This Week's Wine Selections

Anderson Family Vineyard 2008 Pinot Noir:
Situated on a hill which rises steeply from Oregon's Willamette Valley floor, Anderson Family Vineyard makes a flavorful yet balanced Pinot Noir. Being a Pinot, it's a delightful companion to a wide range of foods, from grilled chicken to salmon. It actually has enough weight to complement most pork dishes and I wouldn't mind it even with lighter beef or lamb. It's a wine that doesn't last for a second meal.

Orlandini Vineyard 2006 Chambourcin:
With bright red fruit flavors, this wine is a good example of the offerings of the Shawnee Hills A.V.A. (American Viticultural Area). The varietal Chambourcin, a red French-American hybrid, seems well-suited to the Southern Illinois area and can be the tasty backbone of wines ranging from dry table wines to ports. The medium-bodied Orlandini Vineyard selection, priced at $12, is a good value that showcases the region's capabilities. Pork with cranberries comes to mind as a match, but the varietal, sort of a Sangiovese or Grenache of Southern Illinois, possesses the structure and versatility to complement many dishes.

Le Cantine Di Indie 2010 Vino Rosso del Popolo:
We had this a few weeks ago, though the recent bottle showed better. It was a delicious match to both homemade pizza and store-made ravioli and reminded me more of the reasons why we bought two bottles. So this is definitely a red wine which needs a good food pairing to show its best.

Hedman Vineyard Chardonel:
Another Shawnee Hills offering, this Chardonel ranks as one of the area's best. The grape, a French-American hybrid of Seyval and Chardonnay, exhibits more of its Chardonnay character in the Hedman wine. Barrel-fermented (which is unusual), the white highlights toast, vanilla, and buttery notes, all common in California Chardonnays, yet the wine still shows nice structure and good acidity, making it a match with food. It had nice weight for a chicken in a cream cheese-based sauce, though it wasn't hearty enough to stand up to a rich, oily, salmon dish. Still this is a winner. I'd buy it again.