2011 Aveleda Vinho Verde

If you’re a white wine drinker and looking for something different than your usual chardonnays and sauvignon blancs, try vinho verde, the crisp, slightly bubbly white wine from Portugal.  There are lots of good ones available, although you might not find them among your typical grocery store selection.  A good one to try is from Aveleda (Quinta da Aveleda), which is mass-produced and is very widely available.  I have found it in several different wine stores, from my local wine & beer store to large retailers such as Total Wine. At only about $9/bottle, it’s a real bargain for a very pleasant, light-bodied white wine. 

It has a flinty, slightly smoky aroma with strong notes of fresh pineapple & citrus. 

The flavors are of lime and Granny Smith apple balanced with crisp acidity on a light, slightly effervescent texture.  This is a lively, easy-drinking white with a nice combination of tart flavors and acidity.  Another plus is that (like most vinho verdes) it is slightly lower in alcohol than many whites wines (10%).  Goes great with a whole range of light summer food fare, from salads, fresh fruit, light seafood and goat cheese.  Best served well-chilled.

2010 Spindrift Cellars Croft Vineyard pinot noir

This wine is a small production Oregon Pinot noir, so it is not very widely available. But, if you can get your hands on a bottle, consider yourself lucky. (A great source for Spindrift wines and many other terrific Oregon pinots is: http://www.northwest-wine.com/).  This wine is not one of those super premium pinot noir thrillers which the Williamette Valley seems to produce with amazing regularity, nor is it priced as such. Instead, this is a very good single vineyard PN displaying the rich fruit and acidic balance of top quality pinots from this area. It is a light-boded wine but is chock full of flavors and, at about $25 (if you can find it) this is an excellent value. Tantalizing aromas of dark cherry and black pepper leap immediately from the glass, but let this one breathe a bit and the layers keep opening. Flavors are lush and layerd with cherry & dark berry fruit most prominent, with prominent earth and a touch more black pepper on the finish.
I'm a big fan of Oregon pinot noir and I try a lot of different ones at all different price points.  Am always looking for wines that hit the "sweet spot" of quality-for-price.  This one really hits the mark. Haven't found too many pinots this good for under $25.

2012 A to Z Rose

Just finished off a bottle of the 2012 Oregon Rose from A to Z Wineworks.  Paid $12.99 at my local grocery store.  I like A to Z wine in general.  I think they deliver a routinely excellent value across their array of varietals.  Their pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot gris are all consistently good values year in and year out...and occasionally outstanding values.  This 2012 Rose is no exception.  It's a very good value at $12.99 and a terrific spring/summer sipping wine.  This year's version is fresh and lucious with strong strawberry and floral aromas that leap out of the glass immediately.  The strawberry essence carries through the flavor along with a faint touch of watermelon, but this is no sweet, flabby glass of yuck.  The sweet aromas and fruit flavor essences are well balanced with a nice dose of puckery acidity to keep it refreshing.  This is a fun, flavorful, easy-drinking wine that also has "real" wine structure and integrity. Pairs well with all kinds of warm-weather foods from entree salads to Chinese take-out to burgers on the grill.  Good stuff. 

2009 Chappellet Merlot

Let me start by stating that I don’t drink very much Merlot so my perspective is somewhat limited.  Had a lot of bad merlot in years past and thus I’ve mostly avoided it since.  I am, however, a fan of Chappellet Winery (Napa) which, as most fans of Napa cabernet know, makes consistently excellent cabernet along with other varietals.  So, when I recently had a chance to try the 2009 Chappellet Merlot, I had reason to hope that it might re-establish my appreciation for the merlot varietal.  And so it did. 

This 2009 Merlot is a smooth, delicious red wine. It has nice aromas of ripe plums and baking spices.  A dense, rich mouth feel with some good tannic structure (presumably from the cabernet added to the blend), but very smooth with no harsh edges.  Prominent fruit flavors of blackberry and a hint of cherry with some toasted oak essence.  Nice lingering aftertaste with more of the spice notes returning.

Overall, this is a very nice wine and a decent value at $38. Could be a terrific choice for those looking for a “big” red wine but with more prominent fruit and less of the firm, tannic structure of most Napa cabs. 

2011 Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc

I will be the first to admit that the price of Merry Edwards sauvignon blanc is off-putting.  Who pays $45 for a bottle of SB when there are so many very good versions from New Zealand (and elsewhere) for less than $20?  However, sauvignon blance from Merry Edwards is in a class by itself.  It is not in a price range to quaff on a nightly basis (for most of us at least), but the caliber of this wine will make you rethink what is possible in a SB.  It is a much more layered, nuanced wine than most other SB's, with subtle fruit flavors and an amazing balance of acidity.  This wine does not have the in-your-face, bracing tartness that is so typical of many sauvignon blancs (particularly from NZ).  Instead, this beautiful wine displays fragrant apricot and melon aromas that meshes elegantly into the pronounced citrus, pear and subtle spice flavors. It is so food-versatile that it's pointless to try to pinpoint only one or two food pairings.  Try it with all manner of seafood and poultry, plus salads and cheeses. Hard to go wrong. 

I've had several bottles of ME SB over the past several months (both 2010 and 2011) and have found both vintages to be nothing short of delicious and completely satisfying.  The price is a bit steep to enjoy this wine as often as I'd like, but it's a wonderful choice for the occasional weekend dinner. 

2012 Kirkland Pinot Grigio

Last night I tried the new 2012 Kirkland Pinot Grigio, from Costco of course.  I had picked up this bottle, among others, on a recent trip to the big box.  At $6.99/bottle, it's hard not to give it a try.  Expectations were, naturally, pretty low given both the price and the Kirkland label (which I have found to be a very hit-or-miss venture).  This one, however, is a distinct hit, most noteworthy for the sheer value of it.  For starters, this is after all a pinot grigio, so the goal is basically just a pleasant, light-bodied drinkable white that doesn't require much consideration. However, like most wine fans, I'm always looking for something extra, something unexpected in every bottle I try, no matter the price.  I must say, this Kirkland PG delivered. It is, of course, a simple white wine, but it had very nice top notes of fresh apples with a hint of honeydew melon, nothing at all unpleasant in the initial aroma.  The flavor has elements of fresh peaches and a continuation of the melon essence balanced with some nice minerally bite.  Not a long finish, but totally pleasant til the end.  Just a very nice, light & crisp wine.  And of course, knowing what I paid for this wine added immensely to the overall experience.  A definite winner at this price.  I will no doubt pick up a few more bottles of this wine to keep on hand over the summer.  It's an easy wine to break out for company out on the patio, especially for those guests who just want "a glass of white wine" and you don't want to open a more expensive bottle. 
Overall assessement:  a definite value pick.  Compares favorably with other domestic pinot gris in the $10-$15 range.