We recently had the chance to do an afternoon of wine tasting in the North Willamette Valley with Kelly and Brian. We barely had the time to scratch the “surface,” but I have to say, of the four wineries we visited, I was totally impressed. This is Pinot Noir country!

About 275 wineries do business here in this 100 mile long valley, with six sub-appellations, each offering its own microclimate. Accomodations can be moderately priced and the restaurant dining is excellent and I would encourage everyone to make this a destination. Life is casual in this country.

To celebrate our find, we invited friends to join us at Lake Powell last weekend for an informal pinot noir tasting of three of the many pinots we bought on that trip.

1. We started with the 2006 Elk Cove Vineyards Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. Wine & Spirits rated this wine a 91. I was totally pleased with this wine. Ripe when poured and gathering focus with air it had plenty of plum flavors on the palate. Really, really good.

2. Next we opened the 2005 Duck Pond Jory Cuvee Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley. This is the first reserve style Pinot Noir Duck Pond has produced in almost 10 years. Plenty of cherry with rose petal and cedar aromas; nicely balanced with flavors of raspberries, cherries and cinnamon (?), medium body, silky tannins. This was our friends’ favorite as it reminded them most of the Pinot Noir of which they were most familiar.

3. Last , but not least, we opened the Sokol Blosser 2006 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir. In my opinion, this is a bigger wine, more full bodied, than the other two. Concentrated, elegant, and with plenty of intense black cherry and berry, mocha and some earthiness, Sokol Blosser states that this wine “should age well and develop additional complexity for at least the next five to ten years.” I agree. To drink now, give this wine some air. We are going to cellar our remaining three bottles for a later time. I suspect that this wine may prove to be my personal favorite of the three - primarily because I enjoy a fuller bodied and more complex wine.

All three wines were excellent. I cannot pick a favorite and any choice may well depend primarily on the pairing.

I found the 2006 Oxford Landing, South Australia, Viognier, a pleasant summer surprise.

Aromas of musk, white flowers, and hints of apricot and peaches on the nose give way to a refreshing palate of crisp ripe pear and peaches with just enough acidity to balance the fruit.

I don’t know what the classic pairing would be but I suggest that you give this a try with Kelly’s peach-prosciutto salad for a great summer evenig meal.

Given the screwtop, this wine would work well for camping and picnics and as I write this I envision myself and Gloria in an Alpine meadow with good bread, a creamy cambozola cheese and no cares.

Enjoy.

For a white wine try the 2007 Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. With a bouquet of melons and a palate of gooseberrries, currant, tropical fruits and capsicum this should do well to lighten the meal and spirits. I have to admit that I’m a real fan of Marlborough sauvignon blancs and this one is no exception. You could also consider any number of old world whites for something different.

For a red wine, try Cueso’s 2006 Scurati from Sicily. Made with Nero D’Avolo grapes, this wine is full of plump, juicy dark cherries, with some herbs, tobacco and smoke mingled in - good length and soft tannins. This one was a pleasant surprise as I had never heard of the Nero D’Avolo grape. I would recommend this wine with the featured salad or any number of Sicilian style recipes.

Big House Wine’s 2005 Central Coast Syrah, “The Slammer,” is rated by some reviewers to be the best of Big House Wine’s current line.

Some reviewers recommend letting this wine breathe for awhile before drinking. I didn’t.

With plenty of blackberry jam and subtle hints of blueberry and chocolate on the nose; lots of blackberry jam on the palate; and, a hint of minerals on the finish, this wine is a bargain at a local sales price of $9.99.

The wine seems very versatile and should pair well with BBQ and other grilled meats.

Enjoy!

This Charles Smith 2007 Riesling from Washington State, Kung Fu Girl, is a great budget Riesling. With Asian pear, white peach and flowery tones on the nose and a palate of apricot, pear, a little citrus and some minerality in this off-dry Riesling, this wine combines just enough sweetness for an enjoyable summer wine. It definitely is not as acidic as those from Germany or France.

This wine pairs well with Asian food - and not because of the “name.” It makes a great picnic or camping wine because of the ease of the screwtop. It makes a great first course wine for informal get-togethers. Or, try it with a simple brunch or summer day lunch.

Shown here with seared tuna on a bed of spinach, bean sprouts and pineapple and topped with a soy, lime, ginger, and cilantro dressing and garnished with green onion tops, the combination was a wonderful warm summer evening meal out on the patio.

for camping and picnicing.

I was perusing my local liqour store a few weeks ago in anticipation of a boat camping trip and found the Big House wine display. I promptly bought several bottles, all with screw tops, and once camping I realized just how convenient the screw top was, not just for opening, but for saving the unfinished bottle. I have cork screws everywhere, including in our camp utensils, in the boat, in the truck, and several at home, but fumbling around with a corkscrew while reclining in a lounger isn’t always easy at the end of a long hot day at Lake Powell. Afterall, who needs any delays in getting the wine bottle open?

The “Prodigal Son” is a petite syrah from the Paso Robles area full of blackberry and smooth on the finish. Admittedly, Gloria and I like our wine while sitting back watching sunsets and before dinner but the wine would pair nicely with grilled meats, BBQ, and frankly with any red meat or well seasoned poultry.

And the labels are great, both the artwork and the descriptions.

In addition to the “Prodigal Son,” try “The Slammer” and/or the “Big House Red” (a blend of a dizzying array of reds - too many to list here).

I’ll do some short reviews of these other Big House wines in the near future - they’re all good.

When I’m in a hurry at the liqour store or in doubt as to what to get or conscious of my wine budget I most always seem to pick up one or more bottles of the Yellow tail Shiraz.

Gloria and I both drink this wine regularly. I like to have a bottle on hand and we regularly serve it to our friends when they drop by. Everyone always seems to enjoy it. We often take this wine camping. At $5.99/bottle it is a budget pleaser.

This wine has a nice balance of tannins, plenty of fruit, and hints of licorice and berry aromas on the nose. While inexpensive, it is nonetheless “big enough” to stand up to hearty meat dishes, although I regularly drink this wine pre-dinner with bread and cheese. When camping, it is an end of the day wine to be enjoyed while watching the sunset.

This wine is definitely one of my personal best buys and I would encourage you to try this as well as Yellow tail’s other red wines.