| Report From The Left Coast or California Here I Am! | | | | By: Marlene Rossman | << back  Page 2 of 3 next >> |
Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Yamhill Oregon 2002 $30
Somewhat similar in style to Ken Wright’s wines are Patricia Green’s various bottlings. Patty Green used to be the winemaker at Torii Mor. She recently went out on her own and is producing some of the most earthy, aromatic and well balanced pinots in a style halfway between New World and Old World burgundies. These are hard to find, but well worth the trouble.
Argyle Willamette Oregon 2002 $16
Now we get to the affordables! Argyle makes some pricey awesome reserves and special bottlings like their Nuthouse (I swear!) but they are a good deal more expensive. This is a great intro to the Burgundian style of Pinot Noir with a delicious taste of Oregon turf ("terroir" as the French and my wine writer colleagues call it) nice fruit, elegance.
The delicious Oregon whites; Pinot Gris (Pinot Grigio in Italian) and Pinot Blanc (Pinot Bianco) are descended from Pinot Noir. Quite a few years ago, I was having dinner at a lovely restaurant with a no -longer friend (who was really hammered) when she loudly asked for "another glass of that nice Pinot GRINGO. The Hispanic waiter was not amused and I wanted to crawl under the table. Oregon Pinot Gris is very different from the lighter Italian PG with a flinty, rich and sexy aroma of stone fruit.
Cooper Mountain Pinot Gris Estate 2002 Oregon $13 (organic, but as my husband says, "it’s good anyway"!) Really delicious, with smoky citrus flavors. One of my faves and can usually be found at Whole Foods.
Elk Cove Pinot Gris Oregon 2002 $14 One of the best Pinot Gris I have have had, The wine has an a whole basket of stone fruit flavors, peach, pear, apricot perfectly balanced citrus, and a long, crisp, finish.
Sokol Blosser Evolution Non-Vintage White Wine $13 Don’t miss one of my old faves with a new upscale label, previously known as Evolution #9, ( probably named after a stoned cut on the Beatles' White Album). (see my Archives column ABC Whites)This unusual wine is a blend of nine varieties, including the obscure Mueller Thurgau; Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sylvaner (Semillion, Muscat Canelli and Chardonnay. It is delicious and truly indescribable, so go out and get a bottle It is the affordable alternative to Caymus Conundrum, a similar mish -mash of delicious fruit costing upwards of 23 bucks. Evolution is also very food-friendly, especially with spicy ethnic foods with all their hard- to- match flavors like ginger, cilantro, chile peppers, mint, and wasabi.
WASHINGTON STATE I am not a fan of Chardonnay, especially not the over-oaked chards that California has been churning out over the past few years. If I want the taste of wood, I can suck on barbecue chips or kiss a tree. Many California Chard producers finally are cutting back on the use of oak, and that is a good thing.
The father of the Washington State wine industry, Walter Clore, recently died at 90 or so. Now, if that is not an endorsement for drinking wine (in moderation, of course), I don’t know what is! There is even a highly rated Cabernet Sauvignon/Bordeaux blend honoring Walter Clore, from the Columbia Crest Winery, called Walter Clore Private Reserve Red Table Wine 1999. Grab it if you see it.
Washington State's most important viticultural areas are the Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley and the recently designated viticultural area, Yakima Valley. Some of the world's best wine grapes are grown on Washington’s Red Mountain, at the eastern end of the Yakima Valley. Washington is known for its Bordeaux-style wines, producing explosive Cabernets and Merlots, plus Rhône varietals with Syrah that can "out Syrah" Aussie Shiraz!
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