Attributes:

Gloria Ferrer

Carneros, United States

Syrah / Shiraz

750 ML

2002: WineSpectator Rating: 87

berry scents

compact

dried berry, earth, herb, mint

2002: CGCW Rating: 85

spice

thick

2000: CGCW Rating: 84

simple

berry, herb

2000: WineSpectator Rating: 87

cherries, meat, strawberries

Food Matches:

This small section of Northern California is situated at the base of both the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. Carneros has made its reputation with its Pinot Noirs, which are filled with strawberry, cherry, spice, and chocolate, and are very rich and seductive. Chardonnay is also excellent, very buttery but not too fat.

Originally grown in France’s Northern Rhône Valley (where it is a noble variety) this grape has spread to Australia, California, Washington, Italy and Spain. In the Rhone region this grape produces deeply colored wines with full body and firm tannin, however in Australia, where it is known as Shiraz, the wines are lighter and fruitier. Aromas and flavors for these wines vary as much as their geographical breadth suggests: berries, smoked meat, bell peppers, even tar.

Australian name for the grape known as Syrah in France.

Attributes:

August Briggs

Carneros, United States

Chardonnay

750 ML

2002: WineSpectator Rating: 92

lively

floral

tasty

apple, citrus, clove, honeysuckle, melon, pear, spice

2001: WineSpectator Rating: 90

lively

elegant

apricot, pear, spice

2001: CGCW Rating: 82

creamy

2000: WineSpectator Rating: 88

floral

elegant

apricot, earth, oak, pear, sage

fruity

2000: WineAdvocate Rating: 86

medium-bodied

honey

creamy

1999: WineSpectator Rating: 92

lively, zesty

nectarine, pear, smoky, spicy, tangerine, toasty oak

1999: WineAdvocate Rating: 87

clean, crisp

medium to full-bodied

elegant, well-balanced

oak, pineapple

ripe

1999: CGCW Rating: 87

high in acidity, tangy

light

rich

butter, oak

huge

Food Matches:

This small section of Northern California is situated at the base of both the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. Carneros has made its reputation with its Pinot Noirs, which are filled with strawberry, cherry, spice, and chocolate, and are very rich and seductive. Chardonnay is also excellent, very buttery but not too fat.

(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:

Whitehall Lane Winery

Carneros, United States

Pinot Noir

750 ML

Food Matches:

This small section of Northern California is situated at the base of both the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. Carneros has made its reputation with its Pinot Noirs, which are filled with strawberry, cherry, spice, and chocolate, and are very rich and seductive. Chardonnay is also excellent, very buttery but not too fat.

(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.