Kesseler

What an amazing entry-level pinot noir. This has everything we look for in sophisticated wines from this grape variety. Complex nose with stacks of rooty complexity and terrific black cherry and forest berry aromas. Wonderful silky texture on the beautifully balanced, medium-bodied palate. Long finish with so many spice, licorice and rooty nuances. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

It's increasingly difficult to find standout Pinot Noir under $30, and this bristling, intensely black-fruited Pinot delivers year after year. Notes of granite and smoke weave into crisp black cherry and plum on the palate. It's succulent in mouthfeel but braced by tingling cassis acidity and a finish framed by crushed stone and fine, velveteen tannins. It's delicious now, but should hold well through 2028.