Wine of the Week!

Schug Pinot Noir Carneros 2005  $24    

Set among the rolling, vine covered and wind-swept hills of Carneros in southern Sonoma County is the Schug Winery and Vineyards. 

Most of the surrounding vines are Chardonnay and Pinot Noir which do so well in this unique growing area.  This week our wine choice is the Schug 2005 Pinot Noir from these Carneros hillsides. 

This Pinot has all of the bright and cheerful berry and cherry flavors that make Pinot such a favorite…and really popular wine but great wines are more than fruitiness.

The Schug offers the elegant balance of fruitiness with just a hint of mushroomy aroma and the tartness of good acidity when you sip it.  It’s the balance that makes this Pinot Noir our wine of the week, not to mention for twenty four dollars this is a classically made Pinot and from a winemaker who has been doing it long before Pinot became a fad wine.

Just pop on line or ask your retailer for Schug 2005 Pinot Noir…this week’s wine of the week.

Pop the Cork™.

Winemaker's Note and Comments:

This classic Carneros region Pinot Noir offers a wide range of flavors and aromas, in the tradition of the finest red Burgundies of France. "Clonal diversity" is achieved by carefully blending several separately vinified lots, with each retaining its own unique clonal signature in the blend. The result, a complex wine with a rich bouquet full of cherries, berries and hint of spicy new oak.

The Carneros District lies at the south end of both the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. An area of low hills and flatlands, the region is profoundly affected by cool marine air from the bay and Pacific Ocean. During the summer, a ceiling of fog hovers over the Carneros vineyards in the morning, burning off as the day goes on. Specifically on the Schug Estate, the fog is replaced at midday by summertime winds that come rushing through what is known as the Petaluma Gap, a break between two mountains which creates a kind of wind-tunnel across the vineyards. The wind stress causes the skin of the grapes to thicken, particularly the higher Pinot Noir plantings, a characteristic that adds pepper and spice nuances to the wine.

Notes on our Wines of the Week, Recommendations, and Picks:

When you read our thoughts, please remember that you may think differently.  A particular wine may be your favorite and not on our list.  Well, don't stop buying it because of that.  In fact, you may want to email us and let us know about it. These are our opinions but our FIRST recommendation is to go by your own palate.

A couple of other thoughts...first, prices are approximate.  They'll vary.  Second, different vintages mean different grapes and different tastes so our recommendation for a 2000 Merlot may not hold for 2001.

And lastly, we remind you to drink responsibly!  Now, all that said, here is a summary of  links to our suggestions.  Find one (or more) and pop the cork!

Read the fine print . . .

Wine consumption can have positive physical benefits or cause possible physical harm . . . the medical community is divided in some areas.  If you have any doubt, check with your doctor before consuming wine or any other alcoholic drink. 

Our information is well researched.  Recommendations are based on our opinions at the time of publication.  At the same time, recommendations change.  Also, there may be significant variance in taste depending on storage, shipping, and other factors.

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