Though some wine pros disagree, wines above 15.5 percent alcohol can be balanced.

From vines planted in 1906, the wine has plummy aromas, and a dense, taut palate that's vigorous and long.

From vines planted in 1907. Mighty darn good old-vine Zin, dark and jammy, with some smoky barrel and dark chocolate aromas. Then it's big, deep, rich stuff, full of peppercorn, anise, mouthfilling black fruit-really just an intense pleasure to drink. No idea what you'd pair it with-whole roast moose?-so probably the answer is just to pull the cork and enjoy it on its own.

Good intensity. Medium-bodied. Aromas and flavors of blackberry and black currant. Nice mouth-feel. Balanced.

A slight hint of animal and earth at first, but then a full-force blackberry fruit. Pure and layered from 96-year-old vines. Hold for six months and then up to 2006.

Velvety and concentrated, with spiced blueberries and woodsy black plum topped by a whiff of smoked applewood. Best for pork and beef.

Best known as a top producer of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Hartford Family also turns out a few very good Zinfandels, including this bright and supple wine. With its lively acidity and a comparatively modest alcohol level, this bottle might be best called a “Zinonoir.”

A briary zinfandel with tangy fruit and a good dose of spice. Rich and full-bodied. Striking.

6 Pacific Northwest sparkling wines to tickle your nose year-round Looking to add a bit of color to your life? Then pour a glass of this coppery-pink wine and watch its glow fill the room. It's another pinot noir-chardonnay blend where some of the wine is aged in French oak barrels to add depth and complexity. This is the sparkling wine to pour for those dogmatic friends who insist only Champagne can taste like Champagne. From the tart red fruit and citrus scents to the fine stream of bubbles and flavors of shortbread and quince, this wine might be able to fool more than a few Champagne fanatics.

It's beginning to look a lot like bubbles This is the inaugural sparkling release from this Oregon winery, and it will be bottled once a year. A blend of multiple vintages, with pinot noir taking a slight edge over chardonnay in the composition of the wine. Pear, honeysuckle, rose petal and brioche on the nose leads to flavors of citrus and stone fruit on the palate. Tangerine, nectarine and strawberry are prominent in the flavor profile while the pinpoint acidity holds it all together to make it seductively well-balanced all the way to the stylish, upbeat finish.

What to Drink When You’re Drinking Alone: Bubbles for the Disgruntled This wine is generally only available on a contact-the-winery basis, but you might just want to do that. A limber little ballerina of a wine, with all the balance and finesse you’re going to lack tonight. Prominent notes include tangerine, nectarine, Asian pear, roses, strawberries and honey. Fabulously tense and highly relaxing.

Bubbling Brew Sparkling bewitches Oregon industry Dusty copper robe fizzes with high intensity beads charged with raspberry, brioche and stone fruit aromas. Exotic flavors of fleshy orange fruits, Fuji apple and sour cherry juxtapose against restrained acids to a chalky, mineral finish.

The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide for Wine Lovers From Yamhill-Carlton district in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, this sparkling rosé, a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, displays a spectrum of flavors---honeysuckle, nectarine, wild strawberry, brioche-- and a vibrant finish. Made from Gran Moraine vineyard estate grapes in méthode Champenoise and aged on its lees for two years, the wine is crafted as a blend of multiple vintages and possesses precision and finesse.

Festive Sparklers From Around the World: Ferrari, Jaume, Bruno, Gran With grapes from one of the more westerly vineyards in the AVA where a cooling afternoon breeze rolls off from the Pacific, the wine is mostly aged in stainless for freshness of fruit with a few lots aged in French oak barrels for depth, complexity, and spice. After two years on yeast, the wine is disgorged and aged for six more months before release. A lot of work goes into this wine and it sure shows in the glass: it’s quite spectacular.

The palest baby pink in the glass with very fine bubbles, this wine smells of bright berries and citrus peel. In the mouth, wet stone flavors mix with forest berries and a hint of watermelon amidst a silky mousse. Nicely balanced with a faint sweetness, this is exceedingly easy to drink. 12.5% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9.

Pairing Wine with Swine is a Delicate Dance A Christmas ham calls for a light- to medium-bodied wine that won’t overpower the meat’s weight and flavors. The inaugural release of the non-vintage Gran Moraine Brut Rosé ($50) from Oregon’s Willamette Valley is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with a precise texture and lively finish. Primary notes include brioche, tangerine and dragon fruit. The wine has a touch of sweetness to it, which is important when pairing with ham coated with a sugary glaze.

Sparkling Wines From Oregon: What It Takes To Make A Name In Bubbly Earth, mineral, and rose petal, with vibrant red-berry fruit and citrus, a touch of pastry dough, and a finishing floral lift. Complex and balanced.

Pop Open These Bottles of Sparkling This Summer Now wineries like...Gran Moraine are producing extraordinary, truly exceptional bubbles from estate grown fruit. A favorite, Gran Moraine Brut Rose shines, with delicate subtlety and refinement.

Try these nine Champagnes for some Christmas cheer From the Willamette Valley, this vibrant blend of chardonnay and pinot noir has an elegant pale pink color, bright acidity, apple/cherry flavors and a persistent finish.

12 Days of Christmas with Champagne and Sparkling Wine: 12th Day Gran Moraine Brut Rosé, nv, Yamhill-Carlton District, comes from a Jackson Family Wines property in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. It’s a blend of 53 percent chardonnay and 47 percent pinot noir, aged in bottle on the lees for two years. It displays a very pale coral-salmon hue and a dynamic array of tiny bubbles; notes of orange zest and lime peel are woven with hints of macerated raspberries and touches of red currant and almond skin. It’s dry, crisp and lively on the palate, offering the energy of acid and a scintillating limestone element, yet overall embodies elegance and delicacy. It is, in fact, delightful. Excellent.

Wait a minute, what? You mean we're not in Champagne? Because I could have sworn we were in Champagne just then… A-

The wine showed a pale pink color. Cherry, raspberry, strawberry, lemon and slate were each discernible on the nose. Cherry, raspberry, strawberry, peach, lemon candy and slate followed on the palate where the hint of minerality elevated the red berry fruit. The wine exhibited great acidity and balance, along with good structure and length. This wine would do well for solo enjoyment on the patio on a warm spring afternoon. It would also pair well with grilled salmon or a watermelon salad with mint and ricotta salata.

Rosé is breaking out of its stereotypes Warmer temperatures in Oregon’s Willamette Valley allowed the grapes to fully ripen, resulting in a nice balance of brix (sugar) and acidity in the whole- cluster pressed 2018 Gran Moraine Rosé of Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton. Very pale salmon in color with floral and pineapple aromas, the flavors are well- integrated and the mouthfeel is both dry and creamy.