Messina Hof Pinot Noir Barrel Reserve NV: Rich, jammy, sweet fruit-forward, load of ripe plum and cherry; Lodi value style rather than Washington State or Oregon; grapes come from Messina Hof’s vineyards near Bryan, Texas. Medium body, load of oak, smooth, built for supermarket sale rather than reaching for etherial delights pinot noir can attain with less oak and less over-ripe fruit. Messina Hof prides itself on having a very large portfolio of wines, and this checks off one of the categories. “Barrel Reserve” is an empty wine label term that has no official meaning, here it is fluff title for Messina Hof’s second-tier, value-priced pinot. If you are an Apothic Red, Yellow Tail fan, this will please you. $14
