Pinot Noir is your best bet for a crowd-pleasing wine come the holidays. Even folks who don’t normally indulge in vino won’t gripe about a glass of the good stuff! Plus, pinots pair with just about anything your Smorgasbord of a table can throw its way.
My sommelier Sean has some standout pinots — all under $25. He chose by region, focusing on those from Oregon, California, France and South America.
There are some boutique, high-end labels making more ‘entry level’ pinots using the same estate fruit, juice and technology used to make their higher end releases. Siduri from California and Cherry Tart [left] are examples of this.
Sean’s personal fave we featured is the Mark West Pinot Noir of the Santa Lucia Highlands (just north of Napa) — a big-time bargain at only $12. Of course we had to include a French Burgundy for good measure…Le Bourgogne at $22.
Watch our short video to see more pinots we liked for the rest of 2014. For the record, I like them all year-round. No doubt it’s the best varietal to have on your table for the holiday!
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