Cheap Pinot Noir, Any Good Ones?

Cheap Pinot Noir, Any Good Ones? – Episode #259

June 19, 2007

Pinot Noir is HOT and everyone is all about it but are there any good ones under ten bones?

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Comments on this episode(243) Leave a comment ›

“Hands down Talus Shiraz was the most god awful wine i have ever tasted…” by Dennis
“A question…is Pinot Noir considered a light bodied wine or full bodi…” by Adrian
View all 243 ›

Wines tasted in this episode:

Talus Pinot NoirOther California Pinot Noir
Lindemans Pinot Noir Bin 99Australian Pinot Noir
Cavit Pinot NoirTrentino Alto Adige IGT
Barkan Pinot NoirIsraeli Kosher Wine

243 Responses

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June 21, 2007

scott heller
Gary
Someone brought Pinot no evil. It was terrible. Thank goodness I brought a Pinot Noir from Warm Lakes in New York that was ok
Thanks
June 21, 2007

desmaic
qotd: bridgeview pinot noir. absolutly terrible especially for an oregon winery with a huge reputation… funk that junk… though i must say i have had some fonteira or (or something like that) from a 1.5 that sucked so horrendously, i couldn’t finish one sip.. and it burned it’s crappy pap into my taste buds….
June 21, 2007

DOF
I used to live in Willamette Valley Oregon. I could get nice Pinot Noir from local wineries for
June 21, 2007

Clifford James
This was STILL a very worthwhile episode Gary … most of us are aware that you can’t find a quality Pinot Noir under $10, but it was great to watch you try. Please try the Israeli PN another time!

Worst bottle under $10 lately? Protocolo Red! Even though many on the boards claim it is a good value, I’d MUCH rather spend another 2-3 buckos to get something I can actually drink.

As always, thanks for all you do!
June 21, 2007

Martin
I had a $9 BV Pinot Noir that was terrible; I suspected they half-filled the bottle with tap water!
June 21, 2007

Mark Lewis
I wish this episode had different results. It would be great if the search continued. I personally don’t think there’s a good Pinot Noir until you get to the $12-$18 range.

QOTD: Any wine that comes in no single serving bottles.
June 21, 2007

J Crazy
I will bill you for my time with the shrink. Mr. Vay-ner-whatever…the QOTD brought back so many unwanted memories of college that I’m afraid I just can’t function anymore. Franzia, Carlo Rossi, c’mon man, how deep inside my repressed memories do you want me to go. The doctors tell me I should express my feelings to you; I should let go of the past. Oh god…I once had a bottle of “Chianti” that smelled like dead road kill fish that had been laying in the hot sun of Thailand for 4 weeks.
I’m sorry, I can’t go on. Where’s my doctor?!
June 21, 2007

Gary B
OK, maybe you guys should try Cono Sur Pinot Noir, Chile. At $6.99 it’s a good deal. Like the Lindemann’s it is somewhat light in color. It has a moderate nose, with the typical Pinot “dirty thing” going on. It is not over oaked and frankly pretty balanced for a cheap wine. I’d give this a thumbs up for a summertime front porch red wine.
June 21, 2007

vibemore
Bummer. I like finding the good stuff that is inexpensive. QOTD: Probably the Napa River Cabernet I had two weeks ago courtesy of Trader Joe’s.
June 21, 2007

YoungDave
SUCH a (nearly) impossible task to find bargain quality Pinot since the popularity of “Sideways.”

QOTD: The WORST under $10 wine that I’ve had recently was at a friend’s house, he bought it, thought he got some kind of a deal, but it was absolutely horrendous. It was CK Mondavi Cabernet, was lighter than many Pinot Noirs that I’ve had, and the the mouthfeel was equally light with a hint of chemical flavors as well. No real fruit or tannin structure to speak of, and, quite frankly, the buzz after a couple of glasses was odd and unenjoyable. I would’ve been THRILLED for some fake fruit and masking residual sugar here, but not even that prefered flaw was present. Just bad. Thanks for asking…and bringing that memory up again.
June 21, 2007

Mason
Not much to rave about here, eh? Suggestion: Follow up this show at a later date with a show on steals from Bordeaux…you know, not Margaux, or Latour, but some of the lesser known, but great wines from Chateau that don’t get all the recognition. What say you?

QOTD: Had to be Yellow Tail Cab/Merlot. Sorry to rag on Yellow Tail, but it just doesn’t carry much weight after you have discovered other really well made wines. Really a watered down, lackluster effort for wine (to me).
June 20, 2007

Wimberly Miree
Not a surprising result. I have tasted only one or two drinkable Pinot Noirs under $10 ever. Heron (California)makes an acceptable one that can be bought in Birmingham at $9.00. They also make a Merlot, with grapes from Southern France, that is even better, for the same price.
June 20, 2007

surf.sf
Charles Shaw… smoking loon pinot…

Was surprised by the title of the episode but not the results! Every Pinot to me under $12 just tastes like cherry soda, not Pinot.
June 20, 2007

DyDrew
QOTD: When I bought my first investment house in the dirty Jers. (The one I was working on so late at night. As if you read all the comments, Gary.)
June 20, 2007

Boston Ben
Wow – this may have been the lowest rated overall tasting ever for WLTV.

QOTD: Had some super-nasty Baco Noirs from Ontario – they get really stinky and nasty on the nose, try to make up for it in residual sugar. Sutter Home White Zinfandel was pretty bad, too, even though they invented White Zin back inna day. All reviewed on my Cork’d account at:

http://www.corkd.com/people/bostonben/journal
June 20, 2007

GlassRunnethEmpty
QOTD: Worst under $10 wine was something someone brought to the house last year. It had a frog or penguin or some cutesy little critter on the label. Totally undrinkable and not even fit for cooking. Poured it down the drain.

Mirassou had a very drinkable Pinot Noir for under $10. I believe it was the ‘03 and ‘04 vintages which received 90/91 from WS. We bought one bottle, found it very drinkable, so bought a case. Not sure the ‘05 has faired as well. Aside from Lindeman, I’ve never heard of these other labels….and I can’t say I have much respect for the Lindeman label.
June 20, 2007

Taco John
Zarafa Pinotage. Horrible. Pretty much the worst edible liquid I’ve put in my mouth. The dominant flavor was burning rubber, and it was a feat to make it powerful enough to overcome the heat.
June 20, 2007

Karl B.
QOTD – Worst under $10 wine? Clearly the Charles Shaw Cabernet Sauvignon. I had one sip and poured it down the drain. Some people even gave it ratings that made it seem drinkable (WS). Gary – I’ll let my memory lapse on whether you rated it………….

By the way, what does happen to all of the bottles of wine after you have opened them and completed the WLTV episode? Is it party time for the staff? Do you fill the bird’s water dish? Tell me….
June 20, 2007

Steve B
There are some worth while Pinots available for under 20USD, but you have to look hard and the production numbers are very small. Two that I have had are the Hayman&Hill Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands(~$15) and the Samantha Starr Pinot also in the same price range.(Same winemaker as Talbot Winery) These are not as big and complex as say a Pisoni or Roar, but its hard to beat the price.

QOTD — 2buck chuck Cabernet; virtually undrinkable!
June 20, 2007

Fco.
Gary…..thank you for this episode. This really went out of the way to show me just how much suck at the wining thing. I had that Cavit, at Olive Garden, this weekend and since watching this show I am trying to pay attention to the bouquet and the flavor and all that. Anyway, I drank it, liked the smell, pretty much came to the same conclusion as you, then drank it and…I thought it was alright. A little off balance but not terrible, certainly not as good as some other Pinot’s I’ve had…

…and now I just realized Cavit is terrible and I do not know what the hell Pinot is supposed to taste like. This irks me, I am obviously way off base here. You know what would be good? For you to talk about exercises people can go to learn what certain wines are supposed to taste-like, in an average sense. Perhaps show an average pinot, a unique pinot and a sh!tty pinot and then let us know so we can go buy all three and compare ourselves. Know what I mean? Just an idea, cause I am clearly lost here.
June 20, 2007

Len C
you complain that everyone is buying the oak monster shirt and not the GV so you wear the oak monster?????
June 20, 2007

MannyPants
Appreciate the effort even though there didn’t seem to to be a winner among these bottles. QOTD: IM Rose, not a fan.
June 20, 2007

Marko TJ From Finland
Hi Gary,

There is no competition on worst wine ever.. like i said on 256 Talus Pinot Noir takes the cake, i really would like to know who’s the jackass that desided to import that junk all the way to Finland.
June 20, 2007

msb2ncsu
” thkorent:

QOTD: It was an Italian Chianti from cecchi”

You know, I was gonna use that in his QOTD the other day about worst wine in the last couple weeks. We picked up a Cecchi Chianti to have with some pizza and it was horrid. Seriously, one of the worst wines I have ever had.
June 20, 2007

KW
Not a big Pinot Fan – most of them are too light for my taste.
Corbett Canyon Chard. Yuck.