Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir

Tonight I am going to one of my favorite Pinot Noir's made by a wonderful Burgundian winemaker Jim Clendenen. His 2012 Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir is everything I have come to expect from Jim. On the nose I get strawberries, red raspberries, herbal notes, plum and forest floor. On the palate the beautiful red fruit comes right up front, early strawberries, red raspberries, and a bit of red plum. There is clove, a mild mushroom, good minerality, and medium acidity. This is a well balanced Pinot with a nice length on the palate. I purchased this fine Pinot Noir for $19.99. Well worth it.

Earthy, spicy, dark nose with cedar and decaying log smells. Mouth surprises a bit for the fresh acidity and then youthful tannin gives a real nice bite to the finish. Real happy for the value

Bright fruit nice toast good acidity. A great example of quality pinot under $20.

So pretty and fresh, high-toned and just so easy to drink.

ABC Pinot Noir with a killer blackened ahi roll. Inside: crab, avocado, cucumber. Outside: blackened big eye tuna, Maui onions, tobiko, spicy mayo.

Spicy.

Decomposing log, cooked cherry and strawberry. Very complex. ($21)

Very hard to find a better Pinot for this price.

Delicious. Very well balanced. Rich mouth feel. Nice fruit.

Light, funky, balanced, touch reductive