2005 Schiopetto Blanc des Rosis

Shocker - we had a white wine last night, along with our homemade acorn squash-pumpkin soup, and some salad with smoked salmon on it (rough life). While this Italian white blend from Friuli (NE corner of Italy) is by no means a cheap white ($~25), it was immensely satisfying. We have had it both chilled, at proper temperature (52), and slightly warmer (~58 F), and I prefer the cool to warmer temperatures to get the full impact and complexity. There are the usual aromas (and tastes) of fresh, creamy pears, some pineapple in the glass, a bit of grassy petrol aromas (not close to Riesling strength on the gas, don't be put off), and a very nice integrated mineral (chalky) spine to this. There's also a deep peaty aspect to this, not exactly smoky, but definitely "organic" that is different. It makes for an interesting white, not something you find every day. OK, not something I drink every day.

Bottom line: Not an every day white, but ten times the complexity and taste of your typical Sutter Home white plonk.
Grapes (changes by vintage): Tocai Friulano (40%), Pinot Grigio (20%), Sauvignon Blanc (15%), Malvasia Istriana (15%), Ribolla Gialla (10%)

2006 Rasmussen Pinot Noir (Carneros)

We finally broke into a bottle of this ~$20 Pinot tonight. Was it a special occasion? No. But it's healthy and I like the taste of it. I paired this with a pan-roasted duck-breast (magret), duck-fat polenta (yes, you read that correctly David), and some mushroom-broccoli sautee -- magic doesn't describe it. The fat from the duck (or was that the polenta, with bits of mushroom in it?) cut through any pretension of structure and tannins in the Pinot and let the dusty cherry notes sing through. Sauce was a broth-P.Sirah reduction with green peppercorns and the leftover brown bits from the mushroom sautee (Cremini). The oaky-spice on Rasmussen's Carneros bottle was still on the nose, but with no dill to be smelled or tasted when paired with this duck. A good evening. A really good evening.
Wine was probably a 89/100 on its own. With the meal? 94/100
Bottom line: Quack quack quack, pinot for $20, quack quack quackity quack. Quack it.
Dessert? Meyers Family (Zin) Port with simple Kiwi fruit slices. Also friggin un-be-lie-va-ble.

2007 Iche "Les Heretiques"

For a 10-buck wine, this is one of my favorites from Languedoc-Roussillon (FR). A humble "vin de pays," which means a non-AOC blend, the Heretiques is carignan-dominant blend with some Syrah thrown into the mix for balance. At a meager 12.5% ABV, it also is great with food, we've had with it salads, soups, and pizza (with sausage/mushroom) just last night. It seems always balanced, easy drinking, and not acidic. I store my reds in the fridge, and it was just showing some balsamic nights on the 4th day of being opened. So it's not a long-term keeper, but there's enough mineral back-bone to play well with the dark fruits mingling in the glass. Think of it as a French Chianti (in a good way): good acidity, drinks well with vegetables even, and good everyday wine. Nice. 84/100.

Bottom line: Who says French wine has to be expensive? Heresy!

In Oregon Pinot country...

There's too much to say here, since it's not a single 'wine review' posting - but just back from a conference in Portland, and got a chance to get away from the nerd herd and go to Pinot country south of the city, into the Willamette Valley (AVA) and its smaller sub-sections. Most of my tastings were clustered around the Chehalem Mountains, Dundee Hills, and Yamhill sections of the larger region. Stops at Adelsheim, Bergstrom, Beaux Freres (call first), Patricia Green (call first), Domaine Drouhin, Sokol Blosser, and Bergstrom, were all fun. I was a bit dumb-founded by tasting fees in these places -- yes, yes, I know it's Pinot which tends to be more expensive to produce -- some were $15. OK, but if I'm purchasing a decent bottle of Pinot (anything over $40), you really should DROP the tasting fee. Is this Napa? Yes? OK, fine.

Oh, you object to the comparison? Well, then drop the fee if someone bottles some of your juice. Ridiculous.

But it was a grand time - two of the favorites were Beaux Freres (duh!) and Bergstrom, with the latter's estate Pinot Noir really a wonderful wine for the sometimes-critiqued 2007 vintage. I found it berry-licious, earth, deep, yet delicate and elegant at the same time. It didn't hurt that it was my first stop of the day, either, since I was a little tired later on. Lunch was in McMinnville at a little tapas/wine bar called La Rambla. It was "fine," and if that sounds a little flat - well, it is. My mistake for not going to Thistle or Nick's Italian Cafe in this town but I was still feeling a little bloaty from the previous night's meal. Beautiful landscapes, and some really good pinot. Just watch the prices, people, or you'll end up duplicating Napa.

2006 Turley Zinfandel (Juvenile)

Well, this was a burly 15%ABV Zin from the woman who, arguably, transformed the California (red) wine industry by introducing lush, modern fruit-bruiser bottlings. Still, this was more rustic than I expected, but had the classic briar-patch fruit and light white pepper one expects in a good Zin. And despite the alcohol, it was never hot, although the "spice" under-tones could easily have been the afterburn of a young, potent Zin. Still, we liked it. 89/100.
Bottom line: Good Zin, not great, if you can find it. A wine for fans of rustic Zinfandel.