Pepperwood Grove Pinot Noir 2009, Valle Central, Chile

I like the name of this Pinot.  It's not often the name of a wine actually gives you some insight into what it tastes like, but this one is actually dead on.  Pepper is the dominant taste here, but not in a bad way.  So I've recently gotten home from the East coast- I had arrived to an empty apartment with one, lone bottle of wine on the rack.  That's not how we do it here at the Asdourian/Fox residence.  There are always bottles (the plural being essential).  I hopped over to my neighborhood Sunflower Market (one of my faves for inexpensive but delicious bottles, formerly Newflower Market) to round up a few bottles, and snagged this Pepperwood Grove Pinot, because I'd heard some delicious things about the $8 bottle.


Delicious is definitely a word I would use here.  The nose on it is super-indicative of the taste.  It's peppery, but light and rife with red fruit at the same time.  Nice opener.  The taste is surprisingly smooth and light given the slightly smoky pepper that's very apparent in the wine.  It's dry and yet fruity at the same time.   Pretty unique quality.  I gladly finished half the bottle before dinner last night.

Technical Info:

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir

Alcohol: 13.5% 

Origin: Valle Central, Chile  (bottled in Napa Valley)

Price: ~$8 at Sunflower Market and other grocery stores

Rachel's Grade: A-   I'm actually going to go ahead and go with the high mark here.  Even though I'm not jumping out of my chair, a Pinot this good and inexpensive deserves some props.  It's smoothness, roundness, and legitimately complex flavors warrant a higher price tag, no question.  It's a go-to Pinot.  Move over BV, Pepperwood is in the house!