Sauvignon Blanc for Labor Day Fermentation and aging in a mix of stainless steel and oak gives this wine a mouth-filling texture and complexity. Yet it remains refreshing and lively, with crisp Meyer lemon and pear fruit accented by cinnamon and nutmeg spice.

Sometimes, the whole being > the sum of the parts is reason enough to rejoice. A-

Zena-Crown Vineyard always produces stellar fruit, and this wine really showcases what this vineyard can produce. It's captivating and masculine, with black current, vanilla and boysenberry notes that integrate with cedar undertones. Lovely.

Harmonious and bold with layered spice, tobacco and dark chocolate notes. Intense and persistent finish with good acidity and refined tannins. A delightful beauty that pairs with so many great foods, from mushrooms to lamb, duck, and chicken.

Blackberry, dark plum, spice and black pepper flavors lead to a soft, pure finish. Texturally pleasing vanilla and spice notes finish long and strong. I paired this with a cherry almond glazed pork tenderloin. Excellent!

A delicious Oregon Syrah with flavors of blackberry, dark plum and spice. The finish has finesse and good depth, leading to delicious spicy undertones with lively tannins and acidity. I really enjoyed this wine with a good old fashioned burger.

Syrah is not the red grape that leaps to mind when we think of Oregon; that would be pinot noir. Still, a surprising number of wineries produce syrah in the Beaver State, and among the best is Penner-Ash Wine Cellars, also known, of course, for its excellent pinot noir wines. The Penner-Ash Syrah 2015, carrying a general Oregon designation, derived from six vineyards. The wine aged 17 months in French oak, 30 percent new barrels, 35 percent one-year-old, 15 percent two-year old and 20 percent neutral. The result is a syrah that displays plenty of power and energy without being overwhelmed by a tide of oak, the influence of which remains steady but suave and subtle. The color is unimpeachable motor oil black-purple that devolves to a narrow, gleaming magenta rim; aromas of spiced and macerated black cherries, currants and plums are permeated by penetrating beams of iodine and iron, a characteristic graphite-granitic quality that drives the wine from initial sniff and sip through the spice-and-mineral-packed finish. Velvety, grainy tannins provide a bolster for the lip-smacking acidity that helps animate the wine, while a few minutes in the glass unfurl an intense core of lavender and violets, loam and bittersweet chocolate. 14.9 percent alcohol. A classy, well-knit syrah for drinking with hearty fare through 2021 to ’23. Excellent.

White of the Week, 17.4/20 points Our tasters: Missed a unanimous recommendation by one-tenth of a point but received six scores of 9. "Floral, well-textured." My score: 9. "Bright, crisp flavors. Honeysuckle."

I skipped out on family vacation a day early to fly to Portland for the International Pinot Noir Celebration. But, the first item of business was a comparative Riesling tasting in the barrel room at Trisaetum. Winemaker Lynn Penner-Ash compared three vintages of a single vineyard and the just off-dry 2012 was incredible with a tropical nose of pineapple and kumquats followed by ripe pear on the palate. Unfortunately, vintages 2012-2014 are sold out, but the 2015 is currently available.

While in the tank, Matanzas Creek winemaker Marcia Torres Forno said the Pinot Noir 2015 smells like rose petals. A cold soak before fermentation led to an earthy, medium bodied Pinot with strawberry and cherry flavors.

Matanzas Creek Jackson Park Merlot 2012 is an elegant red with cocoa, blueberry and grippy in tannins. Made from the Petrus clone. Side-by-side, the Jackson Park 2013 ($60) is a little meatier and more tannic. It’s medium bodied, darker in the glass and has flavors of cracked pepper, fresh plum and tomato leaf on the finish.

Matanzas Creek Journey 2012 is dominated by dark chocolate flavors. It's framed nicely in the background by dark fruit flavors with tannins that grab on the finish.

Matanzas Creek Knight’s Valley Merlot 2012 is bigger, riper and fuller bodied than the Jackson Park. Just 20 miles separates the two vineyards, but Knight’s valley has more red fruit than blue. It’s got chewy tannins and will get more impressive over the next 10 years.

Matanzas Creek Knight’s Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 has a nose of cracked black pepper and loads of black cherry and cassis. It’s medium bodied and ready to be enjoyed now or cellared for a few years.

The Matanzas Creek Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc 2015 had lemon, lime and grapefruit flavors. It’s lighter bodied with a crisp acidity. There’s a grassy rock nose that furthered the experience.

From the “superior lots” in the vineyard, the Matanzas Creek Journey Sauvignon Blanc 2014 had an herbal green snap on the nose and is fuller bodied for the varietal. There’s honey dew melon and a long finish of mango, papaya and pear.

The Matanzas Creek Helena Bench Sauvignon Blanc 2012 continued its trend as being one of the prettiest interpretations of the varietal on the market. There’s tropical fruit and floral aromas. Pineapple and starfruit flavors emerge on a medium bodied fresh, crisp and complex white that finished with a zest lime note. The mouthfeel is dynamic because of the texture layers it provided.

While Matanzas seemed to have specialized in Sauvignon Blanc, its Chardonnay line is diverse and fruit focused. The Matanzas Creek Sonoma County Chardonnay 2015 has fleshy red apple and toasty almond flavors. There’s a hint of buttery popcorn on the finish.

Lush with apple and peach notes and a hint of lemon. The wine is treated to full malolatic fermentation and nine months of French oak aging, which adds a bit of vanilla and butterscotch and caramel.

The Bennett Valley Chardonnay 2015 has butterscotch and brioche flavors.

The Journey Chardonnay 2013 is richer and more elegant than its counterparts. It’s streamlined flavors of browned sugar creme brulee.

Wine Pairings for Roast Chicken Poultry-Friendly Pinots
 Four wines with the ideal spice notes to make your bird soar: ...2015 La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, $25 


The Path to Wine Wisdom Food & Wine Magazine's 5 Steps to Understanding Wine The segment begins at the 1 hour, 13 minute mark. La Crema’s Chardonnay bottle is featured throughout the segment as it’s displayed on the table and he leads off by saying that it’s a perfect example of a classic, California style Chardonnay.

Smooth sip, but charming from the far West. We are in the Sonoma Coast, California and La Crema winery established at the end of the ’70's, reminds also with this name a particular style of production. Style that we can find in the Chardonnay 2014 (distributed by Philarmonica, €22 in Wine Stores) with golden Californian color and creamy and toasted notes, that reveals the variety of origin, ending with a vibrant and fruity mouth.

Wine & Food pairing recommendation ...For the brave who like to feel the heat, anything other than the aforementioned should work. I would recommend in all cases to stick to younger, riper styles of wines, and avoid those with too much complexity as the spices might dominate any subtlety present in the wine. The white version of a spice booster would be a New World oaky Chardonnay loaded with exotic fruit, vanilla, pineapple and a slightly higher alcohol content of around 13.5% ABV, such has the 2014 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay from La Crema Vineyard in California, which is ripe with sweet spices and white peach.