So I don’t know anything about this wine, but I ran across an article about the person that recently redesigned the labels for Zull, an Austrian wine. Obviously striking a balance between youthful and modern, it looks as though this label change supports what the winery is calling their “Gentle Introductions” series of wines.

Erwin Bauer is the designer, and more of his work can be seen here. Do you have a favorite wine label? Your comments are appreciated.

To celebrate the 100th posting on DrinkSomeWIne - and thank you btw for continuing to read, follow and interact - I wanted to drink something fun, refreshing, and exciting… something like me. I had a glass of a really standout Fume that I had noted in my journal as something to explore deeper. I picked up a bottle of the 2006 Robert Mondavi Fume Blanc at my local wine shop, grabbed the latest issues of Inked Mag, Wallpaper and RollingStone, and sunk into the couch on a beautiful Central Coast afternoon.

The Fume Blanc is actually a Sauvignon Blanc, renamed by the legendary Robert Mondavi when he brought the grapes to California. Mondavi died on my birthday, May 16 of this year at age 94.

As with all white wines, I tend to taste them at three various states of their changes in temperature. Right out of the cooler and into the glass, this Fume Blanc is crisp, light and very refreshing. Think Springtime. Think grapefruit and melon and a hint of grass or field coming off the nose. Think Sound Of Music running through the..wait.. nevermind.

As the wine begins to come to room temp, caught midway between crisp and heavy, I noticed that the Fume Blanc began to get a little big for a typical Sauvignon Blanc. Fresh fruits and a little more Oak than usually give it a nice layered complexity that will span a variety of light meats, and will do really well with a heavier salad like a ceasar.

Enjoyable, drinkable, and rooted in a history that belongs to California as well as the entire wine industry, grab a bottle the 2006 Mondavi Fume Blanc and enjoy the varietal that was established in 1968.

You will have to pass the age validation page, but once you do the Mondavi website is full of great content about their wines, but since their entire navigation system is in Flash, however, I can’t direct link you into the wine club.

Every year, up in Paso Robles, the Mid-State Fair brings us great bands (we happened to catch Steely Dan), not so great food (deep fried twinkies) and a line up of wine that bring out the best and the not so best that the four participating counties have to offer. And as Space is infinite, and Time is fleeting, I only list the winners here, we will be reaching out to the prize winning wineries to taste, and talk about this years barrels of the best. In all there were 11 double gold medals, and a whopping 51 gold medals in a field of over 600 wines.

I have provided links to wineries so you can read more about each, and bring some of your hard earned cash down to my town, and support the local / regional wine industry. We thank you for you continued support.

Super Awards went to:
* Best White Wine, Eberle 2007 Viognier, Paso Robles Mill Road
* Best Red Wine Halter Ranch 2005 Syrah, Paso Robles Estate
* Best Dessert Wine 2005 Robert Hall Vintage Port, Paso Robles

while the Best of Class was handed out to:
* 2007 Huber Chardonnay, unoaked, Santa Rita Hills
* 2007 Vina Robles Sauvignon Blanc, Paso Robles
* 2006 Castoro Cellars Pinot Grigio, Paso Robles
* 2006 Claiborne & Churchill Dry Gewurztraminer, Central Coast
* 2007 Harmony Cellars White Riesling, Monterey County
* 2007 Ventana Vineyards Dry Rosato, Arroyo Seco
* 2005 Halter Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles
* 2005 Niner Wine Estates Merlot, Paso Robles
* 2005 Per Bacco Cellars Pinot Noir, Dronysus, Arroyo Grande Valley
* 2005 Penman Springs Petite Sirah, Paso Robles
* 2006 Sculpterra Winery Statuesque, Paso Robles
* 2006 Eberle Barbera, Paso Robles
* 2006 Kenneth Volk Vineyards Mourvedre, Lime Kiln Valley
* 2006 Ancient Peaks Zinfandel, Paso Robles
* 2006 Alapay Late Harvest Moscato, Paso Robles

BTW - If you are a winery and would like to have us review your wines, tour your grounds, or just stand on the porch and watch the sink into the ocean, drop us an email: christopher at drinksomewine dot com.

So when in Rome and all that. We recently went to Portland for the Internet Strategies Forum and… Yeah, you read right INTERNET STRATEGY. See, in my 9-5 I am a hardcore web marketing and design guy, but during the night I turn into the guy that quits work and makes music, or drinks some wine, or watches Californication until he begins to feel really cool for being a blogger because, well, Hank does it too. But that really doesn’t have anything to do with the wine.

So when in Portland, one is pretty much required to dine at a McCormick & Schmick’s restaurant. Hell, in Portland, throw a rock and you will hit one. So we showed up at Jake’s Famous the other night, shortly after having a few shots of Jameson’s and Guinness at the Grill of the same name, just down the block. The restaurant had an eclectic mix of people in the mutli-roomed dining area. At the front near the bar was a few circular four-tops already crowded in by the folks standing near the bar waiting for a table. It didnt take long to get a table and it didn’t take long to order a house selection of oysters, seared Ahi, a Rib eye, a baked crab dish and a few other items. And then we ordered the wine.

I left it to the waiter to pick out the wine. The only requirement was that it come from the Willamette Valley. He came back with a 2006 Pinot Gris from Left Coast Cellars. I was quite frankly surprised at the choice of a Pinot Gris, but the selection was actually quite insightful. The richness of the crab casserole thing was paired nicely with a fresh, light combination of melons and for what might typically be considered a “sweet wine”, very well balanced.

Now for being a wine blog I know that about 12% of the words in this post are about the wine. But to err on the side of honesty, I can say that the wine was good, very drinkable, not as sweet as I expected, and then I went back to drinking my Toscano Rosso and whackin out the rib eye. So what I promise Left Coast to do is to grab another bottle of the Gris and give it a proper twirl. And in the mean time, you may want to check out the Left Fielders Wine Club. Twice a year shipments of 6 bottles will set you back $150-$180 bucks.

There are always two things in my kitchen, wine and cheese. My friend Mahala used to have a cheese drawer in her fridge that rivaled our local deli, and taking her lead I began to explore the breadth of what has now become on of my favorite food groups. So as I was spinning back up the blog after a two, yes two, year hiatus I came across a rather simple guide to wine and cheese pairing.

And with words like mouthfeel, stinky and funky, you would almost expect this to be written by SATC’s Samantha.

My wife Bethany is an amazing cook. She is also an amazing woman, but those of you who have met her already know that. What you may not know is that she makes one hell of a Asian stir fry. Invite yourself over, and when you do bring a bottle or three of Firestone’s 2005 Vineyard Select Riesling. Featured in last week’s Wednesday Wine on the Today Show, this Riesling is a local favorite and very affordable at the easy to swallow price of a sawbuck.

The trick here is that B’s food is nice and spicy, a blend of great hot wok oil, peppers and other goodies that I am not privy too, as is the chef’s perogative, and a high residual sugar in the Riesling. I have always been a fan of the sweet/spicy combo, at times pairing a hi-end White Zinfandel with some blackened catfish. (more on that later in the season). Firestone has found a great balance of the sweetness you expect in a Riesling paired with notes of tropical fruits, peaches and a drip or two of honey.

Located in Santa Barbara, Firestone Vineyards has the opportunity to take advantage of the Central Coast’s cool mornings, fog covered evening and a great many sunny days to bring these grapes to harvest ready. Be sure to visit them on your next wine tour, and join the wine club. With that you get an invitation to the Cellar Family Picnic, one of the top family parties on the coast!

Those in the know know, but not everyone is sweet on dessert wines. If you are looking for a great bottle to start with you should buy the Muscato Allegro from renowned winemakers Martin & Weyrich. But you will have to look hard, as this is a favorite among consumers and critics and continues to sell out. Sweet, light, and spicy with a good floral nose and apricots, it also has a very small “mist” of bubbles that create an effervescence of sorts.

When you are in Paso Robles, be sure to stay at the Villa Toscano, the winery’s beautiful Bed and Breakfast. And be sure to taste all the wines. They have really produced one of the strongest offerings of Cal-Italia wines in the state.

Wine Blog Wednesday is a collection of bloggers that write about a theme. This installment theme is Kiwi Reds, and is hosted by The Corkdork. I was so excited to be a part of this that i forgot it was reds and opened a bottle of.. well… keep reading.

I was doing some work with the good people at Allied Domecq USA, now Beam Wine Estates and was introduced to the under $10 category white named Zed. I was there doing some work for Jakesfault, a new entry into the California Shiraz market. Anna and Tom from Armstrong Associates were working on the creative for Jakes, and they had recently finished the branding and package design for Zed. Very contemporary label, working off the New Zealand pronunciation of ‘Z’. The label gave it a strong, bold and aggressive shelf presence made easily recognizable by the knocked out ZED.

Zed is far and away my favorite under $10 Sauvignon Blanc. It is a crisp, almost tart blend of apples, lime, gooseberry and a little grapefruit. Exceptional balance finishing the way it started, with a bang! Adventurous would be a good word to describe Zed to your friends. Like most Sauvignon Blanc, this will go great with grilled shrimp, artichokes, maybe even a spicy tuna roll.

Zed comes with my favorite screw cap closure.

Located in Arroyo Grande, Talley Vineyards has two wines I would recommend buying now that the Champagne season has officially come to an end. (not in my house though, as bubbly is a food group).

Talley’s 2003 Rosemary Vineyard Pinot Noir ($65) is a red-cherry, cranberry, and blackberry, full-bodied wine that really helps you understand what a “jammy” wine is about. This wine really tends to stay true to itself from open to finish, unravelling effortlessly to keep a spicy finish with a vanilla, nutmeg character. Buy this and keep it for that unexpected special occasion. 92 points in Wine Spectator.

The Rosemary Vineyard has been good to this winery, with the 2003 Rosemary Vineyard Chardonnay ($44) benefiting from it climate in the central coast. This cool climate Chard which exhibits apple, orange and an earthy tone to it came as a holiday gift and one that was well received. Tasting notes recommend pairing this with lobster or salmon due to the “long mineral-infused finish.” At only 361 cases, this may prove to be a hard one to find, and even harder to keep in the cellar.

The DTOUR Macon-Village is the next step in wine storage. First the cork is replaced by the screw cap and now this French white wine comes stored in a 3-liter plastic bag that collapses inside its cardboard cylinder. About 750ml for $37.00 a bottle tube.

Take the tube, put it in your fridge and then off to that concert in the park or a Niner’s game. The cardboard acts as an insulator. Sommelier Daniel Johnnes (yes, THAT Daniel Johnnes), Chef Daniel Boulard (Cafe Boulard fame, among others) and vinter Dominique Lafon, the D’s of DTOUR, have teamed up to make a Bistro style wine that should last for about a month as the vacuum sealed bag does not permit oxidation.

Food and liquids in a box are nothing new in Europe and Australia. Though slow to the States, the technology is catching on, as I now buy my favorite chili (Hormel) in a box.

Its available at Tribeca Wine Merchants on Hudson in NYC, or see the web site for a directory of limited paces to try this wine. Send me a tube for Christmas. Yes, Kevin, I am talking to you!