Wine Tasting Report

Ridge 1997 Pagani Ranch Sonoma Valley Zinfandel ($26.99)
Very dark reddish-purple. Ripe berries and substantial new oak, aromatic vanilla with almost a buttery edge. Ripe, chunky fruit, textured and rich, massive fruit and a good acidic structure, with fruit and balance somewhat masking its powerful (14.6%) alcoholic strength. All the parts are there, but it's showing an awful lot of wood, a fault that may come into perspective with a little time. A blend of 88% Zinfandel, 7% Mataro (Mourvèdre), 3% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet. (Nov. 20, 1999)

Wild Horse 197 Central Coast (California) Pinot Noir ($17.99)
Clear, dark ruby, with bright cherry-cola and tomato-skin aromas, characteristic of Central Coast Pinot. Ripe and fresh, tart-cherry fruit and lemony acidity in balance. Good Pinot in the California style, fine wine but well removed from Burgundy. (Nov. 20, 1999)

FOOD MATCH: Both wines pull off the "cranberry sauce trick" with light and dark turkey meat and a traditional dressing, although the aromatic vanillins in the Ridge are a little problematical.

Cockburn's 10 Years Matured in Wood Tawny Porto ($19.99)
Clear amber-orange, with walnuts and "stone-fruit" aromas, plums and prunes. Warm and strong, sweet stone-fruit flavors with tart acidity to hold the sweetness in balance. Alcoholic heat adds a slightly rough edge, but it's still a good, mellow Port for after-dinner sipping. U.S. importer: Allied Domecq Wines USA, Healdsburg, Calif. (Nov. 19, 1999)

FOOD MATCH: Cozy and warming for after-dinner sipping, on a holiday or any other day.

The Tawny Port was featured in The 30 Second Wine Advisor, my free weekly E-mail bulletin of quick wine tips, advice and tasting notes. Click here to join the E-mail list!

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