Wine Review: Try these affordable pinot noirs

I often have been asked what my favorite wine is. I truly do not have a favorite wine. Having a favorite wine would be unfair to the readers and would definitely color my reviews.

There are, however, varieties that are of interest to me, among which is pinot noir. I like that red wine variety for its smoothness, its multifaceted flavor and aroma spectrum, and that faint hint of incense that is often found in the finish.

Unfortunately, pinot noir wines are usually on the expensive side because the variety is hard to work with, takes an experienced winemaker to produce and often requires constant management even while fermenting. To me, the biggest problem with the variety is the inevitable comparison with the high-priced, well-publicized, exotic French pinot noirs from Burgundy, most of which usually sell for unbelievably high prices and could result in the misguided opinion that price is an indication of what is in the bottle.

There are, however, many pinot noirs in the marketplace that are affordable and true to the character of the variety. I am happy to say that I have found some well-made, affordable pinot noirs and would like to call them to readers’ attention.

Overlook 2021 Pinot Noir ($27)
The wine was constructed from specific grapes rather than just gathering grapes from any old vineyard, crushing them and then making a wine. The Overlook winemakers carefully selected grapes from vineyards in the Monterey, Santa Barbara and Sonoma counties of California. The vineyards’ properties were well known to them and eventually resulted in the Overlook 2021 Pinot Noir. The aroma of this wine is an ever-changing display of black cherry, blackberry and plum, with leather, coffee, clove and red licorice in the background. The flavor is just as expansive and explosive as the aroma and concentrates on plum, blackberry and boysenberry with oak, with a hint of mushrooms in the background. This is a grand wine, in every definition of the word, and true to what a pinot noir should be regardless of its price.

Salentein Reserve Pinot Noir 2021 Barrel Selection ($24)
Argentina has come a long way in its presentation of the pinot noir. I will not say that it is superior to or even the equal of the super expensive French pinot noirs, but this affordable beauty is definitely a worthy competitor. The Salentein Reserve Pinot Noir is a medium-bodied, light, ruby-colored wine with a full- fruit aroma that accents cherries and spice. The flavor also presents cherries coupled with an under-flavor of vanilla and oak. There also is a modest tannin background, making this wine a perfect accompaniment to a host of meat dishes, even strongly flavored ones. I found this wine to be an excellent buy for the money.

Meiomi 2021 Pinot Noir ($22)
The Meiomi pinot noir is an affordable California wine with a medium body and a bright, clear ruby color. The aroma is a melange of strawberries and red raspberries mingled with black cherries in the flavor department. The true capabilities of the pinot noir grape are explored to their fullest. Black cherries dominate the flavor with hints of raspberry, blueberry, cedar, chocolate and clove in the background and the pinot noir signature aroma of incense in the finish. I found this to be a very nice wine at an even nicer price.

Calyptra 2018 Pinot Noir Gran Reserva ($23)
This Chilean pinot noir is another pinot noir whose selling price belies the enjoyment that it offers. An attractive ruby color heralds the aromas of dark cherries and red summer berries. These aromas are carried right through to the flavor and continue on to the finish, which is relatively long and fruity. Finding a pinot noir that is enjoyable and selling in this price range is difficult but not impossible, and this wine proved that without any doubt.

Wine columnist Bennet Bodenstein can be reached at frojhe1@att.net.