Another Good California Pinot

Latetitia Estate, Pinot Noir Arroyo Grande Valley 2000 ($20) -- California; “Winemaker Notes -- This medium bodied Pinot Noir is rich with aromas of plum and spice mixed with accents of clove and cedar on the nose. The black cherry notes on the palate are framed by velvety tannins that give the wine a soft and rounded finish.” I got a smoky, earthy nose with a well-balanced, complex, elegant taste and smooth finish with good structure. Very good, although I have recently had some $15 Pinot’s that come close to this wine. This wine is perhaps better made and deserves a try. Grab this and two other New World Pinots (Chile and Oregon) and taste blind with your next dinner party.