03 May It’s Oregon Wine Month! – A to Z Pinot Noir
In May…Oregon Wine Month…
one immediately thinks of Pinot Noir,
the grape that put the state on the vinous map.
But one does not necessarily think of great values.
As high-end Oregon Pinot Noir continues to
gain much-deserved critical acclaim,
the price for those prized bottles continues to escalate.
In general, a single-vineyard Pinot from one
of Oregon’s top producers typically starts at around $40
and in many cases, can quickly jump to $60-$70 and above.
For those who would rather pay a fraction of that amount,
there are plenty of entry-level Oregon Pinots to pick from.
But just because it says “Oregon” on the label
there’s no guarantee that you’ll be pleased with your purchase.
It’s Wine Thursday!, our weekly look
at a good wine that sells at a good price
and is easy to find at the store and online.
We had to test-drive a number of $20-and-under
Oregon pinots to find one that was both readily available
and worth recommending.
But we did land on a solid option.
Where it’s from
At A to Z Wineworks, located near Newberg, Oregon,
the crew has an irreverent attitude toward messaging
but they’re quite serious about making quality wine.
It’s not easy for any winery to provide both volume and value.
But for many years now, A to Z has been cranking out
large quantities of good bang-for-the-buck
reds, whites and sparklers.
What it is
We mentioned single-vineyard Pinots earlier.
A to Z’s 2020 version is the antithesis of that.
A to Z says they blended grapes from over 70 vineyard sites
for the 2020. The result is a fresh, fruity crowd-pleaser.
The characteristics that one associates with Oregon Pinot are all here
including tart cherry & cranberry flavors, savory notes
and a splash of spice.
The tannins work well with the medium-to-high acidity
to keep things in balance.
It’s earthy and pleasantly smooth…a good daily drinker.
Where to find it
Total Wine has the A to Z Pinot for $15.97.
You’ll find it at Albertsons and QFC for $16.99.
Fred Meyer’s price is $17.99.
It’s at Target and Vons for $19.99.
It’s on the shelf at Safeway for $20.99. The price at BevMo is $21.99.
And Ralphs has it for $22.84.
You can order it from Empire Wine for $15.95
B-21 has it for $15.98
You can pick it up from Sal’s Beverage World for $15.99
https://www.salsbeverageworld.com
and the price at Binny’s is $16.99