Adelsheim, Pinot Gris '09 $13

Willamette Valley, OR

In my latest efforts to introduce some more warm weather wines, this one came to mind as I was in need of a Chardonnay for a family recipe and didn't have any on hand. It's definitely a great alternative and for some people, not as sweet.

Filled with aromas of pears, apples and subtle oak it wasn't what I'd expect from this varietal. Actually it was a pleasant surprise.

With the first taste, citrus flavors were predominant with hints of carmel apples and a creamy mouthfeel on the finish.  A pleasant balance of acidity and fruit to warrant a refreshing burst of flavors along with an outstanding wine to pair with lighter foods.

My mom's recipe for Linguini & Clams had me always using a Chardonnay and being without it forced me into trying this wine as a substitute. It not only worked great in the dish but pleasantly went well before and during dinner.  

Pedroncelli, Sauvignon Blanc, East Side Vineyards, '10

Sonoma (Geyserville, CA)

I know it's been awhile since I've posted here and I apologize to those of you following me.  That pesky day job just got really busy, but I'm back!

As we're getting into warmer weather I thought it'd be appropriate to offer up a refreshing wine served chilled to go with your next fruit & cheese plater, salad or grilled fish dish.  Sauvignon Blanc is one of those wines which are nice to start out your evening happy hour or even pre-dinner beverages.

This was a wine I found while visiting the great folks at Pedroncelli last fall.  The aromas filled the glass with apples, pear, citrus and a hint of flint.  The flavors, as many Sav. Blanc wines have were of ripe grapefruit along with melon and pear nectar.  It drank very smooth with the citrus not being too overpowering.  It was also nice to not have have a strong grassy and asparagus hint in this wine which is so common amongst this varietal.  

I started this bottle before dinner and decided to stick with it through my main course.  It paired great with a wood grilled Amberjack fish which I caught myself.  I like to use a medium flavored spice rub on this fish and the wine did a great job in complimenting it.

http://store.pedroncelli.com

The Fugitive, 2011 $25

Sonoma, CA (Dry Creek Valley)

So maybe you've had "The Prisoner" or maybe one of my favorites, "The Riddler"...but now you're "The Fugitive." As the bottle says..."Better to be the fugitive than behind bars."

With all kidding aside, this was recommended to me when searching out "The Prisoner" wine after having a great bottle of it at dinner the other night. For a bit less of the cost, I decided to try this wine and wow was I impressed.

The aromas were full of black cherry, toasted wood and black pepper. The flavors followed with ripe plums, ripe black berries, cocoa and most important a smooth mouth feel. Soft tannins with hints of mild black pepper led to a silky finish of warm toast and subtle dark fruits.

At first I guessed on the blend which I thought was heavy on the Zinfandel but alas I was somewhat wrong. 46% Petite Sirah, 41% Syrah, 12% Zinfandel and 1% Petite Verdot. Not shown on the bottle, it's made by Truett-Hurst. www.truetthurst.com

With it's amazing silky, smooth finish and the pairing with grilled skirt steak tonight, this will be a keeper in the wine rack now!

Dutcher Crossing, Cabernet Sauvignon '09 $29

Sonoma, CA (Dry Creek Valley)

An opulent, soft and sophisticated cabernet you don't dare miss out on!

This is the Proprietor's Reserve I was introduced to a few months ago and I just opened a bottle the other night with friends. I remember the wineries nickname for this being their "breakfast cab."  I'm guessing it goes with anything and I'm in full agreement.

Deep purple color and aromas of ripe plums, black cherries, vanilla and toasted wood brought together such an amazing nose. It's not often you're guests say "damn" before they take a first sip.  Well that's no lie.

On the tongue this was a silky, flavorful blend of ripe blackberries and mocha followed by a long, soft finish. Mellow dark fruits with a hint of spice but nothing too overwhelming.  Aged for 26 months on oak this actually is 78% Cab and 22% Syrah. This is something fairly new for California Cabs yet a great combination done in Australia for years with much success.

Debra Mathy, Proprietor, has a very touching, real life story on starting Dutcher Crossing and it's evident that her passion has paid off in the wines they're producing. The wine maker, Kerry Damskey, has done equally an amazing job in crafting perfection especially into this wine I had. I'm looking forward to the Zin I'm holding on to for my next write up on their wines.

Château Vieux Dominique '10 $13

Bordeaux Superior

For some that know me, my fondness for French wines is somewhat challenged.  In general you need to pay a higher price to gain quality which doesn't always hold true in wines from other parts of the world.

So as I continue to challenge one of my favorite wines shops to recommend an under $20 bottle of French wine that I might like, I think they found one.

My take on French wines is they're very earthy, dry and tannic.  Therefore, I needed to let this assumption go before tasting this wine or I was never going to get over my little hang up.

The nose brought out dark cherries, roasted coffee and hints of smoke and herbs.  With this aroma blend I was soon forgetting my preconceived notions.  On the first sip a heavy alcohol "pop" was there but soon diminished after 15 minutes in the glass.  Flavors of mocha along with cherries and a minor tartness on the tannins left me to believe a short decanting would help. Sure enough, after 20 minutes the tannins somewhat smoothed out and the finish had a nice length to it. Plums seemed to come out now in the flavor profile followed by a subtle roasted coffee on the finish. The tannins seemed to balance well with the flavors however it's not for the faint lover of "easy drinking" style wines.  Full body would be my take on this Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend.

For many French wine producers the 2009s were outstanding.  2010 was a bit more challenging year with alcohol levels and tannins being higher.  Given this overall synopsis, this 2010 is quite nice especially being under $20 for a relatively young wine.  It's starting to change my mind. Let's hope for more to do so as well.

Crasto Douro '09 $14

Douro Valley, Portugal

So my last few postings have been on California wines, so as not to rule out the rest of the world, let's go to Portugal. I've never been but I must say they make some great wines and especially wonderful Ports. Interestingly this wine comes from the same valley where many port wines are made, The Douro Valley. Additionally, the 4 grape varietals used in this wine are amongst the top 5 used for port wine production. However, by no means is this wine sweet like you would find in a port.

Comprised of 35% Tinta Roriz (also known as Tempranillo), 25% Tinta Barroca, 25% Touriga Franca and 15% Touriga Nacional, this wine hit a big WOW factor with me. The aromas were full of dark cherries, white pepper and hints of leather and flint. Blackberries, dark ripe cherries and a soft hint of mocha brought the flavors together for a perfect structure. Medium bodied with a soft mouth feel and silky tannins definitely put this wine at an amazing level for the price point.

I paired this with a rosemary rubbed, thick, bone-in grilled pork chop. The wine complemented the meal perfectly as I feel it would with many other grilled meats. A 2010 is out now and I’ve seen nice reviews on it.

Ridge Pagani Ranch 2010 $35

Sonoma Valley, CA

While visiting this winery a few months ago I was informed this wine was receiving incredible reviews and selling out everywhere.  I don't usually jump on that type of hype however knowing that Ridge makes other great Zinfandels, I bought 2 bottles to try it.  The tasting room wasn’t sampling it due to limited supplies and strong demands.

Well I opened my first bottle the other night and wow, they weren't kidding about how good this wine really is.  From the first swirl and sip to finishing the bottle on night 2, it was probably one of the top 5 best Zinfandels I've ever had.

Tantalizing, rich aromas of plums, ripe cherries and hints of freshly cracked pepper filled my glass.  It was almost like the scents were warming my insides.  With a deep purple color and heavy legs falling slowly down the glass, I couldn't help but believe I was in for a rich, full-bodied experience to follow.  The flavors were full of dark cherries, ripe dark plums and a wonderful mocha on the finish.  Silky tannins, subtle and soft, displayed the care in crafting this beautiful wine.  Comprised of 82% Zinfandel, 16% Alicante Bouschet and 2% Petite Sirah this wine is barrel aged for 16 months on American oak.

So maybe hype for hype sake takes place all too often, however not in this case.  Listening to the our new friends in the tasting room paid off.  Ridge makes some other great Zinfandels as well in case you can't find this one.  Start your search now before the 2009 and 2010 vintages are gone.