We started off with Deinhard’s Riesling “Lila” Sekt from Germany. Sekt is the German term for sparkling wine, but interestingly, 90% of Sekt doesn’t originate in Germany – producers buy bulk still wine from Italy and put it through secondary tank fermentation. Thus, 90% of sekt is crap, to put it bluntly. The Deinhard is part of the 10% that is not. Made from grapes grown in Mosel and the MIttelrhein, it’s dry, fairly subtle but with lovely white flowers and tropical fruit flavors of Riesling. Clean and crisp, a nice way to start.

Next was Montsarra’s Cava from Spain – textbook Cava, with lemon notes and Cava’s classic earthiness (which comes from the indigenous Xarel-lo grape). More complex than most Cavas, with more yeastiness than you generally get and with a richer mouthfeel.

Third was Szigeti’s Gruner Veltliner from Austria. My personal favorite (partly because I just like saying Ziggedy); you don’t see sparkling Gruner around very much at all, but if this wine is any indication, I’d love to see more. Gruner is one of the few varietals that carries its flavor through the secondary fermentation process – it still tastes like Gruner, but sparkling. This is a very savory wine, with flavors of peppercorn, pink grapefruit, and dried herbs. It’d be phenomenal with food, I think, but delicious and distinctive on its own.

Next up was Cave de Producteurs Vouvray Brut. 100% Chenin Blanc, as are all Vouvrays. Like Gruner, Chenin retains its varietal characteristcs in sparkling form – ripe apple, honey, a bit of nuttiness, and the grape’s distinctive lanolin character. Some sweetness on this wine, but the acidity counterbalanced it nicely.

Moving to California, we sampled J’s Cuvee 20 from the Russian River Valley. This was the most Champagne-like of the group, both because of the varietal blend (about half and have Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with a dash of Pinot Meunier) and the extended time on lees (3 years). As such, it had the yeasty brioche-y character you get out of Champagne, with a lush, rich mouthfeel.

Last up was the Lucien Albrecht Cremant d’Alsace Brut Rose. 100% Pinot Noir from the Alsace region of France; this was a close runner-up for my favorite of the night. Beautiful red cherry and strawberry fruit, full-bodied on the palate, crisp, dry, and with great finish.

All in all, not a dog in the bunch. A wide range of styles, so hopefully educational for people, and every wine had about the same number of people who said it was their favorite, which is great – it’s boring if everyone prefers the same wine.

Wine 1: Crios de Susana Balbo 2009 Torrontes, Argentina: If you’re familiar with Torrontes, this was one of the easier ones, as Torrontes is a very distinctive grape – aromatic and floral, with a bit of stone fruits, lots of white flowers, and an almost perfumy mouthfeel. The 2009 Crios just got released, and it’s delicious – as usual, a standard-bearer for the varietal. If the varietal’s Torrentes, then it had to be Argentina (Torrontes is not grown much elsewhere – a small amount is in Spain, but too little for the parameters of this tasting.)

Wine 2: Newton 2007 Chardonnay, Napa/Sonoma, United States: Not as easy as it sounded – this wine has much more acidity than most California Chardonnays (which is why I like it), so that threw a few people off. Still, the richness, ripeness and relatively high alcohol content screams New World (i.e., anything but Europe). By default, that was the US or Argentina. Classic Chardonnay characteristics of malolactic fermentation (giving a creamy, buttery texture); some spicy oak; and pear/lemon curd / apple flavors. Most people got this one.

Wine 3: Johann Peter Mertes 2005 Riesling Spatlese Halbtrocken, Mosel Germany:Probably the easiest of the bunch. Drier than most German Rieslings (halbtrocken means “half-dry”) – I didn’t want to make it too easy – but still noticeably sweeter than the rest. High acid, no oak, and a floral / petrol / tropical fruit confirms Riesling; low alcohol and sweetness level points to Germany. Almost everyone identified this correctly.

Wine 4: Thomas & Fils 2007 Sancerre “La Crele”, France: This was a challange, and the wine didn’t show loads of overt fruit (which was a clue in itself). High acid, very minerally, great structure. Lots of wet pebble flavors, and some underlying white grapefruit that grew over time. A complex wine, and very representative of Sancerre. Acidity + citrus leads you toward Sauvignon Blanc, wet-pebble minerality points to France.

Wine 5: Marco Felluga 2007 Pinot Grigio “Mongris”, Collio Italy: In my mind the hardest of the five, because Italian Pinot Grigio is generally less defined than most other varietal/regions. Again, though, that’s a clue. This wine has more texture and structure than most Italian Pinot Grigios, with great phenolics, flavors of golden raisins, and underlying fall spices. Those characteristics are hallmarks of Pinot Grigio,; this wine had more concentration and structure than most. A few people got this one.

Overall, everyone had a great time; no one got all five right, but Tim Hansen came the closest with four. I’m looking forward to how the red blind challenge goes in a couple of weeks.

Bodegas Borsao 2008 Monte Oton, Campo de Borja: This is my favorite under-$10 red that we sell; it’s a phenomenal value, and delivers a lot of wine for the money. Unoaked, so retains the pure essence of Grenache’s juicy berry fruit, with some underlying minerality to add complexity. A crowd-pleaser, and an unbeatable everyday or party wine.

Unti 2006 Grenache, Dry Creek Valley: This wine disappointed me a bit at the tasting; I’ve loved Unti’s Grenache in the past but found this to be initially a bit woody and closed in. I recently had the 2004 from our personal cellar and that was phenomenal, so thinking the wine might be a bit young I saved a bit for the next day. Voila, it opened up beautifully with a day of air. Complex, layered, balanced. A great one for the cellar for a couple of years. (Or else with few hours of decanting.)

Betts & Scholl 2006 The O.G. Grenache, Barossa Valley: Lush and jammy, with big fruit and some smooth vanilla and oak to match. More interesting than most Aussie Shiraz’s because Grenache’s naturally high acidity balances out the richness. Unabashedly New World, very well made for the style. This was a big hit at the tasting.

Montirius 2007 Cotes du Rhone: At about $18, vies with the Borsao for the best value at the tasting. 2007 was a phenomenal year for the Southern Rhone, and this wine showed why. The Montirius is a blend of 73% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 7% Mourvedre – a fairly common blend in the Southern Rhone (some producers also use Cinsault) – and the additional varietals give darker fruit, some spiciness, and a bit of tannic structure. This wine had the scrubby garrigue that the Southern Rhone wines are known for, but exquisite fruit and great balance. Long and layered; an approachable style for those unfamiliar with French wines but still true to type.

Domaine de Marcoux 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape: Easily the best wine of the tasting (of course, it’s the most expensive!). 2005 was another classic Rhone vintage, and this wine has the stuffing to easily age well for another decade. 80% Grenache, with 15% Syrah and 5% Cinsault/Mourvedre, with an average vine age of 50 years. Incredibly rich and full, wtih red and black fruits, licorice, a bit of smokiness, minerality, and herbs. Great acid / tannin structure, opened up nicely as the tasting went on. A great way to end.

Great turnout for the tasting, with about 45 people enjoying 7 delicous wines and conversation with Greg.

First wine was the 2005 Ritchie Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay, which we’re currently pouring by the glass. Greg’s one of the few California winemakers who can produce a big, full, rich style of wine that still retains elegance, balance and minerality. 14.9% alcohol, but doesn’t taste hot at all. Creamy, with lots of lees influence, ripe pear, golden delicious apple, lemon curd, and spicy oak undertones.

Next was a special winery-only treat that Greg brought in just for the tasting, the 2006 Manchester Ridge Chardonnay from tne Mendocino Ridge appellation. Very different from the Ritchie, being made primarily from the new Dijon 809 clone. This clone give a very floral component to the wine, with more tropical and pineapple notes. Exotic, with nice acidity to complement the fruit. Lighter on the palate initially than the Ritchie, but grows in intensity and with a long, long finish. Not distributed in WI, alas, since only 150 cases were made, but Greg offered to make sure I got some if I had interested customers. (Did I mention he’s really nice?)

Moving on to the reds, we started with another treat that’s not for sale (not only is it not distributed in WI, it’s also sold out at the winery, with a whopping 65 cases produced) that Greg brought just because it’d be fun to taste; the 2006 Van der Kamp Vineyard Sonoma Mountain Pinot Meunier. Pinot Meunier is widely grown in Champagne as a part of the blend there, but very little is planted elsewhere and you don’t often see it as a stand-alone varietal. The Van der Kamp Vineyard has the old Pinot Meunier in the country, originally planted in the early 1960s (and alas, just ripped out last year, a victim of phylloxera). It’s a fairly light-bodied grape, and flavorwise is like a spicier, more floral Pinot Noir. The Van der Kamp is a great example, with excellent concentration and intensity and lots of spicy red berry fruit.

Random fact: The grape got its name because the underside of its downy leaves can look as though they have been dusted with flour (Meunier is French for miller).

Next up was the Van der Kamp ‘06 Pinot Noir. Greg describes this as a very feral wine, and I can see why. Spicy, earthy, musky, mushroomy notes complement dark cherry fruit. Full for a Pinot, yet still elegant and balanced. A serious, structured, complex wine – very nice now; will benefit from a couple of years in the cellar.

The second Pinot Noir was the 2006 Auction Block, so named because Greg creates this blend specifically to donate to charity auctions; unlike his other Pinots that are made from single vineyards, this wine is a blend of the best blocks from the best vineyards; it’s his top-of-the-line cuvee. Only five cases came into WI, and I snapped up two of them (with only a few bottles remaining). I’d had this wine about 6 months ago but not since then, and the evolution is impressive; it’s really starting to hit its stride now. Much lusher and more open than it was previously, and very Burgundian in its combination of fruit and spicy forest floor flavors. Great texture and mouthfeel, with strucutred tannins and acidity. Another candidate for a few years to reach full maturity.

The penultimate wine was the 2006 Peloton, a unique blend of 58% Pinot Noir, 30% Zinfandel, 2.5% Carignane, 2.5% Sangiovese, 2% Syrah, 2% Chardonnay, 2% Gewurztraminer, 1% Pinot Meunier. Got all that?!? This wine was a favorite of many; I don’t have it on the shelves yet, but I will. Surprisingly, the Zin doesn’t overwhelm the Pinot as I thought it might; the wine still has a lightness about it and bright cherry and strawberry fruit, with the midpalate juiced up by the Zin. Distinctive and delicious.

Finally was the 2005 Aldine Vineyard Zinfandel from Mendocino. Big, juicy, and jammy, with brambly red fruit, spicy pepper, and soft tannins. A crowd-pleasing way to end the night (Though Zinfandel’s about my least favorite varietal, while Pinot is my favorite, so I gave myself another helping of the Auction Block to end it.)

All in all, a great night – thanks Greg!

We started off with the 2008 Chateau Graville-Lacoste Graves blanc, a blend of 50% Semillon, 45% Sauv. Blanc, and 5 Muscadelle. This wine is drinking nicely now, but I think will round out and improve significantly with age. (Unfortunately, I found out yesterday afternoon that the distributor is sold out for the vintage and I can’t get any more – we sold everything that we had in stock last night. I do have another Graves coming in though; same price point and it’s a 2006, so is drinking well now.) Sauv. Blanc gives crispness and acidity, the Semillon gives a richer mouthfeel and some fig and lanolin flavors. RIght now the Sauv. Blanc was dominant, with the wine showing more of the minerality and crispness of the grape and not so much the roundness of Semillon. Great summer wine – you can’t go wrong with white Graves.

Novellum 2007 Chardonnay from the Cotes de Catolones was next. Cotes de Catalones is a Vin de Pays in the far south of France; warm climate, so riper fruit flavors. This wine is a custom cuvee for U.S. importer Eric Solomon – made for the U.S. market, it’s riper, fleshier, and more fruit-forward than most Chardonnays. It’s also aged on Viognier lees, which is a really interesting technique that gives the wine a distinct tangerine / orange-blossom quality. Very distinctive Chardonnay, and a killer value at $10.95. This was a huge hit among the tasters.

Tempier’s 2008 Rosé from Bandol was next. Not cheap at $38.95, but it’s the gold standard of rosé. We picked this wine to show just how complex rosé can be – even people who enjoy and appreciate good dry rosé often think of it as a simple wine, but it can be as nuanced and layered as any $40 red or white. The Tempier’s got a rare combination of both bright red and darker fruit, floral notes (I got a lot of violets), a bit of herbal characteristics, and great minerality. Unlike most rosés, I think this will actually get better over time; I think we’ll stick a couple of bottles in the cellar to try in a couple of years.

Red #1 was the 2005 Chateau de Valcombe Costieres de Nimes, a blend of 70% Syrah and 30% Grenache. Costieres de Nimes is just south of the Southern Rhone, but stylistically the wines are quite similar. We chose this wine because I think it’s a hugely underrated appellation; for $15.95 this wine has a lot going on; as interesting & structured as a Gigondas or Vacqueyras at a lot less $. Dark licorice, a bit of scorched earth, and some pepper from the Syrah, while the Grenache lightens it up a bit and gives some juicy red fruit on the palate. Long and chewy finish. Also a bit hit with the crowd.

The last wine was another 2005 (which was a phenomenal vintage across the board in France); the Chateau de Pressac St. Emilion Grand Cru. Still a baby, so I put it through the Vinturi and decanted it earlier in the afternoon to soften it up. 72% Merlot, with Cab Franc, Cab Sauv, and a touch of Malbec and Carmenere. Structured, with very dark fruit for a Merlot-dominated wine; I got a lot of black plum and black cherry. Full and creamy on the palate, with enough tannins to reward putting it away for another 5-6 years. Still very tasty right now, though.

For another perspective, check out Erica Van Heerden’s blog on the tasting here.

I decanted all wines through a Vinturi aerator at 3:30 and put them back into bottle (again through the Vinturi) at 5:30 for pouring; I wanted to open up the wines as much as possible, since Beaux Freres is known for being exceptionally tight in youth (due to their reductive winemaking techniques, which also makes them quite ageworthy).

The first wine was Klee’s ‘07 Pinot – it’s a nice Willamette Pinot for under $20, and I threw it into the tsating because a)you can’t have a tasting with just three wines; and b) it’s a great point of reference to have a less-expensive wine when you’re tasting a bunch of expensive wines; it helps to have a point of comparison for just what makes the expensive wines worth it (or not, as the case may be). Bright sour cherry fruit, good acidity, nice balance, a really pretty wine.  It served its purpose well in highlighting the quality of the BF wines as well – going back to it after tasting the three other wines showcased a world of difference; the BFs are at an exponentially higher level, and the Klee seemed downright simple by comparison.

Beaux Freres 2007 Willamette Valley Pinot – sourced from their Upper Terrace and Beaux Freres VIneyards, along with a significant portion of fruit from the highly regarded Shea Vineyard and three other vineyards, the Willamette Valley is the most feminine and elegant of the three, yet still with great depth and structure. This wine had an appealing slight floral component, along with sweet strawberry, some brown spice, and high acidity. All three wines had pronounced acidity, actually – this will settle down and integrate in time; in a few years they will all be absolutely stunning. Long, smooth finish; great balance.

Beaux Freres 2007 Beaux Freres Vineyard Pinot – my favorite of the three for drinking right now. It had a really lush middle palate, with some notes of chocolate and brown sugar that were unique to this wine. Still noticeably tight and young, yet quite smooth. My allocation on this wine was a whopping six bottles; I sold three and we poured one, so I’ve only got two left. I think one might be headed for our personal cellar (along with a few of the Willamette; I was able to get better supply on that).

Beaux Freres 2007 Upper Terrace Vineyard Pinot – the Beaux Freres Vineyard was more of a Cotes de Beaune with its softness, while the Upper Terrace is more Cotes de Nuits. Brooding dark fruit and the most earthiness of the three, along with the acidity and structure common to all three. Over time this will ultimately be the best wine; even with decanting now it was very tightly wound. I’d love to taste this again in 6-8 years. Alas, my allocation was only two bottles – we opened one and I sold the other. I’ll see if I can get more.

In sum, Beaux Freres makes damn good Pinot; it was great to be able to experience them.

Banyan 2007 Riesling, Santa Lucia Highlands: Dry and minerally, with lots of citrus notes,e specially lime, and hints of petrol. A good wine, but to me didn’t have the complexity of some other dry Rieslings we carry.

Folk Machine 2007 “Co-Conspirator”: A kitchen-sink white blend, full of tropical fruit – I got a lot of dried pineaplee out of the wine – but with nice acidity and balance. A fun wine, with more richness and depth than you’d expect at this price ($13.95); it’s showing really well now.

Banyan 2008 Gewurztraminer, Monterey: We’re pouring this one by the glass now, so I obviously like it quite a bit. Slightly sweet (15 g/L residual sugar), but with more acidity than most Gewurzes to balance it out. A little bit of floral, a lot of lychee fruit, and a bit of spice. Very clean in the mouth, not cloying at all. Lovely wine, especially for the price ($10.95)

Hobo 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley: Poured before the Zins because it’s a lighter style of Cab – very elegant, great acidity, moderate alcohol and tannins. Dark red berry and plum fruit, cassis, nice structure. It’s nice to have a Cab that’s not massively oaked and overly alcoholic. This wine was just released; we’ll carry it as soon as I find space on the shelves (which are getting quite full).

Hobo 2006 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel: An elegant style of Zin, and a nice contrast from the Rockpile. Classic Zin flavors of juicy brambly fruit and pepper, but with higher acid than most. Exceptionally food-friendly for a Zin.

Hobo 2006 Rockpile Zinfandel: From the tiny Rockpile appellation of Sonoma County, this wine was the big hit of the night. Rich and full, but not over-the-top jammy. Great body and structure; a serious Zin that’s eminently enjoyable.

I also tried his new 2008 Jeanne d’Arc, which is a Chenin-based blend from California; it’s absolutely delicious. It’s not in the market yet, but should be available in about three weeks.

Back to the Malbecs. I picked the wines to showcase different styles of Malbec, and was quite happy with how they turned out – all good, all unique.

Clos La Coutale 2006 Cahors, France: From the birthplace of Malbec; nice earthy rusticity to it, with dark plum, licorice, and a soft round mouthfeel. We’re out of the ‘06 vintage now but I’ll be tasting the ‘07 when it arrives in a week or two to see if it’s a worthy successor.

Maipe 2007 Malbec, Mendoza Argentina: The under $10 entry – not the most complex Malbec, but a great introduction to the Argentinean style. Much more fruit forward, with juicy dark blueberry fruit. Clean and pure, with low tannins (only 10% of the wine saw oak, and for only three months). Very well-made for the price.

Furque 2007 Malbec, Mendoza Argentina: A more rustic style for Argentina; flavor-wise, almost a combination of the first two. Nice structure, slight pleasant herbaceous (though not underripe) character, good structure, black fruit, licorice, and spice.

Vina Cobos 2007 “Felino” Malbec, Mendoza Argentina: This is Paul Hobbs’ Argentinean winery (he also consults for several others), and this wine showcases his rich, lush style. Big ripe fruit, some notes of creamy vanilla, spicy tannins, good acidity. This was a favorite among many at the tasting, and with good reason. (Actually, all were quite popular, if you judge by what people bought after the tasting; we sold about equal amounts of everything except the Catena, which sold less because it’s considerably more expensive.)

Orzada 2005 Malbec, Lontue Chile: This was the Cabernet-like entry, chosen because it showcases how structured and big Malbec can be. A significant amount of oak aging gave structure and power, and the few years of age on it integrated and softened it nicely. Smooth and full, with more of a black fruit profile than the other wines.

Bodega Catena Zapata 2005 Catena Alta Malbec, Mendoza Argentina: Qualitatively, the star of the tasting (which it should be, at $50). I chose this to show how good Malbec can be, and it delivered. Incredible aromatics on the wine – blueberry, mineral, violets, spice, slight chocolate – and a layered palate with loads of flavors and complexity. Great acidity and freshness; this wine will age well for another 6-8 years. Simply delicious.

Protocolo 2006 Tierra de Castilla ($7.95): A killer wine for under $10. Unoaked, so fresh, clean, and juicy, with fresh strawberry and cherry flavors, and a hint of Tempranillo’s classic leatheriness. This wine is routinely one of the most popular in the shop, and with good reason. Not incredibly complex, but tastes far more expensive than it is.

Puelles 2001 Rioja Reserva ($24.95): A big step up in quality (and a decent jump in price, so it should be). Reservas by law have to age at least one year in barrel and two in bottle, though most do more of each. This was a very well-made example of a traditional style, with more dried fruit and leather characteristics, yet still clean and with vibrant acidity. What I like about Puelles (a pretty tiny producer) is that their Reservas tastes like what Reservas should and their Crianzas (which we also carry; they spend less time in oak, current vintage is 2004) taste like Crianzas – too many Reservas taste like Crianzas that just spend longer in barrel, while this has the fruit to support it.

Paisajes 2004 “V” Rioja ($34.95): A modern-style Rioja, so a nice contrast to the Puelles. In 1998, Finca Allende, a highly regarded winery in Rioja, and Vila Viniteca, a fine wine shop in Barcelona, formed a partnership in La Rioja called ‘Paisajes y Viñedos’ (Landscapes & Vineyards), selecting each year different vineyards belonging to different owners and paying above-market prices to ensure the best grapes. Originally, the regional laws forbid printing the town, the vineyard or origin name on the label, so the winery gave each vineyard-designate wine a number to identify each type of ‘Paisajes’ (The laws have now changed; vineyard designates are allowed). The Paisajes V is from the Valsalado vineyard, a blend of 40% Tempranillo, 40% Garnacha, 10% Graciano, and 10% Mazuelo. Dark fruit, fairly full bodied, lively on the palate, much fruitier than the Puelles (because of the abundance of Grenache) yet still has that old-world chactacter of minerality and elegance. Personally my favorite wine of the night.

Emilio Moro 2005 Ribera del Duero ($29.95): A close second for my wine of the night. 100% Tempranillo, from the warmer Riberal del Duero region. Richer than Riojas; like a more concentrated version, with cherry, spice, earthiness, leather, still with that good acidity and brightness. Traditional producer, yet like the Puelles very clean and well made. (If I sound too positive about all the wines I write about for the tastings, it’s because I select them quite rigorously in advance so that we only feature wines that we believe are great examples for the region/varietal/style). 14.5% alcohol, but you wouldn’t know it by tasting. Impeccable balance, will drink well for several more years.

Numanthia Termes 2006 Toro: ($28.95): The modern counterpart to the Moro: Lush, fruit-forward, high-alcohol (15%; the maximum allowed by Toro law), new French oak. This 100% Tempranillo is a very cool wine. The Termes is Numanthia’s entry level wine – they also make a killer Numanthia (only two cases came into the state; we got one of them – old ungrafted vines, miniscule yields of 1.16 tons/acre; massive wine, smooth now, exceptionally ageworthy) and a ridiculously expensive Termanthia. The Termes is 30-year-old ungrafted vines, very low yields. Big dark fruit, lots of spicy oak; if you like Cab, you’ll love this. Slightly disjointed now in my opinion, but will integrate in 6-8 months and be delicious over the next 8 years. The winery was recently bought by LVMH (luxury conglomerate Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy), so we’ll see what happens.

Hanna 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Valley ($16.95): Crisp, citrus, high acid, zingy, slightly grassy, good minerality, long finish. Very well made cool-climate CA Sauv Blanc, with lots of fruit. This was the hardest pair for people to get right because the Hanna is a very nice wine at a reasonable price

Rochioli 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Valley ($34.95): The big difference that should have tipped people off is the partial barrel fermentation and oak aging – it added a depth of spiciness and structure, while the aging on lees in small barrels gave the wine a creaminess and richness that the Hanna didn’t have. Still great acidity and typicity; this was a lovely wine. Twice as good as the Hanna? Not at all, but definitely an exponential level up.

Dreyer 2006 Chardonnay, Sonoma County ($12.50): Clean and smooth, with pear and apple flavors and just a hint of oak. Not complex, but well made and doesn’t taste cheap. A great everyday Chardonnay.

Planeta 2005 Chardonnay, Sicily ($41.95): A bizarre wine. The color was deep gold; it looked totally oxidized and over the hill. Nose was bananas foster, with ripe roasted banana, brown sugar, and vanilla; the wine seemed like it would be sweet. Very rich on the palate, yet the acidity was vibrant and the wine was dry. An over-the-top style, with lots of vanilla, spicy toasty oak,  and a creamy, rich mouthfeel. It got better with time, too – the next day the acidity was more noticeable and the wine was more integrated. Not over the hill at all, just weird. People were divided on this – some absolutely loved it, while others thought it didn’t taste like Chardonnay at all.

Yalumba 2007 Viognier, Eden Valley ($18.50) & Darioush 2007 Viognier, Napa Valley ($40.95): Also a hard pair for people. Both wines had great peach and apricot fruit, good richness, and good acidity (important for Viognier; it’s naturally a low-acid grape and done poorly it can taste cloying and soft). We pour the Yalumba by the glass; it’s a great Viognier for under $20. The Darioush was a level up, though, with much more oakand the concentration to handle it. The barrel fermentation and aging gave a depth, layers of flavors, and structure that put it a good bit above the Yalumba, Again, twice as good? No, but unfortunately wine pricing doesn’t work that way – incremental levels in quality come at an exponential increase in price.

Like the red tasting a week later, this was enjoyed by all; we’ll definitely do it again.