Tasting Room
Bubbly $26 and OverWINE OF THE WEEK
L'Ermitage, Brut, Anderson Valley
1999 Anderson Valley - Sparkling wines ($44)
A showy sparkler. Great old-world, new-world style. Expansive and rich, yet has a great concentration of crisp fruit. Yeasty and nutty, with notes of strawberry and cherry. Great holiday food match.
NV Brut Royal, Reims - Sparkling wines ($44)
Rich, yeasty and toasty. Aromas and flavors of strawberry and roasted coffee. Some off aromas. Nice creamy texture.
1999 Blanc de Noirs, Napa Valley - Sparkling wines ($45)
A panel favorite, but too pricey to win wine-of-the-week status. Rich, with notes of green apple, strawberry and pear.
NV Brut, Napa and Sonoma - Sparkling wines ($29)
An appealing style of bubbly. Tropical fruit flavors, with notes of pear and quince. Aromas of jasmine and honeysuckle.
NV Cordon Rouge, Brut, France - Sparkling wines ($38)
Rich and ripe. Yeasty, with aromas and flavors of toast, butterscotch and brie. Medium complexity. Lingering finish.
2003 Wedding Cuvee, Blanc de Noir, Sonoma - Sparkling wines ($34)
A very appealing bubbly. Balanced, with a great core of fruit. Notes of red plum, strawberry, cherry and watermelon.
NV Brut, Russian River Valley - Sparkling wines ($32)
Aromas of clean citrus and young Bartlett pear. Flavors of kumquat and lemon zest. Nice mouth-feel. Rich finish.
1999 Brut, North Coast - Sparkling wines ($90)
A panel favorite but too pricey to win wine-of-the-week status. Notes of buttered pecan, caramel and baked apple.
1996 Brut, Carneros - Sparkling wines ($50)
A complex sparkler with a persistent mousse. Nutty, with flavors of baked apple and mineral. Vibrant. Long finish.
2000 Blanc de Blancs, Carneros - Sparkling wines ($65)
Lovely. Aromas and flavors of pear, ripe apple and yeast. A delicate sparkler, with a soft texture. Good mouth-feel.
NV Grand Brut, Epernay - Sparkling wines ($45)
A big-style bubbly with brooding flavors. Notes of rum butter and apple. Medium complexity. Finished flat.
NV Brut, Reims - Sparkling wines ($49)
Rich, with concentrated flavors. Yeasty, with notes of toasted almonds, apple, baked orange and caramel.
TASTING PANEL: Larry Van Aalst, Equus; Stefen Soltysiak, Rodney Strong; Dan Berman of Pacific Markets; Ziggy Eschliman, radio's "Wine Gal;" Tom Simoneau, KSRO's "Wine Guy;" PD wine columnist Peg Melnick.
CRITERIA: The panel samples eight to 12 wines a week in a blind tasting. Wine of the Week is based on quality, value and availability and is not necessarily the top wine of the tasting. Price is suggested retail; actual price is often lower.You can reach Staff Writer Peg Melnik at 521-5310 or e-mail pmelnik@pressdemocrat.com