The acidity, fruit flavors, oak, and minerals are all so well balanced that it’s hard to believe this is a 2003 wine. Usually, something this young is a little wonky – not as unbalanced as Miles, but definitely rough around the edges. Time in the bottle smoothes things out and helps all the elements to better integrate.

But right out of the gate, the Acacia is full, yet bright and as polished as a Fulbright scholar. Cherry is the predominant flavor, but it doesn’t bury the spice or oak. It’s a sexy wine that is fruit-forward without being a fruit bomb – a little like showing a bit of cleavage without popping right out.

The finish is wonderful; it may be my favorite part of the wine. Light oak tannins are there, but don’t get at all in the way of the cherry, raspberry and earth flavors that last longer than the embarrassment arising from dumping a winery’s pour/spit bucket down your gullet and shirt. (Really, you gotta see the movie.)

The new pinot craze is bound to bring about a lot of wine that has no business being bottled and sold. Pinot noir is hard to grow and make, and a lot of wineries just shouldn’t. But this Acacia is one that you can confidently and affordably pick up. Thanks to the synthetic closure used (that’s a good thing… honest) you don’t even have to worry about getting a corked bottle (and that’s a bad thing… honest).

Cheers,
TSW

* - Chimp Wine is a WoW designation signifying a no-brainer, must-buy wine (as in, "You'd have to be a chimp not to buy this wine.").

Ever since that “Sideways” flick came out, pinot noir is the cat’s pajamas. Restaurants are starting to stack up the pinot portion of their wine lists because they know people are coming in for dinner and asking themselves WWMD (that’s “What Would Miles Drink?”).

Well, there’s a good chance that Miles (the main character from the movie) would drink this wine right here. Sure, he was stumbling through California’s Central Coast, but Carneros still kicks booty for pinot, and Acacia is the only proof you need.

The color is a beautiful ruby. It looks like raspberry juice.

It smells like raspberries, too, as well as dusty black cherry and a touch of wet earth (which is a good thing… honest). There’s also plenty of spice and smoke, but neither is so strong that it kills the vanilla and chocolate elements provided by oak aging. (Who knew that oak was such a purveyor of dessert?)

But that’s just how this baby smells. The flavors that come through are as intense and refined as Maya the waitress. (If you haven’t seen "Sideways," you’re on your own at this point.)