© 1997 JDM Enterprises STONE CREEK UPDATEby Jerry D. MeadStone Creek has always been synonymous with value. And Stone Creek was an absolute pioneer in promoting Merlot as a popularly priced wine available in reasonably large quantities. From humble beginnings as a purely "negociant" brand, Stone Creek now has its own warm and welcoming winery tasting room in the heart of Sonoma Valley and its own award-winning winemaker in Erin Green. And Stone Creek is one of the few brands not to make major price increases during the wine shortage of the past couple of years. I actually double-checked that all the prices I'm quoting today are the full retail, and not the discount prices that might only be available in a few stores. In fact, most of the prices quoted are on the high side. Every wine scores high for value. Stone Creek wines have broad national distribution. If your retailer doesn't stock them, it should be possible to order them. Or you can call the winery to track down the nearest retail outlet: Stone Creek Wines, 9380 Sonoma Hwy., Kenwood, CA 95452 (707) 833-4455. One of the ways that Stone Creek helped hold the price line was to buy bulk wine where there wasn't a shortage...namely the south of France. Several other California wineries have been doing the same thing with wines from Chile and France, but tried to hide the origin of the wines by placing that information on the back label. On the Stone Creek wines that are "French" it says so right on the front label. At the same time that Stone Creek was going across the big pond to find good wine at reasonable prices, they were paying top prices for Sonoma County grapes to go into new "Chairman's Reserve" wines that winemaker Green hand crafted to be the winery's top of the line brand. Stone Creek 1996 "French" Sauvignon Blanc ($7) With the specific appellation of Vin de Pays d'Oc, from which much of the best value wine of France is coming these days, this Sauvignon Blanc is fuller bodied than many California versions. Ripe grapefruit and undertones of mild herbaceousness. Handles bolder foods than you might expect...match it to the same foods for which you might ordinarily choose a Chardonnay. Rating 85/88 Stone Creek 1996 "California" Chardonnay ($7) A tasty little wine...but what a value! Pleasant vanilla notes on top of apple, pear and melon fruit. Drier and more food friendly than most wines at this price. Rating: 85/91 Stone Creek 1996 "California" White Zinfandel ($6) A summer sipper...nothing more, nothing less. Beautiful strawberry red color, with hints of fresh strawberry juice aroma and flavor. Moderately sweet. Rating: 82/85 Stone Creek 1995 "French" Merlot ($8) Soft, fruity, light and appealing with its delicate body and bright cherry flavors. Nothing to write home about, but very drinkable and will work with lots of summer foods...like a cold roast chicken picnic for example. Rating: 85/88 Stone Creek 1995 "California" Merlot ($8) For the same price, the California version offers much more...more fruit, flavor and body. Ripe black cherry flavors with a bit of black currant. Soft, supple, velvety. A wine that will appeal to beginning red wine drinkers. Rating: 87/94 Stone Creek 1995 "California" Zinfandel ($7) A little young and grapey, but with good berry flavors. Very pleasant medium bodied mouthfeel. A lovely hamburger and barbecue wine. Rating: 85/92 Stone Creek 1996 "Sonoma-Chairman's Reserve" Pinot Noir ($13.50) Cherry and cranberry fruit with a pleasant hint of rose hips. Some earthy-leathery complexity beginning to develop. Light to medium bodied. Very good companion to salmon, tuna or veal. Rating: 88/86 Stone Creek 1994 "Sonoma-Chairman's Reserve" Merlot ($16.50) A gold medal winner and the kind of wine most people expect when they buy Merlot. Interesting flavors but no tough tannins. Cherry and cherry-stone fruit with just a touch of green olive. Nicely wooded, lean and already showing complexity. Rating: 89/85
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MORE HEALTH NEWSMany recent medical studies have shown moderate wine consumption to be healthy and especially beneficial at reducing heart disease. Some studies, like one in Copenhagen in 1995, showed that only wine, of beverages containing alcohol, "...clearly reduces both the risk of dying from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease and the risk of dying from other causes," according to the British Medical Journal.A new study by Arthur Klatsky, M.D. of Kaiser Permanente and reported on in the American Journal of Cardiology supports the earlier studies, except it shows a protective effect with moderate consumption of all three beverage groups, wine, beer and spirits. The only catch is the definition of "moderation." Most American studies define "moderation" in very conservative terms of one to two drinks per day. The Copenhagen Study showed greatest benefit to those who drank three to five glasses of wine per day. Wines are scored using a unique 100 point system. First number rates quality; second number rates value.
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