Thirsty Thursday is the quest to drink good, cheap wine that is $10.00 and under. Want some more recommendations? Check out the past cheap wine posts on Thirsty Thursday.
This wine comes courtesy of my dear friend, Jenn from Super Jenn.
A few weeks ago, my friend Jenn, was attending a blogging conference in North Carolina, and I received an urgent message from her.
Jenn: “Drinking the most amazing wine. Have you heard of Haute wines?”
Me: “Um. No. Tell me more.”
Jenn: “Bringing you back a bottle. Pinot Noir or Cabernet?”
Me (thinking about free wine): “Either.”
So a few days later, I get to spend some time with Jenn and she brings out this bottle of 2009 Haute Red Pinot Noir from California that she had carefully wrapped and packed from North Carolina and my heart sank.
My thought, “Crud. Another designer wine. This can’t be good.”
And you may be thinking….What’s a designer wine?
Marketing wine to buyers (especially a female buyer) has become a hot business. Go into any wine store see wines named Marilyn Merlot, Cupcake Wines, 10 Deadly Zins, and a host of other wines with catchy names and very pretty labels. The marketing is great – but the wine, sometimes isn’t very good.
And when Jenn gave me this wine, I thought the exact same thing. Red and black stiletto shoe. Named “Haute Red”.
But because Jenn is my friend, and I trust her instincts (and the wine was free), I opened it up and was PLEASANTLY surprised.
Since it is a not a true Pinot Noir (the wine is a blend of 82% Pinot Noir & 18% mixed varieties including Syrah) it doesn’t have all the characteristics of a true Pinot Noir. (Crisp fruit with a slightly rich and smokey end.) However, it is a light and bright wine that has characteristics of berry, cherry and plum with a hint of oak and finishes very clean.
I don’t believe it is a strong enough wine to pair with food, but it would be an awesome starter bottle for your next “Girl’s Night Out”. Because we all know that stiletto shoe on the label will not be the only stiletto when it is a “Girl’s Night Out.”
Don’t forget to use the Thirsty Thursday Wine List when creating your wine shopping list.
Note: This wine should be available at most liquor outlets. Please be responsible when you drink wine – and never drive drunk…seriously, that is just stupid in this day in age.
What about you? Have you been surprised by a wine’s label or marketing lately? Let me know in the comments or link up – because life is too short to drink bad wine.
