Is California the only American region producing great wine? In this episode of IntoWineTV, host Lisa Kolenda and wine experts Bartholomew Broadbent and Pamela Busch convene at San Francisco's CAV Wine Bar & Kitchen for the tasting and discussion of 25 different American wines NOT from California. On what was one of the hottest San Francisco days in recent memory (for those of you unfamiliar with the city, few places have air conditioning in San Francisco), Lisa, Bartholomew, and Pamela weathered the elements and tasted a variety of wines -sparklers, whites, reds, unique varietals, and sweet dessert wines- from Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, and Oregon.
Theme: Underdog Wines. In this tasting IntoWine is featuring wines from American producers found outside the state of California.
Wine: 2006 Benton Lane Pinot Noir ($26)
Buy Benton Lane Pinot Noir Now
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Alcohol %: 14.1%
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Notes: Benton-Lane is a family owned winery and vineyard located in the tenderloin of Oregon’s Willamette Valley. They produce Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and small amounts of Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir Rosé. Benton-Lane wines are currently distributed in 46 states and several international markets.
Benton-Lane’s environmentally conscious vineyard practices have earned certification under the internationally sanctioned L.I.V.E (Low Input Viticulture and Enology) program, and are a regionally sanctioned Salmon Safe program.
This deep ruby colored pinot noir has impressive and varietal aromas of bing cherries, red plums, hibiscus and wild mushrooms. The smooth, ripe tannins give a voluptuous texture to the mixed berry and chocolate flavors of the wine. A hint of white pepper adds further complexity to the lively and seamless finish.
Benton Lane wines are made naturally and are not fined or filtered. In vintages that produce more concentrated wines, sediment can develop in the bottle. This is a natural result of the settling process. If the last serving is poured slowly, the sediment will stay in the bottle.
Experts:
Bartholomew Broadbent, CEO of Broadbent Selections. Bartholomew was named as one of the "fifty most influential people in the wine world" by Decanter Magazine. He is also widely considered to be one of the world's foremost authorities on Port and Madeira. Learn more about Bartholomew Broadbent.
Pamela Busch, Co-Owner and Wine Director at CAV Wine Bar & Kitchen in San Francisco. Learn more about Pamela Busch.
