By Ron James
SDUN Wine Critic

It’s hard to find a respectable bargain pinot noir – most that cost less than $10 don’t even taste like pinot. But Mirassou has managed to pull it off. Their 2007 has the varietal character, approachable style and elegance of wines that cost three times as much.

This pinot is definitely the bright berry, fruit-forward, quaffable category; it’s real easy to drink on its own. Plus it’s a food lover’s wine that matches up nicely with fish, fowl and red meat. And served at parties, this one will get a lot of positive attention.

It’s not surprising that this wine comes from Mirassou. Their entire line of red and white wines reflects their mission to make approachable wines with few or none of the off-putting characteristics of many low-cost wines.

This pinot uses grapes from some of the best California pinot-growing areas including Sonoma and Monterey. The fruit is picked in cool mornings or evenings and pressed, not crushed to avoid harsh tannins. The Mirassou winemakers blend the best fruit from those vineyards to get the desired wine profile.

This medium-bodied pinot is smooth, with fruity berry and cherry flavors layered with the slight earthiness that characterizes pinot varietals. Chill it for 10 minutes before serving. You can find it at most supermarkets, and it’s on sale now for an incredible $6.99 at BevMo.

“Killer Bargain Wine Pick” will be an ongoing series as I stumble across them. If you have a favorite to share, drop me a line at [email protected].