Un-California, uncorked and uncomplicated, Ponzi Vineyards Tavola Pinot Noir is a sexy light red with a screw-on top and a taste as smooth as a walk on the Silk Road. This seductive Oregon beauty begins with the richness of not-too-ripe red fruit wrapped in soft vanilla oak and finished with an almost imperceptible hint of Asian spice. On Wine Spectator’s Top 100 List, this south-of-Portland pinot is crafted with grapes grown exclusively in the lush Willamette Valley. The Ponzi family of wine pioneers have tamed the grapes and crafted a new noir that sits squarely between the full-fruit California style and its more earthy Burgundian brother. But it is Ponzi’s blend of elegance and flair that delivers the food-friendly guarantee.

Ponzi pinot is available BTG at Beausoleil, where it pairs perfectly with the Seared Duck Breast. Or head down Jefferson Highway to Churchill’s, where they sell Ponzi by the bottle for about $25. California pinots may have the power, but this Oregon pinot has the panache.