"wine of the week" news and stories

2008 was a banner year for Oregon Pinot Noir grapes -- particularly those in the Willamette Valley, one of the state's AVAs. Located just an hour or so west of Portland, this region produces Pinots that are earthy, complex and layered. Each layer, in fact, is expressed quite well, from the nose to the finish.

We recently sipped a flight of Pinot Noirs from this region. Here are our favorites. Note that when you are tracking down these particular wines that the majority of these wineries produce more than a few Pinot Noir wines for each vintage, so be sure to look for the Willamette Valley designation.

R. Stuart & Co. Winery "Autograph" Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley ($30)
The "Autograph" Pinot Noir is typically a blend of several Pinot-Noir vineyard blocks, and the 2008 vintage is no exception. Extremely dark-red in color, a plum bouquet evolves into plum notes that mix with currants on the palate. Intense and sultry, there is a trace of spice on the finish.

Ponzi Vineyards "Tavola" Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley ($25)
An infusion of white pepper emerges mid-palate and it effortlessly coasts into soft tannins. This medium-bodied Pinot also has a distinct clove nose, and plum and red-currant notes. It would pair well with spicy, grilled or braised foods.

Most communities around the country now have a Whole Foods Market nearby, which proves that there is a great desire for natural, organic or locally sourced foods. This philosophy extends to Whole Foods Market locations with wine departments, as they usually include dozens of wines with a "green" bent, from organically grown grapes to carbon-neutral initiatives to eco-friendly packaging.

But what most people don't know is that Whole Foods' wine buyers don't just punch orders into a computer. Nor do they sit in meetings with distributors and rely on their input concerning which wines to carry. Instead, they actually travel to wine regions around the world, do a lot of tasting, and make offers to buy a winery's lot so that they can have an exclusive. What this means for the customer is that it might be a lesser-known winery but it's passed a rigorous taste test.

We recently tasted a handful of wines sold exclusively at Whole Foods. Here are our eight favorites. In the spirit of holiday spending, don't fear. These wines are not going to set you back more than $8 a bottle.


Trackers Crossing 365 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, South Eastern Australia ($8)
Unlike some of the other wines we tasted, Trackers Crossing is clearly marked as a Whole Foods wine (each bottle depicts the 365 Everyday Value logo). This Cabernet Sauvignon is fruit-forward with a bouquet of spices and black cherries that evolves into a jammy palate before finishing with soft, silky tannins. Cranberry enters mid-palate, too, for a nice touch that also allows this wine to pair well with most any type of food, particularly roasted or barbecue meats. For a lighter alternative, Gouda or any smoked cheese is a good bet.

Trackers Crossing 365 2009 Shiraz, South Eastern Australia ($8)
An intriguing aroma of violets, smoke and black pepper slips into a balanced, smooth (almost sultry) palate with ripe-cherry and blackberry flavors along with subtle hints of oak. If you're looking for a wine to go with pizza, this could very well be it.

Lodi, California, is a wine-growing region just northeast of San Francisco (in San Joaquin Valley, the Northern portion of the Central Valley) and quickly coming into its own despite being one of the state's oldest wine pockets. Zinfandels are the best-known wines from Lodi and can easily stack up to juicy Zins from Sonoma's Russian River Valley. Yet Lodi winemakers are also turning out varietals that include Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay and Merlot.

Here are some of our favorites from a recent tasting. Good news: all of these seven bottles cost under $20 each.

Brazin 2008 (B)Old Vine Zin, Lodi ($15)
Packed with bright red fruit, the Zin also expresses plum and fig flavors, accented by mocha. It's the kind of Zin you might save for a dessert -- it's that sweet and indulgent.

Ravenswood Winery 2008 Old Vine Zinfandel, Lodi ($14)
This cult Zin producer culls from a lot of Northern California AVAs to make a solid Zin, Lodi included. Twenty-four percent Syrah is blended with 76% Zinfandel, culminating in a wine that has a fragrant bouquet that seamlessly kicks into concentrated notes of plum and blackberries. White pepper enters mid-palate and coasts through to the finish, linking up with vanilla and cocoa.

You've probably seen Sideways (because what wine-loving person hasn't?). In the 2004 film, based on the novel of the same name by Rex Pickett, its characters travel through California's Central Coast in search of the best Pinot Noir. They come across quite a few memorable bottles, and so did we in a recent tasting of this grape varietal from this region which, for the purposes of this post, includes Santa Barbara County and Monterey County.

Pinot Noir is a red-wine grape grown in many climates, including New Zealand, Oregon, France's Burgundy region, and even New York State. What makes the Pinot Noir from this region (California's Central Coast) so yummy? The simple answer is that the cooling temperatures (translating to a coastal fog in some areas) from the nearby Pacific Ocean allow the grapes to relax, a contrast to scorching hot temperatures in summer that stress the vines.

In addition to the producers below, Central Coast wineries that bottle consistently high-quality Pinot Noir are Alma Rosa Winery (Santa Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County), Melville Vineyards & Winery (Santa Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County), Foxen Winery (Santa Barbara County's Santa Maria Valley, Santa Rita Hills and Santa Ynez Valley; sourcing from famed vineyards like Bien Nacido and Seasmoke) and Calera Wine Company (including Monterey County, Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County).

Here are eight of our favorite Central Coast Pinot Noirs.

Fog Head 2009 Private Reserve Pinot Noir, Monterey County ($15)
Notes of bright red fruit (cherries and raspberries) are preceded by aromas of earthy forest floor. Some traces of vanilla enter mid-palate, leaving a luscious mouth feel.

Deep, dark and luscious Cabs get all the rap when it comes to Napa, California. For something a little lighter, turn to the region's Chardonnays, which don't explode with toasty-oak or tropical-fruit qualities. Instead, Chardonnays from this region settle somewhere in between, with ample minerals and complex notes of florals and stone fruits. This white-wine varietal has enough legs to be enjoyed during the cooler months, so don't hesitate to pair it with dishes containing pork, figs or creamy sauces, or any number of wintertime comfort foods (such as mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes or macaroni and cheese).

In a recent tasting of Napa Chardonnays these were our seven favorites.

Napa Cellars 2009 Mount Veeder Chardonnay, Napa Valley ($32)
Jasmine on the nose is a seductive surprise and it leads into a lively body with rose-petal notes and a touch of toasty oak. Its lengthy finish is indulgent, allowing time for the mildly citrus flavors to be savored.

Waterstone Winery 2008 Chardonnay, Carneros ($18)
Bright and fresh, this Chardonnay also exhibits jasmine aromas. Pineapple notes on the finish are a nice surprise after a palate that's balanced and clean and filled with lively pear, green apple and nectarine fruits.

Schug Carneros Estate 2008 Chardonnay, Carneros ($28)
Very bright and with an acidic backbone, the pineapple nose is a hint of the sweetness to come with plenty of grapefruit notes and a crisp, clean finish.