© Copyright 1998 by Robin Garr. All rights reserved.

Pine Ridge Winery 1996 Napa Valley "La Petite Vigne TSIFG" ($9.99) All the faux French on this bottle label made me a little suspicious, frankly, as I find most California wines that overdo the Frenchiness taste anything but "French" in style. So I wasn't expecting much, and what I found figurately knocked my socks off: This wine is dry and crisp and full and complex, almost a dead ringer for a quality Vouvray from the Loire. I'd declare it one of the best $10 white wines I've tasted this year. It's a clear straw color, with a musky melon scent and that earthy, almost cheesey Chenin Blanc aroma that really does speak of the Loire. Full-bodied, dry and tart on the palate, its rich flavors follow the nose, clean and consistent in a very long finish. (Aug. 7, 1998) FOOD MATCH: Fine with a salade Niçoise. Have you tasted this wine? E-mail me your tasting notes, and I'll consider adding them to this page. Previous day's wine note All my wine-tasting reports are consumer-oriented. In order to maintain objectivity and avoid conflicts of interest, I purchase all the wines I rate at my own expense in retail stores.