Bearboat Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2007 - $16

David: Ruby red. Delicate nose of strawberry and red currant, vanilla. Warm and fuzzy nose-feel. Medium to full bodied. Smooth as satin. Fruit forward. Moderate acidity. Strawberry and cherry fruit is quite delicious. Sweet and round tannins. Long finish.
Score: 4.1/5

Chehalem 3 Vineyard Pinot Noir 2009 - $20

David: Medium depth, ruby red in color. Nose is nice, cherry and baking spices, some oaky overtones but not overly aromatic. Medium bodied, with good cherry fruit, good weight and good acidity balance. Layered tastes. Silky mouthfeel with some tannins. Finish is solid with a little liquorish and mild spice.
Score: 4.1/5

Grandmaster Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2009 - $14

Got this at Whole Foods for about $14. Said it was $13 off so I took the bait.

David: Brick red, quite dark for a pinot. Nose is quite interesting. Very woody and herbal with just a little cherry fruit. Definitely sage. A little foxy. Some vanilla. The nose evolved quite a bit while the bottle was open. Full bodied with low acidity. Good red fruits, cherry and mulberry but very dry. Big tannins dry the mouth. The finish has some bitter liquorish and woodiness. High alcohol. Interesting wine but a little disjoint.
Score: 3.9/5

Firesteed Pinot Noir 2008 - $13

Oregon Pinot Noir.

David: Light brick red in color showing long legs on the glass. Complex nose with red currant and tart cherry, some floral components. At first showed a little barnyard mulchiness. Evolved into more of a pine forest with some hint of gaminess, maybe a little cedar. Silky smooth of the palate, medium to full bodied, good acidity. Delicious red fruit. The silkiest of tannins dry the mouth for the nice cherry finish.
Score 4.0/5

Bogle Pinot Noir 2008 - $13

David: Color is red/purple and fairly dark for pinot. Complex nose of cherry, violets, herbs, smoke, inner tube with (perhaps a bit too much) vanilla. Medium to full bodied. Red raspberry fruit in quite acidic on the palate. A good mix of earthy and fruity. A little spice on the finish. Let this one breath at least an hour or even more as air seems to bring out mint and pine forest in the nose. Bogle continues to deliver nice wines that are low priced and widely available.
Score: 4.0/5

Jessica. No comment.
Score: 3.9/5

Alamos Seleccion Pinot Noir 2007 - $11

David: From Argentina. Ruby red in color. Fairly dark for a pinot. Nose has sulfury smoke and red fruit. Tart candied cherry and strawberry on the plate has a residual sweetness. Round tannins and a long tingly, spicy finish. Overall, the wine seems complex (if not deep) but not very well integrated. Kind of all over the place. Sweet, then acidic, then tannic, then spicy. Too much of everything. Not good.
Score 2.9/5

Jessica: Darker hue than I expected from a pinot. A surprising peppery spice nose. Layered with a long finish. Mild fruits but stronger on a bitter, pepper and spice end than I expected from a pinot. Balanced tannins. Full bodied and tart.
Score: 3.7/5

Saint Clair Vicar's Choice Pinot Noir - 2008 - $17

Jessica: This pinot was a medium pink in color, similar to a rose. Seemed almost like a watered down version of the more full-bodied variety I prefer. It seems like it would do well while sitting outside in the sun on a summer day, but less so hitting the mark on a mid-march evening. Light in composition with raspberry and strawberry fruits, tart, no tannins evident. A hint of an herb, maybe thyme or lavender is present.
Score: 3.8/5

David: A pinot from Marlborough, New Zealand. Light brick red with tints of orange. A typical pinot, cherry nose. Decent acidity. Bright strawberry and cherry flavors. Fun to swish around in the mouth. Silky tannins and a pleasant finish. Better served a bit chilled.
Score: 3.9

Les Jamelles Pinot Noir Vin de Pays d'Oc 2008 - $10

David: Ruby red in color. Vibrant nose of sweet dark fruits, oak and flowery notes that are reminiscent of white wines. Immediately pleasing on the palate with luscious raspberries and blueberries. Jammy flavors resemble zinfandel rather than pinot. Low acidity but not flat. Well integrated tannins and some spice on the back end. An interesting and enjoyable wine.
Score: 4.1/5

Jessica: Dark purple in color. Puckery tannins. Taste berries and a slight creaminess. Sweet spices present.
Score: 4.2/5

Olivier Leflaive Bourgogne Cuvée Margot 2006 - $20

David: Olivier Leflaive is a major producer of spectacular white wines. This red burgundy is named after his daughter Margot. The pinot noir grapes are sourced from a variety of vineyards in the cote de Beaune region.

Bright garnet in color with a nose of cherry fruit and hints of earthiness. Vibrant and tart with cherry and strawberry fruit. Crisp fruit flavors meld into relaxed tannins with minerals on the finish. Better served on the cool side.
Score: 4.0/5

Jessica: Bright, true red. This wine has vibrant fruits with tart tones of cherry and strawberry. This wine lean towards the astringent side, but still manages to have some layers to it, with a slight caramel creamy backdrop. Very minor smokiness in the nose. I do not detect the tannins hardly at all. It is a very happy, delightful wine.
Score: 4.4/5

Deloach Pinot Noir - Russian River - 2007

David: Ruby red. Cedar and cherry on the nose. Berries and cherry dominate with decent acidity and silky and subtle tannins and lingering spiciness.
Score: 3.7/5

Jessica: I found this wine to be enjoyably complex, fruity and creamy. Vanilla and clove meet the fruits of cherries and raspberries. Rich bouquet and succulent hints of cedar and earth.
Score: 4.3/5

Grayson Cellars Pinot Noir 2007 - $12

Light, brick red in color with a tint of orange. Nose is subtle with red fruit. A burgundy styled pinot. Light in body. Flavors of raspberry and sweet red cherry are subdued but the wine is tart with acidity and the tartness lingers in a long finish. At first, the wine seemed watery and bland as I am used to more fruity and bold wines. At worst, it seemed thin and vinegary. However it seems to improve and by the end I seemed to enjoy it a good deal and want more.
Score 3.5/5

Jessica: At first sip, my palate was amazed by how underwhelmed it was by this wine. It almost fell flat, but further tasting did reveal more complexity and worthiness. This wine was an orange-red color and very soft. I almost thought watery. But the fruits were nice and I was able to appreciate the softness of this wine. A subtle juiciness of red fruits, not too sweet, not too bitter. In the end, it was pleasant enough.
3.8/5

Terranoble Pinot Noir - Chile - $12

A big nose of fruit, candy and hints of coffee and even a whiff of sulfur. A medium to full body of raspberries and black cherries which coat the mouth. A bit of sweetness give it a cherry candy taste but with plenty of acidity that sparkles on the palate. A long smooth finish.
Score:4.4/5

Jessica: bright, tart, sweet. A splash of deliciousness on your tongue. Love the sweet fruit tastes, cherries especially stand out. Reminded me of a tart pomogrante juice upon first sip, but settles into some musky, smokier tones. Delicious, deep, complex and goes well with dark chocolate. :)
Score: 4.6/5

Steel Creek Pinot Noir 2007 - $14

David: Ruby red in color. Nose is very fragrant with cherry and raspberry notes prefacing what is to come. Silky smooth on the palate with medium acidity and medium body. Cherry flavors dominate. Not terribly complex or layered but finishes long and stays pleasant throughout. Tasted even better the second day and went well with the sushi.
Score: 3.8/5

Jessica: A nice color; this red was light, bright, palatable with a tart, puckery, fruity taste of cherry and berries. It went really well with roasted potatoes and green veggies. David ate it with steak and commented that it was an "ideal combination." I think this wine deserves a solid rating.
Score: 4/5