I had my first — and only — bottle of Sean Thackrey’s wine on May 24, 2002, a bottle of the 1995 Orion (which the label professed not to know what grape varietal it was made of but which was likely Syrah), which I found in a mixed case lot at a Bonhams & Butterfield wine auction. My tasting notes read: “Fabulous plum and black cherry, no tannin, hint of spice and pepper, nuts, hazelnut, excellent balance. A perfect Syrah in every way. A+” If it is Syrah, that is.

Attempts to locate additional bottles of Orion have failed, though once in a while I see it at absurd prices on wine lists. (I paid 25 bucks, an equally absurd bargain.)

Now San Francisco Magazine is making it even harder for me. It’s gushing profile of Thackrey elevates his wine into the realm of the cult bottlings, but it provides some deep insight into the man, an idiosyncratic winemaker if ever there’s been one. The photos alone tell a fantastic story, which you should go read now if you’re a wine lover at all.

The good(?) news: Thackrey is looking to increase production, so perhaps I’ll get another shot at Orion before I die. Will the quality remain the same? Let’s hope for the best!

Founded in 1861, Charles Krug is Napa Valley’s oldest winery. I know this because it says so right on the label of Krug’s 2005 Cabernet. Now operated by Peter Mondavi and his family, Krug wines are still alive and kicking.

The 2005 Charles Krug Cabernet Sauvignon Yountville - Napa Valley is actually a curious blend: 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 6% Syrah, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Merlot, and 1% Carignan, but it’s hardly a mutt of a wine. The Cab core really shines here, offering a classic herbal and currant punch that immediately screams Cabernet. Some coffee in the finish, which may or may not work with food, depending on your state of mind.

The finish is long but the tannin is awfully intense right now. I’d suggest a few years of mellowing in bottle to make this a little more approachable. Right now it’s nice as an after-dinner wine, but I think it will improve considerably by 2011 or so. Considering the price, it’s not a bad buy.

B+ / $27 / charleskrug.com

Sonoma County’s vintners threw an enormous event in a far-too-small and wholly-unorganized ballroom at San Francisco’s Four Seasons this week, showcasing some of the areas wines (in fact, all 13 Sonoma County AVAs were represented). I only managed to taste a small fraction of the more-than-100 wineries pouring at the event, but some truly inspired wines were poured.

Some favorites: Of course, hat’s off again to Olson Ogden Wines, who had not just two Syrahs (tasted previously at Rhone Rangers, with similar results) but also an outstanding Pinot Noir, too. John Olson (who deemed his not-yet-released Pinot too harsh for the time being; I felt it was perfectly fine) turned me on to his neighbor from MacMurray Ranch (purchased decades ago by the late, great actor Fred MacMurray and still run by his daughter Kate). I’d never had MacMurray’s wines, but John was right: The soft Pinots were a knockout, and her Pinot Gris (a wine I’m normally not a fan of) was spot on, like a Sauvignon Blanc but full of perfume and flowery notes. Check out these wines when you see them.

Right down the line was Patz & Hall, whose Pinots I’ve had many times and which didn’t disappoint this time, either. Their Chardonnay was also a fruit-punch knockout.

Other wines of note: Restaurant-staple Flowers had its non-vineyard-designated wines here, and both were good, though not great. Really enjoyed the lone Zinfandel I tried, from A. Rafanelli, but their Cab was even better. And finally, I wrapped things up at Chalk Hill, famous for its Chardonnay but pouring a Cabernet Sauvignon which I didn’t even know existed. It might have been even better than its creamy, textbook, California Chard.

Kudos, by the way, to putting all of its wine on a path for sustainable and biodynamic growing. Some wines are already certified organic, too. They’re tasty, to boot.

Full ratings follow. Prices were not available at the event and aren’t included here.

2008 Sonoma in the City Tasting Report

2007 Benziger Sauvignon Blanc - A-
2006 Benziger Pinot Noir “Signaterra” Bella Luna - A-
2005 Benziger Merlot Sonoma County - B-
2005 Benziger Red, Reserve - B
2005 Benziger Tribute - A-
2006 MacRostie Chardonnay Wildcat Mountain - B+
2005 MacRostie Pinot Noir Wildcat Mountain - B
2004 MacRostie Syrah Wildcat Mountain - B-
2006 Matanzas Creek Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma County - B
2006 Matanzas Creek Chardonnay Sonoma County - A-
2004 Matanzas Creek Merlot Bennett Valley - A-
2005 Matanzas Creek Syrah Sonoma County - B-
2005 A. Rafanelli Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Creek Valley - A
2005 A. Rafanelli Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley - A-
2003 Silver Oak Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley - B-
2006 Chalk Hill Sauvignon Blanc Estate Bottled - A-
2005 Chalk Hill Chardonnay Estate Bottled - A-
2003 Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Bottled - A-
2006 Flowers Chardonnay Sonoma Coast - A-
2006 Flowers Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - A-
2005 Gary Farrell Pinot Noir Selection Russian River Valley - B-
2005 Gary Farrell Pinot Noir Allen Vineyard Russian River Valley - A-
2006 MacMurray Ranch Pinot Gris Sonoma Coast - A-
2006 MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - A
2006 MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir Russian River Valley - A-
2006 Olson Ogden Wines Pinot Noir Russian River Valley - A
2006 Olson Ogden Wines Syrah Sonoma County/Napa County - A
2006 Olson Ogden Wines Syrah Unti Vineyard Dry Creek Valley - A
2006 Patz & Hall Chardonnay Dutton Ranch Russian River Valley - A
2006 Patz & Hall Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - A

Created from grapes grown throughout Australia’s Barossa Valley, Barossa Valley Estate’s E Minor bottlings are real mutts of a wine, the product of labors of some 60 growers. Can a wine created from grapes from dozens of vineyards be any good? Let’s find out.

E Minor 2005 Barossa Valley Chardonnay is a new world Chardonnay, through and through. Not very challenging here, to be honest, just a white full of apple and peach fruit, lightly golden and only moderately oaky. There’s a mustiness in the finish that mars an otherwise just-fine experience, but give it a half hour in the glass and it fades, leaving a clean but uncomplicated Chardonnay core. B-

E Minor 2005 Barossa Valley Shiraz is actually a little better, surprisingly. The blend here is smooth and filled with cherry notes. Some chocolate in there, but it’s all very light on the whole. Anyone expecting a big and tough, spicy Shiraz will be disappointed, but those looking for something pleasant and uncomplicated as an aperitif or even with a light meal will enjoy this one a lot. B+

both $13 / bve.com.au

I had to laugh at a press release sent today from Hardys, the “no. 1 wine brand” in the UK, which stated that although wine is the “drink of choice” for 2/3 of British drinkers, almost a quarter of them thought that rosé was made from mixing red and white wine together.

I probably shouldn’t giggle. There was once a time when I didn’t know where rosé came from. (The truth: All grape juice is white at the start. Color comes from contact with the grape skins. Rosé is made from red grapes which are given only a brief contact with the skins — a few days — giving it a pinkish hue.)

Equally fun: “The research also suggests that traditional wine terminology is baffling consumers, with 1 in 8 thinking that a sommelier is a French perfumer and 10 per cent of people believing it’s a female pig farmer.”

Oink!

My dad once asked me what would happen if you took a bunch of different wines and mixed them together. Would they taste very good? The result would probably be something like Seven Daughters, curious and not entirely unsuccessful.

Two wines — a white and a red, both labeled nonvintage “California” wines, which means the grapes could come from any year and anywhere in the state — are available. The white is the greater success, comprising seven grapes (hence the name): Riesling, Symphony (had to look that one up), Chardonnay, Orange Muscat, Gewurztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, and French Colombard. Here, the sweeter flavors of Riesling, Orange Muscat, and Gewurztraminer take center stage, and the Sauvignon Blanc is clear as well. Chardonnay adds some body and creaminess to the wine, and the Colombard (which is the most prevalent grape here by percent volume), works largely just to be a base for everything else. The result is not bad at all, very full of fruit and easy to drink, much like a budget version of Caymus Conundrum, which has a blend that’s reminiscent of this wine. B+

The red is less of a hit. Comprising Syrah, Merlot, Zinfandel, Carignane, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon, here we get a lot of complexity that is not necessarily going to work together. Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel alone make for a rather clashing pair, and some of these other matchups (Syrah and Sangiovese?) don’t really work on paper, either. Sure enough, the red is green and herbal, almost bitter, with only light fruit shining through. There’s no sense of any varietal here, unlike with the white, and it comes across more like someone was trying to find seven grapes to make a wine out of rather than a concerted effort to make the perfect blend. C

both $15 / 7daughters.com

Robert Mondavi, the founding father of the California wine industry, passed away today at 94 years old. Mondavi was crucial to the development of fine wine in California. He founded his eponymous estate in 1966, already 53 years old, and turned California from a place best known for jug wine and drunk staples like Ripple into a worldwide powerhouse.

Mondavi created not just some memorable wines (some might even say world-class), but he also spawned a family that’s been instrumental in pushing forward the greater good of U.S. winemaking. Though Mondavi hit hard times a few years ago, ending with him selling his winemaking operation to Constellation Brands, he never ceased to be an inspiration for the Valley.

He will be missed, and I’ll be drinking a glass in his honor tonight.

For three years now, the good folks at Gallo have hunted for the best artisan foodstuffs to pair with their wines. This year, seven winners were chosen, and the company was good enough to send some samples along with a bottle of their 2006 Gallo Family Sonoma Reserve Pinot Gris as a pairing.

Both snacks were a hit, with or without the wine.

Anjou Bakery’s Fruit Nut Crostini ($11.50 per bag) is unlike any cracker you’ve had before, a crisp, thick, multigrain slab chock full of nuts and dried fruits and sprinkled with visible, coarse sugar crystals. Really good and unique if you’re into raisin bread and the like.

Lake Erie Creamery’s Blomma cheese was a huge contrast, a tart, lightly sour, creamy raw goat milk cheese with a very smooth consistency and very little in common with the usual, crumbly goat cheeses you get. Straight outta Cleveland, it’s not at all what you’d expect, and though it didn’t go well with the sweet Crostini, most of my visitors to whom I served it had no trouble eating it on its own.

Gallo Family’s Pinot Gris (B, $11) isn’t out of this world, but it was a nice accompaniment to both foods. The honey and apricot notes are simple, and my first glass was marred by a slight weediness. Surprisingly, that faded with some time exposed to air. Its fruitiness was far more encompassing after a few hours. Very pale and crisp, this is a nice little summer wine. Might I suggest you try it with some snacks?

Alice Feiring writes today in the Los Angeles Times that she’s quit drinking wine from California because, in her mind, the wines have become “overblown, over-alcoholed, over-oaked, overpriced and over-manipulated.”

It’s an old story, really: Some folks in the biz feel that certain critics (specifically Robert Parker) are being pandered to by winemakers who know what kind of wines they like. “Big wines” full of oak and heavy with alcohol are often the result.

It’s a fair point. There are wines that are so overdone that they are hard to drink. One wonders what critic actually enjoys them at all, but Parker seems to like them, and his ratings move cases.

But I disagree that California has lost its way. In fact, I find it’s easier than ever now to find outstanding wines with rich fruit and real terroir, wines that haven’t been manipulated and which will stand the test of time. Unfortunately there’s also plenty of average wine out there (and some downright bad wine, too). You just have to be willing to taste and taste a lot in order to find what works.

I take some issue with Feiring’s praise for Mike Dashe’s “un-Californian” wine which she defends vigorously. No, not that I’ve had Dashe’s wine, but that Feiring seems to have made up her mind about it based on how it was made before she tasted it. Ditto for Cathy Corison: Her praise seems largely based on low alcohol content than anything else. (I’m still trying to wrap my mind around how a wine can be “shockingly” elegant.) Really, isn’t Feiring simply subbing in her own prejudice for lighter style, less-alcoholic wines for Parker’s gut punchers? That old problem of “personal taste” rears its head again, proving that not all wines are for all drinkers, and that there really is something for everyone out there.

That is, after all, how White Zinfandel got started. Just ask Robert Parker what he thinks about that.

Thanks for the tip, Jairaj!

My earlier article on how wine is priced barely scratched the surface. If you really want to see wine pricing gone wild, check out Fortune’s story on how Bordeaux’s top chateaus price their wine, 90 percent of which is sold as futures before it ever gets into a bottle.

Every April some 5,000 buyers and wine professionals tour Bordeaux during “tasting week,” offering opinions on barrel samples and trying to judge how that wine might taste when it makes it to bottles. Producers take that feedback and price the wine based on “early orders and gut feelings.” Clearly, little of that pricing has anything to do with the actual cost of growing the grapes and making the wine. (In fact, it’s arguable that in “bad years,” when prices are depressed, the costs to make the wine are actually higher than in great years, since many producers have to keep grape quantities and bottle production down if the grape crop isn’t so hot.)

Supply and demand at work. Check out the full story at Fortune.