Nielson, Santa Maria Valley (Santa Barbara County) Pinot Noir 2014

 Once upon a time, cheap pinot noir tasted like cheap pinot noir. That would be thin and uninteresting, or flawed with notes of green, unripe fruit. Those days are quickly coming to an end. Growers know better now how to grow the finicky pinot noir grape and winemakers have a better handle on it in the cellar. This vintage of Nielson, the second label of the well-regarded Byron winery, shows plump, juicy red-fruit notes with a touch of spice and soft tannins. And it’s less that $30 a bottle, which ranks as an attractive price in today’s pinot noir world.