This Oregon pinot noir was a light, yet cloudy, ruby red in the glass with sour red berry fruit on the nose along with herbs and a cinnamon toast spice. Flavors of muted fruit and tempered acidity with a sour, if not astringent, aftertaste.

The Terrapin Cellars 2007 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley (13.2%) was purchased for $18, but even with its affordable price point, this wine left much to be desired. It was a bit flat throughout, never offering anything to show for itself.

We paired this wine with a tomato sauce penne pasta dish garnished with fresh basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese accompanied by a green leaf lettuce salad tossed in a olive oil and red wine vinegar. It was a delicious meal, but the flavors of the pasta and salad seemed to suffer from the muted wine.

I would not recommend this wine, for there are other Oregon pinots at or below its price point offering much better quality.