Easkoot, “Chileno Valley Vineyard” Pinot Noir Marin County, California 2016 (750mL)

The 2016 “Chileno Valley Vineyard” is right up there with the best under $50. This fires out of the glass with deep, softly contoured layers of black cherry, wild strawberry, black rapsberry, and juicy plum, followed by ebullient levels of wildflowers, kola nut, licorice, spice, and forest floor. It’s not a hedonistic Sonoma Coast Pinot, nor is it a tightly coiled Côte de Nuits 1er Cru—but it is all things great in between, and that, to me, is what makes it so thrilling to taste. Enjoy now in large Burgundy stems after a 30-minute decant and do your best to stash away your remaining bottles for 2-5 years to experience even more savory texture and complexity. Cheers!