This is DELICIOUS. The best of Pinot (60%) and Gamay (40%) this explodes with super-juicy black raspberry and savory spice up front (thanks, Gamay!) then sashays into a pure Pinot finish with hints of dried thyme. As I type this, I'm trying not to chug a glass at my desk (oops, guess I have to try harder). I urge you to step outside the Pinot zone and give this a whirl. Sip it, cook with it, and most importantly, buy it! - Marcus.
We like the tongue-in-cheek name; since they can't make an authentic diamond (in the form of an actual Old World wine) they fake it with a Rhinestone. There's nothing fake about Rhinestones' goodness; it takes the best of the two varietals and marries them into a fragrant, refreshingly pure red. I especially like the snappiness of Gamay towards the finish, that peppery black raspberry note adding an extra dimension.
2015 vintage notes
92 points from John Gilman, View from the Cellar: The 2015 version of Rhinestones is a blend of sixty percent pinot noir and forty percent gamay. The wine is a tad tight when first opened, but with a bit of swirling offers up a lovely bouquet of red and black cherries, a touch of pepper, spit-roasted meats, fresh herbs and dark soil tones. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied and tangy, with a fine core, lovely focus and grip and a long, moderately tannic finish. This is 12.5 percent octane and absolutely laser-like on the palate, with superb backer energy. I am sure this is intended as an early quaffer for restaurants in Portland, but this has the balance and structure to also age very well indeed! 2016- 2030."
We look down on Scott and Dana Frank's Bow & Arrow winery. Literally. They're in the basement of our building, and we have a floor-to-ceiling window that affords a great view of their production space (which as I type is buzzing with harvest activity). All joking aside, we've developed deep respect for Bow & Arrow's honest, largely Loire-valley inspired wines, and for their good-humored approach to branding.