The Imagery California Pinot Noir 2023 is a wine I found selling for $12.99; the Imagery website lists its price as $25. This is a brand from The Wine Group and Benziger Family Winery.
The Story
Benziger Family Vineyards has been producing biodynamic and organic wines since 1995. Today, they are part of The Wine Group’s family of over 125 brands.
Imagery has been named California winery of the year four times. Jamie Benzinger is the winemaker.
The back label shows Imagery as legally only bottling the wine. The Wine Group controls acres of vineyards and wine production locations, so the history of this Pinot Noir may be convoluted.
Information from online wine sellers mentions that 5% of this wine is Petit Vedot, though the Imagery website does not reflect this.
As a California wine, the grapes likely came from coastal North Coast and Central Coast AVAs.
This Pinot Noir was aged for 4 months in French oak, 20% of which was new, and the remaining used barrels.
The alcohol content is 14%.
The Imagery California Pinot Noir 2023 Tasting Notes
The color is raspberry jelly red. The nose is jammy with red berries, herbs, and spice, faint licorice, and a lightly floral note. The Imagery California Pinot Noir 2023 is a medium-bodied, mildly fruit-forward, balanced Pinot Noir.
This Pinot Noir tastes like black cherry, exotic spice, blueberry, and a little Dr. Pepper, black pepper. Along with cranberry and sweet strawberry.
The tannins are light, and the acidity is very well controlled.
The Summary
- The Imagery California Pinot Noir 2023 is a tasty, well-made Pinot Noir.
- It has more flavor and body than traditional California Pinot Noir, but is balanced and delicious.
- The Wine Group also owns Meiomi Pinot Noir, which is a big, bold Pinot, but the Imagery is nowhere near that big.
- This is a good-tasting, value-priced Pinot Noir.
