Lyric by Etude
The Etude Winery has been crafting fine pinot noir from the famed Fiddlesticks Vineyards and North Canyon Vineyards near Santa Barbara in California for over 30 years. With the dedication to detail from their winemaker, Rob Fischer, Etude has been producing and crafting outstanding wines in the Santa Barbara and Carneros AVAs in the Napa Valley area since 1982.
In classical music, an etude is a composition with a technical focus that allows the musician to practice a particular technique. So, too, Lyric by Etude is a wine that can be a challenge to make, but when made right is enjoyable for its delicate and beautiful bright fruit flavors. I have always liked pinot noir from the Fiddlesticks Vineyard, and I feel this wine over-delivers for the price. Just like a song’s lyrics give meaning to its melody, the vineyard gives a wine its unique nuance and character. The wine is aged 11 months in 100 percent French oak barrels, producing a silky rich texture.
Wine Cellar Notes: “This wine is rich in ripe cherry, red raspberry and fresh strawberry notes and is complex with hints of cinnamon, cardamom, sandalwood and cola. Offering an elegant structure, silky tannins and bright acidity, this pinot noir is a wonderful counterpart to a variety of dishes.” Pair this pinot noir with hearty cheeses, roast turkey with gravy, salmon, grilled or broiled lamb chops, meatloaf, pasta with cream sauce and pork roasted with herbs. It retails for $19.99.
Etude also makes Lyric Santa Barbara Chardonnay, which, according to Rob Fischer, “is crafted with very minimal winemaking intervention. The Lyric Chardonnay comes from the unique soils of the North Canyon and Cat Canyon Vineyards. Barrel-fermented, the wine is sur-lie aged in French oak barrels. Partial malolactic fermentation allows for a layered and balanced expression of this excellent chardonnay. The wine has tropical fruit and floral aromas that are balanced with fresh fruit flavors, a creamy texture and the spiced notes of this structured chardonnay.” This Chardonnay will enhance your salmon, shrimp, and chicken with cream sauce or any fish dish you make. It retails for $22.99.
You can order or find these outstanding Etude wines at Acme Fresh Markets, Heinen’s, Papa Joe’s, Buehler’s Fresh Foods, 750ml, Giant Eagle, Fishers Foods, Mustard Seed, Regency, or your favorite wine retailer in the Greater Akron Area.
Wine Wisdom: When looking for quality, imported wines, look for certain categories and designations that are legally defined. For example, on French wine labels, look for “Appellation d’Origine Controlée.” On Italian labels, look for “Denominazione di Origine Controllata.” Look on German labels for “Qualitatswein mit Pradikat” and on Spanish labels for “Denominacion de Origen Calificada.” Sometimes the top-made imported wines will use abbreviations on their labels, like “AOC” on French labels, “QmP” on German wines, and “DOC” on Spanish labels.