Swill or Swell: Episode 30

Cloudline Pinot Noir

Watch the Episode Here

Welcome to Swill or Swell, a weekly series where I taste grocery store wines and let you know if they’re worth the buck or just meant for the drain! 

CAVEAT! As you read this, please keep in mind that wine is subjective! This means that everyone enjoys different things and something I like might not be something you like and vice versa. I’ll be as objective as I can with facts about the wine’s quality, but in the end if your opinion differs from mine...that’s perfectly fine! Wine is only worth drinking if YOU like drinking it

LET'S INTRODUCE THE WINE

Today I'll be tasting the 2019 Cloudline Pinot Noir. I purchased this from Kroger QFC for under $20. This wine comes from the Willamette Valley, which is the wine region that made me fall in love with wine. I'm hoping this will be a great budget option for those wanting to try this style!

CLOUDLINE PINOT NOIR FUN FACTS

Let's start by talking about the Pinot Noir grape:

• Basically the opposite of Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Thin-skinned
  • Difficult to grow
• Highly prized wine
• Not rich and big though, quite the opposite in fact:
  • Pale in color
  • Med-high acidity
• Very food friendly!

Now let's talk about the region this wine comes from: Willamette Valley, Oregon:

• As early as the 1840s intrepid pioneers coming west on the Oregon Trail had begun planting grapes in northern Oregon’s Willamette Valley
  
• In 1965, David Lett, one of several California winemakers in search of cooler weather sites, established the Eyrie Vineyard.
  
  • Many other California winemakers followed.
    
• Geographically protected:
  
  • Protected from cold Pacific Ocean air and rainstorms on the west by the Coast Range mountains
    
  • The Cascade Range to the east forms a natural boundary and protects against the opposite extreme: the dry, desert-like climate of eastern Oregon
    

WINE TASTING NOTE

Look: Pale to medium ruby red
Smell: Lots of red fruit: cherry, tart cranberry, fresh strawberry; a hint of something woodsy/earthy
Taste: Light to medium bodied, high acidity, low tannin, very smooth but perhaps a bit single noted.
Think:
Food Pairing - Try this with a Cedar Plank Grilled Salmon or Pasta with Marinara Sauce
Occasion - Perfect wine to share with friends when you're just hanging out and don't need anything special!
Rating - While not the most impressive Willamette Pinot I've tried, it's certainly a great wine for the price and a great intro wine for the region so it gets a swell.

Want to learn more? Check out my Instagram every Thursday at 5PM PST for a new episode of Swill or Swell! Have a wine you’d like me to taste? Write your request in the comments below or send me a message on Instagram!