I’m slow-roasting some Pork Belly and it needs an acidic, lighter style wine that can cut through the fat yet not overpower the delicate white meat. Cool climate Pinot Noir came to mind and this bottle happens to be on my tasting bench.

See-through and ruby red. At 12.5% ABV I’m not expecting to see much in the way of legs in the glass. The nose is very interesting to me- ripe strawberry, raspberry, cloves and leather (yes, like fresh cut leather). The palate is definitely New World. Red raspberry driven with bakers spice and a good dose of acidity make for a delightful taste. The wine is off-dry and offers a touch of tannic dryness. The acidity is on pointe and exactly what I was hoping for. Red fruit and juiciness make for a long finish that I am enjoying, albeit my jaw is aching from the acidity at this point- I can’t wait for the meat to cut it down some. I really like this wine and think it’s a good value for $16 ’cause it gets 90 points and 5 stars from me. Drink till 2025. Salut….