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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 2, 2006 Off The Vine In doubt? Turn back to old favorites Lorn Razzano There are many, seemingly endless amounts of wine to choose from. The retail shelves and dinner houses abound with selections from our own backyard to wines from almost every point of the globe. Labels seem confusing, grape varieties pop up with names that are hard to pronounce and vintage dates come and go without a clue as to what they mean to us, the consumer. There are, however, old and new favorites in the world of wine worth mentioning as well as the “hot” new trends in the wine world. Here are some of the new guys on the block to look at; • New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc- Move over, Bordeaux! The crisp, well made and very fresh Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand is taking the Sauvignon Blanc world and turning it on its head. For years the white wine lovers who preferred Sauvignon Blanc were either going to Bordeaux for this world class grape or to the Napa Valley and to Washington State. We are seeing spectacular Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, not only in its elegance but in its lovely balance that goes so well with cuisine. Most of these offerings are now being offered with screw caps which I think you’ll find not only convenient but a smart way to open and close a bottle of wine. Most New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc ranges in price from about ten dollars to twenty dollar a bottle. • Oregon Pinot Gris- The land of very nice Pinot Noir is being eclipsed by the venerable Pinot Gris, a white wine of great distinction with lovers of seafood and shellfish. For years the State of Oregon has been the region of choice for terrific Pinot Noir and it seems that its little sister, the Pinot Gris, has caught on fire with white wine lovers. The Willamette Valley is the real home of this dry (there are some off-dry offerings) very crisp and elegantly fruity white wine. Those of you tired of Chardonnay will have a new world of lovely dry wines to choose from with this very versatile sweetheart from the northland. The average price for Oregon Pinot Gris is is about thirteen dollars per bottle. • Argentine Malbec- Here’s a red hot red wine on the shelves today. Malbec has been around for ever but the Argentine winemaker has bottled many fine Malbecs over the last seven or eight years and continues to be the world leader in this charming red wine grape. Known for its soft yet mouth filling gush of dark red grape flavors, the Malbec grape is leading the red wine revolution in South America. This monster red is perfect with red meat, pasta and any rich offerings where you wish for layers of fruit and fullness on the palate to be the driving force of your red wine choice. Ten to thirty dollars per bottle. Syrah- Syrah has had an explosion of popularity over the last five years. This native of the Rhone Valley, France has been transplanted to the new World with mind-blowing success on every level. From the central and coastal regions of California, to the Umpqua Valley in Oregon and the lovely Vineyards of Walla Walla, Washington, the American Syrah is here to stay! Known for its white pepper backbone, rich palate density and long, very warm and generous finish, this purple hued red is just the best wine around for the grill on those hot summer evenings. It is my feeling that Syrah might be the best wine for pork dishes of any type, especially on the grill! The bouquet of this wine is laced with pepper, dark cherry and toast and lays on the palate like a silk robe. These can be extraordinary wines on every level. Look at prices from about fifteen dollars and upward. Well, there you have them. Give them a try soon and you will be happily surprised! See you next time. --> Copyright © 2006 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers. All Rights Reserved.