Pali Wine Co., Santa Barbara County (California) Pinot Noir 2021

 You may not be able to tell a wine by its label, but when that family of labels changes dramatically, it does encourage the wine drinker to ask why.  This 18-year-old winery began life with a more-upscale image and more-upscale contents, but somewhere during the transition of control between generations of the Perr family which owns the brand, the decision was made to take a more casual approach to winegrowing and marketing.  Normally not a big deal if there is no central visual theme in the labeling, except that change seems to have included a more-casual approach to winemaking as well.  This Pinot Noir is a good wine, an okay wine, but it doesn’t seem have an answer to the question, “What type of wine was the winemaker aiming for?  What did she or he have in mind?”   It is a lighter wine with raspberry fruit and modest savory notes – think of an everyday red Côtes du Rhone instead of a varietal Pinot – and it is a bit fruity sweet in the finish.  This approach might go well in a fun-loving tasting room, but I would hope the owners would become more focused in their approach if their aspirations are a little higher.