St. Louis Eats and Drinks With Joe and Ann Pollack

Stone Hill Norton Vertical Tasting 2012

Saturday night was the 24th annual Norton Vertical Tasting at Stone Hill Winery. It's always a fun night, full of people interested in wine and in having a good time.

This is a 10-year vertical tasting beginning with the most recent harvest, so it ran from 2002 through the new vintage of 2011. After considerable discussion and tasting, guests vote on their favorites, using the Chicago system: Vote early and vote often. So, given that people can vote for more than one wine and that this is, to use the technical phrase, a self-selected group, I thought it might be interesting to find out about some of the highest vote-getters.

In fourth place was the brand new vintage of 2011, what Jon Held called "a sort of nouveau Norton", soft and fruit-forward after the very dry summer last year. A small crop, but clearly one to keep an eye on. Usually these newcomers aren't nearly so interesting.

Third went to the 2002 Norton, which tied for first last year. A big guy at the peak of his power, it took a Double Gold at the International Eastern Wine Competition in New York. It cries out for a large slab of prime rib.

The 2003 was the other 2011 first-place winner, and it placed second this year. Smooth, and almost Pinot Noir-ish, this needs some fine veal to go with, or perhaps lamb.

First place this year, the 2005 is nicely complex with notes of spice and a faint aroma of tobacco. Again, I'm thinking beef with this, although there are some mushroom-y pasta dishes (I'm thinking with little or no tomato) that would also work well.

Interestingly, the year of the Easter freeze, 2007 produced very wine, of course, but what Norton there is, is choice. Complex and serious, it was one of my favorites.

The evening starts with bubbly and hors d'oeuvres in the cellar, goes upstairs to the tasting, and ends with dinner in the winery restaurant. And the dinner this year was perhaps the best I can recall. Next year's date has already been set, April 13.

Valentine bubbles

Oh, so you also forgot what's going on tomorrow. . . .

Well, we have to move fast, because it's Valentine's Day, and if we don't have sparkling wine, or Bubbly, or Champagne for the holiday and for our wife-husband-boy friend-girl friend-lover-mistress-whoever, we're in big trouble.

Sparkling wine is a great drink. The bubbles add a touch of fascination as they rise through the glass. Look for small, busy ones as you prepare to drink. Bring your nose close as you inhale the aroma, feel the exploding bubbles tickle your nose. A delightful feeling. There should be fruit, or toastiness, as you sniff. The fruit aromas may vary, since sparkling wine can be made from so many different grapes. Classic French Champagne is usually a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, sometimes just Chardonnay. Champagne labeled "Blanc de Blancs" means it's all from white grapes. Moscato, the current hot grape, will sparkle. So will Sauvignon Blanc, even Catawba.

Dave Johnson, the excellent Stone Hill winemaker, has made superb sparklers from Catawba grapes, something I didn't think possible until I tasted his.

Several of the first-class French Champagne makers, like Taittinger, Moet et Chandon and Roederer, have built wineries in California, using the names Domaine Carneros, Domaine Chandon and Roederer Estates, respectively, and calling them Sparkling Wine. French law is that Champagne can be made only in the district that bears the name, with Reims and Ay the principal cities.

Blanquette de Limoux, from the area around Limoux, is the oldest of the sparklers, with the wine made several centuries before Dom Perignon "invented" it, as some claim. The 2006 vintage from Sainte Hilaire is a delightful drink, light and crisp and very fruity.

Taittinger's Domaine Carneros label has a splendid 2005 La Reve, and "Nocturne," from France. The label writer for the Nocturne may have sampled a bit too freely, with the wine described as "the refined Champagne for a successful evening," which covers a multitude of situations. Both are tasty drinks. The fact that the Nocturne does not have a vintage date is typical of many French bubblies, whose winemakers blend wines from several vintages to create the final product.

Billecart-Salmon is another producer of fine Sparklers, and its Brut Rose, a lovely pink color, has a hint of its red component in the finish. Delicious.

Sparklers range in price from the low single-digits ($5 of $6 in some stores) to the several hundreds of dollars per bottle. American producers like Schramsberg bring superior sparklers from the Napa Valley and Domaine Roederer, from the Anderson Valley of Mendocino County long has been a personal favorite. Freixenet, from Spain, also has a California presence.

And while French Champagne has a certain cachet, good sparklers come from every country. Australia makes a delicious sparkling Syrah, and while the Italians call it Prosecco, the Spanish call it Cava and the Germans call it Sekt, it's all sparkles, with upwards of 40 million bubbles to a bottle.

-Joe

This Week's Wine

Happy Thanksgiving!

From our house to your house, we wish you a relaxing day, a tasty turkey, and a pleasing beverage to accompany it.

Now -- Do you have a date at the wine store tomorrow for something to accompany today's leftovers?

Hold on a minute; we have a few ideas and suggestions that will make things very clear -- or else completely confuse you. Through the years, I've found a number of wines that make comfortable companions to turkey, either at Thanksgiving or Christmas. Of course, I'm also the guy who has said, on more than one occasion, "Give me a fine wine and a fine meal -- and I'll figure out a way to make them go together."

Red wine fans will find that Pinot Noir, or Burgundy if you're into French wines, will go nicely, as will some of the brand-new Beaujolais Nouveau or Beaujolais Villages. Georges DuBoeuf's version of the latter is tasty, with plenty of fruit forward and much flavor from the Gamay grape. The DuBoeuf "regular" Nouveau was close to unpleasant on my palate.

Extremely compatible with food and one of my favorite California sites for inexpensive, food-friendly wines is Bogle, and it offers three at $9 each that are fine values. The '09 Riesling is a bit on the sweet side, but a pleasing accompaniment if you make your leftover turkey into a curry. So are the winery's '10 Sauvignon Blanc and '09 Pinot Noir, the latter an exceptional value. Another good accompaniment is from Napa Cellars, with a fruity, delightful '09 Napa Valley Pinot Noir in the $20 range.

Australia chips in with Frisk, which it calls "prickly Riesling." That translates as a wine with a little spritz, a touch of carbonation, like some good Gewurztraminers. The fruity Riesling's flavors are heightened by the bubbles. The 2011 vintage (that would be a 2010 in terms of our growing season in the Northern hemisphere) is 89 percent Riesling and 11 percent Muscat Gordo, vinified in stainless steel. A hint of sweet makes this an excellent companion to that curry. Good citrus notes in the aroma and on the palate.

Another winning Riesling comes from Pacific Rim, in the Columbia River Valley, made from grapes grown organically and without pesticides. The winery also lets its 150 sheep to roam free in the vineyard as weed-killers. The Washington state winery is located in Richland, and the wine has a bit of sweetness to it, call it medium-dry, but it's extremely fresh and tasty, with grapefruit in the aroma and some pineapple on the palate.

* * * *

ZOUNDS AND GADZOOKS, IT'S A ZORK: The search for tight, inexpensive, easy-to-open substitutes for cork continues. Don Sebastiani and Sons, operating out of Sonoma, has an interesting new closure, called a Zork, on wines dubbed Project Paso because they include Paso Robles grapes. Priced at under $15, the new wines include Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel and a Red Blend that is made from eight different groups.

The Zork is an artificial cork with a flanged top that is easy to grip and to remove from the bottle. Keeping the wine free from air is a plastic cover that resembles the sealing wax once used to seal letters. It peels off easily and the cork can be reused to keep the wine sufficiently fresh for several days.

The wines are tasty, especially the red blend. It's primarily Grenache (37 percent), but also includes Zinfandel (16), Petite Sirah (14), Mourvedre (11), Barbera (9), Lagrein (8), Tempranillo (3) and Sangiovese (2). Lagrein is a relative of the Petite Sirah first grown in the Italian Tyrol, and also planted in small amounts and used for blending in the U.S. and Australia.

The Sebastianis also have an even less-expensive collection of wines under the Smoking Loon label, ranging from $8-$10. In the same price range, I think the Bogle wines are tastier and show more fruit, but Smoking Loon is passable.

-Joe

It's the Third Thursday in November. Again

It's November 17. Do you know what it means?

A clue: It's the third Thursday in November. What makes it so important?

No, it isn't my birthday. Send presents at another time.

Give up?

It's the day for Beaujolais Nouveau, the third Thursday in November, when the 2011 wine is released to people who have been holding their breath for 11 months, or since the day they finished their 2010 stock.

The release of the Nouveaus used to be a big day for p.r. types who conjured up wacky races and midnight bar openings to publicize the arrival of the new wine, most of which had been around several weeks, though not in a position to be sold. It was innocent fun.

The wine comes from the Beaujolais region, which overlaps a little of Burgundy to the north and a little of the Rhone region to the south. Gamay is the prime grape, and the popular Nouveaus of Georges Duboeuf are made of 100 percent Gamay. The grape, rather low in alcohol, tends to be high in acid, and therefore must be picked early, vinified early, bottled early and drunk early. The 2011 harvest began on Aug. 22 and ended Sept. 15, which means that we've traveled from harvest to tasting glass in less than three months.

Duboeuf makes a Beaujolais Nouveau and a Beaujolais Village Nouveau, the latter considered to be of slightly higher quality. The retail price is about $10, and be sure not to buy too much because the wine will be over the hill by the end of the year. This year. 2011.

I tasted both of the wines last night (shortly before midnight) and enjoyed then. To my taste, they were better than a year ago. The "standard" was a dark maroon in color, and the aroma of fresh grapes practically exploded from the bottle. The flavor had the same emphasis on grapiness, and was very flavorful. The Villages, tending to crimson rather than purple, showed more depth, more complexity, more mystery. The aroma had a hint of blackberry and the palate showed a little more restraint, but more richness. Very tasty, with a longer finish, a wine that showed much promise, even though we know it cannot fulfill it. Again, a wine to be drunk soon.

Talking to Franck Duboeuf, son of Georges, a few weeks ago, brought the standard, optimistic comment of a Beaujolais Nouveau producer.

"This is going to be one of the best years we've ever had," he said cheerfully. "The weather was right, the growing conditions perfect."

The wine is tasty and pleasant to drink. Either will be very good with the Thanksgiving turkey; my preference would be to quaff the "standard" before the meal, to sip the Villages during it.

-- Joe

This Week's Wine October 20, 2011

I've been a fan of wines from France's Rhone Valley for a long time; at least since before the phrase "Rhone Ranger," came onto the scene. My first memory of it is in a wine story by an English writer, and I was delighted at the linguistics involved, and that I had met a movement with which I could identify.

Since then, I've had the opportunity to follow the Rhone River in both directions and to experience its blessings. I remember sitting on the rocky area that shares space with the remains of the Chateauneuf-de-Pape castle. Pope Clement V moved from Rome to Avignon in 1308; his successor, Pope John XXII, built the castle. Only a couple of walls remain, but the space was just right for a picnic lunch and a bottle from a nearby winery.

Avignon is at the southern end of the Rhone, not far from Marseilles, where the river empties into the Mediterranean Sea. The northern end is around Lyons, where the Saone joins the Rhone. Hermitage, Cote Rotie and St. Joseph are among the finest from the Northern Rhone, all at the tasting, while Gigondas, a personal favorite, is from the Southern Rhone. The Cotes-du-Rhone label covers the entire Rhone Valley.

Anyway, I recently reveled in some glorious Rhones from E. Guigal, based in the northern Rhone's Condrieu area and serving as both a winemaker and a negociant, or exporter/distributor. The Wine Merchant played host to the tasting, and more than a dozen beautiful wines were on display. Most were reds, primarily blends of Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache and Carignane, but often with lesser-known grapes from the area.

The Guigal Gigondas, from 2007, was a great bargain at $29.99, and more time in the bottle will see it improve. Then wine is rich and plummy, with an elegant finish.

Older wines showed more style, with Cote Rotie from the Chateau d'Ampuis a taste of summer in vintages from 2000, 2002 and 2004. All simply rolled around the tongue, leaving a trail of beauty. Cote Rotie "Brune et Blonde" from 2004 and 2007 was a step or so behind, with the '04 showing a little fade of color. A 2007 Ermitage (a variation on the spelling of Hermitage) left me smiling at the thought of how much it will improve over the next decade.

Hermitage Blanc from 2000 and 2005 were a fascinating contrast as the older wine, as fine whites will, showed depth and richness, and an indication of how the youngster will grow and mature.

Great pleasure in all respects. . . .

* * * *

OTHER RECENT TASTINGS were led by a recently released '09 Cabernet Sauvignon from Sequoia Grove, a lovely Napa Valley winery that sits behind a couple of glorious trees just off Highway 29 in Rutherford. The wine is of very deep color, with an aroma of sweet cherries, their color a red so dark they're almost black. It's rich, with superb balance, and another 12 months of age will polish it. The flavor displays more cherries, soft tannins and a long finish (about $40).

PRIMUS: A pair of lovely Chilean reds from the Colchagua Valley, a 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon and a 2008 proprietary blend labeled The Blend. Both are fine values at about $20; the Cab adds 8 per cent Syrah for a little more body. The Blend includes Cab (44 percent), Syrah (21), Carmenere (19) and Merlot (18), and is a lush wine with big body, good berry flavor and hints of spice. A hint of blueberries in an aroma that also shows some spice.

JUSLYN VINEYARDS: A Napa producer from the Spring Mountain District has recent releases of a pair of superior 2007 red wines. The 100 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon ($90) has spent three years in French oak, 18 months in bottle. It shows a little purple to augment a deep ruby color, and an aroma of cedar and cassis. The palate feels elegance, rich smoothness and layers of flavor, plus the knowledge that the wine will grow for two decades. The blend (about $60) is Cabernet Sauvignon (42), Merlot (33), Cabernet Franc (20) and Petit Verdot (5), and it was aged similarly to its all-Cab cousin. Dark berries in the aroma, a hint of plum in the rich, bold flavor, a long and classy finish.

Wine October 6, 2011

Wine dinners always have a festive air, but there was an extra element at Lo Russo's recently when the wines of Bolen Family Estates were on the table. The evenng marked the release of Eric Bolen's  excellent 2007 Merlot, and it also provided an opportunity to sit in on what felt like a reunion of men whose friendship went back many years and who relished the chance to get together.

Eric grew up in St. Louis (Chaminade and St. Louis U., for those who think this is essential     information), Having worked in St. Louis restaurants and bars during his college days, he developed an interest in wine, and in later years, when he visited California wineries and drank wine with his father, interest grew into love. And in 1997, when a chunk of Napa County land became available, he purchased it, with Dad as one of his partners.

The goal was to make great Merlot, and he's moving in the right direction.

Understanding that grapes and a winemaker are the vital components of making good wine, he began sourcing Merlot grapes from the famed Beckstoffer vineyards and hired Tom Rinaldi as the winemaker. Rinaldi spent many years making the great Duckhorn wines. And despite his relative youth, Eric knew what kind of Merlot he wanted to make.

"I like Merlots that are big and full-bodied," he said, decanting a newly opened bottle to breathe for a little while. "I like the taste of dark fruit, of blackberries and blueberries and plums, and I believe that the less you mess with the wine, the better it will be."

He picks grapes at 28 brix (a measurement of sugar in the grape), and often late in the harvest period; the 2011 vintage will be picked near the end of October. The wine then spends 28 months in French oak barrels, a fifth of which are of new wood, and some time in bottle before the release. Again, he's later than many wineries, with the '07, which was harvested in November of that year, just coming into stores and wine shops nationally.

He explained, after sniffing the wine, taking a sip and smiling broadly at the result. "This wine is ready to drink now," he said, "though it will improve for quite a few years. But the time in the oak, and then in the bottle, allows the rough edges to be smoothed off, the tannins absorbed, the wine softened. Too many wines, in my opinion, are released too early."

In truth, most wine bought at retail is destined to accompany dinner the same night, and it's disappointing to open a bottle and find the wine too heavy with tannin that overpowers the grapes.

He's looking forward to the upcoming vintage, because a hot (92-95) spell in late August helped build the sugar in the grapes to the right level. I found his '07 to be elegant, with the dark fruit flavors prominent. Like most Merlots, it's on the soft side, but it's smooth and round and a fine dinner companion. It's expensive, too, with a retail price about $60. That's high, and it probably won't sell much at Humphrey's, the St. Louis U.-area bar where Eric worked and learned, but in a show of loyalty to a former employee, it's on the list.

* * * *

RECENT TASTINGS: Joseph Phelps 2010 Eisrebe, smooth, slightly sweet, pineapple, honey, honeysuckle. delicious, Scheurebe grapes, picked at 22 brix, then frozen to -5 degrees Farenheit. When the grapes are thawed, the brix has risen to 36, and when the wine is released, the brix has dropped to 22.5. The Duckhorn folks think that doing it this way, rather than waiting to give freezing weather a chance, allows for better control of temperatures, and it's hard to argue when tasting this wine. About $50.

2009 Zonte's Footstep 2009 Lady of the Lake Viognier ($15), very tasty, with good apricot flavors and an unexpected hint of ginger. Smooth finish, excellent aperitif.

Dry Creek 2010 Sonoma County Fume Blanc, dry and citrusy, is made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Making it in stainless steel provides for a crisper flavor,with gapefruit the leading flavor. A terrific food wine, and a good buy at $15 retail.

Big House 2009 Cardinal Zin, 2009, rich with dark fruit flavors, good balance. A blend of Zinfandel (80 percent), Mourvedre (10), Carignane (8) and Petit Sirah (2), it's a little on the soft side, with a long, smooth finish.

--Joe

The Fox and Hounds

Civilization has returned to the corner of Clayton Road and Clayton Avenue. The Fox and Hounds bar in the Cheshire has reopened, looking amazingly like it did in the 1950s and 60s, when the late Mark Pollman held forth behind the bar. His book, "Bottled Wisdom," is for sale, and a small plaque pays tribute. We visited the other night, and as we sat at the bar, a young couple strolled in, looked around; the man's first response was, "Amazing."

We represent both extremes of guests here; Joe was practically a regular a long time ago, and Ann may have been here once many, many years ago. But the decor of an upper-crust English pub with comfortable chairs, cozy lighting and animal heads is irresistible. A piano player and a stand-up bass, providing a soundtrack of romantic mid-century jazz standards, clinched the deal.

Yes, there's food, too; wings are crisp under a light brushing of a sweet-hot glaze; the black pepper mayonnaise was superfluous. And we loved the lamb sliders, one of the few times we've found brioche buns to actually work with a burger. The one with the small scoop of cheddar spread was the top of the heap for us. Fish and chips did pretty well, although the second piece was too greasy. Nice light batter, though. Food until 10 during the week, 11 on the weekends.

We can't imagine how many seductions this place has hosted, but we think it's going to be the scene of many more, either in the warm and friendly bar, or on the dimly lighted patio around the pool.

 

The Fox and Hounds

The Cheshire Inn

6300 Clayton Rd.

314-647-7300

www.cheshirestl.com

Lunch and Dinner nightly

Credit cards: Yes

Wheelchair access: Fair

Smoking: No

Food: $9-$14

This Week's Wine

"Que sera, sera, whatever will be, will be," sang Doris Day in "The Man Who Knew Too Much." That was in 1956, when hardly anyone knew about "sera," or "Syrah," pronounced similarly but approached differently. The former is a form of the Spanish verb, "to be," and adding "que," makes it work as the line says.

Syrah, on the other hand, is a dark red grape from France's Rhone Valley, and what it will be, in proper hands, is a dark, full-bodied, hearty red wine. Yes, it's a stretch, but those who remember the Alfred Hitchcock movie starring Jimmy Stewart and Day may get a smile out of it. The song did win an Academy Award.

Syrah, known as Shiraz in Australia and parts of South America, is not related, however, to Petite Sirah, also known as Dourif. I know there are many different names for the same grape, but in the days before instantaneous communication, nomenclature was handled differently.

Anyway, I'm a fan of Syrah, as I am of most rich and hearty reds, and I came across some interesting samples recently, one from Randall Grahm, who owns Bonny Doon. He's an old friend who is one of the great wine-makers and wine-namers. He's the guy that named a Rhone-style red "Le Cigare Volant," which roughly translates into "space ship," after a small town in the Hermitage passed a law so bizarre I thought it came from the Missouri Legislature or the St. Louis Board of Aldermen. It forbade space ships from way out there somewhere from landing in the particular commune.

And it's worked. No space ships have landed there.

Now he's added a rose, or Vin Gris de Cigare, and it's a delight and a bargain at $15. It's a blend of Grenache Rouge (71 percent), Roussanne (16), Grenache Blanc (11) and Mourvedre (2), and it's crisp, light and dry, with hints of strawberry and cherry. It's a perfect aperitif or an accompaniment to a light, not-too-spicy lunch. It makes Ann and me think we're in Provence, sitting on the patio of a seaside restaurant.

And now back to Syrah. Grahm's new one, a 2008, is 100 percent Syrah from the Central Coast of California. Big and rich, with hints of leather in the aroma and dark berries on the palate, it's a splendid wine that has delightful flavors and a long finish that brings them all together.

* * * *

SYRAH, SYRAH, OR MORE SYRAH: Zaca Mesa, in Los Olivos, also makes Syrah from Central Coast grapes, and a pair of delicious 2007s are in the market now. Both are from vineyards in Santa Barbara County; the "ordinary" Syrah is at $25, the Mesa Reserve at $42.

To my mind (and palate), the reserve is worth the extra money. It's a truly elegant wine, smooth as silk. There are cassis flavor overtones and big, sweet blackberries, he kind that exlode with flavor in the mouth. It's a special wine, still showing some tannin, and it should improve for another dozen years.

The less expensive version is not much lesser in the glass or on the mouth. It spent a little less time in the barrel, and there are a few rough edges here and there. Pouring it about 40 minutes before dinner smooths many of them. There's still plenty of fruit and a feel of solidity. Try it with a steak.

* * * *

ZOUNDS! IT'S A ZORK! The Sebastiani family has been in the California wine industry for generations, with lots of Sonoma Valley production. Through various changes, marriages, births, sales, purchases, reorganizations and other situations common to winemaking families, Don Sebastiani, son of August and grandson of founder Samuele, now has Don Sebastiani and Sons, and a project in Paso Robles, called Project Paso.

And, of course, one of the Merry Pranksters who make me so happy to be writing about wine, already has a slogan, Consider the Paso-billities.

 

And furthermore, instead of using an ordinary cork, or a crown cap, or a screw cap, the Sebastianis are using a Zork. It's an Australian development to seal bottles, and I think it's terrific. It's a plastic cover and seal that peels easily off the bottle to show a plastic cork that has a handle (more like a head) to pull the cork, or zork, or whatever it is. It comes out of the bottle with no trouble, can provide more flair for a sommelier than a screw cap, and since it fits a standard bottle, it can be used to close another bottle of wine, or vinegar, or whatever else you may have hanging around the house. It's not a perfect seal, but it's a lot better than trying to put a cork back into a bottle or to use a screw cap on an ordinary bottle.

Project Paso has five wines, each at $14, including a Red Blend, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

I sampled the reds, all of which need to be opened at least an hour before drinking. Otherwise they are simply too tannic, almost bitter. The Red Blend, which includes eight different wines, finally calms down, and shows some interesting flavor combinations as grapes not tasted too often show their style. The blend is Grenache (17 percent), Zinfandel (16), Petite Sirah (14), Mourvedre (11), Barbera (9), Lagrein (8), Tempranillo (3) and Sangiovese (2). Barbera and Sangiovese are primarily Italian grapes, and Tempranillo is the heart of many Spanish reds. Lagrein, new to me, also is an Italian grape, similar to a Petite Sirah. The Zinfandel adds only 7 percent Lagrein and after lots of air it showed some good savory notes and plenty of the familiar Zinfandel flavor. The Cab, which didn't offer much at all, starts with 89 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, adds Petite Sirah (5), Alicante Bouchet, Grenache and Merlot (2 each).

The Zin and the Red Blend would be satisfactory with pizza or a simple pasta preparation.

--Joe

This Week's Wine: How Old Is That Norton?

And should you drink it now or hold on to it? Palate Press has a story by Joe on just that topic. Several Missouri winemakers give their views.

This Week's Wine, May 25, 2011

There are countless Chardonnays out there, with every style, every flavor, every finish making claims to greatness. I'm not a huge fan of California's offerings, though some can be very good. A few visits to the Burgundy area of France left wondrous memories of crisp, dry, citrus-y wines, but too many American wine-shop shelves and restaurant wine lists are laden with big, oaky, buttery, overdone California wines.

Since I'm willing to admit that the problem may be mine, and not the wine's, I keep tasting.

And every now and then I find a Chardonnay (actually two) that I consider pleasant and enjoyable.

There's a lot of distance between California and Australia, and just as much difference between 2009 Chardonnays from Sequoia Grove, in the heart of Napa County, and from Plantagenet Wines, whose Omrah Chardonnay comes from the Great Southern region of Western Australia.

Sequoia Grove's version (about $18) is extremely rich, but with great balance, and the basic Chardonnay flavors are clear and crisp. The wine, from Carneros grapes, was barrel-fermented with light oak, but did not go through malolactic fermentation, which I applaud. It's a delicious wine, either as an aperitif or with oysters on the shell. The Plantagenet version (about $15) never saw any oak, was fermented in stainless steel, then left on the lees for a goodly period of time before bottling. The result is an extra-crisp, flinty wine, with considerable citrus flavor and a stony undertone. It's very much in the Burgundian style.

And despite their difference, I liked both of them very much.

Plantagenet also makes Hazard Hill, a Sauvignon Blanc (68 percent), Semillon (32) blend, with a hint of Riesling. I'm very fond of Sauvignon Blanc, but I have difficulty with Semillon, especially when blended as it is here. My palate reacts badly to the combination, feeling that the Semillon makes the Sauvignon Blanc flabby and weak. Not for me, even at $13.

On the other hand, rose wines are for me, and as we come into summer, they're especially good at lunch, or an aperitif before dinner. Innocent Bystander, from Victoria, Australia, is a delight. Oddly, it comes with a crown cap, like bottled soda used to. The winemaker reports the cap keeps its slight fizz in fine shape. Made from Black Muscat and Muscat Gordo, it's light (5.5 percent alcohol)m, its bright and lovely, though the price ($35) is rather high.

Lots of other recent tastings, too. . . .

KITCHEN SINK: Owned by Adler Fels, this Santa Rosa operation offers a non-vintage red and white, both composed of many grapes, and a bargain price of $10. Some would say this is blending at its finest; others would claim that the winemaker merely put together a large amount of inexpensive grapes. The red, with Zinfandel (38 percent), Merlot (34), Cabernet Sauvignon (21), Petite Sirah (5) and mixed red varieties (2), tastes of Zin, and is dry and fruity, probably fine for a picnic. The white, made from Chardonnay (36), Chenin Blanc (32), Gewurztraminer (21) and mixed white varieties (11), is less satisfactory. There's a pleasant aroma, but not much flavor.

* * * *

FOUR-MILE CREEK: The Novy Family displays a 2008 red wine from the north coast. There's a pleasant Rhone-style richness, and the flavor indicates a good portion of Syrah, whose presence makes this a fine companion to pasta or pizza, especially in its 10-dollar price range.

* * * *

ALENTE VINHO BRANCO: The Alentejo region of southern Portugal produces some lovely, crisp white wines in the $10 range. An '09 white, blended from antao vaz and arinto grapes, has a charming crispness and an overlay of sweetness to make this an excellent dessert wine or as an aperitif. Lots of very good fruit.

* * * *

VERAMONTE SAUVIGNON BLANC: A splendid wine from an Argentine standby, the '09 Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc is a delight. Good mineral undertones and a crisp, long finish add extra layers to a rich, full-bodied wine that makes a fine companion to grilled chicken. The $12 price tag is just one more note of value.

 

-Joe