2007 Dierberg Chardonnay (USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley). Style note: Racy acidity cuts nicely through the delicous sweet golden butter of this California chard. Many characteristics of Burgundy (Meursault) in terms of the warmth, richness, yet also California style in terms of its expression.

USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley). Style note: A very good example of a California Cabernet Sauvignon that tries to represent its terroir, this well balanced wine offers layers of flavor and some real complexity. USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley). This week I've tasted some excellent wines!

As a Californian, I was incredibly loyal to my native state and spent many long, sun-soaked weekends checking out all the new wineries in the Santa Ynez Valley. Now that I am on the East coast and more Old World focused as a result of my (more Old World) wine studies, it is great to re-discover California wine.

One course in particular caught my eye: guests wanting the green curry shrimp with smoked collard greens will be offered the Beckmen, Garnache [sic] from the Santa Ynez. 2008 Sauvignon Blanc, Modus Operandi, Napa Valley, California. ? 2007 Granache, Beckmen Vineyards, Santa Ynez, California. ? Pear Tatin.

know, it's a California wine! It is the antithesis of today's typical high alcohol, overripe, overblown California wine. He grows hot climate grapes like Syrah, Marsanne, and Roussanne in the Santa Ynez Valley of California, where it is dry and hot, plain and simple. Tags: California Wine of the Week Qupé

2006 Neyers Napa Valley California - Hudson Vineyards Syrah 14.1% - $40 On the nose a funky barnyard waft and later opened but showed a medicinal aroma, while up front on the palate dark sour cherries and mainly black pepper in the mid palate. 2005 LaTour Vineyards Napa Valley California Syrah 14.8% - $26.50 hours before tasting).

And with all this talk of merlot in my head I thought I would break out one of my California Wine Club offerings. Last month was Gainey; a producer that has been around since the eighties located in Santa Barbara County in an AVA within an AVA; the larger being the Santa Ynez Valley and the smaller being the Santa Rita Hills.

Then it caught on and became a kind of demented obsession for the mass market as producers in California began to industrialize one hundred percent merlot to the point of lunacy. My wife and I just had a wonderful Californian merlot from Gainey in the Santa Ynez Valley last night with some salad and a simple pasta dish and it was delicious.