The King Estate 2007 Oregon Pinot Noir Signature Collection (13%) was a clear, ruby red in the glass, offering notes of dusty earth, slightly sour strawberry fruit, and hints of herbs. On the palate, this pinot delivered flavors of strawberry and cherry fruit with an earthiness that was pleasing along with its food-friendly acidity. All of this led to a nice, long finish, making it a delicious accompaniment to our Korean bbq hangar steak, sliced into strips and then placed into lettuce leaves along with chopped green onions, toasted sesame seeds, cilantro, rice and julienned carrots. At $27, the...

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Posted by Thad W. at 12:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

This Oregon pinot gris has become somewhat of a staple at our dinner table these last few months. We enjoy the King Estate 2007 Signature Pinot Gris Oregon (13%) as an aperitif or with a meal calling for a food-friendly pinot gris. The '07 pinot gris is a light, clear straw color in the glass, with scents of pineapple, cantaloupe, lemon and honeysuckle. The tropical fruit and honey flavors stand out, but are well balanced by the crisp acidity in this wine. It's a delicious table wine offering a wonderful complement to any meal. We paired the King Estate...

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Posted by Thad W. at 01:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) It is nice to stumble upon an inexpensive bottle of Oregon pinot noir these days, considering how most seem to be in the $25 or higher price range. And it's even better when that inexpensive bottle delivers a decent wine experience. Such is the case with the Next 2006 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, which I picked up at Metropolitan Market for $19. The Next Pinot Noir is one of a pair of high volume wines (the other a WA riesling) produced by King Estate out of Eugene, Oregon. Some designer worked hard to...

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Posted by Thad W. at 02:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) Last Wednesday night, I came home from work and could immediately smell these wonderful aromas emitting from the kitchen. As soon as I spotted the stove, I saw Kari's red Le Creuset, a pot that always brings incredibly delicious, slow cooked meals to our table. Tonight's dinner was a pork shoulder roast braised in olive oil and garlic and then slow cooked for a couple of hours in chicken broth and white wine. I couldn't wait to sit down and celebrate this meal! The wine used with the pork? A King Estate 2006...

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Posted by Thad W. at 02:02 PM | Permalink