Russian River respite

It's been a while....
What can I say, I'm busy. But there's always time for good food and wine. It's important to take a moment each day and reset your attitude and your outlook. One of the best ways is by having satisfying food and wine. If your mouth is happy, you'll eat less, and be healthier. My love and I recently broke away for a weekend and went to the Russian River. Just a couple of hours north of San Fran, the Russian River runs through a spectacularly beautiful mountainous gorge to the ocean. It also is home to a host of small, family owned, sometimes quirky, wineries. Man, I want a little house or something here where I can just come to whenever I need to "get away." Yea, and Ed McMahon will show up at my door with a million dollars.

Every so often I try to "re-discover" a maligned wine varietal, like Chardonnay. What?!?! An avowed Zin fanatic, drinking Chardonnay??! Now, like most things that have come to be overused, over-exposed, or over saturated, there's a reason for it's popularity; and Chardonnay helped put California on the world wine map. (Anyone seen "Bottle Shock"? Don't bother. It's a horrid little film with bad writing, grade school acting, and many omissions of fact, i.e. it's misleading. Check it out on The Pour.)
So, on a recent trip to the Russian River, I decided I would look for one, just one, Chardonnay that I could choke down. Can you tell I don't generally like Chardonnay? The "California style" is way too oaked (though many producers have started using less oak), so much so that it reminds me of being a small boy in church, sitting behind an old woman wearing far too much lilac perfume... can't breathe.. going to die...
But I was determined, and I came away with 3, yes three, Chards that I actually enjoyed!! Nope, sorry, just 2. I bought 2 bottles of one... so I guess you could say three.

Number one: Gary Farrell 2005 Cresta Ridge Vineyards

The least oaked of all the Chards I tried on the trip. Crisp, but with actual body, and a nice citrus touch on the nose. This one could turn me 

into a Chardonnay fan..... OK, not really. But I will definitely buy the Farrell more, as it is also more available than most Russian River wines.

A close second: Amphora 2006

A beautiful full bodied white, with enough acidity to make it sing. A bit floral on the nose, and more oak than the Gary Farrell, but not overwhelming. And for some reason it actually went well with pecans.... don't ask.

So, yes I found Chardonnay! But I also found some other's while I was there.

Balletto 2006 Pinot Gris

Lots of nice acidity, and green apple.. 

seriously. The first time I've actually gotten green apple flavors, as advertised.

And of course Zin!!

Dutton Goldfield 2006 Zinfandel Morelli Lane vineyard

A delicate Zin when compared with some of the big fruit explosions of some Cali Zins. A nice, easy drinking Zin with definite cherry overtones. Very good with food... hickory smoked burgers actually.