 3B; Scouting Report Stats: The Stuff: 100% California Zinfandel from various sourced vineyards. Synthetic cork enclosure The Swirl: Deep dark opaque plum, slightly cloudy with hints of ruby and garnet. Strong legs indicating high residual sugar. The Sniff: Good strong nose that leads with strawberry, vanilla, tobacco and cocoa The Sip: The wine was slightly disappointing as it came across as one-dimensional. The nose was a tease and the palate did not deliver. After two hours in glass, the flavor profile did open up. One dimensional is not bad, just not super interesting. The Score:  You won’t go wrong getting this wine and the predictable taste may score well with beginning wine drinkers. 3+/5
	2008 Cono Sur Sauvignon Blanc (Chile) $10-13 Batting Order 5; Position LF; Scouting Report Stats: The Stuff: 100% organically grown Sauv Blanc from the San Antonio Valley; 13.5%abv; screwcap The Swirl: Very pale yellow green color The Sniff: Very tight on the nose with only slight floral blossom and citrus present The Sip: What was lacking on the aroma comes out to gently play on the palate. The Cono Sur is what you would expect from a traditional Sauv Blanc. Tropical fruit, pineapple, good minerality. Wine blogger, winefoot, described this wine as a grassfield creamsickle. I couldn’t agree more. The Score: At $10-13, this classic presentation of Sauv Blanc showcases the potential of this Chilean variety.4/5
	2007 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Cabernet Sauvignon (WA) Batting Order 6; Position CF; Scouting Report Stats:  The Stuff: Columbia Valley, 85% Merlot, 7% Syrah, 5% Cab Fanc, 3% Cab Sauv; 13.5%ABV, aged 14 months in a combination of new French and American oak. The Swirl: Dark cherry color with moderate translucence and thin outer edge The Sniff: Modest cocoa and oak on the nose with hints of cherry and tobacco The Sip: Dark cherry blackberry on the mid palate with a nice smooth finish of cocoa. A hint of spice jumps through that makes this a decent Merlot for the money. Nothing is intense and everything is subdued. The Score: 3/5
	NV Segura Viudas Cava Brut (Spain) Batting Order 7; Position 2B; Scouting Report Stats: The Stuff: 60% Macabeo, 20% Parellada, 20% Xarelo-lo; 3 years on yeast The Swirl: golden yellow (Chardonnay color), moderate bubbles The Sniff: Tight nose with apple toast and yeast being predominant. The Sip: Strong carbonation with hints of apple and smoky bread The Score: At $8, this is not a bad tasting bubbly, but lacks a lot of flavor and has too much carbonation and yeast. 3/5
	2007 Velvet Devil Merlot (WA) Batting Order 8; Position 1B; Scouting Report Stats: The Stuff: 100% Washington Merlot, 10 months in oak, 13.8% ABV  The Swirl: Mildly translucent with ruby red undertones. A pretty wine The Sniff: Smooth dark chocolate with cherry and oak. I would imagine this would be the aroma an Umpa Lumpa would smell in the chocolate river (if cherries were involved too). The Sip: The sip is slightly thin on the front that opens up to a nice moderate fruit – still cherries. Definitely a chocolate covered cherry Merlot. The Score: At only $12 (sometimes under $10) A trustworthy wine for the money. Good sipper the thin front and single dimension leave the score lower. 3/5
	2006 Kiona Lemberger (WA) Batting Order 9; Position Starting Pitcher; Scouting Report Stats: The Stuff: 100% Estate Lemberger from Red Mountain AVA Kiona Vineyards The Swirl: A dark strawberry color that was about 50% translucent. Muted jewel tones The Sniff: Bright strawberry and cherry with moderate earthiness and minerality The Sip: A sweet wash of cherry, vanilla and some cola flavors. The wine is sweet and soft with more substance on the back end with some spice and tannin The Score: An incredible value for a wine that provides a variety of flavor. 4/5
	The Bench Players and Reserves2008 Gozzo Malbec (Argentina) Position Relief Pitcher/Closer; Scouting Report Stats: The Stuff: 100% Malbec from Mendozza Argentina; 6 months in new French oak, 14.2%ABV The Swirl: Beautiful rich purple with hints of bright amethyst around the edges. Light seems to dance off the glass. The Sniff: Hints of woody evergreen that make way for bright red fruits and subtle spice. Slightly under-ripe red fruit comes out as well. The Sip: Great big gobs of red berry wash across your tongue and give way to subtle blueberry undertones. The mid-palate is a little fleeting but the back end structure is no push over. Medium body and good finish make this a very pleasant value. The Score: At $10, I would buy this wine again. Perfect burger or pizza wine. The wine presents enough layers of flavor to be mistaken for twice the price.  3/5 2007 Cycles Gladiator Pinot Noir (CA) **$11 Position Infield; Scouting Report Stats: The Stuff: 100% California Pinot Noir, 13.9%abv  The Swirl: Very light, typical Pinot, with slight rusty brown tone, extremely translucent  The Sniff: I get a woodiness on this wine (and it’s not the naked lady) along with a bright candied cherry. Pretty good nose for the price of the wine. Earthy funk that is found on a lot of Pinot  The Sip: A good cherry candy cola flavor with slight earthy dirt on the mid-palate. The finish is slightly off balanced with some bitterness.  The Score: 3-/5 2007 Bogle Petite Sirah (CA) Position DH; Scouting Report Stats: The Stuff: 100% Petite Sirah The Swirl: Very very dark plum, completely opaque, nice legs indicating some stronger residual sugar The Sniff: Once again a restrained aroma profile. Some dark cherry, dark blackberry fruit and a hint of spice trying to come through The Sip: Wholly wow, this is a big wine. There is some decent fruit on the front end which is immediately attacked by the strong tannin on the back end. This wine needs food! I look forward to pairing it with some BBQ, spicy pork, or a steak. The Score: At only $10 this is a big wine with some big back end structure.I would definitely consider this for a future purchase to pair with food. 3+/5

Exploring new wine is one of the greatest joys of being a wine lover. When it comes to beer, 90% of the beer sold in the US is Bud, Coors and Miller. There are about 1500 breweries in the US, but there are more than 4000 wineries and each of them produces several grape varieties and blends. To top it off, each year the process starts over again with new vintages and the subtleties that come with the new year. Possibly 250,000 different wine products are produced annually. You could drink a case of different wine every day and still only make it through 5000 of those products in a year. Are you up to the challenge?

Olson Ogden is a small winery in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County. Olson Ogden is a partnership of veteran wine maker Tim Olson, marketing professional John Ogden, and former AOL communications and marketing manager Margaret Ryan. Olson Ogden produces Pinot Noir and Rhone varietals with emphasis on single vineyard Syrah (1200 cases per year).

The NectarView

2008 Olson Ogden Marsanne Margaret’s Mandate

• The Stuff: 100% Marsanne; 17 months in Stainless Steel and French Oak; 14.7%ABV; 144 cases 
• The Swirl: Light golden honey with a thick viscosity
• The Sniff: A bouquet of flowers, peaches and stone fruit. Very lively and fragrant
• The Sip: Open up, squeeze in a honeydew melon, add three drops of peach concentrate juice and finish it off with a twig. The 17 months in 28% new oak come through with a creamy spice and oak. The mouth feel is full and rich.
• The Score: At $35 this is a very dynamic wine with a huge amount of flavor. The price may put it out of reach for the average drinker but I can comfortably score this wine a 4 out of 5.

The Olson Ogden Marsanne is a refreshing departure for Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc drinkers. If you’re looking for something new to explore, enjoy the rich complexity of aroma and flavor that is found in Margaret’s Mandate. You’ll enjoy semi-sweet peach, stone fruit and a hint of spiced wood with a creamy lingering finish. Pair with scallops, mild creams sauce, and liver pate.

2008 Olson Ogden Pinot Noir

• The Stuff: 100% Manchester Ridge Pinot Noir; aged 17 months in 44% new French oak; 14.2%ABV, 112 cases produced
• The Swirl: Burnt crimson color slightly watery toward the edges. The color looks aged (even though the vintage is 2008)
• The Sniff: An earthy presentation of prunes and boysenberry fruit. There was a little hint of Christmas tree on the nose too.
• The Sip: Definitely not your cherry cola Pinot Noir. I love the maturity of flavor that this wine offers. I can immediately pairing this with lamb, turkey, ham and more. The flavors in the wine seem to provide a huge variety with each sip. They range from subtle spice to bacon, smoke, stewed tomatoes, and cranberry. There is a slight off minerality on the finish that leaves me a little longing.
• The Score: I love the complexity of flavor that this wine has to offer. The food pairing potential is endless. At $38 this is a fairly affordable Pinot and scores 3+ out of 5.

2008 Olson Ogden Persuasion

• The Stuff: 13% Grenache, 6% Marsanne, 12% Pinot Noir and 69% Syrah aged 17 months in 44% French oak; 14.5%ABV; 1406 cases produced
• The Swirl: Dark cherry color with deep purple tones. Complex jewel tones with color trending to pink hues along the edge.
• The Sniff: Elegant aroma of smooth red fruit, slight oak, and milk chocolate. To achieve this aroma, decanting is recommended. The initial aroma of the wine was heavy oak and cork initially out of the bottle.
• The Sip: The nose deceived me. I hate when that happens. The flavors were more thin on the palate and presented weak dark fruit, black tea and subtle cocoa. A decent acidity brightens up the finish saving this wine from being disappointing.
• The Score: At only $19 this is a quality offering from Sonoma that brings a good amount of flavor and character. I score it 3 out of 5.

Check out other reviews from Wine by Benito

1WineDude Reviews Olson Ogden in his mini-twitter reviews

*Wine was provided as an industry sample with the intention to review

Ford, Chevy, Dodge. Ted Nugent, Motown, and Eminem. Tigers, Red Wings, Lions. Riesling, Pinot Noir, and Blue Franc. If we were playing the game “one of these things is not like the other,” some would quickly call out the last group as not representing Michigan. With 71 wineries (and growing) Michigan is making quite a statement with quality wine. Still young, the region is expanding acreage and seeing improvements as the vines continue to age. Really, Michigan wine?

When approached by blogger friend Shannon Casey of Michigan by the Bottle to participate in a Twitter tasting event, I didn’t hesitate in saying, “yes.” I’ve been following Shannon and Courtney’s blog for several months and as ambassadors of Michigan wine he and his wife, Courtney, have had me intrigued by the wines produced in Michigan. Due to absurd wine shipping laws, Michigan wine is hard to come by, so any opportunity to taste what I’ve only seen and heard on their pod casts became top priority.

Shady Lane Cellars was the featured winery for this taste and tweet event. Producing over 7000 cases from 52 acres of estate vineyards in Northern Michigan, Shady Lane planted grapes in 1988 and produced their first wine in 1992. Located on 150 acre 100 year old fruit farm, Shady Lane’s Adam Satchwell is “committed to producing the highest quality fruit with the lowest impact upon our surroundings.” Their wine line-up consists of dry and semi-dry Riesling, sparkling wine, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Lemberger, and more!

A Taste and Tweet event is a showcase of all that is awesome about social media. People who would have otherwise never met, share a glass (or in this case 3) of wine for education, entertainment, and awareness of something new. With more than 50 tweeters, even more participating in group gatherings, Michigan was spotlight for the night. The tasting line up consisted of the three wines reviewed below (also shown in the video).

Twitter tasting events show the power of social media. Brand impressions and marketing awareness all lead to increased sales and market presence. The next tasting event is #Chardonnay on May 6. Follow along on Twitter using the hashtag #Chardonnay or share your experience through Facebook at Community Wine Tastings on Twitter.

The NectarView

2008 Shady Lane Dry Riesling

• The Stuff: 100% estate grown Riesling, 142 cases, no residual sugar, 12.2%abv
• The Swirl: Light straw, slight honey color with a ton of bubbles in the glass, but not a sparkling wine
• The Sniff: Very lively floral aromas with yeast and tart apple being predominant. Hints of honey undertones round out the sniff.
• The Sip: A dry crisp apple with medium tart finish. The acidity is nice but the minerality is slightly off on the finish. Beautiful representation of a new world dry Riesling.
• The Score: At $16.50 this is a fantastic deal. I score it a 3+ (out of 5) and would recommend this as a great food wine with spicy food, sushi, and veggie driven pasta dishes.

Great tweet description from @farlanewastaken “Sharp, definitely brash. I think that you’ve got a bombastic hussy on your hands.”

2007 Shady Lane Pinot Noir

• The Stuff: 100% estate grown Pinot Noir, 752 cases, no residual sugar, 13.8%abv
• The Swirl: Very translucent (70%) with tawny port rusty purple tones. Solid color out to the edges.
• The Sniff: Bright candy cherry with hints of sour fruit. Slight pepper and cocoa on the undertones.
• The Sip: Slight cranberry, cherry fruit and rocks; powerful acidity. A slight earthiness throws off the finish. Medium tannin indicates that this wine would cellar well and improve with 1-3 more years in bottle.
• The Score: At $22, I score this a 3 (out of 5). The price is great for a well made Pinot Noir and definitely showcases the potential of Michigan Pinot

Great tweet on the Pinot from @aschie30 Pinot Noir is the one varietal (so far) where I really sense a distinct MI terroir in color, the nose & palate. #ttmi

2008 Shady Lane Blue Franc

• The Stuff: 100% estate grown Blaufrankish (Lemberger), 483 cases, no residual sugar, 12.3%abv
• The Swirl: Bright purple and about 50% translucent. Edges turn clear and watery
• The Sniff: Mellow aromas of blueberries and moss. Swirling generates a little more pepper aroma.
• The Sip: Round mouth feel with a bitter undertone defined by black tea and blueberries. A gentle punch of tannin and acidity finish out the sip.
• The Score: At $22, I score this a 3- (out of 5). I’m comparing this score to my previous experiences with Blue Franc / Lemberger.

NOTE: Some of the tweeters considered this wine their favorite. This shows the complexity and diversity that occurs among tasting.

Great tweet on the Blue Franc from @winegenie  Blue Franc (aka Lemberger & Blauufrankish) Palate: velvety texture, soft velour tannins, grapey, smooth, rich warm blueberries.

Finding good trustworthy wine under $10 can be a challenge. Some people question my reasons for pursuing this series. I believe people need help in this range. Generally speaking wine over a certain price is going to be well made. They may have different characteristics but there is a higher percentage of quality wine. Wine under $20 has become more attainable as well. I believe there are more people out there that are looking under $10 for daily drinkers. Economic conditions should not keep people from enjoying wine. The challenge is finding trustworthy wine that, while not exceptional, is drinkable with good flavor.

This brings me to my challenge. Every few weeks I try out new wine in the hope to field a team of nine starters and a few subs. Each team should be stocked with key reds (Cab, Zin, Merlot, Syrah) key whites (Sauv Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Sparkling) and some alternates (other miscellaneous grapes).  Below is the nearly complete team.

Additional Tryouts

At this rate the Seattle Mariners should win about 47 games this year. For those that don’t know, that’s bad…very, very bad. It’s no secret that along with opening weeks of Football season, April is my favorite time of year. For us Spokane folk we finally start to see warmer weather, the snow has melted and all the brown is replaced with green grass and budding flowers. Crockpot dinners transform to grilling and hanging out on the deck. Steak, burgers and hot dogs become a regular part of the nightly routine, and the calming voice of Dave Niehaus invades the kitchen (he’s the voice of the Seattle Mariners for those who don’t know).

Today’s tryouts include a mystery Cabernet Sauvignon, A well known Syrah, and a controversial Pinot Noir.

NV Distant Bay Cabernet Sauvignon

This wine began as a mystery and ended as a disappointment. The investigation started with a brand that some of my blog friends and I did not recognize. The label mentions being made in Patterson, WA. The main winery in Patterson is Columbia Crest (a Chateau St. Michelle company). Sean Sullivan and I were chatting about it on Twitter and the next morning I woke up to an email that solved the mystery. A retired librarian named Don had been watching our tweets and decided to do some research. He discovered an old Chateau St. Michelle web site referencing the brand and buried deep within the current web site you can find some older tech sheets. Mystery solved!

• The Stuff: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cab Franc from Columbia Valley, 13.5% abv – The guess is that it’s an off brand to dump some excess or inferior juice without tarnishing the main brands. 
• The Swirl: Very light in comparison to most Cabs. Watery toward edges, leathery plum color
• The Sniff: Not very aromatic. The heat of the alcohol comes through toward the end with some moderate oaky cherries
• The Sip: Earthy cherries with hints of white pepper. Not overly flavorful but no off flavors either. Very little tannin and low acidity
• The Score: At only $7, this is not a terrible wine but there are other wines out there for $10 that perform much better. I score this 2 out of 5 and send it back to single A ball to work on its form.

See the WAWineReport review

Cellar Tracker scores of 84 (with 8 reviews)

2007 Duck Pond Syrah

• The Stuff: 96.3% Syrah and 3.7% other reds, aged 11 months in French and American oak, 13.5%abv, 5900 cases produced
• The Swirl: Dull thin plum color
• The Sniff: Moderate nose with hints of oaky vanilla and only a whiff of dark berry fruits. Very little spice or fruit as you would expect from a Syrah (even a lower priced Syrah)
• The Sip: Very hollow on the palate with only hints of fruit. A mellow mouth fell with a smooth finish that trails off quickly.
• The Score: At $12 retail, I score this 2 out of five.  While there is nothing wrong with this wine, it doesn’t provide much to make it stand out even at $10.

Cellar Tracker scores of 81.5 (with 4 reviews)

Duck Pond Web Site

2008 Cycles Gladiator Pinot Noir

With a label that is banned in Alabama due to the naked lady artwork I had high hopes for this wine. Who couldn’t use more naked ladies in their life? Web Site

• The Stuff: 100% California Pinot Noir, 13.9%abv
• The Swirl: Very light, typical Pinot, with slight rusty brown tone, extremely translucent
• The Sniff: I get a woodiness on this wine (and it’s not the naked lady) along with a bright candied cherry. Pretty good nose for the price of the wine. Earthy funk that is found on a lot of Pinot
• The Sip: A good cherry candy cola flavor with slight earthy dirt on the mid-palate. The finish is slightly off balanced with some bitterness.
• The Score: At just $11 this wine scores a 3 minus out of 5. A pretty good Pinot Noir for the price considering that most under $20 are suspect

Wine Enthusiast 85 points

Cellar Tracker Scores of 83 (with 3 reviews)

I’m always looking for good under $10 (on sale counts) recommendations. I carry around a rec’s book when I head to the store. If I can find it, I’ll buy it and feature it on a future episode. Leave a comment.

Side Note Addendum

After reviewing game film, I decided to add the Cycles Gladiator Pinot Noir to the bench with the potential to become the starting Pinot Noir. Other considerations brought in the 2006 Kiona Winery Lemberger. At $12, this wine is a little over budget but with the collective bargaining agreement and revenue sharing I decided to up the budget to bring this wine in as the starting pitcher.  Here is my Cellar Tracker review.

My previous Under $10 Tryout featured my American League MLB predictions. Below are the National League predictions for the 2010 season. Disagree? Bitch and share in the comments J

NL East: Florida Marlins 94 wins

NL Central: St. Louis Cardinals 101 wins

NL West: Arizona Diamondbacks 89 wins

Wild Card: Philadelphia Phillies 91 wins

Three ladies jump in the ring and go toe to toe for supremacy. Sorry, no mud! These ladies are queen Pinot Noir’s from three different parts of the world and three different price points.

This battle is a semi-blind tasting. I know which three bottles I taste; I just don’t know which wines are in each glass. Ahead of time, my wife pours the glasses and writes the name of the wine on a card placed upside down in front of the glass.

For my friends new to the wine world, Pinot Noir is a noble, fickle lady. The grape is said to be difficult to grow, produces lower yields and is affected greatly by soil and climate. The thin skin produces a light color and a traditional Pinot Noir is soft and pairs well with all kinds of food.

The Battle:

Through the tasting you can see that I’m quickly impressed by one of the wines, uninspired by the other and curious about the third. The first bottle is quickly identifiable as a well made Pinot. The aroma is sweet and bright and the flavor is eloquent, round and balanced. The middle bottle was thin and boring but not tasteless. The final bottle had a very strong scent of earth, sour candied cherry, and graham crackers. A lot of people will like this wine, but for me, I’m not a fan of earthy wines.

The Results:

You’ll have to watch the video to see how the tasting turned out. We’ll just say 1 out of 3 ain’t bad.

The NectarView:

2007 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir

• The Stuff: 100% Pinot Noir from Tualitan Valley Vineyards
• The Swirl: A very light rusty brown purple color. Very translucent and clear
• The Sniff: Bright Rhubarb and Strawberry with vanilla and perfume
• The Sip: A nice sweet front end with a tart cranberry on the back end. A beautiful acid wash to clear the palate.
• The Score: At $40, I score this a 3+ – compared to the Signature Cuvee I had from WVV, this doesn’t quite measure up. Much better than some at $20 but others at this price fair better.

See another review by blogger Mary Cressler at Vindulge

2008 Jacob’s Creek Reserve Pinot Noir

• The Stuff: 100% Pinot Noir, nothing else clearly defined on web site
• The Swirl: Muted red purple jewel tones with 70% transparency
• The Sniff:  A strong earthy herb aroma with whiffs of sour cherry and toasted oak
• The Sip: This wine has a big mouth. Definitely herb”ie” (not the Love Bug) and wet dirt along with a candied cherry sweetness.
• The Score: At only $16 this wine will appeal to a lot of people who enjoy Pinot Noir. I’m not a fan of this flavor profile, but it certainly wasn’t boring. I’ll score it a 4 (out of 5) for value and flavor.

No Cellar Tracker or Cork’d reviews of the 2007 Vintage

2008 Smoking Loon Pinot Noir

• The Stuff: Not a lot of detail on their web site; 100% California Pinot Noir
• The Swirl: Muted ruby red tone with about 70% transparency
• The Sniff: Mild aromas of sweet cherry and strawberry. Mild smoky campfire bacon. Picture yourself coming back from a long hike and your about 100 yards from the camp site – your nose gets a faint whiff of bacon and your heart skips a beat. That is what is very mild on this nose.
• The Sip: Quite thin on the front end with a touch of sweet cherry candy. A tart backend with a quick finish. Reminds me of the scrawny kid in class that no one pays attention to. As you look back through the year book you say, “Hey, he went to school here?”
• The Score: There is nothing off balance about the wine, it just leaves me uninterested and flat. At only $8-$10 that doesn’t surprise me and still leaves me looking for a surprise value in this price point. I score it a 2 (out of 5). 

No reviews of the 2008, but the 2007 is reviewed with an average score of 83 from 10 reviews here