balletto pinot noir

Wow, I love the smell of pinot noir. The nose is so fresh and clean on this 2004 bottling from Balletto. I wasn't that impressed in the tasting room when we tasted through every bottle of Balletto wine available in Sonoma. But this time around - with less drinking to compare it to - the first thing Keely and I said was "this smells good."

Lots of red cherry and not much else. It is a light bodied wine, good acidity, proper alcohol at 13.5% with a light mouth feel. I'd say pretty typical Russian River pinot. When we tasted it at the winery we were comparing with everything else in the valley. When tasting against a pinot from Dutton-Goldfield, the Dutton-Goldfield won hands down. They make their wine fuller bodied with more complex flavors and balance. Elegant. This Balletto was not complex, just good drinking wine. It's a blend from Balletto properties, so not vineyard specific, which also means it's cheaper.

However, sitting out on the deck overlooking Vail valley in Colorado, I'm pefectly happy to drink this bottle. Even at the winery it still comes in under $18. At bottlebarn.com, it was around $13 I think. That's about the right price for this wine. Over all, excellent value and I give it a 3.5/5.0. If you can find it for cheap, get it. Perfect for light fish, like the wild Alaskan halibut we had over couscous with a salsa of olives, capers, arugula, and garlic sauteed in white wine, squeezed lemon juice and olive oil with a dash of red pepper. Top that off with more fresh arugula and you've got yourself a nice dinner to match this pinot (the grilled halibut is also great pan seared).