Recently I discussed some highlights from the latest Wine Advocate issue which includes the publication’s annual review of Washington wine. I also looked at how Wine Advocate compares to its print peers Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast in terms of the breadth of coverage of Washington wines and how they rate the wines. Today I will compare the publication rate of Washington wine reviews for these three publications.

For publication rate, I looked at how often in 2009 each published reviews of Washington wine and the number of reviews they published. Wine Advocate releases six issues annually and reviews Washington wine in a single issue. The recent issue, #185, contained 566 Washington wine reviews. By comparison, Spectator releases fifteen issues per year and has reviewed 562 Washington wines throughout the year. Wine Enthusiast publishes fourteen issues per year and has reviewed 722 Washington wines (Note: Totals for Spectator and Enthusiast include web-only content; Advocate’s reviews for Washington are all in print).

The number of Washington wine reviews in 2009 for Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast are summarized in the table below.

Spectator		Enthusiast
Issue	# of Reviews	Issue	# of Reviews
28-Feb	49	Feb	0
31-Mar	31	Mar	136
30-Apr	31	Apr	0
31-May	25	May	132
15-Jun	86	Jun	64
30-Jun	51	Jul	0
31-Jul	21	Aug	161
31-Aug	0	Sep	146
30-Sep	22	Oct	0
15-Oct	12	Nov	83
31-Oct	0	Mid Nov	Not released+
15-Nov	11	Early Dec	Not released+
30-Nov	4	Mid Dec	Not released
15-Dec	5	Year End	Not released
31-Dec	Not released	--	--
Total	343	Total	722
Web-Only	214	Web-Only	Unknown
Grand total	562	Grand Total	722

+ While the print editions have been released, the on-line content has not been published therefore neither are listed here.

Note: The per-issue totals for Enthusiast include both print and web-only content. The per-issue totals for Spectator include only print numbers; a separate line item exists for web-only content. Spectator does not categorize its web-only content by issue; Enthusiast does. However, Enthusiast does not specify which reviews are web-only; Spectator does. These differences prevent an easy “apples to apples” comparison. However, as Enthusiast’s web-only content requires no subscription whereas Spectator’s does, the numbers are listed here.

Considering the Advocate, Spectator, and Enthusiast review numbers, what is most striking to me is the difference in approaches. Wine Advocate releases a single, ‘big bang’ issue on Washington each year. This gives the issue a bit more power and impact. The issue is released and wineries and wine buyers start scrambling. As a reader, I also appreciate being able to read Wine Advocate’s take on Washington wine in one place in printed form.

Spectator, on the other hand, reviews approximately the same number of wines annually as Advocate (if one includes web-only content) but does so in drips and drabs. Spectator has also typically had an annual issue that includes a large number of reviews of Washington wine as well as a Buyer’s Guide summarizing the year’s reviews. For someone interested in Washington wine, Spectator generally has something in each issue. That said, usually not much. Additionally, if you subtract the web-only reviews which require an additional subscription, Spectator’s print coverage of Washington looks anemic compared to Advocate’s.

Wine Enthusiast, by comparison, has reviewed a larger number of Washington wines in 2009 than Advocate and Spectator but also does so in a different manner. Enthusiast reviews a substantial number of Washington wines approximately every other month. The large number of reviews provides a better experience for the reader than Spectator, in my opinion, as it gives a fair amount to chew on. Enthusiast also currently provides both its print and web-only content free of charge (registration is required and there is a delay in reviews appearing on-line).

While Advocate’s ‘big bang’ approach has appeal, one of the issues for a reader is that some of the wines listed are in the past, some are in the present, and some are in the future. For example, the new Advocate issue is a mixture of wines just released (Va Piano’s 2007 Syrah), wines released some time ago, wines that already had new vintages at the time of publication (Mark Ryan reds), and wines that will not be released for some time (Doubleback 2007 Cabernet). This is not the fault of the publication but rather a result of what wines were submitted by the wineries (and when), when the reviews took place, and what the publication date was for the issue. However, for consumers who see everything in the present, the mixture can be confusing.

Spectator’s more frequent review cycle should, in theory, allow them to stay more current. However, Spectator struggles with the same issues with a number of the wines it has reviewed recently already on the next vintage at the time of publication. Enthusiast seems to do the best at staying current with few recent issues showing stale reviews. Note that in both Advocate’s and Spectator’s case, it is unclear whether these stale reviews are a result of the review/publication cycle, when the wineries choose to submit the wines for review, or something else.

In summary, Advocate, Spectator, and Enthusiast each take considerably different approaches in how frequently they publish reviews of Washington wine. These approaches differ in style and impact on the reader. Personally, and not surprisingly given that I subscribe to them all, I enjoy each of them in different ways.

That’s all for today. I have another post or two comparing these publications before I wrap this up. As always, feel free to send along any thoughts, comments, or critiques. I would be interested to hear readers' perceptions of these publications' coverage of Washington wine or thoughts on the comparison.

This is part of a series of monthly posts called EAT & DRINK In The Northwest. The series is written by Marcus Pape and Melissa Peterman, authors of books by the same name. Read more about the series here.


EAT & DRINK In The Northwest
Think Pink This Thanksgiving!

You may resist the idea of rosé wine for various conscious or subconscious reasons. Maybe your hesitation is due to the stigma created 20-years ago by a sweet pink wine known as Beringer White Zin, or maybe you just don’t like the idea of drinking something pink. Well you’re not alone because there are many people out there that faithfully declare “I won’t drink pink”…because it’s not serious wine?!?!

But when it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, pink is the jewel of the dining room table. Rosé by nature is one of the best, most food-friendly wine styles available in your pairing arsenal. It carries flavor and structure characteristics of both white and red wines, with the refreshing acidity of a white and tannic backbone of a red (depending on skin contact). And, with so many varying dishes and flavors stacked across the table on Thanksgiving you need the pairing flexibility that rosé provides.

So, the next time you’re struggling with what wine to bring for Thanksgiving dinner or if you just don’t feel like trying so hard, rosé is your go to option. Best of all, rosé wines tend to be less expensive than either of their full-blooded counter parts.

Rosé 101:
-Most high-quality rosés are made from red grape varietals.
-The color can range from fleshy to brilliant cherry red, depending on length of skin contact after crushing.
-The grape variety used can also affect the color.
-Rosé wines are DRY! Blush wines are soft and rather sweet.
-They’re meant to be enjoyed young.
-They are often fruity, showing cherry, melon and berry flavors, but can also be spicy, floral or minerally.
-Available in bubbly or still.
-Rosés are perfect summer wines but should also be enjoyed in fall and winter when a multitude of flavors/dishes are being served.

Recommended Washington Rosés: (current vintage and availability will vary)
Maryhill 2006 Rosé of Sangiovese
Saint Laurent 2006 Syrah Rosé
Syncline Wine Cellars 2007 Rosé
Barnard Griffin 2007 Reserve Rosé of Sangiovese
Alexandria Nicole 2007 Estate Cabernet Franc Back Room Rosé
Ardenvoir 2007 Rosé
Red Sky Winery 2008 Merlot Rosé
Cedergreen Cellars 2008 Viola
Hogue Cellars 2008 Terroir Sangiovese Rosato
Vin du Lac NV LEHM Rosé of Cabernet Franc & Sangiovese
Chateau Ste. Michelle 2007 Nellie’s Garden Dry Rosé
Chinook 2008 Cabernet Franc Rosé
Sleight of Hand Cellars 2008 “Magician's Assistant” Rosé

---

If you love good food and wine, it’s quite likely that Thanksgiving is one of your favorite holidays. With so many dishes and sides there’s always an abundance of flavors and aromas wafting from the kitchen into the dining room. It’s a magical time of year where variety is the name of the game. And luckily, rosé wines make it easy when contemplating your menu selection.

Here is a flavorful twist to the everyday “potato side dish,” that will suddenly become a requirement for several Thanksgivings to come.

Warm Fingerling Potato Salad with Herb Vinaigrette (Makes 4 side dishes)
Paired with Columbia Crest 2007 Two Vines Vineyard 10 Rosé Wine, Washington

10 fingerling potatoes, halved
2 T. olive oil
Coarse salt and cracked black pepper
½ c. small diced sweet onion

Warm Herb Vinaigrette
3 T. olive oil
2 T. minced shallot
Coarse salt and cracked black pepper
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. fresh picked thyme, plus more for garnish
1 T. minced fresh sage
1 T. minced fresh oregano


Preheat oven to 375°F

In a bowl, toss sliced fingerling potatoes in olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper to coat. Place fingerlings skin side up onto a baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes. Flip potatoes over and bake for another 5 minutes until tender. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large sauté pan over high heat. Once pan is hot, add sweet onions, reduce heat to medium high and sauté, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove onions onto a plate and set aside.

To make the vinaigrette, use the same sauté pan and add 1 tablespoon olive oil, shallots and a pinch of salt and pepper over medium high heat. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring well. Reduce heat to low and add Dijon, red wine vinegar, herbs and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and whisk for 30 seconds. Add potatoes and onions stir to coat and heat thoroughly. Garnish with fresh herbs.



For more information about EAT & DRINK In The Northwest or for additional recipes please visit www.EatDrinkNorthwest.com.

Your mission should you choose to accept it: Fill out on the survey on the right on the number of Washington wines you think will be in Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2009. The survey will be open until Sunday November 15th. The list of wines will be released by Spectator on Monday, November 16th. For extra credit, send in a comment on any of the following:

- What wineries will be selected and why
- What the wines selected will be and why
- What the highest position is that a Washington wine will achieve

For context, I have listed below the number of Washington wines in Spectator’s Top 100 since 2000 and the highest position these wines have achieved.

Year	# Washington Wines	Highest Position
2008	4	25
2007	4	28
2006	4	2
2005	2	33
2004	4	30
2003	4	13
2002	7	16
2001	4	16
2000	2	37

In picking wines for the Top 100 list, Spectator considers the following:

- Value, reflected by release price
- Availability, measured by case production or cases imported
- An X-factor which they call “excitement”

I am guessing that Spectator will select five wines from Washington this year. They have been consistent with four in the last several years, but I say they add one. I wouldn’t be surprised to see more but would be surprised to see less given the QPR’s of the wines coming out of Washington and the bad economy.

Speaking generally, selecting on Spectator’s scores, I’m guessing they select wines from: Andrew Will, Columbia Crest, K Vintners/Charles Smith/Magnificent Wine Co., Chateau Ste. Michelle, and Januik/Novelty Hill. My rationale for selecting these producers is that they have all made highly rated wines that are also generally available (part of the purpose after all is to move wine). Dark horses would be Gorman Winery and Owen Roe who are making small case productions but have also received high scores.

Speaking more specifically, one wine that I am certain will be on there is the 2005 Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet (see a post on why here). Another wine I would guess would be the Andrew Will 2006 Sorella given the high score relative to the price. My dark horse would be Owen Roe’s Ex Umbris 2007. An interesting choice for Spectator would be something from Cayuse. Given the limited availability of these wines, it is unlikely it will make it, but, that said, it’s time. In terms of highest position, I will say there will be something in the top 25. Why? Why not?

As I did last year, I will be conducting a reader survey as well as compiling my own list of wines of the year in December. I will also be posting up information from Wine Enthusiast's lists once they are all published.

This message will self-destruct in five seconds...

A round-up of stories on Washington wine from November 1^st to 7^th.

From around the country

The Wall Street Journal recommends giving a case of syrah this Christmas. While they don't mention specific wineries (although the video shows a picture of Gramercy's Lagniappe Syrah), they write “There is not a more exciting wine on shelves right now…than Syrah from Washington.” Amen.

The Dallas Morning News picks Ryan Patrick’s Naked Chardonnay as its pick of the week.

The American Society for Horticultural Science writes about tension trellising.

CNN writes about wines being made in Hong Kong from grapes from around the world, including Washington.

From the blogosphere

Paul Gregutt writes about Tulpen Cellars. He also writes about McCrea , Hedge’s new labeling approach, and the Wine Advocate reviews of Washington wine.

Through the Walla Walla Grapevine writes about Fall Release weekend in Walla Walla. They also write about 8-bit Vintners.

Luxist reports on the release of Merlove, a new DVD movie which features interviews with a number of Washington winemakers.

A Couple of Wines writes about a trip to Woodinville with callouts to Chateau Ste. Michelle, Januik, Matthews, and Alexandria Nicole.

Washington State Beer and Wine writes about Alexandria Nicole’s 2007 Merlot.

Write for Wine writes about Heaven’s Cave and plans a visit to William Church Winery.

Wine Peeps writes about Columbia Crest’s Grand Estates Cabernet and gives a recap of the Cabernet Classic event. They also write about Washington wine available in Atlanta.

WINO magazine writes about the upcoming the Washington Wine Commission’s upcoming 20-something event. They also write about WSU receiving a large research grant, a new research vineyard at WSU, and Gifford-Hirlinger.

Woodinville Wine Update writes about Seattle Uncorked’s Cabernet Classic. They also write about more east of the crest wineries opening tasting rooms in Woodinville including Eaton Hill, Tasawik, and Corus.

Washington Wine writes about Washington Hills 2007 Cabernet.

Beyond the Bottle writes about the 2008 Kung Fu Girl Riesling.

Walla Walla Wine News writes about the incubator wineries. They also ask whether Woodinville is the new Walla Walla and provide a Fall Release Survival Guide.

On the Road with the Grape Guy writes about Columbia Crest, Gordon Brothers, L’Ecole No. 41, and Chateau Ste. Michelle.

The Jacksonville Wine Guide writes about aligote from Washington.

WAwineman writes about the Goose Ridge 2005 Vireo. He also writes about DeLille Cellars 2007 D2 and provides a list of weekend events in Woodinville.

The Wine Economist writes about studying wine.

From the locals

The Seattle Times writes about Washington grape growers.

Writing for the Seattle Times, Paul Gregutt writes about buying bargains.

Seattle Magazine writes about the home winemaking trend.

The Tri-City Herald writes about WSU’s Enology and Viticulture program.

Woehler writes about Yellow Hawk Cellar.

That’s all folks!

Back in the Rain City...

As I write this, rain is falling in Seattle, and it was snowing on the way over Snoqualmie Pass this afternoon. Winter has arrived in the Pacific Northwest.

Stops in the Walla Walla Valley yesterday included Gramercy, Trust, Chateau Rollat, Castillo de Feliciana, Reynvaan, and El Corazon. Gramercy Cellars was pouring wines in the Big Apple Wine Tasting Circus, a tent set up next to their vineyard which is adjacent to Waters Winery. In addition to a number of other wines, Gramercy was pouring their new releases, a 2007 Grenache and Walla Walla Valley Syrah. Trust Cellars poured a 2008 Ice Wine in addition to other recent releases. Chateau Rollat was pouring new vintages of the Rollat and Edouard, both Bordeaux-style blends. Rollat was also pouring new white wines under their Ardenvoir label. Castillo de Feliciana was having its grand opening weekend featuring wines made by winemaker Ryan Raber, formerly of Tertulia Cellars. Reynvaan Family Vineyards is another new Walla Walla winery. The winery was pouring syrah-dominant blends, all of which show the thumbprint of consulting winemaker Christophe Baron of Cayuse Vineyards. El Corazon has been open less than a year and was featuring a number of wines often used as blending grapes in Washington such as Carmenere, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec.

As always, the number of wineries I visited was exceeded by the number of wineries I hoped to visit. This number was greatly exceeded by the number of excellent wineries in the valley, part of the fun of any trip to the area. On each visit I focus on visiting a number of new wineries (or wineries that are new to me) as well as wineries I have visited previously. Each time I arrive home both exhilirated by wineries I have gone to and disappointed by all that I have missed.

More on the weekend shortly as well as a full report on the event in the future. See a write-up from Walla Walla's 2009 Spring Release here (Note: opens .pdf).

From the heart of Washington wine country...

Day Three of Walla Walla 2009 Fall Release weekend. It's overcast and cool today in Walla Walla. Wineries we sampled/visited yesterday included K Vintners, Abeja, àMaurice, Rasa, Robison Ranch, and Va Piano. K Vintners had a crush of a crowd, so we weren't able to spend much time there unfortunately. Abeja has new releases of Chardonnay and Merlot. àMaurice, situated in an exceptionally beautiful location across from Walla Walla Vintners, has a number of new releases including a viognier which is always one of the valley's best. Rasa, a new winery from the Navarane brothers, has its first release, a syrah-centric blend called QED. Robison Ranch was celebrating its inaugural release with a large party at the ranch complete with raffle giveaways and delicious homemade smoked salmon. Va Piano was releasing their 2007 Syrah and Bruno's Blend V. Plans for today include stops at Gramercy, Trust, and Reynvaan among others. Sunday is typically a quiet day on event weekends with many heading back home. For those with a little more time to spend, it is well worth the extra day.

For folks who read my post about it raining dirt Thursday evening, see an excellent comment by local geologist Kevin Pogue who provides background information on this odd event. Dr. Pogue also gives some excellent car washing advice which, after spending so much time driving backcountry roads going to trailheads, you would think I would already follow.

Look for tweets throughout the day @wawinereport.

From the heart of Washington wine country...

Day Two of Walla Walla Fall Release weekend. Today is a beautiful, crisp clear day in Walla Walla with clouds draped like a blanket over the Blue Mountains. I am happy to report, as local readers Denise and Catie commented yesterday, the raining dirt that welcomed us as we arrived in to town Thursday was quite anomalous. Frankly, I'm glad Denise noticed the dirt on her car as most of the people we talked to yesterday had no idea what we were talking about as it happened during the night.

Plans for today include stops at K Vintners, Abeja, Rasa, and Va Piano among others. Wineries we sampled/visited yesterday included Plumb Cellars, Dumas Station, Cayuse Vineyards, and Corliss Estates. Plumb Cellars is a new winery that just released their inaugural vintage which includes small productions of a Red Wine, Cabernet, and Merlot. Excellent producer Dumas Station, located east of Walla Walla but pouring at Merchants this weekend, has a set of new releases which include a Cabernet, Red Table Wine, and Reserve Cabernet from Minnick Vineyards. Cayuse Vineyards, celebrating their 13th birthday, poured wines from their 2007 and 2008 vintages. Corliss Estates, in addition to pouring a Cabernet Franc and Malbec sold only at the winery, also poured wines from Tranche Cellars including several new releases. In one of the joys of small town life, we parked a little too long downtown and arrived back to find...a five dollar ticket.

Look for tweets throughout the day @wawinereport.

From the heart of Washington wine country...

In Walla Walla for Fall Release Weekend. Day one plans include stops at Woodward Canyon, Cougar Crest, Cayuse, and Corliss Estates among others.

I arrived in town last night to a new Walla Walla experience; it was raining dirt. Yes, you read that correctly. I believe that this is caused by the annual burning of the crop land here as the smell of smoke was very much in the air. Strikingly unappealing I have to say (makes me wish I hadn't gotten my car washed before leaving). "Here's one reason not to move here" a friend noted. I will talk with folks around town and write more on this later (readers who live in town feel free to comment/correct). This morning is warm and partly cloudy with the Blue Mountains looking as beautiful as ever.

In addition to blog posts I will be tweeting along the way @wawinereport. Please note I also (finally) launched a Facebook page for the blog which you can follow here. See yesterday's post for more information on Fall Release Weekend.

Walla Walla's Fall Release weekend, previously popularly known as "Cayuse release weekend", is coming up on November 6th-8th. For people planning to attend, Walla Walla Wine News has published a .pdf that includes many winery hours as well as information on new releases. Find it here. As noted on the .pdf, for wineries not listed, refer to their regular hours. The best way to get a print summary of those hours is the (free) maps from the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance that many wineries carry.

People planning to travel to Walla Walla can also refer to my 2009 Spring Release report (Note: opens .pdf) for information about various wineries and wines (see additional reports in the right hand column of the blog). Feel free to write if you have specific questions about wineries or are looking for suggestions.

Look for updates from Walla Walla over the course of the next several days and a full write-up in the future.

October 31^st marked the release of Wine Advocate’s annual issue reviewing Washington wine. Earlier in the week I discussed some highlights from this issue. Today I will begin one of several posts focusing on how Wine Advocate compares in a variety of different regards to its print peers Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast. My interest in doing so is educational, looking for similarities and differences. Suffice to say that while you and your children were sitting on the couch watching slasher flicks last Saturday night, I was slicing and dicing the Advocate, Spectator, and Enthusiast databases. For those who like numbers and data, sit back and enjoy. For those who don’t, my apologies in advance.

First up in terms of comparisons, I looked at the breadth of coverage of Washington wines. I took a ‘by the numbers’ approach looking at the overall number of published reviews and the number of wineries represented in these reviews. This approach obviously has some issues, mainly that additional wines are sampled but not published (more on this in a subsequent post). Other ways of looking at this, such as which wineries were reviewed/not, which AVAs were well-represented/not, would be interesting as well. However, I took this approach because 1) the data are readily accessible and 2) the others approaches mentioned require significant additional data, some of which is not available.

Looking at their published reviews, Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator have published reviews of comparable numbers of Washington wines in 2009. Wine Enthusiast, on the other hand, has published considerably more reviews. Wine Advocate’s published reviews also represent a smaller number of wineries than the other two publications. These data are summarized in Table 1.

Table 1	Wines Reviewed	Wineries Represented
Wine Advocate	566	130+
Wine Spectator	557	160+
Wine Enthusiast	722	170+

Note that Spectator has two remaining issues this year and Enthusiast has four remaining issues, so their total numbers for 2009 are likely to increase whereas Advocate’s will not.

It is difficult to draw conclusions from this other than to say Wine Enthusiast has published more wine reviews and that the Spectator and Enthusiast have published reviews that represent more wineries. As I noted earlier, not all wines submitted for review are published, so the numbers above don’t speak to the whole universe of sampled wines and wineries, only the published ones.

Next, I compared how these three publications rated Washington wine in 2009. In doing so, I looked at the total number of wines reviewed and the number of wines that received 90+ point ratings and 95+ point ratings. I did this because the number of wines rated 90 points or above in the latest Wine Advocate seemed higher than what I had seen in Spectator and Enthusiast. Indeed, Wine Advocate rated a larger percentage of wines 90 points or higher compared to its peers. These data are summarized in Table 2.

Table 2	# of Wines Reviewed	# of 90+ Ratings (%)	# of 95+ Ratings (%)
Wine Advocate	566	341 (60%)	30 (5%)
Wine Spectator	557	270 (48%)	9 (1.6%)
Wine Enthusiast	722	281 (39%)	11 (1.5)

While at first blush it might appear that Wine Advocate is more likely to give a Washington wine a 90+ point rating than Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast, as I mentioned earlier, more wines were sampled than were published. So these data only speak to how each publication rated wines that they subsequently published. Doing a definitive comparison would require, for each, the number of wines sampled, the number of reviews published, and the ratings for the wines across the entire set. In other words, not going to happen. A different, interesting comparison would be to look at how each of these publications rated individual wines that they all scored (Sorry folks, not today. Maybe someday if I get very, very bored).

So to summarize, in 2009, Wine Enthusiast has published more wine reviews than its peers. Spectator and Enthusiast’s published reviews represented more wineries. Of the reviews published, Advocate has rated the highest percentage of wines 90 points or above with Spectator next and Enthusiast after that.

That is all for today. The next post on this topic will focus on differences in the publication rates and styles of each of these publications. As always, send along any thoughts or comments (Note: Please save the ‘get a life’ comments for personal correspondence).

Note: Today's promised post on how Wine Advocate compares to its print peers remains under the knife (under anesthesia I might add). Check back.


A round-up of stories on Washington wine from October 22^nd to 31^st.

First up, Walla Walla Wine News publishes an excellent .pdf list of Walla Walla wineries open for this weekend’s Fall Release Weekend (Okay it was published on November 1^st but next week will be too late so mark this listing with an asterisk).

Two big stories this week. In the first, the Seattle PI among others report on Amazon.com’s decision not to sell wine on-line. This decision will have a significant impact on Washington wineries. In the blogosphere, in Washington, Paul Gregutt, Wine and Beer of Washington State, and WINO Magazine weigh in. Elsewhere Dr. Vino, The Winery Website Report, and Tom Wark's Fermentation write about it among many, many others.

In the second main story, the Associated Press kicks the hornet’s nest with a story from the Geological Society of America conference about terroir. The story, which was picked up by many (many) sources, was titled “Geologists debunk soil impact on wine at Ore. talk” (The AP does know how to sell don’t they? Having spoken with some of these folks earlier that week, I do not believe 'debunk' would have been the word they would have chosen). The internet tweets and twitters. The Oregonian and the San Francisco Chronicle write on this. Dr. Vino weighs in.


From around the country

Wine Enthusiast names Ste. Michelle Wine Estates’ CEO Ted Baseler “Person of the Year.”

The Capital Press writes about grape insurance being extended to a number of Washington counties.

The Honolulu Advertiser writes about golf and wine with quotes from Salvarra Vineyards’ owner Gary Seidler.

The Capital (Annapolis, Maryland) includes wines from Seven Hills Winery and Chateau Ste. Michelle in its wine picks.

The Boise Weekly lists L’Ecole No. 41’s 2008 Chenin Blanc in its wine picks.

An Associated Press story (picked up by many outlets including the LA times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and ABC News) writes about the growth of Washington’s wine industry.

The Flathead Beacon (MT) writes about Giant Wine Co.’s Sinner’s Punch.


From the blogosphere

Walla Walla Wine News writes about Fall Release Weekend.

Paul Gregutt writes about the Charles Smith Royal City Syrah, the first wine he has rated 100 points. He also writes about Riesling, Bunchgrass, and Spring Valley Vineyard.

Palate Press writes about Walla Walla’s harvest.

Decanter Banter does a video entry of Rob Newsom of Boudreaux during crush (see 10/22/2009 entry).

Wine Peeps writes about Couvillion’s Jill Noble. They also write about Long Shadows.

Washington Wine looks at Pine & Post Riesling. They also look at Barrelstone 2007 Syrah and write about Precept Wine Brands.

Wine and Beer of Washington State writes about King 5’s Best Washington Winery winners. They also write about Washington wines that haunt their consumers.

Wine Review On-line writes about the Walla Walla wine scene.

WAwineman looks at Patterson’s 2006 BDX. They also look at Alexandria Nicole 2008 Shepard’s Mark, Boomtown 2008 Viognier, and Parejas 2007 Dos Pinots.

Write for Wine writes about Fidelitas’ Optimum.

Wine Foot writes about Hard Row to Hoe.

Through the Walla Walla Grapevine writes a Washington wine Halloween story. They also write about the WBC-or-Bust contest leading up to next year’s Wine Blogger’s Conference and look at Merlots with callouts to Basel, Skylite, Nelms Road, and Revelry.

Woodinville Wine Update writes about Woodinville wineries who tweet. They also write about the WBC-or-Bust contest, Airfield Estates coming to Woodinville, and William Church Winery.

Just Grapes profiles Andrew Will.

Ken’s Wine Guide looks at Reininger’s 2006 Walla Walla Valley Cabernet.

The Pour Fool writes about Haystack Needle. They also write about Page Cellars.

Creators.com writes a tasting note on Seven Hills 2007 Merlot.

Midtown Stomp writes about Kiona.


From the locals

Seattle Magazine writes about Grand Reve.

The Yakima Herald writes about the upcoming Introduction to Viticulture course at Yakima Valley Community College.

The Walla Walla Union-Bulletin writes about L’Ecole No. 41, Saviah Cellars, and Tamarack Cellars being named Wine & Spirits magazine’s “Wineries of the Year” (three of twenty-five to receive the honor).

King 5 released the results of its reader survey of Best Winery (Alexandria Nicole), Best Wine Bar (The Grape Connection), and Best Wine Shop (Wine Alley).

Woehler writes about Yellow Hawk.

Writing for the Spokesman-Review, Gregutt writes about Washington wines on Wine Enthusiast’s Best Buy list.

The Spokesman-Review writes about upcoming Spokane wine events.

The Puget Sound Business Journal writes about Amavi and Pepper Bridge opening a tasting room in Woodinville.

The News Tribune writes about Walla Walla’s winery incubator region. They also write about the WSU Wine Science Center’s search for a home.

The Tri-City Herald writes about wine distribution to China.

The Whitman Pioneer writes about the Wild Wine Woman of Walla Walla.

That's all folks!

The just released October 31^st edition of Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate includes the publication’s annual review of Washington wines. This is the only time throughout the year Wine Advocate devotes space in the publication to Washington wine. Wine Advocate is released six times per year and is only available on a subscription basis (print, electronic, or both). It is not available on newsstands as the publication eschews advertisements to maintain its editorial independence.

In the new issue writer Jay Miller, Ph.D. (Clinical Psychology) reviews more than 560 wines from over 130 wineries. This year Cayuse and Quilceda Creek led the pack with 99 point ratings for the Bionic Frog (Cayuse) and Columbia Valley Cabernet (Quilceda Creek). Cayuse received high marks across the board with all of their red wines rated 95 points or higher. For Quilceda Creek, this was their fifth straight vintage receiving ratings of 99 to 100 points for their Columbia Valley Cabernet. Their other two cabernets also received high ratings (see my review of Quilceda Creek's 2006 cabernets here). Other ratings of 95 points or above included wines from Betz, Gramercy, Grand Rêve, K Vintners/Charles Smith, Leonetti, Sheridan, and Woodward Canyon.

Of these wineries, new-comer Grand Rêve is perhaps the most attention-grabbing. Grand Rêve is a new wine project from Paul McBride and Ryan Johnson. The winery pairs Red Mountain fruit with some of Washington’s best winemakers (see a previous post on the winery here). In terms of the other wineries receiving top scores, those outside the usual suspects were Gramercy and Sheridan. These scores represent both well-deserved praise for these two wineries and an indication of the increasing excellence of their wines.

Other notables in this issue are the first critical review of Walla Walla’s Doubleback. The winery is a collaboration between Walla Walla native and former football star Drew Bledsoe and his childhood friend, Leonetti winemaker Chris Figgins. Wine Advocate gives Doubleback’s first release, a 2007 Cabernet, high marks. This wine will be released next spring. Overall in this issue, Miller rates the new releases from Washington very favorably, rating sixty percent of the wines he sampled 90 points or higher - an astonishing figure.

In reviewing the recent releases from Washington, Miller writes that the state’s consistency is what impresses him the most. Miller, who has covered Washington for the last several years for Wine Advocate, writes “The obvious lesson for consumers is to learn who the top producers are. With this knowledge, you can buy a wine from a favorite winery from almost any vintage with a very high expectation that it will be to your liking…” I would agree with this assessment.

Taking a broader view of the Wine Advocate ratings, an obvious question as a consumer is what do they mean to you and why should you care? For better or worse, numerical ratings drive wine sales like nothing else. Of the major publications, few drive sales like Wine Advocate. Many retailers use these scores on their shelf-talkers (the signs that hang under the wines) or e-mail campaigns. Similarly, many consumers look for scores when shopping for wine or look for specific wines that received high scores. Additionally, many of the wineries use this information on their websites and their promotional material.

In addition to moving wine, these ratings also increase a winery’s recognition. For example, while there has been a good deal of discussion in print and on the internet regarding Grand Rêve, you can be sure the Wine Advocate just put this winery on a lot of people’s radar screen. Finally, ratings can often impact the price of subsequent vintages. Prices often go up moderately to considerably with higher ratings due to increased demand. Although the recession has delayed the inevitable in Washington, as I have said before, don’t look for prices here to go anywhere but up in the long-term.

Tomorrow I will look at how Wine Advocate compares to other print media in terms of breadth of coverage of Washington wines, how they rate the wines, and the frequency with which they rate them.

Wine Enthusiast this week named Ste. Michelle Wine Estates President and CEO Ted Baseler as its “Person of the Year”. Baseler was one of five candidates including Mariann Fischer Boel (European Commissioner for Agriculture & Rural Development); Nicolas Catena (Catena Zapata, Argentina); Bill Foley II (Foley Estates); and Christian Moueix (Etablissements Jean-Pierre Moueix, France; Dominus, Napa).

The award is part of Wine Enthusiast’s 2009 ‘Wine Star Awards’ which also names a Winemaker of the Year and Winery of the Year among other awards. The awards are in their tenth year. The magazine states “winners were selected for their outstanding contribution to the world of wine and spirits, with special attention to achievements in the year 2009.” Award recipients will be featured in the December issue of Wine Enthusiast and will be honored at a ceremony early next year.

Baseler joined what is now Ste Michelle Wine Estates in 1984. He was named President and CEO in 2001. Among other accomplishments, during his tenure Baseler has focused on increasing distribution, increasing attention on Washington vineyards, and acquiring several small, prominent wineries.

In naming Baseler Person of the Year, Wine Enthusiast writes:

"Ted Baseler is President/CEO of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, the most prominent wine company in Washington State. Under his leadership, it has evolved into a high performance organization known for its top quality, world-class wines; for its strategic partnerships with leading wine producers in Italy and Germany; and for collaborating with fellow members of Washington’s wine industry to help raise the region’s profile, worldwide. For his vision, leadership, brand-building, team-building, and region-building accomplishments, Ted Baseler is Wine Enthusiast’s Man of the Year.”

We will be having a special Devil's Night edition of the Virtual Tasting tonight. The wine is the 2008 Owen Roe Sinister Hand. This wine is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre and retails for $24. If you haven't already picked up the wine, see a complete list of Washington retailers as well as select on-line retailers here.

As usual, the tasting will begin at 7pm Pacific Time. Look for updates to this post starting at that time, updating every 15-30 minutes or so. I will also be tweeting @wawinereport and using the hashtag #octvt.

Please join us in trying this wine and posting your thoughts.

7:00pm Update: And we're off!

First some background on the wine. The 2008 Owen Roe Sinister Hand is 62% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 3% Mourvedre. This would be considered a classic Southern Rhone blend. The Rhone area has two main regions, the North and the South. The only red grapes allowed in Northern Rhone wines are Syrah (often co-fermented with the white grape viognier). The only red grapes allowed in Southern Rhone wines are Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre, the varietals that compose this wine.

Syrah has long been a star in Washington since the original plantings at Red Willow. Grenache is up-and-coming with some wineries such as Gramercy (whose first Grenache release just came out this week) and Rotie Cellars bullish about its prospects in Washington. Betz Family Winery has also long made a Grenache blend, the Besoleil.

Mourvedre is used more as a blending grape, although some Washington wineries such as McCrea also make it as a varietal bottling.

The wine is listed as Columbia Valley AVA. The winery's website states that the primary source is the Elderding Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA.

On to the wine...

7:20 Update: Popped and poured into a Venturi aerator. I did this to try to open the wine up a bit given its young age.

The bottle had a natural cork that was drizzled with wax. The wax is in lieu of a capsule. You usually see this on somewhat more expensive wines. Here I think they did this to add to the Halloween creep factor. There are several ways you can go about removing these wax tops. In this case, it wasn't actually a complete seal so I just used a knife to cut it off. Rabbit style wine openers also will just pull right through the wax (they say specifically not to do this btw). However, if you do this, you risk getting some wax into the bottle. I have always read recommendations to warm the wax with your hand for a while and then use a corkscrew, rabbit, etc. If anyone has any magic secrets, please share.

The cork itself was very lightly colored, not surprising given that this is the 2008 vintage.

Had to throw the glass with the wine and the wine itself into the fridge as it was a too warm 70 degrees. The place that I am drinking the wine is like the Bahamas.

Prior to this, the nose very aromatic for a 2008 with a lot of red fruit. Particularly strawberries.

7:40 Update: Okay the glass is out of the fridge (20 minutes dropped it from 70 to 63 degrees). First impression, as before, very aromatic with red fruit, earth, and game. Quite a fun nose for such a young wine. The youth does show up a bit more on the taste where it is a bit more closed and tight, although I must say my palate has been off this week (sinus issues). A pretty good dose of acidity. A bit of a back bite on the palate. Alcohol also seems to hang around on the palate for a long time after drinking. Will check the OH level later. A lot of fruit and a nice rounded feel.

8:00 Update: More background on the wine. This wine was aged for 8 months in 18% new French oak. Alcohol is 14.4 percent. I feel like it drinks a little higher but may just be me. Regarding the label, the winery says:

"On this label the family crest depiction of a severed left hand tells the story of a rowing competition among the ONeills & the OReillys (Owen Roe was an ONeill). Whoever touched land first after rowing across the lake was rewarded with the land he touched. Lagging behind, one of the kinsfolk grabs his sword to cleave his hand and pitches it ashore to touch land first. He won the land and eventu­ally ruled over it as king."

8:20 Update: This recommendation from Paul G regarding opening bottles with wax on the top (tried to post as a comment): "...my tip for opening wax: Use a waiter's corkscrew. Pull the cork about 3/4 of the way out. Take a wet towel and wipe away the wax flakes. Then pull out the rest of the cork. I usually put a paper towel under the bottle to catch some of the flakes also. Pain in the A---". These sound like good wines to take to a restaurant to watch a waiter struggle with.

8:40 Update: Background information on Owen Roe.

Owen Roe is located in in the Willamette Valley in Newburg, Oregon. The winery was opened in 2000 by winemaker David O'Reilly who co-owns the winery with Peter Rosback (Sineann). The winery makes a diverse lineup of wines from both Oregon and Washington. Under current releases, the winery's website lists twenty-two different wines. O-Reilly also makes wine under the O'Reilly label as well as Corvidae and others.

9:00 Update: Final update. As I originally noted, the wine lists for $24. I bought it at Pete's Bellevue for $23.49.

Overall, I really enjoy the nose. Lots of red fruit (strawberry), wet stone, and earth with an underlayer of game. The taste is drinking a bit young. I also, strangely, get a lot of alcohol on the taste. I say strangely given that the wine lists at 14.4% which I don't see as particularly high. Don't know if anyone else is getting this. I won't rate this wine as I've got a dead spot right in the middle of my palate at the moment (sinus troubles). Bottom line I would say is, give this wine six months or so before drinking. Better yet, buy the 2008 now and stash it away for Halloween 2010. The best of both worlds.

Thanks to everyone who participated. If you didn't get a chance to try the wine, feel free to do so and add your comments. We'll do it all again next month.

Reminder that this month's Virtual Tasting is Friday October 30th. Read about the wine as well as a list of Washington and on-line retailers here.

Betz Family Winery was founded in 1997. The winery produced its first vintage that same year, one hundred and fifty cases of the 1997 Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon. In 1999 winemaker Bob Betz made the first vintage of what would become two of his signature wines – the Bordeaux blends Père de Famille and Clos de Betz.

On initial release, the winery envisioned the Clos de Betz as follows: "Clos de Betz is the softer, earlier-maturing companion to our sturdier Cabernet Sauvignon Père de Famille. The mix of vineyards and varietal percentages change each year, but we blend Clos de Betz for the common threads of rich, sweet red and black fruits and up front appeal."

Full Pull Wines poured the 1999 Clos de Betz recently at one of their Thursday pick-up days. Bob Betz’ deft touch was already apparent in this wine, reminiscent of a Bordeaux with considerably more fruit on the palate. While I cannot speak to the wine’s up front appeal, I can say that ten years in it is showing beautifully with a few years left on it.

Wines:
Score	Name	Notes	$
*	Betz Clos de Betz Red Table Wine Columbia Valley 1999	Dark and purple, although showing its age around the edges. A very pretty nose marked by leather, dried flowers, and lots of aged fruit (dried cranberries and cherries). Drinking beautifully with dried fruit on the taste and drying tannins. Throwing lots of sediment. 42% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Cabernet Franc. 13.5% alcohol. 210 cases produced.	NA