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Zinfandel

Zinfandel maker stood fast against wimpy wines
Among the many outstanding zinfandel producers in California, Joel Peterson of Ravenswood Winery in Sonoma County stands as a master. When an accountant urged Peterson to cash in by making a white zinfandel, he declined.

Wineries garner gold at State Fair contest
Local wineries that won gold medals were Boitano Family Wines for a 2004 Mokelumne Hill Sangiovese (Best of Class Sierra Foothills region), Gerber Vineyards for a 2004 Laraine Chardonnay (Best of Class), Hatcher Winery for a 2003 Zinfandel, and Zucca Mountain Vineyards for a 2004 Sangiovese (Best of Class). Silver: 2003 Reserve Old Vine Zinfandel, 2002 Reserve Cabernet Franc.

Looking for balance in zinfandel
These are wines whose first allegiance is not to ripeness but to honest, rewarding, fulfilling drinkability with the kinds of foods that have traditionally accompanied zinfandel. It is true, of course, that both wineries have shunned the rush to overripeness that has affected so many others, but their brilliant performances in their latest incarnationsgives me hope that these wines are part of a new beginning for zinfandel.

Raving Fans at the Tasting Room
There are several wines I wish I could lay down–including a marvelous Zinfandel from Zin Alley, but alas, in the name of conscientious wine citizenry, I’ll heed the call of duty and pull the cork. I did have one bottle casualty–the Rabbit Ridge Old Vines Zinfandel didn’t make it–I got some leakage out of the cork–I don’t know if this was a bad cork job, or the transit, but given circumstances, I’ll shoulder the responsibility for this one.

Lodi Zinfandel
Not as well known for Zinfandel as Dry Creek Valley or Paso Robles, Lodi has relatively affordable Zinfandels, though many wineries have limited production. TWO STARS 2003 Abundance Vineyards Old Vine Mencarini Vineyards Lodi Zinfandel ($14) This surprisingly lean, medium-bodied Zinfandel has aromas and flavors of ripe blackberry, overripe plum and boysenberry with hints of spicy oak and cedar.

Anya Gallaccios Conceptual Project Yields Zinfandel
After the Gold Rush, a collaboration with the winemaker Zelma Long, will culminate sometime next summer in 400 half-cases of six different types of zinfandel. ...

San Diego Union Tribune
A bill before the state Assembly would bestow upon zinfandel the honorary title of Californias historic wine. The bill, passed by the Senate in May on a 21-12 vote, was sponsored by Sen. Carole Migden, D-San Francisco, who called zinfandel the states quintessential wine.

DCist.com
There’s no disputing the fierce and even patriotic love of zinfandel among certain members of the American wine-drinking public. Indeed, Carole Migden, a California state senator from San Francisco, introduced a bill in February to make zinfandel California’s official state wine.

Varietal vagaries
Over the years, mystery and controversy have kept zinfandel a popular topic on the grapevine. Disputed DNA: Zinfandel earned the moniker of Americas Heritage Grape because it was thought to be native to American soil.

Sun dining critic
In most of the world, wines are named for the grapes they contain - cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, merlot, pinot noir, sauvignon blanc and zinfandel. A red wine grape most consider to be inferior to cabernet sauvignon and zinfandel.

Eggplant and wine: Similarities attract
Eggplant is a surprisingly good partner with red wines like Syrah, Zinfandel, Merlot, Malbec, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Various grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel and Syrah are blended in our recommended wines, so a flexible dish is required.

$660-a-bottle wine: Is it in your futures?
There's an interesting round-table discussion about Paso Robles zinfandel on a new Web site AppellationAmerica.com. He's been making Paso zinfandel since 1980, he said, noting with regret the trend to riper and riper (hence hotter and hotter wines) since the Turley zins broke the 17 percent alcohol barrier and began ringing up big scores.

Wine country moves north
They sell Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Zinfandel grapes to other producers looking to add mountain character to their wines. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Zinfandel, Merlot, Petite Sirah and Tempranillo vineyards are planted on ridges of brick-red volcanic cinders and pumice-like gravel.

Supertasting wine critics
What's funny about that: at Taste 3 we saw a presentation about (duh) tasting and learned that supertasters love white zinfandel.

Washington State Red Blends
Washington vintners make multivariety blends from tried-and-true Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Sangiovese, Zinfandel and Carmenere. TWO STARS 2004 Calico Red Columbia Valley Red Wine ($18) This melange of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel and Cabernet Franc from Bergevin Lane Vineyards lacks the complexity of some of the other wines on this list yet makes up for it by delivering pure pleasure.

How to get started in wines...
My wine drinking in earnest began (get ready for another groan moment) with White Zinfandel over 15 years ago.

Terroir is not a cause for terror
“Let’s say you drink a wonderful Amador (a county in California) zin, that’s quite different than drinking a zinfandel from the Sonoma Valley or the Russian River Valley.

Dunne on wine: Good n cheap: Top wines in the $10-or-less range
It's mostly zinfandel, with smaller servings of cabernet sauvignon, carignane, sangiovese and barbera. Pepperwood Grove 2003 California Zinfandel ($8): A brand of Don Sebastiani Sons, Pepperwood Grove stands out on shelves for its bright green labels and on the palate for its faithfulness in capturing varietal typicity in a way immediately accessible.

Chilling out
I was at a July garden party with a full-bodied red zinfandel as my donation to the proceedings. A blend of St. Helena sangiovese, zinfandel, merlot and cabernet sauvignon.

Sauvignon Blanc

Do you know what makes a good sauvignon blanc?
Do you know what makes a good sauvignon blanc? Every big wine fair has a seminar debating how sauvignon blanc should taste.

Semillon on comeback trail, blending well with sauvignon blanc
Semillon is happily on the comeback trail after being ignored for a few decades, a variety that expresses as a rich and flavoursome wine on its own and blends happily with sauvignon blanc.

Red Bordeaux
Light Bodied, Dry, Drink now, Sauvignon Blanc, 12% alc.

This fish dish a snap with Loire Valley sauvignon blanc
LOIRE VALLEY SPECIALTY: Domaine de Chatenoy Menetou-Salon's sauvignon blanc is crisp, bright and dry, making it a delightful accompaniment to Salt-Baked Snapper.

Taste and smell the differences
A sauvignon blanc picked at a point early in the ripening stage will have more herbal and mineral aspects. A sauvignon blanc picked fully ripe will move away from green aromas and minerality into aromas of melon, peach and tropical fruits.

Salute Italia... Another World Cup!
2005 is proving to be an excellent vintage across the board for Sauvignon Blanc. It expresses Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc down to a tee.

iAfrica.com
Bloemendal entered the Top Sauvignon Blanc and the same wine also received the highest score of all the wines entered. Most entries were Shiraz wines (24), followed by red blends (23), Sauvignon Blanc (20), Pinotage (18), Chardonnay (15), Cabernet Sauvignon (13), Merlot (10), Chenin Blanc (7), fortified dessert wines (7) and natural sweet (4).

Not so much place as old vines
The top wine (according to the organisers it scored the highest points) was a terrific Sauvignon Blanc 2005 from Jackie Coetzee’s well-known, established Suider-Terras vineyard at Bloemendal.

Sauvignon blanc versatile white wine at a value price
Since I aim to please, here's the lowdown on a specific varietal - sauvignon blanc. Key to the flavor profile of sauvignon blanc is a chemical called methoxypyrazines.

Daniel: Mondavi celebrates 40 years of innovation
The best are cabernet sauvignon and sauvignon blanc, which Mondavi many years ago started calling fum blanc. The 2004 Fum Blanc ($18) is bright, citrusy and a little smoky, while the 2002 Stags Leap District Sauvignon Blanc ($23) is more dramatic and vivid, with citrus and gooseberry, accented by some grassiness.

Old favourites and dynamic newcomers in Nelson
The Woollaston Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2005 is fragrant, aromatic and ripe-tasting, while the Burke's Bank 2005 Sauvignon Blanc offers a bolder and richer, food-friendly alternative.

Dont need to be a golfer to enjoy fare at this PGA clubhouse
The Murphy Goode sauvignon blanc works well with this dish.

Off The Vine: Special wine selections for summer
Nestled near St. Emilion, one of France's finest winegrowing locations, this wine (also refereed to by some as Bordeaux Blanc) is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillion. This salad goes very well with a crisp and clean tasting white wines including Sauvignon Blanc.

This...
It seems appropriate to launch these articles with two aptly seasonal delights - a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand and a Pinot Grigio Rosé from Italy - both are plum full of patio appeal and are priced to have you reaching for a second bottle! Crowded House Sauvignon Blanc 2005 is the latest release of his famously searching sauvignons and is a marvel at £7.95 per bottle.

Don Sebastiani Sons Adds Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc to Aquinas ...
The Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc will be similarly priced, aimed at a reasonable spot on a wine list or billed as a great find in a wine shop. Packaged in 375mL bottles with an artistic variation of the Aquinas Napa Valley label, the 2005 Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc was harvested at 39.5 degrees Brix from a single Napa Valley vineyard on December 1st, 2005.

Chardonnay and lobster, a match made in New England
2004 St. Supery Virtu White Wine, Napa Valley, California, ($25-$28) - If Chardonnay's not for you, try this blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. The taste is all Sauvignon Blanc - it's crisp, but it does have richness to it, and that lemon rind flavor is all over it.

Out of Touch
While I was gone, I had a sauvignon blanc from Washington, but I have no idea what it was.

Southern comfort
Freeman and I sat down in the lounge and Bill went off to fetch what turned out to be a very nice Californian sauvignon blanc.

WBW #23: BBQ Wines
I'm particularly fond of the Ledson Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc, so Brigitte thought I might enjoy this one as well. This Sauvignon Blanc is from their Napa Valley grapes in Yountville and it was definitely enjoyable.

The cure for bad backs, by royal appointment
In the months after being released from Key’s care, progress was literally painfully slow, but she persevered with the daily exercises and the back block and now, a year later, her life was transformed; her only medication a glass or two of sauvignon blanc and occasional anti-inflammatories.

Chain stores cash in on house wines
We focused on the four big varietals - Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc - so we would have plenty of examples of each to taste against each other. Overall, Sauvignon Blanc was the best bet on a varietal, while Chardonnay was the worst.

How the Wine Panel Chooses Subjects
Its harder in New Zealand, say, or the United States, where its hard to get beyond cabernet, chardonnay, pinot noir and sauvignon blanc, though nowadays theres plenty of syrah, too.

Merlot

Heres reason to cry in your merlot
Climate warming could spell disaster for much of the multibillion-dollar US wine industry. Areas ...

San Francisco International Wine Competition, the Largest and Most ...
Fess Parker Winery Vineyard 2003 Syrah, Rodneys Vineyard, Santa Barbera County; WineHaven Winery and Vineyard 2003 Merlot, American; and ...

Ohios Merlot to Go bill gets approval
Senate Bill 131, dubbed the Merlot to Go bill, was signed into law by Ohio Gov. Bob Taft June 20.

Great wine at half the price (theres a catch)
Meridian 2003/2004 Merlot ($6.50 in half bottle; California; Washington Wholesale): Serve this easy-drinking merlot slightly chilled to complement summer meals of salmon, charcoal-grilled burgers and steak. • Grapes Combination of the major Bordeaux grapes: cabernet sauvignon (77percent), cabernet franc (18 percent), merlot (3 percent) and petit verdot (2 percent).

Food Drink Value vino
But Washingtons hot days and cool nights bolster a growing reputation for Merlot and Syrah; the regions northerly location (on a level with Bordeaux and Burgundy) allows for success with varietals such as riesling; and the growth of the industry as a whole means more awareness in the market. The Genesis 2002 Merlot and Cabernet are both worth the extra bucks, too, with the cab being the outgoing sibling; its bright, cherry-cassis fruit and soft tannins make it immediately approachable.

On Long Island, vintners make a case for respecting merlot
Not that I should point fingers. My last article on Long Island wines was in April 2005. It was also my first. And then theres the issue of merlot. ...

New shop offers merlot on the go
Need a chardonnay on the run? A merlot to make up for a missed appointment? A new downtown ...

Jordan releases new vintages of Cobblers Hill and Syrah
The 2003 Jordan Cobblers Hill (55% Cabernet sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 15% Cabernet franc) underwent malolactic fermentation in barrel and spent 23 months in specially selected 225L French oak barrels. The Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah are now available from the Stanlake Park tasting room.

LENNDEVOURS
When Rich and Soraya Pisacano opened their Roanoke Vineyards tasting room in the fall of 2004, their only Roanoke-labeled wine was a stellar 2000 merlot that is -- sadly -- long gone. What started with that lone merlot has grown into an impressive portfolio of wines, including two distinctly different Bordeaux-style blends, a hard-to-find cabernet sauvignon, a fresh-but-intriguing chardonnay and an extremely popular rose.

Dispatches
won a bronze medal at the 2006 San Francisco International Wine Competition. The winery won the award for its 2003 merlot. The competition, at which more than 1,000 wineries representing 19 countries were judged, is sponsored by Bon Appetit ...

Fine Wine Shop
The harvest was very late here so the Cabernet Sauvignon (60%) and Merlot (30%) were able to really blossom.

Frequent Flier A Professional Vacationer Goes on Safari
We stood around the fire and drank bottle after bottle of Argentine merlot until dinner was served.

Havens: Bringing oxygen to his wines
"Right now, I have one tank of Syrah and five tanks of Merlot that are getting the treatment all the time," he said. "It's probably used the most in southwestern France, particularly on the Right Bank in Bordeaux." He believes it is particularly affective with Cabernet Franc, and also is used to structure Merlot.

Getting past the stigma of screw-cap bottlings
In fact, quick research at a liquor store uncovered just one European maverick: France's Tortoise Creek winery, which bottles its rose, syrah and merlot wines, among others, with screw caps.

Bookofjoe
The red wines would blend merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc; the white wines would be chardonnay and sauvignon blanc.

Chef specializes dishes according to diners appetites
Son Tran likes nothing better than creating a meal for someone who isn't quite sure what to order at Eddie Merlot's. Chef Son Tran displays his Bourbon-marinated ribeye at Eddie Merlot's.

JP Wine Bar: Flights of Fancy
The Fina el Peral Reserva from Tupungato blends Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from 60-year old vines.

Ecco Domani(R) Debuts Signature Drinks
The Ecco Freddo made with Ecco Domani's crisp Pinot Grigio, Dolce Domani made with its fruit- forward Merlot, and Ecco Sidro with its bold Chianti -- are perfect for all seasons, easy-to-make, and delightfully delicious. Dolce Domani on the other hand, captures the rich, smooth flavors of Ecco Domani's 2004 Merlot with the tart taste of lime juice and sweetness of sugar -- an aperitif fitting for both summer and winter days.

Chardonnay

Wine News
At least they serve some, and quite generously. I did not finish this Les Pilliers 2005, Chardonnay-Viognier, vin de pays du Gard (a sip was enough), but the Bordeaux I chose on the next leg of the trip was a little more ...

Simply chardonnay
Green-apple skin and citrus notes mark this clean fresh, well-made chardonnay that is perfect for warm or cold chicken drumsticks.

The umami of miso lifts Chardonnay
The slightly rich dish needs a Chardonnay that's not too oaky and buttery. The corn and coconut milk play to the sweet fruit and buttery notes in the wine, while a hint of vanilla in the broth echoes Chardonnay's occasional spice and vanilla notes.

Fruit dominates Washington state chardonnay
We have found the climate and soil produce a chardonnay that usually is dominated by tropical and-or citrus fruit.

Green Point wines
• 2002 Green Point Chardonnay — * * * * 1/2 — wet river stones and minerals, not unlike a top white burgundy; more austere than the average Aussie chardonnay, and the better for it; versatile with food, from shellfish to roast chicken; undervalued at $20. • 2003 Green Point Chardonnay — * * * * — has the same seam of acidity and minerality, reflecting the climate of the Yarra Valley; fruit is a little more open than the '02; about $20.

Wine briefs
Chablis is a region of Burgundy known for its signature way with the chardonnay grape. Restaurants also are more likely to group chablis, no matter where its from, under the generic chardonnay heading on menus and wine lists because chardonnay is a much more familiar name to consumers.

Wine
Its chance to settle old scores with chardonnay, its archrival in France, is best right now, when the call goes out for cool sipping, quaffable wines. In those areas, where chardonnay is often pretty blah, sauvignon blanc has met with astounding success.

Carneros Chardonnay
Chardonnay is the top-selling white wine and the most-planted white grape in California. TWO STARS 2004 Acacia Carneros Chardonnay [$20] Sweet oak overlays ripe pear, apple and melon aromas in this wine.

A taste for chardonnay grows
Chardonnay is often criticized for having too much oak and too little acid, or for just being boring, generic or - worst of all - ubiquitous. There is even a movement called Anything But Chardonnay (ABC).

Tasters choice
With advances in the vineyards and cellars, Michigan is developing its own style of Riesling, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir, along with Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and Merlot; whites have zesty acidity; reds are more earthy in the European tradition. Winemaker Lee Lutes hits his stride with the 2005 varietals, but try any vintage of his Pinot Noirs, which British wine expert Tom Stevenson once called "the wine he wants for dinner." The '05 whites are fruit-driven and powerful, including the Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Semi-Dry Riesling and Sur Lie Chardonnay.

'Today': Our expert recommends great rose wines
Wine magazines put pinot noir and chardonnay in bold type; rosé never gets to be the cover girl.

Australias Green Point subtly impressive
I had a glass of 4-year-old chardonnay in front of me. It was the best Australian chardonnay I've had in ages — the 2002 Green Point Chardonnay from the Yarra Valley in the state of Victoria.

Pinot Noir

Sipping the Bosss Wine
Among the varietals he has played with are chenin blanc, merlot, sangiovese, and pinot noir. Byrne contributed a five-year-old bottle of his pinot noir to our tasting.

St. Clair Vicar's Choice Pinot Noir (2004)
Pinot Noir is a love it or leave it grape, and I’m a sucker for a good, affordable Pinot. It is a textbook example of a well-made Pinot Noir.

Supply, Demand and Pinot Noir
Supply, Demand and Pinot Noir You can run into some mighty strange situations when you're looking for a particular wine. Henry Estate 2004 Oregon Pinot Noir ($16) Quaffable and appealing, with a style that brings a hint of Burgundy's everyday reds to Oregon.

2005 Parker Station Pinot Noir
Unfortunately, this is what we had to do last night after opening a bottle of Echelon Pinot Noir to discover what we think was the worst case of oxidation we’ve encountered. Todd came home with a bottle of 2005 Parker Station Pinot Noir.

Talbott Vineyards Kali Hart Pinot Noir 2004
The region is fast becoming an area know for Pinot Noir due to it's climate of warm days, and cool nights needed to grow the Pinot Noir grape. Being over exposed in the movie, Sideways, it has gained a repution and advanced the cause of Pinot Noir from Monterey County.

Oregon Winery Visits
Pinot Noir was a bit wan, just soft and dull today.

Grochau Cellars Pinot Noir
But the main wine for Grochau Cellars so far is the Pinot Noir. It’s $35 on the Higgins list, which is still quite a deal in top flight Oregon Pinot Noir.

VUE Weekly
I purchased three bottles of the 2001 Chumeia Pinot Noir a few months ago and gave them a while to recover.

Henry Estate 2003 Umpqua Cuvee Oregon Pinot Noir
This is a clear ruby-color wine, on the light side as is typical of all but the most extracted Pinot. Also typical of Pinot are ...

MAD Pinot Noir 2004
MAD pinot noir is the brain child of 3 buddies of mine who share a passion for wine. Ferrous is one of three single-vineyard designated plots of pinot noir owned by Kooyong Estate.

Some reds were born to be cool
Your average Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah or domestic Pinot Noir has a little too much structure to ice down. In Alsace, the mountainous northern region that borders Germany, some producers make a small amount of Pinot Noir, typically in quite a different style than those made in Burgundy and wonderful served after a half-hour in the ice bucket.

Les Folies de la Marquetterie, Champagne de Domaine... by ...
Premier wine of the Maison Taittinger estate, “Les Folies de la Marquetterie” is a brut champagne made exclusively from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes grown on the estate. “Les Folies de la Marquetterie” is brut champagne made with 55% Chardonnay and 45% Pinot Noir grapes.

Crimson Pinot Noir 2004 by Ata Rangi
The 2004 vintage saw Ata Rangi release its first "young vines" pinot noir named Crimson. Not the most complex of pinots, but there is typicity, which makes for a very decent glass of pinot noir.

Sale of allocated Pinot Noir
Available wines include (all are Rex Hill winery wines): Anden Vineyard 2002 (170 cases), Carabell Vineyard 2003 (422 cases), Jacob-Hart Vineyard 2003 (516 cases), Seven Springs 2003 (144 cases), and Rex Hill Reserve Pinot Noir 2003.

Grilling and Wine: Celebrating a Tasty Fourth of July
Your options include such varietals as Merlot or Pinot Noir.

Some picks for grilling, chilling time
Castle Rock, whose Columbia Valley cabernet has been on my recommended list for the past year, has a fine stable mate in this Columbia Valley pinot noir. Now granted, Washington state, good as it is, has never distinguished itself with pinot noir.

Firesteed Pinot Noir 2003

Quick tasting at Bethel Heights
For $30 this isn't cheap, but if you like savory Pinot Noir instead of the jammy, fruit packed versions, definitely seek this out.

Anapamu Central Coast Pinot Noir 2004
A rare commodity these days is a $15 Pinot Noir that could be priced higher.

The World of Pinot Noir - Part 1
This is the first of a three part series covering the wine show: World of Pinot Noir.

AMISFIELD PINOT NOIR CENTRAL OTAGO - 2003
When you think of Pinot Noir, I'm sure Burgundy, France, Oregon, or Santa Barbara California come to mind.

Bindi Pinot Noir 2001
A lovely example of a Pinot Noir that has aged well. For my palate, Bindi are clearly making the greatest expressions of Pinot Noir in Australia.

Le Mark West Vin De Corse Pinot Noir 2004
Have you noticed a small but very significant change on the label of your 2004 Mark West Pinot Noir? *In August, 2005, Winewaves reviewed Mark West Central Coast Pinot Noir 2004.

North American Pinot Noir
I was so intimidated when I first got the 450-page tome that is North American Pinot Noir that I pulled a trick from teaching undergrads out of my hat: I scheduled a class where I would have to read it.

Paringa Estate Pinot Noir 1999

Lincourt Santa Barbara Pinot Noir 2004
Lincourt* Pinot Noir 2004 is Pinot Noir, 6/10 from Santa Maria Valley (Solomon Hills Vyd) and 4/10 from Foley's Rancho Santa Rosa in Santa Rita Hills.

Willamette Valley Whole Cluster Pinot Noir 2005
In 100 words, tell Willamette Valley Vineyards why you love Oregon Pinot Noir. The composition of Willamette Valley Whole Cluster Pinot Noir 2005 is 91% Pinot Noir, from Willamette Valley.

2003? Kenwood "Russian River" Pinot Noir

Jeir Creek Pinot Noir 2002
I visited their cellar door late last year and picked up this bottle as part of a clearance to make way for the 2003 vintage Pinot Noir.

2003 Pinossimo Pinot Noir

1999 Daniel Lenko Pinot Noir

Stoller's new LEED-certified winery
The Stollers are partners in Chelalem winery in Newberg, long the source of the most visible Stoller vineyard Pinot Noir in the market.

The New Wine Media
It's a blog written by a winery owner devoted to Pinot Noir.

A Week in Review...
A silky finish made this a very pleasant under $20 Pinot Noir.

Pinot envy
And a couple of weeks ago, I had a 1998 Dehlinger Pinot Noir (find this wine) that tasted as fruit forward as it did on release.

Tasmanian Wine Tasting Notes At Winorama
The wines covered include the 2003 Freycinet Pinot Noir, 2003 Frogmore Creek Pinot Noir, 2004 Freycinet Chardonnay and the 2005 Maestro Pinot Grigio.

Link
Few wines combine depth and elegance like Pinot Noir.

Link
A Brett nose can be described as 'barnyard, leather, clove and strong spice to medicinal and animal' (From Purely Pinot Noir).

Good Wine and Simple Meals
The Burgundy in this case was 2003 Bouchard Pere et Fils Bourgogne Rouge, France ($15)–Pinot Noir and delicious.

Instant Champagne knowledge
There are seven permitted grape varieties but only three are significant: Pinot Noir (12,254 ha), Pinot Meunier (10,877 ha) and Chardonnay (8,952 ha).

Top 100 Vin De Pays Tasting
Reflecting the poor quality harvest in 2004 the 16 judges chose not to award trophies for Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Viognier.

Galena Cellars General's Reserve Red
Yet other websites claim that it's an unorthodox blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir.

Pairing wine with sushi
I also heard that light, non tannic red wines such as Pinot Noir or Beaujolais work as well.

Perfect Red Wine for the Texas Heat!
The focus today is on hand crafted estate bottled Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Olivet Lane vineyard in Russian River Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from the family's Cloverdale Ranch in Alexander Valley, and an old clone Zinfandel from their Eight Cousin's vineyard.