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2015 Urlar Pinot Noir

2015 Urlar Pinot Noir

There’s a lot to like here for Pinot fans looking for good buys under $20, which isn’t always easy to come by in the world of Pinot Noir.

I found this New Zealand (Wairarapa, North Island) for only $15.99 at my Costco, and it’s a wine I’ve never seen before so I thought it would be fun to review.

Costco’s price is pretty solid considering the wine usually receives 90+ point ratings from the critics and the retail price is closer to $25. Wine Enthusiast went so far as to award the wine 92 points. This wine has also been named one of the top 10 wines in the area in previous vintages.

Urlar Pinot

I learned all of that after researching the winery post-drinking this bottle. I felt it was an 89 pointer, which is still a strong rating but perhaps the critics liked this wine a bit more. I do also like the fact it’s organic and bio-dynamically produced. Let’s get into the wine itself.

I thought it was a bit smoky with some burnt toast initially right out of the bottle. So I was expecting a mediocre wine but ended up being pleasantly surprised how it opened up. With a little air and a slight chill (just above room temp), that smokiness dissipated and cleared the way for a very delicious wine.

Urlar Pinot

The wine pours a light see through purple; nose of dried red fruit with some spice; nice red fruit in the mouth, strawberry, Dr Pepper. I really like the mouthfeel here, it’s gentle and easy going. A fair amount of complexity and rather elegant. Good bite of acidity and spice in the finish. 

This one grew on me the more I consumed (as most wines do). But I think Pinot fans will be rewarded with this bottle. It’s hard to find solid Pinot in this price range. Enjoy with any cuisine.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 89 points

Costco item number: 1224961

Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA

Alc. 13.5%