by Ethan Johnson
September 5, 2008

I'm very ready for the weekend. Popped cork ahoy:

Producer (Vineyard): Mirassou Winery
Varietal (Grape type): Pinot Noir
Vintage (Year): 2007
Country: USA (California)
Color: Red
Cost: Inexpensive ($10 USD)

Swirl and Sniff: The color is similar to raspberry juice. Another alcohol bomb off the glass. I had to re-read the label to check the alcohol content. 13.5%. I think I got the usual plummy scent at some point but the alcohol fumes were really heavy.

Taste: Very smooth. Blueberries and peppercorns, plus some indescribable taste (to me) that is probably pomegranate or honeysuckle. Something like that. Light on the tannins, with an at-times sharp finish.

Pairing: I drank this as a stand-alone drink. Worked for me.

Rating: When it comes to this wine, I would (and you may):

• Buy three or more bottles for regular enjoyment
• Buy a bottle or two for occasional enjoyment
• Ask for when dining out or at a party
• Settle for if your preferred wine is not available
• Politely decline and never drink again, ever

Yes, this is another cheapie wine, relatively speaking, but between this and Smoking Loon, I perceived this to be the "grown-ups" wine. Tasteful bottle, informative label, low retail price. This might class up your next party a notch without spending a lot. I really got bashed with the alcohol mallet after 2 glasses, and while there was more interest taste-wise than I was expecting for under $10, there is better to be had in the price bracket. If you're somewhere with a fairly low-rent wine list and this is on it, you could do worse. Beats some of the other plonk I have seen around.

If you do give this a try, please let me know how your experience compared with mine. Thanks! <EM>

(The Totally Unpretentious Wine Reviews Index may be found here.)