L.A. WINELINE OREGON'S ARGYLE NOW ON THE MAP.

Byline: - Larry Lipson

Making waves from Oregon is the Argyle label of pinot noirs, chardonnays and two sparklers.

The well-crafted Argyle wines of winemaker Rollin Soles, tasted recently in Studio City, include a 2000 brut sparkling wine ($21), a 2003 Willamette Valley chardonnay ($13), Argyle's 2001 Nuthouse chardonnay ($29), the 2004 Willamette Valley pinot noir ($19) and the 2003 reserve pinot noir ($28).

Already recognized as Oregon's premier winery in 2000 by the Wine Spectator after its first chardonnay made the publication's Top 100 list, Argyle is now getting wider distribution under the representation of Paterno Wines International.

Information: www.argylewinery.com.

EAT AND DRINK IN SONOMA: One of the top wine and food events in the nation, the Sonoma County Showcase of Wine & Food takes place July 14-17.

Lunches, dinners, tastings, live and silent auctions and a performance by the San Francisco Symphony highlight the event, which features 130 wineries and 50 chefs.

An interesting example of the live auction lots is a special meritage wine made by current Rodney Strong winemaker Rick Sayre and former Strong winemakers Dick Arrowood (Arrowood Winery) and Forest Tancer (Iron Horse). The lot includes signed bottles and lunch with the trio of winemakers.

Information: www.sonomawine.com and www.paternowines.com.

UNCORKING HISTORY: Pomona College English professor Thomas Pinney follows his 1989 ``A History of Wine in America: From the Beginnings to Prohibition'' with a new 548-page work, ``A History of Wine in America: From Prohibition to the Present'' (University of California Press; $45).

For wine and history buffs, Penney's scholarly book, due for a July 5 release, is a must in every home where conversation about wine is likely to provoke the need for an authoritative reference.

Information: www.ucpress.edu.

NEW RELEASES: It's interesting to see the upsurge in pinot noir and pinot grigio availability concurrent with the zoom in popularity of these two varietals.

Among the latest are the 2004 Lodi pinot grigio and 2003 pinot noir from Talus, both at the suggested retail price of $7.99.

Screw-top 187 milliliter bottles in four-packs of light red, chillable George Duboeuf 2004 Beaujolais are now on the shelves for $8.99 per foursome.

Valley of the Moon has released its 2001 Cuvee de la Luna ($30), a Bordeaux blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot and petit verdot.

Are you ready for a rose of shiraz? Chatham Imports brings us Oz Roz from Australia's Ozwell Vintners at $7 a bottle. Information: [phone].

One of our favorite Monterey wineries, Chateau Julien, has released its 2002 barrel-aged merlot ($10), 2001 Estate cabernet sauvignon ($22), 2001 Private Reserve cabernet sauvignon ($36) and 2001 Private Reserve merlot ($36). Information: [phone] or www.chateaujulien.com.

SIPS & NIBBLES: Champagne in an ice jacket is here from Veuve Clicquot. With a strap, a side zipper and fashionably toned in Clicquot yellow, the jacket and the yellow-labeled bubbly sell for $54.99. Information: www.eclicquot.com. ... The 2003 Chateau Montelena Estate cabernet sauvignon is still available for $65 as a future from the Duke of Bourbon, 20908 Roscoe Blvd., Canoga Park. It'll cost around $125 when actually released. Information: [phone]. ... Taste this year's L.A. County Fair Best of Class wine winners at a benefit event featuring local restaurant fare, music, dancing, art and crafts at the Millard Sheets Gallery at the Fairplex in Pomona, June 23. Tickets ($75): [phone] or www.fairplex.org.

Larry Lipson, [phone]

larry.lipson(at)dailynews.com