Produced and bottled by Tassajara in Greenfield, Monterey County, this affordable Pinot Noir is about $15 per bottle. Sustainably certified and estate grown, the Pinot has rich black cherry flavors and a smooth, silky finish.
The 2020 Pinot is 100% estate grown and then aged 10-14 months in a combination of new and neutral French oak barrels. Fruit for the Pinot comes from the well-known Scheid Family Vineyards, which has been growing grapes in Monterey County since 1972. Tassajara is a partner winery of Vino Del Sol, where intermediaries are cut out from some of the labels to deliver exceptional quality at an incredible value. This food-friendly Pinot garnered 91 points from Wine Enthusiast.
“In the past three years, this is one of just six Pinots under $15 we have deemed worthy of an email offer,” says the Scheid company. “We’re putting our hugest stamp of approval on this baby!” scheidvineyards.com.
Kathie Lee Gifford Gifft Rosé
More and more celebs are infiltrating the wine biz; everyone from fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi to Cameron Diaz to NBA all-star James Harden have their own brands. But longtime television personality Kathie Lee Gifford’s line of Gifft wines is produced and bottled in Monterey County. This lovely vino is also affordable—a bottle of Rosé runs about $30. Deep pink and delicious, the Rosé has fragrant notes of freshly picked summer berries and rose petals, while “raspberry, strawberry and nectarine sweep the palate, rounded with bright acidity and a crisp, refreshing finish.” It comes with a screw cap and is widely available. Gifft makes Pinot Grigio and Cabernet Sauvignon as well, also available in holiday gift packs of three bottles for around $45. “The world speeds by at a dizzying pace, so fast that we may forget to stop and recognize our blessings,” Gifford’s label reads. “Family, friendship, laughter, love. Enjoy this moment. It’s a Gifft.”
