Good California Wines! Fog Head Pinot and Hess Chardonnay

As part of the continuing quest to find good wines at around the $10 mark, we’ve got a few to report back on. If you’re an Austinite, both of these wines are from the HEB at Red River and 41st, and both cost $10.

2007 Fog Head Pinot Noir

On recommendation from Steve, the HEB wine guy, I picked up the 2006 Fog Head Pinot Noir from Monterey, California last Tuesday. And I headed back for another bottle before the week was out. This is your characteristic California Pinot Noir, a very solid no-frills wine without distractions and a bargain for the price. Fog Head is on the mild side of medium bodied and not overly fruity, although the currant taste was a bit too strong for my liking. In the Fog Head, there was a hint of the cherry cough syrup flavor that can accompany the currant in Pinots. In our opinion, its acidity is this wine’s best asset, contributing to a nice mouthfeel for the pricetag. Overall, a versatile, unassuming bottle that isn’t filling, pairs somewhat easily, and is handy to keep around the house.

2007 Hess Chardonnay

We love a California Chardonnay that’s not overly oaked. Michael praised it as tasting “between a French and California Chardonnay.” Its blend of citrus and oak is well balanced. This is a good summertime bargain, with a beachy, sun-kissed California scent with pleasant hints of lettuce, butter, and petrol to add interest. We just may have found a fabulous picnic wine for those Austin afternoons in the park.

Check out these related posts:

1. Great Chardonnay, old vine Zinfandel, and Pinot Noir from Davis Family Vineyards
2. The Sideways phenomenon: Rising Pinot Noir & falling Merlot prices
3. A list of good, but cheap, wines for these hard times
4. Recession anti-depression! Great value California Riesling and Italian red wines
5. Summer nights and Nobilissima Pinot Grigio 2007