Next, I tried Domaine du Clos des Aumones Vouvray, 2018, $17. This winery is located in the famed Loire Valley of France, which is the widest and perhaps most diverse wine region in that country. I’ve tried many wines from this region that have great minerality in part because of the limestone and chalk soil types there. This wine is pale yellow in the glass with light aromas of clover, vanilla extract and lemon meringue. It is firm and bright on the palate with mineral. The wine awakens the palate with unripe Macintosh apples, cinnamon pear and lime. It’s a fun and unique wine. 87.
The final wine was Porter Creek Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, 2017, $45. It is made from estate-grown fruit in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley by Alex Davis, who is a throwback in California winemaking. He works each vintage from the farm to the winery to the bottle. Alex was trained in viticulture and winemaking from some of the best in Burgundy, France, and his wines reflect that heritage. His Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is a gorgeous ruby red in the glass and offers deep, rich aromas of black raspberry, earth and toasted vanilla. The wine is rich and elegant in the mouth with ripe, vibrant red fruit, raspberry and strawberry. The wine has bright acidity that sings on the palate. Each sip is more pleasant than the last. Burgundian in style, the wine is superb; it is a great representation of California winemaking. 91.
