Pinto Noir, by most standards, is the pickiest of grapes to get right. She is known as the Queen of grapes in some circles for a reason.

Until we moved up the coast, Pinot Noir was not big on our wines to love scale. Too prune tasting, too over ripe fruit Finding regions that produce the same grape, but with a totally different mouth/nose experience is a joy.

This Pinot Noir is from Derek Rohlffs from the Mendocino County, specifically Anderson Valley. Many heavy hitters come from this region and the wine can be incredibly pricey. Not because it is so much better but because the market will support it. The price point is around $23.00, so not too crazy.

Unlike the Pinot Noir we didn’t like, this has a less prune taste and more layered fruit with mineral notes. Its cleaner and has a great finish. Future blogs will explore more areas and the Pinot they produce. Share if you have a favorite region!

All hail the Queen of grapes!