Pinot Noir, 2016. Black Mountain

Black Mountain is the handy work of Bronco Wine Company and its dynamic leader, Fred Franzia. Franzia has been a maverick in the California wine scene for half a century. It's not too difficult to figure out that you're not dealing with a typical Napa Valley wine impresario upon entering his office. No manicured grounds, vaulted ceilings or pompous French architecture here, just a trailer with the same furniture that's been there for years.

Franzia prefers to put his money in the thousands of acres of vineyards and the huge, modern plant where brands such as Black Mountain, his flagship label, are produced. Some critics have theorized that Franzia can price his wines so competitively because of his total control of everything from producing his own labels, corks, bottles and boxes to his grape holdings. Franzia said his real secret is eliminating margin. He owns everything from vineyard plantings to bottling plants. It's the kind of thinking that has kept him on top when other operations are literally going out of business.

His vineyard holdings are primarily in the Central Valley, but he also owns vineyards in key appellations such as Napa, Sonoma, and the Central Coast. Those cooler climate grapes are what our selection is comprised of. It is obvious from the delicate nose of cherry and spice followed by clove, vanilla, and mint held together by vibrant tannins. The panoply of flavors are the perfect foil for our pork roast cooked in milk recipe or a spicy carnitas burrito.

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