Pinot Evil - Pinot Noir @@ (2 corks)

Retails: $6.99 (Total Wine)

Pinot Noir has enjoyed a surge in popularity due in part to the movie Sideways where the lead character, played by Paul Giamatti, is a wine enthusiast who has a particular affection for pinot. I, for one, am a huge pinot noir fan and am always dazzled by the array of flavors pinot noir can contain.

I'm a sucker for good design and clever titles (clearly!) and frequently I am swayed to buy a wine with a pretty label. Aside from the fact that this bottle has a totally kickass name, and also includes the famous see no evil monkeys on the label, this is a relative harsh pinot noir to enjoy. Minimal scent masks an extremely dry tasting wine. The initial flavor is smooth, but the after taste comes on strong and abrupt leaving you with a throat so dry you'll be begging for water. There really isn't much complexity to the flavor of this wine, actually, sort of tastes like chemicals to be honest.

Final Word: If you love dry wines, this one's for you. For me personally, I'm not going to be able to manage more than a glass' worth. @@ (2 corks)