Wine By Nine

Red Wine by Longoria from Central Coast, California. This wine is slightly lighter in color than previous vintages but no less concentrated or complex. Longoria's dedication to maintaining the high level quality of Fe Ciega Pinot Noir required them to go through numerous blending trials to determine the best possible blend from the four lots they had to work with. As a result, a substantial portion of their Dijon 115 lot was declassified, and thus became the majority of their Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir released in November 2006. This 2005 vintage of Fe Ciega Pinot Noir has complex aromas of Asian spices, sandalwood, sage, plums and black walnuts. On the palate the wine is medium bodied, and initially seems subdued and restrained. However, as the wine breathes in the glass it begins to open up and with each sip the wine expands a little more in the mouth to reveal the complex flavors and layers that has become the hallmark of Fe Ciega Pinot Noir. The wine is beautifully balanced in terms of oak integration, acidity and silky tannins. Enjoy this wine with salmon, duck, and holiday turkey.

Red Wine by Longoria from Central Coast, California.

Red Wine by Chalone from Central Coast, California. Perched high in the remote Gavilan Mountain Range, 1,800 feet above Salinas Valley, Chalone Vineyard is a one-of-a-kind wine estate. This is extreme wine country with rare limestone soils, limited rainfall and wide diurnal temperature swings. The unique terroir produces wine that imparts a subtle mineral character with compelling fruit and richness. By California standards, Chalone Vineyard's grape yields are small (less than three tons per acre), but the grapes from this vineyard achieve homogeneity of ripeness and display intense character and superb balance. The new Pinot Noir clones, planted in 1997, are really showing their potential with the 2005 vintage. The wine is darkly colored and amazingly opulent, with fantastic fruit intensity leaning toward red cherries and strawberries. Firm in body, with big tannins, this wine has amazing texture and length of finish. The ten months it spent in French oak integrated the fruit and tannins into a truly hedonistic glass of wine. Pair with roasted turkey, seared duck with cherry sauce, grilled salmon and wild mushroom risotto.

Red Wine by Testarossa from Central Coast, California. Dark red color. There are aromas of red cherry, raspberry, vanilla bean, anise, and black pepper. This wine smells rich and only gets better in the palate with ripe cherry and strawberry flavors, wrapped around a spicy core. The plush tannins and crisp acidity make this wine fresh today, but should age well for up to 6-7 years.

Red Wine by Wild Horse from Central Coast, California. Wild Horse 2006 Pinot Noir bursts with aromas of seasoned wood, rose petals, dried cherry, and alpine forest floor, with flavors of pomegranate and Asian spices, with a rich lingering mouthfeel. A versatile wine, this Pinot Noir complements meals of salmon, lamb, poultry and grilled vegetables. Superb now, best enjoyed after a few years in the cellar.

Red Wine by David Bruce from Central Coast, California. A core of bright cherry fruit, subtle toast, and notes of earth and spice make this a versatile companion to a wide array of cuisines.

Red Wine by Carmel Road from Central Coast, California. California's Central Coast was blessed with a particularly long growing season in 2005, which allowed the grapes to slowly ripen and reach their full potential. In combination with an extended period of cool fog from the Pacific Ocean, the delicate Pinot Noir grapes were provided the optimum conditions to develop a rich complexity of aromas. Carmel Road 2005 Monterey Pinot Noir tantalizes the nose with the aromas of concentrated cherry preserve, earthy forest fruit, and hints of rose petals and roasted almonds. Velvety tannins complement the fresh fruit flavors and offer a full body mouthfeel sensation and delightful finish. - Ivan Giotenov, Winemaker

Red Wine by Carmel Road from Central Coast, California. At Carmel Road, they've tailored their viticulture and winemaking techniques to capture the compelling character of their unique climate and soils. Their Pinot Noirs are known for their rich flavors, firm acidity and brilliant varietal flavors. The 2006 is an earthy and elegant wine, marked by red currant, red cherry, warm spice, forest aromas and a toasty oak finish.

Red Wine by Chalone from Central Coast, California. The grapes for Chalone Monterey County Pinot Noir come from the coastal foothill regions in the Salinas Valley. In the cellar Chalone works hard to maintain the character and richness of this wonderful fruit. The wine features rich aromas of tart black cherries with hints of both clove and nutmeg. Ripe flavors of raspberries and cola follow on the palate. A small amount of Petite Sirah adds richness, giving the wine additional weight. This is a full-bodied wine with balanced acidity and a supple mouthfeel. It has the elegance to work well with turkey or other fowl, meaty fish like tuna or salmon, and pasta with a creamy wild mushroom sauce.

Red Wine by Estancia from Central Coast, California. A classically styled Pinot Noir, adopting the Burgundian philosophy of handling the fruit as delicately as possible. The result is a wine which is lusciously fruity with ripe cherries layered with sweet oak, dried flowers, leather, and spice. Soft and silky with a persistent finish.

Red Wine by Castle Rock from Central Coast, California. This Pinot Noir is produced from grapes grown in Monterey County along the Central Coast of California, where the climate and soil quality provide excellent growing conditions for this Burgundian varietal. Here, the cooling air from Monterey Bay helps to produce a longer growing season for grapes, with extra hang-time on the vines leading to a characteristic depth of flavor in the wine. Castle Rock Monterey Pinot Noir is elegant and medium-bodied, offering aromas of cherry, tea and herbal spice. On the palate, the wine gives flavors of black cherry, plum and spice. It is smooth with a silky texture and mild tannins. This versatile food wine pairs well with lamb, chicken, veal, salmon and light pasta dishes. Although we are fully aware that Monterey is a fine home for Pinot Noir and that there is plenty of the stuff planted there, we could not but help asking how do they do it? when we tasted this one and then looked at the price. With the definition and depth of wines costing up to several times its price, it exhibits keen and concentrated black-cherry fruit with highlights of cola and dried flowers, and it is at once both fleshy in feel and very light on its feet. It trades high extract and bluster for precision and balance and comes up a big winner for it. -Connoisseurs' Guide Good Value

Red Wine by Beringer from Central Coast, California. A tribute to three centuries of winemaking excellence, this remarkable collection reflects Beringer's time-honored heritage. Each wine has been expressly crafted to inspire today's discerning palate as it forms a bridge between past, present and future. With Third Century, the oldest continuously operating winery in the Napa Valley invites a new generation to experience the timeless pleasure of Beringer wines. From the nose to the palate, this bright, bold Pinot Noir is a sensory pleasure, revealing layers of complexity that deliver ripe, red fruit characteristics balanced by rich accents of earthiness and spice. The wine finishes with a velvety texture that lingers on the palate just long enough to anticipate the next pour.