Robert Mondavi Private Selection Pinot Noir 2007

It's hard to overstate the importance of Robert Mondavi to the world of California wine. It's also hard to overstate the importance of California to the world of cheap wine. So in some ways it's hard to overstate the importance of Robert Mondavi to this blog. Without Robert Mondavi the wine industry in California, if it existed, would be appreciably different than it is now. Wal-Mart might not sell Oak Leaf at all. And Oak Lake might be -- gasp -- French. So thank God that Robert Mondavi came along. Without his noble footprints in Napa Valley, hundreds of lesser wineries may never have opened their doors.

It's because the Mondavi name carries such weight that I've felt, for awhile, that I needed to review one of their wines. I finally gave in tonight and picked up the Private Selection 2007 Pinot Noir. In some ways this is a new frontier for me. Typically I pick up a bottle because the name is silly, or the bottle ugly, or it's the cheapest wine in the store. In picking up this particular wine, however, I'm doing so out of something resembling respect. I therefore feel unsure how to proceed. Should I just write a straight review, or should I try to think up some poopy jokes? Or should I just drink and forget about it?

Ah, much better. Option number three.

The Pinot Noir is fruity. Big, stinking berries gently dangle over large, ripe cherries. It's a little spicy with a bit of a kick on the finish. It's probably one of the classier under $10 wines we've sampled, but it's also not terribly memorable. I'd give it as a gift and I wouldn't refuse a glass. But given a choice, I'd probably drink a beer instead.

6 out of 10

Target, $9.99