Pinot Noir Suggestions

The theme from our next monthly wine club meeting is going to be Pinot Noir, and we're going to have everyone bring a bottle from a different world region.

Does anyone have any suggestions for areas (aside from the obvious Burgundy) that would represent this grape well (and differently!). I've thought of Oregon and New Zealand, but I'd appreciate any additional thoughts or suggestions.

Also, we're trying to keep it under $20 per bottle (although I'm personally willing to spend more and will probably do so w/ something from Cote de Nuits).

Thanks - as always!

Gruet from New Mexico. Might be slightly more than $20 per.

Alto Adige in Italy? Try Hofstätter's Meczan Pinot Nero 2004 - should be under 20 and should be available widely. It does need a couple hours in the decanter, but is a really nice, inexpensive wine with high Pinosity.

Hamilton Russell and Meerlust make intriguing variants of the variety in S Africa - but I really don't know if they can be found for less than 20.

How could I forget: Movia in Slovenia makes a fantastic Pinot that costs about 15€ here, so might very well be in your budget there also! I recently had the 2001 (I think it's the most recent release) and it was superb but young. Slovenia seems to be a country for those of us on a budget - if only the wines were more readily available.

Spatburgunder from Germany
Sancerre Rouge

[Jenise]

Bernard mentioned what I was going to--the 05 Sancerres are being released right now and one of those would be rather smashing.

Millbrook Vineyards in New York's Hudson Valley makes some very nice PN. Their regular bottling is right around $20. and then they have a Reserve at about $30. This is the Winery of the rather vinously famous Dr. Konstantin Frank. Very good wines. You can find them online and I believe they ship. Tom V

Austrian Pinots can be very nice. Kinda expensive, though, after importation.

Also, we're trying to keep it under $20 per bottle (although I'm personally willing to spend more and will probably do so w/ something from Cote de Nuits).

I find it very difficult, but not impossible, to discover Pinot Noir under $20 that possesses the nose and flavor of typical PN. Many labels in this price range are indistinguishable from a generic red wine. Having said that, I would offer the following:

Samantha Starr - Mendocino
Mark West - Central Coast
Castle Rock - Sonoma, Monterey, or Willamette
Hang Time
Hook & Ladder

As far as other areas, I believe the Russian River Valley in California has a reputation for good PN.

Echo, echo; Mark West and Castle Rock. Most of the international suggestions are right on too. Tho we love Sancerre Rouge, haven't seen many under $20.

Unfortunately, $20 is the low-side threshold for interesting Pinot Noir these days. You can thank the colliding worlds of 'Sideways' and the all-feeble dollar for that. If you raise the bar to 'under $30 or $40' (hell, buy half as many bottles and split the cost) everyone will go home happy.


Prost!
Bill

From Chile there is the Cono Sur range which offers some variety with five different Pinots produced. I've tasted two.
Cono Sur 20 Barrrels Pinot Noir has depth and intensity with velvety tannins and a lush finish. I thought it very good.
The Cono Sur Reserve is lighter and more easy going, more strawberryish. I relate it to a cheaper Marlborough or Central Otago (New Zealand) style.
http://www.conosur.com/eng/index.html

Coldstream Hills, one can`t go wrong.

Interesting article about this place here....................

http://www.wineanorak.com

Scroll down right hand side!

From Chile there is the Cono Sur range which offers some variety with five different Pinots produced. I've tasted two.
Cono Sur 20 Barrrels Pinot Noir has depth and intensity with velvety tannins and a lush finish. I thought it very good.
The Cono Sur Reserve is lighter and more easy going, more strawberryish. I relate it to a cheaper Marlborough or Central Otago (New Zealand) style.
http://www.conosur.com/eng/index.html

Sue, I cannot keep up with all the happenings on your website!!! See another new feature today, site feed? Whats that all about? The blog is terrific stuff, how do you find the time for all of this?!!!

BTW the ConoSur notes are spot on. Thanks.

Wow, thanks for all the great suggestions. I'll share this link w/ the group, and I'll post our notes after our event, which looks like it will be on March 15.

the 05 Sancerres are being released right now and one of those would be rather smashing.

Ditto.

You might check MacArthur to see if they have the Domaine Vacheron Sancerre rouge -- one of the best exemplars of the style, IMHO. You're less likely to find any, but Menetou-Salon rouge would be a more than worthy substitute.

Sancerre or Menetou-Salon would give you the light, fragrant, floral, minerally end of the Pinot Noir spectrum.

Another slightly offbeat suggestion: J. P. Brun's (Terres Dorees) Pinot Noir from Beaujolais AOC. Technically, it can still be considered Burgundy (I think), but can't be labeled Bougogne legally, so qualifies as a different beast. Brun's '04 Pinot can be had for ~$20.

Mark Lipton

From Chile there is the Cono Sur range which offers some variety with five different Pinots produced. I've tasted two.
Cono Sur 20 Barrrels Pinot Noir has depth and intensity with velvety tannins and a lush finish. I thought it very good.
The Cono Sur Reserve is lighter and more easy going, more strawberryish. I relate it to a cheaper Marlborough or Central Otago (New Zealand) style.
http://www.conosur.com/eng/index.html

Sue, I cannot keep up with all the happenings on your website!!! See another new feature today, site feed? Whats that all about? The blog is terrific stuff, how do you find the time for all of this?!!!

BTW the ConoSur notes are spot on. Thanks.

Thanks Bob. Blogging is hard work, but hey - we eat .... we drink .... we blog.

Another Aussie suggestion is Rosemount Diamond label - light, fruity, quaffable but definitely within the budget.
You might also be able to find the 'Bay of Fires' Pinot Noir from Tasmania, a rather more serious version, cool climate, etc. It's from the Hardy Wine Company, thus part of the Constellation Brand's massive holdings and maybe available in the USA.

Sebastiani PN sounds like a match if you don't already have a Calif selection. They've really been hitting the mark for PN, IMHO, since 2001.

This is great feedback, thanks so much to everyone. I'm sure we'll be able to come up with quite a nice variety with all these suggestions.

Gruet from New Mexico. Might be slightly more than $20 per.

Gruet makes Pinot? I'll have to look for that!

Try the Pinot Noir from Tohu wines (NZ).
It hovers around the $20 mark but is a good and relatively (?) inexpensive Marlborough Pinot Noir

As a side note Tohu is owned by the Maori (the indigenous population in NZ)

Sebastiani PN sounds like a match if you don't already have a Calif selection. They've really been hitting the mark for PN, IMHO, since 2001.

Jon, I could not agree more. Some excellent wines lately.