Featured Wines - February 1999

A richly colored Pinot Blanc, the 1997 Murphy-Goode exudes a bouquet of lemon custard and toasted oak. Rich fruit and a cachet of spices caress the palate. The wine culminates in a melange of citrus, with a long spice-box finish. The Murphy-Goode Pinot Blanc is no self-effacing little wine; it is bold and self-assured, making it a fine choice with flavorful foods....

A medium-bodied wine, the 1997 Blackstone California Merlot is a real crowd-pleaser. It exhibits a fine aroma of ripe berry, cherry and toasted vanilla. In the savor, creamy creme de cassis flavors and hints of white chocolate emerge in a very suave, well-flavored format. This is a supple wine with no hard edges. Already this wine is ready and willing to please. Give it fifteen or twenty minutes to breathe and you will be shocked at how round, gr...