Torii Mor Pinot Noir 2007

Served With: Grilled Wild Mushroom Risotto

Five Things: light ruby, earthy evergreen, youthful tannins, cedar, strawberry

COO: Willamette Valley, Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon

Notes: This soft, young Pinot Noir from Dundee, Oregon was a great match for the smokey grilled mushrooms. It was opened about an hour ahead of time, which allowed it to cozy up to the creamy risotto without getting lost.

Website: Torii Mor Winery

Rating: Very Good

Tags: torii mor, pinot noir, 2007, Willamette Valley, Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon

Weingut Setzer Gruner Veltliner 2007

Served With: Ricotta and Parsley Ravioli with a Butter Sauce.

Five Things: topaz, mineral, granny smith apples, rounded floral tone, vegetal

COO: Niederösterreich, Weinviertel, Austria

Notes: Usually we'll go with a Chard when it comes to ravioli, but this Gruner Veltliner was a very well balanced wine. It had a a juiciness that complimented the creamy ricotta filling and nicely picked up the vegetal parsley notes. It also had enough roundness to play well with the butter sauce. That's about all you can ask from a wine...

Website: Weingut Setzer

Rating: Very Good

Tags: Weingut Setzer, Gruner Veltliner, 2007, Niederösterreich, Weinviertel, Austria

Stama Syrah Ma-Sa-Ga 2007

Served With: White Beans & Rosemary

Five Things: vegetal, green pepper, blackberry, bramble, tight

COO: Sierra Foothills, Calaveras County, California

Notes: With supposedly only 200 cases produced, this one is a bit of a mystery. Picked it up at my local Heinen's grocery store, but there doesn't seem to be much any info on the interwebs about it, or on Stama's website. It needed time to open up, as it was a little tight at first, became more rounded with the pairing of the smokey white beans and rosemary.

Rating: Good

Tags: Stama, Syrah, 2007, california, calaveras, sierra foothills

King Estate Pinot Noir Signature Collection 2007

Served With: Stroganoff

Five Things: ruby, buttery, silky, baked cherry pound cake, juicy

COO: Willamette Valley, Oregon

Notes: On the nose it was like walking into a bakery and a hot cherry pound cake had just come out of the oven. A silky, juicy Pinot Noir that cut through the creamy stroganoff and really picked up the earthy mushrooms in the dish as well. One of my favorite pairings and favorite Oregon Pinot Noir's.

Website: King Estate Winery

Rating: Very Good

Tags: King Estate, Pinot Noir, 2007, oregon

The Velvet Devil Merlot 2007

Served With: Gumbo

Five Things: magenta, strawberry, herbaceous, cocoa, heat

COO: Columbia Valley, Washington

Notes: Tasted for the #WAMerlot twitter event. I wasn't sure going into the meal if this Merlot from Charles Smith would pair with the spices (smoked paprika, file powder) and heat (cayenne) from the gumbo (okra thickened), but the wine amplified the smokiness and tomatoes and brought a little heat of its own in the process. Well played, sir.

Website: Charles Smith Wines

Rating: Very Good

Tags: 2007, charles smith, merlot, velvet devil, washington

Cooper Mountain Vineyards "20th Anniversary Reserve" Pinot Noir 2007

Served With: Morel Mushrooms

Five Things: garnet, cherry, cigar, pine, biodynamic

COO: Willamette Valley, Oregon

Notes: I'm glad we saved this silky balanced wine for mushroom season -- when the morels are popping up in springtime, I want an earthy Oregon pinot noir. The Cooper Mountain fit the bill perfectly and delivered the goods.

Website: Cooper Mountain Vineyards

Rating: Very Good

Tags: Cooper Mountain, 20th Anniversary, Pinot Noir, 2007, Oregon

Reginato Blanc de Blancs 2007

Served With: Cheese, Crackers, Olives

Five Things: straw color, mineral, dry finish, pear, crisp

COO: Mendoza, Argentina

Notes: The phrase "Scrubbing Bubbles" would not be out of place to describe this Blanc de Blancs from Argentina. It was a very nice starter to the evening, as the sparkling wine (a Chardonnay/Chenin Blanc blend) almost evaporated off of our tongues while we nibbled on cheese, crackers and olives while making dinner.

Website: Vine Connections

Rating: Very Good

Tags: mendoza, Argentina, blanc de blanc, 2007

Vinum Cellars PETS Petite Sirah 2007

Served With: Stir-fry

Five Things: inky, earthy, juicy, berry, tannins on finish

COO: Clarksburg, California

Notes: This inky juicy wine picked up the Hoisin-based sauce in the stir-fry quite nicely and complimented the dish with a good texture and broad tannins on the finish.

Website: Vinum Cellars

Rating: Very Good

Tags: vinum cellars, petite sirah, california, 2007

Spellbound Petite Sirah 2007

Served With: Torta

Five Things: loamy soil, plum, inky, cocoa, thin

COO: California

Notes: A disappointing wine, with great promise on the nose, but a very thin finish, like it fell off a cliff. Better in the glass than out of it.

Website: Spellbound

Rating: meh.

Tags: petite sirah, california, 2007, spellbound

Dopff & Irion Gewurztraminer 2007

Served With: Stir-Fry

Five Things: topaz color, apricot, gardenia, minerality, zippy acidity

COO: Alsace, France

Notes: The heat from the spicy stir-fry brought out a flinty character only hinted at on the nose. Nice balance of residual sugar and acidity with a smooth finish

Website: Dopff & Irion

Rating: Very Good

Tags: alsace, dopff & irion, gewurztraminer, france, 2007

Calma Rioja 2007

Served With: Pollo con Higos (recipe here)

Five Things: cherry, oak, earthy, finesse, French terroir

COO: La Rioja, Spain

Notes: This wine surprised me -- I poured it, gave it a swirl and let it sit out for a bit while finishing the cooking. When I came back to it -- to take notes -- and finally took a sip, I had to look at the bottle again to make sure I hadn't opened a French wine in error. Nope, it was a Tempranillo from Rioja. In an ironically synergistic moment, we matched it with a slow-braised recipe that was almost French (with an Espagnole sauce) by-the-way of Spain (figs and annatto rice).

Rating: Very Good

Tags: calma, rioja, spain, tempranillo, 2007

Bodegas y Viñedos del Jalón Calatayud Viña Alarba Old Vines Grenache 2007

Served With: Pizza

Five Things: dark cherry color, dusky, strawberry, tobacco, soft tannins

COO: Calatayud, Spain

Notes: I would imagine if you looked up "under $10 pizza wine" on teh internets, you would find a picture of this wine. Which was convenient, as that's what we were eating and drinking tonight -- simple grenache goodness from Spain.

Website: Bodegas y Viñedos del Jalón

Rating: Very Good

Tags: Bodegas y Viñedos del Jalón, Calatayud, spain, Viña Alarba, Grenache, 2007

Twisted River Gewurztraminer 2007

Served With: Eggplant Ravioli (recipe here)

Five Things: meyer lemon color, lychee, green apple, apricot, mineral

COO: Rheinhessen, Germany

Notes: This inexpensive wine had a broad mid-palate brushstroke that was elevated by the food (Jean-Georges Vongerichten's eggplant ravioli with gewurztraminer sauce) taking what might have been a "good" wine to a "very good" wine.

Rating: Very Good

Tags: twisted river, gewurztraminer, 2006, rheinhessen, germany

Coturri Chardonnay 2007

Served With: Picatta

Five Things: deep golden color, meyer lemon, balanced acidity, sandalwood incense, unfiltered

COO: Sonoma Mountain, California

Notes: This unfiltered wine is not your typical California Chard, and I mean that in the best possible way. So pairing it with a dish full of lemons and capers -- which can be treacherous to lesser wines -- could have been a problem. But, it was one of the most synergistic pairings I've ever had, each bite and sip in harmony. That doesn't happen very often...

Website: Coturri Winery

Rating: Delicious

Tags: coturri, chardonnay, 2007, california, sonoma

Dr. Konstantin Frank Dry Riesling 2007

Served With: Ramen

Five Things: pale yellow, stone fruit (peaches), floral, juicy, flinty mineral

COO: Finger Lakes, New York

Notes: Another bowl of steaming hot ramen, another wine pairing from Dr. Konstantin Frank. This time around, it was a dry riesling admirably taking care of the wine duties. There was just the right amount of acidity to compliment the broth, noodles, mushrooms and spice level without getting in the way of the flavors or aromas. A very good pairing.

Website: Dr. Konstantin Frank

Rating: Very Good

Tags: Dr. Konstantin Frank, riesling, finger lakes, ramen, 2007

Vinos Sin-Ley Monastrell Yecla M5 2007

Served With: Chiles Rellenos filled with Chorizo & Black Beans

Five Things: dark, black cocoa, black cherry, olive wood, bouquet garni

COO: Yecla, Spain

Notes: The key to pairing a dish like rellenos with wine is the heat level of the poblanos. Get a hot one and you're better off with a beer. Get a mild one, and you can get away with this pairing of Monastrell with spicy chorizo, creamy black beans and cheese. Thankfully, these were mild kind -- it could have easily gone in the other direction. The herbal nose and cocoa-ish bitterness on the palate actually works in its favor here, bringing the nuance of the food into sharper focus.

Website: Vinos Sin-Ley

Rating: Very Good

Tags: Vinos Sin-Ley, Monastrell, Yecla, Spain, M5, 2007

Mas de Gourgonnier Les Baux de Provence 2007

Served With: Hearty French Lentil Stew with Herbes de Provence

Five Things: cedar, lavender, strawberry nose, mild tannins, medium weight & finish

COO: Provence, France

Notes: This Rhone blend (Cabernet, Carignane, Grenache, Syrah) hit all the right notes with a hearty winter stew and particularly the harmony between the lavender nose and the Herbes de Provence. Sometimes, the right spices are all it takes to make a wine better.

Website: Mas de Gourgonnier

Rating: Very Good

Tags: Provence, France, Rhone, 2007, lavender, herbes de provence