FOOD

Because we've discussed pork here, one of my favorite pairings for everything except the hams and BBQ'd pork dishes is pi- not noir. This beautiful and aromatic red wine pairs well with the subtle flavors and textures of pork tenderloins, chops and shoulder roasts - the predominant cuts of the pig.

First a short history of the queen of grapes:

Pinot Noir has been grown in France - its homeland - for ap- proximately 2,000 years beginning prior to the Roman invasion of the Gaul's fiefdoms. The careful record-keeping of the monks who man- aged the vineyards in Burgundy show meticulous analysis of which vines where planted where, which vines worked and didn't work on different hectares, soil type configurations, cloning practices, vintage variations, disease infestations and more. Yes - the monks had a lot of time on their hands. This careful record keeping resulted in the parcels in Burgundy being designated with formalized levels of classification.

Washington State does not grow much Pinot Noir though there is some scattered acreage where experimental blocks are having some minor success. One of the major problems that Washington state viticulturists face is our winter weather swings are more drastic and potentially devastating to these delicate vines than that of the Oregon wine-grape growing regions and our summer growing season in the cooler areas of the state are unpredictable at best. Of course to make pinot noir someone needs to grow it. With that in mind there is enough pinot noir planted in Washington State for some folks to make a go of it - sometimes with decent results. While some grow- ers like Celilo are well known, some of these vineyards are pretty remote so you may not have known that they were even around: Celilo Vineyards, Evergreen Vineyard, Bergh Vineyard, Blue Lake Vineyard, Lake Chelan Vineyard, Underwood Mountain, Bain- bridge Island Vineyards and Winery, and Rattlesnake Hills all grow limited amounts of pinot noir.

If we look back to the early 1970s, it was not long ago that the naysayers were doing the same when David Lett planted the Eyrie Vineyard in Oregon and invoked the same "you'll never be able to pull that off" response. As Mr. Lett, now the acknowledged godfa- ther of Oregon Pinot Noir proved in Oregon, the same thing could happen in the future of Washington once the proper locations have been discovered.

This month's wines:

I am sticking to Oregon for today's recommendations because it is easier to find these wines close to home. I only write about wines that I have personally tasted. I do not apply numerical ratings. Pricing is based on averages across various retail outlets and can be confirmed simply by wandering the wine selection at your local retail store, searching online or picking up the phone. I do not accept donated wines for review; all wines have been personally purchased and tasted.

1. A to Z Wineworks 2010 Oregon Pinot Noir: bing cherries, cranberries and currants add a lively zing to this fresh and fruity style pinot noir. Reasonably priced for a youthful bottle. $20.

2. Benton Lane Winery 2009 Estate Pinot Noir: bright notes of cherries and roses, mushrooms, earth and graham cracker make this a nice medium-body style pinot noir for the money. I have gone back to these guys for years mainly because they have a good product at a reasonable price (for pinot noir). $20.

3. Cameron Winery 2009 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir: Bing cherries and blackberries, plums and quince with a dose of pie spice and earthy loam and damp for- est showcase this wine as the very French style it is year in and out. This wine falls firmly in the "yummy" category for those who enjoy a terroir-driven wine (tip of the hat to my dear friend for the "yummy" rating factor - you know who you arehellip; $25.

4. Adelsheim Vineyard 2010 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir: nose shows bright red fruits - cher- ries, pomegranate and raspberries with a whiff of nutmeg and mace. Good value for the complexity and bright and light enough to work well with chicken as well as pork. $28.