Affordable Pinot Noir from California

We love finding an affordable and versatile pinot noir that we can pair with anything from burgers to pizza.  The 2006 Cambria Julia's Vineyard Pinot Noir (Estate Bottled) was one of those finds.  We enjoyed a glass (or three...) with our leftover meat pie a few weeks ago and were pleased to find that it was not a typical California fruit bomb.


From the Santa Maria AVA in Santa Barbara County, California, this estate-produced pinot noir has ripe, bright red fruit (strawberry seemed to shine through at first), cinnamon spice, with a light oak toast and  pleasant acidity and earthiness on the finish.

Upon opening, it turned out to be lighter than we would have expected; however, over a 12 to 24 hour period, the wine seems to gain more weight (we've seen this a lot in the '06 and '07 California pinot noirs) with more cherry notes.  The wine became more round with air and full-bodied to stand up to various meat dishes.

Check out the 2006 Cambria Julia's Vineyard Pinot Noir (Estate Bottled, though some retailers like K&L Wine Merchants in California have labeled the same bottles as 'Non-Estate').  In the tri-state area, we have bought bottles for $19.99 in various New Jersey wine shops and for $17.99 at Trader Joe's in Manhattan.  Overall, it's a fantastic QPR (quality-price-ratio) wine.

Cambria Winery & Vineyards is located in Santa Maria, CA

What would be your affordable pinot noir suggestions?