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 I iprno.» ihr . hana ito 44 batkkng i M wan H Jrhgtn na ha Ol M»» P i n t ! G ris K m Ih r laMing m a a a aal* 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 • *iaf Taxing • * « SOn • G ift • IV «n Ura a Spai «ai I «rata Ito n N I I *a I I t a iM 1» a w »■ anj Wnln ■O n'«» 11 « ha k w w n . • <»»’ ► N ! • • ! » > , - tai M V IIA Y >W I n a r a n a a ia il a» w m a w w * " x i a»ii M a a a a * laa a i «w a t » a r i l M w »! 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 n Mr M l M x • AF4HOP» S fA C M wlk u n em b m m im