Bogle is one of the most consistent large producers, excelling at making varietally-correct, affordable wines. They are one of the few budget producers who use real oak barrels rather than oak substitutes to age their wines. But they gained their reputation with Petite Sirah, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon, not Pinot Noir. Yet even this notoriously difficult grape, seldom an aesthetic success in the lower price range, comes off well.
Exuberant cherry, smoke, cinnamon and tobacco leaf aromas give the nose some interest and complexity. The palate is simple and glossy lacking the suppleness and nuance of more expensive wines. But fresh fruit, bright, lifted acidity and very fine tannins that maintain a subtle, supporting presence give the wine plenty of structure and a medium length finish. Nothing to blow you away or turn you away, a good, middle-of-the-road, everyday food wine that will pair with just about any dish—at a very good price for Pinot Noir.
Technical Notes: 11 months in French and American Oak, fruit from Russian River Valley, Monterey, and Clarksburg.
Score: 87
Price: $11 (widely available or purchase from the winery)
Alc: 13.5%
The Kings of Convenience “Love Is No Big Truth” brings quiet, cheerful good taste to this quiet, cheerful, good tasting wine.
Exploring the Philosophy of Food and Wine 