Looking for a new everyday Pinot

We have customers that purchase wines a couple 2-3 times a week and don’t want to spend a lot but enjoy everyday drinkers that aren’t grocery store wines… One of our reasonably priced pinots that was a go to for many of our budget minded customers has changed (long story) and we’re looking for something that will retail in the $17-$20 range from CA that is not mass produced. I know it’s a lot to ask.

Any suggestions??

I think the Au Bon Climat Santa Barbara provides a very good value in that price range.

Agreed on the ABC.

I bet Siduri has something in that range too.

Michael

I have the New Jersey pricing distortion field effect going on but these come to mind…

Calera Central Coast
Laetitia Estate Arroyo Grande
Tarrica Monterey
Au Bon Climat SBC
Byron Santa Maria Valley
Napa Cellars [not a fan myself but it sells]

Domestic Pinot Noir is not something I consume a lot of at any price point so sorry i could not help more. In such situations I usually spend some time perusing other wine stores’ websites for ideas.

Thank you all for the suggestions.

Luli? The Pisoni family makes some really reliable Pinot.

I like ABC and Navarro in this price range, but I also think the bump up to their La Bauge and L’Ancienne is well worth it. These are all for AFWE-inclined patriots.

Luli is already a staple here in Pinot, Rose and Syrah, but the Pinot is $19.99 but we need a backup. And believe it or not, there are people who believe we should have a top 100 Pinot for under $17.

Is Oregon eligible?
Brooks Runaway Red, Broadley, Evesham Wood, McKinlay, and many more.

P Hickner

We have a fair number of Oregon Pinots with Sharecroppers and Point North at the lower end of pricing. Maybe Carrie should have mentioned that the bulk of walk in customers looking for pinots in the 17 to 20 range want wines with prominent fruit flavors. Unfortunately, Oregon is less consistent with wine styles because of weather extremes.

Meiomi.

I hear it’s better than DRC.

The problem with under $20 Pinots is the inconsistency from vintage to vintage -

Here are a couple that I have had good luck with on the retail level -

HAHN VINEYARDS - '13 SLH Vineyard Pinot - should be around a $20 retail - gets amazing press every year (which as you know is a selling point) - and I don"t think they are in the grocery stores.

BANSHEE WINES - a new, negociant style biz from Sonoma, they have a second label called Rickshaw that’s really fun - and the Pinot would sell in the $15 range - I’ve really liked the last three vintages -

FOSSIL POINT - A newer label out of Edna Valley, a bigger styled Pinot - and the '13 is absolutely delicious - should retail in the $16 range in California -

One more thing - I would occasionally scan Southern’s closeout lists - they are pretty heavy in New Zealand Pinots, have no idea how to sell them, and there are usually 2-3 on their closeout lists at a time for less than half of wholesale pricing. Worth checking out -

Banshee is a very nice call in that price point, both pinot and chard

I agree with this statement 100%!

When I was working in retail, Pinot Noir was always a moving target. One year, Fetzer’s Five Rivers PN was decent. Another year, M.Trinchero’s multi-appellation PN was a drinker. Then there was the first Bogle RRV PN (not to my tastes but sell-worthy), Wyndham Estate Bin ### PN (carbonic Aussie Kool-Aid), etc.

Admittedly, this is Louisiana, so the options were limited. The point is just as Mr Keim said.

One year, you get a decent wine. Then, the production doubles overnight, fruit sources change, and the price climbs. The search for a bargain PN is, in my opinion, hardly worthwhile. There are so many other affordable options for bargain Wednesday Night Wines, and Pinot is just a different breed, usually requiring a higher price for a “baseline” model.

Tonight we and one of our most trusted customers tried 4 Pinots, one Russian River, two Santa Lucia/Santa Barbara area and one Willamette, suggested here or by others. ABV varies from 13.2 to 15.3.

In my opinion, none were the equivalent of the wine they are to replace. Caveat, the wine it has to replace was pretty big, saturated, with a very long finish.

Two of the wines were pretty good in their own right. The best of the bunch was the Au Bon Climat, which is improving with time. The acidity cried for smoked Gouda which fortunately was on hand and it is the only bottle that will not survive the evening unless more thirsty customers come in.

What happened to the Sean Minor you recommended to me a while back?

Bruce

Bruce,
They are now blending it with Sonoma fruit to expand production and calling it Sonoma Coast. The result is a lighter and different pinot and I have not ordered, hence the looking for something to fill the void.

We do a lot of business with Banshee folks - so I’ll second that opinion.

If you can cast a magic spell on toads, can’t you do the same thing with Sean Minor Pinot Noir? [stirthepothal.gif]

Bruce