Pierre Henri, Vin de Pays d’Oc (Languedoc, France) Pinot Noir 2008

This is a bizarre wine.  It comes in a round-shouldered Bordeaux-type bottle rather than a sloped Burgundy one like virtually all examples of Pinot Noir do.  More to the point, on the palate it bears absolutely no resemblance to any wine made with Pinot that I have ever tasted.  Instead, being dark in color, and marked by black fruit flavors enhanced by echoes of dried herbs and savory spice, it seems much more like Languedoc wines made with Grenache or Syrah or perhaps Carignan.  But it’s also undeniably delicious–and a bargain to boot.  I suspect you’ll really like it, provided that you don’t expect aromas and flavors of Pinot Noir.