Ever since the movie “Sideways”, Pinot Noir has been the wine of choice among casual wine drinkers. As a result, we’ve seen a glut of Pinot Noir brought in from every corner of the world, many at remarkably affordable price points.

The truth is, most of the Pinot Noir sold under $20 doesn’t hold a candle to the luscious high-end examples from California that Miles Raymond gushed over on screen. Additionally, most are so manipulated with modern technology that they barely resemble the pure fruit and terroir expression associated with the great red wines of Burgundy, France.

But, that doesn’t mean the wines are bad — quite the opposite, in fact.

Old school Burgundy enthusiasts likely scoff at many of these New World, low-priced bottles labeled as Pinot Noir, but if you can accept them for what they are — affordable, tasty, quaffers — then they are much easier to enjoy. Don’t expect a life-changing experience, and you’ll likely be pleased.

For example, this Pinot Noir from Chile, which I’ve enjoyed in vintages from 2004-2008 with similarly pleasing notes (the 2009 may be in your market as well).

Tasting Notes: Cono Sur Pinot Noir 2008

Nose is expressive, with sweet raspberry, strawberry, and floral aromas. In the mouth it has lots of sweet strawberry and red cherry fruit, as well as candylike raspberry and a bit of zesty spice. Texture is smooth. Acidity is mild, tannins are mild, alcohol is low. The finish is quick but pleasant, with plenty of fruit and a pleasing aftertaste. A good match for lean meats, gamey fish (salmon), mild cheese dishes, and vegetarian cuisine. One of the better under-$10 Pinot Noirs I’ve ever had.

a-7 t-7 b-8 fc-8 v-10 ~ 90 Points

Bottom Line

Simple, easy drinking, with juicy red fruits and enough structure to match with a variety of dishes.

Where to Buy Cono Sur Pinot Noir

Find this wine at a retailer near you using Wine-Searcher, Vinquire, or WineZap

Learn more from the Cono Sur website or from the US importer Vineyard Brands

DISCLAIMER: This wine was purchased by me at a local retailer with my own hard-earned ducats.

Here are my favorites:

Heidsieck & Co. Monopole “Blue Top” Champagne
This is the real stuff, meaning, real Champagne (in other words, made in France, from grapes grown in the Champagne region). This is dry and delicious, comes in a festive bright yellow bottle, and can be found for around $35. Click here for tasting notes and a full review of Blue Top Champagne.

Pommery POP Earth
Another “real” Champagne, this one is eco-friendly, made with its carbon footprint in mind. The bottle is lighter (lowering freight weight and pollution), the label is made from recycled paper, the ink on the label is water-soluble, the grapes were sustainably grown in a vineyard that used 25% less pesticides and 20% less water. Oh, and it tastes great, too.

Domaine Ste. Michelle Blanc de Noirs
An affordable ($15), easily found, and yummy sparkling rose from the USA. Full review here.

Juve y Camps Reserva de Familia
Another very affordable, easy-to-find sparkler, this one is a cava from Spain, and is consistently a good value.

See these previous posts for more recommendations:

Champagne and Sparkling Wines for New Year’s

Champagne Smackdown

Sandeman 10 Years Tawny Port
What better drink to enjoy by the fire after a holiday meal than a classic Port? This one has been aged for you — for at least 10 years in oak barrels — and delivers an exquisite array of berry, spice, and nut flavors on a silky texture that keeps going and going in a lush, complex finish. Drink it alone or match it with creamy cheeses, cheesecake, creme brulee.

Montes Montes Napa Angel Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
The Chilean winery’s “Purple Angel” is a scrumptious blend of Malbec and Petit Verdot, but they also produce a similarly Bordeaux-style Cabernet from California’s Napa Valley. Their “Napa Angel” has big ripe tannins and bold, full flavors that would match perfectly with prime rib, venison, and stews. Enjoyable now but will also improve with a few years’ cellaring. Oh, and the lovely angel on the label is fitting for the holiday season. Learn more about Aurelio Montes’ project in California at the Napa Angel website

Under $20

Clos de los Siete
The “flying winemaker” Michel Rolland is known for his wizardry in Bordeaux, and has taken that knowledge international. One of his most recent and most promising projects is “Clos de los Siete”, a blend of Malbec, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon that recalls Rolland’s roots in Bordeaux. Rich, layered, and complex, and at under twenty bucks it drinks like a wine twice its price. If that’s not enough, its label features a gold, seven-pointed star that looks like it belongs at the top of a Christmas tree — though I highly recommend you DO NOT attempt placing a bottle of Clos de los Siete atop one.

Macari Sette 7 NV
Another Bordeaux-style blend that will match well with beef, game, and similarly hearty holiday dishes, this comes from Long Island, New York. Its ripe tannins, black fruits, and earthy nose give this wine a “masculine” character when drunk on its own, but it softens nicely when paired with protein.

I meant to get this one into the Thanksgiving Wines series but somehow it slipped through.

In any case, you don’t need to have turkey to enjoy this Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley of Oregon — it goes with just about any lean meat or vegetarian dish.

Tasting Notes: Van Duzer Estate Pinot Noir 2007

Fragrant, expressive nose of fresh ripe strawberries, red raspberries. In the mouth you get similar flavors, though slightly more muted — starting with strawberry, raspberry, and cherry upfront, eventually also delivering some pomegranate, green notes and mild earth, before finally finishing with a hint of white chocolate and tart cranberry. Texture is smooth. Acidity is medium, tannins are soft. Alcohol is slightly noticeable at the very end, but in good balance with the fruit — it’s not hot at all. With its slightly stemmy character, pure earthy fruit, and food-friendly astrigency, it reminds me more of a Pinot Noir from Alsace than one from Burgundy or California. It’s OK alone but much better with food. Match it with chicken dishes, turkey, lean sausage, gamey fish, charcuterie, saucisses, mild cheese plates.

a-9 t-8 b-8 fc-9 v-7 ~ 91 Points

Find this wine at a retailer near you using Wine-Searcher, Vinquire, or WineZap

Find more information at the Van Duzer Vineyards website

This one is a late addition to the list, I know, but it is well worth considering for your Thanksgiving feast.

By its nature, Sauvignon Blanc tends to be a food-friendly wine, pairing well with myriad dishes. And what Thanksgiving table doesn’t include myriad dishes?

This particular Sauvignon Blanc from Beckmen Vineyards is enjoyable on its own — so you can serve it before dinner — but also has a character that matches well with enough foods that it can continue to be poured throughout the feast.

Tasting Notes: Beckmen Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Appealing, bright nose of green apple, gooseberry, and a touch of mineral. Note that you will get more of the “green” or unripe notes if you sniff it when it’s too cold — take it out of the fridge and let it warm down to around 58-60 degrees. In the mouth it has a round, unexpectedly buttery texture and ripe flavors of pear, grapefruit, limey citrus, mineral, and a hint of spice. The acidity is medium, but doesn’t come out until the zingy finish that reminds me of granny smith apples. Again, it’s enjoyable on its own, goes well with the white meat, cuts through the fat of the creamed onions, has a spicy note to match with the stuffing, and pairs well with just about anything you throw at it.

Where to buy Beckmen Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc

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Find more information at the Beckmen Vineyards website

Domaine Wachau Federspiel ‘Terrasen’ Grüner Veltliner 2008 · Wachau, Austria

If you’ve never had a “Grooner”, then Thanksgiving is as good a time as any to try one.

Don’t be put off by the awkward-looking germanic name — it is pronounced “GROO-ner VELT-leen-er”. Easy enough, right? Its character is similar — easy going.

Gruner Veltliner is the Austrian version of Pinot Grigio — it is minerally, light, and pleasantly fruity. It is enjoyable enough on its own, but really wakes up when imbibed with food. And, like a personable guest at your table, its ability to be friendly but not overwhelming means it gets along with nearly everything.

When it comes to the myriad dishes dispersed around the bird of a Thanksgiving feast, a personable wine is ideal. That said, Gruner Veltliner finds friends easily — both on and around the table. Domaine Wachau makes one of the better examples, and it is not too expensive (under $15).

Tasting Notes: Domaine Wachau Federspiel ‘Terrasen’ Grüner Veltliner 2008

Bright, clean nose of pear, apple, lime, and a hint of spice (ginger?). In the mouth it has a saline-like quality in terms of weight, texture, and flavor, carrying limey citrus and mineral flavors along with hints of white pepper and grapefruit. The acidity is mild to almost medium, becoming more apparent in a pleasantly tart finish that reminds one of green / granny smith apples. Mild, clean, and enjoyable on its own, it has the ideal versatility for the Thanksgiving feast. It can be enjoyed as an aperitif and wit most appetizers, but also can be drunk through the entire meal. Don’t make the mistake I made initially by drinking it too cold — take it out of the fridge a good half hour before serving, or you will miss out on its subtle complexity.

Where to buy Domaine Wachau Gruner Veltliner

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Find more information from the US importer’s website, Vin Divino

In the last post we extolled the virtue of putting an American Zinfandel on the Thanksgiving table, and in this post we have another Zin recommendation, albeit at around half the price: Estancia Canyon Keyes Ranches.

Understand, though, you generally get what you pay for when it comes to wine. And this Estancia bottle — at around twelve bucks — is affordable but does not have the same depth and finish as the previously reviewed Quivira. But, some people are on a tighter budget for the holidays, and if you need to stay below fifteen dollars, Estancia is a solid, easy-to-find Zin that happens to match very well with nearly everything included in a typical Thanksgiving feast.

Tasting Notes: Estancia Zinfandel Canyon Keyes Ranches 2007

Soft and fruity upfront, turning a bit earthy and bitter in the finish. Works well with the dark meat and stuffing, finishing with a cranberry note and cherry tartness. With the white meat it’s OK, not great — it matches better with the dark meat and earthy accoutrements (i.e., stuffed mushrooms). I expect it to be equally palatable with more complex stuffings, such as those that may include mushrooms, dried fruits, sausage, or nuts.

Where to buy Estancia Zinfandel

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Find more information at the Estancia Estates website

Since Thanksgiving is a holiday borne from the beginnings of the New World, it’s appropriate to have a grape indigenous to the US on the table next to the turkey. That said, Zinfandel fits the description — though its development may or may not have emanated from Italy’s Primitivo, most experts agree that Zinfandel is very much an “American” grape.

However, Zinfandel has many faces — it can be huge and bold, soft and approachable, sweet and sassy (i.e., “white Zin”), and anything in between. So it’s difficult to generalize and decide that “Zinfandel is a good wine for Thanksgiving”. The truth is, some Zins are perfect for the bird, while others completely miss the mark.

In the case of Quivira, we have a Zinfandel that fits very nicely on the Thanksgiving table. It has rich, ripe red berry flavors that meld well with both the dark and white meat, and a spicy note that compliments most stuffings, gravy, and other items on the table. The thing that makes it a slam-dunk is the finish, which is stunningly similar to cranberry sauce — which of course is already on the table for obvious reasons (it tastes great with turkey!).

Though, don’t make the mistake of trying to drink this Zin — or ANY dry wine — after filling your mouth with cranberry sauce; your palate will be disrupted by a jarring metallic flavor when the two elements combine.

At somewhere around $20-30 depending on the store, Quivira Dry Creek Zinfandel costs enough to be a worthy holiday wine to bring with you as a guest to someone else’s home, but not so much that it kills your wallet in these difficult times.

Following are my full tasting notes.

Tasting Notes: Quivira Zinfandel 2007

Big, ripe, beautiful nose of raspberry, black cherry, vanilla, and plum. It has good weight in the mouth, offering a nice whip of rich, ripe raspberry, vanilla Coke, and mild hints of chocolate. Mild acidity, soft yet ripe tannins. Finishes with pleasing flavors of black cherry and cranberry. No heat on the finish, which is surprisingly nice for a wine with this kind of ripeness and a listed alcohol level of 15.1%. At first I thought this would be too big, but it turned out to be a wonderful companion to the turkey (both white and dark meat), with and without the gravy. It also paired well with simple Stove Top stuffing, roasted carrots, and creamed onions. Recommended.

Where to buy Quivira Zinfandel

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More information can be found at the Quivira Vineyards and Winery website

We’re kicking off the annual “Wines for Thanksgiving” suggestions with this Chardonnay from Peconic Bay Winery.

This is a big flavored, fruit-forward wine that has both aromas and flavors of spicy vanilla oak, ripe pear, and honey. The honey vanilla flavor and the buttery texture meld well with the white meat and simply prepared stuffing drenched in similarly simple gravy. For a wine so ripe it finishes with little to no heat. The one thing it does finish with is a hint of tannin layered on the tongue, believe it or not.

In addition to the fact that it will go well with the traditional roast turkey and stuffing, it also happens to be from the North Fork of Long Island, NY — a fact that makes it all the more fitting, considering that the very first Thanksgiving shared by the pilgrims and indians supposedly took place in Massachusetts, only four hours away from the Peconic Bay vineyards.

You should be able to find this wine in and around the NY-metropolitan area for about $15-20. It’s also available directly from the winery.

a-8 t-8 b-8 fc-8 v-8 ~ 90 Points

Where to buy this wine

Find this wine at a retailer near you using Wine-Searcher, Vinquire, or WineZap

Or, visit the Peconic Bay Winery website

More Thanksgiving wine suggestions coming soon …

There are a ton of emails that need to be answered — I apologize, as I just found them all in my spam bin (and all this time I thought no one had any questions!). Here are two of the many questions I’ll be answering in the coming weeks.

I was looking for an alternative sparkling wine for the holidays, and I came across some Franciacorta at the wine store but I have never tried it. Do you think it will go well with the food I am serving (chicken, brussels sprouts, squash) at my dinner party? Or is it more of a stand alone wine?

Franciacorta comes from Italy, therefore by default it goes with food!

Seriously though, Franciacorta — which is a DOCG region in Lombardy, Italy — could be considered the “Champagne of Italy”, as the winemakers there try to make their sparkling wines using the same methods and grapes as the French do in the Champagne region. In fact, Franciacorta tends to be labeled similarly — for instance, they are designated according to their residual sugar level (i.e., Brut, Extra-Brut, Demi-Sec, etc.). That said, the level of dryness / sweetness of a particular Franciacorta plays a role in what foods it will best match with.

Generally speaking, Franciacorta sparkling wines tend to have good mineral character, ample acidity, and full flavor. If you choose a bone-dry Franciacorta — that is, labeled as Extra Brut or Brut — it should go well enough with the foods you mention (though, I’m not sure there is ANY wine that pairs well with brussels sprouts!). At the same time, an Extra Brut, Brut, or Extra Dry Franciacorta can be enjoyable alone or as an aperitif. Give one a try!

Can you tell me the price of a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau 1992.

I’m not sure you’ll be able to locate a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau, and further, not sure why you would want one. Beaujolais Nouveau is meant to be drunk right away — within a few months of its release at the end of every November. If it hasn’t been imbibed by the following Easter, it’s probably not worth opening, as the wine has little in the way of natural preservatives (i.e., tannins and acidity) and won’t taste too great.

However, you may have some emotional reason for finding a bottle — in which case, if you are to find one, put it on a shelf as a keepsake rather than as the centerpiece beverage of a special dinner, as it is likely to be more appropriate for the salad bowl than a wine glass.

Where you can find an old Nouveau, I’m not sure (sorry!). The value of such a bottle is negligible — in fact you may find someone willing to pay you to take it off their hands! Try calling local distributors, and/or contacting a supplier directly. Good luck in your search.

If you have a wine question, please send it to vinojoe at wineweekly dot com.