In recent years, Paso Robles has received its due as “The Rhone Zone” for producing rich, full, gregarious Rhone-varietal wines.
But just under 100 miles to the south lies another Rhone Zone—the Santa Ynez Valley—with a distinctly different climate, and wines possessing personalities that mirror those of France’s Northern Rhone.
No trip to Portland...or any part of Oregon, for that matter... is complete without at least one salmon dinner, accompanied by a bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir.
If you have just one night for a salmon excursion, there’s only one option: Jake’s Famous Crawfish, which has been serving Portland residents and visitors since 1892. Jake’s roasts salmon on a cedar plank, rendering the fish the perfect foil for a barrel-aged Pinot Noir.
A wine region that has really come into its own in the new millennium is the Santa Lucia Highlands area of Monterey County.
Here’s how the growers and vintners of the Highlands describe their special place:
“The appellation encompasses more than 6,000 acres of prime vineyards, planted on the elevated terraces of the Santa Lucia mountain range, all heavily influenced by close proximity to Monterey Bay.”
In the Mendoza winegrowing region of Argentina, the vineyards of Tupungato and Vista Flores sit some 1,200 meters above sea level.
Yet they seem like they’re in Death Valley when compared to the vineyards of Altura Maxima, three hours northwest of Cafayate in the Salta region. There, Bodegas Colome’s grapevines at El Arenal sit at a staggering height of 3,111 meters. (For the metrically challenged, like yours truly, 3,000 meters equates with 9,840 feet.) You will not find a commercial vineyard at a higher elevation anywhere in the world.
Pinot Noir is among the world’s more romantic wines. (Perhaps you discovered this two nights ago???) And some of the world’s finest Pinot Noir comes from the Burgundy region of France.
Burgundy is located in the eastern sector of the country, with the bulk of its vineyards sited between Dijon and Lyon. It is south of Champagne, north of the Rhone Valley and northeast of Bordeaux.
The vineyards of California’s Santa Lucia Highlands are planted on the southeast-facing terraces of the Santa Lucia mountain range, overlooking the Salinas River Valley.
The vines’ elevated locations take full advantage of the morning sunshine before the afternoon maritime breezes arrive and cool the vineyards. This climatic combo results in an especially long growing season, which allows the grapes to fully develop and attain maximum varietal potential.
Ancient, glacial alluvial soils pair with ocean fog and breezes to create a true Region I climate. Cool weather-loving Chardonnay and Pinot Noir flourish, while Rhone varieties mirror their French northern district brethren, thriving in the slightly warmer, more wind-protected canyons and slopes.
Calistoga, located at “the top” of the Napa Valley, has been a tourist magnet for decades.
But it also is a unique winegrowing area, and in 2009, it finally was granted American Viticultural Area status.
Calistoga has a small-town feel, even though it’s home to a number of high-end spas that are fed by the underground springs. It was those springs that attracted visitors for much of the town’s early history.
The vivacious varietals of Spain are complex and expressive, with a strong sense of place. That’s why they are beloved by wine connoisseurs.
Spain’s designation system — Denominaciones de Origen, or D.O. — identifies wines from specific regions that promise consistent quality and value. There are more than 70 D.O.s across the country, enabling Spain to offer a wide range of flavor profiles for any occasion.
But for white wine lovers, there is only one D.O. to visit: Rias Baixas, in the northwestern sector of the country. It is known as the only exclusively white wine region in Spain.
Not long after James Marshall’s discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill, on the south fork of the American River in Coloma in 1848, legions of people flocked to California to claim their fortunes.
The Gold Rush was on, and with it, the planting of numerous vineyards for growing winegrapes.
By 1870, El Dorado County was among the largest wine producers in the state, trailing only Los Angeles and Sonoma counties. The local wine industry flourished until just after the turn of the century. It then began a gradual decline, brought about by poor economic conditions and a diminishing local population. Prohibition was simply the last straw.
Separated from the rest of France by the Vosges mountains, the Alsace region suffers from a bit of an identity crisis — no doubt because control of the area has been French at various times through history, and German at other times.
But it’s worth seeking out the wines of Alsace — primarily Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir — because they are among the most food-friendly of all wines. That makes them an excellent choice to include on the wine bar adjacent to the upcoming Thanksgiving dinner table.
Vinesse specializes in helping wine lovers discover interesting wines. By sharing limited-production gems that generally don’t appear on the shelves of local stores, Vinesse has grown to become one of the largest and most respected wine club companies in the U.S.
From our base in Southern California, Vinesse cultivates relationships with some of the most respected winemakers in the world. These relationships are critical to supplying each of our ten wine clubs with exceptional wines from amazing boutique wineries.
In addition to sharing exceptional wine gems with our dedicated circle of members, Vinesse also offers wine collections, wine accessories and individual wine sales to wine lovers across the U.S.
