Last Wednesday I told you about wines we were planning to have with our Thanksgiving dinner. The J Chardonnay actually didn’t get opened — one of our guests brought a great Riesling that we drank instead — but we did uncork two bottles of the 2009 Annabella Pinot Noir from the Michael Pozzan Winery, a wine that came highly recommended but that I hadn’t personally tried before.
I know it’s a bit lame to blog two weeks in a row about the same wine, but in this case I think you’ll forgive me. Why? Because this is absolutely a wine that should be on your holiday to-buy list. The 2009 Annabella Pinot Noir is fabulous for the price. It’s a great example of a fruity, easy-drinking Pinot Noir that isn’t boring or bland — it has structure and depth to match its fruit. My in-laws assumed it was a $25-30 bottle and chided us for spoiling them.
If you’re looking for a wine to bring as a gift for a party host or to share at a dinner party, this would be perfect. It will go well with a variety of foods and will please a range of wine-drinking palates. If you see it on your local liquor store shelves, grab it immediately!
Rating: Buy a case — this is a wine worth seeking out, especially if you can get it around the $12 price point.
Yesterday I tried the 2010 Annabella at a tasting. The 2009 is much better. The 2010 is not bad but is quite thin and lacks the structure and flavor of the 2009.