Attributes:

Wyndham Estate

Southeastern Australia, Australia/New Zealand

Chardonnay

750 ML

2001: WineEnthusiast Rating: 85

fresh, lively, soft

straightforward

earth, peach, pear, smoke, toast

2001: Tastings Rating: 87

full-bodied

rich

sweet

1999: WineSpectator Rating: 80

1999: Tastings Rating: 80

crisp

medium-bodied

deep

mature

spicy

Food Matches:

(shar dohn nay)—This noble grape’s reputation was established in France, particularly in the Burgundy region, and the highly prized Chardonnay wines from Chablis, Mâcon, Mersault, and Pouilly-Fuissé are imitated by winemakers around the world. Generally an oaked wine (whether from expensive oak barrels or a quick soak in oak chips), its fruity aromas and flavors range from apple in the cooler regions to tropical fruits such a pineapple in the warmer regions. It can also display subtle earthy aromas, such as mushroom or minerals. It has a medium to high acidity and is generally full-bodied. Classical Chardonnay wines are dry. Chardonnay is also an important grape in the Champagne district where it's picked before fully ripe and while it still has high acid and understated fruit flavors—the perfect combination for champagne. California has adopted this grape with a fervor and there are some 200 wineries producing Chardonnay wines in other parts of the United States. Chardonnay has also seen a tremendous planting surge in Australia, and new vineyards are being planted in Italy, Lebanon, New Zealand, Spain, and South Africa.

Attributes:

Phillips Vineyards

California, United States

Sauvignon Blanc

750 ML

Food Matches:

Comes mostly from California, France, New Zealand, and South Africa. Its highly acidic wines are often suggestive of herbs or grass. Light to medium bodied and usually dry, European versions are generally not oaky while California Sauvignon Blanc can take on many of the qualities of Chardonnay. France has two classic wine regions for the Sauvignon Blanc gape: Bordeaux and the Loire Valley The Bordeaux wine is called Bordeaux Blanc and the two best known of the Loire wines are called Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé. In Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blanc is sometimes blended with Sémillon.

California produces the majority of wine made in the United States. Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel and Pinot Noir dominate the wine production in California, but many other varietials thrive in the California climate. Many fine wines are produced in California using Mediterranean grapes.

Attributes:

Bethel Heights Vineyard

Willamette Valley, United States

Pinot Noir

750 ML

2004: WineAdvocate Rating: (87-88)

medium to full-bodied

rustic

powerful

black cherry, cherries, spices, vanilla

sweet

2004: WineSpectator Rating: 91

rich

cherry, plum, smoky, spice, spicy, tobacco

ripe

2003: WineAdvocate Rating: 87

medium to full-bodied

spices

2002: WineEnthusiast Rating: 86

cherry, earthy, gamy

2002: WineAdvocate Rating: 92

*-scented

deep

powerful

cherries, dark berries

concentrated

chewy, tough

2001: WineEnthusiast Rating: 89

tart

light

distinctive

2000: WineSpectator Rating: 89

bright, lively

raspberry

juicy

2000: Tanzer Rating: 88

bright

cherry, chocolate, herbal, herbs, raspberry, slightly medicinal

juicy

Food Matches:

(pee noh nwahr)—A tricky grape to grow, Pinot Noir makes some of the best wines in the world. The prototype wine is red Burgundy from France but Oregon, California, New Zealand, and parts of Australia also produce good Pinot Noir. The wine is lighter in color than Cabernet or Merlot with relatively high alcohol, medium-to-high acidity, and medium-to-low tannin. Its flavors and aromas can be very fruity or earthy and woodsy, depending on how it is grown. It is rarely blended with other grapes.

Stretches from Portland in the north to Eugene in the south. A majority of the Willamette Valley vineyards lie on the foothills of the Coast Range that forms the western edge of the valley.