It brings me great pleasure to write about and feature a wine made by an old friend of mine. It's the 2023 BloodRoot Coastal California Pinot Noir, and it's splendid.
"What a gorgeous wine this is." - Antonio Galloni - Vinous Media
BloodRoot Wines is spearheaded by Noah and Kelly Dorrance of Reeve Wines, and Noah and I were fraternity brothers at the Mizzou. Today, the couple's little "side hustle" is BloodRoot, a collaboration between them, great farms, and top winemakers scattered throughout Sonoma and Mendocino Counties.
Noah and Kelly Dorrance, the husband and wife behind BloodRoot Wines.
I might be biased, but after having 2 bottles of their Pinot Noir in the past month, I am convinced it is the best sub-$25 California Pinot Noir in the marketplace. Produced with grapes from some very prized sites, it's made by a talented group of winemakers, and it was very accurately described by Antonio Galloni as "a fabulous everyday Pinot, one of the greatest rarities in the world of wine."
It truly is rare to get a domestic Pinot "put together" with such high quality fruit sources at such a low price. This has a fantastic nose of ripe red berries, rose petals, dried spices, and orange zest that leads into a medium-bodied and seamless palate with moderate alcohol (13.7%) and perfectly integrated acidity.
Let me wrap it up. I am a lover of Pinot Noir, and I think my palate is pretty dialed-in when it comes to that grape. This is a stunning value in balanced, complex, and juicy Pinot Noir that I'd be happy to drink any day!
Josh Spurling
Owner/Operator/Wine Lover
Table Wine Asheville
