"wine of the week" news and stories

Torrontés is Argentina's most well-known white-wine grape. But its status among most Americans is still relatively obscure. Which is too bad because not only is it affordable but the wine offers fresh and aromatic notes, and an approchable body with ripe citrus flavors.

The majority of Torrontés wines come from six provinces in Argentina (including Mendoza) but you may also find a Chilean bottle, as the grapes are also grown in Chile, although in smaller quantities and mostly for producing Pisco. As the wine is youthful and fresh, ideal food pairings include seafood or chicken dishes, and cheeses that are categorized as mild or medium (hold the sharp Cheddar or blue cheese). Spicy foods with Thai roots would be a smart match too.

We recently sipped through a flight of Torrontés. We've got our four favorites after the jump.

For winemakers, the opportunity to be Picasso-like is in creating a blend (a carefully calculated marriage of different grape varietals into one wine). It's akin to coffee roasters taking the time and energy to develop a signature espresso blend. Long hours are spent in the lab shifting the percentages of each wine before honing in on one that equals perfection.

California winemakers love to produce blends. Here are four of our recent favorites from the Golden State.

Cupcake Vineyards "Red Velvet" Red Wine Blend, California ($12)
Luscious and approachable, this fruit-forward blend is flawless, with mocha and blackberry notes and a trace of cranberry. The grapes included in the blend are Zinfandel, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, with the result a decadent wine.

B.R. Cohn Winery The Doobie Brothers 2008 "Doobie Red" North Coast Red Wine ($20)
Black-currant and black-cherry flavors dominate the palate on this wine made from Bordeaux-style varietals. There is a complexity, with earthy notes of tobacco, plum and oak.

In celebration of Australia Week (January 15-29, which is actually two weeks) we thought we'd take a look at wines from Down Under. If you haven't heard of Australia Week (also called G'Day USA), the skinny is that it's a look at all things Australia across the United States. We may not have koalas in the wild or call our first meal of the day brekkie but we do have access to a lot of Australian wines.

Here are seven of our recent favorite Australian wines -- all costing $17 and under.

Yellow Tail 2008 Reserve Pinot Grigio, South Eastern Australia ($12)
This white-wine varietal is a step-up from the budget wines that this label is well-known for producing. Accents of lime introduce a nice brightness, yet there are mineralities which contribute to a balanced mouthfeel. Plus, there are notes of green apples in this Pinot Grigio.

Jacob's Creek 2007 Reserve Pinot Noir, South Australia ($14)
An amazing Pinot Noir, especially for the price, the wine is loaded with strawberry, sweet cherry and rhubarb flavors, and is light-bodied with a lingering finish. It also has good structure and mild oak towards the end of the palate.

Mendocino is the Berkeley of California wine country. More than a few of the 80-odd wineries from the region (which is about two hours northwest of Napa and closer to the Pacific Ocean) practice "green" business in some form or another. This includes creating earth-friendly packaging, converting to solar-powered winemaking production methods and aggressively recycling corks. Many also grow their grapes without relying on chemicals or pesticides. Still others choose to farm biodynamically. Frey Vineyards, which is America's first certified-organic winery, continues to make wine in Mendocino. It was in 1980 that Frey was awarded the certification.

The region is growing as much of a variety of wine grapes as Napa, Sonoma and California's Central Coast. Recently we tasted red wines from Mendocino, and found five favorites.

Graziano 2005 Old Vine Zinfandel, Bertozzi Vineyard, Mendocino, California ($21)
Balanced and packed with ripe fruit (black cherry and raspberry) the Zinfandel also contains delicate flavors of vanilla and oak. Rich, soft tannins on the finish are delightful. It would pair well with a braised-meat dish or a hearty bowl of stew.

Is Chardonnay the new Pinot Noir? Well, it is in Vertical, the literary sequel to Sideways, Rex Pickett's novel that became a feature-film hit of the same name (and which I'm reading now). In Vertical, it's seven years after Sideways ends, and main character Miles Raymond is showing his mom around California and Oregon wineries. (I won't reveal any more because I hate a spoiler, too.) Her vice is Chardonnay. After reading all of the wine descriptions in this novel, I was craving a flight of chilled, crisp Chardonnay and so I indulged by tasting some bottles from Sonoma, California.

Here are four favorites from this wine region that are among Sonoma's best Chardonnays. Their prices are shockingly affordable, too -- many of California's best Chardonnays run $50-$60, and these bottles run $13-$24.

Chateau St. Jean 2009 Chardonnay, Sonoma County, California ($14)
A very delicate-style Chardonnay, the wine expresses bright lemon-y notes and some mango. Its finish has length and excellent mouthfeel.

St. Francis Winery & Vineyards 2008 Chardonnay, Sonoma County, California ($14)
Rich and creamy, the Chardonnay also has a nice crispness with green-apple and lime notes that are light in acidity but full in flavor, paired with vanilla mid-palate. Its silky mouthfeel contributes to a long finish.

Schug Carneros Estate 2008 Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast, California ($24)
Tropical-fruit notes on this buttery-style Chardonnay are balanced and mildy acidic, and mingle with pear and peach before sliding into an elegant finish.

DeLoach Vineyards 2009 Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California ($13)
Vibrant mouthfeel and a floral undercurrent are preceded by a nose of crushed rose petals and apples. Its Asian-pear notes are not overly acidic, and there's a touch of effervesence throughout before a finish that's elegant and laced with tropical-fruit notes.

Click here for the best Napa Chardonnays.