Moobuzz 2011 Pinot Noir

Producer: The Other Guys

Name: Moobuzz Pinot Noir

Varietals: Pinot Noir 86%; Sangiovese 10%; Syrah 1%; Tempranillo 3%

Region: California, USA

Vintage: 2011

Tasted: September 8, 2012

ABV: 13.5%

Did you know that when it comes to the use of sensual terminology in wine reviews - you know, that sometimes sappy, sometimes wildly inappropriate vocabulary that wine people use and that non-wine people make fun of wine people for using - Pinot Noir is the varietal most frequently being described? I did not know that until after I finished taking notes on the Moobuzz 2011 Pinot Noir by The Other Guys, as I browsed The Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil. Indeed, if my own reaction to the Moobuzz is any indication, that little tidbit of trivia sure does make sense.

For example, here is what I had written when trying to sort out how the acid in the taste does not have the usual concomitant bite or harshness along with it: "It is like a very beautiful person you see lying on the beach; she looks like an intense, wild-and-crazy sort of person, but really she is just lying there, taking it easy, looking hotter than all Hades." (Sometimes I write these things down as they come to me, lest I forget them later.)

So yeah, I really did not need much convincing from Ms. MacNeil on that one.

The 2011 Moobuzz Pinot Noir has a dark, ruby red color, quite seductive in itself. The aroma is intense, predominantly spicy with some red-fruity notes scattered about. The flavor, though, is smooth, even, mellow. While the tasting notes are of acidic things - citrus, mainly, and apples - there is no actual acidity to bombard the tongue. Again, think of the comely sun-bather: all the spunk and pizazz and craziness that the imagination pleases, none of the bother of having to deal with what all of that would actually entail. The texture is round, full-bodied, easy to enjoy. The finish is blackberry.

But a beach-goer who in fact just lies there all day would not be very much fun at all, now, would she? No, and our Pinot Noir has no interest in such doldrums. After aerating for twenty minutes, she has caught her breath and is ready for some action. The nose is as pungent as ever, and more fruits seem to have joined the party - it really is quite the medley. The palate is still smooth but less mellow. Some of the spice from the aroma has trickled on down to the mouth now, and the acidity is starting to feel like what one would expect from a bite of fresh fruit. For those who do not like fluctuating extremes there is good news: the wine, in her texture, remains as tender to the touch as ever, providing a nice level of balance, of sanity - we can feel comfortable enjoying the developments because the world still makes sense. And what kind of person would our Pinot Noir be if she left without dropping us a sweet surprise on her way out? The finish is strawberry, and ne'er could even the most alluring young lass so entice with a wink and a smile and a delicate wave as she slips past the threshold.

Here's to next time; soon may it come.