Sean P. Sullivan - Washington Wine Report Note: Site has moved to www.northwestwinereport.com

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

This month’s Five Wines Under $15 is devoted to second label wines. Second labels are often used to allow wineries to play at a different price point than their main label. Sometimes the wine is made from declassified barrels; sometimes it has its own dedicated fruit. In some instances – such as the Boomtown wine below – the winery’s main label is made clear. In other instances, such as the wines from Lone Birch and Stonecap, it is not necessarily obvious from the bottle.

Our first wine second label wine comes from the folks at Dusted Valley Vintners. Boomtown is named after the boom in the Washington wine industry in the last ten years.

To me, second labels like Boomtown are extremely important to Washington’s advancement as a wine industry. The $15 and under market is currently largely dominated by a small number of (very large) wineries. To get more Washington wine into consumers’ hands, there needs to be more wineries playing in this space. Entry-level wines allow people to experiment with wines and wineries they are not familiar with. From there, you can generate interest and march people up the price ladder.

While there are a number of wineries in Washington making wine at $15 and under, very few of them are doing it at a scale that will make it far outside of the local area. This is where labels like Boomtown - Milbrandt and Charles Smith are two others that quickly come to mind – can play a significant role with productions in the thousands of cases. Of course this only works if the quality of the wine is there. Thus far Boomtown has delivered.

Lone Birch is a second label for Airfield Estates. In this case the winery’s main label is not mentioned on the bottle or on the Airfield website. Many wineries avoid making a direct association with their second label to avoid competing with their own brand. Others try to leverage the brand to both up sell and down sell.

The Lone Birch Red and White are both kitchen sink blends. The Red Wine is a blend of Merlot, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Barbera, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc, and Cinsault. The white a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Semillon, Roussanne, and Marsanne. Both are made in the thousands of cases at prices that make them glass pour friendly for restaurants and easy on consumers’ wallets.

The final three wines – giving us a baker’s five in this month’s Five Wines Under $15 – come from Stonecap Wines. Stonecap is a second label for Goose Ridge. Goose Ridge is located on Goose Hill immediately across from Red Mountain. The Monson family farms an astonishing 1,600 acres there. This allows Stonecap to provide wines at an $8 price point where a limited number of wineries in Washington play.

The Stonecap wines will not necessarily light the wine world on fire, but they are very solidly made wines at a compelling price point. And again, they are made at a scale that gives them a wide reach.

Read previous Five Wines Under $15 here.

Dusted Valley Boomtown Cabernet Sauvignon Washington State 2009 $15
Rating: + (Good) Lightly aromatic with milk chocolate, caramel, herbal notes, cherry, and licorice. Palate is light bodied, painting around the edges with caramel, mocha, and cherry flavors. 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot. Aged in French (70%) and American oak (40% new). 14.2% alcohol. 6,465 cases produced.

Lone Birch White Blend Yakima Valley 2009 $8
Rating: . (Decent) Pale lemon yellow. Moderately aromatic with peach, apple, spice and honeysuckle. On the palate, a straightforward, easy-drinking wine with just a touch of sweetness. 46% Sauvignon Blanc, 38% Pinot Gris, 10% Chardonnay, 4% Semillon, 2% Roussanne, 1% Marsanne. 13.5% alcohol. 2,478 cases produced.

Lone Birch Red Blend Yakima Valley 2009 $10
Rating: ./+ (Decent/Good) Light in color. A very fruity aroma profile with red currant and red berries. Palate is light bodied with soft red fruit flavors. An enjoyable, light-bodied offering. 38% Merlot, 26% Grenache, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Barbera, 7% Sangiovese, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cinsault. Aged 11 months in French, American, and Hungarian oak. 14.8% alcohol. 2,096 cases produced.

Stonecap Estate Grown Chardonnay Columbia Valley 2009 $8
Rating: . (Decent) Lightly aromatic with straw and spice. The palate is crisp with apple and lime flavors. 100% Chardonnay. 6,023 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Stonecap Estate Grown Merlot Columbia Valley 2009 $8
Rating: . (Decent) Abundant red fruit, spice, and herbal notes. Palate has a full feel with mocha flavors with a slightly sweet finish. 100% Merlot. 13.7% alcohol. 4,030 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Stonecap Estate Grown Riesling Columbia Valley 2009 $8
Rating: . (Decent) An aromatic wine with peaches, pear, and floral notes. Palate is just off dry with a full feel with abundant peach and pear flavors. An easy drinking, well priced wine. 100% Riesling. 13.5% alcohol. 1.7 g/L Residual Sugar. 3,461 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

After a long wait, the 2011 harvest is underway in Washington State. Over the coming weeks, I will provide periodic updates on what is picked, where, and when as well as thoughts on the growing season from the state’s growers and winemakers.

9/29 Update: Harvest began for many this year about September 14^th, roughly two weeks or so behind the “norm.” However, to truly understand the 2011 growing season, we need to look back to 2010.

The big story last year was the exceptionally cool vintage – the coolest the state had seen since 1999. While there was much concern about the potential for an early frost, it was a late November freeze that became one of the year’s defining moments. But not for the 2010 vintage - for the 2011 vintage.

The frost came on Thanksgiving week on November 23^rd. Temperatures dipped down as low as 10 degrees below zero. Fruit was already off most of the vines. However, due to the late growing season, many of the vines had not gone dormant. This made them particularly susceptible to frost.

Vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills, which is usually protected from cold weather due to its proximity to the Columbia River, and the southern section of the Walla Walla Valley AVA – always exposed when temperatures get cold – were the worst affected. It is, however, worth noting that some vineyards in these areas were not affected at all.

Vineyards in other areas showed sporadic damage based on factors such as location, varietal, vine age, and watering regimen. Estimations from earlier this year were that the 2011 crop could be down 15% or more based on the effects of the freeze, although final numbers will not be available until early next year.

2010 looked to be an anomalous, cold year – until 2011 proved to be similarly cool. Growing Degree Days, a measure of heat accumulation, tracked at or below 2010 levels for much of this year. The result was that bud break, bloom, and veraison were even later this year than last year. By June some growers were reporting they were as much as two weeks behind last year’s pace. In contrast to 2010, however, bloom and veraison were more even with good set.

As Mother Nature is wont to do, things turned around the middle of July when temperatures increased across Washington and maturation accelerated. Though temperatures warmed, the state still did not see the highs common in the summer, with eastern Washington seeing far fewer 100 degree-plus days than in previous years.

Many, however, saw this as a boon. Vines shut down in extreme heat. Trey Busch of Sleight of Hand Cellars says, “Best August and September I have seen as a winemaker. August never over 95 degrees and never under 85 for a high. Just even and perfect ripening weather.” Busch notes, however, that the good weather will need to continue to help cooler sites ripen.

There were consequences to 2011’s cool weather. Temperatures did not go high enough to kill mold in the vineyard throughout much of the growing season. As a result, many saw mold pressure as high as any year in recent memory. “It’s a good year to have stock in chemical companies,” one grower noted wryly.

By mid-September when harvest started, Washington was a pastiche of growing conditions. Some report being several days ahead of last year’s pace. Many report being five to seven days behind last year. Some report being as much as fourteen days behind last year and still awaiting veraison. Growing Degree Days have, however, caught up with 2010 as of earlier this month according to WSU.

Winemaker Mike Januik, who makes wines for both Januik Winery and Novelty Hill, brought in his first grapes on Monday – one day earlier than his first pick last year. In many years he has brought in fruit by late August.

Januik notes that it’s been another interesting, late year in Washington. “The last two harvests, I’ve had all my weekends off in September and in 28 years these are the only times that this has happened,” Januik says.

Kent Waliser of Sagemoor Vineyards agrees that it is another interesting growing season in Washington. Waliser has harvested Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Riesling and Barbera in the last two days, though he notes that Sagemoor is a warmer site and the vineyard sells to producers making a variety of different styles.

While one of the big stories last year was high acids, acidity seems to be more in check this year. Mike Januik says, “The one concern that one might have in a cool year (like 2011) is that acidity levels remain too high, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. So far, grapes seem to be quite nicely balanced.”

2011 looks to be another compressed harvest season for Washington’s growers and winemakers, with the majority of fruit coming in during a shortened period. Long Shadows winemaker Gilles Nicault says, “This growing season will be challenging for anyone…who does not have a lot of tank capacity as the harvest season will be fast and furious.”

There are still numerous potential hazards to navigate. Some growers have started to see botrytis in the vineyard. The weather over the next month will determine how significant an issue this becomes.

Meteorologist Cliff Mass notes that Washington will be transitioning to a cooler weather pattern this weekend that will bring a significant chance of rain in eastern Washington next week. Time will tell if this presents any issues.

Winemaker Brian Rudin of Cadaretta summarizes the feelings of many, writing, “The 2011 vintage in Washington State is like the 800-page novel you can’t put down. It starts slowly, leaving you unsure of where it is going. Halfway through, you think you maybe start to understand it, and its showing promise. By page 687, you realize it’s maybe the best book you’ve ever read in your life, and you can’t wait to see how it is going to end.”

Note: Punchdown picture courtesy of Betz Family Winery.

See information on the Washington State Growing Degree Days here.

Monthly forecast for Yakima, Walla Walla, and Mattawa.

* * *

The information in the table below is aggregated from personal correspondence with growers and winemakers, as well as information posted on Twitter and Facebook. It is not intended to be comprehensive but rather is intended as a snapshot of what is going on around the state. If you wish to send data for your grapes or vineyards (or correct any of the information below), please email me at wawinereport@gmail.com, leave a comment here, or leave a comment on the WWR Facebook page.

Winery	Grape	Vineyard	Date	Notes
Columbia Valley
--	Sauvignon Blanc	Sagemoor	9/14	First fruit of 2011. 3 days earlier than 2010.
Rasa Vineyards	Riesling	Bacchus	9/25	First fruit of 2011
--	Pinot Gris	Art Den Hoed	9/26
Chateau Ste. Michelle	Chardonnay	Cold Creek	9/26
Januik	Chardonnay	Cold Creek	9/27	First fruit of 2011
Rasa	Riesling	Dionysus	9/28
Long Shadows	Merlot	Dionysus	9/29
Yakima Valley
Cote Bonneville	Chardonnay	DuBrul	9/28
Sleight of Hand	Chardonnay	French Creek	9/29
Long Shadows	Merlot	Candy Mountain	9/29
Red Mountain
Betz	Merlot	Ciel du Cheval	9/23
L’Ecole No 41	Sauvignon Blanc	Klipsun	9/26	First fruit of 2011
Hedges	Merlot	Estate	9/26	First fruit of 2011
DeLille	Merlot	Ciel du Cheval	9/27
Covington	Sauvignon Blanc	Klipsun	9/27	First fruit of 2011
Soos Creek	Merlot	Ciel du Cheval	9/27	First fruit of 2011
Guardian	Sauvignon Blanc	Klipsun	9/28
Walla Walla Valley
Woodward Canyon	Chardonnay	Estate	9/26
--	Merlot	Seven Hills	9/30
Wahluke Slope
--	Merlot	Clifton	9/27
Brian Carter	Merlot	StoneTree	9/27
Brian Carter	Malbec	StoneTree	9/27
Brian Carter	Tempranillo	StoneTree	9/27
Steppe	Merlot	StoneTree	9/28
Desert Wind	Gewürztraminer	Desert Wind	9/28	First fruit of 2011
Waters	Malbec	StoneTree	9/28
Kerloo	Tempranillo	StoneTree	9/28
Horse Heaven Hills
Forgeron	Roussanne	Mercer	9/29
Robert Karl	Sauvignon Blanc	McKinley Springs	9/28
Snipes Mountain
--	Sauvignon Blanc	Snipes	9/19	First fruit of 2011. Syrah and Temp expected by end of week or early next.
--	Merlot	Snipes	9/30

TONIGHT! September's Virtual Tasting is tonight from 7-8pm. Read about how to participate here.







Today’s Fresh Sheet – new and recent Washington wine releases – includes wines from Purple Star Wines, Pandora Cellars, Laurelhurst Cellars, and Pomum Cellars.

Purple Star Wines

The goal of Purple Star Wines is to make wine that is “accessible, approachable, and affordable.” With the current releases, winemaker Kyle Johnson accomplishes all three.

Johnson studied horticulture at Washington State University. Upon graduating, he started out working for Chateau Ste. Michelle on the viticulture side of the winery’s operations before moving over to the production side.

Johnson’s first experience making wine was making “garbage can” wine in his garage. “It was really pretty amazing to me the transformation that occurred. That hooked me,” Johnson says.

Through his relationship with Ste. Michelle, Johnson met grower Leif Olsen. When the Olsens decided to start their winery, they called Johnson to see if he wanted to make the wines. Though Olsen Estates was only in existence a few short years, the winery made an immediate impression with its dazzling estate wines. Johnson again shows a skilled touch at Purple Star.

At Purple Star Johnson donates 15% of all of its proceeds to Seattle Children’s Hospital, where both he and his grandmother were once patients. Johnson believes it is important to give back. “We wanted to put this message out there to our peers,” he says.

In addition to Purple Star, Johnson intends to launch another project called Native Sun for a higher end brand. The 2009 vintage of these wines was recently bottled.

Purple Star produces 1,400 cases annually.

Purple Star Rose Red Mountain 2010 $15
Rating: . (Decent) Light cherry colored. Very pretty, fruit driven aromatics of strawberry, watermelon, and bubblegum. Palate is tart with mouthwatering acidity and a rounded mouthfeel. 60% Syrah, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. Fermented in neutral barrels. On lees for seven months. 14.2% alcohol. 50 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Purple Star Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2009 $16
Rating: + (Good) Appealing aromas of smoke and toast along with spice, herbal notes and cherry. Coats the palate with cherry and herbal flavors that have a textured feel. A lot of bang for the buck. 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7.5% Merlot, 7.5% Petit Verdot. Milbrandt, Olsen, and Kiona vineyards. Aged for 18 months in 70% French oak (30% new). 14.2% alcohol. 1,036 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Recommended.

Purple Star Syrah Columbia Valley 2009 $16
Rating: * (Excellent) Dark in color, staining the glass. Aromatically appealing with smoke, char, an underlayer of spice, blueberry, and cooked egg. The palate is silky and textured, with thick fruit flavors. An extremely enjoyable wine that is an unusual find at this price point. 100% Syrah. Olsen Vineyard (95%) and Kiona. Aged 18 months in French oak (35% new). 14.4% alcohol. 378 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Pandora Cellars

Pandora Cellars was founded by Dan Williams with the goal of creating quality wines at an affordable price. The wines below are Pandora Cellars’ first commercial release.

Landon (Sam) Keirsey serves as Pandora Cellars’ winemaker. Keirsey’s journey to making wine started early. “By the time I was twenty-one I was already drinking more wine than beer,” Keirsey says with a chuckle.

Keirsey started working at Trader Joe’s in Seattle when he was 18. Over time he became the wine buyer. After a trip to Walla Walla, Keirsey began to think about making wine. “It kind of planted the seed,” he says.

Keirsey started out taking chemistry classes at Seattle Central before transferring to Washington State University’s viticulture and enology program. Keirsey began volunteering for Pleasant Hill Winery seven years ago, working his way up to assistant winemaker. He also interned at Double Canyon vineyard and spent a season working in the vineyard at Tildio Cellars.

Stylistically, Keirsey likes to pick his grapes early and press them early. After this the wines are placed in once used oak barrels. The result is wines considerably more fruit than barrel focused, although some of these young wines had edges that additional barrel ageing could help smooth out.

Fruit for the Pandora Cellars wines is sourced from Klipsun, Tapteil, Double Canyon, Lonesome Springs Ranch, Elephant Mountain, and Meek vineyards. The wines are made at Pleasant Hill Winery.

Pandora Cellars make 650 cases annually.

Pandora Cellars Syrah Columbia Valley 2009 $21
Rating: . (Decent) Lightly floral with abundant black pepper along with black and blue fruit. Soft and textured on the palate. Lonesome Springs and Double Canyon vineyards. Aged in once used French oak. 13.0% alcohol.

Pandora Cellars Connor’s Blend Columbia Valley 2009 $25
Rating: + (Good) Lightly aromatic with dark fruit, peppery spicy, floral notes, and crushed nuts. The palate is soft and textured with fresh fruit flavors. Lingers on the finish. 40% Malbec, 40% Petit Verdot, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. 100% Double Canyon. Aged in once used French oak. 14.6% alcohol.

Pandora Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2009 $25
Rating: + (Good) Dark in color. Appealing pure, fresh cherry aromas along with incense and light, high-toned herbal notes. A soft, silky wine with a lot of pure fruit flavors. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Meek, Obelisco, and Elephant Mountain vineyards. Aged in once used French oak. 14.3% alcohol. 100 cases produced.

Pandora Cellars Red Wine Columbia Valley 2009 $21
Rating: + (Good) Aromas of incense, red and blue fruit, and spice. More concentrated than the other 2009 offerings, this wine features ripe, silky tannins and dark fruit flavors. 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet, 10% Syrah. Aged in once used French oak. 13.4% alcohol.

Laurelhurst Cellars

Laurelhurst Cellars is one of a number of wineries located in the South Seattle area that together constitute the South Seattle Artisan Wineries. A partnership among Gabe Warner, Greg Smallwood, and Dave Halbgewachs, the winery had its first commercial vintage in 2005.

Gabe Warner, who serves as winemaker, started out making wine in the basement of his Laurelhurst home giving the winery its name. Warner focuses on producing wines in microscopic batches - 67 cases for the Merlot, 89 for the Cabernet Franc, 93 for the Cabernet Sauvignon. Total production is currently less than 600 cases.

Fruit for the Laurelhurst wines comes from a number of top sites, including Boushey, Kiona, and Klipsun. As with their previous releases, Laurelhurst Cellars continues to impress.

Laurelhurst Cellars Merlot Columbia Valley 2008 $24
Rating: * (Excellent) 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.

Laurelhurst Cellars Cabernet Franc Columbia Valley 2009 $28
Rating: + (Good) A lightly aromatic wine with mint, high toned dried herbs, jalapeno, mocha powder, and light cherry fruit. Palate is light bodied with soft, plush fruit flavors. Boushey, Kiona, and Burgess vineyards. Aged in French oak (80% new). 14.2% alcohol. 89 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Laurelhurst Cellars Laurus Nobilis Red Wine Columbia Valley 2007 $28
Rating: +/* (Good/Excellent) Abundant herbal notes up front along with high toned candied red fruit, tea leaves, and black licorice. Palate is full of plump cherry flavors and sinewy tannins. An elegantly styled blend. 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec. Boushey, Klipsun, and Kiona vineyards. Aged in French oak (80% new). 13.9% alcohol. 220 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Laurelhurst Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain 2008 $38
Rating: * (Excellent) Aromatically brooding but compelling with mineral, black licorice, dark cherries, herbal notes, and spice box. The palate is full of plump cherry flavors with mineral notes throughout and well-integrated tannins. Kiona and Klipsun vineyards. Aged in French oak (80% new). 14.8% alcohol. 93 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Laurelhurst Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Klipsun Vineyard Red Mountain 2008 $45
Rating: * (Excellent) Somewhat locked up at present with high-toned bing cherries, espresso bean, mineral, and an underlayer of herbal notes. Palate is tart and full of rich cherry flavors. Lingers on the finish. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged in French oak (80% new). 15.0% alcohol. 56 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Laurelhurst Cellars Syrah Red Mountain 2008 $28
Rating: + (Good) A big, ripe wine with cola, whiskey barrel, Dr. Pepper, and raisined fruit. The palate is huge, rich, and full - almost coming off as off-dry. Many will find much to enjoy about this wine, especially at a $28 tariff. Ranch at the End of the Road and Songbird vineyards. Aged in French oak (80% new). 14.8% alcohol. 300 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Pomum Cellars

Pomum Cellars, named after the Latin term for fruit, was founded by Javier and Shylah Alfonso. The winery is located in the Warehouse District of Woodinville.

Winemaker Javier Alfonso grew up in the Rivera del Duero in Spain. Alfonso moved to the United States in 1995 to attend school and began making wine in 2000. In 2004 he decided to start a commercial winery. At Pomum, Alfonso produces Riesling, Syrah, a Bordeaux-style blend called Shya, and a Tempranillo blend called Tinto.

In addition to his work at Pomum, Alfonso recently launched a separate brand called Idilico that is devoted to Iberian peninsula varietals. Idilico has thus far released an Albarino (see review here) and Grenache (see review here).

Pomum Cellars Riesling Snipes Mountain 2010 $16
Rating: + (Good) Leaps from the glass with ripe peach, citrus zest, and creamsicle. The palate is off-dry, ripe and full of peach flavors. 100% Riesling. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. 12.5% alcohol. 130 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Pomum Cellars Syrah Columbia Valley 2008 $32
Rating: +/* (Good/Excellent) An aromatic wine with floral notes, dark fruit, and sweet chocolate. The palate is full of floral notes, toast, and dark fruit. 100% Syrah. 220 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Reminder: September's Virtual Tasting is this Wednesday from 7-8pm. Read about how to participate here.

As I wrote in a previous post, the November ballot in Washington State features another liquor privatization initiative, Initiative 1183. I am interested in hearing the thoughts of people across the three tiers - wineries, distributors, and restaurateurs - on what they see as the positives and/or negatives for their industries and for consumers about the proposed changes. I am particularly interested in the changes related to the wine industry, specifically:

1. Allowing wineries and distributors to offer volume discounts

2. Allowing retailers and restaurants to distribute wine to their own stores from a central warehouse

If you are interested in sharing your thoughts, please e-mail me at wawinereport@gmail.com. I will subsequently summarize these thoughts for a future post about this initiative. Note that I am happy to take emailed comments either for attribution or to quote anonymously in my subsequent post.

Reminder: September's Virtual Tasting is this Wednesday from 7-8pm. Read about how to participate here.

Pictures from last week's trip to eastern Washington where harvest is getting underway. Includes shots from Red Willow, Evergreen, Wahluke Wine Company, Clifton Hills, Cave B, and Canoe Ridge. Click on the pictures for larger images. Enjoy!

A round-up of stories on Washington wine from September 15th to 21st 2011.

From around the country…

ESPN writes about Drew Bledsoe of Doubleback.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes about good wine under $10 with a callout to House Wine.

The Chicago Daily Herald writes about rediscovering Chardonnay with a callout to Airfield Estates.


From the blogosphere…

Paul Gregutt writes about winery names. He also writes about the beginning of harvest and Sauvignon Blanc.

Woodinville Patch remembers Glenn Coogan.

Cooking with a Broad writes about Waitsburg.

WINO Magazine writes about Wine in the Pines.

Woodinville Wine Update writes about the opening of the Col Solare Bottega. Shona also writes about a memorial service for Glenn Coogan and upcoming Woodinville events.

Wine Peeps writes about Rotie Cellars. They also write about the Col Solare Bottega and Chateau Ste. Michelle’s 2010 Harvest Select Riesling.

Wine and Beer of Washington State launches the Wine Beer Washington Weekly.

Northwest Wine Anthem writes about FinnRiver cider.

Northwest Cork & Fork writes about Wineglass Cellars.

Write for Wine writes about glamping at Destiny Ridge.

Under the Grapetree writes about Waterbrook. He also writes about Magnificent Wine Co.

Table Talk writes about Rover’s 24^th anniversary.

Lucha Vino compares a Washington State and Spanish Tempranillo.


From the locals…

The Tri-City Herald writes about the start of the 2011 harvest. They also write about Spice Cabinet Vineyard.

The Seattle Times writes about wining and dining the the Yakima Valley. They also write about Walla Walla Community College.

The Seattle PI writes about a private group interested in promoting Washington tourism.

The Bellingham Herald writes about Semillon.

Seattleite writes about BLEND.

The Yakima Herald writes about land once planned for vineyards up for sale.

The Seattle Weekly picks three whites to celebrate summer’s end.

Washington Tasting Room Magazine writes about BLEND.

Wine Press NW posts a video on the 2011 harvest.


That’s all folks!

Below is Part II of a report from the Walla Walla Valley including wines from Cayuse Vineyards, Leonetti Cellar, Reynvaan Family Vineyards, Gramercy Cellars, and Corliss Estates. Download a .pdf version of this report here. Read Part I here.

Cayuse Vineyards

Walking through Cayuse Vineyards with Christophe Baron, both his passion and his attention to detail become immediately clear. As he walks and talks about his vineyards Baron picks up any small item that does not belong there, anything that is out of place.

It is this attention to detail that has made Baron’s wines among the best in the world. It is this attention to detail that, again, led Baron to bury canes at his vineyards last year. While he had to cut many of his vines back to the ground this spring due to last November’s freeze, Baron still looks to produce a fairly full crop again this year due to this precaution. In contrast, many vineyards in the rocks region of the Walla Walla Valley were, again, completely wiped out.

Born in Dijon, France, Baron planted his first vineyard in Washington, Cailloux Vineyard, in 1997. He continued to plant new vineyards, including En Chamberlain, Cocinnelle, En Cerise, and Armada in subsequent years. Production was moved to the current, modest facility in 2005. Baron prefers not to think of it as a winery. “There is no winemaker here. There is no winery. There is a studio!” he says.

At each of his vineyards, Baron looks to keep tonnage down. Merlot is the highest yielding varietal at about 2.5 tons per acre. In contrast Cabernet Franc, always late to ripen, can be as little as one ton per acre. Baron says Grenache is the most challenging varietal to work with. Of Grenache Baron says, “This is as close as I can get to a thin skin, light color grape varietal that doesn’t accept mediocrity!”

While Baron is passionate about wine, he is also not singularly focused. When talking about wine, Baron is invariably talking about food as well. And he knows that wine is a means and not an end. “There is not only wine in life,” he says. “If you want to understand the point that is wine, don’t look at wine. Look around.”

Baron is always experimenting, always seeking out new areas of expression. He is planting a new vineyard next to Cailloux. Vines at his HP Vineyard, which is powered by a draft horse, were planted in 2007 at a remarkable 4,800+ vines per acre.

The wine world was aflutter last month when Baron and winery General Manager Trevor Dorland announced a new project – No Girls Wines. The winery is named after a building Baron purchased in Walla Walla in 2002 that was the site of a former bordello. At the top of the stairway the words ‘No Girls’ was painted, indicating that the bordello – and the girls - were gone. This project will use fruit from a new vineyard – La Paciencia – with only 150 cases made of each wine. The mailing list rapidly closed.

The current Cayuse Vineyards releases are from the 2008 vintage. Of the vintage Baron says, “The trend in all of the 2008s is minerality.” Indeed these wines are less overtly funky than many of the recent Cayuse releases but still laden with mineral aromas and flavors. “I’m a mineral junkie. I need to have my mineral fix every day,” he says with a laugh. The 2008 wines also boast incredible texture. This word is written on almost all of my notes for these wines – three times for the Flying Pig alone.

“We are just trying to preserve freshness and minerality,” Baron says. Indeed, there is a vibrancy and energy to all of these wines. 2008 was also the first year that Elizabeth Bourcier was hired as assistant winemaker. Bourcier, along with fellow assistant winemaker Laura Pursley, help keep Cayuse humming along when Baron travels abroad.

Many have noted the unique style of the Cayuse wines compared to their peers. What his secret? “I always work for the glory of wine. Not for you,” Baron says (referring to himself). “If you think of that, something beautiful will happen.” Indeed.

All wines sampled at 60 degrees.

Cayuse Vineyards Edith Grenache Rose Walla Walla Valley 2009 $35
Rating: * (Excellent) Pale copper colored. Aromatics are compelling with apple, melon, and spice. The palate has a viscous, full feel with great minerality and delicacy. 100% Grenache. 144 cases produced.

Cayuse Vineyards God Only Knows Grenache Walla Walla Valley 2008 $70
Rating: ** (Exceptional) Full of savory notes, floral notes, mineral, strawberry, mushroom, and olive juice. The palate has tremendous inner mouth perfume and is textured and rich, full of mineral notes. Shows tremendous refinement and delicacy. 90% Grenache, 10% God Only Knows. 439 cases produced.

Cayuse Vineyards Flying Pig Red Wine Walla Walla Valley 2008 $75
Rating: */** (Excellent/Exceptional) A classic Cabernet Franc and Merlot profile with floral notes, herbal notes, and red fruit – more fruit than seen in most of the Cayuse wines. An incredibly textured feel to the palate with huge minerality, silky tannins, and a saline quality. A wine that stays with you long after the last sip. 60% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot. En Cerise Vineyard. 231 cases produced.

Cayuse Vineyards Camaspelo Red Wine Walla Walla Valley 2008 $70
Rating: */** (Excellent/Exceptional) Dark in color. Dark and aromatically brooding with mineral streaks, subdued cherry notes, and cassis. A saline quality on a palate that boasts an incredibly soft, textured, rounded feel with layered tannins. Finish hangs on a wonderfully fresh wine that is just a baby at present. A beautiful mix of elegance and complexity. 80% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot. 347 cases produced.

Cayuse Vineyards Widowmaker Cabernet Sauvignon En Chamberlain Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2008 $70
Rating: ** (Exceptional) Dark in color. Full of dried blood, earth, crushed violets, ash, mineral, and high-toned funk. Hits the palate in waves with incredible energy. Compellingly fresh, clean, and vibrant with a textured mouthfeel. Some won’t know what to make of this wine; others will swoon. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14.3% alcohol. 233 cases produced.

Cayuse Vineyards Syrah Cailloux Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2008 $70
Rating: ** (Exceptional) 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.

Cayuse Vineyards Syrah En Cerise Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2008 $70
Rating: ** (Exceptional) Dark in color. An aromatically compelling wine with smoke, ash, mineral, mushroom, crushed stone, umami and other savory notes that make it hard to take the first sip. A textured, fresh feel that pops across the palate. Not full of funk but still classically Cayuse. 100% Syrah. 296 cases produced.

Cayuse Vineyards Syrah En Chamberlain Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2008 $70
Rating: ** (Exceptional) Intoxicating aromatics of blood, tar, iron, smoked meat, and a subdued funk. The palate has an incredibly textured feel full of minerality that is somewhere between crushed stone and liquid rocks. An incredibly long (30-60 second) finish. 100% Syrah. 296 cases produced.

Cayuse Vineyards Bionic Frog Walla Walla Valley 2008 $80
Rating: ** (Exceptional) Incredibly dark and inky in color with purple at the rim. Full of smoke, ash, mineral, and crushed rocks on a wine that boasts incredible aromatic complexity. You could smell this wine without drinking it and be satisfied all day long. Incredibly textured, perfumed, and rich on a palate full of umami flavors and mineral notes. 100% Syrah. 475 cases produced.

Cayuse Vineyards Syrah Armada Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2008 $75
Rating: ** (Exceptional) Considerably more closed up at present than the other wines with liquid stone, ash, and crushed flowers. The palate is concentrated, textured, and structured. Alternating between firm and plush tannins. A chewy, full wine that coats the palate. A stunner. 100% Syrah. 492 cases produced.

Cayuse Vineyards Tempranillo En Chamberlain Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2008 $75
Rating: */** (Excellent/Exceptional) Pencil box, exotic spices, floral notes, and more overt oak aromas than seen on most of the Cayuse wines. Plump, ripe, and full on the palate with waves of dark fruit. 100% Tempranillo. 208 cases produced.

Leonetti Cellar

As the first modern day winery in the Walla Walla Valley, Leonetti Cellar celebrates its 34^th vintage this year. During this time, the winery’s history of success and accolades is nearly unparalleled. The new releases continue to build on Leonetti’s elite reputation.

Chris Figgins assumed head winemaking responsibilities from his father, Gary Figgins, in 2000. Since that time he has completed the winery’s transition to using all estate fruit from the Walla Walla Valley for its wines. The results thus far have been impressive.

Even for a family with such a long winemaking history, every vintage is different and sometimes it doesn’t come easily. 2010 was a difficult growing season across much of Washington with unusually cool temperatures. Figgins says that some of the winery’s vineyards came in at 1.4 tons per acre, a fraction of what they might normally yield. Still, Figgins is excited about the results. “They’re the darkest wines I’ve ever seen,” he says.

The new releases from Leonetti Cellar from the 2008 and 2009 vintages are as impressive as any I have had from the winery. The Sangiovese shimmers with intensity and is as good of a domestic Sangiovese as you will find. The Merlot boasts incredible purity of red fruit. The Cabernet Sauvignon – a completely stunning wine – is a prototype for the varietal, showing tremendous complexity and tannin integration. The Reserve Red Wine, the least immediately accessible of the new releases but the most compelling, is all about elegance and continued to broaden and improve over a series of days. It is more than worth the wait.

On all of the new releases, the oak is considerably dialed back and the fruit more front and center. The wines all have an incredible freshness and exceptionally well-integrated tannins. There is a beautiful balance between elegance and power. Each wine displays why Leonetti Cellar continues to be at the top of the class.

Leonetti Cellar Sangiovese Walla Walla Valley 2008 $60
Rating: ** (Exceptional) Brightly aromatic with cranberries, raspberries, floral notes, earth, and spice. Incredibly clean and powerfully rich, thundering across the palate with waves of tart red fruit flavors while never getting heavy or overweighted. Grabs the tongue, squeezes, and won’t let go. Exceptionally well-integrated tannins and a lingering, fruit filled finish. 92% Sangiovese, 8% Syrah. Pepper Bridge, Seven Hills, and Mill Creek Upland vineyards. Aged 22 months in mostly neutral French oak. 14.8% alcohol. 809 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Leonetti Cellar Merlot Walla Walla Valley 2009 $70
Rating: * (Excellent) Closed up tightly at present with bright aromas of raspberry compote, a touch of strawberry, and light spice notes. The palate is dense, lush, and filled with beautifully pure red fruit flavors and exceptionally well-integrated tannins. Lingers on the palate with clean fruit flavors. Give one to two years. 78% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec, 3% Cabernet Franc. Mill Creek Upland, Loess, and Seven Hills Old Block. Aged 15 months in new and used French oak. 14.3% alcohol. 2,471 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley 2008 $85
Rating: ** (Exceptional) 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.

Leonetti Cellar Reserve Red Wine Walla Walla Valley 2008 $135
Rating: ** (Exceptional) Aromatically brooding with cassis, black cherry, coffee grounds, red fruit, licorice, and very high toned herbal notes. Locked up extremely tightly at present, this wine only reveals itself after several days of being open. On the palate, loaded full of fresh red and black fruit flavors and a tart, cranberry-filled finish. Tannins are extremely polished and the fruit flavors are supple. A multiple swallow wine that is simultaneously rich and sophisticated. Will age gracefully indefinitely. Give at least 3 years but patience will be rewarded with extended cellaring. 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot, 11% Merlot, and 9% Cabernet Franc. Mill Creek Upland, Loess, Seven Hills, and Leonetti Old Block. Aged 23 months in new and neutral French oak. 14.7% alcohol. 1,131 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Reynvaan Family Vineyards

It seems hard to believe that Reynvaan Family Vineyards is already approaching the release of its third vintage. The winery was founded in 2004, with vigneron Christophe Baron working with the Reynvaans to establish their vineyards and winery.

Reynvaan made an immediate impression with its stellar 2007 vintage releases, and quality has only continued to go up as the vineyards mature and as winemaker Matt Reynvaan gains additional experience. The wines have already begun to challenge the state’s best.

The Reynvaans have two estate vineyards, one located in the Rocks region of the Walla Walla Valley, called In The Rocks, and one by the family home nestled up against the Blue Mountains. The latter is called Foothills in the Sun.

Like everyone in the Rocks region, which sits low in a bowl in the Walla Walla Valley, the Reynvaans were affected by last November’s freeze. The vines had to be cut back to the ground. However, unlike everyone, they had buried canes – another example of where working with Baron has paid off.

Still, the vineyard work this year has been intensive and Matt Reynvaan says that the family has had to work especially hard. The goal of these efforts is clear. “It needs to be perfect to help separate us from everyone else,” Reynvaan says.

Of note on the 2009 vintage releases, which will be available this fall, the winery is offering a new wine called Stonessence. This is the winery’s first one hundred percent Syrah – others have included small percentages of Viognier and Marsanne - with fruit coming from a single part of the In The Rocks vineyard. While Stonessence might just be the perfect name for this wine, which is akin to drinking liquid rocks, another apt name would be Sans Pareil. This may be the best wine from the winery yet.

The Reynvaans completed work on a modest production facility by the family home in time for the 2010 vintage. Also of note, 2010 marked the first vintage that the winery got fruit off of its Foothills in the Sun Vineyard. Tasting barrel samples, this looks to be a special and unique site. The future for this winery could not be brighter.

Reynvaan Family Vineyards The Unnamed Syrah In the Rocks Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2009 $55
Rating: */** (Excellent/Exceptional) A hugely aromatic, gamey, briny wine full of earth, iodine, umami, floral notes, and meat. Great depth and intensity of flavors with a textured feel. Has a backbone of tannins to hold it all together. Syrah co-fermented with Viognier.

Reynvaan Family Vineyards In the Rocks Syrah Walla Walla Valley 2009 $55
Rating: ** (Exceptional) Dark and intense in color. An outrageously aromatic, arresting wine that jumps from the glass with orange peel, black olive juice, floral notes, and earth. On the palate a big, brooding, savage wine with layers of complexity, a persistent intensity, and a refined elegance. This is a wine that demands attention. Syrah co-fermented with Viognier.

Reynvaan Family Vineyards The Contender Syrah Walla Walla Valley 2009 $65
Rating: ** (Exceptional) A brooding wine that is locked up tightly initially with earth, floral notes, roasted meat, and the famous Rocks funk. Rich, dense, and textured on a mineral laden palate. Once again an emphatic statement of Washington Syrah. Syrah co-fermented with Marsanne.

Reynvaan Family Vineyards Stonessence Syrah Walla Walla Valley 2009 $70
Rating: ** (Exceptional) 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.

Gramercy Cellars

Rocket ship Gramercy Cellars has briefly returned to the earth’s orbit to set up a permanent base camp near downtown Walla Walla. While the winery has favored the Big Apple Circus tent in the past for event weekends, Gramercy now occupies Amavi Cellars’ former location (Amavi opened a stunning tasting room south of town).

When Gramercy moved into the space, which includes a tasting room and barrel room, winemaker Greg Harrington and his wife Pam set about to make it their own. The tasting room, which Greg Harrington affectionately refers to as a Man Cave, features a dartboard, a widescreen TV for soccer game watching, and plush couches. The walls feature white tiles lined by black grout. “’Black grout! Black grout!”’ I told them,” Harrington says of working with the disbelieving contractors. High on one wall of the winery it reads, “If you want a luxury experience, go to Napa. If you want real wine, you’re in the right place.” Need I say more?

In addition to opening its new space, Gramercy has seen a number of other changes in 2011. The winery launched its wine club, Masters Tasting Association, earlier this year. The club offers a mixture of member-only wines as well as early access to reserve wines. Earlier this year the winery also hired a second employee Steve Wells, a sommelier from New York. If all this feels like watching a winery grow and bloom, it’s because it is.

In terms of the latest releases, Gramercy Cellars continues to distinguish itself as one of Washington’s best wineries. The 2009 Walla Walla Valley Syrah marks the first time that winery has made a Walla Walla Valley Syrah that could be vineyard designated (although it’s not). Almost all of the fruit for this wine, a complete stunner, comes from Les Collines Vineyard in the foothills of the Blue Mountains. This site has shown itself to be among the premier locations in the valley for Syrah, and this wine only builds on that reputation – and on Gramercy’s.

The 2009 The Third Man Red Wine, a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre, shows why Gramercy continues to be bullish on the prospects of Grenache and Grenache blends in Washington. Although a bit bigger in style than most of the Gramercy wines – it is Grenache after all - it is every bit as delicious.

The 2008 Lagniappe Syrah is a bit of a stylistic shift from previous vintages due to a forced change in fruit sourcing. The backbone of this wine has traditionally been Forgotten Hills Syrah. Alas, Mother Nature had other plans in 2008 with an early October freeze closing the door on the growing season. For the 2008 vintage the winery used a small block of Forgotten Hills Vineyard fruit that ripened, Minick Vineyard, and, for the first time, Phinny Hill in the Horse Heaven Hills. The wine, however, continues to live up to its name of “a little something extra.”

While Gramercy Cellars has in large part made its mark with Syrah, the winery has continued to grow its Cabernet Sauvignon production in recent years with impressive results. The winery made over 1,000 cases of its excellent 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon. Meanwhile its soon-to-be-released 2009 Lower East Cabernet Sauvignon showcases fruit from some of Gramercy’s newer vineyard blocks. This is an extremely high quality wine at this price point. The winery will also be releasing a 2009 Walla Walla Valley designated Cabernet Sauvignon, a first, to its wine club members in addition to its Columbia Valley offering. Could Cabernet Sauvignon become the tail that wags this Syrah dog? With juice this good, who cares!

Gramercy Cellars Lagniappe Syrah Columbia Valley 2008 $45
Rating: * (Excellent) Crazy, intense raspberry aromas along with abundant mineral notes, floral notes, and light game. The palate is tart and crisp with a big acid blast that carries the wine off into the distance. 100% Syrah. Phinny Hill, Minick, Forgotten Hills, and Les Collines vineyards. 13.8% alcohol. Aged in neutral French oak. 264 cases produced.

Gramercy Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2008 $45
Rating: * (Excellent) Abundant red fruit aromas along with earth, a jumble of fresh herbs, pencil lead, and chocolate notes. The palate is medium-bodied, full of tart cherry flavors capped off by a long finish. 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. Phinny Hill, Portteus, Estate, Pepper Bridge, and Va Piano vineyards. 13.9% alcohol. 1,048 cases produced.

Gramercy Cellars Inigo Montoya Tempranillo Walla Walla Valley 2009 $45
Rating: ** (Exceptional) An aromatic wine with pencil eraser, floral notes, red fruit, and sweet oak spices. Palate is seamlessly stitched together with a silky layer of tannins and a long finish. May be the best Tempranillo the winery has made yet. 97% Tempranillo, 3% Syrah. Les Collines and Gramercy Estate vineyards. Aged 18 months in American (75%) and French oak puncheons (10% new). 13.5% alcohol. 460 cases produced.

Gramercy Cellars Syrah Walla Walla Valley 2009 $45
Rating: ** (Exceptional) 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.

Gramercy Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Lower East Side Columbia Valley 2009 $32
Rating: */** (Excellent/Exceptional) This wine is immediately recognizable as Cabernet Sauvignon with abundant cherry fruit and herbal notes accented by graphite. The palate is incredibly appealing with silky, rich cherry flavors all the while retaining an understated elegance. An impressive wine, especially at this price point. 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot. Flying B, Estate, and Pepper Bridge vineyards. Aged in French oak (20% new).

Gramercy Cellars The Third Man Red Wine Columbia Valley 2009 $45
Rating: ** (Exceptional) Full of high toned red fruit, spice, floral notes, intense earthiness, and light game. Considerably more rich and generous in style than most of the winery’s offerings – but every bit as delicious - with abundant red fruit flavors that linger long after the last sip. A complete head turner. 50% Grenache, 28% Syrah, 22% Mourvedre. Alder Ridge, SJR, Gramercy Estate, and Minick vineyards. 14.7% alcohol. 490 cases produced.

Corliss Estates

Corliss Estates was founded by Michael and Laurie Corliss. The winery is quite simply unlike any other to be found in Washington.

Corliss is perhaps most distinguished by its patience. The winery famously discarded its first two vintages when the wines did not meet the high standard they were looking for. Corliss’ first releases, from the 2003 vintage, were not available until the fall of 2008, an astonishing seven years after the winery first started making wine.

What takes so long? The Corliss wines are aged in oak for thirty-three months – an extended amount of time compared to most wines that see eighteen months or less. The wines are then aged another two an a half years in bottle before release. This means that the winery’s current releases, from the 2006 vintage, are already a full five years old upon release. Compare this to many wines – even high end ones – that are often a year and a half old. Many wineries are already releasing wines from the 2009 vintage.

The result is that the Corliss wines are in full bloom upon release. They are immediately enjoyable without additional cellaring, though still built for the long haul. This is an extreme rarity for wines of this caliber and a boon for consumers looking for wines that they don’t need to wait three to five years to see what all of the fuss is about.

If Corliss Estates’ patient ageing regimen did not already separate the winery from its peers, the quality of the wines would surely do so. The Corliss Estates wines are intensely focused, multiple swallow wines that oscillate between grace and power. The new releases from Corliss only continue to build on the winery’s track record for excellence.

Note: Serve these wines at 62 to bring out their best.

Corliss Syrah Columbia Valley 2006 $55
Rating: */** (Excellent/Exceptional) Aromatically brooding with char, high-toned spice, dark fruit, incense, and vanilla. Palate has a silky, creamy feel on this full, fleshy, understated wine. Draws out to a long, lingering finish. 80% Syrah, 17% Grenache, 3% Viognier. Stillwater, Northridge, and Evergreen vineyards. Aged 30 months in French oak (58% new). 15.2% alcohol. 208 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Corliss Estates Red Wine Columbia Valley 2006 $65
Rating: ** (Exceptional) The 2006 Red Wine shows Corliss Estates in top form with a wine full of black cherry, espresso, cedar, and spice box. Alternating between grace and power, the palate carries along seamlessly with rich fruit flavors and barrel accents leading to a lingering finish. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. Aged in French oak (73% new) for 33 months. 14.9% alcohol. 679 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Corliss Estates Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2006 $75
Rating: ** (Exceptional) 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.