Dancing Coyote gets attention for its unusual California-grown white wines. The Clarksburg area winery produces albarino, gruner veltliner, and chenin blanc. Chenin blanc was big long before chardonnay took over on the west coast but few are producing it today.-read more-
The Soléna 2009 Pinot Gris is interesting, and stands out for its complexity amongst the many fine Pinot Gris releases in Willamette Valley. Fruit is sourced from 3 different vineyards: Grapes of higher acidity from cooler climate are blended with-read more-
The Palate Press Wine of the Week, August 2 - 5, is:
I don't generally enjoy Pinotage, and this is very good wine. The typical Pinotage burnt rubber is nowhere to be found. Instead, it is a very nice glass of sweet toasty black fruit. Wood is obvious but not overwhelming. Instead,-read more-
The Soléna 2009 Pinot Gris is interesting, and stands out for its complexity amongst the many fine Pinot Gris releases in Willamette Valley. Fruit is sourced from 3 different vineyards: Grapes of higher acidity from cooler climate are blended with-read more-
A pleasant and interesting wine, leading with plum, raspberry, cranberry, and spicy hints of cayenne and thyme. Light tannins and acids are there in good balance. The mid-palate is lacking, dropping from attack to simpler one-dimensional juice, but retaining the-read more-
You may not recognize this wine as Chardonnay if you’ve only been exposed to the heavy oak and butter first popularized by some California wineries. Made without oak aging or malolactic fermentation, it is more like a new white varietal,-read more-
Standing alone this is thin and slightly sour, but as a food wine it comes into its own. It has some light red juiciness and a touch of licorice, but the unique and surprising flavor is a sea-spray saltiness. For-read more-