Alaska and wine

They say that good Pinot Noir under $20 is hard to find. Who are “they”? I just finished a glass of an $18 McKinlay Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley and it was perfect. It was light, easy to see through and not necessarily promising much at first. But the first sniff dispels that, there is an elegance and refinement that says it was treated properly, even though it was common juice. Upon tasting, you know you just scored a bargain. It has the light mouthfeel I associate to Pinot; a mid-palette that threatens to get bitter, but the fruit finish balances that out and your mouth is left with a solid presence of the wine.

Now, on to “they.” If you’re here, in Alaska, you must know… our wine store selection is lacking. We only recently got a WineStyles, and LaBodega is making moves to become more of a boutique wine and beer store. But, it still is lacking, in my opinion. And, as we Alaskans know, we’re a bit different. We can’t easily just buy wine from the great online distributors (like K&L) without paying 70, 80, or 90 dollars for shipping, which I’ve done many times.

So, I propose a conglomeration, a contingent, a force to reckon with on the wine scene… we want information! We are intelligent consumers, interested in what’s out there, and wanting information about what is available locally. Who’s with me??? I know, I know… there are about 5 other readers of this blog. Ah well, the Pinot is tasting good.