Dark ruby with thin red edges. Dense and grainy but not staining. Big round ripe lush nectar of a nose laden with strawberry Charleston Chew, sarsaparilla, oak and miserably ripe blackberry.
This is a Pinot for people graduating from Syrah and it pretty much fits the ‘Syrah-like’ category of PN. I would readily put this up against some of the bigger, riper usual suspects from around CA–Belle Glos, Twomey, Goldeneye, etc even though this is HALF the price. Definitely a crowd-pleasing style. Barely a Pinot-nuance still alive in it, it is all deep rich fruit compensated with a bit of bitterness but little acid. Smooth and wonderful, this would make a welcome BTG selection on any menu or crowd-pleaser at a party. You wouldn’t even have to tell the Pinot-phobes it is pinot.
In the mouth a momentary piquant citrus settles down to Herbs du Provence and fat Tootsie-Pops–YES with the toffee center intact–before dragging everything out into a LOOOOONG sweet finish with a slight burn. Not really MY style of Pinot Noir. However for the style it is–a very popular style–it is a REALLY good one.
2011 CENTER OF EFFORT Pinot Noir Edna Valley San Luis Obispo County 14.5
Stephen McConnell 