MEOMI Pinot Noir: Has the Original Flavor Made a Comeback?

Are you familiar with MEOMI Pinot Noir? If you are, you may have noticed a change in the wine’s flavor over the past year or so.

From what I understand, the MEOMI brand transitioned to new ownership. In my opinion, however, the Pinot Noir that followed simply didn’t measure up to the wine I had come to enjoy. The flavor seemed noticeably more bitter, and I wasn’t the only one who noticed a difference.

Eventually, I discovered a way to distinguish the bottles from the two periods. The original bottles featured a black ribbon around the neck, while the newer bottles featured a gold ribbon (see image).

By 2026, at least based on my own research and shopping experience, I could no longer find the original black-ribbon bottles. It appeared that the gold-ribbon version had completely taken over the shelves.

Fortunately, I managed to purchase a case of the black-ribbon Pinot Noir from our local liquor store before its remaining supply sold out. I was determined to hold on to the version I had enjoyed for so long!

An Unexpected Discovery at Costco!

Then, just this week, I made an unexpected discovery while shopping at Costco.

There it was: a bottle of MEOMI Pinot Noir with a gold ribbon, but with a distinctly different look. The label was red and prominently displayed the words “Monterey County Pinot Noir.”

Naturally, I was intrigued. Could this be the original version I had been searching for, despite the gold ribbon? Had the recipe changed again, or was this a different bottling altogether?

I decided there was only one way to find out. I bought a bottle and gave it a try.

Well, I’ll be darned!

It tasted just like the original black-ribbon MEOMI Pinot Noir I thought I would never find again!

I was genuinely surprised. After months of believing that my favorite version had disappeared from the market, I may have stumbled across it in an entirely different package.

I can’t say for certain whether the Monterey County version uses the original recipe or whether there is another explanation for the difference in flavor. But based on my own taste test, it was remarkably close to the Pinot Noir I remembered and had been missing.

Have You Noticed the Difference?

Now I’m curious: Have any other MEOMI Pinot Noir fans noticed a change in flavor? And has anyone else tried the red-label Monterey County Pinot Noir available at Costco?

I’d love to hear your experiences. If you’ve been disappointed with the newer gold-ribbon bottles, you might want to keep an eye out for this version the next time you’re shopping.

For me, this was a welcome surprise, and a reminder that sometimes, an unexpected find can bring back a favorite after you thought it was gone for good!