Review: The Paring 2024 Pinot Noir and 2021 Red Blend

So The Paring is a funny name for a wine brand. Like you, probably, I assumed it was “The Pairing,” like, wine that is to be enjoyed with a meal, a succulent meal. But no, The Paring refers to, well, I’m not entirely sure, as the company behind the Santa Barbara County-based portfolio of wines never really explains it.

The company offers a range of bottlings. Today we check out its pinot noir and red blend, both quite affordable.

2024 The Paring Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County – Santa Barbara fruit aged in 65% French oak (35% new and 65% neutral) for 11 months. Designed to be a bold wine, this is initially a bit overwhelming, this pinot eventually settles into a surprisingly fruity groove, melding blackberry and raspberry into a juicy whole. A dusting of tea leaf and late-game cola evoke more traditional California pinot notes, becoming increasingly emphatic and clove-dusted as they develop in glass over time. Give it a good hour and you’ll find your toes dipping into notes of chocolate and nutmeg. A- / $25

2021 The Paring Red California – A Bordeaux style blend made from 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot, and 10% Petit Verdot. Aged in French oak, 55% new and 45% neutral, for 22 months. Quite juicy with a nose of currants and some raisin, this dense wine feels more New World than Old, with overtones of milk chocolate and coffee adding even more of a dessert-like vibe, at least until the rather tannic conclusion arrives. Significant tannins perk their head up on the finish, however, wiping away much of the sweetness and leaving the palate coated in notes of black tea and dried herbs. An oddity, for sure. B / $25

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