Craving Spring

This is the time of year everyone seems to be craving spring even though it can be some of the most winter weather. Maybe that's why or maybe we're all just looking for some longer days... Here are a few wines to put a little sunshine in your life. (yes I realize you are now hearing the you are the sunshine of my life in your head...)

Produttori 2003 Barbaresco
Imagine spring flowers and baby lamb running around pastures. Now imagine that baby lamb roasted and surrounded by roasted garlic with rose petal essence. 2003 a hot year in Piedmont limited this wine to the more value-oriented tan label vineyards blend. Mores the better for us! It is sanguine red in the glass, yet still bright and clear enough to see through slightly, with a brickish and rose hue. The ruddy colors are further carried in the smell… Pungent red cherry, both dried and fresh red rose petals, tar and cola, all leap out and are apparent. There are some other dark scents that are somewhat masked by the perfume, tar, and cola; that I could not quite identify – potentially some clay earth and marrow. The flavors also mirrored the scents and this isn’t what I would qualify as a thinkers wine, but hold your doubts, bare your canines and tear in. Very red cherries, rose perfume and incense, tar and cola, marrow, and with a dusty dry red brick clay finish. While this maybe not a thinker’s wine; it is a good wine, and wolfishly I drank plenty. Definitely food friendly, it is grippy with its tannins, and it paired very well with the garlic and medium rare lamb with blood orange and potatoes with fennel it accompanied. It has a slight thickness to the mouth-feel and daring nature to it with the way it will grab your tongue if drank without food. Its felt to me as if a reduction of flavors, to concentrate them with a tannic and alcoholic lift or kick. Still its not the largest, neither most auspicious, nor most refined Barbaresco… however, a very good profile and value at its price. Still some floats around as well but it wont last long as the 04’s and 05’s are now available as well. Find your inner carnivore, let out a howl while pouring Produttori ’03, and feast. En Boca Lupo!
Flavor Profile: 4/5
Value Profile 4.5/5 ($26-28 for a Barbaresco – that should put a spring in your step)

2007 Coteaux d'Aix en Provence Rosé, Commanderie de la Bargemone
I keep saying it; I’ll drink a rosé year round and there definitely is spring and summer encapsulated in many of these wines. This fine rosé hits that mark. Full of fresh green growth and new fruit, it seemed very much a warm spring wind out of some dry grassy gorge or off a farming plain. It’s from the Provence area of France and reflects the color of rosé I expect from there; coppery amber with a carnation pink hue. It has a scent I can only think of as dust and minerally chalk covered strawberries and raspberries, with a somehow contradictory bright clean lift at the end. It was a relaxing quaff of spring in the mouth… It reminded me of chewing on new green herbs and sweet grass, and then it transitioned to pure strawberry essence. That was of interest to me noting the palate transition from dry to off-dry as it progressed. The finish was dusty but lacked some acid to make this a truly great rosé of Provence. Lightly austere and different than some rosé you may be accustomed to; a good wine that is the dew on sweet grass with the scent and flavor of wild strawberry and its flowers. It should dully impress both rosé drinkers and those less familiar alike, especially paired with light seafood or grilled fare.
Flavor Profile: 4/5
Value Profile 4.5/5 ($12-14 is what you should find this for)

NV Drappier Champagne Carte d’Or
Have you had those foil wrapped chocolate in the shape of an orange you whack to split and eat? Well whack away with this champagne! Yellow and gold on the label I can imagine unwrapping this champagne whack-an-orange. Bright brittle golden yellow in color, it smelled of yeast, challah, and hazelnuts; it appeared very dry and bracing in the smell and you might expect very little fruit. However once in the mouth, wow, not at all what was expected. Bright citrus blends changing to orange coated in chocolate or cacao dust. Yes very much like the whack-an-orange chocolates but with a oval mouth-feel that rounded with hazelnut and other warm nut-butter-creamy-goodness finishing with a dry light tightly curled acid. Yes my dash description was a run on but I find myself wanting to run on and on about this wonderfully smooth sparkler. Orange, chocolate and nuts - No chocolate orange ever tasted so good. Did I say yum yet?
Flavor Profile: 4.5/5
Value Profile 4.5/5 (around $30/bottle)

Happy 150th Oregon!

Happy Birthday Oregon! If you missed it, Oregon’s 150th Birthday was February 14. And you though you only had to say I love you to your significant other! Well I do love Oregon and on the 14th I took a trip out to the Dundee area for a wine field trip. Myself, and my friends Paul and Brianne, had a list of places we wanted to go. As well as a more realistic list of what we might be able to make in time allotted. While we were able to taste many wines, and I recommend you jump in the car and make a field trip of your own, here are three highlights of the trip in my mind.

2000 J.K. Carrier Willamette Valley Pinot Noir – This was a very pretty wine and a great way to kick off our day. It was cherries and slightly sweet aromatics in the nose, and the color was a beautiful rose red. It had a solid length and medium mouth-feel I expect of Pinot Noir albeit not as silky as some wines we had latter in the day. What seemed to make us most happy however was the taste. Certainly ripe red/black cherry from the tree, and a semi-sweet herbaceous flavor that we guessed at anything from thyme to just about every herb in the garden. I do not know that we ever got it right but thyme or marjoram was probably closest. Unfortunately for the public this is a library wine that was being tasted only and not sold. So why even mention it? The Vintner mentioned 2000 was a cool year with some rains and since 2007 was similar, I am hoping that perhaps the current upcoming release may find similarities. If so, it could be quite good.
Flavor Profile: 4/5
Value Profile: 0/5 as unavailable

1999 Bernard Machado Pinot Noir – This wine is produced by Walnut City Wineworks and has only seen three vintages in the last 10 years with the 1999 being the first vintage. We tried this side by side with the 2005 vintage. While ’05 has some nice characteristics and a bit more intensity to its scents I found the ’99 overall more to my liking. It’s a dark garnet color with red/rose floral hue and the nose as well starts off with cherries, raspberry, and some sort of flower that was thought perhaps green, just blooming, violet. As the glass opened, I found rose and other flora scents. It’s a very perfumed nose but with a little musk (Elemi?) and dirt hanging around in the background that take quite a bit longer to appear. On the palate, this wine also had some difficult to determine but pleasant qualities. While it shows its age in its length and mouth-feel it still has plenty to give. There is an ample amount of tart red fruit such as tart cherries and black raspberry, maybe even cranberry, with dusty cardamom and off dry incense middle to a nicely dry even finish. I think I will try this wine with a porcini pork loin to match the earth notes, and show off the fruit and floral notes. And while I think I enjoyed this wine more than my companions… that is one of the wonderful things about wine. I think they are nearly out of this vintage so if it sounds interesting you should look them up soon.
Flavor Profile: 4/5
Value Profile: 4/5 (around $35/bottle – a great value for a 1999)

2000 Domain Drouhin Laurene Pinot Noir – The best tasting note of the day was not actually from me but I had to put it here – Jesus! (Nothing more was written.) I think of DDO’s wines as close to Burgundy as some may get in Oregon perhaps only lacking the stony finish of French earth. It was a deep garnet red in color, dark as sanguine red but still clear enough to read through and it smelled of rustic cherries, with dirt around the edges plus underlying dark floral tones… DDO also perhaps has the most seductive mouth-feel of any Oregon Pinot I have had and the 2000 was like sliding across the smoothest well-woven red silk. Its tastes were of red cherries long and lean, bright acid, and off dry fruit such as a cranberry or gooseberry as well. The finish was dirty, loamy, with clay wrapped around pockets of pumice. It was incredibly even and smooth on the palate and on its mouth-feel. Simply put this was the best wine of the day and the best profile I can honestly give it is “Yum”. I knew it was a great wine because while I would hurry through the first tastes to get more; but as I emptied the glass, I went slower and slower to preserve what I had. The part that may hurt most of us is the cost; at $100 per bottle, I hope you have a special occasion to purchase this wine or just the disposable income to do so. I am very hopeful as well with DDO that the 2007 Laurene may reflect very similar nuances to the 2000 but without the cost upon its impending release. This is what Oregon Pinot Noir can be and oh my, Jesus…
Flavor Profile: 4.5/5
Value Profile: 2.75/5 ($100+/bottle - this just seems a lot to me with the very good 2005 for a bit over 1/2 as much)

You don't mess with the Hoff, you just idolize...

There it was tuning into local radio on the drive home… "You don’t mess with the Hoff, you just idolize. The only man (David Hasselhoff of Night Rider and Bay Watch fame) to be able to pull off a look of a speedo and a leather jacket.” The radio jockey declared.

While I am not thinking I agree, I may have found his equivalent…

St. Urbans-Hof Qba Riesling 2007 – Black label with gold highlights, slender green bottle… could this be the man or wine in the leather and speedo?
Lightly straw yellow (surfer’s tan?) highlights with a pale green hue the UrbansHof (the Hof) was actually a bit disappointing upon opening. The smell was there – lemon curd or baked lemon tart with just a hint of sweet pastry crust at the end. But I found there was effervescence that I thought distracting at first taste. So I had a little and put it away for a while. On the second try… there were the chiseled features that made guys want to be him and enough sweetness for the women to swoon. Lemon Bar in the scent with hints of other confectionary and powdered sugar to a baked crumble smell at the back end. Tasting, it was lemon curd, or that lemon bar flavor, to lemon sherbet that coated the teeth and tongue as it moved to the morning ruby grapefruit with a touch of sugar sprinkled on top. It rounded back out with lemon Italian soda taste that finished with a pieces of dry ground slate. There was a wonderful acid length throughout that coated and holds the flavors together.

If you try this wine I’d open and taste straight away to see if the fizz is there… if distracting/detracting as I found it, leave it open for a while and come back to it. I wondered at first why this wine was so recommended but after my second, third, and so on tastes... So whether you like the wine or the man, this does live up to the name; but which came first the Hof or the Hoff? It doesn’t really matter as long as you remember with

orYou don’t mess with the Hoff, you just idolize…
Flavor Profile: 3/5 at first 4/5 later
Value Profile 4/5 ($15)

Comfortably Pinot

When I find Pinot Noir I really like its total comfort. It’s a gourmet Mac and Cheese (gruyere and white cheddar if you please) with panko crumbs and pancetta. Full, tasty, layered, but also its my fleece lined Romeo slippers. I’ve been really fortunate over the last month to have some amazing wine of many varietals… Still I wanted to share some good Pinot Noir and what I think are at great value.

2001 Medici East Block Pinot Noir – I blogged about this before and its still one of my happy points. (prior post - Pin-oooh Noir) Lately the ’01 Medici is going through a smellier phase with earthy funk more notable than even when I first had it. So if you need I would just let it open for a good 30 min or so to blow off a bit if at first it doesn’t appeal to you. That said many don’t and are very happy… What I really like about the Medici East Block is that its primary characteristics are forest and soil with the secondary being fruit. That is contrary to what is commonly being produced by some. I don’t think I can improve on my prior notes but I will say that the nose has even more black truffle and dark earth followed by a bit of bittersweet dark chocolate coffee and cola, then to long needle pine and finally red fruit and dust. The flavors mirror the nose and have distinctive layers as they traverse the palate. It’s a far reaching and lightly grippy pinot that I have taken to more than one occasion to shock and then awe the imbibers. This pinot has an officer’s crease and snap so stand at attention while you drink soldier and G.I up in a comfortable pair of old leathery combat boots.
Flavor Profile: 3.5 /5
Value: 4 /5 ($26-30 in most stores)

2002 Medici East Block Pinot Noir – I was lucky enough to try the two Medici side by side. And while they have similarities they are not even close to the same wine. The ’02 is much a more even handed feminine temptress. The color is amazingly similar as the sister to the above brother reflects the same heritage. As well the smell is of forest fir first and then fruit. Yet the '02 has evergreen pine and noble fir to her with a bit of cola and bright red cherry in the scents. On the palate it is more seductive and smooth bodied, not as muscular or angular. Light valley pine oil is followed by fire engine red ripe cherries that finish with a pair of dusty hiking boots. She’ll likely be more popular than her brother; hello all American girl.
Flavor Profile 3.5/5
Value: 4/5 ($27-30 harder to find as the release is not actually slated till after the’01 is gone)

Clay Hill 2006 Pinot Noir [De Ponte Vineyards] (aka cherry vanilla coke) – You want the Mac and Cheese of Pinot? You want a great value that has the characteristics of Oregon fruit but without having to read or write waxing poetic? You want to not have to describe the characteristics of forest, various red fruits, spices, and earth? And you just want to drink it with your homemade Mac and Cheese with panko and bacon; or with a burger or turkey burger. You got it... Clay Hill ’06 Pinot is maraschino cherry red with cherry vanilla cola in the nose. Drink it and its all cherries and the juice in the jar with maybe a bit of vanilla coke. Lightly grippy and cherry simply. Wash down your food with that and don’t give a moments thought, cause ya don’t have too. Possibly the soda pop of pinot.
Flavor Profile: 3/5
Value: 3/5 ($24/bottle – I would like to see this more in the 20 or under category, what’s $4? That’s $4 more towards Mac and Cheese my friends)

The class of the glass

These white wines are classic, vibrant, seductive, and run the gamut of tastes one could wish. I have my own issues with white wine; I am pickier with it than red. If white doesn’t turn my head or make me pause I am likely to simply pass it by. I will buy inexpensive reds more frequently. Yet, overall a really good white wine will get my attention and hold my passions more than a red. Really interesting white wine is that good to me. These are three that are dissimilar to each other but each caught me with something that held me fast.

Domaine du Clape 2007 – A rare 100% Marsanne southern French wine that smelled of the honey and polish of beeswax, Asian pear, and neroli perfume. Tastes craved by the buzz of bees or flittering of hummingbird’s wing with white cala lillies, day lillies, fresh cut flower stalk, and a fat oval mouth-feel only to be felt with avocado but without its flavor. Its an unusual and what would be often considered contrary mix of both the feel of perfume and fat in the same glass. It nearly left me weak staring at the yellowish perfume color. It’s dry as if drinking Chanel #5 and with a finish as subtle and yet completely mind-altering as a whisper. $$

Bodegas Niades 2005 – The Matador’s jacket and glint off his spear are the character of this old vines Verdejo. It gleams and glints in the light almost distracting from the power and grace. A Hemmingway recount of dusty battle of Toreador in Spain. It is somehow determined to be as it is. Full bodied and full of life with pear, lemon grass, and a long white crushed mineral finish. It glows golden as the gleam off Mediterranean sea, as two people in a yellow cab lives pressed together whether they wish it or not, as with a destiny of flavors as the sun also rises… $$

Botani Moscatel Seco 2007 – Going to the country gonna eat me a lot of peaches, going to the country gonna eat me a lot of peaches. Get the jist of this Spanish Muscat? Don’t mistake it as sweet either but think fresh raw peach meat with some cardamom sprinkled on it. Barely a yellow hue with a nose of white peach and cardamom and what reminded me of the woody spicy nature of cinnamon bark. I think this would be great with seafood or even some mild spicy food, but I can’t wait to have it with brunch. Don’t tell James, he’ll try to live inside the bottle. Going to the country gonna eat me a lot of peaches... $

Cheers to wine

I never met David Lett of Eyrie Vineyards. After having tried his wines and meeting the people he influenced; some who I consider my friends, I wish I had. I stopped by the memorial for him over the weekend to pay my respects... Seeing the rooms full of those who knew him, as well as those who, like me, simply wanted to show some sort of respect and support; it had me thinking how interesting and wonderful one little bit of fermented fruit can be.

Wine is odd social connector. Through only one year of going to tastings I have made friends I spend time with - and geek out about wine with, enjoy meals with, poke fun about sports, discuss and debate politics, remember esoteric forgotten pieces of social culture with, and more. In that year I have met so many good people and simply because of our mutual enjoyment of wine. I continue to meet new people who, as wine, I endeavor to get to know better. From vintners, to garagistas, to persons like myself who just enjoy wine and have less knowledge and experience. To David Lett and all those so impassioned by the juice of the grape; who through their excited chemistry and creations have initiated a social network and maintained its person to person interaction even through a time of blogs, facebook, and texting... Cheers and my thanks.

A wine worth mentioning with this post I recently had, from a varietal I had never had prior on its own...
Eyrie 2006 Pinot Munier - Pinot Munier is a grape lesser known genetic variation of Pinot Noir often used in blends... If all Pinot Munier is like this then please let it be bottled on its own! This was a sleak and exciting wine. The nose at first was full of ripe pomegranate, with a subtle cranberry tartness. There too was a very slight darkened earthy funk that seemed unwilling to hold still, appearing both infront of and behind the fruit. Slip onto the palate and its as if you have cracked a pomegranate in your hands, the juice of the seeds and vapors of the pith coating the skin and tastebuds. Have you seen the old Ocean Spray wave commercials? This is a pomegranate-cran-acai berry blend that crests and swells brightly over the tongue. The bright acid was sea spray foam that lifting and clearing away. Still, searching in the flavors, the slightest almost imperceptable burnt smokey earth taste and feel was present. As if charring a field of its last minute stalks to a newly fertile and rich soil. How about this with a cranberry chutney on chicken or even cedar planked red wine infused fish. Its sultry enough to grab your attention and have with such food or if she prefers slip you a mickey all on her own. $$

And the sky was all violet

(Kudos if you know what song the title of ths post is from)

Have you had enough leftovers lately to feel like Violet from Willie Wonka & the Chocolate Factory? You know the girl that bloated up into a giant blueberry and was rolled away by Oompa Loompa? Well oompa loompa doompity dooo, I've got a steal of a wine for you.

Pull that last turkey out of the freezer or use this for after the next holidays if you have Turkey again... Bordeaux and turkey sandwich I was told is the pairing for leftovers after the holiday; when another friend recommended a steal of a Bordeaux an idea hatched. I am back and forth with Bordeaux that I have had by the way; normally think it a big complex wine perhaps beyond my palate but this was a pairing I plan to recreate many many times.

First the wine...
Poitevin Cru Bourgeios 2005 - Welcome to your first spoonful of very tart wild boisenberry/blueberry triffle. The smell of this wine was plump of juicy berries, it had me repeating boisenberry boisenbery boisenberry - like a mantra but also with undercurrents of blueberry, and green wood. The color was decidely layered in those berries as well; dark ruby red mixed with the most intense dark violet purple edge. Its a Bipolar combination of color that may have you thinking ROY G BIV needs some psychotherapy. Drinking this was almost too easy and more like inhaling, you don't think it, it just happens. Silk smooth texture, with an oval mouth-feel of a mix of dark berries was easily drank. A reflex of air this was reflex of grapes. Its almost too easy to quaff down from its soft rounded body. However, it does reward the smaller portion too with definitive dry almost underipe layered tart fruit flavors that slide to a mild dank dark brown earthen finish. Dark as night, dark as pitch, in a violet sky stars shone like little fish... $

I promised as well the recipe for leftover turkey sandwich I had this with. Try this and see if it doesnt match so well... Shred a mixture of dark and white meat by hand or fork. Use enough to make a sandwich similar to a pulled pork. More if making for a group. Heat the shredded turkey in an uncovered non stick skillet or sauce pan on med to med-hi heat. No oil should be needed as the meat has it. Turn and fold the meat occasionally to heat through; about 5 minutes or so. Reduce heat to med and add just enough Stubb's Chicken Marinade to dress the turkey. This means no excess liquid in your pan, it should soak up and coat the turkey. Once turned and folded to combination with no excess fluid add a bit more of the Marinade so there is a very shallow layer of fluid. Allow to reduce and combine with the turkey stirring occasionally. While reducing cut thin slices of tillamook extra sharp white cheddar. Again the goal here is to dress or coat not create a cheesy goo. Add a few slices at a time to the pan strring frequently as it melts to coat the turkey pieces. For 3 sandwhiches I used a 9" pan with about 7 oz sliced cheese. Once fully combined and coated serve hot on a wheat bun. For a twist fry some julienne shallots in a pan and add on top of the turkey before closing your sandwhich. Similar to a marinated pulled pork this is a flavorful marinated pulled turkey sammie that made mouths water and really accentuated the wine showing boisenberry and wild tart blueberry bold in the glass. I can hardly wait to make it again. En Boca Lupo!

Is Oregon Pinot Worth its salt?

Well, I have been lax on posting of late but I did want to be sure to post about this topic. Throughout the fall the harvest of grapes goes on, and by now all are off the vine. Several times this fall already I have been asked by friends is there an inexpensive Oregon Pinot Noir that is really good? In other words is Oregon Pinot worth its salt...

One of the great things and also maddening things in my opinion about wine is that its worth what people will pay for it. Do I think that you could find a good Oregon Pinot for $10 - personally, No! Do I think there are some nice Pinot Noirs from the area for $20 or less - absolutely!

Grochau Cellars (GC) Toute De Suite 2007 Pinot Noir - its Supercalafragalistic expidaladocius! The name of this wine may sound almost as strange to some when you say it but it reminds me of that old song and dance routine. Its happy, fun, bawdy, and a bowl full of bright fruity red cherries. Its a big red cherry soda that tickles the taste buds and dances a bit madly. Tastes of bright red pie cherries, dark floral tones, and baking spices swirl about the mouth. It evokes the color maraschino cherry red in my mind just thinking of the tastes, even though the color of the wine is more dark rose red. While not long I dare you to call this a quaffer. Its too vivacious for that. Tout de suite in French means immediately and after you have a glass or bottle I am guessing you'll understand and want to have more tout de suite! $

J. Christopher Zoot Allures Pinot Noir 2006 - Well wait I already posted on the Zoot Allures before; but no, this is a secondary release with different grapes. As much as I liked the original I like this even better! This second run had a bit more layers to it, with a dry high forest earthy smell reminding me of hiking through the ponderosa pine around central Oregon. As well, smells of bing cherries still on the tree of some Mt. Hood orchard with dark wild blossoms scents. So how's the taste? While moderately short bodied it still had a wonderful slippery, silky, and lightly acidic mouth-feel. Red cherry and berry combined with a more earthy finish. One taster commented white pepper although I more found fruit, oregon farming earth, and garden herbs. Again this is a real steal at the cost and with what I thought was a more combined and interesting palate than the prior more than worthwhile release. $

With these two, and others I have prior posted, you may find some inexpensive (at least in my mind) Oregon Pinot Noir. But does that $50-70/bottle Pinot really have that much of a difference? Well again that's pretty personal on tastes and what producers can sell their wine for. So I also wanted to include two from my favorite Oregon Pinot Noir producer Eyrie Vineyards that I believe are worth more than their cost albeit that each are not inexpensive.

Eyrie 1999 Reserve Pinot Noir - I felt as if on plush velvet pillows as I sipped ths wine, a middle-eastern experience for an Oregon Pinot. As I stuck my nose to the glass I was instantly met with the smell of pancetta fat, geranium, and cherries. I could imagine the spattering of pancetta in a sizzling hot pan with bits carmalizing and popping out all over a wood stoked fire. As with most Eyrie, this is lighter than the average Pinot; a light and rudy garnet red with a rusty hue. This is the color I most enjoy and why I admit to bias to the Eyrie Pinots. But that is not the only reason... That wonderful smell kept changing and different persons found thyme, clay dust, cranberry, raspberry and other scents. So layered is that nose! I would need much more discerning senses to smell all the aormatic molecules. When tasting I found there was a slightly more strengthened body and acid compared to some Eyrie I have had. Long acid feel ran back over my tongue with a traditional cherry and earth flavor, but with tangy red fruit that persisted throughout finishing with a slightly smoky spice. Perhaps my nose, transmitted taste to my tongue too but I swore I could feel and taste fat pancetta bacon. More than one taster expressed wanting this wine with Oyster stuffing at the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday meal. As I sipped and smelled I felt lazy or dreamy as lotus eatiers, or in a harem with houka and sweet sticky scents of zesty fruited smoke and spice. With the '99 Eyrie be your own Sultan, sip, and dream. $$

Eyrie 2003 Reserve Pinot Noir - Even though 2003 was not the it year for pinot noir; deftly touched, this is a wonderful wine. It was colored as garnets in sunlight with light cherry red/pink hue, and with what some would swear are orangish sparkles in the glass. Very ripe cherries are effervescent in the nose but with a lythe and light floral smell that quickly gave way - hibiscus was it? Delicate, demure, and gone too quickly. Further scents of drying hay and old barn plus what some described as a light warm Oregon costal breeze. I found a wonderfuly earthy scent remeniscent of filbert orchards and the dirt clods found within. Imagine the perfect filbert farm perched on the Oregon Coastal cliffs selling cherries and roasted filbers at the gate... The taste was layered, complex, and evoked discussion. While cherry and cranberry fruit were at the start, following was a full meat fat taste of game hen or wild bird on a grill or spit that made the tastebuds simply water- pheasant anyone? Finishing with filberts and dried up muddy earth, but with a refreshing savory herb that was decidedly Bay leaf. Its a long and austere wine with perhaps not as much plush as the 1999 but equally layered, driven, and still of more potence than other Eyrie I have had. Its a wine that drinks like an aristocratic meal of old, with all its courses and complexity of decor and warmth. Pull out the fine china and silver, the '03 Eyrie is at the table. $$

Fall Favorites

I love October. Why? Because the leaves are starting to fall, the air is crisp, there are fish migrating up the rivers, and many wines are released as well. I also always enjoy when the woods are full of fall scents. All in all autumn has to be my favorite time of year.

Recently I took a Coho salmon I had caught over to a friend’s to grill on their traeger. The fish, seasoned only with a bit of truffle salt and then sea salt, brought questions to what to have with it - definitely Pinot Noir. When asked what I thought I said something like the Medici East Block Pinot Noir (see prior postings) – thinking of truffles, forest floor decay, earthy; definitely in the style of where the fish was caught out of the rivers of the northwest surrounded by wet pines, decaying wood, mud, and low lying mists. The choice made was simply a brilliant marriage of flavors for our meal.

Carlo & Julian Young Vines Cuvee 2006 Pinot Noir – I was given the first small pour to meet approval with the fish… Oh yes this is it... Cherries in the nose but that quickly fell to decaying forest floor scents. Further scents reminded me of being a kid kicking open wet, moss covered decaying stumps or logs on stomps through northwest woods. The taste was of wet cool fruit, cherries and some wild berries. While the fruit was a great pairing with our fish and other courses, the other flavors may have been even better accompaniment. The fruit faded a bit, while still remaining present, with earthy, mossy, wild mushroom, wet forest floor flavors impressing - mirroring the nose in those tastes. Good fish to me is like good wine; there are more than just the typical tastes associated with it too. The Coho, grilled fresh, even had me sniffing the skin. No fishy smells, it had scents of the traeger wood grill and was like a roasted herb chicken with skin on. The flavor of the fish with the truffle salt was just so good paired with the cherries, wild fruit, and decaying mossy mushroom covered logs of northwest pine forests. My host even stated that this wine while good, was simply excellent when put with the Coho. A wonderful wine and dinner that typified the outdoors of the northwest in autumn. If you can try your own Oregon salmon and Pinot Noir. You might not do much better than the Carlo & Julian Young Vines Cuvee. $$

This all serves to point out that besides the right wine, the right food paired with can have a lasting impact. It certainly did on me. Pinot and Coho, a northwest bounty.

Bachus Athena & Apollo

Busted! Been a month since I posted! Okay so I was off having a late summer full of wine, food, & fun. And while Bachus may be the God of wine and good times, I ran into a few others of the Pantheon while enjoying my time and wines...

Boedecker Cellars Athena 2004 Pinot Noir – This beautiful Pinot Noir aptly carries the name of the Greek goddess of Beauty. It also carries the name of the song of the same title by the Who - which was mentioned more than once during this tasting while enjoying this somehow contradictory, but aligned, powerful yet sultry and delicate Pinot Noir. While actually named after one of the vintners it is truly a lovely Pinot Noir, which fixed me with its allure. It had colors of deep ruby red with rose highlights and the moment I put the glass near to my nose I smelled bacon fat, smoke, and earth. As I waited scents of dark cherries and geranium arose more to the front. The initial scents surprised me and definitely intensified my interest. The palate may have surprised me even more with a full but delicate mouth-feel that was so round and well put together. Freshly picked dark cherries were the most pronounced flavor to me but with a nice sultry alcohol lift and tasty smoked earth notes towards the finish. It had very nice acidity as well that lasted long and pressed far back on the tongue. The balance of this wine was the topic of some conversation as well as it was so good and straight – like walking a long tight rope but with more thrill than fear. I was very fortunate to have this wine, as it is in very scarce suplly! I learned a lesson here, when I held off on placing an order for just a few days finding that none remained through that initial outlet. It again had me recall the song by the Who - Athena, I had no idea how much I’d need her. My life has been so settled and she’s the reason…
If you find this wine, this is a rare case where I will recommend buy on locating. You wont find it at a tasting likely; it’s a stunner and at a really reasonable cost for what it is. $$

Ermita VeraCruz 2005 Verdejo - Have you not had the Verdejo (Vayr-Day-Hoe) varietal of Spain before? Well I think you are missing out! This version of this white wine is a last gasp of summer to complement the few sunny warm days we've still managed. The description couldn't have come to me more easily with the Vera Cruz. It was citrusy lemon and filtered sun streaks through groves of trees touched by the fingers of Apollo. Full of lemon and some other citrus in the nose I couldn't quite get a hold of, but with a dry warm whiff that was almost dusty grassy scented. Bright yellow lemons swirled with other citrus, and lemon grass ran around the mouth which then met with a pith taste... there running back until finish an aftertaste of white minerally rocks such as limestone or white gravel. It was bold, racy, and bright and I could easily visualize the hand of Apollo picking only the very best fruit for his own. Best of all its an affordable end to summer. And heck its so good I might open in the middle of winter just to get some summer glow and chase away any Oregon cabin fever. Run through the groves ye children of Apollo. $

City of Rosés

Well I'm behind in posts. I've attended some brilliant tastings and notes run amuck. Because of this I will probably have another posting this week alone. I am trying to get the wine word out. :)

Portland is well known as the City of Roses… however, after escaping some very hot weather recently; and having used the occasion to have a few different rosé, I think I live in the city of Rosés. Portland is already a wine friendly town but I am impressed with number of different rosé I have seen. I’m not even close to trying one quarter of what I have seen. I have had a few new ones since my last rosé posting though, as well as a couple repeats so I wanted to send out an update.

Vallescuro Tempranillo Rosé 2007 – This is a solid built, muscular, rosé. If you haven’t had rosé, or not many, this wine definitely has some push to it for the type of wine. Very dark red raspberry color in the bottle and glass but still completely translucent as rosé are. The nose contained a lot of strawberry and raspberry fruit, with a touch of some sort of spice. On the palate, its strawberry mouth fill I thought would be all I might find upon first taste. As it progressed however, some spice tingled the front of my tongue before moving back to the middle with a very chalky and moderate length finish. It reminded me of the swirling dust off erasers cleaning chalkboard. The mouth-feel is fat and round for a rosé. I had with some Mexican food and it matched well. To be a bit bold, this wine has cajones, which one of my tasting friends is all for. Take a swirl, sip, and hold on to this forward and fresh rosé. $

Cameron Vino Pinko 2007 Rosé – Ah yes the rosé with Che Guevara on the label that made a local conservative radio host angry. Cameron has been releasing this slightly controversial labeled rosé for a few years now; however, this is my first time tasting it. A blend of 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Munier, it is airy colored in the bottle and glass… the lightest shade of pink imaginable like an ocean haze enhanced sunset. The nose is light and bright dried strawberries and acidity – dry strawberry cologne in a glass. It is very light and a bit racy. Once in the mouth, it was freeze dried strawberry flavors at onset that swirled to a citric acid flavor and feel. There is long acidity to this wine and it finished far back on the palate with a dry slate dust taste that still had remnants of fruit blended in. I would love to try this with Cuban food! The tastes change seeminly at will and from taster to taster, another maddeningly great wine from John Paul. $

J.M. Raffault Cabernet Franc Chinon Rosé 2007 – If you haven’t had French rosé I think you really should. That said there are crazy numbers of French rosé in different styles with different grapes. However, if you have a grape or vintner you like from France see if they produce a rosé. That is how and why I picked up the Raffault rosé. If you see my prior posts on the Raffault Chinon I truly dove into the glass. When I saw his rosé, I simply knew I wanted to try it.
This rosé is a steelhead or trout flesh pink color in the glass and bottle, but bright and clear. As with Cab Franc varietals, there can be salad or vegetal quality in the nose and this rosé did not disappoint. The aroma certainly had ripe strawberries, but they blended with a green jalapeno pepper scent. I very much enjoyed the blend of fruit and spicy green in the aroma. Tastes were very dry fruit at front, but also I found this is a bracing, acid filled rosé. It’s squeaky clean and its white pepper and mineral driven finish I impressed me as a long but delicate palate cleanser. Paired with grilled leaks and squash it was simply a wonderful sipper and an instant reason to repeat with a number of other French rosé. $

Grochau Cellars (G.C.) Pink – The people’s rosé. Did you read my prior notes on G.C Pink? I called it the friendliest rosé I’ve had. This is a Pinot Noir rosé in its first year of release. I had the fortune of having again recently and it still is very friendly and very popular with tasters. There have been some changes to the wine since last tasted in June. The nose was a bit dirtier with a light air of wind through straw and farmhouse in a hot summer. The strawberries are also still there but the wine smells a bit darker and more structured. In the mouth, I was greeted with big plump strawberry and cherry as expected and plenty of a glycerin mouth-feel but with a bit of a toast tip or french toast air maybe I confused with more in the nose than on the palate. The finish had some decent tannin feel with a nice bright acidity that washed the back of the mouth. One other taster mentioned blindfolded I wouldn’t have known this was G.C. Pink nor maybe even rosé. An interesting thought that she may be right about; it would be fun to try that with what I still consider the people’s rosé, with something for everyone. $

Personally I will drink a rosé any time of year but as this weekend some do consider the official end of summer it’s the perfect time to take that extra day and wander to your local wine shop in the city of Rosés.

Hard to Port

I’ve been meaning to post about Port for some time - another wine that I find interesting, that is sometimes misunderstood. Port is wine fortified with brandy. When I say Port, most people metaphorically turn away and say no thank you I am not into sweet wine. While often as a desert or aperitif, not all Port is necessarily sweet, nor is it what some expect… There are white port (yes from white grapes), tawny port, ruby port, etc. Tastes can range from dry white minerals to peaches, brandied cherries, figs, cola, coffee, even nuts. While the majority I have tasted can be sweet or semi-sweet, I have had dry Port. Both style of Port I mention here are somewhat sweet Tawny Port. Each are good to sit sip and relax with, as a fine brandy or fortified wine should be in my opinion. When you find the style of Port you like, then find the maker you really enjoy, it may be enough to having you turn hard, to Port.

Keopke Fine Tawny Port – For an inexpensive Port this is a nice wine. Burnt red/brown colored in the glass with a nice dark mahogany hue... It has strong brandy style scent but with nice brandied cherries almost as an afterthought. On the palate, it is a lightly sweet Port of red brandied cherries of Christmas and cola flavors, with a crème brûlée and a nutty finish. Its cola burst in the middle reminded me while a child figuring out the way to coerce the soda machine at my father’s workplace to pouring straight syrup into the cup without the soda water. Thick dark cola, with torched sugar style flavor. Not the longest Port it had a bit of a definite brandy and desert style impression. I recently had with family at summer holiday having with dark chocolate and almonds and after with other friends who all enjoyed. Would be good with standard faire for with Port such as Stilton cheese as well as this is a fairly standard Port. It’s a good introduction to semi-sweet to sweet Port and is a nice pick up for the price. $

Smith Woodhouse Colheita Port 1986 – This Colheita is a rare Tawny Port produced from a single harvest. While my experience with Port is limited to about a dozen I found this to be very pretty with elegant aromas of caramel, brandy, seasoned wood, and nuts. It was very light colored in the glass too, hazelnut shell colored with slight ruddy tint. Flavors and mouth-feel were both gentle but full, with butterscotch, almond extract, and light bing-cherry juice flavors, which then finished with grey smoke and slightly over roasted coffee tastes. Long and very interesting the finish evaporated from the mouth and tongue easily leaving a light feel and toasted touch. This is a much more serious Port in my opinion with age, elegance, and depth. Due to that, it is a bit more exclusive in price. Not a desert Port in my mind I think of it to have as an aperitif or simply as a treat at any time. Enjoy on its own or with some tamari almonds, maybe some Tilamook extra sharp white cheddar for a local flair, and all hands, hard to Port. $$$

The Greatest Show on Earth

Barnum and Bailey, if they are wine lovers, I believe would applaud the tasting I recently attended. A circus menagerie of grapes it lit up the big top, had its clowns, its acrobats, its tigers, and even the elephant in the room. It was a bevy of wine from around the world even moments like Cirque de Soleil. To be sure more wine was tasted than will be listed here, but like any circus some things caught my attention more than others. So ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages… welcome to the show!

St. Urbans-hof Urban Mosel Riesling 2006 – hello my little leibshen. With a nice kiss of pale gold color this wine brought kerosene to the nose, white gas, plus citrus aromas. A pleasant offering that woke up the palate and showed what a German Riesling can be like. I love the scent of a Mosel Riesling. In the mouth it had a glycerin smooth feel. Short bodied, lightly off-dry, and fun and pretty; a cabaret of flavors - the tastes juggled grapefruit, candied lemon rind, green clover flower, and golden apple that finish light while running over white rock and slate. It was an enjoyable attention grabber to start things off under the lights of the circus tent. $

Bunnell Northridge Vineyard Mouvedre 2006 (Washington) – This was a showy bugger; like a man on the flying silks, or even the daredevils of the motor cross sphere. Dark sanguine crimson red in the glass. Many who were entranced by it were impressed by such a ostentatious young version of this varietal. Black pepper, currants, wet dirty sheep’s wool, and other sweaty/gamey funk in the nose; it nearly recoiled some but the fruit scents won out as the more pungent aromas blew off. Taste buds were given a show with smooth plum, black raspberry, licorice, and fireside smoke that crossed the palate. On its finish it careened, plummeting and stopping short of disaster to salted iodized meat with a leave of wet clay – leaving its audience gasping, mouths agape. $$

Maisonneuve Cahors Les Laquets 2002 – This wine was the rowdy entertainer of the evening if not in strength or subtlety in shear energy and interest. Opened at the tasting as a friendly extra, it was a sweat laden hairy legged French woman singing James Brown – I feel good hah! Dirty and funky at the same time... The nose was smelly with dirty earth, barnyard, dried fruit, astringency, and band aid scents. On the palate it was full bodied, wide oval, dry, but long and very smooth. Flavors of dried dark or black fruit transitioned to a tarter berry taste then moved to iodine and marrow with what I could only evoke as dry red desert clay soil finish. Truly a treat that had many tasters singing along – I feel good… now that I got you. Hunh! $$

Comte Armand Volnay 2005 – This was the growling tiger in the room. A sleek, strong and dynamic, but somehow contrasting delicate and perfumed sensed Burgundy that I have had once before and loved both times. Soft aromas of dark fruit and flowers – maybe jasmine or rose petals expanded from initial brambly darker scents that left thoughts of deep forest thickets that block out sunlight. Flavors were of raspberry and loganberry at first. Then the wine opened further and an unidentifiable herbal taste was present. It finished with an iron earthen flavor one taster felt was “bloody” to the point of his distaste; either from the order of tastes before or from changes in the bottle since last tasted. Certainly more power to the finish than the last time I had this wine. Engrossed I stared into the dark stained glass at the eyes of this feline but powerful Burgundy. $$$

Fougeray de Beauclair Bonnes Mares 2001 Grand Cru – The grand finale and a special share from a friend. Thank you, you know who you are. This Burgundy started right off with both flash and substance - cherries jubilee in the nose but with a background of floral tones. Flavors ranged from tart black cherry and woody spices in the start and mid-palate; to forest floor funk with decaying ferns and moss, to iodine, iron, and long subtle minerals at the finish. It was the big wine in the room. The elephant that none will forget as it showed its power and also grace that perhaps would not be expected. It drew me in and impressed me with its flavors and layers; it could even age more easily, if one wanted. Simply astounding, simply brilliant, simply a standing ovation finish under the big top. $$$$

Pin-ooooh Noir

I love it when a good wine has the same affect on each person regardless of when opened or tasted. That’s why I had to (against my own misgivings of broadcasting this wine) post about a 2001 East Block Pinot Noir recently released from library. Every time I have been present upon opening of this wine, any new taster has had the same audible reaction upon nose to rim of the glass – “ooooh!”

Medici 2001 East Block Pinto Noir
This wine is retro! Back to the tradition of what I think Oregon Pinot Noir is all about. The classic coke of Pinot (try the coke vs. classic coke challenge) it’s the better recipe and evoking thoughts of earlier less over-potent Pinot Noir expressions. What do I mean by that? Well without getting into various preferences of wine by some wine advocates; in my opinion many current Pinot Noir are big bodied, high alcohol, big fruit up front. I am preferable to the lower alcohol, more delicate and perfumed subtle layered wines some vintners still express and I feel more past wine had.

The color in this Pinot Noir was translucent ruby red clear enough to read tasting notes through; that tugged childhood memory strings of the color red of strawberry freezer jam. This wine was so enrapturing and smelly in the nose too. Smelly can be a good thing, yes. As I put the rim of the glass to my nose I exclaimed, “ooooh” and prior tasters that had done the same just laughed. Black truffles, mild cherry fruit, and decaying long needle pine on a dank forest floor. That forest floor funk I think is a marker of good Oregon Pinot Noir. I could only have sniffed the glass stupefied and been happy, and in fact, I often did.

On the palate it was bright red cherries that transitioned to a coffee/burnt caramel that reminded me of a Mahattan Transfer song – I like the java jive and it likes me, coffee and tea, Pinot and me… Flavors then went to a more pine, forest floor matter/mushrooms, as it started to finish even had a mild numbing pine oil taste/sensation on the tip of the tongue before final solid strong with clay dust – it ended down and dirty like a roll in the mud. I encourage you to chase this wine through the woods, get down and dirty with it, cause it feels sooo good.
$$

The wrong wine never tasted so right

I’ve been really lax about updating the blog. But really now, it is summer and I am trying to get out and enjoy! I have been fortunate enough to have been a part of a few different tastings and BBQs as well. Its been a grape (pun intended) July for me so far.

Just last night I was having a dinner of Chicken, Tabouli, and roasted carrots with some friends – it was yum. I was excited to bring over and open the Cameron 2006 Willamette Valley Chardonnay to have with. About 1/4 of the way through the bottle I realized I had grabbed the Cameron 2006 Columbia Valley Chardonnay! Augh wrong wine! I’m not even sure if you can find the Columbia Valley Chardonnay but still we all enjoyed it so much and I remembered much of what I thought when I first had it quite a bit ago.

Cameron 2006 Columbia Valley Chardonnay – John Paul you mad genius! As with others of his this wine is classic rock on a warm summer evening. It’s like the 70’s and 80’s rock alive in a glass. Kansas, Eagles, KISS… This is quite simply a wonderful Chardonnay. Its not likely to make you weak in the knees, nor give up a love of a layered flavor, mineral finish character of white Burgundy… however, this is an expression of Chardonnay that some may not expect, and that I think is simply quite right. It had a beautiful golden yellow color in the glass that swirled the rays of the evening sun. It had a very clean nose of golden apples and what one person noted as a hint of white grape jelly. While smelling off dry, on the palate it had golden lightly tart apples that faded to a mild talc and chalk dust flavor. Oak? What oak? We certainly couldn’t distinguish discernible oaky overtones as many think of in Chardonnay. This is a classic clean style wine in the form of French whites I've had. It may not have the length or some of the terrior of those wines, nor make you abandon any French favorites you have, but it also doesn’t have the cost. Serve lightly chilled, stare into the brilliant golden hue, and serve with your favorite Oregon summer dishes. John Paul, for those about to rock we salute you. $

To parry the inexpensive Cameron and to mention a wine I recently had again but appreciated all the more this time I am going to go across the pond. I was so ecstatic to have this wine again. Simply the BEST Burgogne Blanc I have ever had. I opened a 375ml with a friend to celebrate his arrival home from France. He too, was won over and amazed by this expression of Chardonnay grapes. In fact he declared it better than the French Chardonnay he had from a barrel while abroad. Okay onto the tasting notes and the wine.

Francois Jobard 2005 Meursault “En La Barre” – Did you see my first tasting notes on this wine when I started this blog? I repeat the sentiment. I would sell my soul for a case of this wine. Any takers? Brilliant golden in the glass, the moment lifted near the nose all sorts of notes jump forward. White smoke, tart green apples, sour mash, vanilla, wet gravel, and all long and clean. It’s hard to keep this wine in the glass to taste thoroughly as its so grand! One sip and I’d swear I could speak French and want to move there just to have wine like this more often. Lengthy layered flavors of apples with undertones of citrus that move to chalk and wet gravel wash over the palate and tumble through the mouth. Perhaps more impressive is the balance and length of this Meursault. The acid is bright and brilliant in the tastes and the flavors accordingly run the length of the tongue all the way to the back of the mouth. I could continue to taste the apples and rocks for minutes after a mouthful. I wonder if Jobard is just a brilliant vintner or if he made a deal with Bacchus or some wine devil to produce this wonderful wine. Perhaps that explains the smoke in the wine. ;) I have yet to have a better glass of Chardonnay and unfortunately rarely will, as the cost of such is somewhat impeding. $$$$

Salud!

Abracadabra!

With a flick of the wrist and a magic word Sleight of Hand Cellars Trey Bush appeared at a recent tasting I attended to impart his blend of Rock and Roll and Hocus Pocus by pouring his wines and running the choice of cds. While a bit biased by this magician's charm with discussions of wine, food and sport over later evening meal I truly did enjoy his wines, and was actually most interested in a simple white. Fortunately Trey doesn't ready this blog - yet... So I can be honest about his wine! :)

By the way Sleight of Hand cellars are actually named after a Pearl Jam song for those of you fans in the know. Whether a bit of magic or if just rockin' away the summer - Trey's pours were a fun way to pass a summer's eve. If you learn the magic words just right, flick your wrist as you open a bottle you may find your days happily and magically pass by as well.

Sleight of Hand "The Magician" Gewürztraminer 2007 - Definitely a bit of mystery and magic here. This was not what I expect out of a Gewürztraminer. More fruity, less spicy, and with some simple friendly twists. Like smoke off flash paper aromas of melon and floral tones lifted throughout the scent. It appeared as though something that would be sweet. Ah but misdirection is the magician's friend. While the nose went one way, on the palate this was a moderately dry wine while still being very pretty and fruit forward. A friendly taste full of melon and other luscious fruit such as peach and pear but with a slippery lightly tart pit finish. It was more delicate that I would expect of a Gewürztraminer as well, and while albeit a bit thin in mouth-feel it was the wine I enjoyed most of that evening. I was a little put off by the price too at $17/bottle. However, this wine was a fun flick of the wand, with a bit of illusion and charm that only the best magicians can provide. Turn on your favorite Pearl Jam and say abracadabra just before you imbibe. $

Holding off the Italian Troops

Well its been 2 weeks since my last post. I think I became a bit over wined there for a moment. Especially since I had been tasting a number of inexpensive whites and then big Washington or Italian Reds. I was looking for something different... Part of me still is. I think I am in a white wine mood lately. However I wanted to blog about a wine that maybe wasn't so inexpensive nor so readily available; something people would have to seek out only if they really were interested. With that in mind I remembered a Pinot Noir I had in the last few weeks.

Hello my name is Joel, and I have a problem, I love Pinot Noir... Okay that said what's not to like about cherries, berries, flowers, funk, and potentially chalk or rocks?!? Maybe that's a bit basic but it certainly describes the Pinot and Burgundy that I have so gone grape nutz for. Certainly its a versatile grape with a lot of different wines that wine lovers buzz (or in this case blog) about. As mentioned lately I have tasted a number of nice Italian wines but am ready for something different. Fortunately at one tasting I was offered a bonus poor of pinot noir. Immediately I knew that was the wine of the night for me. I wanted to climb down into the glass and just sit in a happy place.

What was the wine that so turned my head and still had enough power to stand up to the Italian troops?

Dusky Goose Pinot Noir 2003 - This is a full and solid bodied Pinot Noir that is athletic enough to stand up to a number of dishes and tastes. The nose was of dark ripe cherries, red berries, anise, and dark earth. I enjoyed the smell enough to be sure to sniff between each taste. In the glass I was so happy to see that perfect garnet red color clear enough to read through. Especially after a bevy of darker Italian varietals. Perhas I was colored by being preferential to Pinot over such varietals; however, I have heard how special Dusky Goose can be and this certainly proved the point. The initial taste was of semi-sweet and semi-tart dark red cherries, it moved to a more dried cherry flavor with the slight bitterness of skins in the middle. The finish wowed me with a jasmine note that eventually flowed into the anise that I smelled. Still those cherries remained throghout the whole. This wine has a wonderful and complex structure to it, and the body for a pinot was well drawn out. I asked and nearly begged for another taster's portion later just so I could sigh, smile, and dive into the deep end of an advanced Pinot Noir. Seemless layers and loads of fruit yet while off dry, this is one Pinot I hope you can find to try. I think its something special that could be served with may spring lamb dishes or that Chinook Salmon. Its not going to be common at tastings though, its very well known, well guarded, and the cost is not inexpensive at around $50 bottle.

The Opossum and the Dog

Okay so what does an opossum and a dog have to do with wine? Well to keep this short - Jay Sommers of J. Christopher vineyards and one of my favorite Oregon vintners is also a musician. At the last tasting I was at the music accompanying the wine was Jay's band. One of the songs, I was informed, was written watching one of his dogs chase a opossum around the yard. I am a big fan of most wines by Jay (see prior postings) and happily found three at this tasting that I wanted to blog about as well while listening to his rendition of opossum and dog.

J. Christopher Sauvignon Blanc 2007 - I dare you not to smile when you try this wine. Not that you will necessarily like it... Its just that much of a citrus tart lemon when you first get it on the palate! Your cheeks pull back to that Joker style grin whether you want them to or not. Maybe Jay was in a bit of a prankster mood when he made this wine but I think not. It is a pale pale yellow in color, with definite citrus smell in the glass as well. After my palate adjusted I was very happy with this wine and tasted it several times throughout the evening. Its a total citrus ball to be true. However its has a nice mild rocky finish and leave on the tongue. While I am not a big fan of Sauvignon Blanc, I think this is a very good wine that would be even better lightly chilled with a plate of Dungeness crab with a side of melted caraway butter for dipping. $

J. Christopher Croft Vineyard Chardonnay 2007 - I do like a good Chardonnay... and this is a good Chardonnay! I have to admit I was less than thrilled with a different J. Christopher Chardonnay I had last year. Happily for me this was not that wine. This Chardonnay was bright with a nice lithe scent of apple, mild citrus, and some mineral or rocks. Its a nice sipper too. On the palate I found a less over powering citrus than the prior wine and with also flavors of cool apple such as golden delicious. It finished with a fruit skin flavor in my mouth. What also was so nice about this wine was the balance and acid; it really was put together well. Moderate bodied with just the right even hold throughout. A very nice Oregon Chardonnay without the overpowering oak, vanilla, or toasted nature some can put off. Less like an obtrusive neighbor and more like a friend dropping by. I think you should check out a tasting of this friendly Chardonnay. $

J. Christopher Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 2006 - Jay did it again as far as I am concerned. He produced another Pinot Noir that people should take note of. This is a blend of 4 vineyards grapes, including one of Cameron's vineyards where Jay used to work. It is a pretty mix of red and rose petal color in the glass. Scents of cherries, raspberry, rose petal, and a bit of dry earth were what I found in a layered nose. I was impressed with that alone. In the mouth this is another J. Christopher gem and not much more need be said in my opinion. Moderate mouth-feel with silky smooth texture that I expect from Jay's wines. Tart cherries, red berries, something almost peppery, but then with smooth blended fruit and dry earthen finish. Considering the cost we're having to pay for many Oregon Pinot Noir of equal or lesser quality, this is a real wine to find, try, and then I think buy. $$ around 30/bottle

Summertime citrus quaffers

Pucker up and prepare for the summer citrus! Keeping on the theme of summer wines that wont break the bank, and that you may not have had, here are two of real interest to me. One, the Torrontes grape from South America, I have mentioned before and have become a fan of. The other, Aligote from Burgundy, defnitely left its mark as a fun quaffer for the summer seekers. And I thought all white Burgundy was Chardonnay...

Norton Torrontes 2007 - I blogged about Torrontes before. What can I say but that I think this is a great lightly chilled white wine. It can be had any time but the typically pale gold color and summertime ripe fruit tastes will likely have you thinking of warm July days and sultry nights. Standard Torrontes scents and flavors in my limited experience are of white peaches and grapefruit. Check and check again with this year's Norton. In the glass its a spoonful of fresh scooped white grapefruit on the palate. Tart, dry, and fruity it finished with a bit of the white peach. This is an easy to drink quaffer and certainly I don't think it will have you searching for layers or descriptions. Its a simple unsweetened summer fruit salad. I think it would be wonderful with picnic faire or some white fish or scallops straight off the grill. Not often is it so much fun to drink a ten buck quaffer. $

Roulton Burgogne Aligote 2005 - Hey hey Aligote! (Al-ee-goat-tay) You ever suck on a lemon? Well that's what this Aligote was for me. Bright straw yellow in color, this quaffer had scents of toast tips, lemons, and lemon tree leaf. In the mouth its a puckering quaff of citric acid. Did you like lemon drops as a kid? Remove the sugar and pucker up. I was told this is a wine the French love as a quick way to liven up the mouth and senses and it certainly didn't fail. In fact, it brightened a long dreary day for me. Thin and short bodied this is a chiller summer fun lemon that gives a quick summer yellow hello. Apparently a wine for wine geeks - whatever that means... If you get a chance, see what you think of the summer citrus that may you puckering for more. $ 20/bottle

Think Pink!

Late spring, early summer is in the air. We had a very hot weekend last week and just in time were the Rosé to appear lightly chilled to quench the thirst. Now if you didn’t read my first Rosé postings, I am not talking the sticky sweet White Zinfandel or Sutter Home mutations of Rosé. Please keep an open mind. These are fun fruitful, bright, and can be as dry as you could want a wine to be. Each I list here I would be happy to have anytime. Another perk of these pink drink is that while not only fun they are typically very affordable. So take a moment to adjust your perceptions, put on some rose colored glasses, enjoy the view, and think pink my friends.

Ametzio Rubentos Txakolina 2007 (Basque) – Ever had a Rosé from Basque before? Well, me neither. This Txakolina (Choc-Oh-Leena) grape Rosé was absolutely the stunner of the evening for me. The color was what I described as Halo pink. Think of a very light clouded pink color like faded neon or that of a light pink Crayola. The aroma was of dried strawberries and a bit of yeast or champagne. A delicate mouth-feel, it danced a sexy tango over the palate with tart and dry lean raspberry and strawberry run amuck. It was zippy and zesty in the mouth with both the fruit and a slight effervescence not unlike a mild sparkler. Perhaps a bit of fermentation still in the bottle? The slight bounce of the step, in the dance of the twirling Basque raspberry certainly captured my attention. It was one Rosé I kept going back to taste further. Good luck finding for a tasting though; I’ve been told this is a rare Rosé and does not see a lot imported. If you get the chance, do try. I think you’ll want to do the raspberry tango and enjoy a warm summer’s eve as well. $ 18/bottle

Grochau Cellars Pink 2007 (Oregon) – This is a strawberry jolly rancher redish pink pinot noir Rosé! Transparent rudy pink in color; Pink is all strawberries and cherries in the glass jumping up to say “well hello, ready for a party?” While bright and light it is still not a sweet sipper but does have the tastes of pinot noir Rosé being fruit forward on the palate. It’s simply a fine bright fun Rosé that cries out for pork spare ribs or other pupu platter. A friendlier Rosé for the value I am not sure you will find! I think this is a perfect wine to introduce you and friends to how good a Rosé can be. $ 11-13/bottle

Murphy’s Law Rosé 2007 (O’Rielly Cellars / Oregon) – a bunch of southern French varietals thrown in to a Rose? Roll the dice and see if you feel lucky. This is a dark Rosé of rose petal color, almost like a transparent red rose. Scent of cherries and red berries are forward in the aroma but finish with a mild earthen leave. In the mouth straight up it’s a bowl of red ripe cherries. Fruit forward and flavorful but not overpowering it has a mild drier finish that I really enjoyed. I had this side by side with the 2005 Murphy’s Law and while the ‘05 is earthier and a bit drier I feel the ’07 will appeal to a broader range of tastes. Chill with it or grill with it, and just be sure to give me a call when you do. $ 8-10/bottle

Bordecker Cellars Reflection Pinot Noir Rosé 2006 (Oregon) – This may be the Pinot Noir mini me! It’s a rusty northwest red/pink in the glass with even a light bit of funk in the nose. A Rosé with funk?!? Well I never, but it sure does. Big and strong for a Rosé while dressed in a pink sweater, don’t think this a light frilly Rose or it might just reach out of the glass and give you a slap! Dried but slightly bitter, bright cherries, with tannins and flesh, it finishes with the cherry pit in your mouth. All this in Rose? Definitely Willamette Valley pinot noir style. Bulk up, put on your best pink sweater, and drink till yer pink. I dare you not to be impressed by this emboldened mini Pinot Noir. $ 12/bottle

Amador Foothill Winery Sangiovese Rosé 2007 – This couldn’t be a Rosé, not with this color… Chinook salmon flesh orange? Are Rosé orange? Well this was, and with a rusty hue. This was a real treat and bonus pour via a generous person. Not only was the color unusual though. The aroma was a ripe ruby red grapefruit! I’m used to such citrus in white wine. This was a nicely dry Rosé with more ruby grapefruit and orange zest on the palate. Light somewhat delicate citrus and citrus floral on the palate I was won over by this Rosé gone Tropicana. It hasn’t made its way to Portland yet to my knowledge but when it does I’ll be thinking orange, er pink, er orange. Whichever it is and however you call it, it’s unusual and darned good! $ 12-13/bottle

Montes Cherub Syrah Rose 2007 (Argentina) – Another unusual find in a Rosé here. Think dark rose petal pink in color as the Syrah flexes its might. Still there is a rusty halo to this wine as well. Also in common with the Sangiovese Rosé was the aroma of ruby red grapefruit! I love citrus so I guess its all good news for me. However this did also throw in a slight understated strawberry. This is a really refreshing wine. Chilled and in the mouth, think of strawberry + ruby grapefruit juice together. Like the strawberry lemonade of my youth but without the sweetness. It’s zesty and slides across the palate in a dash to brighten up your day and awaken your senses. This light summer quaff goes high on the list for pure entertainment and nostalgia. $ 15/bottle