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Ashland, Oregon HOME Valley & State Sports Nation & World Opinion/Editorial Classifieds Business Columnists Local Issues Obituaries Weather Archive Revels Etcetera Backpage Hot Topics Most Viewed Forum Photo Galleries Video Readers Polls O-Zone Online Games Movie Preview Special Sections Real Estate Guide Menu Guide Shakespeare Subscribe Contact Us Rate Card Place an Ad May 30, 2006 Off The Vine Lorn Razzano Origins of wine: a primer S o many wine writers take it for granted that their readership knows where the wines come from that we write about. For example, when we write about Barolo and Barbaresco, do folks know that these fine Nebbiolo grapes come from the townships of Barolo and Barbaresco? This type of understanding, the understanding of place names and significance of geography in the world of wine, is very important and needs a little review from time to time. Obviously, not every great wine region can be listed in this article so I will simply list some of my favorites. Here we go: Napa Valley — Arguably the best know United States region for winemaking, the Napa Valley in Northern California has exploded in wine excellence over the last 15 years and continues to be the leader in the outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot varietals. Cool nights and warm days make these native Bordeaux grapes an outstanding choice for the Napa Valley. Endless gold medals and pages of praise continue to put the spotlight on this region. It is quite in vogue to knock “The Valley” in some quarters for the higher prices and sometimes snooty airs found in the Napa Valley but the truth is that the wines continue to be world-class. Walla Walla, Washington — A rival to the Napa Valley is the Walla Walla region of Washington. Wine drinkers with their eye on quality and their discerning pocketbooks are looking northward for some very yummy red wines. The very concentrated and stunningly made reds from this area experience warm to hot days and very cool to cold nights allowing for the sugars and the acids to rise in almost textbook excellence. I predict that this growing region will become as famous as its big Napa sister very shortly. Amador County, California — The little town of Sutter Creek is the bullseye for the huge but very integrated Zinfandels of the U.S. wine scene. Folks are talking about the other fine Zin producing area, Lodi, but there is something quite magical about Amador County and the spectacular red wines coming from this very warm and prolific wine region. This lovely growing area, about 60 miles east of Sacramento, is worth the trip to experience Zinfandel with endless character and mouth-filling fruit. Willamette Valley, Oregon — Pinot Noir is produced all over the state of Oregon but the verdict, for the most part, is that the Willamette Valley is producing spicy and lovely Pinot Noir. Endless awards, fine Pinot clones and very skilled winemaking are catapulting the Willamette Valley to the forefront of the Pinot Noir field. We are experiencing a string of great vintages from the Willamette and the press is loving every part of this wonderful growth and increase of excellence that the Willamette has to offer. Tuscany, Italy — It is surprising to me that many readers don’t know that Chianti comes from Tuscany. The region extends from Siena to Florence and within these two magical cities is the best place on the planet for the world class Sangiovese grape, the backbone of Chianti. Tuscany is also known for its world class Brunello di Montalcino, some say the finest red wine in Italy and the lush, sweet, Vin Santo in all of its amber beauty. Burgundy, France — The home of the great Pinot Noir. This is where it all began, in the Burgundy region of France, the south central region known for its hillsides of lovely golden fall leaves and stunningly, almost perfect Pinot Noirs. There are the consumers who love the New World Pinots and those who love the deep spice of the Old World with its centuries of tradition, great food and historic beauty. If you have a chance, taste the New World with the Old World in a combined Pinot Noir tasting and experience some fascinating flavors from the two very distinct regions. You will have a lot of fun! Next time, more about regions and where the best wines are to be found! --> Copyright © 2006 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers. All Rights Reserved.