It’s amazing what happens when you have 30 minutes to catch up on your Google reader feed! I found some gems in the wine bloggosphere and newsfeed I can’t help but share. Good Friday, indeed! I’ve narrowed the playing field to just 3.5 for you to soak up:

1. A new take on the “nature” of wine – click! For all of my photographer and scientist/nerd friends and followers out there, I bring to you this very cool concept for a wine book… Seeing is believing!

2. The “Ick Factor”: smoke taint in wine. I found the timing of this article too perfect as just a couple of weeks ago my colleague and I had the chance to meet Dianna Lee of Siduri; she had been lamenting the challenge she and her husband faced making great Pinot Noir in a year inundated with forest fire. She said they ended up tossing wine made from certain vineyards where they source fruit (so you don’t have to worry about any of the Siduri gems tasting like an ashtray as they’ll never hit the market). Check out this WSJ article… Something for you to bare in mind when shopping for 2008 Anderson Valley Pinots this year!

3. Trader Joe’s latest “wine trick”, lol. I’m a bit cynical, it’s true, when it comes to national chains taking on such large scale wine projects to pass on great “value”. (Shop local, people! You’ll find great value, smaller production, artisan wines if you have a great wine shop.) But I am legitimately interested to hear if you’ve tasted this wine – and your impressions. (And yes, next time I land at TJ’s I’m going to see if there’s still a bottle on the shelf for me to bring home.) In the meantime, weigh in using the comments thread below!

How quickly Thanksgiving has crept up on us this year! It seems like we were just talking about how great Pinot Noir is in the fall, in addition to gracing your Thanksgiving table. And yet, the big day is nearly upon us! Not to worry. For a celebratory holiday where more than one bottle is certain to be opened (and Pinot Noir is the darling dinnertime grape), we have trekked to Italy to find a real steal…

Head on over to Wicked Local today to get the skinny on this week’s Pinot pick!

Are you familiar with Italian Pinot? Which one have you tried?

With only one weekend before Thanksgiving remaining, no doubt wine lovers throughout the country will be out and about buying wines for the big event. Indeed, it’s up there as far as important wine events go! For your drinking (and reading) pleasure, it seemed prudent to round up a few of my favorite picks for the e-roster.

Wheeee!!

REDS

2007 Schloss Muhlenhof Dornfelder - This bad boy comes in a 1L size. I hosted a small affair last weekend and it could have easily been the only wine I poured (it was gone WAY too quickly!) – offering great, concentrated red berry fruit flavors (cherries, raspberries) in a smooth, sultry package. Generally speaking, this grape (Dornfelder, that is) is a German red wine phenomenon for those who like a lot of fruit, a bit of “lift” and a welcome bit of earthy, mineral-driven nuance to their wines. No lie, Scholss Muhlenhof’s is THE BEST I’ve ever encountered (so great is my love I’m tempted to buy a full case of the stuff to have on hand “just in case…” this winter). The extra glass the 1L size offers will NOT be wasted.  Only $15!

2006 Bethel Heights Eola-Amity Cuvee Pinot Noir -  A careful blend of 6 different vineyard sites, the  is a tremendous, mouth-filling example of Oregon Pinot Noir. Think of this wine as a smooth, deeply earthy Belgian truffle, filled with cherry and raspberry fruits. Truly a well-integrated, delicious wine worth the gentle splurge. (A winner destined for my own table.) About $31.

2007 Clos la Coutale Cahors – With the (worthy) Malbec craze stemming from the success of this grape in Argentina, many consumers forget Malbec is actually a French varietal. Many more do not know that arguably the best, single bottling Malbecs in France come from the Cahors region – and are labeled simply as such. This wine is  remarkably succulent, juicy and approachable. Enjoy black raspberry and blackberry flavors complemented with fresh strawberries! A touch of earthy rusticity makes this Malbec uniquely French. This one is a “bigger” wine than “traditional” Thanskgiving recommendations and would be a particularly good match for rosemary/garlic encrusted roast hen, or the like. About $17.

WHITES

Schoenheitz NV Edelzwicker - Edelzwicker means “noble blend”. Indeed this wine includes as many as seven different varieties from Auxerrois to Sylvaner. The result is suprisingly coherent and delightfully flavorful. Well balanced, dry Alsatian goodness, this is another wine that comes in the 1 litre size bottle. About $15.

2006 Clos de Rochers Pinot Gris – While Alsace, France has long been the place for rich, but dry Pinot Gris, this Luxembourg beauty beats them at their own game. Ripe pears and yellow flowers abound on the nose and coat the palette while brisk minerality keeps things dry and balanced. This wine is absolutely worth the splurge – and certainly a great conversation topic if the family gets a bit unruly. (This one will also be on my own table!)  About $22.

2007 Anne Amie Cuvee A Mueller Thurgau -Leave it to the folks at well-known Anne Amie Vineyards to deliver an exceptional, if not lesser known, wine. The Cuvee A Mueller Thurgau’s tropical and floral aromas could very easily be bottled on their own and used by aroma therapists to rejuvenate clients. Pineapple, melon and white peach flavors comingle with a perky taste of fresh lemon juice. About $15.

SPARKLING FUN

Villa di Corlo NV Grasparossa Lambrusco – Versatile, slightly sparkling, fresh, fruity goodness. Lambrusco is pink – and the best are oh-so-dry. This is a wine for guests who deserve and enjoy a break from the norm. This particular offering shows ripe raspberry fruit backed by a coy minerality. Perfect simply when you want to dazzle without effort. About $17.

Poema NV Brut Cava - Today, if you look for it, exceptional Cava is available at a fraction of the price of Champagne. Case in point: the Poema makes drinking bubbly every day (or in a large party format) oh-so-easy and affordable! This is a fun and versatile bubbly with subtle flavors of peach, pear and warm, toasted bread. A bit of orange rind on the finish adds additional intrigue and nuance. Enjoy this one before, during or after your meal. About $11.

Which one of these is likely to grace your table? Is there another you have in mind for the big day??

We set the bar high for our Fall ‘09 Under $20 Pinot Noir Series a couple of weeks ago with an exploration of the wow-worthy 2007 Becker Pinot Noir, a German offering (and a lovely, rare treat). This week it seemed prudent to continue our search for solid, under $20 Pinot by continuing to look in places that seem to play hide and seek in the American market.

Head on over to Wicked Local to head down er-yonder, to the Southern Hemisphere’s Pinot capitol: New Zealand!

Have you noticed New Zealand Pinot is starting to take off, too? Do you have a favorite?

Thanksgiving is a time to gather with friends and family and celebrate the little things in life. Some folks are inclined to do so by picking out one very special bottle of wine to share with friends; for others it is a time to uncork several celebratory bottles (and keeping the average price a bit lower doesn’t hurt). Pinot Noir and Gamay (Beaujolais Nuveau) are the darlings of Thanksgiving reds, offering a delicious pairing with turkey and cranberry sauce, brussel sprouts and other earthy, root vegetables. But with the Pour Favor mini-series on Pinot Noir about to hit full stride Monday’s this month, it seems only fair to give a few whites (and one incredible rosé) a fair shot at gracing your dining room table!

Head over to Wicked Local to find out where the fun begins this Thanksgiving!

Which one of these selections most catches your attention? Will it contribute to your festivities this Thanksgiving?