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Vint-ed - a wine critic's sips and swirls, by Edward Deitch

Vint-ed is a great place to find quick reviews of memorable new wines and news and commentary on wine and food by Edward Deitch, MSNBC.com wine columnist from 2002 to 2010 and 2007 James Beard Foundation Journalism Award winner for multi-media writing on wine. No scores, no ratings, just well-written, honest reviews of wines we like. That's Vint-ed

Sips: California chardonnay the way we like it

I’ve just tasted a couple of superb new California chardonnays in a crisp, cool-climate style that makes them delightfully refreshing and easy to enjoy their complexity and sophistication. Both are from Rusack Vineyards, which I’ve written about before and is located in Solvang in the Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County. This area produces some of California’s most exciting chardonnays, notable for their exceptional balance produced in part by the cooling influences of the nearby Pacific Ocean.

The wines reminded me of my visit to this breathtaking region three and a half years ago during which I got to sample a fair number of chardonnays, pinot noirs, syrahs and other wines. The Rusack chardonnays immediately brought to mind some of the wines I tasted from fruit grown in the famed Bien Nacido Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley, which I visited on that trip and which for years has been supplying grapes to some of the region’s most notable wineries. And so I wasn’t at all surprised when I read that a good deal of the fruit for both Rusack chardonnays came from Bien Nacido (as well as the Sierra Madre Vineyard).

Rusack’s 2008 Santa Barbara County Chardonnay, a bargain at $23, shows a delicious combination of Meyer lemon, pear and a bit of vanilla reflecting judicious use of oak aging. The 2008 Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay Reserve is a bit richer, showing those same flavor profiles, along with some pineapple, a spicy note and a good deal of minerality on its long finish (2,228 cases produced). A much greater percentage of the Reserve wine is aged in new oak, giving it that spice and a bit more fullness. It’s $36 with just 338 cases produced. Alcohol in both wines is listed at at a moderate 14.2 percent.

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‘WINE OF THE WEEK’
This may seem an odd way to introduce a magnificent Pinot Noir, none-the-less we are going to do it anyway. We have one bone to pick with this wine and it will be shared with you, at the end of our review.

So here's the great scoop about Rusack's Santa Maria Valley 2007 Pinot Noir. From the first taste... this wine rate’s as one of our top pinot's that we have tried this year. Akin to many of the fine European pinot's, Rusack's is full of black cherry. As temperamental as this grape is, and every grower will agree, the balance this wine possesses is a true pleasure from start to finish.

One of the secrets to this gem probably lies in the region of Santa Barbara where their vines grow. Wet cool air prevails, as do the unique air currents for the region lending an environment for an ideal pinot. Of course, much more goes into this libation but it’s this foundation that yields a perfect result.

As this wine opens up you will notice a nice spice in addition to more berries. How may times have you tasted a wine that was so pleasurable on the front end and yet has no finish. The finish here was soft and tender on the palate yet let you with an appreciation of all the flavors that it possesses.

Rarely do we mention price in our reviews because but it’s worth mentioning here because it’s not your twenty-dollar pinot noir. Running in the mid 30’s, this pinot is truly worth every bit of its price.

Finally, what we wanted to bitch about. Upon pouring the last glass of wine the glass crack front hitting the neck of the bottle against the stemware. Though we were tempted to strain the wine through a coffee filter we decided a trip to the hospital to have shards removed from our intestines didn't pair nicely with the rest of the meal. We are doctors with a little common sense.

Enjoy this pinot!!!