Winesday

Peter - Put my nose in the glass and get this chocolate aroma. But then take a sip and the wine tastes surprisingly juicy with a little smoke. Seems remarkably smooth at first, but then about halfway through the glass I start noticing some spice on the end. It's delicious all the way around. A perfect pairing would be the andouillette in mustard sauce that I had at L'Amphitryon in Lyon back in 2007, but the cost of airfare will force me to settle for the choucroute maison from Luke. (Give me 2 lbs of pork products and take me straight to heaven.) Or I could finish my meal at Cowbell by pairing a glass with a slice of their Chocolate City.

Rene - Best to let this bottle sit and open up. On the nose, I smell cedar, a cigar box or humidor. Taste red fruit and licorice with almost a sherry-like dryness. High in alcohol but not harsh and long finish of spice. Would like to have this wine over the course of two dishes at MiLa. First the sweetbreads with truffled grits and bacon sherry jus would pair nicely with the woodsy and spice flavors. Then the braised veal cheeks would get along quite well with the juicier flavors of the wine after it has opened up.

Joe the Wine Guy - Here we have the Orogeny 2007 Green Valley Pinot Noir. This wine displays crystalline and red fruit character from grapes grown within Sonoma County's Russian River Valley. The texture is opulent, with a firm, integrated tannin structure at 14.4% alcohol. Hints of toffee from barrell aging heighten the nose and linger on the fruit-imbued finish. Enjoy this pinot noir's lush flavors with a broad range of entrees, including beef tenderloin, roast lamb or poultry, grilled pork or salmon, and especially pasta or risotto dishes laden with wild mushrooms. This wine retails for $39 and is poured at Emeril's Delmonico and Le Foret.