Peter Dills: Straight Off the Vine

[Author’s note: Here is our first of many wine columns , if you have a great wine I should try, please contact me! My information is listed below. — Peter Dills]

California winemaking is big business. Although California is represented by 50% of the bonded wineries in the U.S., production and sales account for 90% of all sales in the U.S.

California wine shipments within the U.S. were 215 million cases in 2013 (up 3% from the previous year), with an estimated retail value of $23.1 billion (up 5%). California wine sales to all markets, both domestic and international, increased 3% by volume to 258 million cases in 2013.

This week, we visit the Wild Horse Winery of Paso Robles, named after the galloping horse, the school mascot of San Luis Obispo College, and the wild mustangs that roamed freely in the area in the early 1980’s.

The pinot noir that winemaker Chrissy Whittmann produces is some of the best juice being produced out the central coast of California. I met Ms. Whittmann at a recent wine tasting in Montecito. She is just one of a handful of women wine makers in the industry, although with any luck this will be an emerging trend.

Remember the movie “Sideways”? The movie gets a lot of credit for pinot’s rapid growth, but in reality pinot sales have been growing for years, and this is just from winemakers figuring out how to grow this “tricky” grape.

The 2011 Pinot Noir has aromas and flavors of black cherry, pomegranate, and cranberries. Sometimes that combination (too much young fruit) can throw this reviewer off, but while this wine has a brave aroma, it ends with a lush, delicious finish. French oak aging gives the wine structure and depth. Made from 100% pinot noir, enjoy it with salmon or roasted pork loin. This is a step above a “picnic” wine. Available at Vons.

Dills Score: 89
Retails around $19; on sale $15
Each week I will give you my Dills Score. Starting with a base of 50 points, I added 8 points for color, 7 points for aroma or “nose”, 7 points for taste, 9 points for finish, and 8 points for my overall impression, which includes my value rating.

Email Peter at thechefknows@yahoo.com and follow me on Twitter @KINGOFCUISINE. Watch Dining w/Dills on Charter Channel 188 on Saturdays and Sundays.
“Dining with Dills” the Radio Show airs each and every Saturday afternoon at 5 p.m. on Angeles Radio Station KLAA AM 830. You can get ahold of Peter through his website www.peterdills.com where you will find past articles and pictures from his culinary adventures.