Eric Asimov of The Pour has posted an interesting commentary entitled, A Plea for Finesse, which once again confirms why I think he's one of the better wine critics/bloggers out there.

Like Eric, I find it a rare occasion where I am able to enjoy a high alcohol wine with a meal. In fact, many of the big fruit bomb cabs or syrahs from Washington are more enjoyable as dessert wines or merely as cocktail wines. Even with high alcohol pinot noir from Oregon, I avoid them altogether, regardless how balanced they might taste. Unfortunately, both states produce some white wines that are far too high alcohol for food.

Speaking of Oregon, Eric comments on the uniformity of New World pinot noir, as a result of winemakers relying on a narrow selection of clones. He shares a story about tasting several different pinot noirs all made by the same winemaker but with different types of pinot noir grapes. In drinking more Oregon pinot noir these last couple of years, I have discovered a certain narrowness to these wines, with many tasting too similar to distinguish one from another.

Finally, a note on Eric and his blog The Pour. Eric shares stories about his experiences drinking wine with food. It's a departure from most wine reviews, where the focus is on merely tasting the wine by itself. I also like how Eric goes beyond the bottle to share stories about the people and places behind each wine. I highly recommend The Pour be added to your blog list.