Steele, Santa Barbara County (California) Pinot Noir 2014

 Soft and sultry, the Pinot Noir from Steele’s Goodchild Vineyard pleases the palate in a great many ways, including the manner in which its hints of rose petal mingle appetizingly with a dry leafy component and ripe cherry flavors.  This is a perfectly dry Pinot, which will marry happily at the dinner table with all manner of poultry, and of course with sturdy pasta dishes.  It even fits comfortably into a meal dominated by sturdy fish such as salmon, tuna, and perhaps even swordfish.