With the delicious pinot noir in our glasses, light in color with excellent balance between acid and youthful tannin, the weekend was off to a great start. In the case of Domaine Michel Lafarge, I’ve also had the chance to try the recent vintages of his Volnay; the 2006 has great snap and the 2007 has fine balance. MORE >>

The whole concept of Pinot under $20 is enough to make some Burghounds shudder. recently had the $19 Nicolas Potel 2006 Bourgogne rouge and found it a great value, lean, old world pinot. In previous vintages, I’ve enjoyed value Pinots from Austria (e.g. Stadlmann) and Italy’s alto Alto Adige region (e.g. MORE >>

A French court found 12 executives guilty of selling the equivalent of 18 million bottles of cheaper wine as pinot noir. AFP reports that generic red wines fetched 45 euros (about $62) per one hundred liters while the premium pinot noir fetched 97 euros. Does $9 pinot really taste like pinot noir? MORE >>

L'insoumis du village winemaker Reynald Héaulé 100% velvet, pinot meniuer, seemed, inspiring, almost pineau d'aunis in its zingery (though not peppery) quality. Torelli Monferrato Magno Rubens Rosso 2006 Another Savio Soares Selection and for some reason one I can't get out of my head. piemontese pinot nero. MORE >>

De Forville , Dolcetto d’Alba, 2006. Nicolas Potel , cuvee Gerard Potel, Bourgogne, 2006. about $19; find this wine ) Given that Potel is a leading negociant house in Burgundy and from several tastings of 2006 red Burgundies, I was optimistic that this wine would work out when I added it to my virtual shopping cart. MORE >>