Over the last week I’ve sampled some less than amazing red wines, and the kitchen counter is carrying about four half-consumed bottles that I’ll try to revisit over the holiday weekend. Perhaps. In the meantime, I decided I needed a palate cleanser and popped a cork on this 2013 Pinot Noir from Curlew Vineyards to get that job done, and done well.

2013 Pinot Noir, Curlew Vineyards, Russian River Valley, California, USA. (Photo courtesy of http://www.cellartracker.com)

This delicious red is made by the Pedroncelli family and presents some excellent features for the price. It’s light but nuanced, with scents of cherry and other red berries in the glass. If you sometimes grimace at vanilla or strawberry in your pinots as I do, this is your wine. Neither are present (some tasters will beg to differ but I think them overstating the tastes and scents here) to any appreciable extent in this Russian River Valley red!

It’s 100% Pinot Noir with plenty of fruits without being the flavor bomb that, for example, the delicious Petite Petit can be. Saturday the wine accompanied pan-seared filet mignon; tonight some kicked up hamburgers grilled to taste. You sip this red contentedly, enjoying its rich color in your stemware and its rich red fruit on your taste buds. Only 1,500 cases of this micro-production Pinot Noir were made, so if you’re intrigued by its profile here be sure to act quickly to track some down for yourself.

I found this on Wines Til Sold Out and hope that helps in your search. Enjoy and thanks for reading!