A Sonoma Wine Affair

A Sonoma Wine Affair pours into Vancouver on Monday, featuring 25 wineries and over 80 wines.

The county's wine story revolves around a small number of familiar grapes led by chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon, merlot and zinfandel, along with emerging varietals such as shiraz, barbera, mataro and viognier.

Like most California producers, Sonoma has enjoyed a decade of strong demand in the United States. Recent economic woes and ever increasing production has many wineries rethinking their export strategy that pulled many well known labels out of markets unwilling to pay the kind of prices freewheeling dot com'ers did before the market collapsed.

Despite the shabby treatment inflicted on British Columbia by some California wineries, B.C. remains a serious wine market and one that welcomes quality California wine at sensible prices. I'm guessing the Sonoma wineries headed this way next week feel the same way too.

The year's event will be held at the Four Seasons Hotel, 791 West Georgia, and will feature a silent auction to benefit Arts Umbrella and special lots of wine donated by the vintners of the Sonoma County Wineries Association. One of the grand prizes up for bidding will be a trip for two to attend the Sonoma County Showcase of Wine and Food in July, 2003.

The public tasting runs from 7 to

9:30 p.m. at the Four Seasons Hotel. Tickets are $45 and are available through Arts Umbrella, the evening's beneficiary, at 681-5268, extension 226.

For those of you unable to attend, today's column reviews six Sonoma labels you can pick up in local specialty stores and private wine shops.

Chardonnay isn't everyone's favourite white wine at the moment but that will change when you taste the Chateau St. Jean 1998 Robert Young Chardonnay. Look for honey hazelnut and toasted lees aromas. The fruit is ripe and rich with more of those nutty/honey/apple flavours. The 1999 vintage is on its way to Vancouver and the good news is it's even better. The price will scare most off but it's relatively inexpensive when compared to top white Burgundy.

At half the price the Rodney Strong 2000 Chardonnay is classic, never run-of-the-mill, Sonoma chardonnay. Bright, green apple pear aromas streaked with honey preview rich honey flavours with spicy baked apple fruit. Ripe, rich and balanced this is a standout.

The Foppiano 2000 Petite Sirah is packed with fresh blackberry and all spice aromas streaked with cedar, vanilla and saddle leather. It's quite round on entry with rich, chewy, smoky, mocha/blackberry flavours. The finish is long and dry with substantial tannins.

The Gallo of Sonoma 1997 Zinfandel has been around forever and needs drinking. It was aged in French and American oak barrels and its 89 per cent zinfandel base is augmented with 9 per cent petite sirah and 2 per cent of other undisclosed red varietals. Expect a mature nose of soya and stewed prunes that's almost oxidative. It's rich in the mouth but most of the black cherry fruit is fading. The finish is warm and dry.

The Hartford 1999 Pinot Noir grown in the somewhat ubiquitous Sonoma Coast appellation is delicious. Look for black cherry and licorice aromas with a dusting of fresh compost. It's soft and supple in the mouth and there's more black cherry fruit and earth on the palate. I love its creamy, vanilla finish. At $55 it's safe to say you get what you pay for.

The (Sonoma based winery) Kenwood Lodi Old-Vine Zinfandel comes from two vineyards planted in the Lodi appellation (nowhere near Sonoma) in the early 1900s. The vines are old-style, head-pruned and yield a very low two-and-a-half to three tons per acre. There are copious amounts of blackberry flavoured fruit with a touch of spice and chocolate. It's not as bright as Sonoma County zinfandel but it's softer and ready to drink now.

Weekend Wine Tasting: SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

Producer: Chateau St. Jean 1998 Chardonnay Robert Young

Price: $49.95

Stock No.: 267708

Score: 17.5/20

Comments: Honey and toasted nuts.

Producer: Rodney Strong 2000 Chardonnay

Price: $24.95

Stock No.: 2269.36

Score: 17/20

Comments: Green apples and pears.

Producer: Foppiano Petite Sirah

Price: $28.95

Stock No.: 371799

Score: 15/20

Comments: Big bold and chunky.

Producer: Gallo of Sonoma 1997 Zinfandel

Price: $21.95

Stock No.: 567628

Score: 14/20

Comments: Tired and needs drinking.

Producer: Hartford 1999 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California

Price: $54.95

Stock No.: 614545

Score: 17.5/20

Comments: Fabulous bottle of pinot.

Producer: Kenwood 1999 Old Vines Zinfandel, Lodi, California

Price: $19.95

Stock No.: 586065

Score: 15/20

Comments: Blackberries, chocolate and spice.