No w in t r y re v ie w th is m onth I th o u g h t it m ig h t be a
bit more p ra c tic a l to cover more bases this m onth ra th e r
th an talk about lust one v in e r y It > December and w ith
a ll the holidays th is 31 day span riv a ls August fo r the
m onth in w h ic h the least am ount o f w o rk is done The
th in g about December is th a t th e re are Literally at least
one dozen days (an d 1 am not ta lk in g about those 12 Days
o f Christm as fro m th at re a lly v e ir d song) on w h ic h
th e re are e ith e r g reat eicuses e x c e lle n t reasons or pure
necessity fo r d rin k in g good w in e So w h e th e r you are
toasting (o r g ettin g toasted) w ith frie n d s e n jo y in g a
ro m an tic e v e n in g at home re c o v e rin g fro m the
in s a n ity th at g e n e ra lly goes along w ith this tim e of y e a r
o r avoiding the in laws, the fo llo w in g list should help
you do it in style and good taste
1 proudly present the U p p e r L e f t E dge s 1st
A a a e a l T a p 24 O r e g e a V i a e s e f t h e T e a r This list
has been com piled in a th o ro u g h ly u n s c ie n tific and
biased m a n n e r It u n q u estio n ab ly does not rep resen t
the best 24 w m es availab le fro m Oregon v in eyard s Due
to the low salaries o ffered at th is pap er m any super
expensive v in e s are omitted I have also tried to present
as broad a perspective as possible It s kin d of like the
Baseball A ll-S tar Game some people are le ft out because
each team has to be represented (th u s Scott Cooper of
the Red Sox is a 2 lim e A ll Star w ith no cred en tials to be
in the game ) An e ffo rt has been made to include o n ly
v in e s th at are e ith e r su ll availab le at the w in e ry or at a
v a rie ty of v in e shops This all being said h ere we go
P i a a t No i r
D e m n ia e D r a a h i a 1992 A superb w in e The color is
a b e au tifu l g a rn e t The w in e is soft v ir tu a lly w eightless
in y o u r mouth As you savor each drop the flavo rs of
c h e rrie s and b lackb errie s are unm istakeahle As you
swallow the v in e gains a nice spiciness and fin is h e s
w ith a subtle lin g e rin g tobacco fla v o r It is an eleg an t
v in e w ith o u t question President C linton served this
w in e at his firs t w h ite ue d in n e r Call h im and ask w hat
he served It is expensive. $28 130 but a joy to d rin k
A m it y 1987 R e s e r v e I could have m entioned 2-3
o th e r A m ity Pinols (th e 1990 Estate Reserve fo r
in stan ce) as w e ll, but this one stands at the top It is
luscious, oozes w ith spices and fru it, is in c re d ib le ric h
and co m p lei 87 was a g reat vin ta g e T h is w in e was just
released so it has been in the bottle w a itin g and
developing fo r 3 years This is a w in e fo r a special lim e
w ith someone special in fr o n t o f a nice f ir e T ig h t w hen
opened so le i breath e fo r 3 3 hours before s e rv in g $23
is a steal fo r this jewel
C h e b a le m 1992 A big fr u ity , spicy Pinot Chehalem
is a new co m er to the Oregon w in e scene and this v in e is
a g reat way to get on board One o f the b e lte r Pinols you
w ill fin d at a v e ry moderate p rice A vailab le most places
at about $12
D u c k P o o d 1992 Buy it by the case T h is is my 1994
Best Buy o f the Y e a r1 $7 fo r th is w in e is la rc e n y
U sually 1 expect o n ly basic d rin k a b ility fro m a Pinot
priced at less th an $8 $9 T h is w in e eiceeds those
expectations It is spicy and ric h A g reat v in e to b rin g
to d in n e rs and sh o v o ff to re latives whom you don l
w an t to spend big bucks on A vailab le in most stores and
w in e shops
A u tu m n V i e d 1992 R e s e r v e T h is Pinot is one of
the reasons A utum n W ind is m o vin g up in the w orld
T h is Pinot is made in classic B u rgundy style so it is deep,
robust and w ill be great w ith steaks o r o th e r red meats
A nose o f fre n c h oak and v a n illa is in tr ig u in g Expect
the f r u it to open up and the ta n n in s to smooth out o ver
the next two years but still a v e ry ric h v in e rig h t now
$20
B r e a d le y 1992 R e s e r v e Broadley is a ra re fin d
because th e ir m arket is in San Fransisco and o th e r big
cities w h e re deep lusty B urgundies are desired This
Pinot blends its f r u it and oak v e ry n ic e ly to create a
robust v in e th at just keeps on going in y o u r mouth
L in e r and Elsen in Portland is about the o n ly place you
can g el this v in e $13 is a steal
A d c ls h e im 1992 S c v e a S p r in g s V i n e y a r d I f you
have read my columns you p ro b ab ly know th at 1 am
sim p ly w ild fo r big robust Ptnots T h is one d elivers as
w ell as and perhaps even more so th an the above two
Big and bold but smooth and ro und the way a good
B urgundy should be Finishes w ith a long lin g e rin g
taste o f spice and tobacco $20 $22
S p r i n g h i l l 1992 A g reat Pinot fro m A lbany? You
bet A big su rp rise and a t e r r if ic w in e This little
know n w in e ry has h it the big Lime w ith th is fr u ity and
spicy w in e One o f my fa v o rite recom m endations
especially at o n ly about $13
C h a rd e n n n y
V a l l e y V ie w V in e y a r d s 1992 A a a a M a r i a One o f
a v e ry few C hardonnsys I would make a h ab it o f b u y in g
Made solely fro m the fre e ru n juices o f the grape and in
a style designed to accentuate a cream y body this
C hardonnay is sim ply am azing Oregon V in e s on
Broadway Made in Oregon and Costco a ll c a rry it
Ranges from $18 down to $12 30 and is w e ll v o r t h a n y of
those prices
T n a i a t i a V in e y a r d s 1988 R e s e r v e T h e o n ly riv a l
to the shove C h ard o n n ay T h is is the way good w h ile
v in e is supposed to be This v in e has no edges to it and
no inconsistencies v h ic h plague m any C hard o n n sys A
g reat blend of oak and f r u it The most expensive w h ite
v in e I bought a ll y e a r
and w o rth it Lim ited
a v a ila b ility $20
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A d e ls b e im 1992 H ard er and h a rd e r to fin d a* the 93s
have come out but w o rth lo o kin g fo r S u ll availab le at
m any restaurants Do not confuse w ith the 93 w hich
does not match it at least not yet T h is smoky w h ile is
great v it h salmon q uiche alfred o and h e a rty
casseroles $10
E y r ie 1992 The best Pinot g ris in the c o u n try No
quesuon At $ 10 o r less U is probably the Best Buy o f
v h it e v in e s around p ro v id in g you lik e Pinot gris
C arried by m any restau ran ts and almost a ll w in e stores
T h is is superb Pinot g ris Not yet diluted by an o verly
e a rly release o f 1993 m akin g it a b reath o f fresh a ir too
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V a l l e y V ie w V in e y a r d s 1990 A n n a M a r t a
R e s e r v e This w in e is to die fo r A 33Z43 blend of
M erlo t and C abernet T h is w in e w ill co m p lim en t red
meets and h e a rty red sauces b e a u tifu lly It is gelUng
r a r e r though Have found it fo r as low as $20 but look to
pay in the mid 20s
A s h la n d V in e y a r d s 1991 M e r l e t Not too m any
M erlo ls made in Oregon and even fe w e r v o r th going out
of y o u r way fo r T h is is one o f them A b e au tifu l
exam ple of this w o n d e rfu l grape 1 love M erlo t and this
one o n ly extended th at love Doesn t leave you w ith loo
much “fuzzy tongue lik e even good M erlots can do A
great holiday w in e $13
V a l l e y V ie w V in e y a r d s 1993 A a a a M a r t a F a m e
B la n c A super v in e Not quite a Sauvignon Blanc so
hence the name it is f r u ity and has a smooth h in t of
oak A great tu rk e y v in e fo r sure Not sure o f the price
probably about $12
A n tn m n V l a d 1992 S a a v t g a e a B la n c A re a lly
fin e S auvignon Blanc Nutty and smoky h in ts of v a n illa
A g reat bouquet F in d in g S auvignon Blanc fro m Oregon
is lough F in d in g good ones is almost impossible T a k e s
break fro m C hardonnay and e n jo y th is w ith holiday
meals, especially fo r o n ly $8
L a M e a r l e a a a i n e 1992 Made by B ridgeview
V in eyard s w in e m a k e r th is lim ited edition w in e look the
state by storm The superbly crafted la b e lin g h in ts at
the v in e inside A 93X M erlo t 3X Z in fan d el
com bination create a u n iq u e blend Tastes o f c u rran ts,
c ra n b e rrie s and espresso beans along w ith some pepper
are packed into this soft red v in e Find it. buy it d rin k
it $14
L a G a r z a 1992 C a b e r n e t S a a v t g a e a It took me a
long lim e to fin d a Cab w o rth ta lk in g about This is a
v e ry nice one 11 is big and bold like a good Cab should
be It comes on fa ir ly strong has a nice body and
fin is h e s w ith a nice spicy pepperiness $13
C a n n o n Beach
In Coaslcr Thcalcr Courtyard
Established 1977
I ruiunng N orihw eu, California
A Imported Wines
Collector W mes From 1875
through Current Vintager
f fjiu n n g Over 11X10 Wines
Wine M tik r. Glasses A
Wine Related hems
Wine Tasting
Every Saturday Afternoon
1 5 PM
Different Wmes
From Around The World
Patch Week
Open 11 AM 5 I ’M
Closed Tues
436-1100
|]4 M
. I
r o Sos Stl. Cannon b o S ( H s n io
S p a r k lin g V is e
A r g y l e 1984 B r a t As good a s p a rk lin g w in e from
Oregon as you can fin d Was served at President
C linton s firs t state d in n e r I I is v e ry crisp and d ry w ith
lig h t sm all bubbles th a t rise in p e rfe c tly s tra ig h t lines
as th e y should in a fin e s p a rk le r Is o m n ip re s e n t and
can be had fo r as low as $14 30 Great Lime of y e a r fo r it
St l a a a c e a e t 1998 B r a t : A v in e r y to w atch out fo r
T h e ir Pinot n o ir is outstanding and this s p a rk lin g v in e
is dyn am ite V e ry crisp and e le g a n t D e fin ite ly a v a y to
make an im pression w ith people Probably a little
tric k y to locate A round $16
O th e r V in e s
S c r e a d t p i t y 1992 M a r e c h a J F e c h
One o f the f in e r
steak v in e s around This v in e is beyond ru b y -re d . it s
p u rp lis h m aroon The deep color is a mere lead in to this
v in e th at just takes o ver in y o u r mouth It is so smooth
to begin w ith it can easily be quaffed on its own but
w ith a medium ra re steak w ith all those ta n n in
n e u tra liz in g p ro p erties it would be a h e a v e n ly match
A m it y 1 9 9 3 D r y G e w a r z i r a m i a e r Easily the best of
th is v a rie ty 1 en co u n tered It's v e ry d ry and has th at
G e v u rzt spiciness to it w h ic h makes it e x c e lle n t v it h
T h a i M oroccan Ethiopian and In d ia n foods M y fa v o rite
p a irin g vas w ith spicy g rille d p raw n s $7 $8 30
V i l i a m e u e V a l l e y V i a « y a r d s 1992 P i a a t a a i r
Ic e V i s a : A fa n ta s tic a lly in te re s tin g dessert v in e A
n a tu ra l co m p lim en t to chocolate based dishes A
residual sugar o f 16 8X makes it v e ry sweet but still
allows you to ap p reciate the n a tu ra l tastes o f the Pinot
n o ir This d e fin ite ly makes people take notice 1 have
o n ly found H a t the w in e ry $13 93 The 1993 (n o w out)
is good but not as good as the sug a r is just 10 6 X
A m it y 1992 L a te H a r v e s t R i c s l i a g S e le c t C l a t t e r
The p in n a c le of Oregon dessert w ines T h is is as good as
th ey come The in itia l residual sugar was 34% w h ic h
makes it lik e d r in k in g ho n ey mead T h is w in e
c o n tin u a lly blows my m ind It goes fo r $13 but pay an y
p rice fo r it
L aurel’s
C aii non
Beech
W ine Shop
2eJ N . 1 law loth
(s o s ) e i e l e t s
l ake Tunc lo Travel in
Oregon's Scenic Wine Country’
E x p tr ie n t t the beauty, peace and
fan tam ic urine o f Oregon'» wine region»
For In fo r m a tio n on and reaocvatlona at
I he be« bed A breakfast«, hotels and restaurants
as well as the most interesting winery tours
O rr^on Tt W
T r o v e C C o n n e c t io n
honom once 1991
1-800 946-3885
Jay Ramkin
Architect
•> G Do» 0 6 0
¿amor Beach. OF
on the thnee to that the
to now proandad by
Larry W Utan
97110
5O2E4 36-2162
<36-2661
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