BODEGAS ONDARRE CREATOR RIOJA, SPAIN

By:  Ed “The Wine Guy”

N.B: Spain has the largest surface area of vineyards in the world; it is the third largest wine producer. Bodegas is the Spanish word for winery/wine cellar/wine storehouse.

Rioja is both a region in north-central Spain and a type of wine, a red blend, with the Tempranillo grape being the best known and most widely used grape in the blend. A distinctive characteristic of Rioja wine is the effect of oak aging, without which the wine would be quite thin. Ondarre Creator exhibits aromas and flavors of black cherry, blackberry, toast (oak influence), with hints of coffee and spice; but, first and foremost, what strikes you immediately is its pronounced and unifying acidity, which holds all the other components together.

What a delicious wine! Taste and See!

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UNDERWOOD PINOT NOIR OREGON

 By:  Ed "The Wine Guy"

For many years, the white wine of choice in the USA was Chardonnay, the red wine of choice was Merlot; now, it is Pinot Grigio (Gris, the same grape) and Sauvignon Blanc - a virtual tie - for white wine, and Pinot Noir for red. Tastes change, in clothes, in cars, in wines. The change in favor of Pinot Noir is due, in large part, to the 2004 movie SIDEWAYS, in which Pinot Noir was featured.
The Burgundy region of France is the home of Pinot Noir where the wines can age well, often 15 to 20 years after the vintage. The Pinot Noir grape is a very difficult variety to cultivate and transform into wine; difficult but most rewarding. It is very thin-skinned and sensitive, less tolerant of hard, windy, hot and dry, harsh conditions than Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah (Shiraz, the same grape), Merlot, and Malbec. Many vineyards aren't even tempted to grow such a finicky grape. We are thankful to California and Oregon for their boldness and skill.
This Underwood Pinot Noir is light- to medium-bodied; transparent; exhibiting classic aromas and flavors: raspberry, a hint of chocolate, earthy undertones.
As an aside: Underwood is now producing wines in a can. I was very skeptical at first; believe it or not, they are delicious and handy: ready-to-travel wines.
Taste and see!