Well, maybe some of it is, and that’s the reason this reasoning has gotten traction. But so many quality Merlots are left out of the conversation. Beringer’s Merlots have been stupendous for years, especially the Bancroft Ranch. Pahlmeyer and Pride have Merlots that easily stand above the crowd. Etude’s bottlings are age-worthy, and Shafer Merlots – earlier to mature – provide instant gratification. I’d push any Pinot Noir off the table to make way for a Château St. Jean Merlot, and Joe Cafaro still makes Merlots that sing.

Then there’s Duckhorn, Havens, Keenan, St. Francis, Château Ste. Michelle, and Matanzas Creek. In fact, during an extensive tasting of Merlots for a cover story in Wine News a few years back, I concluded that almost any Merlot from the cooler climes of Carneros would be a special treat.

Through the years, Merlot styles have changed and, after the initial boom-years in the 1990s, better terroir has been chosen for plantings. Below are a few recent tasting notes that might offer a primer on the grape.

  Beringer 2008 (Napa Valley, $21). A rich ruby red, with coffee and licorice aromas hosting hints on dark berries and milk chocolate, forward flavors and nicely balanced. Score: 87

Beringer 2006 Howell Mountain Bancroft Ranch (Napa Valley, $75) Up-front aromas of coffee and dark chocolate, with latent dark berry aromas, soft tannins, sumptuous red fruit, and wonderfully balanced. Score: 93

Charles Krug 2008 (Napa Valley, $24). Deep and dense in color and aroma, black cherry and petrol like Pomerol, hefty body, rich textured and dense fruit flavors. Score: 91

Castello di Gabbiano 2007 Alleanza (Tuscany, $35). Soft red fruit, rich body, tangy acidity, dry impression but fruity finish. Score: 90

Columbia Crest 2007 Reserve (Columbia Valley $30). Delicate aromas but pungent flavors. Score: 88

http://www.pridewines.com/content/default1421.html

Kenny’s latest batch of wines is another example of his consistent quality.  All of them come from fruit grown on a 100 acre hillside vineyard in Alexander Valley, which is covered with blue stones and serpentine boulders.  He bottles the wines at three quality levels.  The entry level Baby Blue is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc, Syrah, Merlot, and Malbec.  It is truly a wine for everyone; a special occasion bottle for those on a budget or a daily drinker for the collector-types.  It has that soft richness to it that is commonly found in ultra-premium Napa Cabernets that have cellared for 10 or so years.

Kenny’s flagship Cabernets are good candidates for such cellaring.  The elegance of these complex and powerful reds needs time to emerge.  I brought the 2008 and 2009 to a dinner party full of wine-savvy friends and they were a big hit, though one person expressed regret that I was not able to bring vintages from earlier in the decade so that he could get a real sense of the wine’s potential.   I reminded him that with wine, good things come to those who wait.

We had reached Atlas Peak, the mountain but also the former name of a winery. Founded originally by a partnership between Marchese Piero Antinori, Bollinger, and Whitbread, Atlas Peak Winery was host to newly planted Italian varietals as well as the first ever Sangiovese Symposium in 1997.

The Italian grapes struggled to survive and, now, the new enterprise called Antica has returned to Napa Valley’s preeminent grapes: Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, though some Sangiovese is still vinified by winemaker Nate Weis on the property.

Antinori’s style shows through in the wines, the estate, and the layout of the vineyards, green lines of lush vines that cascade down the slopes from this aerie. Hidden from Napa’s busy commerce on Route 29 and surrounded by lazy hills and cultured vineyards, the landscape below us seemed snatched from a photographer’s rendering of the bucolic beauty of Tuscany. So it is no surprise that the wines should show elegance, respect for tradition, and bountiful flavors. 

The 2009 Chardonnay ($35) has scents of pear and apple, with luscious textures and layered flavors, interwoven with a racy thread of minerality. It would be a perfect pair for trout almondine. The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon ($55) shows black cherry fruit and, while still a little closed, seems to be coming out of hibernation.

So most of us have huddled inside our homes where the air conditioner groans under loads that violate manufacturers’ specs and wait for deliverance. As the perceptibly cooler air wafts about and slowly curbs the rising body temperature, thoughts turn to red wine.

What else? I’ve always said that A/C was invented to make it possible to drink red wine in summertime.

It seemed like a perfect time to test the reports of a superior vintage coming from California in 2007. Vintage scores in the high-90s by many wine publications suggest that there’s much to look forward to.

But why wait for the next anniversary or the hoped-for kid’s scholarship? With temperatures holding steady at Underworld levels, we need to take care of ourselves – - now.

Souverain 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley, $17). Scents of wet earth and oak, black cherry, plums on nose, currants, black cherry, soft textures, full body.

Dry Creek Vineyard 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (Dry Creek Valley, $25). First impression is tobacco smoke and oak, with deep long lasting dark fruit aromas and flavors.

Ferrari-Carano 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley, $30). Black cherry, cassis and plums on the nose, same impression on the palate, dense cherry flavors, intense, long finish.

Rodney Strong 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (Alexander Valley, $45). Rich, dark fruit and licorice accents on the nose, followed by cranberry, plums, and cassis on the palate, with licorice and mint accents.

Sbragia Family Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte RossoVineyard (Sonoma Valley, $50). Black cherry, cola, and plums on nose and palate, soft approach, incredibly deep and textured, a magnificent wine.

Ferrari-Carano 2007 Tresor (Alexander Valley, $58). Rich vibrant aromas of dark fruit and earth notes, mocha and cassis dominates the flavor profile, layers of black cherry and boisenberry, soft silky finish.

Rodney Strong 2007 Rockaway Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley, $75). Brewed coffee aromas, with concentrated black cherry flavors, dense and chewy, soft tannins, hint of chocolate on finish.

Sbragia Family Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Rancho del Oso (Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, $75). Superb balance, richly textured dense and concentrated, reminiscent of black fruit, herbs, and subtle earth tones, this is a keeper.

Chateau St. Jean 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Cinq Cepages (Sonoma County, $75). Packed with black plum and black cherry aromas, dense and chewy, black plum flavors accented by roasted coffee bean, slight hints of mocha on finish.

Wrong.

Champagne is made in France and, despite Gaul’s claim to having helped the Colonists wrest their freedom from Mother England, there’s no reason for us to pop their sparkling wine when we have so much of our own to enjoy.

Known as Champagne around the town of that name about 2 hours northeast of Paris, this famous libation was supposedly created by a blind monk named Dom Perignon who, when he tasted this liquid he couldn’t see, proudly proclaimed “I’m drinking stars!” That makes for good Hollywood movies, but trapping bubbles inside a bottle was probably first accomplished by an impatient vintner who bottled his wine before the bubbling of fermentation had truly subsided.

The sparkling wine domesticated by the Dom was more controlled and intentional, avoiding the side effects of gassiness and resulting in an effervescent and almost giddy wine – resulting in a lot of effervescent conversation and, well, giddy imbibers.

The science behind making sparkling wine is now well understood and capably repeated in every wine producing region in the world. Some countries have their own monikers for the wine, such as Prosecco in Italy and Cava in Spain. Most just call it sparkling wine.

But sparkling wine, dubbed ‘bubbly’ by its intimate fans, is a perfect pursuit for America. One rap against American wine is that it is – or was – too sterile, too scientific; more test tube craft than art. That reputation is no longer fair, but even if it was, the production of sparkling wine lends itself to science more than any other winemaking practice. So if the Americans are more careful in their alchemy than Old World masters, our bubblies should sparkle! And they do.

So this July 4, let’s tip a glass of American sparkling wine and watch the fireworks light up the sky! Here are some suggestions:

Domaine Carneros Brut Blanc de Blancs Le Rêve (Carneros, $85). Elegant and approachable.
Domaine Carneros Brut (Carneros, $26). Crisp and creamy.
Domaine Chandon Brut (Napa County, $27). Yeast, hazelnut, and cream dominate.
Gloria Ferrer 2002 Royal Cuvee Brut (Carneros, $32). Golden hue, lemon zest accent, vivacious bubbles, soft yet plush.
Gloria Ferrer Val de Vi (Sonoma County, $22). Very aromatic and richly textured, a great wine for the price.
Iron Horse Wedding Cuvée (Russian River Valley, $40). Forget the name; this wine’s special.
J Cuvee 20 (Russian River Valley, $20). Sparklingly fresh, very approachable.
Mumm Cuvée Napa (California, $20). Reliably fun, refreshing fruity flavors.
Roederer Estate Brut Rosé (Anderson Valley, $25). Complex and cerebral.
Scharffenberger Brut (Mendocino County, $20). Citrus and nuts.
Schramsberg Brut Rosé (California, $25). Strawberry and raspberry notes prevail.

For the cost-conscious, there are a few nice bottles with a playful twist, but still decent flavors.

Korbel Brut (California, $16)
Barefoot Bubbly Brut (California, $10)
Barefoot Bubbly Moscato Spumante (California, $10)

Lots of terrific wines were poured last year, and this year many of these gracious winemakers are returning for the event.  Among them Bonny Doon Vineyard, Fess Parker Winery and Cline Cellars.  Newcomers include Stolpman Vineyards, Veritas, and Justin Winery, to name a few.  Look for a recap and a review of the wines in this column after the event.

“While Massican takes its name from a coastal mountain range in southern Italy, proprietor and winemaker Dan Petroski draws his inspiration from the blended wines of Friuli in the eastern hills of northern Italy.

“His white wine “annia” is a blend of dry-farmed Friulano from sixty-three year old vines, a floral “Muscat Clone” of Chardonnay from Carneros and Ribolla Gialla (Yellow Ribolla) from legendary Napa Valley Italian grape aficionado George Vare. Mr. Vare’s famed vineyard, planted in metamorphic soils at the base of Mount Veeder, is the only known planting of Ribolla in the country and provides grapes to some of the finest winemakers in the Napa Valley.
With subtle honeysuckle and orange-blossom notes mingling with aromas of white peach and Bosc pear, “annia” is quite fragrant. When the wine hits the palate the fresh citrus flavors provide laser-like focus and impressive length.
“The bright, crisp style and modest 12.8% alcohol level make this wine the ideal compliment for salad and seafood courses at The French Laundry. The bad news? With only 238 cases of this wine produced, I expect that it will be sold-out in a Milan-minute.”

Chef Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry has garnered world-wide acclaim from every leading lifestyle publication and newspaper.  It is an icon.  To some it is the equivalent of Mecca.  I began my pilgrimage 6 weeks ago when I called for a reservation and was placed on the waiting list.  I booked my flights and hotel, with faith that I would show up at the gate and be deemed worthy.  The stars aligned and a cancellation 3 days prior to my Saturday visit secured me a table, and I will get to enjoy Mr. Kelly’s recommendation personally.

To be continued…

The countdown has begun and, unless you’re more prepared than the average ‘significant other,’ you’re still wondering how to bring a smile to your spouse, girlfriend, or boyfriend. Hallmark stores will be full and their shelves will be empty, so don’t put your faith in paperstock.

Restaurants have already reserved most of their tables and Mickey D’s is out. FTD and local florists have spiked the prices for roses; you’d think those thorny things were pure platinum. There seems to be an infinite supply of diamonds and gold, but maybe this year’s Valentine’s Day is not the time to drop the “big one.”

Why not be a bit imaginative and bring a sparkle to their eyes? The imagination part is yours, although secluded spaces that specialize in quiet privacy are best. The sparkle comes from lovers’ lore: Champagne and other bubblies.

Sparkling wines are made around the world. In a select part of France, they’re named after the town, Champagne, but other bubblies are made in the U.S., Italy, Spain, and elsewhere. Here are some suggestions, in case you’re spending all your time looking for that “secluded space.”

Bollinger Brut Special Cuveé (France, $65) Scents and flavors of cream, vanilla, and toast; pleasantly elegant effervescence.

Bollinger Brut Rosé (France, $100). Light salmon color, delicate but persistent bead, strawberries and cherries on palate, zesty finish.

Cupcake Prosecco (Italy, $14) Fun and refreshing, light body, medium bead, forward fruit.

Freixenet Elyssia Gran Cuveé Brut (Spain, $17). Very effervescent, silky smooth, fine bubbles, reminiscent of fresh, lively fruit.

Gloria Ferrer Royal Cuveé Brut (Carneros, $35). Bright and brilliant, effervescent and lively.

Segura Viudas Aria Estate Brut (Spain, $15) Brilliantly sparkling, hints of pineapple and pear on nose, touch of honey and vanilla bean.

J Vineyards Brut Rose (Russian River Valley, $30). Bright and citrusy, with a hint of vanilla cream.

This is precisely the time that Pinot Grigio stands out.

A wine like Pietra Santa’s 2009 Pinot Grigio, a first release from new vineyards planted by Alessio Carli in California’s Cienega Valley, is perfect for the lightly battered and fried calamari of Peacock Café in Georgetown. At this restaurant, the calamari is served with an herb sauce, a delicate combination that still showcases the prominent flavors of the calamari itself.

A simple wine would not do and, although many other versions of Pinot Grigio could be accused of being too simple, Pietra Santa’s is not. Zesty and smooth, with brisk acidity and flavors of white peach and lemon, this PG stands well against the fried flavors, without losing its breadth of flavor or its appeal.

Carli, from Siena, Italy, has a long résumé, including time spent making wine at Fattoria Il Castagno and Badia a Coltibuono in Tuscany. He was lured to the U.S. by Sam Sebastiani to take over winemaking at Viansa Winery in Sonoma County. He spread his expertise among several other properties, then was hired in 1991 by Joseph Gimelli to take the reins of Pietra Santa. Carli survived the change of ownership from Gimelli to the Blackburn family and has been producing superb wines at Pietra Santa for nearly 20 years.

The Cienega Valley is not well known to American wine lovers. Located in Hollister, California, it is the source of many brands more famous than the town – or the clothing store named after it – like Pietra Santa, Calera, and Carli’s other winery, Alicats, named after his twin daughters.

Matching Italian-style wines with food has always been an easy chore. Defining the role of Pinot Grigio in this environment has been a bit more of a project. Those with experience with Italian cuisine and viticulture understand the importance of symmetry and Alessio Carli is one of the best ever. Finding a place and a match for his Pinot Grigio is easy.

John suggested Peay Vineyards “La Bruma” Syrah, Sonoma Coast.  The wine is deep purple and offers dark berries and fig on the nose.  The wine is medium-bodied, and tightly wound at first so it would benefit from decanting.  Bacon fat, berry and graphite are ushered in by supple tannins.

John has worked side-by-side with James Beard Award-winning chef Nancy Oakes for 14 years.  ”At Boulevard I take a global view of wine, offering a little bit of everything.  Our wines by the glass are chosen to fit snugly with food, and our bottle list is readable, not daunting,” said John.

Find this wine at a retail store near you using Wine-Searcher.com