Caiden’s Vineyards: “Block Nine” Pinot Noir

One of the trends recently noted by West Coast winemakers is that the consistently high demand for Pinot Noir is finally being matched by increased production of wines from this varietal. Much to a wine drinker’s delight, the result is lower prices and higher quality for Pinots. The days of being forced to shell out over $40 for a decent bottle of Pinot may be behind us, at least for awhile.

Looking to capitalize on this trend, winemaker Larry Levin is relying on his many years of experience and vineyard connections to source Pinot fruit from local markets for his St. Helena wine. His goal is to create a well-priced Pinot Noir, yes. His recent venture, Caiden’s Vineyards, specializes in Pinot Noir and has been steadily moving their “Block Nine” into distribution.

Block Nine starts out with a young blast of strawberries in the bouquet and subtle damp earth. After it opens up, a distinctive fresh raspberry begins to dominate with a background of cola that slowly dissipates. Because it has a relatively low alcohol level, its acid base balances with new fruit and soft spice flavors making this wine work very well with baked chicken or salmon. It should also pair with mixed-meat dishes like Paella. Note that this wine is fairly young and will change noticeably with aeration, making it fun for tasting discussions.

If you don’t insist on a big earthy Pinot with a lot of dried cherry flavors that jump out of the glass, this one is well worth a look. You can find it at AJs for $13.99. Because of its current “introductory status”, the price may go up slightly in coming months, so if you like it, you may want to stock up on this versatile wine for holiday meals or parties this season.

Serve slightly chilled from the fridge after 20 minutes (about 65 degrees).

Article by Tom Peiffer, Phoenix Wine Shopping Examiner at Examiner.com

View more of Tom’s articles on Examiner.com by visiting his writer’s page.