Wine-o: Panther Creek Pinot Noir

Panther Creek 2009 Pinot Noir, Winemaker's Cuvee Willamette Valley, Oregon
Alcohol 14.3%
Price $25+

When I opened this wine I immediately noticed a lovely bouquet from the bottle.  Smoky and earthy, I was very curious from the beginning.  The surprises continued when I poured the wine and it pooled in the glass in a beautiful, clear ruby color.  The wine is complex, so you may already know that I like it better than the simple Pinot Noir and Syrah I have tried.  It's off dry with a tang of spice and smokiness.  When I read the tasting notes on the website it was clear why I love it, chocolate, cherries, and vanilla?  Yay!

A ruby-red hue embodies notes of chocolate-covered black cherries, vanilla bean, cola, and earth. Medium bodied, with subtle hints of cranberry chutney, black raspberry, Bing cherry, and orange zest. Bright, long lasting fruit, balanced acidity and firm tannins. A wine to enjoy presently, but surely worthy of aging 5-10 years.

This wine was a gift from The BFs sister.  She is lucky in life and has chosen to live in Willamette Valley, a gorgeous area of Oregon near Portland.  I hope to be able to visit the area.  It is largely known for its Pinot Gris wines, and if the quality is anything like this and the lovely Chardonnay from Idaho, then I am sure I will enjoy the area!

Food Pairing: Went great with roasted eggplant, mushrooms, and greek style meatballs!

Freya's Score: 88
Mona's Value:  3.5

Wine-o: Chateau Ste. Michelle 2010 Pinot Gris

Chateau Ste. Michelle 2010 Pinot Gris Columbia Valley

13.5% Alcohol

While the Cupcake Angel Food was fruity and buttery, this has a crisp flavor to it that is completely different!  When I told my friend Dan at Macadoodle's that I wanted to try a NorthWest wine he directed me to this.  Apparently the Columbia river valley is known for Pinot Gris wines.

From the vineyard:

Our Pinot Gris style falls between the lighter Italian Pinot Grigio and the richer, rounder Pinot Gris from Alsace. The Chateau Ste. Michelle Pinot Gris offers fresh aromas and flavors of pear, fig and a hint of spice. A touch of Viognier contributes texture and an attractive floral character. This wine is a perfect match with scallops or halibut.

Freya's Score: 8 a great crisp taste that isn't overpowering

Cost:  ~$11.00 from the Pineville, MO Macadoodle's Liquor Store.  Buy a case of mixed wines and enjoy a 10% discount!  Or, check out their new e-commerce store for more great deals.

Wine-o: Charles Smith Merlot 2010

Charles Smith The Velvet Devil Cabernet Sauvignon, 2010 Columbia Valley, WA

13.9% Alcohol

My initial reaction to this wine upon opening was "It tastes like smoked turkey!"  The smokey meat flavors were very tantalizing upon opening, but do not fear, they aired out in an hour, leaving a lovely velvety merlot behind.  The fruity flavors became more apparent with aeration.  This is a light merlot, delicious and lovely.

Described by Westchester Wine Warehouse

Charles Smith, the wine maker of this haunting 15,000 case production Merlot, has made an incredibly voluptuous, robust and balanced expression of this noble variety. It has a deep garnet color and an intensely concentrated nose of black cherry, blackberry essence, wild game and freshly ground black pepper. On the palate, it is full-bodied and velvety, wtih fine-grained tannins and an extremely long finish.

Freya's Score: 8 A great Merlot, not overly complex, and aired well from Day 1 - Day 4

Cost:  ~$11.00 from the Pineville, MO Macadoodle's Liquor Store.  Buy a case of mixed wines and enjoy a 10% discount!  Or, check out their new e-commerce store for more great deals.