The best summertime red wine that pairs well with the widest variety of meals from salads to pastas is pinot noir.

Of course, the most revered pinot noir in the world is produced in the Burgundy region of France, but only Russian oligarchs and Saudi princes can afford to drink that stuff on a regular basis.

And with all due respect to Burgundy, there have been other pinot noir producers, principally in the US, that have begun to challenge the vinous supremacy of France to make exceptional wine.

The most-accomplished region to give the Burgundians a run for their money is Oregon, where the pinot noir grown and crafted in the Willamette Valley is not only qualitatively competitive, but also within the economic reach of most wine lovers.

The northern Willamette Valley, just south of Portl

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