May 23, 2009 Pinot Grigio is understandably popular.... it is dry, crisp, refreshing, and not burdened with the suffocating density of Chardonnays that are too often intentionally made in an overbearing style. Unfortunately, Santa Margherita's bizarre attempt at PG does the varietal no justice at all (hence our recent Spit Bucket Award).  I've been looking for a truly great Pinot Grigio to recommend to those otherwise tempted to waste money on Santa Margherita. And this is it ... the Gargiulo Vineyards 2007 Pinot Grigio from Napa Valley. Now, this wine is $30. But it is a very well spent $30. Gargiulo's offering is one of the most elegant and refined PG's made in Northern California. I'll say more about it soon, but if you are a PG fan, seek it out. This one is a winner. (I'd link to their website, but it doesn't seem to work.) Cheers, Evan              Editorial: California's Big Wine Problem ~~~~~ A Tale of Two Zins Two noteworthy Zinfandels were released in 2008. One is the Seghesio 2007 Zinfandel. The other is The Terraces 2006 Zinfandel. The Seghesio Zin is in the spotlight because Wine Spectator  awarded it an amazing 93 points, and ranked it a stratospheric #10 on their list of the Top 100 Wines of 2008. The Terraces Zin is in the spotlight here because it never appeared in Wine Spectator, and it is a far more interesting and complex wine than the Seghesio, for about the same price. There were 68,000 cases of the Seghesio made, and it retails for $24. Since they made boatloads of the stuff, you can find it everywhere. Restaurants sell it by the glass, and every wine store has it. Even our local Costco has it. Conversely, 790 cases of The Terraces Zin were made, and it retails for $28. Due to its small production, is difficult to find. Most people have to special order it through finer wine shops, or order it direct from the winery. But here's the thing. While Wine Spectator has certainly overhyped the Seghesio, in the end it is really not a bad wine. It's got some fruit, butterscotch, and white pepper on the nose. It has a rich, buttery, jammy, and somewhat spicy taste. Casual wine drinkers will like it, because it is engineered to appeal to the mass consumer. Many people will say, "Now, that's what a Zin is supposed to taste like."  We beg to differ. The Seghesio is not well integrated. It is a bit hot in alcohol, and it lacks harmony on the palate. It is a decent, easy to quaff wine, but not anywhere close to being a Top 100 Wine. Meanwhile, The Terraces 06 Zin is an example of an extraordinary achievement in Zinfandel. It far surpasses the Seghesio in complexity, balance, finesse, and downright sensuality. If you taste them side by side, you'd instantly recognize that these wines are simply in two different leagues when it comes to quality.  But...don't take my word for it. Grab a bottle of the Seghesio at your local wine retailer, and seek out a bottle of The Terraces--it is easy to order it direct from the winery if your wine shop doesn't have it. Open them side by side and spend an hour tasting the two of them. Watch how they evolve in the glass. This is both fun and educational. Not only is it a good introduction to two different styles of Zinfandel, but it is a dramatic demonstration of the immense difference between a decent wine and a great one.  Cheers, Evan    _________________________ A Little Score War Freemark Abbey's 2002 Cabernet Bosché won Editor's Choice from Wine Enthusiast, which gave it a whopping 94 points. Wine Spectator scored it a dismal 85. Who was right? Actually, the Enthusiast. This classic blend from the Bosché vineyard is a lush, rich wine with a complex nose so addicting you don't even want to drink it. Dense cherries dominate the layers of seductive flavors. Oak is beautifully integrated and not overdone, which might be why Wine Spectator didn't like it. The only thing we found to complain about was that it is a bit short on the finish. It is so delicious that you'd like it to linger on the palate longer than it does. Wine Spectator's 85-point rating of the 2002 Bosché is an insult to the winery and a disservice to the consumer. See for yourself. Visit Freemark Abbey, order some to drink now and some to lay down for another five to ten years. As you immerse yourself in its magnificent bouquet, take a few moments to contemplate the absurdity of the 100-point rating system.	Highly Recommended -- 121 Points Tor Kenward Family Vineyards 2006 ROCK Syrah, Hudson Vineyard $60 Though Cabernet Sauvignon is the undisputed king of wine grapes in Napa Valley, when one thinks of the most decadent red wines in the world, one thinks Syrah. No matter how good Cabernet gets, it can never match the sheer mind-bending sensuality of the planet's most sensational Syrahs. Napa based winemakers haven't made a lot of Syrah in the past, but Tor Kenward is among those moving into Rhone varietals. And his first Rhone-style wine, the ROCK Syrah 2006 just released a few weeks ago, is about as perfect as a wine can get for $60. Robert Parker gave it 94 points, thereby offering up one more illustration of the inadequacy of the 100-point rating system. For in fact, the ROCK Syrah is one of the elite of the outstanding new Syrahs to come out of Northern California in recent years. Hard to believe, but it is reminiscent of the extravagently decadent La Turque from Guigal in its best vintages. It does not quite achieve the peaks of exquisite eroticism you get in the best La Turques. But let's get real. The Guigal La Turque is a $400 bottle of wine. For a paltry $60, the ROCK Syrah evokes much of the same sensuality, and far surpasses the La Turque in wine-drinking satisfaction for the dollar spent. Herein lies one of the serious flaws in the rating system--the price is not given due consideration.  Parker gave the 2005 La Turque a 96-100. For the sake of discussion, let's assume he was feeling a bit more definitive that day, and suppose that he had given it 98 points. For buyers who might consider the price difference, $400 vs. $60, to be a valid factor in the evaluation, one can simply divide 400 by 60 to get 6.67, then multiply by the score differential of 4 (98 - 94), for a value-adjusted marginal score differential of 27 (rounded to the nearest whole number). Adding the value differential of 27 to the baseline assessment of 94 points, you get 121. Therefore, once value for the money is methodically factored into the rating system, the ROCK Syrah actually scores 121 points.  For those who think this is an absurd way to rate wine, we say, "Oh?" Well, then let's put it this way... the ROCK 2006 Syrah is an insanely delicious wine and a spectacular value for $60. If you like to seek out new, rare and decadent gems in the wine world, please do yourself a favor and don't miss it. Only 250 cases made. Order it from the winery, or from K&L Wines, or from Ma(i)sonry in Yountville. But act quickly. Once word spreads that it is a 121 point wine, it will be snapped up in a heartbeat. __________________ Quotes in the News Italian wine is the wine of our generation. You know, our parents drank French wines, they wore Aramaise, they went to Paris. Our generation, we wear Armani, Ferragamo occasionally, Prada, and then we drink Italian wines, eat Italian food, and travel to Florence, Rome, Venice.     ...and what's happening is people say, "France? Phhhhttt." James Suckling Wine Spectator (from the film "Mondovino") ~~~~~~~ PointlessWines.com is the wine review site of our generation. You know, our parents read Wine Spectator, Robert Parker, and they took their scores seriously. Our generation, we ignore the scores and try different wines. We explore new tastes and refuse to be manipulated by the wine media....    .... and what's happening is people say, "Wine Spectator?  Phhhhttt." Evan Powell PointlessWines.com ___________________ Want new wine updates before they sell out? Drop me an email to evan@pointlesswines.com and I'll add you to our private mailing list. Thanks! Evan	Highly Recommended Okanogan Estate & Vineyards 2007 Gewurztraminer, Washington State $16   Okanogan Estate & Vineyards is located five miles south of the Canadian border, about 175 miles northwest of Seattle. It might have the distinction of being the northernmost winery operating in the United States. The Okanagan Valley winegrowing region, located mostly on the Canadian side of the border, is in its infancy. Vines have only been planted there in the last 20 years. So they are doing what people in all new wine regions do—experimenting with what grows best where. At the moment, Okanogan is making wines from most of the major varietals, including Cabernet, Cab Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauv Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Grigio, and Gewurztraminer. How many of those will ultimately succeed remains to be seen, but there is no doubt the Gewurztraminer will be among them.   The 2007 Okanogan Gewurztraminer is a very pretty, easy to drink wine with scents of orange blossom, pears, and lychees, and the characteristic soft spiciness of the varietal. (Gewurztraminer literally means Spicy Traminer) . It has enough residual sugar to call it either off-dry or semi-sweet, so those who prefer something other than bone dry wines are going to love this one. Extremely well-integrated on the palate with a clean and refreshing finish, Okanogan’s 2007 Gewurztraminer is an outstanding success, and a great value at only $16.   The winery faces some marketing challenges. In addition to being geographically remote and largely unknown, the name Okanogan is hard to remember. It is not even obvious how to pronounce it (Oak-uh-NAH-gun).  Beyond location and name, if the Marketing and Packaging Division of PointlessWines.com had been consulted, we might have counseled against the dark brown label and brown tinted glass bottle, as neither stimulates triggers in the consumer's mind suggesting a cool, refreshing beverage.   Nevertheless, it is what’s in the bottle that counts most. And with a few more winners like the 2007 Gewurz, the Okanogan name will become known. If you are a classic Gewurztraminer fan, this one is definitely worth a try. This young winery has very limited distribution, so for most readers, the only way to get it is to click here and order it direct.