Mirassou 2009 Pinot Noir (California) – In the battle between reputation and reality, this takes the very small hill without firing a shot: clean pinot-ish fruit with just as hint of mushroom. In other words, it greatly exceeds my expectations for inexpensive mass-market pinot noir. One could drink a lot worse. Though: better, too. (8/12)

Mirassou 2009 Pinot Noir (California) – Wretched, tortured fruit. Well, “fruit.” Because nothing that grows on tree, vine, or bush actually tastes like this. The closest I could come to any version of fruit would be chewing the sticky wrapper of some fruit-paste abomination, getting more wrapper than paste as a result. There’s a nasty char to the finish as well. Avoid, then run far away just to make sure it isn’t following. (7/11)

Mirassou 2009 Pinot Noir (California) – Smells like paint. Literally. I tell someone to close their eyes and take a sniff, and their response is “paint!” (followed by a quick recoil and sneezing). The palate, completely confected and nasty to the extreme, isn’t any better. Truly wretched. (6/11)