Full Review

Bonterra

Bonterra
2018 Pinot Noir, Mendocino County

Pair this wine with:
Beef Cheese Pasta

Category: Pinot Noir

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 13.8%
Organically Grown Grapes-Certified Organic-Demeter Certified
91 Points
Gold Medal
Exceptional
$18
Best Buy
'2020 World Value Wine Challenge-Top 10 Red Wine $20 and Under' Exceptional Value

Bonterra
2018 Pinot Noir, Mendocino County

Pair this wine with:
Beef Cheese Pasta

Category: Pinot Noir

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 13.8%
Ruby garnet color. Aromas of red raspberry layer bar, fine milk chocolate, hazelnut, cherry wood, espresso-soaked lady fingers, and caramelized mushrooms with a velvety, vibrant, dry-yet-fruity light-to-medium body and a smooth, subtle, long honey-roasted pine nuts, allspice, and nutmeg finish with light oak flavor. A delicious, lengthy, complex Pinot Noir with staying power; harmonious.

Tasting Info

Wine Glass Style: Fruity, Juicy & Smooth & Oaky
Aroma Aroma: red raspberry layer bar, fine milk chocolate, hazelnut, cherry wood, espresso-soaked lady fingers, and caramelized mushrooms
Taste Flavor: honey-roasted pine nuts, allspice, and nutmeg
Sweetness Sweetness: Dry-yet-Fruity
Enjoy Enjoy: Now-6 years on its own and with food
Recipes Pairing: Grilled Duck Breast With Cherry Reduction, Meat Loaf, Lasagna
Bottom Line Bottom Line: A delicious, lengthy, complex Pinot Noir with staying power; harmonious.

The Producer

Fetzer Vineyards

The Producer
12901 Old River Road
Hopland, CA 95449
USA
1 707-744-1250

Pinot Noir

Wine Glass Burgundy.jpg
Serve in a Burgundy Wine Glass
Pinot Noir is one of the world’s most fascinating red varieties. While many red grapes produces wines of power and youthful intensity, a wine made from Pinot Noir is often more refined with higher acidity and lower levels of tannins. The spiritual home for Pinot Noir is Burgundy, where it is produced in many styles, from very light to examples that can age for two to three decades.

Pinot Noirs tend to have aromas and flavors red cherry fruit, while some offer notes of wild strawberry, plum or even floral notes such as carnation and red roses. As tannins in Pinot Noir are not as pronounced as in a grape such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Nebbiolo, most Pinot Noirs can be enjoyed upon release, which is usually two to three years after the vintage.

Burgundy works extremely well for Pinot Noir, as it is a cool climate; a warm or hot climate would not bring out the perfumes of the variety. Thus growers in several countries have planted Pinot Noir in their coolest regions, looking to emulate Burgundy. These include the Willamette Valley in Oregon; Russian River Valley, Santa Lucia Highlands and Sta. Rita Hills in California (among others); Central Otago in New Zealand; Casablanca and San Antonio Valleys in Chile and the Rheinhessen, Pfalz and Baden in Germany (where the grape is known as Spatburgunder). The concept of terroir – a wine is the producet of its specific environment – is most often associated with Pinot Noir.

Pinot Noirs tend to pair well with poultry (duck a l’orange is a classic match), game birds and even certain types of seafoods (as tannins are low), such as salmon, tuna and halibut.