Cherry Blossom Pinot Noir offers Burgundy-like flavor

Occasion: Rarely does one find a wine so aptly named for a season. Cherry Blossom Pinot Noir is a perfect way to celebrate the full cherry blossoms that are part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C. The festivities commemorate the 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city of Washington, D.C. Apart from all that, this is a rock-star little pinot from California that defies its ridiculous price point at less than $4 at Trader Joe’s. This is a spring/summer winner for daily drinking pleasure.

Wine: Cherry Blossom Pinot Noir

Grape: Pinot noir

Region: Central Coast, California

Vintage: 2014

In the glass: Cherry Blossom Pinot Noir is a vibrant semitranslucent ruby color with a firm, deeply colored core going out into a fine slightly tinged light purplish-pink rim definition with medium-high viscosity.

On the nose: There are good amounts of crushed black plums, cranberry juice, cherries jubilee, milk chocolate, licorice root, then bright red flowers, no discernable hints of oak and fruit-driven minerals round out the layered toasty nose.

On the palate: The wine is very powerful for a pinot noir in this class, yet very elegant — without masquerading as syrah,which happens a lot in California. There are fresh, bright, crushed red berries, cherries, plums, raspberry coulis, cranberry fondant and copious amounts of phenols and earthy minerals with underlying hints of aniseed powder. The midpalate seems rich and forward with good amounts of balance between fruit and acidity, as well as good tannin structure that reflects the relative cool-climate the wine is coming from. The finish is very fine with hints of candied cranberries and faint mineral references. It is quite a Burgundy-like pinot noir that would resemble a style of Villages wine found in Gevrey Chambertin.

Price: $3.99

Availability: Trader Joe’s

Gil Lempert-Schwarz’s wine column appears on Wednesdays. Write him at P.O. Box 50749, Henderson, NV 89106-0749, or email him at gil@winevegas.com.