The Friend Who Has Everything

[janetms383]

Is having a birthday. I know she loves Russian River Pinot Noir.... my budget is around $30... suggestions?

[tim irvine]

I am a novice in the area of PN, but I try to find "deals." I have also noticed that while I can SORT OF make some generalizations about PNs from given areas, those pronouncements seem a lot less solid with PN than any other widely used grapes. That said I have found two from other areas that were well under your $30 price point but mighty fine: Cambria St. Julia's Vineyard and Benton Lane...neither Russian River but both very tasty and under $20 but without the "cheap pinot" one dimensional character, at least to me.

[SteveTimko]

Benton Lane is inconsistent from the ones I've had. But when it's on it can be a great value.

[RCC]

I have been on their mailing list for so long, in spite of the fact that I've never actually bought, but I hear and read good things about their wines.
Here it is:

Siduri RRV Pinot Noir.

I looked up winesearcher and saw that recent vintages are available in the mid to upper $20s

[rickym13]

$30-$40

freeman pinot rrv
macphail pinot
mi sueno pinot rrv
scherrer pinot rrv
de tierra pinot
anthill farm pinot
chasseur pinot rrv
martninelli pinot rrv

[280 Ninth]

Not on, but near the Russian River, in Sonoma....Wild Hog PN.

http://www.wildhogvineyard.com/

Another nice PN for when the budget is a bit fatter....Peay Vineyards.

http://www.peayvineyards.com/wine_pin...

[Steve_K]

Rochioli Pinot Noir

[janetms383]

hmm about double my buget, but thanks for playing

[drumwine]

I'll play.....try this:

http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku...

[SteveTimko]

A curve ball. McHenry's is fairly obscure. Recent vintages apparently haven't been as good as earlier vintages this decade. But it's usually thought of as an incredible value. It's from the Santa Cruz Mountains, not Russian River.
http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku...

[Steve_K]

Wow... it's gone up a fair bit by the look of things! I get it for about £20 in the UK, $32 or so in todays rates