A California Pinot That Gets It Right: Gary Farrell '06

I tend to drink and review relatively inexpensive wines, except for special occasions. Why? Because I think we can get pretty great deals on wines that cost $10 - $15 for our everyday drinking, and as normal people, that's what we want, no?

BUT...when I have an opportunity to taste something that is allegedly awesome, I gladly try it and I think you should too. Whether by-the-glass in a restaurant or in the bottle at home, very frequently, you'll find that going up a tier or two from your normal wine will give you a great experience. If you chose right, you'll get something that's delicious and different, and you won't be sorry for blowing the cash. That's the case with this wine, a California Pinot Noir that actually tastes like Pinot and shows great restraint by the winemaker, which is usually not the case on the left coast...more explanation below.

The Wine: Gary Farrell
The Grape: Pinot Noir (100%)
Vintage: 2006
Price: $34.99
Where It's From: Russian River Valley, Sonoma, CA

Normal Description: I'll admit that I've got a prejudice against California Pinot Noir and I'm very clear about why. First, Pinot Noir is mishandled in CA very frequently. The winemakers can't seem to restrain themselves. I mean, only in California would winemakers take a delicate, nuanced grape and let it get overripe and heavy, and then add ridiculous amounts of strong-flavored, vanilla tasting oak to hide its delicate character.

Second, In the US, label laws are pretty misleading. If the bottle says the name of the grape (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, etc.) the law only requires that the wine contains 75% of that grape juice. That effectively means that often we drink what most other countries would call a blend, labeled as a single variety. So when you drink a very soft Cabernet Sauvignon, most times it has various other things blended in -- most likely Merlot but maybe even some Syrah or Zin to give it a distinctive profile. Pinot Noir is VERY expensive in California, and wine is a business. Hence, when you taste a big jammy Pinot Noir from California, I'd put money on the fact that often it's only about 75% Pinot and 25% other stuff to make it big, jammy, and over the top. And sadly, this is not just the cheap stuff (I'm not lying here...I was in the biz in Cali, remember).

Not the case with this 100% Pinot Noir from Gary Farrell. Just from the color, which was an unpolished garnet hue with mauve/brown edges, you can tell that this was pure Pinot (which should be lighter in color than a Syrah or Cab). The wine was really bright and lovely on the nose. Ripe red cherries, pomegrante, and strawberry syrup (like what you get on a sundae) just flooded in on the first sniff. There was a farm-y, kicked-up-dust quality to it with a dried rosemary scent and a bunch of other savory spices mixed in. This is what I would expect from a Pinot -- something that smelled like red fruit and dusty earth. I was hopeful for a good showing and I got it!

Although the wine was ridiculously high in alcohol for a Pinot Noir (14.2%) and scorched my esophagus slightly, it didn't overpower the wine. Flavors of raspberry, cherry, and dried strawberry with that earthy, dried savory spice quality really shone through. There was a distinct anise flavor -- think ouzo, but good -- and there was some firm acid that helped balance the high alcohol and the big fruit of the wine. Yum.

Snap or crap?: Snap. This was a real winner for me. Elegant, balanced, and true to what I think Pinot Noir should be. I find it very difficult to get good Pinot Noir from anywhere but France. Oregon does a good job often, but to me, California does not. Although pricey, I'd buy this wine for a special occasion any day. If you want to taste what real California Pinot should taste like, next time you get some extra cash buy a bottle of this wine.