Lifestyle - Home

Wine list

Published: Monday, October 5, 2009 at 3:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, October 2, 2009 at 4:23 p.m.

Press Democrat wine writer Peg Melnik scopes out restaurant wine lists around the North Bay, looking for good value and the occasional splurge. This week’s picks (prices are retail; restaurant markup varies):

Ferrari-Carano, 2008 Sonoma County Fume Blanc, $15. A smoky fume blanc with a silky texture. Grassy, with notes of grapefruit, guava and mineral.

Ridge, 2007 East Bench Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, $30. A concentrated zin with great spice. Notes of zesty cherry, wild berry, plum, licorice and white pepper.

Wilson Winery, 2007 Estate Sawyer Vineyard Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley, $32. An ultra-ripe zin with notes of black cherry, hint of rhubarb, herbs, caramel and spice.

Bella, 2007 Lily Hill Estate Zinfandel, $38. A snappy zin, juicy and lush. Notes of cherry, raspberry, herbs and spice. Long finish.

L’Ermitage, 2002 Anderson Valley Brut, $45. A lovely sparkler, crisp and complex. Aromas and flavors of brioche, yeast, apple and lemon. Lively mousse.

Want to share a current wine on your favorite restaurant's list? E-mail peg.melnik@ pressdemocrat.com or check out her Tasting Room blog at pressdemocrat.com.


All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.

Add a Comment

Only moderator-approved comments are shown on this page. To see all comments, please visit the forum. We at PressDemocrat.com created these forums as a place where our community can exchange ideas on news issues and express their thoughts. Please be courteous and respectful. Avoid expletives, false statements, veiled or overt threats and personal attacks. Stay on topic. (View full Terms of Service.)
    Post a comment | View all comments on this topic.