No Wine Over $20-Reviews and the LA Wine Scene

Oscar update: I told ya so. Slumdog sweeps. The Academy that chose True Grit over Midnight Cowboy lavished awards on the conventionally "edgy" movie of the season (omigod they show warterboarding!!!). The wine comparison is more obvious than ever. Slumdog is the Chilean wine of films for 2009. While I am not one of those who would say the entire year was less memorable than others have asserted, tBoW did contend that Slumdog was the least interesting of the choices and that Button was the next best thing (Titanic meets Forest Gump; I'm ready for my pitch meeting). The best movie was The Wrestler [ed. think Camille Giroud Savigny?]. I would post a link to the earlier post but it is all so ordinary, isn't it?

If you would like to read an hauteur's intelligent discussion of this year's Oscar films visit the lovely Marianne's blog Unstuck at 40 and read her Feb 20 entry. Can you tell she's a film writer? She can be so RAW it hurts!!!

In the meantime as the Obama economic plan plays to hoots and howls [ed. even the Nation is Barack-unfriendly still I don't think anyone is missing our last Prez] we also await the retooling of retail pricing schemes. There are two strong candidates for the end-of-year U20 best of class list.

And one more thing...check out the Jan-Feb 2009 Wine Speculator cover. Shanken & Co. have finally caught on that VALUE is the story. They even identify 1,000 wines scoring 88 points or more that are U20s!! How pissed are you if your wine was rated 87?!?!

You should not be concerned because you have been onto this VALUE thing for a year or longer. Because you follow thebestofiwnes.com!! Where wine is not some fancy freaking collectible. We drink the shit. And we expect to only drink...uh...the best of wines...at any price but we really like the U20s. Read on my freng and you will find below two winners, one pretender and a very good wine that just costs too much for what you get. Especially compared to the 2005 Mas Belles Eaux Les Coteaux at half the price.

2007 Sinister Hand Columbia Valley $24: Forward, soft, warm fruit. Blend of 62% Grenache, 21% Syrah, 17% Mourvedre. The Columbia Valley wine region is mostly in Washington with a small section in Oregon. Highly variable weather makes growing vinifera extra tricky. The grapes are from vineyards in the Yakima Valley, Walla Walla Valley, and Horse Heaven Hills which are in SE Washington near or on the Columbia River. Here is a useful link to a map of Washington's wine regions. This is a friendly wine that is ready to drink. Not quite a U20 but wait a couple months. And what's with the severed hand? It's historical. "The Sinister Hand label is a family crest - a depiction of a severed left hand that tells the story of a rowing competition among O'Neills and O'Reillys (Owen Roe was an O'Neill). Whoever touched land first after rowing across the lake was rewarded with the land he touched. Lagging behind, one of the kinsfolk grabs his sword and cleaves his hand and pitches it ashore to touch land first. He won the land and eventually ruled over it as king." Okay. 14.1%

2006 BV Coastal Estates Cabernet Sauvignon California $7: Too bad for this wine. Did not like it when first opened and failed to impress several days later. First impression was of a dry mark eraser board. Imagine licking one. Not sure what that flavor/aroma is but it's probably hard to get out of a carpet. When you consider that BV probably made as many cases as an Argentine winery (half million?) and that there are so many very nice Malbec wines from Mendoza available at the same or close enough price point... 13.5%

2007 Domaine Tariquet Ugni-Blanc Colombard $11: Finally a WINNAH from the local WIne Cask!! Tart and sharp when first opened. Not unpleasant, just kind of short in the finish. After nearly a week with the screw cap on tight the melon and peach qualities emerged. 70% Ugni Blanc and 30% Colombard from Gascony. A bit longer in the finish though not much. Judging from the Internet prices tBoW overpaid! Still a huge U20 deal! Imported by Robert Kacher. 10.5%

2005 Coteaux du Languedoc, Mas Belles Eaux Les Coteaux $18: There are a few wine shops around town that should check out the wine selection & sales team at K&L. These guys rarely miss. This classic Languedoc (Corbieres) blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre is another winner. Absolutely delicious right now. I read one online review when it was released comparing it to paint thinner. OK. I respect that. Maybe it was a bit raw on release. Perhaps feral. That's old news today becuz it is just perfect right now which means drink it up all summer long. The only thing that would make it slightly better is if it was slightly cheaper. Best online price is $15 but when you add shipping... Roasted meats, smoky fruit. Purple red. Interesting facts from another website talk a bissel pedigree: This wine from the owners of Quinta do Noval and Chateau Pichon-Baron has taken the wine world by storm and with good reason--even the venerable Robert Parker gives it 91/100. We have never tasted a wine this good from the Languedoc, it is in a word delicious and very good value for a very fine wine. 14%

Next up...March Madness and the inevitable comparison of wines to college teams (like the Bruins and most California Chardonnays).

What better way to follow a top shelf wine tasting than by driving out to the wineries that could not get into the PIWF (Portland Indie Wine Fest) just because they produce more than 3000 cases. The 45 minute ride into the northern end of Willamette Valley is dreamy even in the rain. We made a right turn up the hill from Dundee on our way to our first stop, Lange Winery. Our expectations were pretty high given we had busted open the 1993 Lange Willamette Valley in magnum this past August and were blown away by how well the wine showed 15 years later.

Lange Winery is near the apex of the Dundee Hills. The view to the Northeast is majestic. The tasting room and winery are not as humble as the Ayres facility (pictured above and reviewed below) nevertheless Lange is still a pretty basic operation. Generally speaking, the Oregon wineries do not suffer California vanities. The same cannot be said for wine pricing beginning with the $10 per person tasting fee. We split two.

2007 Lange Three Hills Cuveé $40: Perfumed nose, cherry flavors. Ripe for the vintage even though the alcohol is in check. Fruit forward and ripe seems to be the contemporary style for Lange. 13.3%

2006 Lange Estate Pinot Noir $60: Racy, acidic, more fruity, smoke on the palate, herbaceous nose. 13.9%

2006 Lange Freedom Hill Pinot Noir $60: Perfumed nose, creamy flavors, lighter acid. Plenty of stuffing, rich and robust. 13.9%

We left with everything we arrived with. Prices unjustified by the juice and our value-insistent sensibilities.

We took the shortcut road over the hill to the main drag leading downhill to highway 240 and Ribbon Ridge. We could wait no longer to hit the mother lode.

First stop...Bergström Wines. The doctor patriarch started this winery which is a family business employing 6 family members and kin. Josh is the Burgundy-educated son, winemaker and vineyard manager. Josh is turning out some very nice wines. But they will cost you dearly.

2007 Dr. Bergström Riesling $28: The reference to the Bernkastel Doctor vineyard, for some folks the greatest vineyard in Germany's Mosel, was not lost on tBoW, a mosel-a-phile. There is Deutsche character in this wine with its whiff of petrol and racy acidity. Kabinett ripeness with Spätlese richness. It is nice but it is not Mosel. And I think I prefer the Couere de Terre "Alsatian". 12.5%

2006 Bergström Willamette Valley Pinot Noir $30: The entry level bottle is not estate. Sourced from young vines the wine is rich with some veggie quality in the mouth. 14.5%

2007 Bergström Cumberland Reserve Pinot Noir $45: A blend of estate and sourced juice. Lots of ash, tannic, dark. Middleweight body with heavyweight flavors. Really delicious. 13.9%

2007 Bergström de Lancellotti Estate Pinot Noir $75: All estate juice. Gingerbread, baking spices on the nose and in the mouth. Fruity. More ripe than Cumberland. 13.9%

We left the humble tasting room with one bottle. It was not a tough call but it was one we would have liked to not make. The winery has everything going for it except for one thing. We decided against the $30 Willamette Valley (400 cases!) because we liked the et Fille Kalita better (at $34) and the Dewey Kelley Ribbon Ridge just as well (at $22). We loved the Cumberland (5500 cases, $65) and the de Lancellotti (455 cases, $75) but we felt we had to cut our losses given the $20 tasting fee. This is a winery we would love to love. Respect for the vineyards is everywhere, the site is lovely, the wines are spectacular. Emily poured. She was smart and informative about the region. In the end even though we really liked what the winemaker is doing we could not get past the hubris in the pricing policy [ed. or the Doctor reference].

Up the road, around the corner near the hilltop is Ayres Vineyards (see photo at top). The winery is beneath the main house on the property where Don and Carol McClure get to enjoy Oregon wine country sunsets. [ed. Carol pictured with fawning visitor]. Daughter Kathleen and hubby winemaker Brad McLeroy live in the older home on the property. A long drive through vineyards brings us to the split level home and winery where Mama Carol greeted us.

Ayres is another family winery whose winemaker, in this case the son-in-law, boasts Burgundian training. Brad learned from Matt McKinley and Veronique Drouhin of Domaine Drouhin in Oregon. History moment...Maison Joseph Drouhin effectively put this region on the wine map when the leading Burgundy wine negociant selected Dundee Hills to build its new world winery. First vintage for Domaine Drouhin was 1988 (first for Maison Joseph Drouhin was 1880). When tBoW visited in 1993 Ms. Drouhin told us tradition would have stood in the way of her becoming principal winemaker in Burgundy. Not so in Oregon. By choosing to build in Dundee Drouhin upped the stakes and the price by anointing Oregon Pinot Noir as Burgundian. Here is what one of the local Domain Drouhin spinoffs is doing on his own.

2007 Ayres Willamette Valley Pinot Noir $24: The entry level blend is perfect for getting to know the winery. Forest floor and mushrooms in a rounded blend. What we are looking for in fairly priced Oregon Pinot Noir.

2007 Ayres Piper Pinot Noir $34: Knocked us out. Take the Willamette Valley blend and pump it up 300%. Same forest floor funk, mushrooms and spice. In the mouth it is exotic, medium weight, balanced perfectly, friendly and so easy to swallow. This is Pinot Noir the way we love it. 13.5%

2007 Ayres Pioneer Pinot Noir $35: Another stunning wine that contrast beautifully with the Piper. The wine is lovely enough to purchase for enjoyment on its own. It is more high-toned, elegant, bold, structured from the nose to the palate. These wines are all the evidence one needs about what can be done with Oregon's "troubled" 2007 vintage. 13.5%

Last stop was Carlton, the western most village in the Newberg-Dundee-Lafayette-Carlton quadrangle. The rain started as we pulled into the no-stop-light town center. Scott Paul, our target, was right there in a converted stone and wood creamery. We could have been in Beaune.

Scott Paul proprietor Scott Wright poured the wines on this rainy afternoon so we pretty much had him to ourselves. "I have been a Burgundy geek all my life. My father collected Burgundies and other wines so there was always good wine on the table". He explained he had left a marketing career in Hollywood to manage the Domain Drouhin business. When he left that gig he started his own winery and import business. He imports approximately 18 Burgundy winemakers. For his own brand he exclusively uses screw caps and he may have influenced some of his Burgundy vignerons. BRAVO!! We might have tasted his wines at the Portland Indie Wine Festial except his production is 3500 cases which exceeds the 3000 case limit. The import/producer business strategy ensures multiple revenue streams with one caveat. He has to pour his wines next to some of the best Burgundies going. He poured a sample of Burgundies first.

2007 Benjamin Leroux Bourgogne Blanc $24: Chardonnay from a Burgundy village blend under his label. Wine is lean and tart. Never confuse this for New World juice. You do have to like Chardonnay. 13%

2007 Benjamin Leroux Savigny les Beaune $35: Wines from Savigny les Beaune are commonly referred to as "good value Burgundy". Lean, earthy, tart. You have to like Chardonnay. 13%

2007 Benjamin Leroux Volnay $65: This is French Pinot Noir. More spicy and intense. High tone. It turns out Leroux trained winemaker David Croix at Camille Giroud. 13%

2007 Hospices de Beaune Cuvee Maison Drouhin for Scott Paul $50: This is THE wine. Big wow factor. The best value on the table. Scott Paul bought the barrel at the Hospices de Beaune tasting. As the buyer Scott Wright gets to choose who will make the wine and bottle it. The wine is restrained and powerful, beefy with cherry flavors. This is Burgundy. And at this price it is a bargain. There is always one wine you wish you had picked up. Here it was.

2006 Scott Paul Le Paulee Pinot Noir $30: The price is right but the wine is handicapped coming after the Burgs. The fruit is forward per the 2006 vintage. tBoW tastes mint, sasparilla. Scott thinks I am nuts. 13.9%

2007 Scott Paul Audrey $65: From the fifth oldest (1970) Pinot Noir plantings in the region; the Marsh vineyard atop Ribbon Ridge. This is soft and seductive wine. It is concentrated with cola flavors. It is very very nice. At this price point the obvious question is Bergström Cumberland or Scott Paul Audrey? And the answer is Hospices de Beaune!! 13.1%

It rained the entire drive back to Portland and the Hotel deLuxe [ed. highest recommendation for price/quality ratio]. The two missus snoozed in the back. Dotoré cat napped while tBoW tasted Pinot Noir the entire ride. Now that is a l-o-n-g finish. Dined that evening at Le Pigeon in Portland, another strong Murray the K tout. Staff performed exceptionally well. Strongly recommended. We ordered another Patty Green.

2007 Patricia Green Estate Old Vine Pinot Noir $34: Tight, lean, more of that funky but elegant (romantic? sublime?) forest floor. Good acid. But tight. We did the right thing and decanted.

To summarize...tBoW will keep his eye on Ribbon Ridge. This relatively new AVA (2005) is home to important vineyards and wineries emerging as leaders in high quality Pinot Noir. Most plantings are fairly young, i.e., less than 10 years. However, the region is proven with notable older plantings that have produced premium juice for decades. There still exists enough naivete and joy in winemaking to place the experience of touring and tasting a long way from the Napa-Sonoma limo/winetrain trip. Tasting rooms with the over-the-top pricing are unfortunate and ill-advised. At least apply the tasting fee to purchases over $100. Of course, the best experience is still discovering something new in the basement/winery at no cost.

The first half of the 2009 has been lush with Pinot Noir and Burgundy from the Camille-Giroud tasting at Palate Food + Wine in February to the Oregon wine tour in May. Faith in Pinot Noir has been firmly re-established. While there are no U20 wines to be had there are truly special wines that are very good value for the Pinot-phile.

Portland is a nice place to visit with the river and the Pearl District in the old town. Compact, quaint, served by an ultra-convenient light rail. Next year's NBA champs work here. But if you like to drink great Pinot Noir, dine at inventive and casual restaurants, shop for new and out of print books at Powell's and sample chocolatiers like Sahagun Chocolate Shop or Alma Chocolate then this is a GREAT place to get lost in.

The Portland Indie Wines Festival's back room was a quick 40 feet over a linking cement path that required a walk OUTDOORS. It was actually nice to walk outside for a few moments before plunging into the second wave.

Impressions shared later that evening included the following big pictures: (1) vintage preference was for 2007 over 2006; and (2) Ribbon Ridge is the region to watch. The tBoW team's vintage preference was unpopular especially among vintners. One winery told us a subscriber wanted to refuse the 2007 vintage and wait for 2008. The 2006 vintage is widely viewed as ripe and bombastic sporting higher alcohol levels and forward fruit. The 2007 vintage is lean and limp, "disappointing" by comparison. 2007 was cool and late to ripen. Murray the K notes vintners who waited for Indian Summer did best in 2007.

As always it depends on what you like (even if it means being WRONG). You want big and ripe try Santa Barbara County. If you prefer lean and more exotic stay with Burgundy and Burgundian styles. In other words, the 2007 vintage wines tasted in Oregon, at the festival and in the Valley, were closer to Burgundy. And you just do not get that in any California Pinot Noir wines, with a very few exceptions (e.g., McKenzie Mueller, possibly Chasseur).

Certain phrases come up repeatedly when describing Pinot Noir: barnyard (poopy), cherry, strawberry, exotic spices (turmeric, curry, saffron) and forest floor. That last one - forest floor - is the most elusive. What exactly is on the forest floor? Maybe because tBoW just finished reading The Lost City of Z which goes on for pages describing what is lying in layers rotting on the forest floor that he was more attuned to the suggestion. We smelled and tasted the forest floor in the festival's back room and again in Carlton and Ribbon Ridge the next day. The good news is the 2007 vintage delivers forest floor in heaps unlike 2006 which is fruit driven and more viscous.

The tBoW team consistently preferred the 2007 wines. Lighter in color and weight, more delicate, lower alcohols, more elegant, better balanced. Conclusion? Look for wineries that may "dump" their 2007 Pinot Noir wines in the SoCal markets.

Ribbon Ridge is in the northern section of the roughly four-square Newberg-Dundee-Carlton-Ribbon Ridge area. Here is a link to a description of the Ribbon Ridge region. RR became an AVA in 2005. It has fewer vineyards and newer wineries than its neighbors including a few notable older vineyards. It is less publicized. The climate is a bit cooler. Stay frosty for Ribbon Ridge.

To the wines.

Longsword NV Accolade Sparkling Chardonnay $20: That is correct sir. A slightly sparkling chardonnay full of spicy apple and cinnamon flavors. Light alcohol. No cork. No screwtop. Pop that cap with a churchkey. He calls it the perfect wedding wine. Needs to be half the price to be "tBoW perfect" but it certainly is tasty.

2006 Monks Gate Yamhill-Carlton District Pinot Noir $26: Very small production wines well priced. The 2006 is smoky, acidic.

2005 Monks Gate Yamhill-Carlton District Pinot Noir $26: The 2005 is leaner. The Monks Gate vineyard is Yamhill-Carlton which is the sweet spot. These are nice wines. We just thought there were slightly better ones.

2006 Quady North Applegate North Cabernet Franc $35: Another real cute couple making wine. Yes, they are related to Quady of Napa fame. And this is a pretty nice wine with anise and mint in the nose and mouth. Like a poor man's Phelps Insignia. With some pepper. 14%

2006 Ribbon Ridge Dewey Kelly Pinot Noir $22: Bingo. The winemaker at Ribbon Ridge VIneyard is Dewey Kelly. He made this wine for himself. Wife Robin collects the dough. At this price and this quality level they had to sell out. 700 cases of his "white label" wine with his name on it real big. Baking powder nose, baking soda in the mouth, 100% new oak for 10 months. This is his entry level. Funky nose. Cola and black fruit flavors. 2006 fruity with a deft and restrained touch. Has the 2006 higher alcohol. After all that negative talk on 2006 tBoW bought half a case. Maybe Dewey is maybe Dewey ain't Paul Lato. tBoW felt he found a fine winemaker and will be looking for his 2007s. [ed. that's Dewey at top of page] 14.3%

2007 Seven of Hearts Eola-Amity Hills Reserve Pinot Noir $42: Dotoré was McLovin this wine. Nice enough and a 2007. Probably suffering from Dewey hangover effect.

2007 Vidon Vineyard 3 Clones Pinot Noir $39: Good nose, flavors trying to focus the wine but high alcohol does not meld well. 14.7%

2007 Winderlea ANA Pinot Noir $45: More cola and baking soda nose and flavors. Flavors like Dewey's wine even though it from Dundee Hills. Liked these wines. 385 cases. Low alcohol. 13.5%

2007 Patricia Green Reserve Pinot Noir $25: We ate at a highly reputed Portland restaurant that evening that recently lost its very popular chef along with considerable cachet. The meal and service were fine however the wine was most exciting. Patricia Green is a very hot Oregon winemaker whose wines are hard to come by. We grabbed this 2007 off the list. Exotic mushroom nose, i.e., the forest floor. Flavors equally exotic. Weight is light yet color is dark jewel red. Notable acid yet remains balanced. Comes off a tad thin. From 25 year old vines in Ribbon Ridge. 13%

Next stop...Willamette Valley and two winery winners from Ribbon Ridge.

tBoW and Dotoré visited Portland just when the Portland Indie Wine Festival was being held. 40 wineries selected to pour their best efforts by a panel of know-it-all wine snobs. Our kind of people. The kicker is the wineries have to produce no more than 2500 cases. So you can see they are going for the craftsman, or as we observed in this case, "crafts-couple" winemakers.

Here's how the tBoW team rolls when hunting the wild Pinot Noir. We roust our local wine snob pals, in this case David Russell of Woodland Hills Wine Co, to put us in touch with one of his fellow wine snobs in Portland. Thank you David for Murray the K of Great Wine Buys at 16th and Broadway on Portland's Eastside. Murray turns out to be da man helping us winnow through wineries pouring at the festival; listing the top dining spots; and, finally, suggesting wineries for the road trip into Willamette Valley. Murray made like Manny, as in Ramirez, and hit it outtadapark! [ed. wrote this before Manny's 50 game suspension, could not let it go]

This Oregon Pinot Noir 2009 report will appear in three sections over at least three weeks. This first post covers most of the wineries sampled at the festival. The second post finishes off the festival including the "big discovery" and covers the top local dining choice. The third reviews the wineries in the Valley. Current trends in Oregon Pinot Noir we be.

The festival was held in a working wine co-op away from downtown. It was raining but we were inside except for a brief walk between tasting areas.

Most wineries poured 1 or 2 wines that made the cut. Wineries could submit more however no more than 3 wines could be poured. Only one wine tasted was not well made. The tBoW team sampled about half the wineries. We report only on the best of wines. Any wine reviewed is worth seeking out.

2008 Anam Cara Chehalem Mountains Rosé of Pinot Noir: The Anam Cara estate bottling is their first blush wine. Fruity, dark pinkish red. Unremarkable.

2008 Apolloni Oregon Rosé: Apoloni Vineyards is Italian influenced. 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Viognier. Light salmon color. Dry, sharp acid. Prefer this style. From 15 year old vines on 38 acres in Ribbon Ridge region. 13.7%

2007 Arborbrook Chehalem Mountains Pinot Noir $38: Not a rosé. A Pinot Noir; what we came for. The world's most exotic grape (not necessarily the most exotic wine because that could include Barolo, and not the greatest wine because that would include Mosel Rielsings). This Arborbrook VIneyard botting is lean style, a character we will learn is typical for the 2007 vintage. Nice. Some barnyard. Also Ribbon Ridge fruit. 460 cases 13.5%

2008 Boedeker Willamette Valley Reflection Rosé $13: Boedeker Cellars is a big name winery that enjoys widespread high regard. They entered 3 wines, the max. A hometown favorite. Fruity, acidic, fresh and balanced. Nice price. 12.3%

2006 Boedeker Willamette Valley Athena Pinot Noir $35: Caramel on the nose nad in the mouth. Too ripe. 18 months in oak so there is plenty of vanilla. 14%

2007 Boedeker Rogue Valley Grenache $22: Spicy and ripe.

Boedeker is too much like Santa Rita Hills wines. Not a fan of what was poured, at least. Two themes are emerging: we prefer the 2007 vintage to the 2006, and we prefer Ribbon Ridge wines to other Willamette Valley wines. Interesting to note is the 2006 vintage is considered superior to 2007 by most winemakers present.

2006 Couere de Terre McMinville Riesling $23: Coure de Terre VIneyards is another hubby-wife team! [ed. that's them above!] Spousal teams are everywhere. Family winemakers abound with the low production wineries. Cool. Makes sense. This is a very interesting wine. More like an Alsatian than a Mosel or Saar or Pfalz style. Ginger and petrol on the nose and in the mouth. Plenty of bright acid. A very impressive effort. Now I wish I had taken some of this with me! 12.2%

2006 Couere de Terre McMinnville Renelle's Block Pinot Noir $54: Big ticket. Big wine. Very new world style, creamy (new oak), sophisticated. From the ripe and forward 2006 vintage. Very good wine. Dotoré bought one. tBoW will not turn down a glass. 1000 cases.

2007 Christopher Bridge Satori Springs Pinot Noir $27: Light red color common with 2007 wines. Sweet flavors. 350 cases. Sis and Dad. Also sweet.

2006 Dukes Dundee Hills Thomas Pinot Noir $45 at the show otherwise $52: The Dukes Family Vineyards couple is charming. Their wine is robust. Coffee toffee nose and flavors. Ripe. 400 cases. tBoW would like to taste their 2007 wines. 14.1%.

2007 et Fille Yamhill-Carlotn District "Kalita" Pinot Noir $34: This was the first truly special wine. Delicate, balanced, like a ballerina. Feminine wine. Seductive. The wine like et fille is a knockout. Father daughter winemaking team. Mom resists all attempts to deal on the price. We made our choice. Simply gorgeous. And the wine is nice too. Take another look...photo at top. We scooped a case even though it was just outside our $30 target. Easily worth it. May need more. 12.7%

2006 et Fille Eola Amity Hills "Elton" Pinot Noir $34: More intense like the 2006 vintage. More forward, heavier style. Nothing wrong with this wine especially if you prefer the stronger style. 1650 cases. They source the juice. 13.5%

Next post moves to the back room where there was more great food and one very nice surprise. We discover the next Paul Lato! We arrive at the forest floor. Stay tuned.

Woodland Hills Wine Company sits on a lonely stretch of Ventura Boulevard populated by the West San Fernando Valley's spurious claims to exotic cuisine...from Dan's Super Subs to Exotic Thai to Topanga Pizza. Lonely stretch might be too kind. Except for a decent used book store and a pub that serves fairly decent English beers the 10 blocks between freeway exits is pretty desolate. [ed. sometimes you run into 3 - of 10 mind you - sisters out for some Saturday afternoon tasting]

Then there is WHWC. A wine fiend's mecca. Founder Paul and son Kyle Smith have assembled the best collection of domestic and international wines in Southern California. I have been to every wine store from San Diego to Palm Springs to Paso Robles and there is no better selection for just about anything you might have on your radar. There are a few other stores that have more concentrated selections in certain regions but none with a better all round selection. If there is one store that gives WHWC a run for the money it is Hi Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa which has the same winning combo of informed sales staff and breathtaking breadth of choices.

But they are 90 miles south and WHWC is maybe 3 miles east.

WHWC hosts some very interesting tastings that range from the generic to the exceptional. Dotoré and tBoW recently attended the generic 2008 Oregon Pinot Noir tasting at the local emporium. Even when the staff runs a run-of-the-mill tasting like 2008 Oregon Pinot Noir they show good sense; they keep the cost down and show a handful of wines. Conversely, when they host a truly exceptional tasting such as wines from the Louis/Dressner or the Becky Wasserman catalogues they still hold down the entry price but not the selections.

The first 2008 Oregon Pinot Noir report follows.

2008 Roots Willamette Valley Klee Pinot Noir $18: Second go round for this wine. About the same impression as with the 2007. Same label. Klee has lots of paintings. This one must be in the public domain. Chocolate nose which is not characteristic of Pinot Noir I recognize. Still it is not unpleasant. Wine is bit tight. Fruit s-l-o-w-l-y emerges. Still tight. Wonder how the 2009 will be? 13.7%

2008 Owen Roe Sharecroppers Pinot Noir $22: Sharper flavors. Fruit is more apparent. Rubbery flavor. Gets richer with time in the glass. In the end just too sweet. 14.2%

2008 Evening Land Pinot Noir $22: Smells and tastes like Pinot Noir. Forest floor funk. Nice nose worth inhaling over and over before even thinking of tastes. A step above the first two wines. Fruit and funk are balanced well. Like Earth Wind and Fire! Winery is in Orcutt California. Gets somewhat astringent with some time. THE STORY courtesy of our favorite Portland wine store Great Wine Buys: "The vineyard is considered one of Oregon's best (that's why Evening Land wanted it) but it needed work. After ripping out phylloxera-infested vines, they are replanting at a higher density, re-trellising and converting the whole vineyard to bio-dynamic farming. The consulting winemaker is none other than Dominique Lafon, an eyebrow-raising legend from Burgundy whose Meursault bottlings are an altar unto themselves for white Burg fans. The incredible care now being taken in the vineyard coupled with such amazing winemaking talent promises great wines to come, and it's an exciting beginning. This "blue label" bottling, their first release from 2008, is mostly Seven Springs fruit with a small amount acquired from "a few friends". Made in a relatively drink-now style." 13.4%

2008 Owen Roe Kilmore Pinot Noir $35: The premium Owen Roe bottle on this day. Muted nose but flavors are very high tone. reminds me of the Bergstrom wines from Ribbon Ridge. Elegant and still with some power. Good fruit present. Sweet-ish. 14%

2008 Ken Wright Freedom Hill $40: This is the big ticket highly touted wine so we are expecting big things. Thank you Mr. sales rep. Excellent nose of forest floor and vanilla. Plenty fruit but not sweet! Thank you. Rich with coca flavors. Extra rich flavors in the mouth. 14%

BONUS Oregon Pinot Noir...
2007 J Christopher Dundee Hills Cuvee Pinot Noir $27: Had this one shipped in from Portland by Great Wine Buys, favorite wineshop in the city and representing local wines very well. Ask for Murray. This is what we fell in love with in May 2009. Satin smooth with some weight but still light to middle. Great balance of fruit and funk. Easy going down. Tastes like well made Oregon Pinot Noir. More more more. A very good wine for a reasonable price. 13.5%

The tBoW tasting team will be making our own journey to the Willamette Valley in May so you can look forward to thorough 2008 Oregon Pinot Noir reporting in a few months looking for the 2008 Pinot Noir from Dewey Kelly. In the meantime, Mr. and Mrs. tBoW will be driving through Mendocino and plan to stop in at several Pinot palaces along the way.