I believe I have seen the future of California wine, though the glimpse was fleeting and the proof, of course, will only be revealed over time.

I am talking about the "Burgundian" project — Freestone Vineyards — that is now coming to fruition for Joe and Bill Phelps, of the Napa Valley's renowned Joseph Phelps Vineyards. Freestone were initially made at the Phelps winery, but the wholly independent Freestone was untethered from Phelps once Freestone's own winery facility was completed in the cool Sonoma Coast region, just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean.

Now there is nothing unusual about a new winery opening in an up-and-coming viticultural region, particularly in California. What is eyebrow raising about Freestone is its edgy style, which cuts against the grain of recent wine trends emerging from California.

Freestone specializes now — and for the foreseeable future, according to Bill Phelps — in the Burgundian grape varieties, chardonnay and pinot noir. The top wines carry the Freestone name, and both are very particular. They are extremely European in tone, emphasizing firm structure — meaning good levels of acid and tannin — and lower levels of alcohol, without losing intensity or flavor.

I recently reviewed both wines and gave each high marks: 96 points for the chardonnay, 94 points for the pinot. Freestone isn't the first in California to produce chardonnay using this stylistic model — Kistler and Sonoma Cutrer have owned that territory for quite some time — but the fact that a Napa Valley icon has chosen to follow this path suggests to me the snowball is rolling down the mountain and beginning to gather momentum.

These are not fruit-driven wines in the sense of the "gobs and gobs of fruit" cookie-cutter wines so favored by scores of other California winemakers (have you ever had a pinot, for example, that exhibited the weight and flesh of a very ripe syrah?) and embraced by wine publications such as The Wine Spectator. Instead, there is a focus on balance, complexity and finesse, with earthy characteristics such as minerality that can be tied to a specific vineyard or region.

For fans of fleshier wines more in the California or New World style, Freestone has a second line of pinots and chardonnays called Fog Dog (pinot) and Ovation (chardonnay).

"Those are riper, juicier wines meant to be consumed immediately," said winemaker Theresa Heredia.

But Freestone is clearly the flagship and, I venture to predict, the cutting edge of the coming wave of similar wines, though Heredia refuses to take credit for setting the trend.

"The pendulum was already swinging back the other way," she said.

There is indeed some evidence of that. My tasting notes on the new wines — Alma Rosa is the label — from Santa Barbara County pinot noir pioneer Richard Sanford praise the scintillating leanness and minerality of the whites. Nickel & Nickel has carved a niche for itself with wines that exhibit balance and structure. Patz & Hall, once a proud purveyor of rich, buttery chardonnays, has completely reversed itself to more closely follow the Kistler-Sonoma Cutrer model.

But to me, the coming of the Phelps family to the party is the signal that the old ways of Helen Turley, famous winemaker given to over-the-top everything, and her ilk are dead. Phelps already makes the best cabernet in California (Phelps Insignia, officially a red meritage, is for all intents and purposes a cabernet). My money says the family will soon be making the best chardonnay and pinot, too.

For those like me who are fans of balance, elegance and finesse, nothing succeeds like success. In some parts of the world, they would say, "Good on you, Joe and Bill."

BEST BUY

Wines are rated on a 100-point scale. Wines are chosen for review because they represent outstanding quality or value.

Clos de los Siete 2007 Red Wine, Argentina ($18) — While not exactly a pure Bordeaux-style blend — there is a generous dash of Syrah — Michel Rolland's latest release of Clos de los Siete is a good example of Argentina's friendliness to the Bordeaux grape varieties, particularly malbec. That's the backbone of the blend at nearly half, with some merlot, cabernet and syrah fleshing out the other half. This vintage is fresh and supple, showing intense black-fruited aromas, seamless texture and well-measured oak. A tremendous value at this price, and a crowd-pleaser to boot! Rolland, of course, is the highly respected global wine consultant from Bordeaux, and he has extensive interests in both Argentina and Chile. Rating: 90.

TASTING NOTES

Signaterra 2007 Shone Farm Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Valley ($27) — Yet another outstanding effort from the Benziger family's line of limited-production wines made from carefully selected vineyard sites. The idea, of course, is to make distinctive wines that might be in some way unique. Bingo! The Shone Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, racy, complex sauvignon that is full of its own personality. Remarkably complex for a sauvignon, the '07 Shone exhibits succulent aromas of white peach and tangerine, with hints of green citrus and loads of flinty minerality, with inviting herbal overtones. Rating: 93.

Signaterra 2006 Bella Luna Vineyard Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley ($49) — This pinot is a product of the Benziger family's plunge into biodynamic viticulture, and it may well be the finest biodynamic wine they've produced to date. Intense aromas of strawberry and raspberry dominate the front of the palate, giving way to earthy forest floor notes in mid-palate, with hints of spice and mouth-watering acidity on the finish. I suspect this wine will improve over the next several years, though it is clearly a delicate expression of the pinot grape. Rating: 93.

Gosset Grande Reserve Brut Champagne, France ($68) — Even as I cringe at many of the prices coming out of Champagne, I am prepared to concede there is the occasional great value, such as this latest release of the multi-vintage Grande Reserve brut from Gosset. This is a dazzling Champagne, a cuvee crafted from three separate vintages using only grapes from grands and premier cru vineyards. The cuvee is a blend of pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay, with the black grapes assuming the dominant position. The wine was aged about five years on the yeast before disgorgement, and it shows. This is a rich, savory, complex Champagne that offers aromas of brioche, toasted almond and fig, remarkable depth and power, with a long, crisp finish. A stunner at this price. Rating: 92.

King Estate 2006 Block 4D "Clone 777" Pinot Noir, Oregon ($75) — King Estate's Block D Pinot Noir is a good expression of place, offering distinct aromas of blackberry and spice, and more intensity of aroma than the King Estate Domaine Pinot, with fleshier texture in mid-palate and a smooth, elegant finish that is the exclamation point to this very stylish Oregon Pinot. Rating: 91.

King Estate 2006 Domaine Oregon Pinot Noir, Oregon ($60) — While offering pretty red-fruit aromas and an inviting note of forest floor, King Estate's Domaine Pinot comes off slightly simple at this stage, though supple and seamless. If this were half the price — say $30 — I'd be all over it. But at $60 I'm a bit more reserved in my enthusiasm. There is a slight hint of green tea and bitter tannin on the finish that could be hiding the fruit, and thus another dimension, and that's what I would be hoping for with this sort of investment. Rating: 88.

Ferrari "Metodo Classico" Brut, Italy ($23l) — In this world of ever-soaring Champagne prices, enthusiasts of the bubbly no doubt are looking for credible alternatives. Italy would be my first choice for quality and value on the non-vintage brut front, and Ferrari is certainly among the leading producers of metodo classico sparkling wines, which are made after the Champagne fashion, with a second fermentation in the bottle. The current release of Ferrari Brut is a lovely, well-balanced sparkler that offers a gentle mousse, hints of ripe apple and white flower, and a touch of brioche for added complexity. This cuvee is aged two years on the yeast before disgorgement, giving it enough gravitas to handle main courses but with enough finesse and delicacy to serve as an aperitif, too. Excellent value! Rating: 87.

To find out more about Robert Whitley and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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