Best Buy! Jim and Terri Delfino left the bustle of the Bay Area behind when they arrived in the Umpqua Valley and became grape growers, and guests at their bucolic B&B will especially enjoy a drink of this flashy pink made from estate Zinfandel. Dusty cherry, peach skin and cinnamon bark aromas lead to a delicious drink of cherries and raspberry. There’s some cherry skin … [Read more...] about Delfino Vineyards 2011 Vin Gris de Zinfandel, Umpqua Valley, $14
Oregon
Zerba Cellars 2011 Cockburn Vineyard Estate Riesling, Walla Walla Valley, $20
Zerba Cellars, known for its superb red wines, now has its first Riesling using estate grapes. It's a tasty example, showing off aromas of Golden Delicious apple and spice, followed by enjoyable flavors of lemon, lime and Asian pear. It reveals just a hint of its 0.84% residual sugar but for the most part comes off as dry. Pair with oysters, crabcakes or pasta in a cream … [Read more...] about Zerba Cellars 2011 Cockburn Vineyard Estate Riesling, Walla Walla Valley, $20
Torii Mor Winery 2009 Hawks View Vineyard Pinot Noir, Chehalem Mountains, $55
Hawks View is a 50-acre vineyard planted in 1991 to Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris, and it is grows some of Oregon's most-sought-after fruit. Torii Mor, not far away in the Dundee Hills has crafted a delicious small-lot bottling of Pinot Noir from the precious grapes. It reveals exotic aromas of sandalwood, mint and a whisper of smoke, followed by luscious flavors of cherry, black … [Read more...] about Torii Mor Winery 2009 Hawks View Vineyard Pinot Noir, Chehalem Mountains, $55
Delfino Vineyards 2011 Müller-Thurgau, Umpqua Valley, $16
Müller-Thurgau was created by Hermann Müller in the Swiss region of Thurgau in the late 1800s. Müller crossed Riesling and the little-known Madeleine Royale grape, and it is now the second-most-planted grape in Germany (after Riesling). We find it in some of the cooler areas of the Pacific Northwest, particularly Washington's Puget Sound AVA and British Columbia's Fraser … [Read more...] about Delfino Vineyards 2011 Müller-Thurgau, Umpqua Valley, $16
Stoller Estate 2009 SV Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, $45
Melissa Burr is the longtime winemaker at this top Dundee Hills producer, having arrived at Stoller in 2003. This is an upper-tier wine using estate grapes. It opens with aromas of moist earth, mint, black currant and black tea, followed by elegant flavors of black cherry, black currant and black truffles. Bright acidity and tannin add finesse to the midpalate while providing … [Read more...] about Stoller Estate 2009 SV Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, $45