The colour is pale ruby. On the nose cherry and raspberry. In the mouth medium-bodied with smooth tannins, fresh acidity, and flavors of ripe strawberry and a touch of oak. The aftertaste is medium long.
This California Pinot Noir from Mendocino County is produced by Angeline Vineyards, a brand under Martin Ray Winery, which is known for offering approachable, value-driven wines. Thought labelled Mendocino County, to make this wine grapes have been also sourced from Russian River Valley and Carneros, two prime regions for cool-climate Pinot Noir.
Martin Ray Winery is a historic winery located in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County, California. It is known for its high-quality, single-vineyard wines, particularly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, though it also produces Cabernet Sauvignon and other varietals.
The original Martin Ray Winery was established and run by Martin Ray, from 1943 through 1972, a pioneer in California winemaking who focused on premium, estate-grown wines. The brand was acquired and revived in the 1990s by Courtney Benham, who began his career in the wine business as a negociant (a wine merchant who sources and blends grapes/juice), founding Courtney Benham Wines in the 1980s. In 2015 Benham sold Martin Ray and Angeline to Vintage Wine Estates, a large wine conglomerate. Nowadays, Angeline brand is one of the top-selling Pinot Noirs in the U.S. by volume.
The 2021 vintage in California was generally favorable, with moderate temperatures leading to balanced acidity and ripe fruit flavors in Pinot Noir.
I bought this wine at Winenara in Seoul for 29’900 KRW (18 CHF), 50% off the original price of 60’000 KRW. On the winery website, this bottle sells for 18 USD.
Country: USA
Region: Mendocino
Grapes: Pinot Noir
Type: Red
Vintage: 2021
Producer: Martin Ray Winery
Price range: Medium (15-30 US$)
Pascal’s Enjoyment Index: 4/5