When I began my trek around Tucson, searching for Pinot Noir at various locations, I was prepared not to find much interesting under the $45 mark.  To my surprise, pleasantly enough, I discovered a small collection of wines under that threshold and in fact, a few in the $20’s and several in the $30’s.

To simplify the inventory and search process, I have decided to stratify the price levels and offer a condensed list of quality wines both under and above the $45 range.  While the list may seem rather lengthy to be considered condensed, it was culled from a much larger inventory of Tucson accessible Pinot Noir.  Unless otherwise stated, the prices represent an average of those retailers listed if the differences are small (less than a few dollars).  When
there are large pricing discrepancies, I will highlight the pricing of each retailer.  Good luck in your search and if you have some alternative Pinot Noir suggestions, by all means share them with us on our Community Forum.  Just register, log in and you’re ready to go.

AJ = AJ’s Fine Foods, BH = Beverage House, East Broadway, F = Feast (all prices listed are retail vs. ordering at the restaurant), P = Pastiche, TW = Total Wines, RR = Rumrunner, NT = Not tested

$45 and Under

Adelsheim, Willamette Valley 2006:  A pleasant wine with nice cherry and raspberry notes; a smooth wine with a soft finish.  I would drink this over the next two years……….pricing  TW: ~$25 
(The ’07 is available at AJ’s; NT).

Archery Summit Premier Cuvee, Willamette Valley 2006:  Rich and smoky wine with deep fruits of dark plum and currant and some spice.  Nice finish.  Prices at ~$45; drink over the next couple of years;  TW
(The ’07 is available at AJ’s; NT
 
Argyle, Willamette Valley Reserve, 2006: Nice integration of dark plum, currant and blackberry with a moderate spiciness; light-moderate tannins and a nice finish; drink over the next few years;  TW: ~$34

Brick House Select, Willamette Valley 2007:  This is one of those lovely wines for a great price weaving a smooth tapestry of autumn spices such as allspice with beautiful medium red fruits.  It is absolutely delicious, well balance with light tannins and tasty finish….should drink well for the next few years.  Great to see a high quality wine at a reasonable price……..~$27; BH

Brick House Ribbon Ridge Cuvee de Tonnelier, 2006: A smooth, almost gentle wine with soft cherry and raspberry fruits, mild spice and soft tannins round out this lovely wine….should be drinkable for the next several years.
BH: $50.99, TW:$39.99, F: $53.

Cardwell Hills, Willamette Valley 2006:  Beautifully structured with layers of plum, boysenberry and currant; a rich, almost creamy touch and a hint of mint; very soft tannins.  For an average price of ~$28, this is hard to beat.  What’s more, this wine can stretched out over the next several years; AJ
(The ’07 is available at the East Broadway BH; NT.)

Chehalem Three Vineyard, Willamette Valley 2006:  Lovely wine with fresh cherry and strawberry, light tannin and a hint of cream.  You can drink this with ease now or over the next couple of years.  ~$36 at AJ’s and TW.

Luca, Mendoza Argentina 2006:  From the Catena family, renown for its Malbec, this wine is a wonderful expression of this region’s PN with a deep raspberry aroma alongside smoke and cedar. Sweet tannins and delightful minerality round out this wine.  Drink now or over the next year or two.  F: $36

Melville Estate, Sta Rita Hills 2007:  Just a superb wine with a lovely mid ruby color and fruits of black raspberry and boysenberry, dried forest floor and a hint of smoke.  Lively acidity and light tannins should allow this to age for several years.  It is drinkable now or age for several years.  
BH: $36.39, AJ: $39.99

Panther Creek Cellars Shea Vineyard, Willamette Valley 2006:  Sporting a dary ruby hue, this wine exhibits a firm personality with black raspberry and cherry alongside of earthy notes.  Nice acidity and minerality.  This well balanced wine should age nicely over the next 5-10 years.  P: $39.99

Roar, St Lucia Highlands 2007: Full bodied PN with deep cherry and blackberry notes; hints of tar, tobacco and licorice lend the wine its full body with balanced moderate tannins bringing up the rear.  Good wine.  Drink over the next few years; BH: $43.99

Roessler, Sonoma Cty La Brisa 2007:  A tight wine with dried fruit flavors yet clearly with a bold foundation of earth and spice; firm tannic structure.  This seems to be a wine that has the ingredients to age well; not overly expressive and soft now but has that potential as it ages.  I would give this another year or even two before drinking.  BH: $34.99

Domaine Serene Yamhill Cuvee, Willamette Valley 2006:  A medium bodied expression of fresh cherry and raspberry and a hint of cream.  Very soft tannins round out the wine for a delicious experience.  Drink this over the next several years.  AJ’s: $45.99, TW: $37.99, $49.99 RR

Siduri Wines Note:  TW carries a number of his PN’s.  All are good, tasty wines, meant for consumption over the next year or two with prices that range from the mid $20’s ( the RRV ) to high $30’s (Sapphire and Rosella). 

St Innocent Winery Shea Vineyard, Willamette Valley 2006:  A dark ruby color leading to aromas of dark, sweet cherry and raspberry, a dense wine for a PN with background hints of wet earth and tar, forward sweet tannins and a nice acidity, all of which should allow the wine to age gracefully over the next 5-8 years.  BH: $44.99, TW: $31.99

Willakenzie Emery, Willamette Valley 2006:  Full bodied wine, well balanced with generous black cherry and blackberry notes, wet earth, classic peppery spice and forward, crisp tannins.  Drink this over the next several years.  Great wine and good pricing at BH: $38.99

Willakenzie Aliette, Willamette Valley 2006:  Not quite as hefty as the Emery but every bit as good in its own way.  Offers distinct cherry aromas, the classic peppery spice, and some tobacco notes.  Light tannins integrate perfectly in the balance.  Drink over the next four or five years.  BH: $38.99

Willakenzie Kiana, Willamette Valley 2006:  A deeper expression than the Emery or Aliette, offering plum, currant, deep cherry, some tobacco and expresso coffee notes.  Drink now or lay down for the next 4 or 5 years.  Nice balance.  BH: $44.99

Over $45

Argyle Willamette Valley Nuthouse 2005:  One of those perfectly integrated wines with soft cherry, creamy raspberry and a swirl of allspice.  Gentle acidity adds liveliness to the balance.  Drink now or over the next couple of years.  $54.99 TW

Beaux Freres, Willamette Valley 2007:  A lighter style of PN with soft cherry, blackberry and allspice aromas; very mild tannins and acidity.  Drink now or over the next couple of years. ~$55 AJ’s and RR

Beaux Freres, Willamette Valley 2006:  A well balanced PN with darker fruits of currant and plum and some earthy notes.  Finishes well with light-moderate tannins.  Drink now or over the next few years.  $59.99 TW

Beaux Freres, Ribbon Ridge The Beaux Freres Vineyard 2006:  Lovely cherry and lighter berry aromas and flavors but with a distinct hit of allspice and pepper.  Very light acidity and tannins.  Drink now or over the next 4-5 years.  With aging, the spiciness should settle and rebalance this into a beauty.  $75 TW, $90 F

Beaux Freres, Ribbon Ridge The Beaux Freres Vineyard 2005:  Beautiful aromas of lush raspberry, cherry and spice and some hints of floral notes.  $86.99 BH

Bergstrom, Willamette Valley Cumberland Reserve 2006:  Delicious cherry strawberry and currant notes; mild acidity and tannins give this a very smooth mouthfeel.  Drink now or over the next 5 years; $53 F

Bergstrom, Bergstrom Vineyard 2006:  A deeply structured wine with dark cherry and raspberry aromas and a toasty scent.  Medium tannins and supportive acidity should allow this wine to evolve well over the next several years.  I would give this another year or two to “melt” the ingredients and then drink over the next 5 or 6 years.  $69.99 TW

Kosta Browne, Sonoma Coast 2007:  Focused, fruit forward blend of black cherry and raspberry intermingled with beautiful spice and licorice.  Lovely tannins and light acidity round out the finish.  Drink now and over the next few years.  ~$73 BH, F

Goldeneye, Anderson Valley 2005:  A hearty and fruity wine with rich cherry and berry flavors; lovely spice and an earthy scent adds substance to the wine and the tannins are soft and beautiful.  A really well balanced wine.  Drink now or over the next couple of years.  $55.40 BH, $62.99 AJ’s.

Penner Ash, Willamette Valley 2006:  Another well balanced wine with smooth edges; fruit aromas cherry and raspberry and ?plum and a vague hint of floral notes (roses?); mild spice and smoky notes; very fine tannins round out the body of the wine.  Drink now or over the next 3-4 years  $52.99 BH, $60 F.

(’07: a bouquet of light cherry, raspberry and currant fruit woven with light minerality; drink now or over the next year or so;  $47.99 TW)

Penner Ash Shea Vineyard, Willamette Valley 2006:  An even softer version of the above wine with an almost creamy texture of dark cherry and blackberry.  Soft, fine tannins and a mild pepperiness intermingle perfectly with the fruits.  Truly a lovely, almost feminine wine.  $57.99 BH

Pisoni Estates, Sta. Lucia Highlands, Monterey  2006: What a wine!  Dark ruby hue hinting at very dark cherry and raspberry aromas, wet earth and a hint of smoke.  Perfectly balanced acidity and tannins define this as full bodied.  Can be consumed now but should easily store for 6-8 years.  ~$74AJ’s & BH.  (Bev Hse tells me that the ‘07’s should be in shortly and are every bit as elegant).

Ponzi, Willamette Valley Reserve 2006:  A full and textured wine with rich scents of blackberry and cherry intermingled with a backbone of spice and licorice.  Lovely acidity with a smooth tannic finish.  Drink now or over the next few years.  $53.99 TW

Domaine Serene Evenstad, Willamette Valley 2006:  Wonderfully balanced wine with deep dark cherry aromas surrounded by spice and licorice scents and tannins in perfect balance.  Drink now or age for the next 5 years.  $62.39 BH.

Domaine Serene Jerusalem Hill, Willamette Valley 2005:  A very lush and silky wine with lots of rich blackberry and cassis, mild acidity and tannins.  A truly lovely wine.  Drink now or over the next few years.  $83 F

Domaine Serene, Willamette Valley Mark Bradford Vineyard 2004:  Another rich wine with the makings of a beautifully integrated wine.
Blackberry and cassis aromas swirl about while acidity and tannins remain distant.  This wine should really show its stuff in a year or two.  You can give a shot now or wait and enjoy over the next 2-4 years.  $98 F

Domaine Serene, Willamette Valley Grace Vineyard 2005:  A very classy and feminine wine with lighter cherry and raspberry aromas, beautifully balanced with spice and perfectly balanced acidity and tannins.  Give this another year and then drink over the ensuing 4 or 5.  $143 F

Soter Vineyards, Beacon Hill 2005:  A wine characterized by dark cherry and raspberry, firm tannins and acidity.  Drink now or over the next 4-5 years.  $54.99 TW

Soter Vineyards, Mineral Springs 2006:  This is a well balanced and textured wine with black raspberry and a hint of blueberry, wet earth and burnt toast.  Peppery spice and moderately firm tannins round out a lengthy finish.  Give this another year to soften a bit and then drink over the ensuing 5 or 6 years.  $64.99 TW

Ken Wright, Willamette Valley Yamhill Carton District McCrone Vineyard 2006:  Very nice wine with well rounded blend of deep cherry, spice and wet earth; finishes well balanced with light tannins.  Drink now or over the next few years; $52.99 BH

Ken Wright, Willamette Valley Abbott Claim Vineyard 2006:  A different style than the McCrone with medium-deep dark fruits (currant and plum), spice and a pronounced earthiness.  A deeper wine than the McCrone.  I would wait another year or so before trying this. $56.99 TW

Ken Wright, Willamette Valley Guadalupe Vineyard 2006:  A dark ruby hue yields dark fruit, earth and toasty notes along with balanced tannins and minerality.  A firmly textured wine.  I would hold off on this for another year or so and then drink over the ensuing 5 years.  $54 BH, F, TW

Ken Wright, Willamette Valley Elton Vineyard 2006: A classy and balanced wine; light cherry hue and aromas well integrated with spice and earth.  The blend of fresh cherry, spice, and lively acidity make this a keeper! Drink now or over the next few years. $54 BH, F, TW

Ken Wright, Willamette Valley Freedom Hill Vineyard 2006:  Fairly smooth medium cherry color and flavor; nice penetration of tannins on the finish.  Drink now or over the next few years.  $56 F.

Tags: AJ's Fine Foods, Anderson Valley, Beverage House East Broadway, Catena, Feast, Pastiche, Pinot Noir, Rumrunner, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma Country, Sta. Lucia Highlands, Total Wines, Willamette Valley