Wednesday is the day that most major metro newspapers publish their culinary sections. The Wednesday Wrap is a round-up of this week’s wine notes. 

Viticultural Imperialism?
The SF Chron reports that California winemakers have invaded Chile and are in process of created some of that country’s first great Pinot Noirs. Are these Pinots C.I.A. backed? If so, we’ve got a good name for the new vintages: “Pinot Chet.”
 

Meanwhile, the Chron’s In Our Glasses column offers its Wine picks for barbequing. Among these low and mid-cost bevies is Yellow Tail NV Sparkling White Wine ($7),  Joel Gotts 2005 California Zinfandel ($14), the 2004 Mas Carlot Cuvee Tradition Syrah-Grenache Vin de Pays D’Oc ($10) and the 2005 La Bete Selection du Cave Oregon Pinot Noir ($17). Talk about “one of these things is not like the other.” We get it all except for the Yellow Tale plonk sparklers. Surely it’s the Mickey’s Big Mouth of faux champers. Thumbs way down (with apologies to Roger Ebert). A better selection would have been the Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs ($20), or, if you’re looking to go cheap, the Charles de Fere Brut Tradition (France; $10).

Rock On
The San Jose Mercury’s Laurie Daniel reports from Chataneuf-du-Pape, France, on how the seemingly rocky wastelands of the area help produce some of the region’s best wines, by “absorbing heat from the sun during the day and radiating it back to the vines at night.” The rocks “also help the soil retain moisture in this sunny, warm, windy climate.” We’re always fascinated to learn such details. It makes us appreciate all that goes into the wine all the more. Thanks, Laurie.

For its wine of the week, the LA Times picks the 2005 Passopisciaro Rosso Sicilia, which, says the paper, “you’d never guess this Italian red came from Sicily.” It’s “Chiseled and crisp, its gorgeous cool-climate fruit shot through with spice and juniper.” We have no idea what juniper tastes like, but now we’re fixin’ to find out.
 

In addition, the Times‘ Leslie Brenner and Amy Scattergood (best surname ever) draw the plum assignment of picnicking in Santa Barbara’s wine country during harvest season. For details of this envy-inducing little wine-tasting junket, click here. Some people get all the good jobs, yo? 

The New York Times‘ Eric Asimov heads out west to sample the Pinot Noirs of the Santa Cruz Mountains area. He especially likes those of Rhys, a young vineyard that first produced in 2004 and is just now coming to full capacity. Also a nice assignment, but will he be heading to Chile any time soon?