QRW | Spring 2011 | Wines of the Quarter

Wines of the Quarter

A Spanish Garnacha and a Sonoma red and white pairing
offer great value.

QRW Staff

Quality and price dictate the kind of wines that appear in this article. Quality is getting harder to discover because there is so much sameness in wine. Wine writersused to complain just about the sameness of Chardonnay. Now the problem is more widespread. There is more sameness — sometimes more plonk — than ever in other varietals as well, especially as the globalization of wine tastes unite. The price of wine is equally difficult because it's invariably rising as industry costs and greed increase. As a consequence, what used to be a fairly easy article to write each quarter has become more problematic, prompting a less regular appearance.

Three Wines You Should Know

The wines below are for people who are serious about wine and about prices. They drink it with meals, they enjoy it casually, and they appreciate value.

Spain

2009 Evohe Garnacha Bajo Aragon, $12. There have only been a few vintages produced and each has been generously embraced, receiving 90+ points by the major wine press. The definition of Evohe is difficult to render into English, but suffice it to say that it's related to the exotic cry associated with Bacchic delight. Evohe gives you some of this. It comes from Lecera, a remote area of Aragon known for romance. The grape is Garnacha, and the wine is soft, smooth, concentrated and approachable. As with all the best Garnacha wines, rich, ripe, raspberry flavors combine with spicy, violet-laden aromas. There is no oak. Above all, the wine is balanced — there's nothing acidic or tart — and all of a piece. The wine is easy and delicious, with an interesting and engaging lacing of anise in the finish. This has to be the best Spanish wine buy in the marketplace today.

California

2009 Picket Fence Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma, $18. Still looking for good Pinot Noir at a good price? We can help, but it hasn't been easy. Yes, the movie "Sideways" is still responsible for enhanced interest and price. This fickle grape, however, is never easy to grow, and it's very site specific, labor intensive; hence the higher prices. Picket Fence comes from Russian River, one of the best regions for Pinot Noir in California, and is produced in small batch lots. Rich raspberry and soft nutmeg spice upfront make it nicely approachable and fruit substantial. Good texture and weight, with aromas of soft oak and floral perfume. Mature raspberry and strawberry flavors in mid-palate and in the finish, that's complex, solid and elegant — the way good Pinot Noir should be. Best priced Pinot Noir in California.

Picket Fence labels

2009 Picket Fence Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma, $15. We have been stinting in praise of most Chardonnay because, as we said above, of sameness. But here is a Chardonnay that actually over-delivers. Nice vanillin spice with engaging tropical fruit flavors upfront; there's a nice touch of citrus in mid-palate. Well concentrated, generous texture, with more vanillin, apple, and spice notes in back palate. There's lots of length and complexity in the finish. This invites a second and third glass. Delicious. The wine is underpriced for the value it offers.

More Spring 2011 feature articles:

Best of The Best: California Chardonnay / QRW Tasting Panel
Money In The Bank at St. Supéry / Gerald D. Boyd
J. Lohr’s Small Lots: Petite is Neat / Richard Paul Hinkle
Mixing It Up at Ghost Pines / QRW Staff
175 Years: Gonzalez Byass Story / Eleanor and Ray Heald
Black Stallion Estate Wines: A Dream Come True / Richard L. Elia
Wining and Dining: More Best Bites / Edward and Mireille Guiliano
Piccini Wines: Tuscan Treats / Richard L. Elia
All Things Grape and Small / Randy Sheahan
QRW Crossword: A Scary Celebrity-Themed Restaurant / Patrick Berry