Willamette Valley | San Diego Wine Guru

Pinot Gris for Summer Sipping from Global Masters 2023 Awards

by Tom Gable | Jul 19, 2023 | Australia, Burgundy, California, Discoveries, France, Italy, New Zealand, Oregon, Values | 0

Pinot Gris originated in France and has become popular worldwide, mainly as Pinot Grigio. It is boosted by wines of good value and wide distribution from Northern Italy (200 million bottles annually from its largest region...

Red, White, and Rosé Wine Values for Picnics, Parties, BBQ

by Tom Gable | Jun 30, 2023 | Argentina, California, Chile, Discoveries, Oregon, Values, Washington | 0

From the big box stores to the national chains to your neighborhood grocery store, you can find excellent selections for those occasions when easy sipping and value are the order of the day, rather than delving into the nuances...

Values in Oregon, California and New Zealand Pinot Noir

by Tom Gable | Sep 30, 2022 | California, Discoveries, New Zealand, Oregon, Values | 0

In going through tasting notes looking for fine values in Pinot Noir, wines from these regions tended to shine: Willamette Valley, Oregon; Russian River Valley, Sonoma; Santa Lucia Highlands, in Monterey County; and further...

Fun summer sipping with Rosés and white Rhone varietals

by Tom Gable | Aug 31, 2022 | California, Discoveries, France, Oregon, Rhone, Values | 0

After tasting through an ever-broadening array of Rosé wines over the past two months, we were pleased to find several excellent values, including some with depth and style. Our favorites were mostly from Cotes de Provence and...

Exploring New World Pinot Noir, $12 to $88

by Tom Gable | Jul 31, 2021 | Burgundy, California, Classics, Discoveries, France, New Zealand, Oregon, Values | 0

The following notes are from Pinot Noir wines tasted from the New World over the past six months and rated as good, very good and excellent. For background on Pinot Noir in the New World, versus its home in Burgundy, France,...

Values in New World Pinot Noir

by Tom Gable | May 30, 2020 | Burgundy, California, Classics, Discoveries, New Zealand, Oregon, Values | 0

In seeking gastronomic relief from the high-alcohol fruit bombs attacking our palates from all over the world, we often turn to something more friendly with food – Pinot Noir. Wines from this fine red wine grape can be enjoyed...

Willamette Valley and Seven AVAs — Exploring Oregon Pinot Noir

by Tom Gable | Feb 29, 2020 | Classics, Discoveries, Oregon, Touring | 0

The seminar was titled “It’s Willamette, Damnit,” to break the pronunciation barriers, and offered...

Exploring New Worlds of Pinot Noir: California, Oregon, Chile, New Zealand

by Tom Gable | May 31, 2019 | California, Chile, New Zealand, Oregon | 0

A global array of winemakers, owners, merchants, distributors and educators convene each March for the annual World of Pinot Noir (WOPN) event at the Ritz Carlton Bacara in Santa Barbara, to be joined by gaggles of wine geeks...