Hess Select Pinot Noir
Central Coast Pinot Noir, soft French oak, everyday price.
The story behind Hess Select
Donald Hess, a Swiss entrepreneur, founded The Hess Collection on Mount Veeder in Napa Valley in 1978. Hess Select came later, built as the approachable line sourced from grower families across California rather than from the estate's mountain vineyards. The Pinot Noir comes mostly from the Central Coast, the benchlands and rolling hillsides of the Santa Lucia Highlands and Santa Maria Valley, where morning fog and cool Pacific afternoon breezes stretch the growing season and hold the grape's natural acidity intact.
It is 100% Pinot Noir, aged up to 12 months in neutral French oak so the wood softens tannin without burying the fruit. Red raspberry, cherry, dark plum, clove, black tea. Medium bodied, supple, dry. We have poured this for customers for years because it delivers a real Pinot Noir profile at a price that does not ask for an occasion.
Explore the Hess Select range
Four Hess Select bottlings we carry, from the bright Central Coast Pinot Noir to the broader Cabernet, Treo and Malbec reds.
| Expression | Type | Proof / ABV | Tasting notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hess Select Pinot Noir 750mL | Pinot Noir | About 27.6 to 29 proof (13.8% to 14.5% ABV) | Raspberry, cherry, dark plum, clove, black tea; neutral oak |
| Hess Select Cabernet Sauvignon 750mL | Cabernet Sauvignon | Varies by vintage | Dark cassis and plum, firm tannin, toasty oak |
| Hess Select Treo 750mL | Red blend | Varies by vintage | Layered dark fruit, cocoa, easy tannin |
| Hess Select Malbec 750mL | Malbec | Varies by vintage | Plum, blackberry, violet, soft spice |
| Hess Select Pinot Noir 750mL | Pinot Noir | About 27.6 to 29 proof (13.8% to 14.5% ABV) | Slightly chilled, roasted chicken and mushroom risotto |
Which Hess Select is right for you?
Hess Select Pinot Noir sits in the value tier, and we price it at $15.99 for the 750mL. The Cabernet Sauvignon is $17.99, and both the Treo red blend and the Malbec land at $15.99 and $16.99. That is the whole point of the Select line: a California Pinot Noir aged in French oak, poured on a Tuesday, not saved for a birthday. Buy Hess Select online here or walk in and pull it off the shelf. Stock moves, so call ahead if you want a case.
Dry, medium bodied, soft oak. Works with chicken, salmon, or nothing at all.
Firmer tannin and dark fruit hold up to steak and a crowded table.
Plum and violet for a few dollars more, a change from the usual house pour.
Hess Select cocktails and pairings
Serve it at 55 to 60 degrees in a wide Burgundy glass and the raspberry and clove come forward. Roasted chicken, wild salmon, mushroom risotto, pork chops, charcuterie.