We’ve said it many times, finding excellent wine under $20 is not that hard, unless you’re talking about Pinot Noir. We reviewed one a few weeks ago, and surprisingly we do the same here. Even more surprising is where the wine company is, and that is in Wickford, R.I., a small village in southern Warwick. This quaint setting is now home to Gooseneck Vineyards, a small company sourcing several varietals and blends from around the world.
While shopping for some beer, we ran into a pop up tasting of Gooseneck Vineyards wines at a local shop. Never ones
to turn down a free tasting, Cheri and I tried the wines available, and they included an excellent Pinot Grigio from Northern Italy, a fruity Portuguese red blend, a buttery Chardonnay, and lastly, one of the best values in Pinot Noir I have ever come across. Seriously. This small company is bringing the wine values.
The wine comes from a small, husband and wife producer in Elkton, one of the newest AVAs in Oregon, and right next to the very well known Willamette Valley. Pinot from this area is known for bringing a balance of fruit and the earthy terroir that reminds one of good red Burgundy. This wine is a perfect example of that. Here are the notes:
Wine: 2016 Gooseneck Vineyards Pinot Noir
Winery Location: Elkton AVA, Umpqua Valley, Oregon
Tasted By: Neil & Cheri Date: April 2018
Tasting Notes: the wine is a dark red, really rich in color for Pinot Noir. On the nose you get a wave of cherry, a mix of red and black cherries to me. Also there is the earthy note that makes you think Burgundy. There is a little oak as well, but it is subdued. It is a rich, comforting nose with a core of beautiful fruit. You can echo that for how it hits the palate, and this is pretty amazing for the money. The fruit is pure, the earthiness grounding and the mid-palate is just wonderful. The fruit just doesn’t stop. It finishes long and pure as well. Tannins are integrated but noticeable, and help hold the wine up at the end. There is some acid and a nice balance. All we can say is wow! This is a great value.
Price Point – $17.99 on their website. Comes down to about $15 in a mixed case. We paid $14.99.
Would We Buy It? – We bought a few bottles,and frankly are going back for a case, or two. This may be, as I mentioned earlier, the best value in Pinot Noir we have ever seen. Just amazing for the money.
Why do we love wine? There are so many reasons, but here you see one of the major ones, exemplified perfectly. This is a wine from an unexpected company in Rhode Island, of all places, sourced from a small, relatively unknown producer in a newer but lesser know area in Oregon. The result is glorious. You just never know what you’re going to find.
You can read more about the Gooseneck Vineyards story and their wines on their website: http://www.gooseneckvineyards.com/.
Buy this.
A votre santé!
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