This week I attended a fantastic tasting of the Wines of Lombardy — a region in the north of Italy west of Venice. I haven’t been to Lago di Garda (Italy’s largest lake), but Lake Como is, for my money, the most beautiful place on Earth. And I visited it long before George Clooney took up residence, so that’s high praise indeed.

Lombardy is one of Italy’s lesser known winemaking regions, but it accounts for 70% of Italy’s wine revenue. It plays second fiddle to Tuscany in terms of recognition, but its wines are vital to the nation’s economy — even in the U.S., where it has a long way to go.

One of the winemakers I talked to is primarily marketing her Pinot Nero to the U.S., and we discussed the difficulties of trying to sell that particular wording to the American public — I’d wager that 90% of U.S. wine consumers don’t realize that Pinot Nero is the same as Pinot Noir.

This winemaker is strongly considering changing the front label on her Pinot Nero wines to say “Pinot Noir” for the American market, and I think that’s a wise move  — I suspect her sales of that varietal will go up at least 50% thanks to the change. What are your thoughts?

Way back in 2004 or so, when I was first getting into wine, I fell in love with Cahors. I wish I could remember which wine did it, but I wasn’t taking notes at that point — all I remember is that it was earthy and rustic and utterly enchanting. Ever since that moment, I’ve snapped up every Cahors I can afford — and they’re not easy to find. So I was particularly excited to hear about a Cahors tasting in D.C. last week.

Cahors seems annoyed that Argentina has managed to position itself as the king of Malbec, if its current marketing push (“Cahors Is Malbec!”) is any indication. It’s intriguing to me that a French AOC is emphasizing a varietal, but that seems to be what the U.S. market (at least) wants right now — Lord knows it’s worked for Argentina. That said, here are a few of my favorites.

Chateau de Hauterive Prestige 2007: Bouquet of ripe summer berries with woodsy undertones. Smoky, spicy, tannic and food-friendly.

Chateau Armandiere 2002 Diamant Rouge: Gorgeous rustic, earthy nose with plum, blackberry. Robust, complex, mouth-filling. Yum!

Chateau Vincens 2006 Prestige: Bouquet of big, dark, plush fruits. Rich mouthfeel with flavors of blackberry preserves, baking spices; big and spicy.

Chateau St. Sernin 2008 Varua Maomi Mana: This is not the type of label one expects from a French wine. The winemaker is Tahitian by birth; I like how he’s integrated his heritage into his brand. Nose is toasty and yeasty with bread dough overtones — not what I expected from a 100% Cahors Malbec. On the palate, big dark fruits melt into smoky, spicy flavors. Nice balance.

Clos Troteligotte 2005 K-Prix: Lovely fruity nose — plum, blueberry, oak, spice. Softer than its contemporaries but still nicely acidic. Flavors of pepper, plum, earth and spice with woodsy notes. I really, really liked this one. Retails at about $18 — look for it!

Chateau Les Rigalets 2002 La Quintessence: Big, rustic bouquet with anise and barnyard aromas. Lots going on here; palate carries pepper, thyme, wood and blackberry with robust tannins. Drink this with game or rare/medium-rare red meats that can stand up to it.

Chateau Paillas 2007 Cahors: Plum and blackberry on the nose with metallic/mineral notes. Very tannic and mouth-filling; acidic, herbal, vegetal. I don’t even really know how to describe this one besides “I love it.” It stuck with me.

In short: If you like Malbec and are not yet acquainted with Cahors, you need to fix that. It’s hard to go wrong with these wines, and they’re great values — most of the wines I tasted at this event were under $40 or even under $20. Here’s hoping it catches on!

While I am a prodigious drinker, I have to admit that I have neglected Oregon and Washington wines — mainly because they can be hard to find. I don’t often get a chance to taste them, and many are above the $20 price point at which I usually cut myself off (hey, there’s a recession on). I’m glad the Wine Bloggers Conference is taking place in Walla Walla, Wash., this year; I look forward to learning more about the wines of that area and the Pacific Northwest in general.

Recently I got a chance to explore some wines — a Chardonnay and two Pinot Noirs — from Oregon’s Willamette Valley Vineyards. Although its wines speak for themselves, I was particularly intrigued by WVV’s environmental commitment — they use Forest Stewardship Council-certified corks, they provide their employees with free biodiesel fuel, and their vineyards are certified through Salmon Safe and LIVE. Going organic or biodynamic is all well and good, but I like to see wineries emphasize environmental friendliness in other ways — you hardly ever hear about water runoff issues, for example, so I was glad to see the Salmon Safe certification. Anyway. On to the wines.

2007 Willamette Valley Vineyards Dijon Clone Chardonnay: Nose is rather tropical — pineapple and mandarin orange leapt out for me, but I didn’t pick up any coconut until I read the tasting notes (and that may be the power of suggestion at work). I also got some new oak, a touch of butter and a little bit of spice. This wine is nicely acidic — it’s got a good balance. I like the fresh citrus flavors — lemon, lime, crisp green apple; there’s not too much oak or butter. I don’t think I’ll ever be a fan of American Chardonnay and this probably isn’t one I would buy (I really only go for unoaked), but it wasn’t bad. If you are a fan of American Chardonnay, I suspect you’d like this wine.

2007 Willamette Valley Vineyards Willamette Valley Pinot Noir: This is their basic, entry-level Pinot Noir. I’m getting a lot of dark fruits (black cherry, blackberry) on the nose with a touch of coffee; after I let it sit for a few minutes and gave it another swirl, some earthy notes emerged. Lots of acidity up front, very active on the tongue. Intense, tart cherry floods the palate, followed by hints of smoke and dust. A bit rough at first — I gave this one some time to settle in the glass and it smoothed out. Definitely a food-friendly choice; I think this could stand up well to dishes with a touch of spice.

2007 Willamette Valley Vineyards Tualatin Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir: Very aromatic — spicy cherry just leaps out of the glass to grab you by the nose. A much more subtle offering compared to the Willamette Valley Pinot. Sweet spices on the nose with notes of pine. Juicy fruit flavors (raspberry, cherry, plum) wash over the palate, punctuated by pepper and smoke. Nice long finish; much more persistent than the other Pinot. Both this and the other one really should be enjoyed with food — I wish I’d thought ahead and made salmon, because I think that would have worked very well with this wine.

All of these wines were winery samples. Thanks to Willamette Valley Vineyards for giving me a chance to try them!

Here in the D.C. area, we’re all busy preparing for the impending arrival of Snowpocalypse 2: Electric Boogaloo. Even though I grew up in Colorado and recognize deep down that snow is not the end of the world, I was running low on wine and cheese (you know, the usual staples), so I joined the hordes at Harris Teeter to pick up these crucial essentials.

Their wine selection is rather limited (and the shelves are a mess – half the Portuguese wines are mixed in with New Zealand and South Africa, and the other half are in the next aisle with Spain! WTF?), so I decided to try one of the low-end big-name brands: the 2008 Baron Philippe de Rothschild Pinot Noir Vin de Pays D’Oc. The main reason I picked it up was that I’d read this article earlier in the day about a similar product:

Several parties in the Languedoc have been formally charged with selling millions of euros of fake Pinot Noir to Ernest & Julio Gallo for its Red Bicyclette brand. … Between 2006 and 2008, Sieur d’Arques allegedly sold 135,000 hectolitres of vin de Pays d’Oc labelled Pinot Noir to E&J Gallo for €4m (£350m). However the total production from those supplying the French distributors amounted to 15,000 hectolitres a year.

I’ve had Red Bicyclette in the past, but not recently enough to have notes on it – I vaguely remember it being OK, nothing special, a decent convenience store wine when there are no other options. That pretty much describes the Baron Philippe de Rothschild. It’s … fine. I paid $7.99. You can get better values, but you could also do worse. It’s your basic inoffensive light-bodied red wine for the U.S. market: red fruits, a fair amount of acid, a bit fizzy up front (almost reminiscent of a Gamay), fades quickly from the palate. It’s decent if unmemorable table wine.

But what cracks me up about this wine – in light of the above article about Red Bicyclette being illegally* cut with Merlot and Syrah and marketed as Pinot – is the fact that while the bottle only mentions Pinot, my receipt from Harris Teeter registered this wine as “Pinot Syrah.” Hmmm…

* Wikipedia indicates that a French varietal wine must be composed of at least 85% of the named variety under EU law. The defendants in the Gallo case appear to have flagrantly flouted that law, and that probably isn’t the case with the Baron Philippe de Rothschild. I just found it entertaining that the Syrah was on the receipt but not on the label.

First off, sorry for the long silence – I moved across the country and started a new job, and it sort of took over my life for a while. But things have (finally) settled down again, so let’s talk wine!

I’ve been a loyal United Airlines customer for over a decade, and for years – years, I tell you! – I have been complaining about their wine. Quite simply, the wines served in domestic economy – Redwood Creek California Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon – were abominable. The Chard in particular tastes like drain cleaner (well, I imagine it does; I have not done a blind tasting with drain cleaner to confirm this, but be my guest). The wines in domestic first class were better, but for a long time it was pretty much a California Chardonnay (and I like very, very few of them; they often featured the Wente Chard, of which I am not a fan) or a nondescript California red in the $15/bottle range.

The first-class wines started to improve over the past year or so as they moved away from California wines. This was a smart move – I’m not familiar with the intricacies and quirks of the wholesale market, but as a consumer who almost exclusively purchases sub-$20 wines, I generally find better values from overseas than I do from domestic wines (and I’m not talking about Yellow Tail – I mean I get better quality for my money when I buy foreign wines, all else being equal). United Domestic First currently serves an Australian Shiraz, a Chilean Chardonnay, a South African Sauvignon Blanc and a California Cabernet Sauvignon. I love this mix and thoroughly approve. But it took a while for the economy cabin to catch up.

In 2009, United introduced its Choice Menu in the economy cabin on a trial basis in certain markets. The menu featured snacks, meals and premium beverages – but no wine. Booze hounds could sample Glenlivet and Maker’s Mark, beer fans could tap Leinenkugel’s Sunset Wheat, but wine lovers riding in the back were still stuck with Redwood Creek. I bitched about it copiously on FlyerTalk.com (what is FlyerTalk for if not bitching?). It cannot be a coincidence that within a few months, United expanded the Choice Menu to all domestic mainline flights … and added premium wines. O happy day! And what wines they are. I understand that the airline is somewhat limited because economy wines come in 187ml bottles and there’s not much to choose from in that category, but I was thrilled to see they’d found something better at last. The premium wines sell for $1-$2 more than the standard economy wines, but believe me when I say it’s well worth the investment. (Bring your credit card – United only accepts credit cards for onboard purchases.) Here are the new wines:

J.P. Chenet Blanc de Blancs Brut (NV), France; 11% ABV; $8/187mls

Bottle was frozen, so may not be representative – had to sit on it! Nose has apples, bread dough, brioche, lemon. Dry and crisp with green apple, lemon curd, peach; slightly sweet finish as the bubbles fade. I wouldn’t necessarily buy this in a store or at a bar, but they could certainly have done worse. Not bad at all, and I’m thrilled to be able to order bubbly in Economy! (Note: They don’t load many bottles at this point; there were 4 loaded on my 767, and the flight attendant said passengers from first class snagged three of them before Economy service even started, so adjust your expectations accordingly.)

Cheviot Bridge Chardonnay 2008, Adelaide Hills, Australia; 14% ABV; $7/187mls

Very fruity nose – green apple, lemon curd, light touch of oak. Very citrusy up front – grapefruit, lemon blossom, lime zest – balanced by a softer touch of sweetness. Mellow spices on the midpalate: cinnamon, white pepper. It’s a Chardonnay and I don’t hate it — miracle! This makes Redwood Creek look like the cat pee it is. I love that it’s mellow without being flat and dull; there’s more complexity than you’d expect in a single-serve bottle of airline wine.

Cheviot Bridge Shiraz 2008 Southeastern Australia; $7/187mls

Very fruity nose – cherries, blackberries; hint of oak and cocoa. Nice acidity balances the fruit on the palate. Fruit makes it less astringent. Not my favorite red, but again, leaps and bounds ahead of Redwood Creek.

First class

Two Oceans Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Western Cape (South Africa)

Tart nose with a hint of sweetness, featuring orange blossoms, key lime, green apple. Clean, crisp flavors of lemon, grapefruit, minerals, slate. Really (REALLY!) happy to see a first-class wine that isn’t a California Chardonnay. Excellent choice, United.

Yali Chardonnay 2007 Maipo Valley (Chile)

Yeah, it’s a Chard, but it’s more citrusy and a lot less oaky (read: annoying) than California Chardonnay. I actually kind of like it, which rarely happens when I’m drinking Chardonnay. Very little oak (glory hallelujah!). Clean, bright, citrusy nose. Flavors of lemon meringue, lime zest, a touch of herbs; faint oak but not to an obnoxious degree. Light and crisp; an excellent choice for a diverse array of palates. Goes well with airline chicken.

Bushman’s Gully Shiraz 2008 Southeastern Australia

OK, I’m not a huge fan of this one, but Aussie Shiraz rarely wins me over. The fruity nose carries hints of cedar, blackberries, light oak and a touch of pepper. The flavor is brash, exultant, too sweet, too fruity, unbalanced – lots of overripe dark fruits. United could have done much better here; I’ve seen them serve the Trapiche Malbec from Argentina on occasion in First, and that was much more palatable to me. Then again, maybe I just don’t like Aussie Shiraz. It’s important to note that in First, they serve wine from 750ml bottles, so they’re not nearly as constrained for choice as they are in Economy, which is restricted to wines that come in 187ml bottles.

Redtree Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 California

I have yet to taste this, though it is listed as being allegedly available on some domestic first-class flights. I’ll keep an eye out. In the meantime, I’d like to state for the record that I love Redtree’s cherrylicious Pinot Noir.

Bodegas Covides Duc de Foix Brut

This appears to be exclusive to flights between the West Coast and JFK (Premium Service). I am poor and have yet to give these routes a shot.

Albariño holds a special place in my heart. It’s a white wine with character. I get all excited when I see it on a restaurant wine list, because even a mediocre Albariño tends to easily outclass much of the competition (Sauvignon Blanc et al) – or at lest gives it a run for its money — and it’s pretty food-friendly. Spain, of course, leads the way with this grape, primarily in the Rias Baixas region, but I’m increasingly seeing it grown in California; Bonny Doon’s rendition is perhaps the most prominent example. I wholeheartedly endorse this trend and hope California winemakers keep it up. If you haven’t been introduced to this grape, it’s about time you give it a try – it might be my favorite white. (Well, it’s in the top five, at least. Hey, there are a lot of great white wines out there!)

2008 Bonny Doon Ca’ del Solo Albariño ($20, K&L Wines): Lemony nose with a whiff of grass; swirl to reveal orange aromas. Racy citrus dominates, but with a good balance. Mineral base. Zesty, dry and zippy. You can probably find better values from Spain if you dig around a bit, but Bonny Doon’s Albariño is not a bad deal and deserves credit for being a trailblazer (as Randall Grahm’s wines so often are).

2008 Pazo Serantellos Albariño, Rias Baixas, Spain ($12, Whole Foods): Vibrant citrus aromas — candied lemon? — with a strong note of grass. Ever so slightly effervescent; light and buoyant and tangy. It’s like sipping brightness — summer in a glass. Acts like a Vinho Verde but with more backbone (12% ABV). Lemon on the midpalate; sparkles on the tongue. The flavor is a bit brash — more delicacy would serve it well — but it’s still a terrific value. I got a bit more pleasure out of the aroma than I did from the taste, though.

2007 Algareiro Albariño, Rias Baixas, Spain ($18, Blackwell’s): Floral nose, honeysuckle, peach; the nose is almost disconcertingly sweet compared to the actual flavors. Tart Granny Smith apple and citrus flavors; vibrant acidity.

2008 Nessa Albariño, Rias Baixas, Spain ($15, tienda.com): Sharp citrus and herbal aromas with a touch of minerals. Very characteristic flavors — lemon, lime, grass, herbs. It’s no standout, but it’s fine. It’s possible this bottle was open for a while before my glass was poured, so I may not have gotten a representative sample.

2007 Fillaboa Albariño, Rias Baixas, Spain ($18, wine.com): Nose of citrus, cinnamon, white pepper, touch of grass, lemon zest. Intense lime and grapefruit with vibrant intensity fade to lemon meringue, key lime, white pepper, vanilla. Lively texture. I’d go back to this one.

It may not be summer in the Northern Hemisphere anymore, but a glass of Albariño might make you think it is. I know it does for me!

Rhone varietals have a sizable foothold in California, thanks in part to the efforts of the Rhone Rangers and wineries such as Twisted Oak, Cline Cellars and Bonny Doon. For some reason I’ve found myself drinking a lot of white Rhone-style California wines lately, so here’s a roundup of the ones that have stood out in my mind:

2007 Beaulieu Vineyard Maestro Collection Marsanne Carneros (Napa Valley): Warm, spicy nose with white pepper, minerals, tea, pear, green apple. Dominant flavors of herbs and spices — pepper, basil, dill, lemon peel, mineral, dust. Very little fruit; exceptionally dry with bracing acidity.

2007 Sol Rouge Gypsy Blanc (North Coast): Nose full of honeyed peaches with a floral tinge. Very dry on the palate; zesty acidity fades to honey and lemon, white pepper, herbaceous character.

2006 Sol Rouge Russian River Viognier: Slightly floral nose with undertone of petroleum. Sharp citrus, steely minerality, hints of stone fruits.

2008 Banyan Viognier, Madera (Sonoma County): Nose has almonds, orange blossom, lemon, herbs. Sweet on the palate with sharp citrus, floral notes.

2008 Cinquain Cellars Haiku (Derby Vineyard, Paso Robles): Very aromatic with floral overtones, a touch of oak, lemon cream. Dry, floral and spicy, with mandarin orange, honey, white pepper, lemon; creamy mouthfeel. I really enjoyed this one.

2007 Anaba “Coriol” White (Sonoma): Floral nose with honey, mandarin orange, cinnamon. Flavors of citrus, orange blossom, vanilla, white pepper, lemon curd. Gorgeous. Biodynamic.

A Donkey & Goat Coupe d’Or 2008 (El Dorado): Lovely spicy floral aromas, orange blossom, lemon curd. Citrus and floral characteristics — mandarin orange, cinnamon, lemon zest, rose petals, honey. Light, spicy and lively.

2008 Cline Cellars Marsanne-Roussanne (Sonoma Coast): Lush tropical aromas, honeysuckle, a hint of grass. Dry with floral overtones, pear, Granny Smith apple, minerals, lemon rind.

In conclusion: Keep bringing it, California.

Hall Winery's LEED-certified facility

Hall Napa Valley makes fantastic Cabernet, as anyone who’s ever tasted it can tell you. They’re hardly the first Napa Valley winery to go organic — it seems like everybody’s jumping on that bandwagon lately. But they are the first winery in California to achieve gold LEED certification. Ed Curry, VP of consumer operations and marketing, was kind enough to show me around last week.

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. This process (overseen by the U.S. Green Building Council) focuses mostly on the building itself, as you might expect; even when it applies to a winery, the winemaking process is not really affected. Hall farms its vineyards organically (as do many Napa wineries these days), but that doesn’t factor into the LEED certification process. What does? Well, for starters:

* Preferred parking is provided for alternative-fuel vehicles, carpoolers and motorcycles.

* Landscaping is centered on drought-tolerant plants — an especially important step in California, which has been facing a severe water crisis for several years.

* Radiant floor heating/cooling, staggered ceilings and intermittent walls ensure easier and more efficient temperature control for individual rooms in winery facilities.

* Lights in the winery run at two-thirds capacity to save energy; some rooms (although not the ones where they store the wine) rely largely on natural light, which not only saves energy but also creates a better environment for employees (I can attest to this, seeing as how I work in a dark corner that hasn’t seen the sun since approximately 1972).

* Fully jacketed fermentation tanks allow for precise (and more energy-efficient) temperature control, which both saves energy and gives the winemaker greater control over the fermentation process.

The lake at Michel-Schlumberger

* The winery reuses 100% of its wastewater; this is something I’m seeing at more and more California wineries, including Benziger and Michel-Schlumberger (above).

* Recycled materials (at least 10%) were used in the walls of the winery, and the old facility was dismantled and recycled. A good portion of the materials used in the new facility came from within 500 miles of the winery (reducing the fossil fuels required to transport them).

Photovoltaic panels on the roof of Hall Winery.

* Photovoltaic panels on the roof (left) generate, on average, about 25% of the energy used annually, according to Curry. They cover an entire acre.

A few extra eco-friendly steps that don’t factor into LEED certification:

* All of Hall’s vineyards are organically farmed; while the grapes are hand-harvested, all equipment used in the vineyards runs on biodiesel.

* To deter grape-eating birds, Hall uses owl boxes (to attract predators) rather than streamers (a common deterrent).

Oh, and their Cabernets are fantastic. For wine lovers who care about the environment, the LEED certification is icing on the cake.

When it comes to natural winemaking, I’m pretty much in the dark. I think organic practices are great, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not a make-or-break selling point for me right now — I generally won’t choose a wine just because it’s organic. And the biodynamic movement (which seems to be organic plus a dash of New Age spirituality) makes me a little leery, but there must be something to it or it wouldn’t have caught on the way it has.

But natural winemaking? What does that even mean? Well, it depends on whom you ask. As Jon Bonné points out in this week’s Thirst column, many winemakers are doing it without even being aware of the term — so it’s probably safe to assume that most consumers know even less about it.

San Francisco Natural Wine Week sought to change that. I had to miss the vast majority of it due to work, but I did manage to make it to Tuesday’s tasting at Biodivino, an Italy-focused wine shop on Russian Hill that I’d never visited before. There were a couple dozen people packed into a very small space (even spilling out onto the sidewalk), so my notes aren’t as thorough as they could be, but here’s how it went down.

Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Bianco 2008 (Etna, Sicily): Herbaceous, vegetal nose. Dry and lean with floral and herbal notes, grapefruit, lemongrass, a touch of minerals. Made from a blend of four native grapes. $20.  (For more information about Tenuta delle Terre Nere, see this post from Skurnik Wines.)

Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosato 2008 (Etna, Sicily): Floral nose with lemon custard and orange blossom aromas. Golden pink color. This is a dry rosé with citrus overtones tempered by soft melon, mandarin orange and a hint of honey. $20.

Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso 2008 (Etna, Sicily): Nose is filled with rich red fruits, chocolate and toasted oak. A very dry red with silky tannins and herbal undertones, cocoa and red berries. $20.

Salvo Foti “Vinupetra” Etna Rosso (Etna, Sicily): Rustic, barnyard aromas with dark fruits. Lovely plush fruit flavors with herbal zest, a touch of vanilla, caramel and meat spices. $73.

Azienda Agricola COS Rami Bianco 2008 (Ragusa, Sicily): Very fruity nose with melon, lemon curd and honeysuckle. Dry and herbaceous on the palate — I got lime zest, grapefruit, dill and white pepper. Very … pure. I don’t know how else to describe it. $26.

Azienda Agricola COS Cerasuolo di Vittoria 2006 (Ragusa, Sicily): Nose of ripe dark fruits with an herbal streak and a hint of petroleum. Fruit-forward flavors spiked with black pepper and rosemary. $30.

Azienda Agricola COS “Pithos” 2006 (Ragusa, Sicily): This wine is the same as the Cerasuolo di Vittoria, but aged in clay amphorae rather than concrete. The nose is plush and full of bright red fruits — downright juicy. In the mouth, herbal flavors dominate against a background of dark berries, plum and black pepper. Almost austere. Far less fruit-forward than the Cerasuolo. $42.

Ariana Occhipinti SP68 Rosso Vittoria (Ragusa, Sicily): Fruity nose carries grape jelly and blackcurrants. Rich, full, juicy fruits wash over the tongue, followed by currants, raspberries and a slight vegetal streak. $28.

Cascina degli Ulivi “Filagnotti” Gavi 2006 (Piemonte): Nose of lemon custard, orange blossom, Red Delicious apple. Floral on the palate with lemon, rose petal, vanilla, custard. $26.

Massa Vecchia Rosso NV (Maremma, Tuscany): Very plush, ripe nose tinged with pepper and blackcurrant. Herbal flavors dominate. Dry with strong tannins, blackberries, black cherry. $41.

Omero Moretti Sagrantino 2004 (Umbria): Nose carries black cherry, oak and a touch of blackberries. Look for flavors of cedar, pepper, smoke, earth, dark fruits. Strong tannins — cries out for food. $37.

And now, on to Georgia (the country), Village Kisiskhevi:

Vinoterra Tsinandali 2007: Nose has anise, lemon, basil and pepper. Very austere in the mouth, with citrus, herbs, grass and white pepper. Racy — sort of akin to Sauvignon Blanc. A pretty good value at $15.

Vinoterra Mstvane 2005: Fascinating golden color with a touch of orange. This wine sits on the skins in amphorae for six months; then the wine spends two years in French oak. Mellow at first, then gains intensity; that said, it’s very dry and herbal, hardly a hint of fruit. $21.

Vinoterra Saperavi 2003: This wine spends 20 days in amphorae and two years in French oak. Light red color, light body. Rich, fruity nose with a bracing backbone of oak, but the flavor is very dry and oaky with firm tannins. $23.

The bottom line? Nothing knocked my socks off, but I was glad to have a chance to try wines from Georgia for the first time (and they were fairly good; I’d buy the Tsinandali again) and to check out a good sampling of amphora-aged wines. But for natural winemaking to take off, they’re going to need more cohesive standards and stronger marketing — the concept has a lot going for it, but it’s not going to reach the Yellow Tail crowd anytime soon. That said, the organic/natural movement shows no signs of slowing down, so who knows? Here’s hoping the first San Francisco Natural Wine Week isn’t the last.

Shameful confession: Every August, I meet a few dozen of my closest friends for a weekend of geekery at a sci-fi convention. Some people actually participate in the convention, but we also have our own track of seminars on topics of interest to us. Last year I led a wine tasting for the first time. I way overplanned, but it was a hit, so this year I did another one with a tighter focus: Wines Liz Likes That Cost Less Than $20 And Are Reasonably Easy To Find. This tasting was designed for people who don’t know much about wine and are interested in a general introduction. Here’s the list:

Cuvaison Carneros Chardonnay 2007 (Napa County, Calif.; $15-$20) – I rarely have anything nice to say about California Chardonnay, but I quite like this one. It’s organic, which is trickier than it sounds; the winery also takes steps to control runoff and recycle water. The nose offers rich pear, pineapple and melon; on the palate, expect a creamy mouthfeel with lemon meringue, pineapple, custard, vanilla, pear, green apple, butterscotch and just the right touch of oak.

I can’t really recommend any other Chardonnays from California – if you hate the typical oaky butter bombs as much as I do, look for “unoaked” or “stainless steel” on the label. Otherwise, turn to France and Chile for purer expressions of this grape.

Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2008 (Casablanca Valley, Chile; $8-$13) – Wine Spectator Best Buy (89 points). Lemon zest, lime, orange, wet stones, faint minerals and grass on the fresh, clean nose. Racy minerals, herbs, white pepper, zesty citrus and ginger are the primary flavors, with lime and grapefruit rising to prominence on the finish. One of my New World favorites – it’s hard to go wrong with Chile’s Sauvignon Blancs these days, frankly. Fermented in stainless steel.

Also try: Trader Joe’s Kiwi Cuvée (France; $4); Murphy-Goode North Coast Sauvignon Blanc “The Fumé” ($10-$12); 2008 Geyser Peak California Sauvignon Blanc ($10); Rodney Strong 2007 Charlotte’s Home Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc ($12).

Domaine de Colette Beaujolais-Villages Rosé 2008 (France; $12, Blackwell’s): This is my new favorite summer wine. The hue is a lovely salmon pink. Ripe, fresh strawberries and raspberries on the nose with a faint touch of orange. Unusual for a rosé in that it is very tart and acidic – lemon is prominent, yielding slightly to melon and peach. The acidity is crisp and bracing, though a touch of sweetness provides balance. Light and refreshing.

Also try: 2008 Gustafson Family Dry Creek Mountain Vineyard Rosé of Syrah (Sonoma County, CA; $20, gfvineyard.com); 2009 Vina Maquis Calcu Rosé (Colchagua Valley, Chile; $11, klwines.com); Gundlach Bundschu Tempranillo Rosé ($20, gunbun.com); 2008 Chateau Routas Rosé (Provence, France; $12)

Alamos Pinot Noir 2007 (Argentina; $10-$15) – This light-bodied Argentine Pinot is always a hit when I bring it to tango class. Look for cherry and blackberry aromas mingled with spices; on the palate, expect candied cherry and vanilla up front, with pepper, cardamom and oak emerging on the long, smooth finish.

Also try: 2008 Redtree California Pinot ($10); 2008 Hangtime Pinot Noir (Burgundy, France; $3, Trader Joe’s); Tabali Reserva Especial Pinot Noir Limari Valley 2008 (Chile; $18, specialty stores)

Morgon “Les Pierres Fines” (Appellation Morgon Controlée) Red Table Wine 2007 (France; $6, Trader Joe’s) – This is a light and lively Beaujolais that doesn’t require food but gets along well with lighter fare. The nose carries spices, currants, a touch of earth and heat. In the mouth, look for playful spices, red berries, cumin, cinnamon and white pepper; uncomplicated, but very sprightly. Refrigerate for 20 minutes before drinking.

Also recommended: Waitsmast 2007 Pinot Noir, Wentzel Vineyard (Anderson Valley, Calif.; $42, waitsmast.com); 2005 Bricco del Cucu “Bricco San Bernardo” Dogliani DOCG (Italy; $17, klwines.com); 2005 Bodega Weinert Carrascal Red Lujan de Cuyo (Mendoza, Argentina; $12, klwines.com)

Albero Spanish Organic Red Wine (Tempranillo Barrica; $6, Trader Joe’s) – Warm, spicy and rustic aromas on the nose with a touch of cocoa and tobacco. Red currant, blackberry and plum flavors spiked with pepper and cumin wash over the palate, with the spices growing in intensity as the fruit flavors fade. Lively, with vivid tannins and insistent acidity. Great with gazpacho, paella and lighter meats, but also just fine on its own.

Also recommended: El Coto De Imaz Reserva 2001 (Rioja, Spain; $20 or so, specialty stores); Capote Velho (nonvintage; Portugal; $10, specialty stores); 2005 Vinos de Terruños “LaMilla” Monastrell Jumilla (Spain; $8, klwines.com)

Alexander & Fitch Winery Alexander Valley Merlot 2006 (Calif.; $8, Trader Joe’s) – My go-to Merlot. Reddish burgundy color with ruby glints. The vividly peppery nose gives way to dark berries, plum, earth and minerals. Bright, juicy blackberry flavors leap out at first, followed by pepper and light oak; brief but lively spices flare on the finish. This will stand up well to red meat and more robust sauces.

Also recommended: Finca El Portillo Merlot 2007 (Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina; $10); Teira Merlot 2006 (Sonoma County; $15); 2006 Pedroncelli Dry Creek Valley Merlot (Sonoma County; $14); 2007 Santa Ema “Reserve” Merlot (Maipo Valley, Chile; $10)

Rosenblum Cellars California Zinfandel Vintner’s Cuvee XXXI ($10.99): Aromas of black cherry, red berries, black pepper and vanilla. Berry flavors follow through on the palate, accompanied by a touch of oak along with cinnamon and other baking spices. Medium-bodied with lively acidity; pairs well with pizza.

Also try: Dry Creek 2006 Heritage Zinfandel (Sonoma County; $17.99, grocery stores); La Capilla 2006 Old Vine Zinfandel Reserve (Lodi, Calif.; $20, specialty stores); So Zin 2005 Mendocino County Zinfandel (California; $15, specialty stores)

All wines available at most major grocery or liquor stores unless otherwise indicated.