The 2022 Castle Rock Pinot Noir from Sonoma County comes with a back label that is pretty straightforward. Some light fluff about where the grapes grow, why the area is good for growing grapes, and what we should expect from the wine. Fine. Acceptable. Nobody is trying to sell me a spiritual journey through the mystical fog of California vineyards. I appreciate this. I am simple man. Give me wine, tell me a little about it, and let us get on with important business.
First glass, and this is a mellow Pinot Noir. No big fruit bomb attacking the taste buds, no aggressive puckeryishness (trademark pending), and nothing overpowering. Just tasty, smooth wine that knows how to behave itself. Very nice! So nice, in fact, that the first glass mysteriously evaporated. It has been hot outside, so perhaps this is science. I pour another glass and investigate further. For dinner, we have freezer’s choice: vegetable stir-fry rice. The wine showed up ready to party. Good flavor, easy drinking, no drama. Unfortunately, the rice is a big disappointment. Even the dog took one sniff and walked away. Very harsh review from dog, but I must agree. Wine is carrying entire dinner on its back like a hardworking Slavic grandmother.
At $9.99, this Castle Rock Pinot Noir is absolutely worth a return visit. It has good flavor without trying too hard, and it doesn’t come with the usual baggage of excessive fruit or aggressive puckeryishness aka tannins. Sometimes you want wine that simply tastes good without demanding that you contemplate the meaning of life between sips. This bottle understands the assignment. I will buy more. The rice can go in the trash, where it belongs. Buy again? Absolutely. The wine, not the rice.
