2010 Primarius Pinot Noir, Oregon

Okay, okay, I told you I'd start blogging more frequently. And I have. It's not the 4-5 times per week I used to do, but I think I'm up to once a week (or so) now. Tonight's dinner was a simple roasted chicken rubbed down with assorted herbs and spices, roasted potatoes and a low-brow squash casserole. (At least I used squash from the garden.)

And with this delicious chicken, I opened a bottle of 2010 Primarius Pinot Noir, Oregon. Really light in the glass, this wine is borderline rose in color. More on that later. Pretty, earthy strawberry notes on the nose that follow through onto the palate. Hints of hickory smoke, tar and spice. Tart and austere with considerable acidity and a long, unripe strawberry finish. Not a great wine by any measure, but works well with food. Not particularly pleasant on its own after dinner. I was shocked to learn the winemaker blended 3% Syrah in this wine. I can't imagine how light the color and body would be without this addition. Not that I seek validations by mainstream wine press, but I think my impressions were very similar to those of the following reviewer in Wine & Spirits magazine: "Light and peaty, with scents of smoke and wild strawberry, this wine rallies a bit with two days of air, pulled along by its line of acidity. A well-priced red for a chicken panini." About $15.