Tasting - Francis Coppola Pinot Noir

Name: Francis Coppola Pinot Noir: Diamond Collection 
Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Region: Monterey County, California
Country: USA
Year: 2009
Price: $19.99


Wine review: 2009 was a great vintage for all California appellations and an excellent vintage for Pinot Noir. Light spring rains were followed by warm summer days and no abrupt climate changes at season’s end. As a result of these fortuitous conditions, we harvested very high quality fruit with true physiological ripeness and great concentration. Our 2009 Diamond Collection Pinot Noir offers a rich, velvety texture, profuse aromatics, and a beautiful tapestry of juicy fruits and spice nuances. This wine is delicious when paired with a sautéed mushroom topped salmon steak, herb-rubbed pork chops, or creamy risotto.


My review: This was a pretty good red wine; I ranked it a 7.8 out of 10. I would characterize this red as smooth and supple, with a medium body that makes it go down easy and smooth tannins and supple fruit flavors. The wine gave off aromas of mostly dark berries, but it also had some hints of spices. It tasted very smooth, dominated by dark berries but with hints of mandarin. It was not very sweet or acidic, and for an alcohol content of 13.5% it didn't have that much heat to it. I did not pair this wine with food, but if I were to in the future I would probably try to it with fish and sauteed mushrooms.