From 1974 to 1990, he was at the helm at Chateau St. Jean in Sonoma County, crafting wines that would lay the groundwork for decades of success at that establishment. Nearing the end of his tenure there, Dick and his wife Alis founded Arrowood Winery in 1986, making wines in a cozy setting in the foothills of Sonoma County.

They dedicated their time to producing wines that carried Dick Arrowood’s personal touch, soft textures, intense flavors, and supple finish. Each sip a mouthful; each glass a banquet.

Arrowood remained with that enterprise until June 2010 when he left the winemaking at his eponymous winery to Heidi von der Mehden and began another venture. This time, like the previous two, it is in Sonoma County and is called Amapola Creek, after the creek that runs through the property.

  The vineyards are on Mayacamas Mountains and are farmed organically by famed vineyard manager Phil Coturri. True to his roots, Arrowood specializes in Cabernet Sauvignon, a sumptuous wine that is hard to put down. But in a nod to his wife and constant partner, he’s created another bottling called Cuvée Alis, a blend of syrah and grenache. They also produce Zinfandel from the Monte Rosso vineyard, a site that has long been extolled by wine lovers for the depth and concentration of the wines it yields.

I haven’t tasted the Syrah, Zinfandel, or Cuvée Alis, but I recently had the opportunity to taste the Amapola Creek 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. I have to say I wasn’t stunned – but that’s because I’ve come to expect so much from Dick Arrowood. And, once again, he has lived up to the Olympian standards he set when he first set foot in Sonoma County. Stunned, surprised? No. Infatuated? Yes.

Notes: Amapola Creek 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon ($70). Ebulliently fruity and forward, yet elegant and refined. Flavors tend toward black cherries and plums, with hints of tobacco and cassis. A vein of toast and roasted coffee bean threads through the palate, wrapped in velvety smooth textures.

In fact, Albariño – called Alvarinho in Portugal – is a wonderful complement to a wide range of foods. With its focus on peach and nectarine flavors, accented by a bit of citric acidity, the wine balances zest with texture to serve up a medium-bodied, long-flavored wine. Usually it is slightly on the sweet side, but this helps deliver fullness of flavor when matched against spicy foods.

Starting with seafood, Albariño is best with steamed shellfish or broiled spine fish, although it merits attention with the better versions of ceviche. And it has enough body to serve alongside fish soup or cioppino.

But Albariño also pairs well with chicken – especially those with cream sauces or accented by herbs – and pasta dishes with clam sauce or mushroom-based sauces.

In the restaurant scene, you should find excellent examples of Albariño in establishments like Taberno del Alabardero, La Tasca, and Jaleo, but the wine is also likely to appear on well-drawn wine lists in wine-savvy restaurants, like Grapeseed, Tallula, and Cork. If it’s not there, ask – no, demand – and see how your favorite watering hole reacts to your new discovery.

Meanwhile, here are some Albariños for you to try on your own – with or without preparing a complete Spanish meal as accompaniment. All are from Rias Biaxas, in the northwestern region of Galicia.

  Condes de Albarei 2010 -Apricot and peach on nose, vibrantly fruity

Don Olegario 2010 – Floral, fruity, bright white peach and nectarine flavors

Mar de Frades 2010 – Refreshing touch of acidity to add sparkle to a forward-fruity wine

Marques d Vizhoja Torre la Moreira 2010 – Bright, fresh, a bit more reserved than other Albariños

Pazo Señorans 2010 – Unctuous and smooth, richer in texture than other Albariños

Robaliño 2010 – Butter, hazelnut and flowers on nose, supple textures with vein of acidity

Santiago Ruiz 2010 – White peach, hint of pineapple on nose and palate

“Le Nouveau est arrivée!” One may see these words in the windows of wine retailers today, marking the release of the 2011 Beaujolais Nouveau. It is wine made of Gamay grapes and fermented for only a few weeks after harvest before reaching the market. Historically, the wine was for local (French) consumption only until clever marketers at negociants such as George Deboeuf found ways to cash in on the buzz that developed from the tradition.

I am not French, but have had the privilege of attending annual “Nouveau” parties with French ex-pats in the various U.S. cities I have lived in. They were always lots of fun, and until recently I could easily stomach shelling out $10 bucks a bottle for wine that offers a tremendous pucker factor. Beaujolais Nouveau by itself is usually not too enjoyable, and the only reason I would buy it is to use as a ticket to one of these parties.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love wines from Beaujolais. They are generally sold at three levels of quality: Nouveau, Villages, and Cru Beaujolais. The Cru wines will have a specific village designation, such as Morgon, Fleurie or Moulin à Vent. I count Cru Beaujolais as some of my favorite wines in the world. They offer great complexity at a low price. Many are worthy of cellaring; a few years back I popped the cork on a 1983 Moulin à Vent and it was delicious.

I have been watching the Twitter feed today and have seen retailers post prices exceeding $20 per bottle of this young wine. This blows my mind!  If I can offer one piece of useful wine advice all year: Avoid handing over your cash for this wine. Ask your retailer for Cru Beaujolais instead. Chances are you will only need to pay a dollar or two more for far superior wine.  I purchased the wines in the photo from Weygandt Wines in DC, and paid about $21 per bottle and $40 for the magnums (which I will set aside for a few years).  Pictured are wines from reputable producers Chiroubles, Morgon, Fleurie, Moulin à Vent and Brouilly. All represent the best that French Gamay has to offer, but each is distinct in character.  Taste a Cru Beaujolais next to this year’s Beaujolais Nouveau and you will immediately see what I mean.

White wine makers finally realized that they were being scoffed at and decided to ramp up the quality to retake their market share. And red wine drinkers who, for years, tut-tutted the shallow whites as useless suddenly discovered the joys of a lightly chilled and briskly acidic wine as a come-hither invitation to the delights of the table.

Chardonnay was good, but had already given birth to an anti- market. Dubbed ABC wine, it referred to wine drinkers looking for “anything but Chardonnay.” There was a dalliance with Viognier and Riesling, and perennial flirtations with exotic Old World wines like Torrontes, Marsanne, Aligoté, and Albariño, but as aperitif wines go, we were looking for brisk, lively wines that tantalized the palate and prepared us for the meal.

Enter Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris. Not the PGs of years past, wines that lacked finish and were hard to distinguish from the water glass standing next to it. PGs of today boast a panoply of flavors, citrus overtones, balance, and – more so in the case of Pinot Gris – supple textures.

  I would still choose a Pinot Grigio for a pre-prandial drink. Its racy flavors and gulpability are perfect for the first drink of the evening. And I would pick Pinot Gris, with its fuller mouthfeel and longer impression as the wine to serve with food. But both have their place.

Banfi 2010 Le Rime Pinot Grigio (Tuscany, $9). Refreshing and bright, with lemony acidity.

Castello di Gabbiano 2010 Pinot Grigio (Tuscany, $8).  Scents of lemon zest and lime come first, followed by a zesty, bright fruity wine with highlights of citrus.

Erath 2009 Pinot Gris (Oregon, $14). Silky smooth, luscious white peach and pear flavors yet with a tingling threat of acidity to hold it all together.

Kumeu River 2009 Pinot Gris (Auckland, New Zealand, $21). Peach and vanilla on the nose, followed by the rich flavors of ripe peach and tropical fruit. The slightly oily hint to the texture bodes well and shows a full-bodied wine to pair well with cream-based dishes.

Ponzi 2010 Pinot Gris (Willamette Valley, $15). Zesty and refreshing, hint of lime and floral accents on nose, main theme of lime on palate, with citrus acidity bracing the entire impression.

Santa Cristina 2010 Pinot Grigio (Sicily, $16). Crisp bright fruit aromas with a floral hint, slight apple and citrus flavors with touch of orange on finish.

WillaKenzie 2010 Pinot Gris (Willamette Valley, $21).  Crisp, fresh, lively acidity, bright pear and crisp apple flavors, touch of pineapple on finish.

Was it a good deal? Ask me on New Year’s Day.

The company just brought on Stuart Roy as their new director of wine and spirits, who took a few moments to chat with me on the telephone.  Stuart has worked wine in some of the finest establishments in the country, and said he was excited about the challenge of managing such a large, high-quality program.  ”I’ve made only a few additions to the roster of wines in the upcoming Wine Week, but they are jewels that stem from strong relationships I have made with winemakers throughout my career.  One of my goals is to establish a consistent core wine list that my guests can expect to see at all of our restaurants, while at the same time allowing the beverage managers at each individual outlet discretion to choose exceptional wines available in the local market,” said Stuart.    “In March we will be celebrating our 50th Wine Week, and I plan to show some real superstars for that event,” he added.

  I asked Stuart for a couple of recommendations; favorites from the restaurant’s list.  ”I’ve always been a fan of the Ferrari-Carano Fumé Blanc.  It is so versatile and goes so well with all of our seafood dishes.  I am also loving the latest vintage (2006) of Simi Landslide.  It is a perfect match for our steaks.”  The wine is a Bordeaux blend from the winery’s Landslide Vineyard, specially crafted by winemaker Steve Reeder.  What has Stuart been drinking at home with his own meals?  ”I’ve been enjoying a lot of great wine from Spain lately.  Most of their wines are really good values” said Stuart.

“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…

“It was the 2005 Broadley Vineyards Shea Pinot Noir that did it. The perfect balance of smooth, earthy, spicy and fruitiness to go along with the hand-picked wild mushroom tart. The complexity of this Pinot is what is most memorable – it continued to give more as the meal progressed. First, subtle tannins, forest floor, herbal and spice aromas with cherry flavors. For its second act, still smooth and even more aromatic with floral and vanilla perfumes, hearty roast and rich blackberry flavors – which played nicely with the beef stroganoff and the filet mignon with porcini mushroom demi-glace.

“Broadley Vineyards is a family-run vineyard and winery in the Yamhill-Carlton district producing some of the best Pinot from Oregon. The winemaker’s talents clearly shine through in this wine.”

About Heidi:

Heidi Butzine, CWX is the author of the Wineopolis® Wine-travel Guidebook series, curriculum author and Program Director for the Certified Wine Expert® Training and Certification Program. She is also a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association and the Society of Wine Educators. Heidi is a native Californian and she loves wine (but couldn’t grow grapes if her life depended on it). In addition to writing and helping others learn about wine, she dabbles in photography, loves to cook when inspired, plays on the drums once in a while and occasionally speaks French.

Beth has been with El Gaucho for eight years, and recently took the reins of Head Sommelier from James Parsons.  She describes the restaurant as “a place for people to celebrate life’s milestones.” I remember eating there 5 years ago, and no fewer than 4 people were constantly ready to attend to our needs.  ”While many people come here for our immense selection of big name, quality driven wines, I use our by-the-glass program to highlight the exceptional wines from Washington.”  On any given night at El Gaucho, you might get lucky enough to be joined by a guest sommelier, normally winemakers such as Marcus Notaro of Col Solare, who walk the dining room and pour samples of their wine. Beth also coordinates the “Legendary Swirl” event in March, at which over 25 top Washington wineries pour their best juice.  El Gaucho is Seattle’s spot for an epic feast.

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.

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