Real Deal Oregon - Rascal Pinot Noir

I've always loved Oregon Pinot Noir. It kind of bridges the old world style of Burgundy and the very fruity new world style of California with elements of both. In general, Oregon Pinots are fruitier than the former but sexier and more delicate than the latter and Pinot Noir fans should really experiment with these wines. If you're describing your everyday Pinot as "jammy", then it won't work for me. If your everyday Pinot is opaque, then it's probably too ripe and sweet for me. Pinot Noir should be light colored and translucent.

Which brings me to today's great find, Rascal Pinot Noir 2011 from the Great Oregon Wine Company. This may be the best entry level Pinot Noir I've tasted and at $8.99, it's a steal. Plus it's pure Willamette Valley fruit. Nowadays, the origin designation you get at this price point usually says something like "California", which means you get Central Valley fruit. Classic Pinot aromas of raspberry, cherry and cinnamon spice greet you. In the mouth, it's light bodied yet full flavored with wonderful red berry flavors, excellent acidity and a toasty note on the back end. It finishes a bit short, but all in all, this is a great example of what I think real Pinot Noir should be. This beauty paired perfectly with a simple roast chicken and it's delicate nature should also make it a great fit with grilled salmon. Cheers.

Update - I get a lot of hits on this post so I thought an update was in order. Once the 2011 of this wine sold out, the producers bottled a non-vintage version which probably consisted of 2010 and 2011 juice. Both '10 and '11 were small yield vintages. The bottling was okay but a lot of retailers passed on it as it is harder to sell non-vintage.  It appears that the 2012 Oregon vintage is both better and higher yielding then '10 or '11 and hopefully the 2012 Rascal will be released soon.

Parusso Rosato "Paruss" 2011

The Armando Parusso Estate in Monforte d'Alba, Italy is one of the most well known and highly regarded wineries in Piedmont. Known for their high end Barolos made from the Nebbiolo grape, they have been turning out world class wines for a long time. Nebbiolo is absolutely one of my favorite grapes and can be found not only as Barolo, but as Barbaresco and the entry level Nebbiolo d'Alba as well. It's also found in the wines of more out of the way places such as Ghemme and Carema as well.

Here however, we focus on the everyday wine for everyday consumption so when Nebbiolo roses started showing up on retailer's shelves a few years ago, I took note. This summer has been brutally hot here on the east coast and we have been drinking a lot of chilled wine. The Nebbiolo rose called "Paruss" from the Parusso estate is a fantastic $11.99 value. It's got big aromas of watermelon and light red berries along with floral and mineral notes. The flavors are just as big with the berries in the lead, notes of honey and a slight peppery quality. The bright, balancing acidity makes this a great food wine. Imported by Montecastelli, don't hesitate to pick up a bottle of this great summer quaffer. We drank this with a fantastic Mario Batali dish - chicken thighs with saffron, green olives and mint. Cheers.

A Break From the Heat & Back to the Reds - Ch. Beauchene Cotes du Rhone

There was actually something cool feeling in the air tonight and it felt great to sit out on the deck, lingering with dinner and the juice of the vine. After all, neither man nor woman can live with whites and roses alone. Variety is key. So when we decided on some pasta with a raw sauce of avocado, tomatoes and garlic, I just had to open a Cotes du Rhone. It had been awhile. This recipe is a house favorite and comes from Viana La Place and her wonderful Italian cookbook "Verdura". The sauce prior to adding the pasta is pictured here.

Wine is what we are all about here though so here I go. The 2010 Cotes du Rhone from Chateau Beauchene is a perfectly delicious $10.99 red. This cuvee is comprised of 60% Grenache, 27% Syrah, 10% Carignan, and 3% Cinsault from stony, alluvial soils. It's got raspberry compote and bright red cherry on the nose along with typical black pepper and Provencal herb accents. It's fairly generous of mouth feel with red berry and red plum flavors, bright acidity and some lightly dusty tannins on the finish. Though not the most intriguing Cotes du Rhone around, this is none the less a wonderful mid-week bottle. Imported by Regal Wine Imports. Cheers.

Case Ibidini Nero d'Avola 2009

Nero d'Avola, Sicily's most important grape, is often compared to Australian Shirazes. And while they share a warm climate with plenty of sun and little rain, this comparison usually doesn't work for me, especially at the everyday level. I find most Nero d'Avolas more balanced and food friendly than the aforementioned Australian wines, whose flavors run much more to raisiny over-ripeness and high alcohol. This version, another fine product of Polaner Selections, cost me an affordable $11.99. Produced by Valle dell'Acate, a winery now under 6th generation management, this graceful red delivers the goods. A beautiful translucent ruby color yields delicate raspberry, maraschino cherry and a stony minerality on the nose. The mouth filling yet somewhat high toned medium-bodied flavors run toward tart cherry and pomegranate with bracing acidity and a long, smooth finish. This paired very well with pasta with escarole and basil from the garden and cannellini beans. I'll take this over Australian Shiraz any day. Cheers.

Marques de Riscal Rueda Blanco 2010

I've become a big fan of many of the Spanish whites I've tasted over the last couple of years. Many of them are light and easy to drink and are the antithesis of many of the large scaled, heavy handed Spanish reds in the entry level category. Marques de Riscal is a winery that was founded in 1858 and there is a long track record of success. From the Rueda DO in Northwestern Spain, a high plains plateau, this everyday white wine is a blend comprised of mostly Verdejo with a small amount of Viura, both indigenous grapes. Somewhat nutty, leesy aromas are buoyed by pineapple, green apple and grassy notes. In the mouth, the somewhat oily texture yields medium bodied flavors of apple, melon and mint. There is excellent balance and crisp, vibrant acidity which makes this a refreshing, delicious summer drink. It finishes slightly tart and long. For the $9.99 price, this quaffer is hard to beat. Cheers!

Poderi Colla Dolcetto d'Alba - "Pian Balbo" 2010

The Piedmont district of northern Italy is home to some of the worlds most famous and long lived wines. Barolo and Barbaresco, made from the Nebbiolo grape, usually need 10 to 15 years to begin rounding into shape and then last even longer than that. Producers like Gaja, Conterno, Voerzio and many others are known the world over. But even in Piedmont, when it comes to everyday drinking, Dolcetto rules. Cultivated since the middle ages, this early ripening varietal, although found in a few other places in Italy (such as Oltrepo Pavese near Verona) does best in the cooler, hillier areas in Piedmont. Here, the extra hang time contributes to more even ripening.

Poderi Colla has been around Piedmont since the 18 century and the current generation makes traditionally styled wines that complement food in every way. This bottling is from a single vineyard planted at 885 ft. in altitude with southern and western exposures. Slow to open aromas gradually reveal beautiful bitter cherry, clove, nutmeg and floral notes. This is one of those wines I could sit and sniff for a long while. In the mouth it's a bit less complex than the aromas and light to medium in body with the bitter cherry flavors dominating and vibrant acidity giving it lift. A little like pinot noir in flavor, it finishes with some dusty tannins. This is a great weeknight wine that is fresh and lively and sees no wood at all. A selection of the wonderful broker Neil Empson, this lovely $12.99 Dolcetto went great our hometown pizza from Nomad Pizza. Cheers.

Off the Beaten Path Italy - Terredora Dipaolo Falanghina 2010

Southern Italy boasts a huge number of overlooked, under appreciated  and downright ignored indigenous varietals. Names like Gaglioppo, Cannonau, Fiano, Piedirosso, Negroamaro and Grillo are just a few of the grape names that make southern Italian wines. As a fan of the local varietals, nothing is more interesting to me than delving into wines derived from this fruit. In the southern Italian region of Campania, several white varietals make wines that some of us are familiar with. Names like Fiano di Avellino, Lacryma Christi and Greco di Tufo are fairly common in the American marketplace. Falanghina on the other hand, is less well known. And, for everyday purposes like mine, those more well known wines are most likely going to cost more than $15 and more often approach the $20 mark.

Not so with Terredora Dipaolo's wonderful $13.99 Falanghina. This virtually unknown varietal makes a wine that is a crisp, refreshing everyday white that will work well with all your fish dishes, grilled shrimp and even simple grilled chicken. I tasted the 2010 for this post but with the consistently nice weather in this part of Italy, vintage is less important than with other wine regions. This tasty wine has some typical hot climate white wine aromas of candied apple and white peach along with apricot and floral notes. In the mouth, it's fairly fat and fruity with apple, peach and citrus flavors, but it is still balanced out with bright acidity. It finishes with toast and honey notes. Aged for a time on it's lees in stainless steel, this refreshing wine sees no wood whatsoever. It's imported by one of my favorites, Vias. Also, one of my favorite wine writers, Tom Hyland, has a couple of reports on Campania whites on his blog, learnitalianwines. Be sure to check him out. Cheers!

Definitely too Hot for Big Red Wine - These Cool Quaffers Save the Day

I usually love to open a friendly everyday red when we're grilling chicken, but with temps in the mid 90's again, I had to go with a couple of chillers. These are beautiful wines, one white and one rose, and they were perfect on the deck with some dinner as the sun got low in the sky and the temperature began to fall. They are both from oddball AOC's in the Loire Valley made from grapes that are not.

The white is a 100% Chenin Blanc cuvee from Coteaux du Vendomois, which is a bit north of Vouvray, the appellation where the best Chenin Blancs in the world come from. The producer is Domaine de Brazilier and this bright, crisp white has all that you want from an everyday summer wine. Aromas of grapefruit, lime zest and white flowers are very prominent. There's beautiful texture in the mouth with bold citrus fruit flavors, a bit of stoniness and bracing acidity. It's light, crisp and very refreshing and it kept me coming back for more.

The rose is a 100% Gamay cuvee. Gamay is a grape that is usually associated with Beaujolais and not found too much in the Loire. From the Coteaux d'Ancenis AOC and produced by Domaine Pierre Guindon, this beautiful wine delivers the goods. Strawberry and raspberry aromas are supported by notes of watermelon and a distinct minerality. Again, the texture is very smooth with the red berry flavors repeating. The balance is outstanding, with bright acids giving it lift and notes of candied orange on the dry, refreshing finish. These are both from the 2011 vintage and retail for around $12.99. Imported by the quality importer, Maximum Wine Company, these are two to seek out. The wonderful wine critic Steve Tanzer said of this wine, "I could drink this all day". Me too! Cheers.

99 Degrees - Rose to the Rescue Domaine Houchart Cotes de Provence 2011

Now I'm not one to totally turn my back on red wines during the summer months, but last week's temperatures found me taking a pass on the reds. I love dry roses this time of year - cold, fruity and refreshing. They go well with just about anything and I think they are a must have for the kitchen rack during grilling season. Years ago the choices for dry roses in the marketplace were not nearly as diverse as they are now and you can pretty much find these beautiful pink wines from every country in almost every varietal. Yet for some reason, consumers are still wary of these wines. I'm not sure if they think that they're sweet but there is clearly some reticence on the part of many buyers.

The beautiful 2011 Cotes de Provence rose from Domaine Houchart is one I could drink all day long. A blend of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvedre from 40 year old vines, the light salmon pink color leads to typical light red berry aromas of strawberry and raspberry. There's also floral notes and a touch of stony minerals. It's got beautiful texture, excellent medium bodied, red berry flavors, good balancing acidity and a long, creamy finish. Try this with grilled chicken, salmon or shrimp, a white pizza with clams or even sushi. Repped by David Milligan Selections, this $11.99 rose is a sure winner. Bottoms up!

Fattoria Laila Rosso Piceno '09

Rosso Piceno is a little known DOC in the Marche region on Italy's east coast. I've already written up Fattoria Laila's delicious Verdicchio dei Castello di Jesi, and the best reds from this region are dominated by the Montepulciano grape. Sangiovese is the other major varietal. Prior to 2005, Sangiovese was required in the blend to the tune of 60%. But now Montepulciano can presumably go as high as 70%, although the producer's website claims this wine is 80% Montepulciano. It's certainly confusing. But, what is not confusing is that this wine is an excellent $9.99 value. The almost opaque ruby color certainly looks more like Montepulciano than Sangiovese and initially reticent aromas gradually opened with airing to reveal dark cherry, cola, coffee and minty notes. Attractive dark berry flavors are buffeted with excellent acidity and a lightly tannic finish. This everyday winner has good concentration and lift and went well with grilled lamb burgers with grilled onions and raita. Imported by Montecastelli, a company with a great Italian portfolio. Cheers.

Moulin de Gassac "Guilhem" 2011 - Vins de Pays d'Herault

Every once in a while you stumble upon a wine that you you've never seen, know nothing about and would not even give it a second thought if your retailer hadn't put it in your hands and said "try this". Such is the case with this little southern French white. Moulin de Gassac is the everyday label for wines made by one of the oldest and most important wineries of this almost unknown region. Mas de Daumas Gassac is the name and they have been making a legendary Cabernet Sauvignon for a long time. That flagship Cab lasts easily for 20 years but we are here to report on the everyday white. "Guilhem" is the proprietary name and what matters is that this is a delicious $9.99 white that will drink well as an aperitif or as an accompaniment to grilled or sauteed fish dishes. It's a blend of 40% Grenache Blanc, 30% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Clairette. It features tropical fruit aromas of pineapple, mango and a touch of honey. In the mouth it's got more concentration than you expect with the tropical fruit theme repeating. Notes of apricot add complexity and there is enough acidity to keep it fresh and lively tasting. I wish more folks would take a chance on bottles like this as you can readily find interesting wines from unusual places nowadays. Imported by Beaune Imports. Cheers!

Hayman & Hill Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Selection 2010

Here's a California Cabernet that will win the hearts of the pure fruit crowd with ease. Made by a winery that sources this fruit from various vineyards in the Paso Robles AVA, a cooler area than Napa on the central coast, this simple quaffer has had it's praises sung in lots of place here on the web. It's got nice blueberry, plum and cocoa aromas with oak spice elements that support rather than overwhelm. It's even got a touch of bell pepper in the nose that lead me to believe that there might be a touch of Cabernet Franc in the blend. It's got good acidity and balance, and while it's got all the up front dark fruit and supporting oak flavors you want from new world cab, I was left wishing that this wine had more true Cabernet Sauvignon character. It's just missing some of those graphite and/or loamy flavors that really good Cab can give you. Still, at $13.99 a bottle, there's a lot of folks that will find a lot to like with this wine. Cheers.