10 Reviews: Best Pinot Noir Wine for the Money (Apr 2024)

Chardonnay is Santa Barbara County’s most planted grape, followed by Pinot Noir. Santa Barbara’s Santa Ynez Valley sub-appellation includes the Sta. Rita Hills, where it flourishes because of the colder climate. When Richard Sandford and Michael Benedict started their pioneering work in the 1970s, Sta. Rita Hills was considered too chilly for viticulture for decades. The red fruit and spice flavors of Santa Barbara Pinot Noir enliven the palette. Santa Barbara Pinot has a precise, sharp acidity, elegance, and fruit-driven silkiness that makes it a pleasure to drink on its own or with a range of foods.

Eileen Crane, the first winemaker of Domaine Carneros, is well recognized for her sparkling wines from the Napa Valley. Still, she has a secret weapon in the form of pinot noir. Grapes are cold-soaked for 10 months before being barrel-aged for the exquisite flavor extraction of this pinot. Red fruits such as cherry and strawberry are present, as are chocolate, pomegranate, and plum in this full-bodied wine with silky tannins. It’s juicy and sweet, with a long-lasting aftertaste. On its alone or with a New York strip steak or herb-dusted pork loin or pan-seared Dover sole, the pinot is delicious.

Strong hints of dark flavors, not smoky though which I enjoy some feels of acidic flavors tannins nice wine a little heavier than the Avant Domaine more of a late night red vs. The other one which is more of a day red in my opinion.

by Delaney Fisher

To represent the wonderful state of California, Gary Farrell Vineyards has produced an excellent pinot noir. This cuvée, made from grapes grown in a variety of temperatures along the Russian River, showcases the distinctive textures and flavors of the region. With hints of cherry, blood orange, clove, and grapefruit zest, the pinot noir is a transparent red in color. Brown spices, cola, and cinnamon mingle with soft tannins and fragrant cedar on the way to a red berry-driven finish with delicate minerality.

Single-vineyard Pinot Noir from Sandhi is vinified to the same exacting standards as the “village” Pinot Noir. Bentrock, Rita’s Crown, Rinconada, and Mt. Carmel are among the six vineyards that make up the wine’s southern Sta. Rita Hills mix. This wine demonstrates the appellation’s freshness, elegance, and energy. Beautiful and expressive, the 2019 Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills) is an excellent Pinot Noir. Lavender and spice aromas mingle with blue/purple fruit in this intriguing, seductive Pinot Noir. The best vineyards in the area are Domaine de la Côte, La Rinconada, and Sanford & Benedict.

Belle Pente’s pinots have earned a reputation as some of Oregon’s finest for decades, and this vintage is no exception. In the Yamhill-Carlton AVA of the Willamette Valley, their 70-acre hillside vineyard, the grapes are hand-harvested from cool-climate grapes. Expect red fruits such as cherry and strawberry, as well as blackberry, earth, and pepper in the aroma and flavor of this wine. There is a dance on the tongue and a gentle fall on the finish of this medium-bodied pinot noir.

As a result of the efforts of Johan Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir, they want to produce a wine that reflects the whole farm. Every mix of rootstock/scions, slope, soil profile, and vine age on the site is taken into consideration by the winery. During the vinification and aging process, all parcels are kept separate in order to analyze and understand how each parcel performs in various vintages. They then combine them in a bottle to create a sophisticated and nuanced combination. This is the most authentic portrayal of Johan Vineyards’ real terroir and the most reflective of the growing year.

Laetitia Estate’s vibrant pinot noir is crafted from a combination of 10 home-grown pinot noir clones planted in ocean-facing vineyards in California’s Central Coast. For under $30, you may treat yourself to a fine bottle of wine. There are strong scents of mulberry and cranberry, as well as smoke and nutmeg, right out of the gate. You may expect to taste hints of cherry and raspberry, sandalwood and spice in addition to a refreshing acidity and a long-lasting aftertaste.

Full aromas of mulberry and cranberry off the bat, followed by smoke and nutmeg. Expect flavors of cherry, raspberry, sandalwood, and spice, along with crisp acidity and a lasting finish.

by Blagovest Kirilov

With luscious blackberries, blueberries, and the sweet perfume of homemade strawberry jam intertwined with more savory notes of black olives, cedar, and lavender, this is a beautifully aromatic Marlborough pinot noir. The rich varietal character on the palate, which mixes red and black fruit with earthy, smokey characteristics, is complemented by a beautifully structured structure. Drink Spectator says, “Smooth and elegant, with notes of caramel, nutmeg, and black tea adding fragrant nuances to the plum and black cherry flavors at the core. Velvety tannins provide some traction on the finish. Drink now through 2031.”

A delightful minerality holds up a rich, fruit-forward taste in this Willamette Valley wine, making it an ideal match for the sumptuous cuisine that may occur at your holiday feasts. The wine that goes into Coriolis is a “selection of barrels” made from the same fruit that goes into Antica Terra’s pinot noirs and rosé; it’s made by the same winemaker, goes through the same winemaking process, and spends the same amount of time in barrel.

Oregon Pinot Noir is lighter to medium-bodied than California Pinot Noir, with more finely boned flavors like strawberry and raspberry, delicate floral notes, and earthier notes like mushroom and truffle. Oregon’s Pinot Noir, like those of other well-known places that produce this noble grape, can be as complex and engaging as a superb red Burgundy. This red from one of Oregon’s original vineyards is distinctly compelling, with cherry flavor and an earthy base note.

Eartthy, leather and tobacco nose with blueberry, ripe strawberry and mushrooms on the plate. Well balanced. Highly enjoyable

by Zio Sean