Trader Joe’s Mission Point Pinot Noir is produced and bottled by Oreana Winery of Santa Barbara, California. The grapes are sourced from California’s Central Coast, Pinot Noir grapes need cool weather to develop properly and areas near the Pacific Ocean have the right weather (though we don’t know if the grapes are sourced from the cool or warmer growing area). This is a Trader Joe’s wine so there is no information available concerning the making of the wine. TJ’s sells the Mission Point Pinot Noir for $8.99 and the alcohol content is 13.6%.
The color is dark, but see-thru burgundy red. The nose is red fruit, raspberry and cherry, a little musty dried leafs, everything is subdued, nothing too compelling. Jammy tart cherry, a bit of caramel, strawberry Twizzlers, but the acidity is out of balance, it comes on strong in the mid-palate and over powers the finish. A drinkable wine, but not too Pinot Noir-ish.
This is a 9 buck wine and it just does not bring the value that wines in the same price range from Spain, South America, France (vin de pays) and Washington state bring. The Mission Point Pinot Noir is pleasant enough and easy to drink and I would think would be a good buy at $4.99, there are just too many other solid 10 buck wines available.
I disagree with this review. I have been purchasing the Mission Point since the 2006 vintage and the 2008 just showed up in stores. You can’t find a Pinot at this price at TJs that’s any better. It is a consistent value and a pretty label. The wine is made by Oreana Winery in Santa Barbara and they are best known for $20-30 Pinots. I think this wine could sell for a lot more actually. Its probably all the same anyway!
I agree with Jenny.
There’s always the possibility that i’m not that much of a lover of “real” pinot noir, because they’re always a little thin for me, a substitute acidity for character, what the french call “corse”, with an accent on the last e.
I bought four cases last year at about this price, and i thought it was a good deal.
Now I’m down to one case and would definitely replace it, its stalwart, true, sufficiently complex, and definitely not “thin”, nice color, just right, and great lingering aftertaste.
What I can’t figure out is that my Oreana 2007 says “15%” on the label. Can anyone enlighten me, did I buy a bottling mistake, or a labeling mistake.
I do wine tours in the south of france, and this pinot is a good buy. Not like a ChateauneufduPape, but then i get three bottles, if not four, for a bottle of That overated stuff. Chateau Mont Redon notwithstanding.