Wine review: 2012 McKinlay Pinot Noir

What a sweet little Pinot Noir from a small family winery up in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. McKinlay Pinots have the delicacy of Burgundies. Tasting of bright, juicy cherries and gentle spices, the 2012 is silky and balanced — ready to drink now or to tuck away for a rainy day. Winemaker Matt Kinne works with native yeasts and has a very light touch with oak. He also bottles unfined and unfiltered.

Though his wines are trumpeted from wine newsletters all over the country, Kinne hasn’t let his Pinots’ success go to his head. Prices are still modest. But if you want to taste his 2012, better run out to the store right now before it’s all gone. Drink it with a steak, a chop, a slab of ribs, even a burger. And, of course, a rotisserie chicken — from TiGeorges’ or Pollo a la Brasa.

Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon

Price: $16 to $18

Style: Elegant and focused

What it goes with: Steaks, chops, ribs, burgers, rotisserie chicken

Where to find it: K&L Wine Merchants in Hollywood, (323) 464-9463, https://www.klwines.com; Silver Lake Wine in Los Angeles, (323) 662-9024, https://www.silverlakewine.com; Wine Exchange in Orange, (800) 76WINEX, https://www.winex.com; and the Wine House in West Los Angeles, (310) 479-3731, https://www.winehouse.com

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