2009 castle rock Pinot Noir

I found this Pinot Noir at Trader Joe’s for $11.99 and was surprised that it had somewhat of a character beyond strawberry juice. The nose was bright and red berry fruity but there was some hints of baking spice. The palate was also juicy but not in a coolaid sort of way and it did exhibit some smooth tannic structure. The finish was a bit weak and did have a slight strawberry jolly rancher fruitiness to it…but as it didn’t last long I didn’t mind. Anyway, for $11.99 it was one of the better sub $20 Pinots from Willamette Valley I’ve had.

2009, Castel Rock, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley