The Price of a Good Pinot

Pinot Noir is not cheap. The good news is that fine Pinot tends to be less expensive than almost any other type of fine red wine. While the retail price range for the best Napa Cabs easily runs from $100 to $250+, the price range for the best Pinot in Oregon or California is $50 to $100... which is pretty great if you consider, as I do, that Oregon and Cali Pinot are some of the best wines in the world.

That's also a pretty good deal when you consider how difficult it is to grow good Pinot Noir grapes. While Cabernet, Merlot, Zinfandel and other big reds grow easily in many climates, and often thrive despite extreme weather, PInot Noir grapes are very particular. Pinot Noir is thin skinned and sensitive in comparison to other grapes, and the various factors of vintage and terroir have an exaggerated impact on it. A turn in the weather can make an otherwise decent crop become a vineyard full of disappointment. So the areas where you can grow Pinot are that much more limited, because you need micro-climates that will gently ripen the grapes and stay gentle all year consistently. There are basically only four smallish areas that work for Pinot in OR-CA, and only two others worldwide (Burgundy & New Zealand). When you think about the rarity and specialness that this implies for OR-CA Pinot Noir, $62 for a bottle of 94 point Argyle 2005 Nuthouse Pinot Noir  from the Willamette Valley is kind of a bargain. 

Understanding this, I hope you'll see that when I recommend a bottle of Pinot for under $50, implied in the recommendation is that this is a super deal for delicious Pinot Noir.

Special Note: It's true that some Pinots from Burgundy get up into the $100-$250 price range... but I won't be recommending those to you. I think you can get just as good OR-CA Pinot, if not better, for a fraction of the cost.