I must tell you this is a rare buy, a tasty Central Coast Pinot Noir for only $12.99 at Trader Joe’s. I enjoyed this wine for its well-balanced flavors; it tastes of delicious blackberry, black cherry, plums, and tangy cherry, nicely integrated with spice notes. That said, I had one flawed bottle that tasted like stewed prunes, which TJ’s accommodatingly replaced with another bottle (or they’ll give you your money back—now that’s true customer service). At this price it’s well-worth checking out. Trader Joe’s is in Santa Maria, Arroyo Grande, San Luis Obispo, and Templeton.
This article appears in Mar 11-18, 2010.