Top Ten Avalon Northwest Wine Gifts 2004

An Opinionated List
by Jean Yates

About Jean Yates

Jean Yates is owner of Avalon Wine, and has worked to promote Orregon and Washington wine for over 15 years through her wine shop, web site, and articles.

Jean previously worked in the computer industry and does most of the work on the Avalon website. She is a passionate photographer and most of the images on this site are hers.

Dear valued customers,

Here we are again, where the heck did the year go? It's time to celebrate making it through an election, a hot hot summer, a little more grey hair, a bit more waistline. Yow, I need some wine after writing that!

So obviously, if I had cases and cases of Leonetti 85 Cab or Beaux Freres 1998 Pinot noir, we'd just give those as gifts, and all move on to checking out the big screen plasma TVs. But, no, we have to be a bit more creative, here at Avalon, where our allocation of Leonetti is counted in glasses rather than bottles.

Here are the ten best gifts, in my opinion, available from Avalon. Hey, you want to give me one of these, I'd be happy. So celebrate the season and enjoy Northwest wine!

1. Cream of the Crop Cases- I've lumped them together into one item, but the Cream of the Crop Cases we have this month have something for everyone.

Want Cayuse and other such hard to get Washington Reds? Try the "Big Reds" Cream of the Crop Case. Into Syrah? Try the very limited Syrah Cream of the Crop Case. Like Dessert wines? Our Ice Wine and Port Case will do the trick. There are several Pinot noir cases, based on price and style.

All of the Cream of the Crop cases are displayed here. Quantities are limited.

2. Just One Bottle of Something Super That's Red-
What I'd like to receive, mostly for drinking over the next few months, the wines that I have to resist taking home (not a big margin in our business, if the owner takes home too much wine, it's all over- Chapter 11 city). All of these wines have that little extra "something" that makes the wine linger pleasantly in memory.

Cabernet Sauvignon- Fidelitas Cabernet Sauvignon "Champoux" 02 $57

Meritage Blend- Cote Bonneville Red Dubrul Vineyard 02 $57

Cabernet Franc- Owen Roe Cabernet Franc 03 $39

Merlot- Nota Bene Miscela 01 $33 (yes it's only half Merlot)

Syrah- Latitude 46 "Power & Glory" 02 $30

Pinot noir- Dusky Goose Pinot noir 02 $48

3. Just One Bottle of Something Super
That's White
Same as above, only for the white wine lover.

Chardonnay- Abeja 03 $28

Riesling- Poet's Leap Riesling 03 $24

Sauvignon Blanc- Andrew Rich Les Vingneaux "Croft" 03 $17

Viognier- Cougar Crest Viognier 02 $20

Something like Caymus Conundrum but not as Expensive-
Fidelitas "Tranquility" White Wine Blend 02 $10

4. Something for the Pinot noir Expert-
I'm really high on the Stoller Vineyard, a "second generation" Oregon Pinot noir vineyard with tremendous potential and both the farming and business expertise behind it to delliver the best possible wines.

Give a selection of wines from up and coming vineyard Stoller:
Chehalem Stoller 01
Chehalem Stoller 02
Stoller 01
Gypsy Dancer "Emilys Reserve" Stoller 03

And add a printout of the article here to explain about the vineyard and why it's going to be one of the most important in Oregon in a few years.

Lovely Harris Bridge
Dessert Wines

5. They Only Like Sweet Wines!
If you are trying to wean them off the sweet stuff, try offering them
Fidelitas "Tranquility" White Blend $10. The price is right, and the wine is a step up from White Zinfandel.

If they are real dessert wine experts, the Inniskillin Ice Wines are super, if quite pricey. Less expensive and quite lovely is the Andrew Rich Les Vigneaux Gewurztraminer Ice Wine 02- $20 .

If they like Port style wines, the Van Duzer Windfall Port $26 or Van Duzer Zephyra Dessert Wine $20 are really exceptional.

And for the Oregon wine lover, young and vital Harris Bridge Winery, run by a young couple who only make dessert wines, offer three really quite excellent dessert wines, very limited. The wines have a tremendous local following. As their production expands, we expect to see them emerge into national recognition. The wines are that good.

6. I Only Want to Spend $20

Owen Roe "Sharecropper's Cabernet 03 $20 - a steal

K Vintners "House" Wine $13 from the crazy Syrah guy

Novelty Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 01 $20 - a steal, made by Mike Januik

Sheridan Kamiakin Red $20- from Sheridan Vineyard

Six Prong Red 01 $13 - Another from Charlie Hoppes

Flying Fish Merlot 02 $15- from the people who brought you "Fat bastard"

7. It Has to Have a High Score

Beaux Freres Pinot noir 02 $75 Wine Spectator 95

Van Duzer Pinot noir 02 $23 Wine Spectator 90 Points
and number 70 on 2004 Wine Spectator Top 100 List

8. They Like Chocolate- How About a Wine and Some Chocolate?