Well, at least the guy responsible for bringing it to market in the 60′s. And Power Bars. And Hidden Valley Ranch. But it’s his recent creations that belong on this site – soft elegant award-winning wines out of Northern California.
I had the pleasure of having Dr. Chaim Gur-Arieh, owner of C.G. Di Arie Vineyard & Winery pour me a selection of his wines at one of our favorite hangs, the Park Avenue Wine Bar in Barrington, IL:
- 2009 Sauvignon Blanc from the Shenandoah Valley
- 2008 Rosé Di Arie from the Sierra Foothills
- 2007 “Block 4″ Primitivo
- 2006 Shenandoah Valley Zinfandel
- 2006 “Southern Exposure” Zinfandel
- 2005 Syrah that I regrettably couldn’t get to in time – WIND Chicago’s Frank Mahoney and Tom Jiaris had to tear down the tasting and setup for their live wine podcast. That’s the kind of cool stuff they do at Park Avenue.
The “Southern Exposure” was a REAL stand-out. Dark fruits, vanilla and black pepper give way to a balanced, nutmeggy “It’s Christmas in my mouth” finish.
Chaim was full of amusing stories, he’s married to a former Ballerina (who by the way designs the wine labels), has only been doing wine for nine years (although it was always a dream) and he even used to live in my neighborhood. He’s even patented his own fermentation tank.
This guy has a Ph.D for knowing what tastes good and how to make it for the last 40 years – so I look forward to drinking more of his wines.
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