Commercially, I am a pinot noir whore.  When I'm not paying the tab I search out the pinot section, as my taste buds have found that pinot is one wine where you truly get what you pay for.  I've had great "cheap" merlots and cabernets but have yet to find a steal on pinot noir.  I hope to do a Napa tour in March when I am out there for work or at least as a vacation this fall.

The bulk of what I drink is home brew.  I'm kicking back with a glass (or 4) of homemade black raspberry wine right now.  In grad school there were two of us biochemists and an engineer, bored with time on our hands, so we started making our own wine.  We had no vines so we started with table grapes from the grocery store and fresh fruits we had available either from commercial orchards or the farms we came from.  Stuff from the first couple years as we learned was not great, but the last 3-4 years we produced (and boy did we produce) has gotten high marks from impartial drinkers.  A household of 2 or more can legally make 200 gallons/year under federal law, and we held right at 180 gallons/year for 2-3 years, accumulating more than 1,200 bottles by the time we parted ways.  Black raspberry was our flagship product, though we also made good enough apple wine to be chosen for a couple weddings.  We made some amazingly good champagne from run-of-the-mill white table grapes.  Red raspberry is also good quality.

Now that I have property, I have 2 different wine grape varieties up and running, along with 2 table grape varieties (50 vines total).  I gave in and ordered another red wine variety for this year, so I will be expanding to 70 vines.  The first 20 vines reach maturity this year so I will be able to make my first real grape wine this fall, weather cooperating.  I have plots of both black and red raspberries up and running, so I should be returning to making those as well this year.  Good thing as my supply of homemade wine is running low...

I was heartbroken when I learned that the only place you can grow pinot in Indiana is within line-of-sight of the Ohio River.  I've got another Noir variety on order but it's not going to be the same.  I considered rebelling and planting anyway, but we got 3-4 days of "20-yr" cold temps last year and it killed  5 of 6 table grape vines one hardiness level above pinot.

Sommolier (sp?), that is outstanding.  If I ever start my own business winery is near the top of the list.

I like wine.  I tend to have low crass tastes which is good because I have a low crass budget.  Unless I am going to spring for a good wine I find some of the bargain wines better than the "medium-low" wines.  i.e. I think <$10 is usually better than $15-20

Around here being pinot noir country you can get decent medium priced pinot since you can skip a lot of the markup, but its one variety I really dont care for. If you want a Pinot tour in the U.S. you should come here. (oregon Willamette Valley).  I am smack in wine country. Something like 200 wineries within a 30 minute drive.  I can run to at least 3 on my normal loops.

My friend used to make a decent pinot but he retired and sold his vineyard to one of the bigger vineyards and they dont do as well with his grapes as he did. For awhile they kept his grapes separate but they mix them in with other holdings now

 My current favorite red in the <$30 range might be Sinister Hand (Owen Roe) -its a blend and I know a lot of people dont like blends but that one never fails to taste really really good.  Plus unless I want to get snookered I need to find a wine that dh and I agree on and that is one of them.

Pinot Noir?  Really? Uh, I don't know, I don't know. Um, it's a hard grape to grow, as you know. Right? It's uh, it's thin-skinned, temperamental, ripens early. It's, you know, it's not a survivor like Cabernet, which can just grow anywhere and uh, thrive even when it's neglected. No, Pinot needs constant care and attention. You know? And in fact it can only grow in these really specific, little, tucked away corners of the world. And, and only the most patient and nurturing of growers can do it, really. Only somebody who really takes the time to understand Pinot's potential can then coax it into its fullest expression. Then, I mean, oh its flavors, they're just the most haunting and brilliant and thrilling and subtle and... ancient on the planet.

That movie was hilarious.

Pinot Noir?  Really? Uh, I don't know, I don't know. Um, it's a hard grape to grow, as you know. Right? It's uh, it's thin-skinned, temperamental, ripens early. It's, you know, it's not a survivor like Cabernet, which can just grow anywhere and uh, thrive even when it's neglected. No, Pinot needs constant care and attention. You know? And in fact it can only grow in these really specific, little, tucked away corners of the world. And, and only the most patient and nurturing of growers can do it, really. Only somebody who really takes the time to understand Pinot's potential can then coax it into its fullest expression. Then, I mean, oh its flavors, they're just the most haunting and brilliant and thrilling and subtle and... ancient on the planet.

Jesus...you really insist on being impossible don't you?

I gotta say, I applaud your efforts

And finally- if we're sticking with American Pinot Noir here, I gotta say, if you want amazing terroir driven stuff, all the Au bon Climat is the best terroir driven shit in the country, though it literally gets better the more expensive it is (I find that frustrating) because the more he charges the more he has to spend on terroir....it's worth it, but irritating to someone who wants to be a man of the people. Having said that if you don't care about dropping a bunch of cash, Patricia Green has the best vineyards in Oregon, they just aint cheap.

 Man, you really know your stuff.  I just ferment and drink the stuff, and try to avoid having the wine list land in my lap when the chips are down.