Ravenswood Petite Sirah California 2006

Napa Valley was the first US wine region I became acquainted with and the first I had the chance to visit, in 1995. In Italy, "US wines" usually meant California Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignons. Gallo, Mondavi and Kendall Jackson were the only brands easily available. Eventually, we learned about other wineries, grapes and regions (mostly Oregon) and prices outrageously increased. So, it's nice to find a Californian wine that is both cheap and actually enjoyable: this Petite Sirah might not be very typical but is a great sip!

Tasting notes: The color is ruby with purple reflections. The nose is fruity (plum and blueberry), spicy (ginger) with a hint of vanilla and green pepper. The palate is smooth and velvety, alcoholic with a good structure; the oak, although in good evidence, is nicely blended with the fruit. A nice wine overall, even if lacking true varietal syrah flavors.

Score: 84/100

Price: $8.99

Cloudline Oregon Pinot Noir 2006

While Bourgogne remains my favorite choice for Pinot Noir (and also a wonderful tourist spot), Oregon comes as a close second. It is also a very nice place to visit: my wife and I spent a memorable week there in 2006, visiting the wine country. 

Since my moving to the States, the geographic closeness and the unfavorable Dollar-Euro exchange rate pushed me to taste more U.S. wines than I was used to (not necessarily a bad thing, though). So, I tried lots of different Pinot Noirs available at Marketview Liquor, one of my favorite liquor store. Most of my pets are in the $30-$50 range and I was looking for more affordable choices: 2006 Cloudline, which I never tasted before, was offered with a 10% discount. I paired it with my specialty hamburger (ground chuck roast mixed with ham, onion and american cheese) and I enjoyed it. Though, there are better alternatives for the same price.

Tasting notes: The 2006 Cloudline is deep ruby red with purple reflections, a sign of its very young age and, probably, too much extraction. The nose confirms the extreme youth, especially in the bitter, somewhat smoked smell, which characterize most Pinot Noirs under 4 years of aging; alcohol is also prominent. On the good side, there are very evident varietal flavors (cherry and raspberry), some spices (coriander and nutmeg) and just a hint of oak. The palate is smooth, alcoholic, with good correspondence to the nose. A little bit unidimensional and not very long in the end. Probably better in 2 years from now, when the youthful roughnesses might have faded.

Score: 79/100 

Price: $17.99