Choosing a good wine made easy
By Daniel Wolowicz camarillo@theacorn.com

SO MANY CHOICES—Leslie Sheehan, co-owner of Cousins Wine Tasting in Camarillo, stands at her well-stocked bar, offering just about any type of wine to be sampled and enjoyed by local enthusiasts. Sheehan says choosing a wine to complement a holiday dinner doesn’t need to be complicated.

Dinner parties—especially during the holiday season—are a relaxing way to share tasty food, enjoy good conversation and spend time with friends and family.

For many, bringing a bottle of wine to a dinner is a time-honored way to say thank-you to the hosts for opening their home for the evening.

The problem, though, is most people are at a loss when selecting a bottle of wine from among the hundreds of different labels that literally span the globe and crowd a wine store’s shelves.

Sure, there are some wine enthusiasts who would argue that choosing the right wine must be done with great pretense and study.

But the world of wine doesn’t have to be complicated.

Wine connoisseurs, in simplest terms, are usually divided into two camps. One camp believes in the classic pairings of food and wine, such as a red wine with red meat or white wine with fish or fowl. Then there are those who think that any wine can pair with any food, depending on either the sauce or the principal seasoning used in the dish.

Both camps seem to agree, though, that pinot noir—a good pinot noir—pairs nicely with just about anything that’s served.

“If you’re going somewhere and you’re not really sure what the host or hostess is serving in terms of a sauce, it (pinot noir) crosses over a lot of times,” said Leslie Sheehan, co-owner of Cousins Wine Tasting in Camarillo. “You have a little bit more range with a pinot noir because it’s not as heavy.”

Following Rex Pickett’s 2004 novel “Sideways” and the subsequent film—which chronicles the adventures of two friends during a week exploring the wineries of California’s Central Coast—Pinot noir’s popularity skyrocketed and has since become a tabletop favorite.

“You’ll never go wrong with a pinot noir,” said George Annino, who’s worked in the wine section at the Trader Joe’s in Westlake Village for 15 years. “But the fact is, you have to find the right pinot.”

Antonio Anderson, owner of Enoteca Toscana Wine Bistro in Camarillo, said the best pinot noirs are those from Oregon, the Burgundy region in France and select areas in California. Anderson recommends Mark West Winery and Foxen Vineyards for enjoyable pinot noirs.

Sheehan also recommends pinot noir from Foxen and suggested Talley Vineyward as another vintner of tasty, yet reasonably priced, pinots.

Annino said he likes pinot noir made by Black Mountain and Rodney Strong vineyards.

Because the Burgundy region of France and parts of Oregon are at the same latitude, pinot noirs from the similar climate of Oregon also have become popular.

“Oregon pinots will be a little heavier,” Sheehan said. “They are really popular right now and sometimes their prices will be a little less. Raptor Ridge in Oregon makes a nice, modestly priced pinot noir.”

The three local wine aficionados agree that pinot noirs are typically more expensive than most other varietals. They said, however, that the few extra dollars are well worth it.

Enoteca Toscana, at 2088 E. Ventura Blvd., offers $12 wine tastings every Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m.

Cousins, at 2390-F Las Posas Road, hosts $10 to $15 wine tastings, depending on the wine served, Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m.