Sean Sullivan - Washington Wine Report

Five Wines Under $15 - February 2012

2012-02-21T00:01:00.000-08:00

In tough times, we continue the search for good, inexpensive wines.

Duck Pond Cellars, a sister winery to Desert Wind, is located in Dundee, Oregon. They winery’s 2009 Syrah, however, comes from Desert Wind Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope. As I’ve written a number of times before, quality Syrahs from Washington are somewhat difficult to come by in the value price range. While Duck Pond’s 2009 offering doesn’t entirely come together, it is an enjoyable, extremely well priced wine that is unmistakably syrah. It also competes quite favorably with many Washington Syrahs $3-$8 more. Hard to ask for much more.

Kiona Vineyards and Winery is Red Mountain’s founding winery (read a Focus Report on the winery here). Kiona was also the first commercial winery in the U.S. to produce Lemberger back in 1980. Thirty-two years later, the Lemberger remains and has something of a cult following. Not many bottles of wine from Red Mountain in the value price range, let alone ones that comes from old vine fruit.

Renegade Wine Co. is a project from Trey Busch of Sleight of Hand Cellars. At Renegade, Busch buys juice from other wineries to bottle wines at compelling price points. The 2009 Red Wine could just as easily have been labeled as a Cabernet Sauvignon, which makes up 80% of the blend.

Sauvignon Blanc is Washington’s fourth most produced white grape behind Chardonnay, Riesling, and Pinot Gris. Sales of the grape nationally have been on a downturn in the last year, with the prevailing wisdom being that the cause is the huge surge in Moscato sales. Fear not Washington growers and winemakers, consumers will be back to Sauvignon Blanc, and when they are, bottles like this budget friendly wine from Chateau Ste. Michelle will be waiting for them.

Covey Run was founded in 1982. The winery focuses exclusively on wines in the value price range. Fruit for the 2009 Merlot comes from Alder Ridge, Bacchus, and Northridge.

Read previous Five Wines Under $15 here.

Duck Pond Cellars Syrah Desert Wind Vineyard Wahluke Slope 2009 $12
(Good) Dark in color with purple at the rim. An aromatically arresting wine – unmistakably syrah, full of floral notes, blueberries, smoke, and bacon fat. The palate has a rich inner mouth perfume with soft fruit flavors and silky tannins. Doesn’t entirely stitch together and the fruit wants a bit more concentration at times but overall an enjoyable wine given the modest price. Competes quite favorably with many Washington syrahs $3-$8 more. 99.7% Syrah, 0.3% Merlot. Aged 8 months in American oak. 14.5% alcohol. 4,177 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Recommended

Kiona Lemberger Estate Bottled Red Mountain 2009 $12
(Good) Medium ruby. A moderately aromatic wine with red cherries, Band Aid, and mulling spices. The palate is on the lighter side with soft tannins and very soft, silky fruit flavors. An enjoyable, easy drinking, well-priced red. 100% Lemberger. Kiona Estate. Aged in French and American oak (25% new). 13.5% alcohol.

Renegade Wine Co. Red Wine Columbia Valley 2009 $15
(Good) An aromatic wine full of light toasty notes, raspberries, red cherries, and chocolate. The palate is light bodied, full of soft fruit flavors. Trails off on the second half. 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot. 13.8% alcohol.

Chateau Ste. Michelle Sauvignon Blanc Columbia Valley 2010 $11
(Good) A moderately aromatic wine with appealing aromas of white grapefruit, mango and pineapple. The palate is has a fairly full feel with fresh fruit flavors. An enjoyable, easy drinking bottle at a can’t-be-beat price. 100% Sauvignon Blanc. 20% barrel fermentation for two months in neutral French oak. 12.5% alcohol. Recommended

Covey Run Merlot Columbia Valley 2009 $10
(Decent) A moderately aromatic wine full of raspberry aromas and bittersweet chocolate. The palate is light bodied and straightforward with soft tannins coming on late. 94% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Malbec, and 1% Petit Verdot. Alder Ridge, Bacchus, and North Ridge vineyards. 13.5% alcohol. 16,050 cases produced.

Rating System
Please note, my rating system was revised at the beginning of 2012 as follows. Read additional details here.
(Exceptional)
(Excellent)
(Good)
(Decent)
(Not recommended/Flawed)

Washington Wine Round-up February 8th to 14th 2012

2012-02-17T00:01:00.000-08:00

A round-up of stories on Washington wine from February 8th to 14th. Read previous round-ups here.

The big story this week was the appointment of the new head of the Washington wine commission. Read stories from Wine Business, Wine Press NW, Bellingham Herald, AgInfo.net, Wine and Beer of Washington State.

From around the country…

North County Times writes about Walla Walla’s incubator area guiding city plans.

The Gaston Gazette mentions Buty’s Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc/Muscadelle.

The San Antonio Express writes about the San Antonio Wine Festival.

From the blogosphere…

Table Talk profiles John Bookwalter of J Bookwalter Winery. They also write about around the world in 80 wines.

Paul Gregutt gives suggestions for the new Executive Director of the Washington Wine Commission.

The Wine Economist writes about wine, ants, and Washington wine.

Jameson Fink writes about Wines of Substance Malbec.

Lucha Vino compares a Washington and Italian Cabernet.

Vinotology writes that history is alive in Walla Walla.

Through the Walla Walla Grapevine writes about Gramercy Cellars.

Wine Folly writes about JM Cellars.

Northwest Wine Anthem gives a Friday find.

Steve Heimoff writes from the Grape Growers conference. Read part one here.

Wine Peeps writes about Steppe Cellars.

Wineeyak writes about new wines from Chandler Reach.

Woodinville Wine Update writes about an Oscar party at Columbia Winery.

Wild 4 Washington Wine writes about visiting Forgeron Cellars. William also writes about Barnard Griffin.

Write for Wine writes about JM Cellars.

West Seattle Blog writes about stores looking for spirits licenses.

AgInfo.net writes about Ste. Michelle Wine Estates $1M gift to WSU for wine science. They also write about the WAWGG conference.

Sammamish Patch says for the love of Valentine’s Day, drink wine.

WINO Magazine writes about Seattle Wie and Food Experience.

My Northwest writes about the Grape Growers conference.

From the locals…

KUOW writes that Washington retaurants and changing the way that they buy liquor after passage of 1183.

Seattle Weekly writes about Sleight of Hand.

Writing for the Seattle Times, Paul Gregutt says that the real wine to drink with chocolate is chocolate wine.

WSU News writes about support for the new Wine Science Center.

Mercer Island Reporter writes about Jamie Peha.

Boise Weekly writes about dry riesling with a callout to Trust.

The Tri-City Herald writes about Petite Sirah. They also write about Ste. Michelle’s $1M pledge to wine science at WSU.

KNDO writes about a program at CWU teaching food and wine pairing. They also ask what kind of harvest 2012 will bring.

The Seattle Times writes about the Wine Grape Growers conference.

The Puget Sound Business Journal writes about an uptick in wine sales.

East Oregonian writes about Ste. Michelle Wine Estates pledging $1M for wine science.

Oregon Live writes about Washington taking a different path to promote tourism.

That's all folks!

Should Washingtonians Be Drinking More Washington Wine?

2012-02-16T01:13:00.001-08:00

The Washington wine industry has grown rapidly in the last twelve years from several hundred wineries at the turn of the century to over 740 today. Are Washingtonians keeping up and drinking enough local wine?

Data on in-state purchases of Washington wine can be difficult to come by. However, at last week’s Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers annual conference, Danny Braeger, Vice President Group Client Director on the Beverage Alcohol Team at Nielsen, provided some insight.

According to Braeger, looking at Nielsen’s measured grocery channel - which I should note only accounts for a percentage of sales – 36% of Washington wine sales are within state. In comparison, neighboring Oregon purchases 55% of its wine. Some smaller producing states, such as Michigan, purchase a whopping 86% of their own wine. By comparison, Washington’s in-state consumption doesn’t seem particularly encouraging.

However, if it seems odd to think that so much Washington wine is actually being sold out of state, it’s because it is. As a wine producing region, Washington is notable for its numerous small producers, the vast majority of which make less than 5,000 cases annually. Indeed a frequent complaint from Washington wine lovers and interested parties is that specific wines are often very difficult to come by.

As one might expect, the state’s largest player – Ste. Michelle Wine Estates (SMWE), which owns Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Crest, and a number of other brands – skews the data considerably. SMWE makes more wine than most of the rest of the wineries in the state combined. They also, of course, have heavy grocery store placement.

So what does Washington’s in-state consumption look like if we remove SMWE from the picture? Here things look considerably better, growing to 54% sold within the state. This is comparable to Oregon at 55%. California, which of course dominates production in the U.S., stands at 23%.

One question arises from these data - is it better to have more local sales or more sales throughout the country? Similarly, where should Washington as a region focus its marketing efforts? Should the focus be on trying to increase sales within the state or should it be to increase sales outside of the state?

I believe the answer has to be both. Much can be done to increase local wine consumption – particularly in the large Seattle market. However, it is critically important that the state raise its profile in other areas of the country and indeed around the world to continue to grow the industry.

While Washington has established itself as a significant wine region, many of the producers and wines are still not well known outside of the region. Continuing to grow the Washington brand further beyond the state’s borders to the rest of the country and indeed around the world is the next step in the state’s evolution as a wine region. But we still need to make sure we take care of our own backyard.

Fresh Sheet February 15th 2012

2012-02-15T00:03:00.000-08:00

Today’s Fresh Sheet – new and recent Washington wine releases – includes wines from Mark Ryan Winery, Two Vintners, Desert Wind Winery, Forgeron Cellars, and Idilico.

Mark Ryan Winery

The 2009 Mark Ryan Winery red releases mark a transition for the winery. This is the first vintage with Mike MacMorran serving as head winemaker. MacMorran joined the winery in 2008 as assistant winemaker, taking over head winemaking responsibilities from Mark McNeilly one year later (McNeilly retains the title of Executive Winemaker).

A former medical student, MacMorran started out in the wine business as a harvest intern at DeLille Cellars in 2005. He subsequently worked his way up to cellar master and assistant winemaker before joining Mark Ryan.

MacMorran describes leaving his medical school days behind as follows. "As I was finishing my second year of med school my wife asked me what I wanted to do when I was ready to someday retire from medicine. I said I'd love to be a winemaker. She looked at me a little funny and said ‘So you're going to medical school so you can someday be a winemaker?’ She left it at that."

MacMorran’s impact on the wines is notable, sharpening up Mark Ryan’s already impressive portfolio. The wines are across the board stunners – as good as any wines that the winery has made. Each of the new releases is marked by incredibly bright, fresh aromatics that are nothing short of dazzling. These are wines that one can just smell and be satisfied, with layers of complexity. Ah but to taste…

Of note, the 2010 Viognier – as good as I’ve had from Washington – includes fruit from Ciel du Cheval and Red Willow vineyards.

Mark Ryan Winery Viognier Columbia Valley 2010 $28
(Excellent/Exceptional) Pale lemon yellow. An aromatic tour de force - a wine you can just sit and smell and be entirely satisfied - showing floral notes, fresh, ripe peach, lime, and a touch of vanilla. The palate is textured and full of fruit flavors with a distinct minerality accented by lime-like acidity that stretches out to an extremely long finish. My favorite Viognier Mark Ryan Winery has made with the words ‘absolutely beautiful’ written and underlined two times in my original tasting notes. 100% Viognier. Ciel du Cheval and Red Willow vineyards. Aged in neutral oak (67%) and stainless steel. 13.9% alcohol. 375 cases produced.

Mark Ryan Winery Long Haul Red Wine Red Mountain 2009 $48
(Exceptional) Again, an aromatic tour de force with fresh, ripe raspberries along with chocolate, earth, and floral notes. The palate is rich and textured, tart and tightly wound with red fruit flavors, mineral notes, and firm but beautifully integrated tannins. A knockout of a wine with compelling aromatics and a palate that delivers. 64% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Franc, 8% Malbec, and 1% Petit Verdot. Klipsun, Ciel du Cheval, and Stillwater Creek vineyards. Aged in French oak (73% new). 14.8% alcohol. 550 cases produced.

Mark Ryan Winery Dead Horse Red Wine Red Mountain 2009 $52
(Exceptional) Dark ruby. An extremely aromatically appealing wine with dark fruit, currants, mineral notes, high toned milk chocolate, and floral notes. The palate is full of red and blue fruit flavors bringing both elegance and brawn – though its Long Haul littermate is bigger. A beautifully long finish. Has the legs to go the distance in the cellar. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 11% Malbec, and 6% Petit Verdot. Ciel du Cheval, Klipsun, and Obelisco vineyards. Aged in French oak (76% new). 14.7% alcohol. 850 cases produced.

Mark Ryan Winery Lonely Heart Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain $80
(Exceptional) Dark in color with purple at the rim. A dark and brooding wine that is locked up tightly at present with mineral notes, floral notes, dark, dark cherries, and chocolate. The palate is simultaneously bold and understated, rich and restrained. An incredibly impressive wine with beautifully integrated tannins, full of fruit flavors, and a long finish. 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot. Klipsun and Ciel du Cheval vineyards. Aged in French oak (88% new). 14.7% alcohol. 200 cases produced.

Two Vintners

Two Vintners is a joint project of Morgan Lee and Donavon Claflin who are, of course, the two vintners. Lee works as winemaker at Covington Cellars in Woodinville, which is located next door to the Two Vintners facility; Claflin serves as his assistant winemaker.

Two Vintners focuses on small production wines that over-deliver for the price. Each of the wines below is pegged under $30 but comes from attractive sites, such as Pepper Bridge, Seven Hills, and Stone Tree.

While the lineup is impressive across the board, the 2009 Stone Tree Vineyard Zinfandel is the standout if for no other reason than the relative scarcity of this grape in the state. Stone Tree has in a very short time established itself as a top site, with several winemakers particularly excited about zinfandel and Tempranillo. Look for an increasing number of vineyard designated bottles in the coming years. And keep an eye on Two Vintners.

Two Vintners Merlot Pepper Bridge Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2008 $29
(Good) An aromatic wine with mint, earth, and red fruit. The palate is ripe and juicy with chalky tannins and a zing of acidity. Oak is very much in check on this restrained, appealing wine. 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc. 14.3% alcohol. Approximately 130 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Recommended

Two Vintners Syrah Columbia Valley 2009 $20
(Good) An aromatically appealing wine with a surprising amount of complexity for the price point with red fruit, spice, brown licorice, and savory notes. The palate is on the lighter side with chalky tannins. 100% Syrah. Pepper Bridge and Kiona vineyards. 14.7% alcohol. Approximately 200 cases produced.

Two Vintners Syrah Seven Hills Vineyard Walla Walla Valley $29
(Excellent) Dark in color. A perfumed wine with abundant high toned aromas of floral notes, game, chocolate, and mineral notes. The palate is light bodied, silky and lively with a lingering, mineral laden finish. Some my find it a bit too light bodied; others will swoon. 100% Seven Hills. 14.3% alcohol. 73 cases produced.

Two Vintners Lola Red Wine Columbia Valley 2008 $25
(Excellent) Brightly aromatic with berry, penetrating black cherry, and light herbal notes. The palate is fruit-filled, clean, and fresh. A very enjoyable, well priced wine. 50% Cabernet, 50% Syrah. Klipsun, Kestrel, Stonetree, and Mirage vineyards. 14.5% alcohol. 180 cases produced.

Two Vintners Zinfandel StoneTree Vineyard Wahluke Slope 2009 $25
(Excellent) An aromatically compelling wine with brambly fruit, dark chocolate, and whiskey barrel. The palate is rich and silky. Has a lot of booze in it but holds it well – this is Zinfandel after all. 75% Zinfandel, 18% Primitivo, and 7% Petite Sirah. 15.6% alcohol. 310 cases produced.

Desert Wind Winery

Desert Wind Winery is located in Prosser just off interstate 82 (the winery is visible from the highway).

Desert Wind focuses on two estate sites, Desert Wind and Sacagawea vineyards, both of which are located on the Wahluke slope. Desert Wind Vineyard is a staggering 540-acres, planted primarily to Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah. In contrast, Sacagawea is a significantly smaller site of approximately 50 acres.

Intriguingly, each of the wines below is a vineyard designate from one of these two sites. While many of the wines are small production, the winery’s large vineyard also allows them to make certain wines at scale, such as the just under 5,000 case Cabernet Sauvignon.

Desert Wind Winery Bare Naked Viognier Desert Wind Vineyard Wahluke Slope 2010 $15
(Decent) Almost completely clear in color. A moderately aromatic wine with creamiscle and floral notes. The palate is tart and acidic with an unctuous feel. 100% Viognier. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. 14.5% alcohol. 251 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Desert Wind Winery Riesling Sacagawea Vineyard Wahluke Slope 2009 $12
(Decent) An aromatic wine with orange peel, citrus, and floral notes. The palate is off-dry, full of peach and citrus flavors. 100% Riesling. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. 12.0% alcohol. 1.13g/100ml RS. 473 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Desert Wind Semillon Desert Wind Vineyard Wahluke Slope 2009 $15
(Decent) Pale lemon yellow. Aromatics dominated by oak spice, vanilla, and straw. The palate is broad and full of oak spices and citrus flavors. The wood steals the show here. Barrel fermented and aged 6 months sur lie in neutral oak. 98.8% Semillon, 1.2% Chardonnay. 13.9% alcohol. 170 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Desert Wind Tempranillo Desert Wind Vineyard Wahluke Slope 2009 $20
(Good) Aromas of sweet, slightly raisined, red fruit along with grape soda, leather and spice. The palate is fruit filled and broad with chalky tannins and a lingering finish. An enjoyable offering of this emerging varietal at a very reasonable tariff. 96% Tempranillo, 2% Merlot, 1% Barbera, and 1% Syrah. Aged 17 months in American oak. 14.5% alcohol. 427 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Desert Wind Winery Malbec Desert Wine Vineyard Wahluke Slope 2009 $20
(Decent) Medium purple. Aromas are very restrained with light blueberries, boysenberries, and spice. The palate has soft, plush tannins with a tart finish. 97% Malbec, 2% Merlot, and 1% Barbera. Aged 20 months in American oak. 14.5% alcohol. 160 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Desert Wind Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Desert Wind Vineyard Wahluke Slope 2009 $20
(Good) Medium ruby. Distinctly Cabernet Sauvignon with herbal notes, cherry, and vanilla. The palate is dry and chalky, full of plush cherry flavors. 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, and 3% Barbera. Aged 12 months in American oak. 14.5% alcohol. 4,932 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Onesies

The white wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape inspire Forgeron Cellars’ Ambiance White Wine. The wine is primarily a blend of (the seldom seen) Grenache Blanc and Marsanne with a healthy splash of Orange Muscat to add to the complexity and lift the aromatics.

Forgeron Cellars Ambiance White Wine Columbia Valley 2010 $25
(Good) A lightly aromatic wine with toasty spices, orange spritz, and peach. The palate is simultaneously rounded and edgy with citric acidity that cuts all the way through the wine. 47% Grenache Blanc, 47% Marsanne, 17% Orange Muscat. 14.1% alcohol. Sample provided by winery.

I wrote about Idilico last year after an impressive debut with an Albarino and Grenache. The winery was started by Javier Alfonso of Pomum Cellars with the goal of focusing on Spanish varieties.

Tempranillo has been gaining traction in Washington in recent years. This bottle shows why but at a fraction of the cost of many out there. Don’t look for it to last long.

Idilico Tempranillo Washington State 2009 $20
(Good/Excellent) A vibrantly aromatic wine with cherries, cigar box, and spice. The palate is deliciously fresh and fruit filled with pure cherry flavors and minimal oak influence. A rare find at this price point for this emerging varietal. Upland, Airport Ranch, and Elerding vineyards. Aged in neutral oak. 14.0% alcohol. Sample provided by winery.

Rating System
Please note, my rating system was revised at the beginning of 2012 as follows. Read additional details here.
(Exceptional)
(Excellent)
(Good)
(Decent)
(Not recommended/Flawed)

Winds of Change Blowing for Washington Wine

2012-02-14T00:01:00.000-08:00

Change is coming to the Washington wine industry. In the coming months and years, look for these three changes in particular to have a profound impact on the state’s industry.

Big Box Liquor Stores are Coming

Last fall’s Initiative 1183 privatized spirits sales starting June 1^st of this year. Scores of local Safeways, QFCs, and Fred Meyers have already applied to the Liquor Control Board for a spirits retailer license. Independent businesses that meet the initiative’s 10,000 square foot requirement - such as Seattle’s Wine World Warehouse - have also applied to sell spirits.

They will not be alone.

The state is poised for an influx of big box liquor retailers all across the region. Beverages and More (BevMo) has already filed liquor license applications for stores in Tukwila, Silverdale, and Tacoma. Seattle and other metropolitan areas seem sure to be added to that list. The Seattle Times recently reported that Total Wine & More also plans to open ten stores throughout Washington. Others, such as Liquor Depot, may follow suit.

The addition of spirits sales to grocery stores looks to shrink the footprint of the wine section. Simultaneously, big box stores like Total Wine will offer an expanded wine selection – stores in other regions carry an average of 8,000 wines - though competition, especially with volume discounting, looks to be intense. The result will be significantly increased competitive pressure on Washington’s wineries, distributors, and retailers. Stay tuned.

WSU invests in Wine Science Center

Washington State University plans to build a new Wine Science Center at its Tri-Cities campus. This $23M facility will be funded in part by the Washington Wine Commission, which committed to providing $7.4M via a levy on wineries and growers (read more about WSU's Campaign for Wine here).

At last week’s Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers conference, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates and Altria – the parent company of Chateau Ste. Michelle – announced that they are donating $1M to help fund wine science and research at WSU.

While WSU already has approximately 30 faculty members working on viticulture and enology research, these investments will provide state-of-the-art facilities and research capabilities. This will make it easier to attract, train, and retain top quality faculty and students. It will also provide a wealth of research to inform the decisions of growers and winemakers across the state. The long-term effect on the industry cannot be overstated, with impacts from grape to glass.

Wine Commission Hires New Executive Director

Finally, last week the Washington Wine Commission announced the hiring of a new Executive Director, Steve Warner (see a post on the announcement here). Warner comes to the commission with a deep background in marketing, management, and international business.

After seeing astronomical growth over the last ten years in wineries, plantings, and accolades, Washington now stands poised to take the industry to the next level. Talking with several Commission board members in recent days, it is clear that they believe Warner is the perfect person to help accomplish this.

Of course, only time will tell how each of these three changes plays out and how immediately the impacts are seen. One thing, however, is already clear. The Washington wine industry will never be the same.

Washington Wine Round-up February 1st to 7th 2012

2012-02-13T00:01:00.000-08:00

A round-up of stories on Washington wine from February 1st to 7th 2012. Read previous round-ups here.

From around the country…

Wine Enthusiast magazine writes about the San Juan Islands.

The Capital writes about the 2007 Col Solare.

Taos News writes about Shooting Star’s Blue Franc.

Business Insider talks with Kyle Maclachlan about why he went into the wine business.

From the blogosphere…

Mercer Island Patch writes about oysters and wine.

Uncork Washington writes about the 2008 Rulo Syrah.

Lucha Vino compares a Washington syrah to one from France.

Through the Walla Walla Grapevine writes that February is for Foodies in Walla Walla.

Wine Peeps writes about 2008 Bordeaux-style blends.

Nectar Tasting Room & Wine Blog writes about February events in Spokane.

Wild 4 Washington Wine writes about Forgeron Cellars 2009 Blacksmith Syrah.

Write for Wine writes about the DiStefano Sogno

From the locals…

Seattle Times writes that liquor prices are likely to go up after passage of 1183. CBS Seattle also picks up on this story.

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

Herald.net says pull the cork on liquor jobs.

The News Tribune says grow your own grapes for wine. They also write about the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers conference.

Wenatchee World writes about the economics of wine.

WSU News writes that Washington wine is a treasure trove of complex compounds.

The Tri-City Herald writes about the auction of Cave B Winery.

East Oregonian writes about Walla Walla Vintners winning the Jefferson Cup Award (subcription required).

KVEW TV writes about Central Washington University offering a sommelier certificate program.

Wine Press NW writes about Vicky Scharlau of WAWGG being elected chair of the National Grape and Wine Growers Initiative.

The Bellingham Herald writes about matching food with zinfandel.

North Kitsap Herald writes about Hamilton Cellars.

That's all folks!

Washington Wine Commission Hires New Executive Director

2012-02-09T08:11:00.000-08:00

The Washington Wine Commission announced earlier today the hiring of Steve Warner as Executive Director. Warner, a Washington State native, brings to the position a deep background in marketing, management, and international business.

Warner comes to the Wine Commission after spending the last ten years working for Merck & Co. Most recently, he was Managing Director of an eastern European business unit of the company, located in Bucharest, Romania. At this position, Warner managed a staff of 200, with a budget of $25M and annual revenues of $135M. He also brings extensive experience working in the Asia-Pacific region, having led teams in Seoul, South Korea and Bangkok, Thailand.

Steve Warner was born in Seattle and has also lived in Cle Elum. After graduating from West Seattle High School, he subsequently received a bachelor’s degree in biology from East Tennessee State University as well as a master’s of business and administration in international business and finance from Rutgers University.

Warner also brings to the Commission more than 20 years of military service. He served in the Special Operations Command as a sergeant in the U.S. Air Force and as a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy.

“I could not be more excited about joining the Commission and the industry at this particular time in our evolution,” Warner said of his new position.

The Wine Commission’s search for a new Executive Director came after Robin Pollard announced her resignation last October. In its search, the Commission received nearly 200 applications.

Olympia-based Karras Consulting performed and initial screen of applicants. A selection committee made up of board members from the Wine Commission, representatives from the Washington Association of Wine grape Growers, and the Washington Wine Institute then interviewed a preliminary group of seven individuals. This selection committee subsequently narrowed that group down to two finalists who were then interviewed by the full 13-member Wine Commission board. Warner was the unanimous choice.

Established in 1987 by the state legislature, the Washington Wine Commission is a marketing platform to increase awareness of the Washington wine industry. It is funded by annual assessments on grape and wine sales. Steve Warner will start as Executive Director of the Commission on March 12^th.

Related Posts
Washington Wine Commission Searches for New Executive Director

How Wineries Can Make Automated Facebook and Twitter Cross-posts More Effective

2012-02-08T00:01:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I wrote about some of the problems with automating cross-posts between Facebook and Twitter. Today, I give some simple suggestions on how wineries can make these cross-posts more effective.

Let me start by reiterating that automated cross-posting between Facebook and Twitter is problematic and should be done with caution. These are vastly different Social Media tools with different uses, users, nomenclature, and etiquette. However, if you’re going to do it, there are things you can do to make your posts more effective.

Note that in all cases below, I am referring to posts going from Facebook to Twitter, which is what I see most wineries doing.

1. Make sure that you are monitoring Twitter for responses to your Facebook posts

For many, the goal of Social Media is to engage people and increase awareness. If you’re cross-posting from Facebook but aren’t looking for responses on Twitter, you’re wasting your time, your followers’ time, and essentially spamming Twitter.

If you don’t have Twitter open frequently or have a smartphone that identifies when someone has sent you an “@” message, set up an alert so you receive an e-mail message when someone mentions your Twitter handle. There are numerous services for this, such as TweetBeep and Twilert.

2. If a significant amount of time has elapsed between someone on Twitter commenting on a Facebook post and your response to them, retweet what the person originally said

Twitter is all about live conversations and interactions. Responding hours and days later removes the context. If much time has gone by - my rule of thumb is a couple of hours - retweet (RT) the original statement for reference. Doing so of course limits your space.

This is perhaps most effective when someone has sent a compliment and you respond by retweeting it and saying simply, “Thanks!” This doesn’t take up much space, provides context, and – best of all - sends out the compliment to your followers.

3. If your Facebook post is just over 140 characters, try to get under Twitter’s character limit

If you’re posting on Facebook and you’re close to Twitter’s 140-character limit, try to get the post to 140. If you don’t, Twitter users are just clicking on the fb.me link to see a couple extra words, which, again, makes them less likely to do so in the future.

4. If your Facebook post is going over 140 characters, make the first 140 count

As I indicated yesterday, there are a number of reasons why people on Twitter are less likely to look at what you’re cross-posting from Facebook. So if you are writing something longer than Twitter’s 140-character limit, try to make the beginning of the post something worth clicking on. That way people on Twitter are more likely to go see the rest of the post on Facebook.

5. If posting a link to an article or website on Facebook, stay under 140 characters!

As I wrote yesterday, any Facebook post longer than 140 characters is going to get truncated in Twitter. Additionally, when people in Twitter click on the link, they are going straight to the article – not to your Facebook page - and won’t see anything you’ve written over the 140 character limit. So make sure to stay under 140- characters when posting links, otherwise everything else you write is getting lost to folks on Twitter.

6. Remember Twitter’s 140 character limit includes the Facebook link!

When you cross-post from Facebook to Twitter, the fb.me link that is created on Twitter may take up to 15 characters, so your actual limit on Twitter is more like 125 characters. Try to stay under 125 characters on Facebook to prevent your posts from getting truncated.

7. Finally, try to post at least some unique content to both Twitter and Facebook

Again, Facebook and Twitter are unique tools. You can get the most out of them by using each of them for what they are good at. This isn’t to say the content can’t be similar, but try to make it as unique as possible. If everything you’re posting on Twitter has a 100% overlap with what you are posting on Facebook - meaning that your only posts on Twitter are Facebook cross-posts, why should your Facebook fans ever follow you on Twitter?

* * *

In summary, if you're going to automate cross-posting from Facebook to Twitter, think about ways to make these posts more effective. The bottom line is, if your Facebook posts aren't getting traction on Twitter, it kind of defeats the whole purpose, right?

Related Posts
10 Myths About Wineries, Social Media, and Their Interactions
Ten Questions Wineries Should Ask Before Becoming Involved in Social Media

How Automated Cross-Posting from Facebook to Twitter Can Defeat the Purpose of Social Media

2012-02-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

Lately I’ve seen a lot of wineries linking their Facebook and Twitter accounts so that posts on one are automatically cross-posted to the other. My advice? Do so with caution. Here’s why.

Cross-posting between Facebook and Twitter is problematic because they are vastly different Social Media tools with different uses, users, nomenclature, and etiquette. Let’s look at several problems that arise when cross-posting from Facebook to Twitter, which seems to be the most common case for many wineries and other businesses.

Example 1 – Cross-posting a Facebook post of less than 140 characters to Twitter

You’ve just posted something to Facebook. If I am a Facebook user I see this:

YOUR FB POST HERE

If I am a Twitter user, I probably see something like:

YOUR FB POST HERE fb.me/543210

The fb.me link in Twitter is a link to your Facebook post. Now if I am a Twitter user and I click on that link, what do I see?

YOUR FB POST HERE

The information is completely redundant with what I saw in Twitter. It looks like it might be a link to unique material, but it is really just a Facebook post cross-posted to Twitter. Sometimes it is very obvious when this is the case; sometimes it is not as we will see below, and this is where things become particularly problematic.

What do Twitter users do as a result of this? Users are less likely to click on links cross-posted from Facebook making these links less effective.

Example 2 – Cross-posting a Facebook post of more than 140 characters to Twitter

So you’ve just posted something to Facebook, and it’s longer than Twitter’s 140- character limit. What people see on Twitter is most likely something like:

YOUR FB POST HERE…fb.me/543210

The post has been truncated (…), often into something that’s completely meaningless to someone on Twitter unless they click on the link. The post is less likely to get traction on Twitter because it doesn’t stand up by itself without taking additional action.

Example 3 – Cross-posting an external link from Facebook to Twitter

Let’s say you read something you find really interesting and you want to share it and see people’s comments on it. On Facebook this looks as follows:

YOUR FB POST HERE
ARTICLE NAME HERE WITH LINK AND POSSIBLY A PICTURE

What does it look like on Twitter? You guessed it:

YOUR FB POST HERE fb.me/543210

There is no obvious difference between a tweet that is a link to an article you found interesting and a tweet that is simply a link back to something you posted on Facebook.

Additionally - and importantly - when Twitter users click on the link, they will go straight to the article, not to Facebook! There is, therefore, no ability for Twitter users to comment on the Facebook post unless they go to Facebook and search for your winery page. This, of course, defeats the purpose of trying to create interaction. Furthermore, any content you wrote over the 140 characters is lost completely because the link, in this case, goes straight to the article instead of going to Facebook.

Example 4 – Cross posting from Facebook to Twitter and not paying attention to responses on Twitter

This is probably the biggest problem when cross-posting between Facebook and Twitter. Let’s say you live in Facebook but rarely venture into Twitter. You post:

YOUR FB POST HERE…..fb.me/543210

Someone responds on Twitter:

“Hey @YOURWINERYNAME that’s really interesting!”

This is an opportunity for engagement. However, you don’t see the response or interact with the person because you’re not paying attention to Twitter. You’re living in Facebook. The opportunity for engagement – the entire point of what you’ve posted – is lost. Additionally, if you’re posting on Twitter and not looking for a response there, in essence, you’re spamming Twitter.

* * *

Now I’m not saying that wineries should not set up automated cross-posts between Facebook and Twitter. Time is short, and I know a lot of people don’t like/understand Twitter. Additionally, some people are simply looking to hit two birds with one stone and are actively responding and engaging people in both spaces. That’s fine.

However, if you are going to cross-post between Facebook and Twitter, there are some simple things you can do to make these posts more effective. More on that later this week.

Feburary Virtual Tasting - Columbia Crest 2009 H3 Cabernet Sauvignon

2012-02-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

February's Virtual Tasting wine will be the 2009 Columbia Crest H3 Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine retails for $15 and is widely available. The tasting will take place Tuesday February 28th from 7-8pm Pacific.

What you need to do to participate is:

1. Buy this month’s wine from a local retailer or from the winery.

2. Tweet your comments about the wine on Twitter between 7 and 8pm Pacific using the hashtag #ccrest. For those on Twitter, follow me @wawinereport.

Washington Wine Round-up January 22nd to 31st 2012

2012-02-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

A round-up of stories on Washington wine from January 22nd to 31st 2012. Read previous round-ups here.

From around the country…

Shanken Daily News writes about Total Wine coming to Washington.

The Chicago Tribune writes about Starbucks expanding its beer and wine sales to Atlanta and Southern California. NBC picks up on this as well.

D Magazine writes about remarkable reds with a callout to Den Hoed.

The Patriot Ledger writes about Doubleback.

On-Line Athens writes about Charles Smith.

Wine Enthusiast writes about visiting the San Juans.

From the blogosphere…

Through the Walla Walla Grapevine writes about Petit Verdot.

Jameson Fink writes about a month at Cedar River Farm and Cidery.

Paul Gregutt gives his top 10 Northwest wines of the month. He also writes about wine clubs and writes that the new introduction to wine may not be wine.

Wine Folly writes about getting to know Washington Syrah.

Wineeyak writes about Kana Winery. They also write about the 20^th anniversary of DuBrul Vineyard.

Northwest Wine Anthem writes about Ross Andrew’s Meadow.

Woodinville Wine Update writes about Feburary events in Woodinville.

Huffington Post writes about Syrah with (very) brief mention of Washington. They also write about states hoping to drink down deficits with privatization.

Rosemount Patch writes about Starbucks serving wine.

Wine Peeps writes about 2008 Washington Cabernets. They also write about the 2009 Columbia Crest Les Chevaux Red Wine.

Northwest Wines wishes the Wine Commission a happy birthday.

Lucha Vino compares a Washington to Australian Cabernet. He also writes about Lake Chelan.

Table Talk writes about wine appreciation month.

Uncork Washington writes about JM Cellars’ 2009 Margaret’s Vineyard Estate Red Wine.

Mercer Island Patch gives a weekly wine pitch.

At Foodista, Jameson Fink writes about a most unusual Washington wine blend.

Write for Wine writes about the 2009 Chateau Smith Cabernet Sauvignon.

Wild 4 Washington Wine writes about three value priced Washington wines.

Palate Press writes about Urban Enoteca.

From the locals…

The Seattle Times writes about big liquor stores shopping for space in Seattle.

Writing for the Seattle Times, Paul Gregutt writes about the 2010 and 2011 vintages.

The Tri-City Herald writes about Dan Wampfler of Dunham Cellars joining the Washington Wine Commission board.

Wine Press NW writes about Walla Walla Vintners (story in The Daily World).

Washington Tasting Room Magazine writes about the Washington Wine Commission celebrating 25 years.

Oregon Live.com writes about small movie theatres in Washington selling beer and wine.

The Spokesman-Review writes about Latah Creek. They also write that liquor privatization is problematic for Idaho.

The Statesman-Review writes that most wines are blends.

The Herald.net writes about a winery betting on Malbec.

Leftovers (posts missed from previous weeks)…

Wine Business names Barrister a Hot Small Brand.

That's all folks!

Summary of Posts for January 2012

2012-02-01T19:29:00.001-08:00

Below is a summary of posts for January 2012.

On Vacation - January 1st to 15th

Washington Wine Round-up December 22nd to 31st 2012

Washington Wine Round-up January 1st to 7th 2011

Plans for 2012

Rating System

January Virtual Tasting - 2008 Januik Red Wine Columbia Valley

Old school! Recent print articles

Washington Wine Round-up January 8th-14th 2012

It’s hard to keep a good man down – Frank Magaña launches Frank Magaña Catering

Washington Wine Round-up January 15th-21st 2012

Rating System Display

Five Wines Under $15 January 2012

How to Return a Corked Bottle of Wine (and Why You Should)

Fresh Sheet January 30th 2012

A Look Back at 2011’s Best Washington Wines

A Look Back at 2011’s Best Washington Wines

2012-01-31T00:36:00.000-08:00

For the past four years I’ve published an annual list of my favorite wines based on those I’ve sampled here from the year gone by. Below is a look back at some of my favorites from 2011 (see the 2010 list here, 2009 here, and 2008 here).

This list was compiled in the following manner.

A. To be considered, a review needed to be published on my blog in 2011. No barrel samples were considered (See the complete list of wines reviewed in my Tasting Note Database here).

B. I considered wines based on rating, my overall excitement about the wine, and price. In terms of rating, all wines below received either a double or single star in my pre-2012 rating system (see the revised rating system here). In terms of excitement, I focused on wines that stood out in the weeks and months after I sampled them.

C. Although there were many wines I sampled here last year, there were many (many) more that I did not. For this reason, there are, as always, a number of significant omissions. This is not meant as a reflection on the numerous wineries producing excellent wines that are not listed here. It is rather a reflection of what I was able to sample and review in the past year.

As with previous years, in the interests of inclusion, I included only one wine from each winery. Without further ado.

1. Cayuse Vineyards Syrah Cailloux Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2008 $80

Incredibly dark in color. Leaps up with floral notes, mineral notes, and bloody meat aromas. The palate is hugely perfumed, rich, and full with a tremendous mouthfeel. Full of umami flavors, mineral, crushed violets, and meat. A mixture of power and grace. 96% Syrah and 4% Viognier. 785 cases produced. Reviewed September 22, 2011

2. Rasa Vineyards Creative Impulse Red Wine DuBrul Vineyard 2008 $95

A compelling wine with earth, dark, dark cherry, chocolate, and herbal notes. On the palate a beautiful display of richness and power, structure and delicacy. An extremely long finish. Only continues to pick up steam after days of being open. 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot. Aged 30 months in French oak (60% new). 15.1% alcohol. 140 cases produced. Reviewed July 20, 2011

3. Gorman Winery The Alabtross Red Wine Red Mountain 2008 $80

Dark to the point of being opaque. A perfumed wine full of earth, soil, floral notes, and dark fruit. On the palate, a gigantically rich, intense wine that packs a huge wallop with focused fruit flavors and textured, ripe tannins. Though not for the faint of heart, this wine stands with the best in the state and is high on the list of the best wines I have had this year. 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Petit Verdot. Kiona Vineyard. Aged in 100% new French oak. 140 cases produced. Reviewed August 29, 2011

4. Reynvaan Family Vineyards Stonessence Syrah Walla Walla Valley 2009 $70

An aromatic wine full of mineral, earth, smoke, black olive juice, iodine, and crushed rock. The palate is distinct from the other Reynvaan offerings, alternately more subdued but also showing greater movement across the palate with an outrageous minerality. Shimmers with intensity with a chalky feel. Lingers seemingly endlessly. As good a wine as the winery has made and pushing the upper limits of the rating scale. 100% Syrah. Reviewed September 22, 2011

5. Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley 2008 $85

An aromatically compelling, complex wine with seductive aromatics of sage and other herbal notes, earth, high-toned black cherry, red fruit, roasted espresso bean, and whiffs of licorice. Rich and broad on the palate without being weighty with incredibly pure, focused, fruit flavors. The tannin integration is beyond exceptional. Hangs and hangs on the finish. A beautiful expression of Cabernet Sauvignon. Give two plus years. 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 4% Carmenère, 3% Malbec. Mill Creek Upland, Loess, and Seven Hills vineyard. Aged 22 months in new and neutral French oak. 14.6% alcohol. 2,980 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed September 21, 2011

6. Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2008 $130

Dark in color. Rich aromas of blackberries, mocha, licorice, earth, and spice. An opulent, expansive wine that opens up and spreads out across the palate. Beautifully structured with the tannins to go the distance. Capped off by an extended finish. 98% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot. Champoux, Klipsun, and Taptiel vineyards. Aged 22 months in 100% new French oak. 15.2% alcohol. Sampled at 68 degrees. Reviewed March 23, 2011

7. FIGGINS Estate Red Wine Walla Walla Valley 2008 $85

An almost endless list of aromas including scorched earth, red and black fruit, bittersweet chocolate, floral notes, and licorice. Wound up tightly initially, the palate is dense and rich with fruit and earth flavors while remaining incredibly elegant. A seemingly endless finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Merlot. Aged 22 months in French oak (70% new). 14.3% alcohol. Reviewed December 31, 2011

8. Rotie Cellars Northern Blend Washington State 2009 $40

A meaty, gamey wine full of savory notes, floral notes, mineral, sliced black olives, and ash. On the palate, the wine is full of earth, meat, and savory flavors, lingering as long as one wants to count on the finish. 95% Syrah, 5% Viognier. 450 cases produced. Reviewed December 22, 2011

9. Cadence Bel Canto Red Wine Red Mountain 2008 $55

Locked up tightly at present, this wine reveals floral notes, earth, mineral, dark fruit, and light chocolate. The palate is tightly coiled with dark fruit and firm tannins - a whopper while remaining graceful and beautifully structured. Simultaneously full throttle and far from over the top. Put this one in the cellar and forget about it for a few years to see it at its best. 67% Cabernet Franc, 25% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot. Reviewed December 31, 2011

10. Maison Bleue Petite Joie Marsanne Boushey Vineyard 2010 $35

Intoxicating, compellingly complex aromas of honeydew melon, marzipan, crushed almonds, and spice. Hard to get past the nose and take the first sip. The palate is textured with incredible body and weight with lemony acidity and an exceptionally long finish. Nothing short of an accomplishment of a wine that is the best Marsanne I have had from Washington by a long stretch. 100% Marsanne. Whole cluster pressed and fermented and aged in French oak (30% new). Aged sur lie for 9 months. 100% malolactic fermentation. 13.9% alcohol. 143 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed August 3, 2011

11. Gramercy Cellars Syrah Walla Walla Valley 2009 $45

An intensely aromatic wine with violets, smoked meat, light chocolate, and mineral notes. The palate is textured with layers of complexity crisply defined by acidity. An exclamation point of Walla Walla Valley Syrah. 100% Syrah. 95% Les Collines Vineyard, 5% Minick Vineyard. Aged 18 months in 500L and 225L neutral barrels. 13.9% alcohol. 605 cases produced. Reviewed September 22, 2011

12. Betz Family Winery La Cote Rousse Syrah Red Mountain 2009 $55

Perhaps the most compelling of the stellar set of new releases, this 100% Syrah is full of floral notes, mineral notes, smoke, and dark fruit. The palate is taut and full while retaining an incredible freshness and vibrancy. A tart, fruit-filled finish. 51% Kiona Ranch at the End of the Road, 49% Ciel du Cheval vineyards. Aged 12 months in French oak (50% new). 14.8% alcohol. Reviewed September 13, 2011

13. Kerloo Cellars Garnacha Cockburn Ranch Walla Walla Valley 2009 $38

Pale ruby and slightly cloudy. Very light, delicate aromas of pine resin, vanilla, spice, and red fruit. The palate is soft, light bodied, silky and seductive with red fruit accented by vanilla flavors. Tremendous hang time on the finish. An absolutely beautiful, delicate, unique wine and a rarely seen Walla Walla Valley Grenache. 100% Grenache. Cockburn Ranch, Block 20. Aged 17 months in neutral French oak. 12.1% alcohol. 22 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed December 27, 2011

14. Waters Winery Syrah Forgotten Hills Walla Walla Valley 2009 $65

After declassifying all of the fruit from the 2008 vintage, Waters Forgotten Hills Syrah returns as a tour de force with the 2009 release. The wine leaps up from the glass with crushed violets, red fruit, smoke, braised meat, iron ore, and earthy funk. The palate is broad and textured, displaying tremendous depth and intensity along with the winery’s trademark bright acidity. Sails on and on at the finish. Quintessentially Waters; unmistakably Forgotten Hills. As good – perhaps better? – than the heralded 2007 vintage release and more than worth the wait. 100% Syrah. Aged in French oak (25% new). 14.4% alcohol. 514 cases produced. Reviewed December 20, 2011

15. Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley 2008 $85

Dark in color. Aromas of cherries, raspberries, earth, espresso, licorice, woodspice, and a touch of herbal notes on an aromatically complex, compelling wine. Rich, ripe, and wound up tightly at present with a dense core of fruit, earth flavors, and soft, beautifully refined tannins. A thirty plus second finish. Give one to two years but will be worth the wait. 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, and 7% Petite Verdot. Seven Hills, Pepper Bridge, Figgins Estate, and LeFore vineyards. Aged 22 months in French oak (60% new). 14.4% alcohol. 900 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed June 29, 2011

16. EFESTE Jolie Bouche Syrah Boushey Vineyard Yakima Valley 2009 $39

A crazily aromatic wine with abundant mineral notes, red fruit, meat, savory notes, iron, and floral notes. The palate is big and brawny while also bringing tremendous refinement. Silky tannins carry this wine off into the distance. Reviewed November 17, 2011

17. Northstar Merlot Walla Walla Valley 2007 $50

Leaps from the glass with complex aromas of earth, black tea, black fruit, cranberry, raspberry, licorice, chocolate, spice, incense, and mocha. A thick, dense, muscular wine with rich fruit flavors and exceptionally well-integrated, silky tannins. Capped off by a hyper-extended finish. An exclamation point for the varietal that is bound to change a lot of minds about Merlot. 78% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Petit Verdot. Aged 18 months in French oak (56% new). 14.7% alcohol. 400 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed May 17, 2011

18. Abeja Cabernet Sauvignon Heather Hill Walla Walla Valley 2008 $55

Very pretty, high toned herbal notes along with oak spice and dark cherries on a wine to linger over. The palate is concentrated and rich while remaining silky and light on its feet with beautifully integrated tannins and an incredibly persistent finish. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged 23 months in French oak (80% new). 14.8% alcohol. Reviewed December 30, 2011

19. Rulo Winery Syrah Columbia Valley 2007 $20

A moderately aromatic wine with pure aromas of blackberry, raspberries, Dimetapp, dark chocolate, mineral notes, and herbs. The palate is incredibly, incredibly dense with rich fruit flavors, almost to the point of being impenetrable. Coats the palate while still remaining light on its feet. Only gets better with more time to breath. Give 1-2 years or decant extensively. 14.5% alcohol. Reviewed March 18, 2011

20. Sparkman Cellars Ruckus Syrah Red Mountain 2008 $32

Locked up tight at present with blackberries, blueberries, game, floral notes, and penetrating mineral aromas. On the palate, a big, rich, chewy wine with expansive fruit flavors, a dense core of tannins, and a seemingly endless finish. 87% Klipsun Syrah, 13% Klipsun Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged 15 months in French oak (45% new). 14.9% alcohol. 223 cases produced. Sampled at 60 degrees (suggested 62). Reviewed February 15, 2011

21. K Vintners The Beautiful Syrah Walla Walla Valley 2009 $60

An uber aromatic wine with abundant mineral, green olive, and ash notes. On the palate, a gorgeous, textured, richly flavorful wine with a long, drawn out finish. 95% Syrah co-fermented with 5% Viognier. 15.5% alcohol. 580 cases produced. Reviewed December 30, 2011

22. Force Majeure Reserve Syrah Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Red Mountain 2007 $65

Light ruby colored. Bright raspberry aromas pair with crushed flowers and spice on an aromatically compelling wine. The palate is silky and weighted with intense, penetrating fruit flavors that persist for thirty-plus seconds on the finish. This is a wine you can just smell and be totally satisfied. Syrah co-fermented with 3% Viognier. Aged 39 months in 100% new French oak. 14.6% alcohol. 45 cases produced. Ben Smith winemaker. Reviewed September 2, 2011

23. Adams Bench Red Willow Cabernet Sauvignon Yakima Valley 2008 $60

Dark and alluring with dark, dried cherries, incense, and high toned herbal notes. Completely coats the palate from end to end with bold but beautifully balanced dark fruit flavors. Taught, grainy tannins squeeze the tongue before gently letting go. Carries into a long finish. A prototype of Washington Cabernet Sauvignon, once again showing Tim Blue among the state’s best. Give two-plus years or decant extensively. 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot. 14.9% alcohol. 100 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed December 27, 2011

24. 21 Grams Red Wine Columbia Valley 2008 $125

Quite distinct from previous vintages, this wine reveals savory notes of soy and iodine along with licorice, green olive, and kisses of chocolate in a jumble of red and black fruit. The palate has plush, rich fruit flavors with ripe tannins and restrained oak accents. Lingers on and on. 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14 % Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot. Cold Creek, Seven Hills, Sagemoor, Portteus, Va Piano, and Phinney Hill. Aged in French oak (50% new). 14.6% alcohol. 100 cases produced. Reviewed December 20, 2011

25. Cadaretta SBS Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Columbia Valley 2010 $23

A delicious, aromatic wine with gooseberry, mineral, and citrus notes. Palate has a full, rounded feel, full of white grapefruit favors with tart, mouthwatering, racy acidity. A very clean, extremely enjoyable wine. Oysters anyone? 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Semillon. Spring Creek, Frenchman Hills, and Rosebud vineyards. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. 14.1% alcohol. 820 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed July 6, 2011

26. Tranche Cellars Syrah Columbia Valley 2006 $35

An aromatically complex and appealing wine with wood spice, mineral, high toned blackberry, moist earth, baker’s chocolate, coffee, and dark floral notes. Dense and drawn out, coating the palate from end to end with rich fruit flavors accented by barrel notes and silky tannins. An extended finish. The wood plays a fairly dominant role in this show but it works for this wine. Drinking absolutely beautifully right now, this wine will continue to age gracefully for years to come. Aged 33 months in French oak (60% new). 15.2% alcohol. 274 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed December 20, 2011

27. DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate Blanc Columbia Valley 2009 $34

Consistently one of the finest white wines made in the state – with a correspondingly high price point – the 2009 Chaleur Estate Blanc from DeLille Cellars is another standout full of herbal notes, citrus, crushed nuts, oak spices, and gooseberries. Lingers on the finish. 62% Sauvignon Blanc, 38% Semillon. Boushey, Sagemoor, and Klipsun vineyards. Reviewed November 21, 2011

28. Corliss Estates Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2006 $75

An aromatic powerhouse with mocha, herbal notes, black cherries, black licorice, and spice box. The palate is dense and perfumed with rich waves of mouth coating dark fruit flavors accented by barrel notes and a silky texture. The finish lingers long and effortlessly. An absolutely beautiful, multiple swallow wine - among my favorites from this winery - that is drinking beautifully right now but has a long, long drinking window in front of it. The barrel influence is not shy here but has the fruit to match it. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. Stillwater, Bacchus, Dionysus, and Weinbau vineyards. Aged in French oak (80% new) for 33 months. 15.1% alcohol. 624 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed September 22, 2011

29. Pamplin Family Winery JRG Red Wine Columbia Valley 2008 $30

Dark in color. A pleasingly aromatic wine marked by brioche, plum, black cherry, wood spice, and incense. Palate is medium bodied with tart, focused cherry fruit flavors that linger on a long finish. An impressively throttled back wine. 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 14% Malbec, 4% Petit Verdot. Seven Hills, Klipsun, Canoe Ridge and Wallula vineyards. Aged 20 months in French oak (46% new). 14.7% alcohol. 205 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed May 18, 2011

30. Amavi Cellars Syrah Walla Walla Valley 2009 $29

Medium purple. An aromatic wine that leaps from the glass with violets, chocolate, earth, dark fruit, orange peel, cream, and mineral notes. The palate is lush and perfumed with blue and black fruits and savory notes with great complexity of flavors and depth. A wine that is simultaneously big and restrained with a creamy feel. Lingers on the finish with perfumed flavors. A rare find at this price point. 100% Syrah. Les Collines, Seven Hills, and Pepper Bridge vineyards. Aged in French oak (16% new). 14.1% alcohol. 1,396 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed December 20, 2011

31. Januik Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2008 $30

A bit closed up and brooding at present but showing high toned herbal notes, spice, licorice, and black cherry. Rich and dense on the palate with abundant, penetrating dark cherry flavors and a long finish. 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5%Merlot, 1%Cabernet Franc, and 2% Malbec. Champoux, Klipsun, Ciel du Cheval, Red Mountain and Weinbau vineyards. Aged 20 months in French oak. 1,597 cases produced. Reviewed May 10, 2011

32. Long Shadows Poet’s Leap Riesling Columbia Valley 2010 $20

Aromatically alluring with bosc pear, nectarine, lime zest, and wet stone. Just off dry with a seamless palate full of white grapefruit flavors and mouthwatering acidity. Lingers impressively on the finish. Reviewed November 18, 2011

33. Sleight of Hand Funkadelic Syrah Walla Walla Valley 2009 $60

Aromas jump from the glass of earth, funk, mineral, black olive juice, ash, game, and a whiff of orange peel. A thoroughly delicious, delectable wine that shows the Rocks district of the Walla Walla Valley perfectly. 100% Syrah. The Funk Vineyard. Aged 11 months in French oak (25% new). 13.9% alcohol. 95 cases produced. Reviewed July 20, 2011

34. Guardian Cellars Angel Sauvignon Blanc Columbia Valley 2010 $20

Pale in color. Aromas of lime, toasty oak spices, and herbal notes. Tart with crisp on the palate with lime flavors and vibrant, mouthwatering acidity. 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Klipsun and Spring Creek vineyards. Barrel fermented in new French oak. 14.0% alcohol. 295 cases produced. Reviewed November 18, 2011

35. àMaurice Malbec Columbia Valley 2008 $35

Dark and inky with a purple rim. Abundant pepper and plum aromas along with spice. Rich and flavorful on the palate with great depth on a deliciously varietal wine. A big, brawny beast with a long finish. 100% Malbec. Gamache Vineyard. Aged in French oak (40% new). 14.5% alcohol. 320 cases produced. Reviewed July 20, 2011

36. Pacific Rim Riesling Columbia Valley 2010 $11

Pale lemon yellow. An aromatically compelling wine with floral notes, peaches, and jasmine. The palate is medium-dry and full off mandarin orange and lime flavors, beautifully stitched together with a zing of acidity that carries along to a lingering finish. 100% Riesling. 11.5% alcohol. 2.3% Residual Sugar. Reviewed August 30, 2011

37. Obelisco Estate Estate Grown Merlot Red Mountain 2008 $30

Leaps up from the glass with smoky oak notes, spice, incense, and red fruit. The palate is loaded with fruit flavors that draw out and lead to a long, spice filled finish. A beautiful wine that is a steal at this price point. 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Syrah, and 5% Malbec. 13.7% alcohol. 395 cases produced. Reviewed December 27, 2011

38. Mark Ryan Long Haul Red Wine Red Mountain 2008 $45

An expressive wine with mineral, carob, rose hips, and high toned red fruit. The palate is rich and dense with sinewy red fruit flavors and a firm scaffolding of tannins. 63% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, 11% Petit Verdot, and 4% Malbec. Reviewed August 17, 2011

39. Tulpen Cellars Caberent Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2007 $28

Aromatically closed up initially with milk chocolate, dark cherries, herbal notes, and wood spice. The palate is big, lush, and opulent with lingering flavors of milk chocolate and dark cherries. An extended finish. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Tokar, Double River, and Heather Hill vineyards. 14.9% alcohol. 205 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed November 14, 2011

40. Fidelitas Malbec Columbia Valley 2008 $35

Compelling aromas of pepper, plum, spice, and black fruit. The palate brings abundant green notes along with pepper, spice, and citric acidity. Consistently among the best Malbec produced in the state. Stillwater Creek Vineyard (29%), Northridge-Milbrandt Vineyard (29%), Goose Ridge (24%) and Conner Lee Vineyard (23%). Aged 20 months in French and American oak (50% new). 14.70% alcohol. 344 cases produced. Reviewed May 12, 2011

41. JM Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain 2008 $38

Dark in color. Rises up from the glass with black cherry, spice, anise, and light herbal notes. A mouthful of intense red and black fruit flavors with a rich, textured feel. Gracefully structured with a thirty plus second finish. 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc. Klipsun, Shaw, Ciel du Cheval, and Kiona vineyards. 300 cases produced. Reviewed February 23, 2011

42. Novelty Hill Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2008 $25

Pleasingly aromatic with toast, spice, butterscotch, herbal notes, and red and black fruit. The palate is big and intensely flavorful. A thoroughly delicious, rich wine with a lingering finish. 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Stillwater Creek, Alder Ridge, Weinbau and Chandler’s Reach vineyards. 14.4% alcohol. 4,846 cases produced. Reviewed May 10, 2011

43. Dowsett Family Winery Gewürztraminer Celilo Vineyard Columbia Gorge 2010 $22

An aromatic wine that is like walking through a field of white flowers while holding a freshly cut grapefruit. Tart with racy acidity with loads of spice and grapefruit flavors. Some might find it almost a bit too tart for their taste – others might find it almost a bit too delicious. 173 cases produced. Reviewed July 6, 2011

44. Saviah Cellars Une Valley Red Wine Walla Walla Valley 2009 $32

Moderately aromatic with earth, floral notes, incense, milk chocolate and dried cherries. The palate is both elegant and weighted, full of chocolate and cherry flavors seamlessly stitched together. The tannins are soft and silky. A very pretty wine. 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc. 382 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed December 20, 2011

45. Olsen Estates Petit Verdot Yakima Valley 2008 $38

Somewhat closed up aromatically at present with earth, blackberry, stem notes, and licorice. The palate is rich and luscious with layers of intense fruit flavors. 100% Petit Verdot. Aged in French oak (78% new) for 16 months. 14.4% alcohol. 221 cases produced. Note: Price is prior to closure announcement. Reviewed February 9, 2011

46. Stevens Winery Merlot Yakima Valley 2008 $30

Aromatically open with abundant amounts of raspberries and red vines. The fruit flavors are rich, chewy, and bright, etched by acidity. A thoroughly delicious, fruit-filled wine with enough structure that many will mistake it for a cabernet. As good a merlot as is coming out of Washington. 100% Merlot. 50% Meek, 50% DuBrul vineyards. Reviewed March 2, 2011

47. Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen Eroica Riesling Columbia Valley 2010 $20

Pale lemon yellow. An aromatic wine with a cornucopia of ripe peaches and nectarines, along with pear and whiffs of lime zest. Palate has rounded feel and a zing of acidity that runs from start to lingering finish along with persistent lime flavors. 100% Riesling. Zillah Ranch and Evergreen vineyards. Fermented at aged in stainless steel. 12.5% alcohol. 1.64g/100ml Residual Sugar. Reviewed November 21, 2011

48. Pepper Bridge Merlot Estate Vineyards Walla Walla Valley 2008 $50

Tightly wound initially, this wine unfurls to reveal dark raspberries, red currant, and earth. The fruit is dense while avoiding ever being over weighted. The tannins are chalky and lead to a drawn out, spicy finish. Tremendous hang time. A beautiful example of Washington Merlot that balances grace and power and will only get better with some additional time in the bottle. Give 1-2 years. 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec. 51% Seven Hills, 49% Pepper Bridge vineyards. Aged 17 months in French oak (47% new). 14.1% alcohol. 1,181 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed December 20, 2011

49. Woodward Canyon Estate Sauvignon Blanc Walla Walla Valley 2010 $26

Lightly aromatic with citrus, lime zest, mineral, and gooseberry. The palate is full with great intensity and depth of flavors and bright acidity. A beautiful wine. 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Fermented and aged in stainless steel and neutral oak. 14.1% alcohol. 201 cases produced. Reviewed November 18, 2011

50. J Bookwalter Winery Conflict Red Wine Conner Lee Vineyard Columbia Valley 2008 $50

Intoxicating aromatics of spice, potpourri, blueberries, raspberries, and black fruit along with French oak accents. A delicious, fruit laden palate with silky tannins. 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, and 10% Malbec. Aged 20 months in new and used French oak. 15.2% alcohol. 208 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed July 6, 2011

51. L’Ecole No 41 Chenin Blanc Columbia Valley 2010 $15

Light in color. Delicate aromas of fresh cut hay, lime, honey, and Golden Delicious apples. Palate is tart with pink grapefruit, mineral notes, and a zing of acidity. Lingers long after the last sip. 100% Chenin Blanc. Willard Farms, Phil Church vineyards. 1.5% Residual Sugar, 9.3 g/l acid. 13.5% alcohol. 2,122 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed April 27, 2011

52. Owen Roe Ex Umbris Syrah Columbia Valley 2009 $24

Aromas of raspberries, plums, and light chocolate. Palate has seamless, fresh, pure fruit flavors with great depth and intensity with a lick of cranberry. Alcohol shows through at times. 100% Syrah. Erickson Road (Columbia Valley), Six Prong, Lewis Vineyard, Outlook, Slide Mountain, Red Willow, and Union Gap vineyards. Aged 16 months in French oak (10% new). 14.8% alcohol. 4,862 cases produced. Reviewed November 30, 2011

53. Woodinville Wine Cellars Reserve Cabernet Columbia Valley 2007 $45

Compelling aromas of black tea leaves, mocha, black cherry, and bright, penetrating aromas of licorice and cedar. Breathtakingly beautiful on the palate with winding cranberry flavors, puckering acidity, intense fruit flavors, and graceful tannins. An extended finish with lingering spice notes. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Stillwater Creek (50%), Conner Lee (25%), and Dineen (25%). Aged 26 months in French oak (100% new). 14.5% alcohol. 100 cases produced. Reviewed May 20, 2011

54. Matthews Estate Syrah Columbia Valley 2009 $39

Leaps up from the glass with blueberries, plum, baker’s chocolate, and boysenberries. Silky berry and chocolate flavors glide across a palate buffeted by soft tannins. Lingers on the finish. A thoroughly delicious wine. 100% Syrah. Lawrence, Stillwater Creek, and Va Piano vineyards. Aged 19 months in French oak. 14.8% alcohol. 337 cases produced. Reviewed November 17, 2011

55. Desert Wind Ruah Red Wine Columbia Valley 2008 $20

An aromatic wine with heaping amounts of black cherry along with spice, black pepper, green pepper, dust, and an underlayer of bittersweet chocolate. Palate is firm and tart with a tight coil of black cherry fruit. A tart, fruit filled finish. An impressive wine at this price point. Reviewed May 5, 2011

56. Tenor Wines Merlot Columbia Valley 2007 $48

The aromatics are arrestingly complex with licorice, coffee bean, a jumble of red and black fruit, and high toned oak spices. The palate is big and beautifully rich with a cornucopia of fruit flavors. Rich and opulent while retaining great subtlety. Capped off by a long finish. A shot across the bow of the state’s top Merlots. 100% Merlot. Aged 18 months in new French oak. 15.0% alcohol. 78 cases produced. Reviewed June 30, 2011

57. Walla Walla Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley 2008 $35

A somewhat brooding but appealing wine with dark cherries, herbal notes, chocolate, spice, and earth. The palate has silky fruit flavors with well integrated tannins and a lingering finish. 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec, 2% Carmenère and 2% Petit Verdot. Pepper Bridge, Dwelley, Windrow, Seven Hills and Frazier Bluff vineyards. 14.5% alcohol. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed December 30, 2011

58. Ross Andrew Winery Syrah Boushey Vineyard Yakima Valley 2008 $34

Compelling, Boushey-only aromatics of funk, char, roasted meat, blueberries, and hints of violets. Dense and rich fruit flavors on a wine with vibrant acidity. Drinks above its price point and has a very long life ahead of it. Aged 14 months in French oak. 13.8% alcohol. 551 cases produced. Reviewed February 15, 2011

59. Soos Creek Red Wine Ciel du Cheval Red Mountain 2008 $30

An aromatically appealing wine with dark fruit, chocolate, floral notes, and spice. The palate is tightly wound with a core of black fruit flavors hanging on a scaffolding of grippy tannins. Lingers on the finish. 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc and 9% MerlotReviewed December 27, 2011

60. Tero Estates Windrow Red Wine Walla Walla Valley 2008 $55

Medium ruby. This wine is locked up very tightly at present but opens to reveal red fruit, licorice, and occasionally somewhat strong herbal notes. The palate is broad and generous, full of cherry flavors that glide along to a tart, cherry filled finish. 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Malbec. 14.3% alcohol. 106 cases produced. Reviewed December 30, 2011

61. Forgeron Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2008 $30

Very pretty, appealing aromas of spice, dark cherry, and chocolate. The palate is loaded with silky fruit flavors and grainy tannins. 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 4% Malbec. Dionysus (Cabernet), Lonesome Springs (Petit Verdot), and Stonetree vineyards (Malbec). Aged in French oak (40% new). 367 cases produced. Reviewed December 20, 2011

62. Syncline Wine Cellars Cuvee Elena Columbia Valley 2008 $35

Light herbal and floral notes mix with wild blueberries, raspberries, mineral notes, and a whiff of pepper. The palate is seamlessly stitched together with impeccable balance. Bright acidity and incredibly fresh, clean fruit flavors persist on and on long after the last sip. 48% Grenache, 24% Mourvedre, 13% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and 5% Cinsault. Northridge, Coyote Canyon, and McKinley Springs vineyards. Aged in 225L and 700L French oak (2^nd and 3^rd fill) for 16 months. 250 cases produced. Reviewed February 2, 2011

63. JB Neufeld Cabernet Sauvignon Artz Vineyard Red Mountain 2008 $32

An aromatic wine with milk chocolate, herbal notes, blackberry, licorice, spice, and mineral notes. The palate is dense and rich with well-integrated, chalky tannins. A persistent finish. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged 18 months in French oak (80% new). 15.0% alcohol. 270 cases produced. Reviewed March 22, 2011

64. Fall Line Winery Red Wine Red Willow Vineyard 2008 $28

An alluring wine with coffee grounds, earth tones, floral notes, and red fruit. The palate is dense and compact with intense red fruit flavors. It’s hard to find many wines made from this top Washington vineyard that are less than thirty-five dollars and up, let alone one with this level of quality. 53% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc. Aged 18 months in French oak (36% new). 269 cases produced. Reviewed December 22, 2011

65. Dumas State Estate Merlot Walla Walla Valley 2008 $28

Extremely appealing aromatics of dusty milk chocolate, earth, a light herbaceousness, and tart red raspberries. A silky, plush palate with lush, tart fruit flavors and silky tannins. Drinking absolutely beautifully right now with years ahead of it. 75% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon. Minnick Hills and Birch Creek vineyards. Aged 22 months in American and French oak (40% new). 190 cases produced. Reviewed October 4, 2011

66. Covington Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Klipsun Vineyard Red Mountain 2007 $60

Dark and seductive with aromas of earth, dark fruit, and floral notes with a light herbal accent. Brooding on the palate with dark fruit, dry chocolate, chalky tannins and a lingering, mineral laden finish. 85% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged 30 months in French oak. Reviewed May 11, 2011

67. William Church Viognier Columbia Valley 2010 $22

An aromatic wine with white flowers, peaches, and melon. A full-bodied wine that tingles that palate with ripe peach and floral flavors. 100% Viognier. Conner Lee Vineyard. 290 cases produced. Reviewed November 18, 2011

68. Trust Cellars Cabernet Franc Columbia Valley 2008 $32

Aromatically closed up initially with raspberries, cherries, floral notes, rose hips, herbal notes, and light mineral notes. Plump, ripe tannins and cherry flavors glide across the palate leading to a fruit filled finish. 100% Cabernet Franc. 70 cases produced. Reviewed December 22, 2011

69. Nefarious Cellars Syrah Rocky Mother Vineyard Columbia Valley 2008 $42

Abundant dry chocolate aromas mix with blackberries, mint, and ink. A big, full, rich wine laden with blackberry and chocolate flavors. Reviewed February 8, 2011

70. Domaine Pouillon Gewürztraminer Jewitt Creek Columbia Gorge 2010 $15

Leaps from the glass with lime, spice, pink grapefruit, white flowers, and melon. Zings across the palate with crisp acidity and lively grapefruit and spice flavors. Capped off by a lingering finish. 100% Gewurztraminer. 13.9% alcohol. Reviewed November 18, 2011

71. Columbia Crest Walter Clore Private Reserve Red Wine Columbia Valley 2008 $35

An aromatically appealing wine with coffee bean, licorice, sweet, toasty spices, and a mix of red and black fruit. Rich fruit flavors are balanced by an elegant, silky smooth structure. 57% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Malbec. Coyote Canyon, Beverly, Wautoma Springs, Stone Tree, and Four Feathers vineyards. Aged for 30 months in 100% new French oak. 14.5% alcohol. 1,800 cases produced. Reviewed October 14, 2011

72. Dynasty Cellars DC3 Meritage Red Wine Walla Walla Valley 2007 $25

Dark in color with a purple tinge. Abundant dark berry aromas along with light spices, char, and licorice. The palate is big and brawny, rich and concentrated, packed tightly full of fruit and chalky tannins. The finish glides along. An impressive effort with the tannic structure to go the distance. 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot. Aged in French oak (25% new). 14.5% alcohol. 155 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed April 5, 2011

73. Robert Ramsay Syrah Horse Heaven Hills 2007 $20

Dark in color with purple at the rim. Aromatic with abundant dark chocolate, spice, and floral notes. A thoroughly delicious wine with a rich, textured palate and a lingering finish. 92% Syrah, 5% Viognier, and 3% Mourvedre. Aged in French oak (38% new). 245 cases produced. Reviewed October 14, 2011

74. Mackey Vineyards Off-Dry Riesling Columbia Valley 2010 $15

An aromatic wine with red apples, tropical fruit, honey, and floral notes. Off-dry in style with a fair amount of sugar but well balanced by mouthwatering acidity. A very well-priced bottle of wine for this level of quality. 100% Riesling. Bacchus and Kilian Vineyards. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. 12.1% alcohol. 167 cases produced. Reviewed July 20, 2011

75. SYZYGY Red Wine Columbia Valley 2007 $24

This excellent Red Wine from SYZYGY is full of brambly berries, spice, and chocolate. On the palate it is lusciously rich and full of ripe tannins. 50% Syrah, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and 11% Malbec. 14.8% alcohol. 948 cases produced. Reviewed June 23, 2011

76. Hestia Cellars Chenin Blanc Columbia Valley 2010 $15

Abundant, ripe Asian pear aromas along with lemon rind and white grapefruit. Palate is crisp and lemony with mouthwatering acidity. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. 13.0% alcohol. 200 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed June 27, 2011

77. Columbia Winery Stone Cutter Series Opal White Wine Columbia Valley 2009 $NA

Spice, herbal notes, lime, mineral, and pear on a lightly aromatic wine. Crisp and tart with a touch of tropical fruit flavors, a creamy texture, and mouthwatering acidity. 52% Sauvignon Blanc, 47% Semillon (not sure where that 1% went). Phil Church, Art Denhoed, Destiny Ridge, and Milbrandt vineyards. Aged 6 months in neutral oak. 300 cases produced. Reviewed May 5, 2011

78. Barrister Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Sagemoor Vineyard Columbia Valley 2007 $33

An alluring, aromatic wine with layers of complexity marked by blackberry, herbal notes, floral notes, licorice, and chocolate. On the palate, a big, bold, gripping wine with abundant fruit flavors and dry tannins. 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 10% Syrah. Aged 20 months in French (75%) and American oak. 15.2% alcohol. 210 cases produced. Reviewed February 21, 2011

79. Laurelhurst Cellars Merlot Columbia Valley 2008 $24

A slight brick red tinge. Leaps up from the glass with abundant ripe red fruit aromas of raspberry, bing cherry, and red currant along with coffee, espresso bean, and a light herbal undertone. Palate is tart and full of ripe fruit flavors, chocolate, and soft but structured tannins. Lingers on the finish. A compelling wine at an even more compelling price point. Boushey and Klipsun vineyards. 14.6% alcohol. 67 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed September 28, 2011

80. DiStefano Sogno Cabernet Franc Columbia Valley 2007 $32

An aromatically appealing, very varietal wine with milk chocolate, black cherries, and very light herbal notes. The palate is full and ripe with abundant cherry flavors. Shows a bit of heat on the finish on an otherwise quite enjoyable wine. 82% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. 15.5% alcohol. 580 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed December 22, 2011

81. Kyra Wines Pinot Gris Evergreen Vineyard Columbia Valley 2010 $13

An aromatically appealing wine with abundant pear and melon aromas. The palate is full of ripe apple and peach flavors with a medium bodied feel and a lingering finish. 100% Pinot Gris. 13.5% alcohol. 300 cases produced. Reviewed December 23, 2011

82. Idilico Albarino Washington State 2010 $15

Appealing, perfumed aromas of white flowers, green apple, and spice. Palate is crisp and clean with the hallmark brisk, tart, lemony acidity of the 2010 vintage. Truly summer in a glass. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. 12.5% alcohol. 140 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed June 27, 2011

83. :Note Bene Cellars Red Wine Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Red Mountain 2008 $35

Medium ruby. Aromatically shows abundant toasty notes along with vanilla extract and herbal notes. The palate is medium bodied with dark cherry flavors and silky tannins. 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, and 28% Cabernet Franc. Aged 22 months in French and American oak. 15.3% alcohol. 175 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed November 30, 2011

84. Brian Carter Cellars Opulento Fortified Red Wine Columbia Valley 2009 $18

Made in a Ruby Port style, this wine is lightly aromatic with spice, tea leaves, and lemon twist. The palate is rich and seamless, full of chocolate, caramel, and dark cherries. An extended finish. 60% Touriga National, 37% Souzao, 3% Tinta Cao. Upland and Lonesome Springs vineyards. Aged 22 months in French oak (20% new). 10% Residual Sugar. 19% alcohol. 449 cases produced. Reviewed November 21, 2011

85. Barnard Griffin Rose of Sangiovese Columbia Valley 2010 $12

Light cherry red in color. An aromatic wine marked by wild strawberries, melon, and spice. Crisp, dry, and clean on a palate loaded with fruit flavors matched by mouthwatering acidity. A perfect summer wine at a can’t-be-beat price. This is a case purchase summer wine if ever there were one. Van Batavia, Balcom & Moe, and Gunkel vineyards. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. 12.4% alcohol. Reviewed May 13, 2011

Fresh Sheet January 30th 2012

2012-01-30T00:00:00.001-08:00

Today’s Fresh Sheet – new and recent releases – includes wines from Pamplin Family Winery, JB Neufeld, Nefarious Cellars, Covington Cellars, and Lobo Hills.

Pamplin Family Winery

Pamplin Family Winery is located in Dundee, Oregon, although all of the winery’s fruit comes from Washington. Owner Robert Pamplin Jr. has one of the Pacific Northwest’s more unique stories (read a previous post on the winery here). Robert Henry serves as winemaker.

Pamplin's 2008 JRG Red Wine was one of my big surprise wines from last year. This Bordeaux-style blend is an absolutely beautiful, understated wine that is worth seeking out. It is also, at $30, quite well priced considering the level of quality.

Pamplin, however, is truly dedicated to the production of a single wine, its Proprietary Red Wine, with the JRG made from declassified barrels. There is no doubt that the family is committed to quality. All of the wine from 2007 went into the JRG program when they felt it wasn’t quite at the quality level they wanted.

The 2008 Proprietary Red Wine is therefore Pamplin’s first release of its flagship wine. To call it a stunner would be somewhat misleading, although it is – quietly – stunning. This is a subdued, understated wine. The flavors are compellingly subtle. The oak is pleasantly dialed back. Impressively, it was quietly humming along, even after twenty-four hours of decanting.

Pamplin Family Winery Proprietary Red Wine Columbia Valley 2008 $50
(Exceptional) Dark ruby. Aromatically closed up initially, this wine opens to reveal blue and black fruit, spices, and light herbal notes. The palate is polished, soft and textured, refined and elegant. This is a very, very pretty wine in a style seldom seen in these parts. 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot, and 2% Merlot. Klipsun, Wallula, Seven Hills, and Canoe Ridge vineyards. Aged 20 months in French oak (41% new). 14.7% alcohol. 161 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

JB Neufeld

JB Neufeld has its first commercial release last year (read review here). At the winery, winemaker Justin Neufeld devotes himself to producing two vineyard-designated, 100% Cabernet Sauvignons. One comes from Artz Vineyard on Red Mountain, a warm site; one comes from DuBrul Vineyard in Yakima Valley, a relatively cool site. “I wanted to make wines people could taste side by side to see the uniqueness of place,” Neufeld explains.

Neufeld follows up his impressive debut with another strong set of releases, though the tannins in the 2009 wines come off as a bit drier than the previous vintage. Pair these wines with food to bring out their best. Still, how often does one get the opportunity to taste a 100% single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from Washington? And for $33 from DuBrul and Artz vineyards? Yes please.

JB Neufeld makes 400 cases of wine annually.

JB Neufeld Cabernet Sauvignon DuBrul Vineyard Yakima Valley 2009 $33
(Good/Excellent) A moderately aromatic but appealing wine with dark cherries, earth, a light, distinctive herbal medley, and the slightest touch of poblano pepper. The palate is broad and generous with grainy, slightly dry tannins. Lingers on the finish. A fascinating mixture of warm site and cool site flavors. Aged 17 months in French oak (60% new). 15.0% alcohol. 150 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

JB Neufeld Cabernet Sauvignon Artz Vineyard Red Mountain 2009 $33
(Good/Excellent) An aromatically appealing wine with mineral, floral notes, espresso, blackberries, and black cherries. The palate is soft and tart, full of cherry flavors with grainy tannins that finish a bit dry. Aged in 18 months French oak (80%) new. 15.2% alcohol. 250 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Nefarious Cellars

Nefarious Cellars has in a short time established itself as Lake Chelan's flagship winery. At Nefarious, wife and husband team of Heather and Dean Neff split winemaking responsibilities, with Heather creating the whites and Dean the reds. The couple consistently produces high quality wines using a mixture of estate fruit and fruit sourced from outside of the region (read a previous writeup on the winery here).

Lake Chelan is an extremely young wine producing region, with its first modern day vinifera plantings in 1998. Variety experimentation continues and, at present, white wines lead the way.

This is what makes the Nefarious 2009 Defiance Vineyard Syrah from the Neff's estate vineyard, which is located next to the outrageously scenic winery and tasting room, a 'stop-the-presses' type of bottle. Many red wines from this cool region have shown more promise than delivery. Nefarious 2009 Defiance Vineyard Syrah delivers and is nothing short of required reading for those interested in exploring this young growing region.

Nefarious Cellars Estate Syrah Defiance Vineyard Lake Chelan 2009 $28
(Excellent/Exceptional) Dark in color. An aromatically appealing wine with brambly boysenberry and blueberry aromas and a floral top note. The palate is perfumed, soft, and silky with plush, concentrated dark fruit flavors. Lingers on the finish. An extremely impressive estate wine from this nascent growing region. 95% Syrah with 5% viognier co-ferment. 14.6% alcohol.

Nefarious Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Riverbend Vineyard Wahluke Slope 2009 $30
(Good/Excellent) Dark in color. An aromatically brooding wine with black, jammy fruit, caramel, and a touch of dark chocolate. The palate is considerably more restrained than the aromatics might suggest with soft fruit flavors and grainy tannins.

Covington Cellars

Covington Cellars is located in Woodinville’s Warehouse District. While the winery makes a diverse lineup of wines, Sangiovese is undoubtedly where its passion lies.

The current offerings include an extremely rare – I can’t think of another – single vineyard, Brunello-style Sangiovese. This wine comes all from a single Sangiovese clone from a single block (2A) of Walla Walla Valley’s Seven Hills Vineyard. The wine was aged for three years in French oak (once used) and spent another year in bottle prior to release. The result is a wine completely unique in style for Washington. Just a baby now, look for this wine to only improve with additional bottle age.

The latest releases also include perhaps the most compelling bottle of Petite Sirah I have come across from Washington, this one coming from Stone Tree Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope.

Covington Cellars Blanc White Wine Klipsun Vineyard Red Mountain 2010 $25
(Good) Pale lemon yellow. An aromatic, grassy, spicy, minty wine with very distinctive notes. The palate is light and tart, at times verging on sour, with racy acidity. This one needs some food to bring the acid in check. 55% Sauvignon Blanc, 45% Semillon. Semillon aged in once used French oak for 7 months, Sauvignon Blanc aged in stainless steel. 13.2% alcohol. 135 cases produced.

Covington Cellars Bruno Sangiovese Seven Hills Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2007 $60
(Excellent) Dark in color. A brooding wine full of chocolate, whiskey barrel, leather, and floral notes. The palate is big, broad, full and rich, redolent with cranberry and chocolate flavors with tannins that gently squeeze the palate. Lingers on the finish. A compelling wine that is completely unique in style for Washington. Aged 3 years in once used French oak. 14.5% alcohol. 98 cases produced. Note: The name of this wine will be changing in subsequent vintages due to a trademark conflict.

Covington Cellars Rough House Red Red Wine Columbia Valley 2008 $20
(Excellent) Dark in color. This wine leaps up from the glass with spice, mint, chocolate, and herbal notes. The palate is rich, broad, and full of cherry and chocolate flavors. A whole lot of wine for the money. 70% Merlot, 16% Cabernet, 9% Cabernet Franc, 5% Mourvedre. Kiona, Klipsun, Seven Hills, and Mirage vineyards.

Covington Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2008 $35
(Good) Medium ruby. An enjoyable aroma profile with light herbal notes, cherries, chocolate, and floral notes. The palate is soft and silky on a very elegant expression of what is, in essence, a Bordeaux-style blend. 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, and 3% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot.

Covington Cellars Petite Sirah Stone Tree Vineyard Wahluke Slope 2009 $NA
(Excellent) Not a ray of light gets through on this dark, glass staining wine. Lightly aromatic with floral notes, dry chocolate, and earth. The palate is gigantic, tannic, and intense. Among the more compelling bottles I have had from Washington of this seldom seen varietal. 100% Petite Sirah. 14.4% alcohol. 98 cases produced.

Lobo Hills

Lobo Hills is a new winery with its first releases. The winery was founded by Tony Dollar.

“I’ve always been in the wine industry in some way,” Dollar says. In college, he gave tours of nearby Alamaden Vineyards. Dollar subsequently worked as a tasting room manager and hospitality director at J. Lorh Vineyards.

“I liked the community aspect of wine,” Dollar says of what first drove him toward the industry. “I liked the idea of wine, food, and people. They were always some of the best experiences I had.” His travels have included a stint at Canlis, time as a wine writer, and classes at Northwest Wine Academy.

In 2007, however, Dollar’s life took a turn. He was riding his motorcycle around Lake Washington when he was struck by an elderly woman. He woke up in Harborview with a fractured spine and facing the possibility of paralysis. Dollar said that it made him think about what was important.

“I decided I’d rather fish than cut bait for the rest of my life,” he says. Dollar subsequently used money from the settlement to start a winery. "This is blood money!” he says with a chuckle, pointing to the wines.

Dollar made his first whites in 2009, making the wines out of his garage in the Wedgwood neighborhood of Seattle. The red wines were made in collaboration with several eastern Washington wineries.

Stylistically, Dollar says, “I’m trying to bring wine back to food. I want to see wine reclaim its rightful place at the table.” He also tries to keep the prices as low as possible, saying, “I want to show that we can deliver really, really good wine for the price.”

Lobo Hills, named after Dollar's childhood dog and the hills of eastern Washington, is a small operation. The winery has no tasting room at present, although Dollar says he occasionally opens up his home for people to try the wines. The wines are self-distributed.

“I hand deliver every case of wine I sell,” Dollar says. In many cases, he does this on his motorcycle (BMW R1200C), on which he says he can take up to three cases of wine.

Lobo Hills produced 500 cases of wine in 2011.

Lobo Hills Dry Riesling Yakima Valley 2009 $13
(Good/Excellent) Almost completely clear in color. An aromatically appealing, very clean wine with bright peach, pear, and citrus aromas. The palate is tart, crisp and refreshing with green apple flavors and drawn out acidity. A very impressive first release that is also extremely well priced. Airport Ranch Vineyard. 12.5% alcohol. 0.7% Residual Sugar. 75 cases produced.

Lobo Hills Dry Riesling Trente Cartons Yakima Valley 2010 $14
(Good) Almost clear in color. A moderately aromatic wine of with peach, rose water, and Nestea Ice Tea. The palate is dry and tart with drawn out citrus flavors. A very enjoyable, very dry wine. Airport Ranch Vineyard. 0.9% Residual Sugar. 12.5% alcohol. 30 cases produced. Recommended

Lobo Hills Right Bank Blend Red Wine Columbia Valley 2009 $18
(Good) Medium ruby. Tightly wound up initially with red fruit, floral notes, and herbal notes. The palate has soft, plush fruit flavors wound around a tight core of tannins. Considerably more structure than frequently found at this price point. Shows the alcohol at times. 69% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc. Preston, Elephant Mountain, and Lonesome Springs vineyards. 15.5% alcohol. 400 cases produced. Recommended

Lobo Hills Le Bleu Gris Cabernet Sauvignon Fries Vineyard Wahluke Slope 2009 $20
(Good/Excellent) Medium ruby. Immediately recognizable as Cabernet, this wine is lightly aromatic with herbal notes and tart cherries. The palate is tart and tightly coiled with a nice acid blast that carries across the palate. This definitely falls into the food wine category but is a very nice bottle, especially considering the price. 95% Cabernet Sauvignon (Fries Vineyard) and 5% Syrah. 14.5% alcohol.

Rating System
Please note, my rating system was revised at the beginning of 2012 as follows. Read additional details here.
(Exceptional)
(Excellent)
(Good)
(Decent)
(Not recommended/Flawed)

How to Return a Corked Bottle of Wine (and Why You Should)

2012-01-26T00:01:00.000-08:00

January's Virtual Tasting is tonight from 7-8pm Pacific. Read about how to participate here.

The incidence of cork taint has been variously reported to be as little as 0.7% and as much as 10%. However, for most retailers, distributors, and wineries, it often appears to be a non-issue for one simple reason. Consumers rarely return corked bottles of wine. Here I discuss what steps consumers should take when they discover a corked wine and why returning the bottle is important to help reduce the incidence of cork taint.

First let me say that when I am referring to ‘corked’ wines, I am talking exclusively about bottles affected by 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA) or bottles that appear as such.

People often ask me how cork taint presents itself. TCA can affect both aromas and flavors with a fairly wide spectrum of presentations. Aromatically, wines affected by TCA often have a moldy, musty smell that may be anywhere from very prominent to extremely faint or even undetectable. I often liken it to the smell of a very old, dirty dish cloth, which a startling number of people seem to be familiar with! In some cases the fruit aromas may be muted as well.

This same musty aroma may be detectable on the palate, especially on the back end. The wine may also seem stripped of its flavor. However, sometimes the flavors may seem largely unaffected and what you noticed aromatically may not be detectable or visa versa.

The taint itself is most frequently coming directly from the cork and leeching into the wine. The aroma is therefore often quite noticeable on the cork itself, which is why some smell the cork after opening a bottle of wine (NB: Historically, people also used to inspect corks at restaurants to make sure the wine in the bottle was what it was supposed to be, and inspecting cork integrity is always a good idea).

Once you’ve identified a corked bottle of wine, what you do next depends on the circumstances.

If you bought the wine from a retailer and you still have the receipt, bring the bottle back to the retailer with unconsumed wine still in the bottle. This shouldn’t be too hard given that the vast majority of wine is consumed within twenty-four hours of purchase. Note that it is important both to bring back the bottle and the unconsumed wine because it determines who is going to pay for the corked wine as explained below.

If you bought the wine directly from a winery, you don’t have a receipt, and/or a large amount of time has passed since you purchased the wine, contact the winery directly, explain the situation, and ask for a replacement bottle. Of course, the winery may not be able to replace the wine with the exact same vintage. Many will provide the current vintage instead.

Why is it important to actually have the bottle in hand with unconsumed wine when you return a corked bottle to a retailer? First, this ensures integrity at every step of the process in returning the corked bottle. Second, it allows the proper party to shoulder the expense, which in all cases should be the winery. Here’s what happens after you return a corked bottle of wine.

Once you return the bottle, what the retailer does next is contact the distributor to get a replacement bottle, perhaps even giving the distributor the actual bottle of corked wine. The distributor then either gets a replacement bottle from the winery, in which case the winery pays for the corked wine, or, for the sake of convenience, does not, in which case the distributor pays for the corked wine.

However, if you bring an empty or almost empty bottle of wine bottle back to a retailer and say that the bottle was corked, the retailer has to pay for the corked bottle! They can’t contact the distributor without any evidence of a corked wine! Doing so could obviously lead to shenanigans (“Remember that bottle of 2005 Lafite you brought us? A customer returned an empty bottle and said it was corked. Can I have another?”)

As consumers, we rarely return corked bottles of wine for a number of reasons. We often paid for the bottle some time ago, so the money is long spent. We wanted that exact bottle of wine at that particular moment, so the moment is lost. It’s a hassle to return a bottle of wine! For some, it’s even intimidating (“You say it’s corked? Doesn’t seem like it to me!”). And of course, sometimes people don’t know the wine is corked. They just think it’s bad wine.

However, returning corked wines and asking for a replacement bottle is important because it makes all parties aware of the problem and hopefully reduces the chances of it happening again. Many things can be done to reduce or eliminate cork taint, but unless there is an obvious problem, why bother? As consumers, we are actually part of the problem by remaining silent.

So here’s my New Year’s resolution - and I encourage you to make it yours as well. I’m going to return bottles or contact wineries about each of my corked wines this year. As some will recall, last year I decided to count how many corked bottles of wine I had throughout the year as well as the overall incidence. The final tally was 45 corked bottles in 2011, 3% of wines sampled. Interestingly, to some people I spoke with, 3% seemed unacceptably high. To others, it seemed pleasantly low, and, of course, to others, it seemed just right.

What level of cork taint is acceptable is a question for another day. Suffice to say though that if consumers don't let wineries know a bottle of wine was corked, the next bottle is just as likely to be tainted as the one that came before it.

Five Wines Under $15 January 2012

2012-01-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

January's Virtual Tasting is Thursday January 26th from 7-8pm Pacific. Read about how to participate here.

In tough times, we continue the search for good, inexpensive wines.

We start off today with three wines from Forgeron Cellars' Blacksmith label. The goal of Blacksmith is to focus on wines that provide both quality and value. In this, winemaker Marie-Eve Gilla surely succeeds.

I have written (extensively) in the past that it is somewhat difficult to find high quality Washington Syrah in the value range. This is in contrast to Cabernet and Merlot where such bottles are fairly abundant.

The 2009 Blacksmith Syrah bucks this trend and is nothing short of a knockout at $15. This wine is unequivocally Syrah, hitting some of the grape’s highlights with dark fruit, chocolate, and floral notes. Listed at 14.4% alcohol, it is a restrained bottle that had me at each sip saying, out loud, “Wow this is a nice bottle of wine.” Who could ask for anything more at $15?

I checked out the 2009 Gordon Brothers Chardonnay after a strong review from friend and fellow wine writer Paul Gregutt in the Seattle Times. Let me start by saying that I often approach inexpensive Chardonnay with more than a little trepidation, because when Chardonnay is bad, it can be downright awful. I approach wines described as “buttery” all the much more so.

The 2009 Gordon Brothers Chardonnay delivers. While it starts out a bit too strong on the toasty spices and butter, it settles down after being open for a hour or so and delivers enjoyment well above its price point. People who only like their Chardonnays unoaked - ‘naked’ in the latest lingo - should look elsewhere. However, people who enjoy a rich, full, buttery style – and even some who do not – will find much to enjoy here.

Finally we have the Columbia Crest 2010 Moscato. Moscato sales have been soaring of late, increasing 73% this year through last September according to Gomberg-Fredrickson. These wines are proving to be particularly popular with the Millennial set, with some referring to them as a gateway drug to wine drinking.

Why are these wines so popular? It’s this simple. They are incredibly aromatic, full of fruit flavors, and are often semi-sweet. These wines aren’t going to necessarily overwhelm you with complexity, but that’s not the point.

While Columbia Crest’s 2010 offering doesn’t completely come off, it remains an extremely enjoyable wine that is guaranteed to appeal to wine newbies and many others. Some sophisticated types might say, “Well I’m not quite sure I like this.” And then pour another glass. And another.

If you have Washington favorites $15 and under, leave a comment below, and I'll check them out. Read previous Five Wines Under $15 here.

Forgeron Cellars Blacksmith Syrah Columbia Valley 2009 $15
(Excellent) A moderately aromatic wine with floral notes, dark fruit, and bittersweet chocolate. The palate is soft and gauzy with dark fruit flavors. Lingers on the finish. A huge value at $15. 94% Syrah, 6% Petite Sirah. Boushey, Lewis, Marcoux, Les Collines, Ash Hollow, and Goose Ridge vineyards. Aged in French (61%) and American (39%) oak (45% new). 14.4% alcohol. 446 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Forgeron Cellars Blacksmith Chardonnay Columbia Valley 2010 $15
(Excellent) An aromatic offering of Chardonnay with toasty spices, almond butter, whiffs of tropical fruit, and tangerine. The palate is medium bodied, silky, smooth, and textured, full of citrus and spices that linger on the finish. An outstanding value at $15. 87% Chardonnay, 3% Semillon, 3% Grenache Blanc, 2% (each) Orange Muscat, Marsanne, and Viognier. Olsen, Crawford, Birch Creek, Dwelley, Boushey, and Dionysus vineyards. Aged in French oak (33% new). 233 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Forgeron Cellars Blacksmith Merlot Columbia Valley 2008 $15
(Good) A moderately aromatic wine with spice, cedar, and red currant. The palate is broad with soft tannins and silky fruit flavors. Finishes a bit tart. Boushey, Alder Ridge, Lonesome Spring Range, and Ash Hollow. Aged in French oak (30% new). 14.2% alcohol. 446 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Gordon Brothers Chardonnay Columbia Valley 2009 $10
(Good) Medium yellow. Aromatics dominated by toast, spice, and butter overlying tropical fruit. The palate is medium-plus bodied, starting out full and then drawing back. Improves considerably after an hour or more of being open. 13.7% alcohol. 3,500 cases produced. Recommended

Columbia Crest Grand Estates Moscato Columbia Valley 2010 $12
(Good) A perfumed wine that is an aromatic tour de force with lychee, mango, mint, kiwi, and passion fruit. The palate is off dry, full of tangerine and tropical fruit flavors – almost every one you can imagine. Gets a touch watery toward the finish and wants a bit more acid to hold it together but overall a fruit filled wine that delivers a huge amount of enjoyment. 75% Muscat Canelli, 15% Morio Muskat, 10% Black Muscat. 10.5% alcohol. Recommended.

Rating System
Please note, my rating system was revised at the beginning of 2012 as follows. Read additional details here.
(Exceptional)
(Excellent)
(Good)
(Decent)
(Not recommended/Flawed)

Rating System Display

2012-01-24T00:01:00.000-08:00

As I wrote earlier this month, I have changed my rating system from a home grown, five point system to a traditional five star system. Please note that these ratings will be displayed in subsequent posts as follows:

(Exceptional)
(Excellent)
(Good)
(Decent)
(Not recommended/Flawed)

Read additional details about the rating system here.

Washington Wine Round-up January 15th-21st 2012

2012-01-23T00:01:00.000-08:00

A round-up of stories on Washington wine from January 15^th to 21^st. Read previous round-ups here.

From around the world…

Edmonton Journal writes about the Kung Fu Girl Riesling (look at that Canadian tariff!).

From around the country…

Shanken News Daily writes that Southern will buy Odom’s stake in distribution venture.

The Chicago Tribune writes about how to pair wine, with a callout to the Eroica Riesling.

From the blogosphere…

Woodinville Wine Update talks with Sherri Swingle about the 25^th anniversary of the Auction of Washington Wines.

Paul Gregutt writes about Alaska Airlines’ Take Some of Walla Walla Home with You campaign. He also writes about examining Oregon from afar and Barrister being named a “hot small brand.”

Wine Follow (welcome) writes about how to spit wine. They also write about Pandora Cellars.

Through the Walla Walla Grapevine writes about Alaska Airlines deals to Walla Walla.

Wild 4 Washington Wine writes about Airfield’s Hellcat Red Wine and Taste Washington 2012.

Woodinville Patch writes about birth year wines and verticals.

Snowshoe Magazine writes aboue White Pass and enjoying Washington wine at Sitzmark Pub.

AgInfo.net writes about the Wine Grape Growers conference. Read Part II here.

Wine Peeps writes about Rhone-style blends.

Northwest Wine Anthem writes about Efeste’s upcoming Rockin’ Sips event. They also write about Cana’s Feast.

Table Talk writes about women winemakers. They also write about best meals of 2011.

Eater Seattle writes about Ray’s 25^th Annual Retrospective on Northwest Wines.

Nectar Tasting Room and Wine Blog writes about Washington wines at the San Francisco Wine Competition.

Sauced writes about Abeja’s 2008 Heather Hill Cabernet.

Daily Evergreen writes that 1183 leaves local stores in limbo.

From the locals…

The News Tribune writes about Chef Frank Magana returning to wine country.

OregonLive! writes about virtual wineries.

Washington Tasting Room Magazine writes about Tennis and Wine Camp returning Walla Walla.

The Olympian writes that Representative Hunt’s bill to block aspects of 1183 was to show ‘displeasure.’

The Seattle Times writes about House Bill 2426 to block aspects of 1183. They also write that a Cowlitz court will be the first to review a case to block 1183.

The Tri-City Herald writes about the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

Wenatchee World writes about Stemilt Creek.

The Bellingham Herald writes about Mount Baker Vineyards.

East Oregonian writes about wineries pouring money into charitable causes.

Leftovers (posts missed from previous weeks)…

Write for Wine writes about the Ghost of 413.

Under the Grapetree writes about Seven Hills.

That’s all folks!

It’s hard to keep a good man down – Frank Magaña launches Chef Magaña Catering

2012-01-20T00:01:00.000-08:00

One of the sadder stories in Washington wine from 2011 was the closing of Kennewick’s Picazo 7 Seventeen restaurant. However, to many, it seemed unlikely that owner Chef Frank Magaña would be gone for long. Indeed, earlier this week Magaña announced the opening of Chef Magaña Catering.

The turnabout happened quickly. Magaña announced the closure of Picazo, which featured ‘local fare with a Spanish flair,’ last November. This came less than a year after the restaurant moved to Kennewick in search of additional business. Prior to this, Picazo had been located in downtown Prosser.

While sales went up at the new location, so did overhead, making the situation unsustainable. “We never wanted to leave Prosser,” Magaña later admitted.

Once they closed the restaurant, Magaña and his wife were planning to move back to the Seattle area. “We were all set to go back to the west side,” Magaña says. However, a group of local supporters implored the couple to reconsider. With a limited number of high quality restaurants and caterers, Magaña’s impact on the area had been profound.

After consulting with accountants, the couple decided to start a catering company, operating out of the Alexandria Nicole Cellars tasting room. The company will be the exclusive caterer for Alexandria Nicole and will also serve businesses throughout the Yakima and Walla Walla valleys. “We’re ready for business right now,” Magaña says.

Magaña originally started out in eastern Washington catering to wineries and other businesses. After opening Picazo 7 Seventeen, named after Magaña’s mother’s maiden name and the restaurant’s address, Magana continued to run a brisk catering business.

Indeed, this may have contributed to Picazo’s demise with Magaña telling Andy Perdue at the News Tribune, “One of the things that brought down Picazo was Chef Magaña wasn't at Chef Magaña's restaurant.” That won’t be the problem here, and catering has often appeared to be where Magaña’s passion lies.

“I’m excited,” Magaña says of opening the new business. “It’s going back to our roots."

Washington Wine Round-up January 8th-14th 2012

2012-01-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

A round-up of stories on Washington wine from January 8^th to 14^th 2012. Read previous round-ups here.

From around the country (and abundance of love this week)…

Wines and Vines writes about Olympia trying to cut wine red tape.

CNN writes about the best wines to have with a grilled cheese with a callout to Washington riesling.

The Fort Wayne News Sentinel writes about Syrah as the perfect wine for winter with brief mention of Washington.

San Antonio Current writes about smart wines for 2012 with a callout to Hogue’s Columbia Valley Riesling.

The Iowa Press Citizen writes about Washington wine (Note: As writer Paul Gregutt noted on Facebook, there are a number of inaccuracies in this article).

In the Napa Valley Register, Joseph Phelps winemaker Ashley Hepworth calls Cayuse Vineyards Christophe Baron her favorite peer in the wine industry.

Wine Business.com writes about Madeline Dow joining winemaker Charles Smith in a national events and PR position.

Miami Herald writes about blends with a callout to Cadaretta’s Windthrow.

San Jose Mercury News writes about a year of discovery, with a callout to Buty’s Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc/Muscadelle.

From the blogosphere…

Paul Gregutt writes about organizing a wine cellar. He also writes about wine blogging.

Northwest Wine Anthem lists Maison Bleue as a Friday find. They also write about Vinyl Wines.

Table Talk profiles Jeurgen Grieb of Treveri Cellars.

Sammamish Patch writes about Trillium Creek Winery on Key Peninsula.

Uncork Washington writes about Seven Hills Planing Mill Red. They also write about the Zero One Vintners Wild Sky Cabernet.

Through the Walla Walla Grapvine writes about Tamarack Cellars.

Woodinville Wine Update writes about upcoming events. Shona also writes about Columbia Winery offering wine education classes.

Wine Foot writes about the 2008 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cold Creek Cabernet Franc. Duane also writes about the 2008 Snoqualmie Reserve Cabernet.

Lucha Vino compares a Washington and New Zealand Syrah.

Sips & The City does a 2011 recap.

Wine Peeps writes about Sagemoor Vineyards.

Nectar Tasting Room and Wine Blog looks back at one year in business.

Wine.com puts a spotlight on Washington wine.

MyWineSchool does a video blog on Washington reds.

From the locals…

Sammamish Review writes about local voters voting overwhelmingly for Initiative 1183.

Mercer Island Patch picks the 2008 Otis Kenyon Syrah as wine pick of the week.

The News Tribune writes about a possible attempt to block aspects of 1183. MyNorthwest.com reports that the idea was DOA shortly after being introduced.

Auburn Reporter writes that an agreement keeps liquor stores stocked until transition to private sales.

Puget Sound Business Journal writes about concern over 1183 fees for craft distilleries.

The Seattle Times reports that a bill would allow day spas to serve beer and wine.

Writing for the Seattle Times, Paul Gregutt writes about recent wine trends.

The Bellingham Herald writes about Jones of Washington.

That's all folks!

Old school! Recent print articles

2012-01-18T11:06:00.000-08:00

The January/February 2012 issue of Edible Seattle contains an article I wrote on EFESTĒ's Brennon Leighton. Check it out on newsstands now. See a directory of locations to find a copy here.

Enjoy!

January Virtual Tasting - 2008 Januik Red Wine Columbia Valley

2012-01-17T00:48:00.001-08:00

January's Virtual Tasting wine will be the Januik Winery Red Wine Columbia Valley 2008. This wine retails for $18 and is widely available. The tasting will take place Thursday January 26th from 7-8pm Pacific.

What you need to do to participate is:

1. Buy this month’s wine from a local retailer or from the winery.

2. Tweet your comments about the wine on Twitter between 7 and 8pm using the hashtag #januik. For those on Twitter, follow me @wawinereport.

Join us!

Plans for 2012

2012-01-16T01:00:00.000-08:00

Well folks, I’m happy to be back after a brief staycation to clear the mind, focus on some other endeavors, and plan for the year ahead. As is my custom, I want to start 2012 by discussing some things to expect on these virtual pages this year, including several significant changes. Planned changes for 2012 include:

1. A rating system revision
2. Coverage of Oregon wines
3. Addition of other writers to this space
4. A revised site design
5. Improved access to the Tasting Note Database
6. Faster turnaround on wine reviews
7. Subscription charges for wine reviews

Each of these changes is explained below.

1. Rating System Revision

As long-time readers will recall, the unconventional rating system I have used for many years is homegrown. However, as I have pointed out previously, it is really nothing but a five-star/five letter system.

To make my rating system more uniform with others out there, I will be changing the display to a traditional five star system effective immediately. Please note this does indicate any change in the way that I am rating wine. Rather it is a change in annotation.

The changes look as follows. Rating definitions are in bold. The subsequent text, as before, is intended to be irreverent.

New System	Old System	Definition (unchanged)	Rough Equivalence in a 100 Point System
*****	**	An exceptional wine. Buy it now and either tell all your friends about it or keep it very, very secret, depending on your personality and availability.	92-100
****	*	An excellent wine. Convince a friend to buy some and share it with you.	89-91
***	+	A good wine. Worth drinking. If it represents a particular value I will list it as *Recommended*.	86-88
**	.	A decent wine. Drink it if you must.	80-85
*	-	Not recommended or a flawed wine. Refuse this wine if served.	< 80

Note, this is essentially identical to the table previously shown for the rating system here.

I will also, as I have in the past, occasionally use half increments. These will replace old ratings as follows:

New System	Old System	Explanation
**** ½	/*	Excellent/Exceptional
*** ½	+/*	Good/Excellent
** ½	./+	Decent/Good

I will, of course, continue to use parenthetical annotations that show what each of these ratings means.

I considered this year, as I have in the past, changing to a 100-point system. I have used this scale elsewhere, such as for the Seattle Metropolitan magazine Top 100 lists, and I may still do so at some point (I currently rate all wines using both my system and a 100-point scale). However, at present, my intention is to continue using a 5-point system.

Note that I have posted this same information, minus the information below, in a separate post in order to link it to the ‘Rating System’ listing on the banner. This post also includes some additional information, previous posted, about how I rate wine and can be read here.

2. Coverage of Oregon

In 2012, I will begin slowly expanding my coverage into Oregon. I expect this to be a gradual process, pointillistic at first and hopefully becoming more impressionistic over time.

I am doing this partly out of personal interest, but also because I believe Washington and Oregon have very synergistic wine offerings. At present there seems to be an invisible barrier between the two states, with each area focusing largely on its own wines. Personally, I believe considering the wines of the Pacific Northwest more broadly will better serve both Washington and Oregon.

Fear not. I do not intend this to detract or distract from my coverage of Washington.

3. Addition of other writers to this space

Since 2007, almost all of the writing here has been my own. I have had occasional guest posts, such as those from Carrie Simon at Washington Wine 9. In 2012, I intend to use additional writers for topics I don’t have the time, inclination, or expertise to cover. I will, of course, remain the sole wine reviewer.

4. Revised site design

I intend to do a major overhaul of the look and feel of this site at some point later this year with the intention of making content easier to find and improving the overall design.

5. Improved access to the Tasting Note Database

One of my key goals for this year is to improve access to my Tasting Note Database. The intent will be to make it easy for people to search for wine reviews from the web and from mobile devices. If you have suggestions or things you would like to see, feel free to email me at wawinereport@gmail.com.

6. Faster turnaround on wine reviews

For the past year and a half I have carried a huge backlog of reviews, which has meant that, at times, there has been interminably long delay to get reviews published. At worst, I have been unable to publish some reviews of winery visits due to time constraints. This obviously doesn’t serve anybody well.

After spending a significant amount of time in 2011 reducing the backlog, I intend to have a faster turnaround in 2012. This should make it less likely that certain wines are unavailable by the time I get my notes up as well as provide more timely information for all concerned.

7. Subscription charges for wine reviews

I have long considered charging a subscription fee to access certain parts of the site. Personally, I have wanted to avoid this by making enough money to sustain myself through other endeavors related to wine writing but not specific to this space. While I’ve made progress in this regard, I can only continue to be partially self-funded for so long.

I therefore expect to add subscription charges later this year. The most likely form that this will take is requiring a subscription to access wine reviews on the site. All other information will most likely remain freely available.

***

Personally, I am extremely excited for 2012 and hope that you are as well. I look forward to having each of you continue to join me as we explore all that this area has to offer.

Please contact me at wawinereport@gmail.com if you have any questions about any of these changes.

Rating System

2012-01-16T00:54:00.000-08:00

All wines reviewed are rated as follows:

Rating System as of 2012	Definition	Rating System Prior to 2012	Rough Equivalence in a 100 Point System
	An exceptional wine. Buy it now and either tell all your friends about it or keep it very, very secret, depending on your personality and availability.	**	92-100
	An excellent wine. Convince a friend to buy some and share it with you.	*	89-91
	A good wine. Worth drinking. If it represents a particular value I will list it as *Recommended*.	+	86-88
	A decent wine. Drink it if you must.	.	80-85
	Not recommended or a flawed wine. Refuse this wine if served.	-	< 79

· Rating definitions are in bold. The subsequent text is intended to be irreverent. Of course, many wines I rate as ‘Decent’ are quality wines and may represent good values.

· Wines are rated irrespective of price. However, if a wine with a ‘***’ or ‘Good’ rating represents a particular value, I list it as Recommended.

· I try generally not to rate wines in half increments (e.g, ** ½ ). Rather, I rate down if a wine sits between two categories (never up). If I feel doing so greatly misrepresents the wine in some way, I will, occasionally, give a half increment rating.

· All wine reviews include tasting notes. Additionally, I try as best I can either in the tasting note or post itself to describe a winery’s style so that readers can steer towards it or away from it based on their own preferences.

· I try to rate wines as best I can regardless of my personal preferences. Wines are made in a variety of styles, some of which I personally favor and some of which I do not. However, when evaluating a wine, I try to put aside my personal preferences and ask “What is this wine trying to do? Does it do it well?” For varietal wines, I do consider whether the wine is varietally correct.

How I Taste Wine
I taste wines in a variety of settings. While reviewing all wines in the same, controlled environment would be ideal, as an independent writer it would unfortunately greatly limit the number of wines I am able to review.

For this reason, I sample and review wines in both private and public settings. Private settings are controlled environments with respect to temperature, light, stemware, and other variables. Public settings include winery visits and other settings. Of course, if I do not feel I am able to properly evaluate a wine for whatever reason, I do not include a review of the wine regardless of the setting. Information about the setting for each wine is contained in the Tasting Note Database.

Given that I taste wines in both public and private settings and that I am a one-person operation, I rarely review wines under blind conditions. If I were able to taste all of the wines I review under blind conditions, I might consider doing so. Given that I cannot, I do not.

I prefer to sample red wines between 62 and 66 degrees and white wines between 50 and 55 degrees. If there is any variation between these temperatures and the temperature I sample a wine at, I note this in my reviews.

Background on the System
For many years I used a homegrown, non-standard five point system, which is described here. I changed this to a traditional five star system at the beginning of 2012.

Over the years, I have considered moving to the 100-point system, which consumers favor. When I started Washington Wine Report, I did not use a 100-point system because I felt I had no business rating wines in this manner. As I have gained more experience, I have still resisted moving to this system.

I personally have nothing against the 100-point system and have used it in other places, such as Seattle Metropolitan. I do not use it on my blog, principally, because I prefer to provide categories that are broader and have differences that are more readily understandable to the average consumer. Is a wine not recommended, decent, good, excellent, or exceptional?

Of course, any rating system has its pluses and minuses. While at times the system I use does limit me, overall it forces me to make decisions about a wine. I find that it has worked for me. Hopefully you will find the same.

If you have any questions my rating system, please contact me at wawinereport@gmail.com.

Washington Wine Round-up January 1st to 7th 2011

2012-01-13T00:01:00.000-08:00

A round-up of stories on Washington wine from January 1st to 7th 2012. Read previous round-ups here.

From around the world…

The Manila Standard gives a year in review with a callout to Washington wine.

From around the country…

Decanter writes about new AVAs, including Naches Heights.

St. Louis Today writes about 2011’s best budget friendly wines with a callout to the Columbia Crest Grand Estates Merlot, Hedges CMS, and Efeste Riesling.

D Magazine writes about Waterbrook.

The Anniston Star talks about wine and the New Year’s diet with a callout to Hedges CMS.

New York Daily News writes about new AVAs with a callout to Naches Heights.

The San Francisco Chronicle writes about wine competition winners.

From the blogosphere…

Weekly Volcano writes about South Sound wine sipping.

Through the Walla Walla Grapevine writes about Gramercy Cellars 2009 L’Idiot du Village. Catie also writes about Malbec’s moment in Walla Walla.

Northwest Wines writes about Tom Douglas’ favorite Washington wines.

WINO Magazine writes about El Corazon’s Cabernet Franc.

Wine Peeps gives its best of Washington wine country 2011.

Write for Wine writes about what’s been opened lately.

Nectar Tasting Room & Wine Blog writes about January events in Spokane. Josh also gives a best of 2011.

Woodinville Patch writes about 2012 wine deals.

Woodinville Wine Update writes about weddings in Woodinville.

Sips & The City writes about the upcoming Seattle Food & Wine Experience.

Northwest Wine Anthem gives a Friday find.

Lucha Vino compares Washington bubbles versus Euro bubbles.

From the locals…

Seattle Weekly writes about what to do with leftover wine.

Bellingham Herald writes about the 2011 harvest.

The News Tribune gives its top 10 wines stories of 2011.

Issaquah Press writes that local voters supported Initiative 1183.

Pacific Northwest Inlander writes about the effects of 1183 on distilleries.

Mercer Island Reporter writes about Maryhill.

Port Orchard Independent writes about the closing of Puget Sound Wine Cellar.

The Tri-City Herald writes about Northwest wines in the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

Seattle Times writes about Constellation’s slumping profits.

That's all folks!

Washington Wine Round-up December 22nd to 31st 2011

2012-01-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

As promised, a brief vacation break to bring you this round-up. Regular posts will resume January 16th.

A round-up of stories on Washington wine from December 22nd to 31st. Read previous round-ups here.

From around the country…

The Illinois Daily Chronicle writes about Sleight of Hand.

NPR writes about government waste, with mention of the Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center.

CNN writes about under $10 wines with a callout out to Pacific Rim.

Wine Spectator writes about 10 outstanding Washington reds.

Wine Enthusiast writes about the rise of second generation winemakers with callouts to Leonetti Cellar and Quilceda Creek.

The Talequah Daily Press writes about spirits to ring in the New Year with a callout to Chateau Ste. Michelle’s Indian Wells Merlot.

Shanken News Daily talks with Wayne Chaplin of Southern Wine and Spirits about Initiative 1183 and other issues.

Wine Business.com writes about the clock ticking down on privatization in Washington.

The Toledo Blade writes about the rise of Washington wines.

Northwest Wines encourages buying direct.

From the blogosphere…

Table Talk looks back at a year of wine.

Eat, Drink, Explore writes about new wine growing regions in Washington and California.

Westchase Patch makes the 2008 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Cabernet its wine pick of the week.

Paul Gregutt looks back on his 1993 book Northwest Wines. He also writes about the year’s best Northwest wine bargains.

Woodinville Wine Update writes about January events in Woodinville.

Northwest Wine Anthem gives top 5 discoveries of 2011.

Wine Peeps writes about the Domaine Ste. Michelle Blanc de Blancs. They also write about Owen Roe Winery.

Wild 4 Washington Wine writes about the 2006 Terra Blanca Oynx.

Palate Press writes about wine and chocolate.

Wine and Dine Walla Walla gives the best of the best from the 12^th Annual Wine Press NW platinum judging.

Bellevue Patch says 2012 could be a spirited year for distilleries.

Lucha Vino compares a Washington Bordeaux-style blend to one from Tuscany.

From the locals…

KIRO TV reports that the constitutionality of 1183 will be heard March 3^rd.

Seattle Weekly writes about Bartell’s new private label wine.

Seattle Magazine writes about Seattle’s Wine World.

Wenatchee World writes that a growing number of wineries are competing for dwindling dollars. They also write about Craig Mitrakul.

Writing for the Spokesman-Review, Paul Gregutt raises his glass to readers and wineries.

OregonLive.com writes about holiday visitors to wine country. They also write that Washington’s new laws are having a ripple effect.

Leftovers (posts missed from previous weeks)…

Wineguys Radio and TV write about Hestia Cellars.

Wine Foot asks whether there is such thing as too many AVAs.

That's all folks!

On Vacation - January 1st to 15th

2012-01-03T16:45:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everybody!

As I wrote in my last post, I’m taking a short vacation the first two weeks of 2012, although I may be posting some material ‘from the vault’ during this time as well as the occasional round-up. Look for regular new postings to resume on January 16th.

Have a great start to 2012!

A look back at 2011 in Washington wine

2011-12-31T18:00:00.000-08:00

Well folks, 2011 is down to its last few hours. Below is a look back at some of the things that happened this past year in Washington wine. For more on the year that was and the year to come, pick up the Winter Edition of Washington Tasting Room Magazine where I write about trends in 2011 and predictions for 2012.

***

By far the biggest news of the year was the privatization of liquor sales and changes in wine distribution laws in Washington. Stay tuned as these changes continue to take effect next year.

The Washington wine industry continued to grow in 2011 with over 740 wineries currently bonded in the state. Washington also received its 12^th federally approved viticultural area, the Naches Heights AVA.

At the beginning of the year, the USDA announced that Washington reached a record level of grape production in 2010 at 160,000 tons. The state also exceeded 40,000 acres of grapes planted. 2011 numbers will be available in early 2012.

2011 saw a number of changes within the industry. Pacific Rim was sold, as was Betz Family Winery. Meanwhile Precept Wine Brands acquired Canoe Ridge and Sagelands. Trio Vintners also had an ownership change. E.B. Foote was sold in pieces. Additionally, Whitman Cellars was seized by the bank. The industry also saw some consolidation with Odom-Southern purchasing Seattle-based distributor Cavatappi.

The infrastructure for the state’s wine industry also continued to expand. The Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center received a federal grant. The Washington Wine Commission committed $7.4M toward a Wine Science Center at WSU.

The Walla Walla Wine Alliance hired a new director, while executive director Robin Pollard of the Washington Wine Commission announced her resignation effective at the end of the year. The Commission hopes to have a new executive director in place near the end of the first quarter.

Washington wines continued to garner attention. Quilceda Creek and Long Shadows wines were served at a White House State Dinner. Treveri Cellars’ sparkling wines were also served at State Department events.

Critically, the accolades continued from the major publications. Washington had 16 wines that received scores of 95 points or higher by critic Harvey Steiman from Wine Spectator – ‘Classic’ in the magazine’s rating scale. This is compared to 17 the previous year. For perspective, a total of 66 Washington wines have ever received a score in this range from the publication, meaning half have occurred in the last two years. This is a clear sign of the exceptional string of vintages the state saw several years back as well as the overall explosion of wineries in Washington.

At Wine Enthusiast, critic Paul Gregutt gave the 2008 Cayuse Vineyards Bionic Frog a perfect score – his second ever. Overall, Wine Enthusiast gave 19 Washington wines ratings of 95 points or above.

At The Wine Advocate, critic Jay Miller gave a first perfect score to Cayuse Vineyards for the winery’s Tempranillo. Earlier this month, The Wine Advocate announced that a new critic, David Schildknecht, would be covering the Pacific Northwest starting in 2012. Stay tuned.

Meanwhile on the growing front, after a series of near perfect vintages, Washington saw its second straight cool vintage. Some fretted; other frowned; some cast stones; and others shrugged. Look for the 2011 whites to start hitting the shelves in March and April.

On the regulatory front, the Liquor Control Board clamped down on Walla Walla wineries for serving liquor to minors before having to backtrack. Yakima briefly lost its corkage free zone before getting it back. The state also started a pilot program for wine tasting at Farmer’s Markets. Meanwhile Starbucks started a pilot program for selling wine at its coffee shops.

Of course, a year of many gains also saw its losses. 2011 saw the passing of long time wine writer Bob Woehler. Glen Coogan, vice president of Northwest Operations for Ascentia Wine Estates, also passed away.

That’s all from me for 2011. I want to thank everyone for reading Washington Wine Report this year. I am sincerely grateful.

I’ll be taking a short vacation the first two weeks of 2011, although I may be posting some material ‘from the vault’ during this time as well as the occasional round-up. Look for regular new postings to resume on January 16th.

Here’s wishing everyone a Happy New Year and a great start to 2012. We’ll do it all again next year.

FIGGINS - A Family With a Storied Past and a Bright Future

2011-12-31T12:48:00.000-08:00

Saving one of the best for last. What follows is a Focus Report on FIGGINS. Download a .pdf version of this report here. Read previous Focus Reports here.

“I believe in terroir,” winemaker Chris Figgins of Figgins Family Wine Estates says. “It’s where I spend my time and energy is thinking about vineyards and trying to express the site.”

Figgins comes from one of the first families of Washington wine. In 1974, Chris’ father Gary Figgins was working as a machinist at the Continental Can Company when he decided to plant an acre of Cabernet Sauvignon by the family home in Walla Walla. In 1977, he and his wife, Nancy, founded Leonetti Cellar.

At the time, the Washington wine industry was a mere speck. Walla Walla Valley was non-existent as a wine grape growing region. But that was all about to change, with the Figgins family playing a leading role.

Leonetti Cellar produced its first vintage in 1978. The 1978 Cabernet was entered into a competition and judged by Wine & Spirits magazine "the best Cabernet produced in America." This was the first of a long string of accolades, with Leonetti now having too many high scores and Top 100 rankings to mention.

A Father’s Dream

When Chris Figgins started college at Washington State University, he intended to study architecture and engineering. Despite the fact that the family had been running Leonetti Cellar for many years, Figgins hadn’t expressed much interest in drinking wine. Suddenly in college he found himself captivated by it. What changed? “I ran out of beer!” Figgins says with a laugh.

One day as he was thinking about a career in architecture, he had an epiphany. “If I do this, I’m going to spend my life under fluorescent lights by a computer,” he thought. Figgins, who had worked on farms, fields, and vineyards growing up, had a different idea. “I wanted to grow stuff,” he said.

Figgins made a phone call to his father. “I said to him, ‘What if I change my major to horticulture and we plant our own vineyards?’” he recalls. His father’s response was supportive but neutral, wanting to let his child make his own decision. His mother later told him that Gary Figgins cried that night when he got off the phone. It would be one of the happiest days of his life.

Chris Figgins’ first full vintage at Leonetti was 1996. Since that time the winery has transitioned to using exclusively estate fruit from the Walla Walla Valley for its wines. By 2001, Chris Figgins had assumed head winemaking responsibilities from his father.

A Son’s Dream

Though he had fulfilled his wish to move the Leonetti wines to estate vineyards, Chris Figgins had another dream – to make one wine from a single, estate vineyard. As a terroirist, the idea of expressing a specific site through a bottle of wine had tremendous appeal. “If I could start from scratch, I’d make all of our wines (at Leonetti) single vineyard wines,” Figgins says. Without this option, he began to explore other possibilities.

At first, Figgins thought about trying to make a single vineyard wine under the Leonetti label. The winery had made single vineyard wines from Seven Hills Vineyard in the past. However, Figgins felt that it didn’t quite fit with what Leonetti was currently doing. Rather, he felt the project would have to be its own winery.

Figgins says it took his parents some time to come around to the idea of starting a separate winery dedicated to a single vineyard, with the concern being that it might distract from the Leonetti brand. But the concern was about more than the brand. “I am their retirement plan!” Figgins says laughing. Once his parents’ approval was in place, there was, however, another pressing matter – finding the right site.

A Special Site

Talking with Chris Figgins, he exudes enthusiasm and knowledge about soil and vineyard science. It is clearly not just his profession but also his passion.

Figgins first came upon what is now FIGGINS Vineyard while looking for property to build a house. He got a call from a family friend who was selling off parcels of land after the passing of his father. Intriguingly, the land was a half-mile from Leonetti’s Mill Creek Upland Vineyard, at a slightly higher elevation.

The day before Thanksgiving in 2003, Chris met with his friend, who threw out a price. They shook on it. Figgins closed on the property within a week. Figgins says of the site, “When we saw this piece of land, we knew it was special.”

While the decision to purchase the land was made quickly, the process of establishing the vineyard was long and laborious. First Figgins had to purchase water rights to another piece of land and transfer it to the site, taking several years. Then the site had to be prepared for planting.

The FIGGINS Vineyard property was originally a wheat field. Figgins started by ripping the land four feet deep. He created a series of compost teas, which he brewed at Leonetti, to help restore the soil from years of wheat farming. Next came planting the vineyard.

To do this, Figgins used multiple different spacings depending on the location and varietal, angling the vineyard slightly southwest. A double cordon system was used to increase plant density, shoot density, and plant population. Figgins also used the system to open up light and airflow.

“I’m a big proponent of balance in terms of spacing,” Figgins says. “You want it to be as tight as you can get and still be in balance and no tighter.”

The vineyard is physically beautiful. The nearby hills contain some of the last wooded areas in upper Mill Creek. Figgins says that long ago, peopled used the area’s trees for target practice. The buckshot in the trees subsequently stopped them from being logged.

The rows of the vineyard have limestone posts brought in from Kansas, a tribute to the Figgins family’s roots there. There is a well house made of stone that came from a root cellar in Milton-Freewater. The building bears a plaque with a quote from Byron, “Till taught by pain, men know not water’s worth.” Figgins explains the meaning by quoting Mark Twain saying, “Whiskey is for drinking; water is for fighting over.”

Establishing Biodiversity

In creating the vineyard, Figgins put a premium on establishing biodiversity. Figgins has been at the forefront of sustainable winegrowing practices in Washington through his work with Vinea, a Walla Walla Valley organization dedicated to sustainability.

A variety of species were planted throughout the vineyard, with native plants, such as lupin and native roses, used as much as possible. Walking through the vineyard, it is resplendent with life. There are butterflies, flowers, bushes, and honeybees literally everywhere.

“We sacrificed rows and acreage to build in biodiversity,” Figgins explains. He says the goal is to keep the plants in the vineyard in a continual bloom. With pollen in the vineyard, predatory pests stay all year long.

32 acres are currently planted to Cabernet, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. The vines were planted on their own rootstock, with the first plantings in 2005. Figgins decided not to use the vineyard’s initial fruit in 2007. “Knowing I was going for a high end project, it wasn’t time,” he says, adding, “You can make great wine on young vines. It’s just more difficult.”

Due to the vineyard’s high elevation, 1,500 to 1,700 feet, it sees a 35-40 degree diurnal shift. Figgins says that, like clockwork, cold air flows down the canyons of Mill Creek each night. This helps preserve the acidity in the grapes. The vineyard has deep silt loam and receives approximately twenty-two inches of rainfall annually.

The Inaugural Release

The label design of the 2008 FIGGINS Estate Red Wine, designed by the Seattle firm Boxwood, is eye catching, sleek, and minimalistic. The label itself is white. ‘FIGGINS Walla Walla Valley’ is written in a plain font on the center of the bottle. ‘Estate Red Wine Grown and Vinified by the Figgins Family’ is in the lower part of the label. Off right is an image of a fig painted by local artist Todd Telander. The side of the label reads, “FIGGINS – ‘the son of FIG’ 13^th C Great Britain Surname.” Beneath this is information about the vineyard’s elevation and aspect.

The 2008 wine saw 22 months in barrel and one year in bottle prior to release. Figgins made approximately 900 cases in 2008 with the intent of growing the winery slowly to about 4,000 over the next decade or so.

The inaugural FIGGINS Estate Red Wine is arresting, full of earth, floral notes, and fruit aromas and flavors. The wine is simultaneously rich, structured, and light on its feet. As with the recent releases at Leonetti Cellar, this wine is very much about elegance and vineyard expression and is far from a fruit and barrel wine. It is among the more compelling wines to be released in 2011.

As the industry continues to grow and expand at an incredible rate, it is impossible not to reflect on the enormous impact the Figgins family has had on the Washington wine industry over the last thirty-five years. Tasting this wine, it seems clear that the family has only begun to leave its mark.

FIGGINS Estate Red Wine Walla Walla Valley 2008 $85
Rating: ** (Exceptional) An almost endless list of aromas including scorched earth, red and black fruit, bittersweet chocolate, floral notes, and licorice. Wound up tightly initially, the palate is dense and rich with fruit and earth flavors while remaining incredibly elegant. A seemingly endless finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Merlot. Aged 22 months in French oak (70% new). 14.3% alcohol.

Walla Walla Valley Report 2011 Part IV

2011-12-30T15:53:00.000-08:00

Below is Part IV of a report from the Walla Walla Valley including wines from L’Ecole No 41, Woodward Canyon Winery, Abeja, K Vintners, Tero Estates, and Walla Walla Vintners. Read Part I here, Part II here, and Part III here.

L’Ecole No 41

It can sometimes be difficult for established wineries to garner the attention that the upstarts do. But there’s nothing like reintroducing yourself to your customers to change that.

2011 was a good year for L’Ecole No 41, one of Walla Walla Valley’s oldest and most highly regarded wineries. It included a successful label change, website redesign, and overall rebranding. The results have helped energize sales nationally and bring the winery additional attention. To cap things off, L’Ecole landed a spot on Wine Spectator’s annual top 100 list – at No 41 no less.

The reason for L’Ecole’s continued success is, of course, it’s commitment to continually producing high quality wines. Tasting through the lineup, the consistency in quality is amazing, as is the quality to price ratio on the wines.

The current releases include some fun wrinkles. Note that, with the rebranding, the Recess Red is gone and is now listed as Red Wine. “I figured that if Quilceda Creek had a Red Wine, we could too,” managing winemaker and co-owner Marty Clubb says jokingly. One of the standouts in the current releases is the 2008 Seven Hills Vineyard Cabernet. The fruit came from the 20^th leaf from this section of the vineyard, and this 100% Cabernet is a compelling expression of valley fruit.

In other news, the Perigee Red Wine has all five Bordeaux varietals for the first time. Finally, the winery produced a wine called L’Erudite, with all proceeds going to Whitman College. This Bordeaux style blend is half from Seven Hills and half from Pepper Bridge and is a fascinating comparison to the winery’s single vineyard bottlings from these sites. “We wanted it to be a really special wine but be uniquely different,” Clubb says. As usual, they have more than succeeded.

L’Ecole No 41 Luminesce Estate White Wine Seven Hills Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2010 $19
Rating: + (Good) An aromatically appealing wine with apricot, light barrel spices, and a touch of citrus. The palate is rounded and creamy with a textured feel and bright acidity leading to a drawn out finish. 67% Semillon, 33% Sauvignon Blanc. 14.5% alcohol. 850 cases produced.

L’Ecole No 41 Chardonnay Columbia Valley 2010 $19
Rating: +/* (Good/Excellent) Lightly aromatic with white apple and speckled oak notes. Light bodied but spreads out across the palate with a crisp, clean feel full of apple flavors. 100% Chardonnay. Schmitt and Evergreen vineyards. 14.5% alcohol. 4,650 cases produced.

L’Ecole No 41 Red Wine Columbia Valley 2009 $18
Rating: + (Good) A jumble of black and blue fruit with toasty spice. The palate is full of tart fruit flavors with grippy tannins. A high QPR wine. 55% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Syrah, 5% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cabernet Franc. Aged 18 months in French and American oak. 4,200 cases produced. Recommended

L’Ecole No 41 Merlot Columbia Valley 2008 $24
Rating: + (Good) Very pretty aromas of brambly red fruit, a toasty top note, and light chocolate with the oak stealing a bit of the show at times. The palate is tart and puckering. 82% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec. Aged 18 months in oak (30% new). 14.5% alcohol. 4,400 cases produced.

L’Ecole No 41 Estate Merlot Seven Hills Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2008 $36
Rating: * (Excellent) An aromatically fascinating wine with earth, high toned red fruit, and chocolate. The palate is simultaneously rich and understated with focused fruit flavors and a drawn out finish. A persistent earth component makes for a mesmerizing wine. 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc. Aged 18 months in French oak (40% new). 14.5% alcohol. 1,100 cases produced.

L’Ecole No 41 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2008 $29
Rating: * (Excellent) Very pretty high toned herbal notes along with black cherry and licorice on an aromatically compelling wine. The palate is delicious and fruit filled, loaded with puckering, pure cherry flavors and chalky tannins. An huge value. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Bacchus, Dionysus, Stone Tree, Weinbau, Alder Ridge, Mirage, Candy Mountain, Klipsun, Pepper Bridge, and Seven Hills. Aged 22 months in oak (33% new). 14.5% alcohol. 4,600 cases produced.

L’Ecole No 41 Cabernet Sauvignon Seven Hills Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2008 $60
Rating: ** (Exceptional) An earthy wine full of ripe black cherries, toast, spice box, and high toned herbal notes. The palate is elegant and seductive with soft fruit flavors and grainy tannins. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged 22 months in French oak (50% new). 14.5% alcohol. 188 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

L’Ecole No 41 Perigee Red Wine Seven Hills Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2008 $49
Rating: */** (Excellent/Exceptional) An aromatic wine with spice, pepper, dark fruit, and dark chocolate. The palate is firmly structured with dry, dark, silky fruit flavors. This wine needs some time to show its best. Give at least two years. 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec, and 4% Petit Verdot. Aged 22 months in French oak (50% new). 14.5% alcohol. 1,000 cases produced.

L’Ecole No 41 Apogee Red Wine Pepper Bridge Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2008 $49
Rating: * (Excellent) A very toasty, spicy, barrel forward wine. The palate is rich with dark fruit flavors. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 8% Malbec, and 3% Cabernet Franc. Aged 22 months in French oak (50% new). 14.5% alcohol. 1,250 cases produced.

L’Ecole No 41 L’Erudite “The Scholar” Red Wine Walla Walla Valley 2008 $60
Rating: ** (Exceptional) A very appealing, earthy wine full of rich, focused dark fruit flavors, toast, incense, and spice box. The palate is rich and fruit filled with tart, puckering flavors and firm, grainy tannins. A gorgeous wine. 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, and 2% Petit Verdot. Seven Hills and Pepper Bridge vineyards. 300 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

L’Ecole No 41 Syrah Columbia Valley 2008 $24
Rating: * (Excellent) An aromatic wine with spice, earth, and dark fruit. The palate is full of plump dark fruit flavors with silky tannins. Lingers on the finish. A hedonistic but very well balanced wine. 95% Syrah, 5% Grenache. Stone Tree, Bacchus, Candy Mountain, Mirage, Seven Hills, Clifton, and Alder Ridge. Aged 18 months in oak. 15.0% alcohol. 2,250 cases produced.

L’Ecole No 41 Estate Syrah Seven Hills Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2009 $36
Rating: */** (Excellent/Exceptional) Leaps up from the glass with wild blueberries, game, and mineral notes. The fruit flavors are supple and refined but with a real richness with a great deal of complexity. Give 6 months. 100% Syrah. Aged 18 months in oak (40% new). 15.0% alcohol. 1,210 cases produced.

Woodward Canyon Winery

Woodward Canyon Winery is one of Walla Walla Valley’s graybeards. The winery was founded in 1981 by Rick Small and Darcey Fugman-Small. Thirty years later, after helping put Washington state and Walla Walla Valley on the map, Woodward Canyon keeps cranking out quality wines. Throughout it all, the winery is still willing to experiment, such as adding a sprinkle of Syrah and Mourvedre to their 2009 Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Why? Simply to make it a better wine. Purists be damned!

While the oak gets a bit too much of a spotlight on some of the wines sampled below, Woodward Canyon remains one of Washington’s finest with a track record few can match.

Woodward Canyon Winery Chardonnay Washington State 2010 $44
Rating: * (Excellent) Aromatically arresting with spice, marzipan, and grass. The palate is textured, speckled with oak flavors. Lingers on the finish. 100% Chardonnay. Woodward Canyon Estate and Celilo vineyards. Fermented and aged in French Burgundy barrels (20% new). 14.5% alcohol. 454 cases produced. Reviewed November 18, 2011

Woodward Canyon Winery Estate Sauvignon Blanc Walla Walla Valley 2010 $26
Rating: * (Excellent) Lightly aromatic with citrus, lime zest, mineral, and gooseberry. The palate is full with great intensity and depth of flavors and bright acidity. A beautiful wine. 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Fermented and aged in stainless steel and neutral oak. 14.1% alcohol. 201 cases produced. Reviewed November 18, 2011

Woodward Canyon Winery Artist Series #17 Cabernet Sauvignon Washington State 2008 $49
Rating: + (Good) Aromas of vanilla, butterscotch, wood spice, herbal notes, and dark fruit. The palate is dense and rich, full of dark fruit flavors with oak accents. The oak is at the fore at present but may integrate with time. 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, and 4% Syrah. Champoux, Spring Creek, Estate, Sagemoor, and DuBrul vineyards. 15.3% alcohol. 2,573 cases produced.

Woodward Canyon Winery Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2008 $78
Rating: * (Excellent) Medium ruby. Aromas of dark toast, black cherry, cedar, and light herbal notes. Tart and puckering on the palate with rich fruit flavors and chalky tannins. Persists on the finish. Alcohol shows through at times. 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot. Champoux, Sagemoor, and Woodward Canyon Estate vineyards. 16.5% alcohol. 505 cases produced.

Woodward Canyon Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley 2009 $44
Rating: * (Excellent) Toasty, smoky oak spices meld with spice and dark, penetrating fruit aromas. The palate has a silky, understated richness, gliding along with well-integrated tannins leading to a lingering finish. 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 7% Syrah, 4% Petit Verdot, and 4% Mourvedre. 14.5% alcohol. 588 cases produced.

Abeja

Who makes better Cabernet than John Abbott at Abeja?

I have to confess that many times when I feel like having a Cabernet Sauvignon, the wines from Abeja are the first that come to mind and I find myself asking this question. Abbott has a knack for the grape and year after year makes some of Washington’s finest. It’s also worth noting that the price of Abeja’s Cabernet has remained steady for a number of years, while his peers’ prices have increased. “I want to deliver a lot of value for what we are,” Abbott says, and indeed the winery does.

Standouts from the current lineup also include a 100% Merlot from Heather Hill and Bacchus vineyards as well as a 100% Cabernet from Heather Hill. This is the first vineyard designated wine from the winery’s estate vineyard, and it’s clear tasting this bottle why it was time.

Heather Hill is located in the southern section of the Walla Walla Valley AVA, east of Seven Hills Vineyard, in what I fondly refer to as ‘the occupied area’ of the valley. The vineyard was planted in 2001 and Abbott credits much of the site’s accelerated development to the sustainable farming practices used (the vineyard is certified LIVE and Salmon Safe). With the vineyard showing this well at less than ten years of age, the future is bright.

Abeja Chardonnay Washington State 2010 $36
Rating: * (Excellent) Beautifully appealing light barrel accents along with tart apple and citrus. A lively, light to medium bodied wine with a textured, creamy feel. 14.0% alcohol. 100% Chardonnay. Conner Lee, Estate. Reviewed November 18, 2011

Abeja Viognier Walla Walla Valley 2010 $28
Rating: * (Excellent) Leaps up from the glass with speckled oak spices, white peaches, and marzipan. The palate is taut and textured with a bright zing of acidity. Reviewed November 18, 2011

Abeja House Red Red Wine Columbia Valley 2009 $21
Rating: * (Excellent) Lightly aromatic with peppery spice, black cherry, light herbal notes, and chocolate. The palate is full of fruit flavors that draw out on the finish. Consistently one of the highest quality to price ratio wines in the state. 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc.

Abeja Merlot Columbia Valley 2009 $38
Rating: ** (Exceptional) Locked up tightly at present with very pretty, refined high toned red fruit, milk chocolate, and licorice. The palate is soft and fruit filled with tremendous concentration and elegance. 100% Merlot. Heather Hill and Bacchus vineyards. Aged 13 months in French and American oak (60% new). 14.6% alcohol.

Abeja Cabernet Sauvignon Heather Hill Walla Walla Valley 2008 $55
Rating: ** (Exceptional) Very pretty, high toned herbal notes along with oak spice and dark cherries on a wine to linger over. The palate is concentrated and rich while remaining silky and light on its feet with beautifully integrated tannins and an incredibly persistent finish. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged 23 months in French oak (80% new). 14.8% alcohol.

Abeja Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2008 $42
Rating: * (Excellent) A very pretty aroma profile with high toned herbal notes, spice, dark fruit, and bittersweet chocolate. The palate is rich yet refined, far from overpowering with a mixture of concentrated fruit flavors and elegance. 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc. Heather Hill, Bacchus, Dionysus, Weinbau; Hedges Estate vineyards. Aged 25 months in French oak (60% new). 14.9% alcohol.

K Vintners

K Vintners continues to make some of Washington’s most compelling, uniquely styled wines. The 2009 vintage releases reviewed below are no exception.

Each year some of my favorite wines to try from K are ones that use Cayuse Vineyards fruit, such as the Roma Red Wine from En Chamberlain Vineyard. This Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah blend provides an interesting contrast to Cayuse’s En Chamberlin Syrah.

Among his many offerings, winemaker Charles Smith has helped shine a light on the Wahluke Slope AVA with vineyard designated bottles such as ‘The Deal’ Syrah from Sundance Vineyard. These wines also continue to offer some of the best values in the K lineup.

Of note, Smith recently opened a tasting room in downtown Walla Walla – the worldwide headquarters – where the K Vintners and Charles Smith wines are poured. The K wines also continue to be poured at winery facility east of town.

Charles Smith Viognier Stoneridge Vineyard Columbia Valley 2009 $50
Rating: * (Excellent) An aromatic wine with apricot, creamsicle, and spice. The palate is silky and textured, broadening and expanding towards a long finish.

K Vintners Roma Red Wine En Chamberlain Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2009 $65
Rating: ** (Exceptional) An earthy, funky, aromatically compelling wine full of olive brine, smoked meat, and savory notes. The palate is soft and silky with tremendous intensity of flavors. Lingers on the finish. 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Syrah. 14.5% alcohol. 191 cases produced.

K Vintners The Creator Red Wine Walla Walla Valley 2009 $55
Rating: */** (Excellent/Exceptional) Light, high toned aromas of smoked meat, berries, and mineral notes. The palate is full of winding savory flavors while remaining light on its feet. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Syrah. Cailloux and Old Stones vineyards. 14.5% alcohol. 635 cases produced.

K Vintners The Deal Syrah Sundance Vineyard Wahluke Slope 2009 $40
Rating: ** (Exceptional) Leaps up with green olive, smoked meat, and a perfumed floral notes. The palate is textured with incredible depth and inner mouth perfume. 100% Syrah. 15.5% alcohol. 360 cases produced.

K Vintners The Beautiful Syrah Walla Walla Valley 2009 $60
Rating: ** (Exceptional) An uber aromatic wine with abundant mineral, green olive, and ash notes. On the palate, a gorgeous, textured, richly flavorful wine with a long, drawn out finish. 95% Syrah co-fermented with 5% Viognier. 15.5% alcohol. 580 cases produced.

Tero Estates

I’ve traveled all over the United States and elsewhere and there are few places that I find as beautiful and compelling as Tero Estates. The winery is located in the southern section of the Walla Walla Valley AVA (again, within the occupied area). The Blue Mountains frame part of the landscape along with rolling hills of nearby vineyards. There is a nearby grain silo. Then there is Tero Estates beautiful production facility. Something about the area just conveys a sense of beauty and serenity. And surrounding it all is, Windrow Vineyard, Tero’s estate vineyard.

Windrow is a 32 acre site with 25 acres currently under vine. It is part of the first commercial vineyard planted in the Walla Walla Valley (read more about the vineyard and winery here). While this vineyard has a long history, Tero’s focus on using this vineyard for many of its wines puts a spotlight on this unique site. Seven Hills Vineyard is literally a stone’s throw, providing an interesting contrast.

The new releases from Tero continue to impress with two beautiful estate wines. I should also note that I tasted the winery’s 2008 Windrow Vineyard Cabernet Franc in a casual setting (meaning I wasn’t taking notes) and found it to be an extremely enjoyable bottle. Alas, this wine is sadly already sold out.

Tero Estates Windrow Red Wine Walla Walla Valley 2008 $55
Rating: * (Excellent) Medium ruby. This wine is locked up very tightly at present but opens to reveal red fruit, licorice, and occasionally somewhat strong herbal notes. The palate is broad and generous, full of cherry flavors that glide along to a tart, cherry filled finish. 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Malbec. 14.3% alcohol. 106 cases produced.

Tero Estates Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Windrow Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2007 $90
Rating: * (Excellent) An aromatically intriguing wine with orange peel, cigar box, herbal notes, and cumin. The palate has soft but broad fruit flavors, velvety tannins, and a lingering, spice filled finish. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. 66% Old Block and 34% North Plateau. 14.8% alcohol. 71 cases produced.

Walla Walla Vintners

What can I say about Walla Walla Vintners that I haven’t said before (read previous posts about the winery here)? Gordy Venneri and Myles Anderson continue to make top quality wines at prices that just don’t budge. To wit, here’s a look at the winery’s price for its Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon in recent years:

2007 $35
2005 $35
2003 $35
2001 $35
2000 $35

I think you can guess what the price of the 2008 vintage, sampled below, will be.

That’s right; across nine vintages Walla Walla Vintners has not raised its price on this wine one single dollar. In 1997 the wine cost $32 – a full fourteen years ago. People must have been scandalized when it subsequently increased three dollars.

This can only mean one of two things. Either this is benign neglect where Venneri and Anderson keep forgetting to increment the price year after year, or it is a deliberate decision. For anyone who has met the two, there can be no question which it is. This is a winery that prides itself on continually over delivering on quality for the price and always succeeds.

Now someone out there is probably thinking, “These are terrible business people. How could they do that?” However, the rate at which the winery’s first ever wine club filled up earlier this year would dispute that (the only reason Venneri and Anderson didn’t start one sooner is they didn’t want to seem gimmicky).

Walla Walla Vintners has a large and devoted following. And it’s not just because they’ve held their prices. It’s because their wines are consistently fantastic. Who could as for anything more?

Walla Walla Vintners Merlot Walla Walla Valley 2009 $28
Rating: * (Excellent) Medium ruby. An aromatically appealing wine with toasty spices, chocolate, red fruit, and light herbal notes. The palate is tart and lively with a creamy, silky feel and grainy tannins. Drinking a bit young at present. Give six months. 88% Merlot. 12% Cabernet Sauvignon. Chan, Dwelley, Pepper Bridge and Seven Hills vineyards. 14.2% alcohol. Sample provided by winery.

Walla Walla Vintners Cabernet Franc Columbia Valley 2009 $28
Rating: + (Good) Medium ruby. A classically Walla Walla Vintners styled wine with char, chocolate covered cherries, and spice. The palate is soft, silky, and light with a tart finish. 85% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dwelley, Cordon Grove, Sagemoor, Weinbau, Kilian, and Spring Creek vineyards. 14.2% alcohol. Sample provided by winery.

Walla Walla Vintners Sangiovese Columbia Valley 2009 $24
Rating: + (Good) An aromatically appealing wine with earth, cranberry, raspberry, dusty chocolate, and roasted coffee bean. The palate has winding, tart fruit flavors. Oak gets a little heavy at times but overall a winner. 80% Sangiovese and 12% Syrah and 8% Malbec. Desert View, Dwelley Kiona, and Goose Ridge vineyards. Sample provided by winery.

Walla Walla Vintners Bello Rosso Red Wine Columbia Valley 2008 $32
Rating: +/* (Good/Excellent) Medium ruby. Brightly aromatic with cranberries, chocolate, and earth. The palate is light and tart with soft tannins. 50% Sangiovese and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon. Desert View, Kiona, and Sagemoor vineyards. 14.5% alcohol. Sample provided by winery.

Walla Walla Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley 2008 $35
Rating: * (Excellent) A somewhat brooding but appealing wine with dark cherries, herbal notes, chocolate, spice, and earth. The palate has silky fruit flavors with well integrated tannins and a lingering finish. 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec, 2% Carmenère and 2% Petit Verdot. Pepper Bridge, Dwelley, Windrow, Seven Hills and Frazier Bluff vineyards. 14.5% alcohol. Sample provided by winery.

Seventeen Sparkling Wines to Help Ring in the New Year

2011-12-29T01:51:00.000-08:00

Seattleites, turn on Q13 News at 5:30pm today when I’ll be talking about sparkling wines.

Well folks, 2011 is fast coming to a close, so it’s time to turn our attention to sparkling wines to help ring in the New Year.

Let me start by saying that if you’re not drinking sparkling wines year round, make this a New Year’s resolution. These wines are not just for special occasions. Imagine if people thought it was only appropriate to drink Cabernet on Valentine’s Day.

Selecting sparkling wines can sometimes be challenging. What wine to buy? What style to buy? In terms of style, confusingly, wines labeled as Extra Dry are actually sweeter than Extra Brut and Brut wines. Demi-Sec is sweeter still. Bottom line, if you’re looking for something dry, wines labeled as Extra Brut or Brut are a good way to go (read more about sweetness levels of sparkling wine here).

Below is a list of seventeen sparkling wines across a variety of price points. Because a number of these wines are imported, I have also listed Seattle-area locations where I know these wines have been available in the past. Make sure to call in advance to confirm if you are interested in a specific wine. While I have listed below the larger stores in the Seattle area, any good wine retailer here or in other areas should have a large selection of quality sparkling wines. A few of my favorite local shops are McCarthy & Schiering (Note: There is a sparkling wine tasting at both locations Saturday 1-6), Pike & Western, Bin 41, Vino Verité, and 6th Avenue Wine Sellers which all have good selections.

The belle of the ball below is the 2004 Adam-Jaeger Blanc de Blancs Millesime Champagne. This is a grower Champagne, meaning the wine is made by a family that grows its own grapes. In contrast, the large Champagne houses make their wines from dozens or even hundreds of different vineyards. The Adam-Jaeger is 100% Chardonnay and is also vintage dated. It’s a knock out for this price (this is the wine that I’ll be drinking New Year’s eve).

Note that this wine is only available locally at Fat Cork, a Seattle-based importer/retailer on lower Queen Anne that deals exclusively with grower Champagne. Friend and owner Bryan Maletis is doing a great job at this new company, offering a variety of wines across a range of price points.

I was also particularly excited about the Drappier Brut Champagne Carte d'Or. Notably, this wine was originally listed at $49 but currently has a retail price around town of $35 or less. $35 for high quality Champagne? Yes please. I was also struck by the Scharffenberger Brut Excellence from California, which is a superb deal for $19.

Leave comments below on what wines you’re planning to open to celebrate the New Year or if you know of other locations where these particular wines are available. Whatever you do, I wish everyone a happy and safe start to 2012.

Adam-Jaeger Blanc de Blancs Millesime Champagne 2004 $55
Rating: ** (Exceptional) An arresting, complex wine with pear, apple, and abundant autolytic notes. The palate is lively, stretching out from end to end with a creamy feel and bright acidity. A long, lingering finish. Among the more compelling wines I’ve had in 2011. 100% Chardonnay.
Where: Fat Cork, a grower Champagne dedicated retailer on lower Queen Anne, Seattle

Drappier Brut Champagne Carte d'Or NV $49
Rating: ** (Exceptional) An aromatic wine full of brioche and raspberries. The palate is dry with a creamy feel, full of evolving flavors of raspberries and lemon. An extended finish. Retail is listed at $49 but currently being sold around town for a non-sale price of $35, which is a steal.
Where: Wine World Warehouse, Pete’s Wine Shop, Esquin

P Louis Martin Brut Champagne Bouzy NV $35
Rating: */** (Excellent/Exceptional) Aromas of fresh baked bread, strawberry, and green apple. The palate is rich and flavorful – this is a red wine drinkers Champagne if ever there were one. Capped off by a long finish.
Where: Wine World Warehouse, Pete’s Wine Shop

Colin Cuvee Alliance Champagne NV $35
Rating: * (Excellent) An aromatically appealing wine with spice, baked bread, yeast, and raspberries. The palate is dry with a creamy mouthfeel and a long, apple filled finish.
Where: Wine World Warehouse, McCarthy & Schiering

Domaine Ste. Michelle Luxe Columbia Valley 2005 $23
Rating: * (Excellent) A bright, crisp wine with pear, flint, lemon, and lime. The palate is dry and crisp with a lemon-filled finish. 100% Chardonnay. 11% alcohol. 2,184 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.
Where: Numerous locations including some grocery stores.

Duval Leroy Brut Champagne Cuvee Paris 2006 $50
Rating: * (Excellent) A classically styled Champagne with light autolytic notes, apple, and cream. The palate is light, crisp, and clean with a creamy, lingering finish. 5,000 cases produced.
Where: Wine World Warehouse

Gosset Brut Excellence Champagne NV $45
Rating: * (Excellent) A classically styled Champagne with appealing, delicate aromas of yeast, apple, and almond. The palate is silky and bone dry with fine bubbles.
Where: Wine World Warehouse, Pete’s Wine Shop, Esquin

Piper-Heidsieck Brut Cuvee Champagne NV $45
Rating: * (Excellent) Abundant leesy and toasty aromas along with almond, baked bread, and citrus on an aromatically appealing wine. The palate is light, dry, crisp, and refreshing. 50,000 cases produced.
Where: Wine World Warehouse, numerous other locations

Scharffenberger Brut Excellence Mendocino California NV $19
Rating: * (Excellent) Appealing aromatics of yeast, lemon, apples, and raspberries. On the palate the wine has a weighted, textured feel with fine grained bubbles. Finishes tart and dry. A superb wine for this price point. 66% Chardonnay, 34% Pinot Noir. 12% alcohol. 1.0% Residual Sugar. 25,000 cases produced.
Where: Wine World Warehouse, Pete’s Wine Shop, numerous other locations

Nicolas Feuillatte ‘Blue Label’ Brut Reserve Particuliere Champagne NV $36
Rating: +/* (Good/Excellent) An aromatic sparkling wine full of lees notes and green apple. The palate is light, crisp, and spritely with a clean, dry finish. An enjoyable Champagne at a very reasonable price point, especially when found on sale.
Where: Wine World Warehouse, Pete’s Wine Shop, Esquin

Argyle Brut Wine Willamette Valley 2007 $27
Rating: + (Good) A tart, very dry wine full of green apple and lime aromas and flavors. Finishes a bit short. 63% Chardonnay, 37% Pinot Noir. Knudsen and Lonestar vineyards. 12.5% alcohol. 1.5% Residual Sugar. 11,620 cases produced.
Where: Numerous locations including some grocery stores.

Domaine Ste. Michelle Brut Sparkling Wine Columbia Valley NV $12
Rating: + (Good) Pleasing aromas of green apple, lime, and autolytic notes. The palate is just off dry with crisp citrus flavors. 12.1% alcohol. 1.19% Residual Sugar. 191,540 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Recommended Reviewed November 21, 2011
Where: Numerous locations including some grocery stores.

Domaine Ste. Michelle Brut Rose Sparkling Wine Columbia Valley NV $12
Rating: + (Good) Pale salmon colored. A light floral note along with lemon, raspberry, and green apple. The palate is crisp, dry, and refreshing with tart with lemon and apple flavors. 100% Pinot Noir. 12% alcohol. 1.15% Residual Sugar. 20,081 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Recommended Reviewed December 6, 2011
Where: Numerous locations including some grocery stores.

Domaine Ste. Michelle Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine Columbia Valley NV $12
Rating: + (Good) Very lightly aromatic with pear, apple skin, and lime notes. The palate is fresh and clean, quite dry and full of apple flavors. 11.5% alcohol. 1.05% Residual Sugar. 32,640 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed December 6, 2011
Where: Numerous locations including some grocery stores.

Domaine Ste. Michelle Extra Dry Sparkling Wine Columbia Valley NV $12
Rating: + (Good) An enjoyable wine full of pear and tropical fruit notes. The sweetest of the Domaine Ste. Michelle offerings, this wine steps just one toe over the line in terms of sweetness based on its acidity. 12.0% alcohol. 2.3% Residual Sugar. 51,919 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed December 6, 2011
Where: Numerous locations including some grocery stores.

Lucien Albrecht Brut Rose Cremant d’Alsace France NV $23
Rating: + (Good) An enjoyable, everyday sparkling wine that can frequently be found on sale in grocery stores, this wine brings sweet raspberries and strawberry aromas and flavors. The palate is dry, crisp, and light bodied. Note that I’m listing this wine as recommended as I always see it for a sub $20 price. At $23, I would pass. 100% Pinot Noir. 8,000 cases imported. Recommended
Where: Numerous locations including some grocery stores.

Piper Sonoma Blanc de Blancs Select Cuvée Sonoma County NV $20
Rating: + (Good) A fairly aromatic sparkler that is absolutely loaded with green apple fruit and skin aromas and flavors. Finishes tart and slightly sweet. 95% Chardonnay, 5% others. Aged on lees at least 16 months. 30,500 cases produced.
Where: Numerous locations including some grocery stores.

Best of Washington Wine Report 2011

2011-12-28T11:11:00.000-08:00

Today as we begin to wind down the year, a look back at some of my personal favorite posts from each month this year.

January’s was a post on Washington wines in the spotlight at the Whitehouse.

February’s was a look at Woodinville’s JM Cellars.

March’s were about EFESTĒ and L’Ecole 41’s new label.

Two posts from April were looking at the Starbucks wine program and terms like super premium.

May’s were looks at Januik/Novelty Hill and Pamplin Family Winery.

June’s were the new vintage of Drew Bledsoe’s Doubleback and Senator Demint bashing the Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center.

July’s was why most winery websites stink.

August's was a look at Gorman Winery.

September’s was a piece about the new owners of Betz Family Winery.

October they were why I voted no on Initiative 1183, how to sound smart talking about wine, and a look at keg wine.

November it was an article on the 2011 harvest winding down.

December it was a rant about Robert Parker posts, a look at The Wine Advocate’s new critic covering Washington, and a post about Washington’s newest AVA.

See all of the posts from this year and previous years organized by month along the right hand side of the blog.