2007 Row Eleven Viñas 3 Pinot Noir
Everywhere you look, you keep hearing about the 2007 vintage as it relates to California Pinot Noir. The big boys of the review world keep handing out those beloved 90+ scores and the mailing list flyers are filled with the same news, it was a great year. So far, I’d have to agree, as the 2007s that have been consumed this year are typically outperforming their preceding years. This won’t be true in all cases, but I’d be willing to bet more often than not. 
Row Eleven sources their grapes from 3 areas in California, namely Sonoma, Santa Barbara and Monterey. They use 3 different clones, Pommard, Dijon and Martini. What does that mean to you? Probably not a lot, since the main reason you (and I) drink wine is because it tastes good. Well, you can count on this one to deliver the goods.
Price: $21.99
Where bought: Total Wine
Popped and poured directly from the wine cooler. This was the first time I’d had this wine at such a cool temperature, as experience has been in the past it needed about 30 minutes in the decanter / glass to really open up. It was perfect this time and while it did open up for the second glass, it was quite scrumptious in the first at the cooler service.
Aromas: Cherry with hints of spice and vanilla. Just as described on their website, it was liquified cherry pie…only without all the sugar and fat. Hmm…I wonder how this would actually go with cherry pie…project!
Flavors: More of the same, with a silky smooth mouthfeel and delicate acidity to cleanse the palate, making for taste bud tantalization in eager anticipation for the next morsel of dinner.
Food pairing: Extremely rare and thinly sliced sirloin steak (grilled on high heat 2 minutes on the first side and 1 minute on the second), caesar salad and grilled Tandoori Naan (with roasted garlic…delish) from Whole Foods. Yes, I will typically go for something heavier when it comes to steak, but I find that sirloin doesn’t have the requisite fat content to stand up to bigger and more tannic reds…plus, they are just too darned heavy and loaded with alcohol for this time of year.
Final opinion: Top notch value, though I liked it better when it was $19.99 at the store I used to buy it at. It is a solid Pinot, especially for the price, proving there are good values in Pinot around the $20 price point. I’d have this over the usual suspect that tops many restaurant lists and rhymes with Da Drema. Goes well with a variety of food and is supple enough to drink on its own, just do yourself a favor and chill it down for at least 30 minutes in the fridge if you have it stored at room temperature.
Bonus: Click here to read an interview with the winemaker, Richard de los Reyes.
