Enoteca

No, I'm not talking about the tech firm from Office Space, rather Enoteca is the Italian word for "wine cellar" and just so happens to be the namesake of the new wine bar in Corvallis. Located at 136 Washington (and riverfront) in the Renaissance Condo building, Enoteca is a welcome addition to the Corvallis food and wine scene. A group of us checked out the new digs this evening after a great dinner at Block 15.

Upscale, classy, yet relaxed, Enoteca has an abundant selection of wines that cover the spectrum of varietals and appellations and are reasonably priced all the while. Ample selections of both red and white by the bottle from California, Italy, Australia, and of course Oregon tantalize customers and an adequate by the glass selection is available as well. The food menu is *just* large enough to meet OLCC regulations for food service with alcohol; the dessert plate we had was tasty with a selection of truffles, fruit, and candied nuts. It paired nicely with the 2002 Kiona Reserve Estate Cabernet that we enjoyed.

In a unique blending of market segments, Enoteca serves espresso and coffee as well -- catching the morning crowd with caffeine and the evening crowd with alcohol. Details are the key, with custom monogrammed wine glasses, local furniture from Inkwells, and a unique menu concept. Local ownership rounds out the package, in fact 4 of the 6 owners live in the building. Outstanding customer service was the icing on the cake to a fine evening. I'm hesitant to post this because I want Enoteca to be *our little secret*. I'll do my duty, though, and gladly share.

Watch out, Sahalie, there is a new show in town...

PS: Enoteca is hosting a grand opening tomorrow, April 12, rumored to have some pretty nice bottles open for tasting!

Kiona - Red Mountain Chenin Blanc 2004 Ice Wine

Yes, this is the Oregon Wine Blog. Yes, we already have a Washington Correspondent who does a great job, but why should he get all the fun? Part of the reason I am reviewing this wine is because it came in my recent Willamette Valley Creme du Cru quarterly shipment.

I first got introduced to Kiona Winery in December of last year when invited to go to some of the vineyards in the Tri-Cities area of Washington. I remember they were building their larger tasting room, which is now open, but at the time it was inside of the owner's house - very quaint and intimate setting. The Red Mountain Chenin Blanc Ice Wine is a dessert wine, harvested late in the season after the first frosts and freezes of the year. This is a sweeter wine, so for those of you who are not big fans, this might not be the one for you.

I enjoy the nose on this wine - when you sniff it, you can smell the sugar, initially, but then you are able to catch the full citrus aroma of the grapes. The nose almost makes you think that there might be apples and pears in it. This could be due to the fact that the Chenin Blanc "showcases aromas of citrus, melon, and pears" and has a "tart green apple finish."

When swirled, the glass gets a nice coat. The initial taste of this wine is one that will be a sweeter on the palate, but then subsides relatively quickly and you are left with a lingering citrus after taste. If you give yourself a few moments after each sip, you feel as if you have eaten a couple of sweet grapes.

I definitely find this to be a good wine to sit and unwind with or one to help start off the week on a Sunday evening.