The Soléna 2009 Pinot Gris is interesting, and stands out for its complexity amongst the many fine Pinot Gris releases in Willamette Valley. Fruit is sourced from 3 different vineyards: Grapes of higher acidity from cooler climate are blended with-read more-
You may not recognize this wine as Chardonnay if you’ve only been exposed to the heavy oak and butter first popularized by some California wineries. Made without oak aging or malolactic fermentation, it is more like a new white varietal,-read more-
Pear and melon on the nose. On the palate, melon, peach, pear, and white pepper. It balances a round mouth-feel with bright refreshing acids. This has an excellent quality-to-price ratio. Pair it with a hot summer day and a bowl-read more-
Though it’s a bit more expensive than most of the others, this wine is richer and beefier, with fragrant notes of almond croissants, toasted wheat bread with lemon marmalade, orange blossoms, hazelnut, and honeydew. It’s complex, slightly earthy, and well-read more-
This wine was a favorite; it’s a joy to drink. Lemon yogurt on the nose, and the flavor followed through: a flute of this wine is like a scoop of puckering lemon sorbet and a slice of cheesecake all in-read more-
This svelte sparkler from the North Fork is 100% Pinot Noir, with a bready nose, hints of baking peaches, and golden delicious apples. It has very delicate bubbles and lots of minerality—seashells all over the palate. This is a zippy-read more-
This blend of 50% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir, and 5% Pinot Meunier is the kind of wine you want to bathe in, with a rich scent of baked cinnamon apples and brioche. It’s fragrant and a little decadent, soft and-read more-
In June 2005 I joined a mixed group—Croatian winemakers, restaurateurs, professors, and journalists—to sail the Adriatic from the Istrian peninsula of Croatia to the Greek locality of Monemvasia, off the eastern coast of the Peloponnese. We boarded two 65-foot yachts-read more-