California Deamin'

It's safe to say the mood is upbeat across the state as vintners begin to recover from a serious economic downturn. Less travel, less tourism and fewer people drinking fine wine, not to mention stiff price and quality competition from other parts of the world led by Australia and Italy, has refocused the California wine industry.

In the opinion of many producers in Vancouver last week, the crisis is coming to an end along with much of the surplus fruit that created a market for "two-dollar" wine south of the border. If super-cheap California wine is destined to disappear, moderate prices are here to stay for some time.

Last week the Canadian dollar was hovering at about 75 cents, up from about 67 cents a year ago. While 10 cents doesn't seem like a lot, when you factor in a stronger Loonie and falling ex-cellar prices there are bargains to be had despite recent tax hikes courtesy of the provincial government.

California wine has always been popular in the B.C. market and as prices relax there is little doubt sales will blossom this spring and summer. So, what to buy? This week I've chosen six wines that reflect the new California. Keep this in mind: lower prices in stores mean lower prices in restaurants, too, so be sure to look for these on wine lists as well as in stores.

Even though it contains some 75-per-cent Sonoma fruit, the Benziger Fume Blanc 2001 sports the broader North Coast (of California) Approved Viticultural Area (AVA) moniker. Expect an attractive mineral, grapefruit rind, melon nose with subtle hints of fresh cut hay. The flavours are fresh melon, grapefruit with chalky mineral notes with a touch of butter. It has a tasty grapefruit/orange finish with firm acidity and fine balance. An enjoyable, graceful white wine.

Arroyo Seco, in Monterey County, is home to the latest J. Lohr Chardonnay Riverstone 2002. Normally a solid California chardonnay, I consider the '02 a definite jump forward in style and quality. Most noticeable are the ripe apple, pear, honey aromas with some floral, citrus notes -- much less wood is the attraction here. Moderately dry, it offers orange citrus, mineral, honey and butterscotch flavours with more citrus rind on the finish. Elegant, fresh and a touch oily in the finish. Good value.

Rush to buy the Talomas Chardonnay & Viognier 2002. Talomas is one side of the joint venture between the owners of Mondavi (Napa Valley, California) and Rosemount (Hunter Valley, New South Wales) in which the Americans make wine in Australia and the Australians make wine in America.

The Talomas blend, 83/17 chardonnay/viognier, hits all the right buttons as does its tasty, low-yield fruit gathered at Monterey, Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara county and Sonoma County. Look for a highly attractive and intense gardenia, honey, peach, mineral, buttery melon nose. It's dry and fresh on the palate with juicy red apple, vanilla, peach, floral, citrus and honey flavours. The finish is well balanced with a long, dry mineral, honey aftertaste. Great effort and a good value.

You should love the LinCourt Vineyards Pinot Noir 2000 and at $22 it's a giveaway. Look for black cherry, orange peel/marmalade aromas with a touch of smoky compost. Soft and round on entry with similar fruit flavours and a nice lift of acidity. Lots of cherry black raspberry fruit marks the finish of what is a fine little pinot at an incredible price. Attention California Pinot producers: This is what we want for $22.

Even more impressive, and a big jump up in intensity, is the Gloria Ferrer Pinot Noir 2001 from Carneros.

Despite its sparkling wine roots, Carneros-based Gloria Ferrer takes its still wine production very seriously. The '01 pinot is made from 100 per cent estate grown grapes from eight different clones. Individual vineyard lots are de-stemmed, gently crushed and cold-soaked for three days before undergoing a variety of traditional and modern maceration techniques to extract fruit character without bitterness. It is then barrel-aged for nine months in 100-per-cent French oak and bottled unfined.

The nose is exuberant, offering bright black fruit aromas with just a touch of earthy terroir. On the palate it is mouth-filling and full of bright fruit. This is elegant, refined serious New World pinot at a fair price.

To finish we head to Napa Valley for the just released Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon 2001. Smoky, peppery, tobacco, vanilla cream, black berry jam aromas with some leathery, barnyard notes. Rich, round and suave it is both concentrated and full of supple tannins. Look for ripe blackberry, mint and cassis jam flavours with smoky vanilla, pepper, chocolate, and a touch of orange too. Fine acidity, balance and concentration mark the finish and intensity. Well made Napa cab.

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN'

Wine: Benziger Fume Blanc 2001, North Coast
Price: $29.95
UPC: 785774000325
Score: 16/20
Comments: Melon, butter, chalky mineral grapefruit/orange.

Wine: J. Lohr Chardonnay Riverstone 2002, Arroyo Seco, Monterey County
Price: $23.99
UPC: 089121068823
Score: 15.5/20
Comments: Orange citrus, mineral, honey, butterscotch flavours.

Wine: Talomas Chardonnay & Viognier 2002, Central Coast
Price: $21.95
UPC: 86003002203
Score: 17/20
Comments: Gardenia, honey, peach, red apple, citrus.

Wine: LinCourt Vineyards Pinot Noir 2000, Santa Barbara County
Price: $22.95
UPC: 086985000112
Score: 15.5/20
Comments: Cherry black raspberry fruit; incredible value.

Wine: Gloria Ferrer Pinot Noir Carneros 2001, Carneros
Price: $38.95
UPC: 33293116004
Score: 17.5/20
Comments: Bright black fruit, mouth-filling serious New World pinot.

Wine: Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon 2001, Napa Valley
Price: $75.95
UPC: 10465208903
Score: 17.5/20
Comments: Ripe blackberry jam, mint and smoky vanilla flavours.