When I tasted this right Echelon (which has been a favorite sub-$12 pinot for me in the past) after pulling the cork, the alcohol was very hot, and the red cherry had an unusally strong candied taste -- so I left it in the glass for an hour... When I reapproached it, the wine was calmer and the hot alcohol wasn't dominating the nose, but the fruit was still candied and overly sugary tasting. I left a cork in the about-half-empty bottle and tried it again the following evening -- and the wine had improved considerably! The fruit and oak were more balanced, and the acidity was more in line with the blend. Give this a try and see if it works for you. $16; 86 points

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