Pinot Noir is one of the all-time great reds to enjoy with turkey, ham, stuffing, and all of those deliciously earthy sides. With its soft and silky tannins and elegant style, Pinot Noir will not overwhelm the mellow and mild flavors of the meal -- it will actually enhance the flavors of the meal, and that's the goal of all wine and food pairings!
I count the grape as my personal favorite, and I think my palate is pretty fine-tuned to the delicate and sublime nuances of Pinot Noir. Not tooting my own horn here, but if you were ever going to trust a wine recommendation from me, Pinot is a pretty safe bet.
I have tasted a bunch of Pinots over the past couple of months, and the two that I believe offer the most value for money are the 2023 Lioco Mendocino County Pinot Noir and the 2022 Failla Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. Both come from all-star wineries led by talented individuals, and I've got them both at really good prices.
Lioco's Sara and Matt Licklider helping to pick and sort grapes.
Up first is that Mendocino County Pinot from Lioco. Owned by husband and wife Matt and Sara Licklider, they work with top growers throughout California to craft pure, honest, and authentic wines. Situated in Healdsburg, the winery passionately seeks out ‘special places,’ favoring organic, often dry-farmed vineyards and emphasizing sustainable viticulture.
Their 2023 Mendocino County Pinot Noir is composed of grapes from 7 different sites, and it includes four top clones (Martini, Pommard, Mt. Eden, Swan) of the variety. Fermented with 15% whole clusters and native yeasts, the wine sees 8 months of aging in neutral oak and stainless steel.
The finished wine is a marvelous value at just $29.99/bottle. Wonderfully pure, effortless to drink, and full of charm, this bursts out of the glass with cool climate notes of spiced cherry, raspberry, orange peel, and a hint of cola nut. Medium-bodied, creamy, and mouthwatering, it's a delicious bottle of domestic Pinot.
Ehren Jordan of Failla -- he's one of our country's most passionate vignerons.
Also delicious and just as good of a value is the 2022 Failla Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. Failla is home estate of world famous vigneron Ehren Jordan. A number of you have asked me what a vigneron is, and it's a great question. A vigneron is an individual who is involved with every aspect of wine, from tending the vines to overseeing fermentation.
This unique "angle" allows them to oversee production from vine to bottle, and all of the best wines in the world are made in this fashion. Failla's 2022 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, at just $34.99/bottle, has got to be one of Oregon's great values. Coming from 4 organic vineyards, including Seven Springs, it's fermented with native yeasts and included 25% whole clusters.
Aged for 9 months in mostly neutral French oak, this shows the more savory side of Pinot Noir. Quite complex and layered, it smells of baked cherry, pomegranate, cranberry, damp earth, dried rose petals, and orange zest. Medium-bodied on the palate, this has got a bit more body and structure than the Lioco -- not better, not worse, just different.
So there you go, a couple of delicious domestic Pinots at some of the best prices in the country! I promise you both will make your turkey, ham, and stuffing taste even better!
Cheers, and I hope you have a tasty Thanksgiving!
Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville
