It is pretty typical to say that what grows together tends to be together. The phrase seems not to be confined to just food, but it also seems to extend to food-and-wine pairings. One step further, in the world of making wine, what grows together tends to get blended together. Old World traditions have been formulated to produce the same style of wine with very little interpretation year-to-year, other than how the microclimate had differed.
Once upon a time, in a cozy West Coast home, preparations were underway for a Thanksgiving feast that would capture the essence of the region. The bountiful offerings of the Pacific coast were eagerly anticipated—a unique and delicious celebration. Eventually the family would wander into the house, the son, the daughter, the extended family with aunts, uncles, and cousins. All to be greeted with a myriad of dinner courses, fine conversations, and of course, local wines from California to Washington State to complement the diverse flavors of the meal.
With the back-to-school season upon us, this is a good time to go back to “wine” school and get down to basics; to go back to the root of your wine enthusiasm. Whether you drink wine for sport or edification, it always enriches the experience to get down to the roots. Going back to basics is always a good exercise, to not only enhance your experience, but to refresh the mind and awaken your palate to new experiences.
Spotlight on Some Monster Reds From The West Coast That Are Out Of This World.
The first act is located at Sineann, pronounced shuh-NAY-uhn, a small producer of grapes from some of the finest vineyards in the Columbia Valley region. Most of the wines come from single vineyard designated, with low crop levels, which ensure the best characteristics of the varietal and terroir shine through. Their belief is minimal processing, aging in French oak.
‘Twas the ninth before Christmas, and all through City Vino,
the wine bottles were resting especially the Highway 12 Pinot.
The wine glasses were polished and placed on the tasting bar with care,
in preparation for this weekend when the customers would be there.
