Benovia Winery, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir 2014

 This excellent wine doesn’t quite hit the heights attained by the thrilling 2013 Cohn Vineyard Pinot, but it rings up for almost $20 less, and is roughly in the same league regarding both style and overall quality.  Admirably restrained in ripeness, it shows the delicate, savory character that true Pinot lovers crave.  (By this I mean that those who love giant, 15.5% alcohol renditions are actually Syrah lovers who mistakenly purchase Pinot.)  Ripeness and oak are both quite modest, enabling lots of little nuances to present themselves as the wine develops with aeration in the glass.  Full of flavor but really only medium-bodied, this will prove very versatile at the table, and is also an excellent wine for stand-alone sipping.