The Pinot Project 2022 delivers classic California Pinot Noir character for under $12, proving that quality wine doesn’t require a premium price tag. Michael Skelnick’s ambitious project creates accessible, authentic Pinot Noir by sourcing from quality vineyards across California’s diverse growing regions.
• Available for approximately $11.89 at retailers
• Part of a Pinot-focused collection including Pinot Grigio from Italy and Washington, plus a Rosé of Pinot Noir
• Sources grapes from Mendocino, Susan Valley, San Benito, and other California coastal regions
• Minimal oak influence with just enough French and American oak for subtle vanilla notes
• Classic translucent cherry color with aromas of sweet cherries, mushrooms, and herbs
• Moderate 13.5% alcohol content (lower than many modern California Pinots)
• Well-structured with balanced acidity that gives the wine proper length
• Previous vintage (2021) received 91 points from Wine Enthusiast
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Introducing The Pinot Project 2022
Speaker 1
0:02
Hey
,
welcome
to
Domain
Dave
CheapWineFindercom
.
Again
.
Like
always
,
we
write
up
three
value
price
wine
reviews
a
week
on
the
CheapWineFindercom
website
and
then
we
plug
the
microphone
in
and
we
talk
about
it
,
and
today
we've
got
a
wine
that's
called
the
Pinot
Project
2022
.
I
found
it
for
$11.89
.
Of
all
things
,
it's
a
wine
you
can
usually
find
under
$15
and
between
$10
.
It's
called
the
Pinot
Project
because
Michael
Skelnick
is
a
big-time
importer
and
this
is
his
project
.
He
wanted
to
do
a
classic
,
affordable
California
Pinot
Noir
,
but
they
do
have
this
,
and
they
also
have
a
Pinot
Grigio
from
Italy
,
a
Pinot
Grigio
from
Washington
and
a
Rosé
of
Pinot
Noir
too
,
so
it's
all
Pinots
The Pinot Project's Wine Portfolio
Speaker 1
0:55
.
There's
four
different
wines
,
all
Pinots
,
and
that's
what
the
project's
about
.
Speaker 1
0:59
Now
,
one
of
the
things
about
this
a
lot
of
times
you
see
,
oh
,
it's
from
,
know
it's
,
it's
from
santa
lucia
highlands
or
it's
from
carneros
.
They
have
these
value
price
ones
and
they're
from
very
high-end
,
fancy
uh
areas
,
and
here
this
is
more
mendocino
,
uh
,
the
susan
valley
,
uh
,
san
benito
.
I
mean
,
they're
good
places
for
grapes
Vineyard Sources and Production Techniques
Speaker 1
1:22
,
there's
nothing
wrong
with
it
.
But
instead
of
going
for
,
like
,
name
recognition
,
they
just
went
for
good
vineyards
that
had
Pinot
Noir
and
from
places
,
because
they
have
,
you
know
,
up
and
down
the
coast
,
from
central
coast
to
north
coast
,
and
I'm
not
quite
sure
where
the
Susan
Valley
is
.
It's
between
Sacramento
and
San
Francisco
,
somewhere
in
there
where
that
falls
in
.
All
these
different
places
have
different
climates
and
different
soils
,
but
it's
all
Pinot
Noir
and
they
all
had
long
growing
regions
.
That's
the
one
thing
they
did
do
and
there's
nothing
fancy
here
.
A
lot
of
times
it's
a
full
cluster
fermentation
where
they
leave
the
seeds
and
the
stems
on
,
and
that's
how
they
do
it
in
France
with
the
heavy
duty
ones
,
because
that
way
,
by
removing
them
,
everything
you
remove
removes
flavor
.
So
they
leave
everything
in
.
No
,
they
pulled
that
out
.
This
is
pretty
much
a
non-oaked
you
know
un-oaked
Pinot
Noir
but
they
did
add
a
little
bit
in
of
French
oak
barrel
and
a
little
bit
of
American
oak
,
so
there's
just
enough
to
get
a
little
bit
Picked
up
,
a
little
vanilla
here
and
there
.
So
this
is
just
a
solid
California
Pinot
Noir
is
not
trying
to
be
overly
fancy
,
but
they're
trying
to
do
a
really
good
wine
.
This
big-time
importer
puts
his
name
on
the
line
all
the
time
.
So
this
is
the
2022
vintage
,
but
the
2021
got
91
points
.
Speaker 1
2:55
Wine
enthusiasts
.
Tasting Notes and Classic Character
Speaker 1
3:00
Pinot
Noir
is
vintage
dependent
.
You're
going
to
get
one
year
better
than
the
next
,
but
this
is
perfectly
good
.
It's
very
see-through
.
It's
got
a
nice
cherry
color
.
You
can
read
your
emails
through
it
.
Classic
nose
.
It's
got
those
sweet
cherries
and
then
the
funky
mushrooms
and
herbs
and
all
that
kind
of
stuff
.
Speaker 1
3:23
I'm
going
to
take
a
sip
.
This
is
a
solid
,
affordable
,
classic
California
Pinot
Noir
,
not
like
one
of
the
new
ones
.
Where
it's
this
is
13.5
in
the
alcohol
,
which
is
low
compared
to
what's
going
on
nowadays
.
But
the
new
ones
,
the
new
style
,
is
like
14.9
in
the
alcohol
and
they
added
Petit
Syrah
and
Zinfandelmer
Lode
to
it
,
you
know
,
and
it's
more
of
a
red
blend
than
it
is
a
Pinot
Noir
.
Nope
,
this
is
classic
California
Pin
pinot
noir
at
an
affordable
price
.
Speaker 1
3:58
Um
,
well
made
,
solid
acidity
.
I
went
to
a
burgundy
tasting
one
time
and
I
figured
out
,
if
you
tell
the
winemakers
there
from
france
,
oh
the
uh
,
the
acidity
is
beautiful
.
It
gives
them
,
gives
the
wine
length
,
and
they're
all
happy
.
That's
one
thing
they
want
in
inot
Noir
they
want
to
control
the
acidity
,
to
give
the
wine
length
and
structure
.
That's
what
they
got
here
.
So
there
you
go
.
It's
inexpensive
,
I
think
under
$12
.
Speaker 1
4:30
Pinot
Noir
it's
not
fancy
,
it's
not
from
the
coolest
AVA's
in
California
,
but
they're
good
grapes
and
that's
all
you're
really
looking
for
,
you
.
I
mean
,
all
the
rest
is
kind
of
like
window
dressing
,
that's
they're
trying
to
sell
you
on
something
.
All
they
need
to
do
is
make
a
good
wine
from
good
grapes
at
a
good
price
and
think
we'd
all
be
happy
.
So
that's
it
for
me
.
Domain
Dave
cheap
wine
fighter
.
Calm
and
this
one
.
This
is
the
pinot
project
2022
.
I've
actually
got
a
uh
,
a
saint
patrick's
day
wine
,
uh
,
coming
up
.
I
I
never
actually
I've
seen
wines
with
green
labels
.
This
one
actually
has
a
connection
to
ireland
in
a
very
weird
way
,
and
that'll
be
in
a
couple
Final Thoughts and Future Episodes
Speaker 1
5:14
of
days
.
So
if
you
look
forward
to
that
one
,
so
that's's
it
for
me
.
Domain
Dave
cheapwinefightercom
.
Speaker 1
5:20
The
Pinot
Project
2022
.
It's
a
good
,
solid
,
everyday
drinkable
classic
Pinot
Noir
and
that's
good
enough
for
me
.
So
,
adios
,
keep
it
cheap
and
stay
warm
or
cold
,
whatever
it
is
.
It's
getting
crazy
.
I
think
we'll
be
in
the
60s
here
in
Chicago
,
which
is
the
first
time
in
four
or
five
months
.
So
,
adios
,
bye-bye
,
talk
to
you
later
.
