Drink Up, Chow Down

First of all, great name, right? Real Nice Winemakers is the brainchild of wine industry veteran Anthony Van Nice. He and his sommelier friends wanted to create wines that were truly representative of the Willamette Valley, and that also delivered great Oregon quality at a great price.  Because of that glorious trifecta of taste, quality and price (oh – and philosophy, but that’s messing up my trifecta analogy…) they’re my wine spotlight today. I dig them and I think you’ll dig them, too. They currently have two wines on the market: Black Magnolia Pinot Noir (in collaboration with Laurent Montalieu of Solena Estate) and Shallow Seas Rosé, priced around $22 and $18 respectively. I found the Pinot Noir to be elegant and light with oodles of red berries and savory notes of leather and light tannins. The bright acidity gave this wine a solid backbone, while the darker earthy tones provided for a surprisingly long finish. This wine is a prime exam...

I recently tasted some of the Loveblock Wines catalog along with the winery's founder and CEO Erica Crawford. The meal was sumptuously paired by the (aptly-named) Marcel Vigneron at Wolf . Chef Marcel Vigneron Erica's passion for the wine came through even before the first sip. Loveblock is grown high above Marlborough's Awatere Valley, with Erica and her winemaker husband Kim focussing on low intervention farming to ensure the wine reflects this extraordinary terroir. And in a way that ensures future generations can enjoy this remarkable land, too. Loveblock Sauvignon Blanc Loveblock's commitment to ethical farming and viticulture even makes its way onto their bright label, reflecting the simple wildflowers and dandelions that grow between the rows of grapes. Now, let's get to the wine! 2016 Sauvignon Blanc: This old world-style beauty woke up slowly and elegantly. It is a delightfully- restrained example of a Marlborough SB, with subtle waves o...