In this corner: Beppi Crosariol, The Globe & Mail Wines & Spirits Columnist
Pick of the week Twin Fin Pinot Noir ($13.95, product No. 613281). This pinot is a remarkable achievement for less than $20. It's medium-bodied, with rich cherry and raspberry-like fruit.
And in this corner: Michael Vaughan, National Post Weekly Wine & Spirits Columnist and Editor of Vintage Assessments
Buyer Beware Alert!
I rarely issue alerts on wines that might be avoided, but I am concerned that unsuspecting fans of Pinot Noir might be seriously disappointed by today's Globe & Mail Twin Fin Pinot Noir recommendation. As a Pinot Noir professional, I spent the entire afternoon at the recent California Wine Fair tasting all 35 Pinot Noir on display. When I came to the booth featuring Twin Fin, I was asked: how do I like it? I replied to the rep behind the table if he really wanted to know. He nodded. I then said, that in my opinion:
Twin Fin is the worst Pinot Noir of the entire California tasting.
It seems almost devoid of any true Pinot Noir character!
That's not to say that a freshly-opened bottle is bad - it isn't. But for me, it just fails to deliver! Worse yet, Twin Fin appears to collapse in the open bottle. At $13.95, it simply isn't worth the money!
