2006 90 D/H 2005 88 D/H 2004 92 D/H 2003 92 D/H 2002 89 D/H 2001 87 D/H 2000 93 D 1999 93 D/H 1998 86 D 1997 91 D 1996 92 D 1995 95 D 1994 88 D 1993 93 D 1992 87 D 1991 96 D 1990 92 D 1989 88 D 1986 88 D 1978 90 D 1966 89 D Vintage Charts should be used for a generalized guide in lieu of specific...

When one thinks of wine producing regions, seldom is Lebanon at the top of the list. Yet, few places in the world have a longer tradition of winemaking. Wine has been made in Lebanon for at least 5,000 years since the Phoenicians domesticated grapes. Lebanon was, of course, part of the biblical land of Canaan. Jesus changed water into wine there at the wedding of Cana.

IntoWine recently asked its panel of wine experts to recommend one wine to pair with breast of duck: Duck breast is juicy , gamey and flavorful, and needs a wine companion that is lighter bodied, lightly fruity, with good acidity and some earthiness to it. A Pinot Noir is the natural pairing, but one with a little mushroomy flavor, which Pinot Noir can get with maturity, or earthy “sous bois” characteristics, can echo the gamey, earthy flavors of the meat. An older red Burgundy or California Pinot would do the trick beautifully, but that might not be very practical if you don’t happen to have any sitting in your cellar. Fortunately, a lot of new release domestic Pinot Noirs can fill the bill as well. One gets a lot of earthiness from Pinots grown in cool climate regions like the Santa Rita Hills and Santa Cruz Mountains in California, and the Amity Hills in Oregon. Particular recommendations with the requisite earthiness would be: (1) from Sta. Rita Hills, Rusack’s Reserve Pinot or the Clos Pepe Estate; (2) from Santa Cruz Mountains, Mount Eden’s or Thomas Fogarty’s Estate Pinots, and (3) from Oregon’s Amity Hills, Evening Land’s La Source Seven Springs Vineyard or St. Innocent’s Zenith. Another fun and delicious direction to go with duck is a Pinot Noir-based sparkling wine. I’ve had memorable results matching duck with both Ferrari’s vintage Rosé Perlé and their less pricey Ferrari Rosé Brut . Ferrari is probably the top Italian sparkling wine producer making wines in a champenoise style, and the NV Brut is widely available for only about $30. Other sparkling rosés should go well too, but Ferrari, for my money, has the requisite balance of fruitiness, minerality and acidity that really sparks with a dish like duck. - Richard Jennings, IntoWine.com Featured Contributor and the Founder RJonWine.com

As the weather finally begins to get warm, my thoughts again turn to white wines. The southern Italian region of Campagna produces some very good red wines (see my previous articles on Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio and Taurasi ), but they also make a trio of white wines that should be on any wine lover’s radar. The trio of Greco di Tufo (GREK-koh dee TOO-foh), Fiano (fee-AH-noh) and Falanghina (fah-lahn-GEE-nah) are three white grapes and that are being made into admirable wines that should be on any wine lover’s radar. All three of these grapes date back to ancient times and were on the verge of extinction before being saved within the last few decades.

IntoWine recently asked its panel of wine experts to recommend one Oregon pinot noir worth seeking out: Oregon’s Willamette Valley sits at roughly the same latitude as Pinot Noir’s ancestral home—France’s Burgundy region. While there are significant differences between the two regions in terms of soils and topography, the fact is that both are essentially cool climate, slow ripening regions that are ideal for producing flavorful and balanced Pinot Noir. Pinots from Oregon tend to have some of the delicacy and minerality that red Burgundy is known for as well as some of the ripe red fruit most typically found in California Pinot. Their alcohol levels are generally much closer to those of France (13% or so) rather than California (typically 14-15%). Many of them also exhibit a savory aroma reminiscent of forest floor or underbrush, what the French call “sous bois.” For me the most impressive Oregon Pinot Noirs in recent tastings, with wines I rated 92 points or higher, have come from Archery Summit, Belle Pente, Domaine Drouhin, Evening Land, Rex Hill, Roco, Scott Paul and Shea Wine Cellars. The best values among these wonderful examples are the 2009 Belle Pente ($35), the 2010 Evening Land Seven Springs Vineyard ($40), Scott Paul’s delicious 2010 La Paulée ($32) and Shea Wine Cellars’ 2010 Estate ($40). At an even more affordable price level, look for Coeur de Terre’s $20 2010 Pinot (89 points) and Patton Valley’s $20 2009 “Declassified” (89 points). Richard Jennings, IntoWine.com Featured Contributor and the Founder RJonWine.com.

Canadian Wines have been on the increase since the 1970s. Although increasing in popularity, these wines are still not on the radar of the large scale North American or world market. If you count fruit wines, one can find wine from every province in Canada. There are 2 major areas of production: British Columbia’s Okanogan Valley and Ontario’s Niagara Penninsula. There are countless others, but the areas with the largest output are the 2 mentioned above.

Enjoy these little fun facts about our beloved Napa Valley next time you are wine tasting, at a dinner party or playing Trivial Pursuit. 1) Napa Valley hosts an annual Mustard Festival from January to March, celebrating the " food, wine, art and rich, unique agricultural bounty of the Napa Valley". For some great tips on pairing wine with mustard, check out this article – Courtney gives some great advice.

Valdepeñas, which translates to "valley of stones," has been part of Spain's winemaking heritage since at least the 4th century B.C. The area is known not only for its long history of exporting wines but also for its tradition of fermenting wines in huge (1,600 liter) jars called tinajas. In centuries past, winemakers partially buried these large earthenware vessels in the earth, which helped keep the wine cold throughout the fermentation process. Today, of course, the jars have been replaced by modern equipment and production processes; Valdepeñas now sells more wine than any other Spanish DO except Rioja. The Valdepeñas region has long held a reputation for producing quality, value-priced wines.

There is a saying among wine aficionados that on the journey to wine understanding, all roads eventually lead to Burgundy. I am not sure I agree with that as my heart seems to be in Italy, but there is no denying the impact that Burgundy has had on the wine world and that some of the most ethereal wine experiences one can have come from Burgundy wines. Many tomes have been written on the subject but the purpose of this article is to give a basic primer on the subject and eventually delve deeper into the Burgundy experience in subsequent articles.

Bairrada has a long tradition of producing wines from just one grape. Until recently, the region's wines were made primarily from the baga grape, often by traditional methods. Producers crushed grapes with feet and left the stems on during the production process. The region's fortunes changed for the better in 1991, when Portugal joined the European Union and modernization of Bairrada's wineries began in earnest. Today you will find both producers that use modern, sometimes even über-modern methods and winemakers dedicated to traditional practices. Happily, when conditions are right, both traditionalists and progressive winemakers can achieve excellent results.