Wine of the Week

What a captivating wine! Winemaker Robert Mueller has made everything you could want in a Pinot Noir. Soft and opulent, with a beautiful bouquet, it has the texture and layers of nuance that make wines from this Burgundian grape ideal with food. It is a very elegant example of a California rendition of that grape, and at an attractive price. The best news is that there’s no need to cellar it--it’s great drinking now.

About $32. Available at Woodland Hills Wine Company in Woodland Hills, (818) 222-111; Epicurus in Santa Monica, (310) 395-1352; Wine Country in Signal Hill (800) 505-5564; Wally’s in West Los Angeles, (310) 475-0606; Wine Exchange in Orange, (714) 974-1454, as well as Bristol Farms markets at various locations. If you can’t find this wine, have your local retailer call the distributor, Jean Ervin Wine Marketing, (626) 441-5694.