$10 Tuesday: Dom Burnet Pinot Noir

Putting up a $10 wine once a week has it's challenges. Unlike the glossies, we can't just bring 60 bottles in here and start tasting, picking only the best of the bunch to share with you. We are actually purchasing and drinking these bottles just like you. So, sometimes we pick a winner and sometimes, well...

That being said, this week's $10 selection is a Vin de Pays Pinot Noir. I know, I know--a Pinot Noir for $10? It can't be good, right? I don't know about you but, I've arbitrarily chosen $18.99 as my rock-bottom Pinot Noir price point. But, this is also Vin de Pays with a price ceiling of $11.99. The upshot? This may not be a killer Pinot Noir, but it's a pretty good $10 wine.

Dom Brunet

Pinot Noir
2007
Vin de Pays
Alcohol: 13%
Price: $10
Aromas: Bramble, cherry, anise, cola
Flavors: Cherry, mineral, anise, blueberry, clove

Summary: DECANT! DECANT! DECANT! I can't stress that enough. Without air this is a tight, metallic, tough little wine. A couple of hours of decanting makes a world of difference. Better yet, save most of the bottle for a couple of nights after you first open it--some of the mellower Pinot Noir nuances start to appear at that point. Properly aired, this is the best $10 Pinot Noir I've tried. Of course, it's nothing like a new world $9-$15 Pinot which is typically all soft, creamy and one-dimensional. This wine is a little more angular which I like, because it goes well with food and it's somewhat dynamic. The color is dark fuschia and the body is light and dominated by high-toned cherry flavors mixed with bramble with a spicy light-tannin finish. As a Pinot Noir, this wine ain't half bad--as a table wine, it's darn good.


Happy Inauguration Day