This noteworthy pinot noir from one of my favorite appellations in Sonoma County is delicious and a very good buy. On the nose it offers attractive blackberry fruit flavors that draw you in. On the palate it’s layered with blackberries, plums, and spice aromas and flavors tinged with dusky earth notes. It’s impressive from start to finish. A great choice for the table whether you’re serving roast beef, chicken, pork, or salmon, it’s quite drinkable on its own, which makes it a good choice for a cheese course. This pinot is available online at RodneyStrong.com for $25 retail, or you can find it at BevMo! for only $19.99.
This article appears in Mar 21-28, 2013.