Cloudline Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, 2019

This wine is offered for $10/glass or $35/bottle at the excellent Elysium restaurant in Kalamazoo. We opted for a bottle and did not regret the decision. It is an excellent value in Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, available at Trader Joe's in Kalamazoo for $15.99. It competes favorably with many Oregon Pinots costing twice as much.

Bright garnet, somewhat dark for a Pinot but there is no mistaking the Willamette Valley Pinot Noir smells and flavors. Cherry, cranberry, pomegranate with peppery spice and a hint of orange zest. Bright fruit with soft tannins and acidity that brings you back for sip after sip. Layers of complexity on the long finish. I want more of this wine.

I usually drink Pinot with salmon or lighter meat dishes, We had hanger steak and braised lamb, and the wine stood its ground.