Mark West, Pinot Noir, California

A bit thin but good flavor

2014 vintage

Ok

2013 vintage

Very light - red fruit - easy to drink

2016 vintage

Loved the intense fruity aromas of cherries and raspberries with a touch of spice. As with most Pinot's this wine had a light body, medium+ acidity and low tannins. The palate was full of ripe cherries and raspberries with a touch of allspice and vanilla. Finished long and smooth. Pretty darn good for understand $10.

2016 vintage

This is a hard to hate but also hard to like wine. Just blah ! Forward fruits with an acidic backbone which borders on sour. I suspect that the grape picking conveyor belt does not get audited. Factory production of a wine which could be better made. $10 maybe if the reason it is not a sub 80 rating.

2016 vintage

We love this fruity, inexpensive pinot for every day drinking. Not super complex, but nicely balanced and tastey. It's a nice go-to to have on hand that will please surprise or mass company.

2016 vintage

Served with pizza at a party. Straightforward, like got, modest tannins. Let it air out a bit. Decent table wine.

2016 vintage

Improved after airing out. I am rating this higher than a previous taste for this reason. Not a lot going on here, but pleasant as a sipping wine.

2016 vintage

nose: pleasing light fruit; palette: medium pinot noir fruit with a little oak, okay but there have been better vintages. Opens up after about 15 minutes and jumps to about 85.

2016 vintage

nose: light pinot noir fruit with a little oak; palette: light pinot noir fruit w a very slightly oaky finish

2016 vintage

Decent wine for the price!

2014 vintage

$8 wine seems good for the budget. I get a cherry fruit nose. A bit of alcohol on the front with a weak finish. We like this wine for cost and our own enjoyment. Decant this wine and it improves nicely.

2016 vintage

Not bad for the price. black cherry nose, light jammy finish. very light tannins. Paired well with pork chops.

2016 vintage

Good.

2016 vintage

Appropriate and appreciative odor for a Pinot noir. Odor strengthens as nose gets closer. Upon taste, odor neutralized, but then reappears on finish. Tart smell. Hint of cherry blossoms. Initial sharp taste, but smooth finish. Excellent for small sips. Taste of rose petals, hint of dark chocolate, finished fruit taste. Excellent drinkability. Negative is the sitting after taste. Leaves slightly metallic and dry flavor.

2016 vintage

My better offerings in the $8 range in the supermarket

2016 vintage

Cherry and rubber on the nose. Loads of red fruit and some woodsy, not complex and a medium finish. Not bad for the price.

2014 vintage

I've never bought a bottle of this, but it's always been a decent food wine by the glass. I guess there is at least one Cal. Pinot noir that I like! Decent value.

2016 vintage

Great drinkable Pinot.

2016 vintage

Traditionally this long established value Pinot crosses my palate as an 85, sometimes 86 point wine. This 2016 scores a lot less. It is pretty disappointing, because generally speaking "Where is the fruit?" Poured the glass back in the bottle then got out the Vinturi, re-poured and swirled, still not much happening. I get that flinty metallic influence that we can do without. Everything is nondescript and mostly tasteless. Let's leave some open overnight and try again. Give the devil …

2016 vintage

Acceptable but forgettable.

2013 vintage

Simple restaurant Pinot, but delivers well for the price. Nothing to ponder but some light, juicy Pinot fruit.

2014 vintage

Shockingly good for the price. Decent cherry/earthy nose. Round time, somewhat warm weather mouth feel. Mainly cherry and spice with a touch of earth. Relatively simple and modest finish but pleasant and good value.

2014 vintage

Still too much tanning. Maybe more time will help.

2013 vintage

Loads of red fruits, lacking a bit of structure but easy to drink and enjoyable if not a bit simple.

2014 vintage

This is a good table pinot noir. Not complex, but satisfying enough. I'd keep a few bottles around for when the mood strikes, though I'd not go out of my way to stock up on it.

2014 vintage

Nice cherry spice and mint on the nose. Good ripe cherry fruit, nutmeg, spices, wood, some earth. Moderate length finish. Lacking complexity, but actually a very good Pinot for the price.

2014 vintage

Good value. Good traditional pinot characteristics for an $8 wine.

2014 vintage

Xmas gift from Vicki and Bobbie. Good. Little heavier than most Pinot Noirs, which is a point in it's favor. Nice cherry flavor

2014 vintage

A solid "every day" wine at this price point. There's nothing particularly good about it and there's nothing bad. Probably could pair with anything. I also think it's a nice choice if you invite occasional wine drinking friends over.

2014 vintage

Definitely an upgrade from the 2013 which I thought was a little thin. This one has some serious Pinot type viscosity and quite dark color. Immediately the nose and palate bring some serious oak that probably did not come from real barrels. Some minty cloves and Pinot earthy stuff. Not bad mid palate and serviceable cherry and oak finish.

2014 vintage

Very good for the price,, smooth and drinkable. Mild flavor

2014 vintage

Ok at best

2013 vintage

I would not recommend this wine. I personally don't like it. It's too young, too tannic, not enough depth. Decanted several hours ahead, tried on a second and third day and it never opened up. There are plenty of other wines at this price point that are much better.

2014 vintage

Chilled in the fridge for about 10 minutes; poured and waited; tasted and waited; waited some more. It never really came around for me. I guess you get what you pay for, but I expected much more from this bottle. Oh well. Moving along.

2014 vintage

For the price, this Pinot Noir does just fine. The nose is mild (not "subtle", just... inoffensive). It doesn't overreach or try for complexity - light body, medium to low acidity and medium tannin - all of which are safe choices at this price range. There's a fruit-forward jamminess that betrays the low price, and of course, there's none of the beautiful "forest floor" accents of a Burgundy. Quaffable, especially when slightly chilled.

2014 vintage

Opened and aerated for 5 mins before drinking. Shallow and uninteresting, too tart and a bit bitter. Looks great, smells great, but was disappointing. Does not stand well on its own or with Spicy Corvina and Mushrooms after an hour of sipping. It had not opened up even by the time dinner was over. This was day (1), maybe day (2) will provide some improvement.

2014 vintage

go to cheap pinot, good

2014 vintage

Easy drinking smooth finish nice as a cocktail. One to try again but it would not be my first choice. Jan 6 2017 Tried it a second time and it was has a strange after taste. It's ok just not my favorite.

2014 vintage

Medium purplish color. Robust mouthfeel for a wine of this price point. Coats the pallete with flavors of fresh blackberry, loam and fig. Might have been shown a photocopy of a barrel photo on way to bottle. No finish. Typical restaurant wine.

2014 vintage

Day 1: Tight dirty dusty flavor with tart acid. Out of balance and not tasty - 77 Day 6: Fruity with strawberry and cherry, good balance with a dusty tart cherry and light tannin finish 84. This bottle was obviously not ready for opening...I would guess it needs at least 2 years in cellar to be a reasonable tasting wine. Look at the rating of all surrounding vintages and this one is a major low outlier....Mark West has been way …

2013 vintage

Drinkable but barely so. Unresolved acidity. Gouda like nose which comes off very odd here. Hard to believe it is a Pinot. A gift that I'd like to give back but I don't suppose I can do that now ...perhaps it can be cooked with.

2013 vintage

Acidic and bad aroma

2013 vintage

Very good. Held up to pasta with a bit of spice and shrimp and cocktail sauce. Also very nice without food. Red fruit and clove/allspice

2014 vintage

Too light, bland. Initial alcohol taste and smell which persisted

2013 vintage

Had an alcohol taste that was not overly pleasing.l (opened for 30 minutes) Let sit for another hour and calmed slightly.

2014 vintage

nice Cherry note and an ok wine a little acidic on the finish I think I might try this one again but I would add food. I did this as a cocktail.

2013 vintage

Cherry color. Starwberry, cinnamon, and earthy aromas. Wild cherry, strawberry,and earthy flavors. Med body and long finish

2013 vintage

like the price better than the wine

2013 vintage

Good value ($10) in Pinot Noir for easy sipping. Light mid-brick color; light stemmy nose; hints of cherries; mid-body; decent acids; fruity finish; easy sipping with cheeses, appetizer.

2013 vintage

Are you sure?

Mark West, Pinot Noir, California

Vintages

No vintages

Community Reviews