In an oversaturated field of solid American Pinot Noir, it is rather rare for one to rise above the noise so casually - like we knew all along this wine would be amazing, and tasting it just quietly confirmed our instincts. Approachable, but unexpectedly complex. Food friendly, but perfect for conversational sipping, contemplative, nerdy, from a winery of deep pedigree, and reasonably priced. So let’s start off the year with one of my favorite $30 Pinot Noirs I’ve tasted in recent memory, and easily one of the best values in Pinot Noir today:
Domaine Eden Pinot Noir 2010
Bottle Price: $34.99/bottle
Case Price: $29.91/bottle!!
Universally delicious, this wine strikes some chord with me – like hearing late 50’s Miles Davis for the first time and thinking “ahh, that’s what jazz is.” This is some benchmark for $30-$35 California Pinot Noir that deserves attention.
Here’s the 93 POINT Review from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
“A fabulous introduction to the Domaine/Mount Eden Pinots, the 2010 Pinot Noir is flat-out beautiful in the way it captures the essence of the Santa Cruz Mountains and the house style. Sweet dark cherries, flowers, mint and herbs caress the palate. There is a purity of fruit that is stunning in its beauty. Partial use of whole clusters (20%) gives the wine much of its fragrance, but ultimately the Domaine Eden bottling is all about class. At $35 it represents one of the very finest buys in Pinot Noir from anywhere, including the hallowed vineyards of Burgundy. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2020.”
About Mount Eden Winery
Historic wine estate in the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, not too far from Ridge. Founded in 1945, it is recognized as on of the original “boutique” California wine properties, and has been for years one of the greatest places to look for classically-styled, age-worthy Chardonnay, Pinot, and Cabernet. In fact, I put their Chardonnay in the running as one of America’s best. The Domaine Eden wines come from a mountaintop wine estate just a mile from the original estate, and are made in a similar fashion.
Please email me if you would like me to reserve some for you before this spectacular vintage goes away!
Cheers, Happy New Year, and thanks for being a Friend of Murphy’s!
Michael Kunz
Wine Consultant
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