Featured Wines - November 2001

A blend of 81% Oregon Pinot Gris from Willamette Valley estates and the remainder from the Celilo Vineyard in neighboring Washington State, the 1999 Cristom Oregon Washington Pinot Gris has it all. A limpid, pale, straw-colored robe recalls this varietal’s connection to Italian Pinot Grigio, while the complex fruit, spice and earth tone in the aroma underscores the grape’s Alsatian relation. Melon, pear, dried apple, spring sap, even hints of hon...

One taste of the 1999 Bodega Lurton Malbec Reserva is ample of evidence of why this lusty varietal reigns supreme in Argentina. Wearing an extremely deep, dark purple robe signals the wines nobility, but it is the aroma and flavor that we found most alluring. Oodles of fat, flamboyant fruit mingle with the spice of luscious oak to beguile the palate. Rich and decadent, but never flabby, this Malbec must be tasted to be believed. “Utterly captivat...

Flinty, lemony, cheesy…and oh so tasty, the 1999 Verget Chablis is a meal in a glass. This Chablis is what fine, truly dry white wine is all about. Neither acidic nor flabby, an amplifying nose of stony fruit combined with racy satisfying flavors in the mid palate make this Verget offering one of the most enjoyable dry white wines we have tasted. There is just one problem, the 1999 Verget Chablis is so good that it’s hard to put down, and like go...

Exuberant and lush, the 1999 Heron Merlot has no difficulty living up to its reputation as the ultimate crowd pleaser. Deeply colored and endowed with the heavenly scent of summer berries, plum and subtle spice, the Heron is what real California Merlot ought to taste like, but rarely does – even at an exorbitant price! Loaded with satiny fruit and seductive charm, the Heron is pure and seamless from start to finish. Why so many California produce...