Brooks, 'Runaway Red', Pinot Noir, 2007
The label was intriguing. Red. Trotsky. A hammer and sickle. And words running down the side: "PEACE! BREAD! LAND! WINE!"
Okay, the Russians never added that last bit. The back label insinuates that this the a rogue barrel that rolled away -- apparently in the dark of the night and into a nearby creek. Hence: "runaway red". Okay, so that all sounds gimicky. But, I know the Brooks name -- yet I have never actually tried a Brooks wine (weird, but true). And then the sign at Fred Meyer's said the Wine Steward liked it. So, it was literally an impulse buy.
First off, the color was indeed red. Sure, it's "red" wine, but it's really pretty darn red. It was semi-translucent -- on the lighter side of the color of Pinot. And taking a sip, it's indeed lighter. No, not thin. For lack of a better description, it's Burgundian. This wine reminded me of the 2006 Phelps Creek Pinot that we liked so much.
The nose was a really enjoyable mix of hay and dust, veggie, a little vanilla, dirt (just slightly dank), and tobacco. Yep, definitely tobacco. All of these aromas were subtle. Really nicely done.
The taste is a really nice balance of flavor -- not too sour, and not sweet. It was just the right amount of oak to give it that balance (that's my guess anyway). It starts with cherry and then fades into a blueberry. The finish leaves you with that predominant blueberry -- maybe a little leechie too.
So whether or not you believe that Trotsky embodies a communism that never was, or blame him for inspiring the Neo-cons -- this is a really nice Pinot for such an inexpensive price (about $16). No ice-pick, and no Kronstadt. Well done.
Cost:
Rating:
8.5
Re: Brooks, 'Runaway Red', Pinot Noir, 2007
The story is true--first vintage 1999, an effort to make an entry level pinot noir--barrel on a rack being moved late at night. The rack broke, barrel fell, bung got pushed way in, it rolled into a creek and remained completely in tact. Recovered and put in cellar the following day. Later that day, winemaker Jimi Brooks found a note on it that said "Runaway Red". That combined with his love for eastern europe everything, gave birth to the label. Glad you enjoyed--