Sunshine Mountain Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023

Trader JoesTJ TuesdayRed WinesPinot Noir
Written By Catherine Courtney

Sunshine Mountain Vineyard Pinot Noir

GRAPES: Pinot Noir

VINTAGE: 2023

REGION: Columbia Valley, Oregon

ALCOHOL PERCENTAGE: 14.5%

PRICE: $14.99

Summer’s packing up its beach bag, and just like that, we’re back to alarm clocks, lunch boxes, and school traffic. The air’s not crisp just yet, but you can feel it leaning that way, like fall’s tapping on the shoulder, ready to step in. Whether you’re waving goodbye to summer with a tear, a cheery, or a pumpkin spice latte already in hand, one thing’s for sure: the season is changing.

Somewhere between hopping flights and uncorking “just one more” bottle, a few wine reviews seem to have slipped through the cracks. I’d love to blame jet lag, but truthfully, it’s hard to take proper tasting notes when you’re too busy enjoying the wine to write them down. Consider this my confession: sometimes the best sips never make it to the blog, and maybe that’s exactly how they are meant to be enjoyed.

After being out of town, I finally made my triumphant return to Trader Joe’s, and naturally bought all the things and spent all the money. You know how it goes: one minute you’re there for some essentials, and the next minute your cart is a rolling treasure chest of snacks, cheese, and whatever seasonal item they’ve cleverly displayed near the checkout. I still marvel at the fact that I can drop $200.00 during one visit and they manage to get everything into three bags or less. WILD.

I digress.

Today we’re pouring a Northwest Collective Pinot Noir from Oregon’s Sunshine Mountain Vineyard, a spot that lives up to its name with an almost brag-worthy stretch of sunny days each year (approximately 300). The vineyard’s high perch above the Columbia Valley, paired with the soils rich from ancient floods, gives the grapes both vibrancy and complexity.

But before I give it all away, let’s get into it, shall we?

Tasting Notes:

  • Translucent garnet hue

  • On the nose - notes of red fruit, particularly cherries, with a subtle hint of raspberries and herbaceous undertones

  • Smooth and sleek mouthfeel with vibrant red fruit flavors

  • Light to medium body

  • Falls on the dry end of the spectrum

  • Silky tannins and a subtle spice that lingers at the finish

Verdict

What a bottle! I found this Pinot to be polished, yet approachable and full of flavor. For the price point, it’s definitely one that I would grab again. If you pick up a bottle, I’d love to hear your thoughts! Drop them in the comments below!

Until Next Time!

Catherine Courtney

Welcome to Blonde Voyage Nashville!

I am so excited to finally see this dream become a reality.  Between the destination restaurants, the copious amount of food photos and insanely crazy travel stories, I have decided to share my journey. 

My name is Catherine Courtney and I am a Nashville native with a penchant for culinary creativity and epic travel adventures. I'll admit... I also have a slight obsession with handbags.

Two years ago, my life changed completely.  Everything that I knew to be was completely turned upside down.  I quickly realized that time is our greatest commodity and it's not to be taken for granted. I couldn't wait for the perfect time, who knew when that would be.  I needed to take the leap and explore the world on my own.  There were so many places I wanted to go, but where would I start. 

France was always one of those places that I had romanticized.  Wandering the streets of Paris and seeing the Eiffel tower were at the top of my list. Without hesitation, I booked a two week trip to the French Rivera and Paris.  It was a journey of a lifetime.  Not only were amazing friendships cultivated, but it was on that trip that i discovered that food and travel are the embers that that keep my soul on fire. 

It wasn't until I arrived back in Nashville with my passport that I realized I had been bit. Wanderlust had completely taken over.  I already started thinking about where I wanted to go next.  It was then that I decided that it was more important to have camera full of photos and a tattered journal full of stories than anything else. My heart was overflowing.

One of my favorite quotes that resonates is from Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland:

"Actually, the best gift you could have given her was a lifetime of adventures...."

Join me as I explore near and far away places, filling my passport full of stamps and satiating my appetite with some of the most amazing cuisine the world has to offer. 

Thanks for reading! 

       

 

 

http://blondevoyagenashville.com
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