Five Wines Under $15 - April 2012

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

With spring upon us, this month we look at four white wines and one pink one.

Let’s start with the pink. The Gilbert family first arrived in eastern Washington in 1897 when Horace Mark Gilbert moved his family out from Illinois and started farming apples. The family agricultural business has subsequently been passed down from generation to generation, with Gilbert Orchards now encompassing 1,800 acres.

A fifth generation of Gilberts started Gilbert Cellars in 2004, focusing on fruit from estate vineyards in the Yakima Valley and Wahluke Slope. The 2011 Gilbert Cellars Rosé of Mourvedre is a perfect summer wine and a steal at $14. The winery’s website reads, “We are most interested in pursuing truth and beauty with family and friends. For us, wine is the gateway to that. We’d rather have a great dinner on our patio, candles lit, with a bottle of wine than almost anything else.” Who can argue with that?

Erath is one of Oregon’s pioneer wineries. Dick Erath moved up to Oregon in 1968 after completing coursework at UC Davis. After purchasing land on Chehalem Mountain, he planted 23 different varieties across four acres. The rest, as they say, is history. Ste. Michelle Wine Estates purchased the winery in 2006. Erath makes a variety of Oregon labeled, estate, and single vineyard wines. Pinot Gris is Oregon’s second most planted grape behind Pinot Noir.

Waterbrook was founded in Walla Walla in 1984 as the area’s fourth winery. The company was purchased by Precept Wine in 2006 with a new production facility built on the outskirts of town in 2008.

The 2010 NxNW Riesling may have the state’s most specific wine label. Information is provided on the front label about the vineyard (Wallula Benches), soil types (Ritzville Loam and Shano Silt Loam), clones (90, 198, 239), winemaking techniques (Pressed, Cold Settled, Racked, Slow Fermented, Cross-flowed, Cold Stabilized), as well as information about Residual Sugar (0.7 g/L), titratable acidity (0.9 g/100ml), and pH (3.09). Wow! This is a rare, almost bone dry Riesling and with the high acid of the 2010 vintage, it drinks dry.

Charles Smith Wines is Smith’s Modernist Project. The intent is to create wines that are immediately accessible but also are typical of their variety. The winery makes a diverse lineup of wines across a wide range of prices from $12 to $140. The 2010 Eve Chardonnay comes from a diverse group of vineyards across the Columbia Valley but lacks some of the fruit concentration this wine has displayed in previous vintages.

Gilbert Cellars Rosé of Mourvedre Columbia Valley 2011 $14
(Excellent) A very pretty, pale salmon color. An aromatically pleasing wine with spice and abundant sour cherry notes. The palate is tart, crisp, and bone dry with a white pepper filled finish. 100% Mourvedre. 80% 24K and 20% Chukar Vineyard. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. 100% malolactic fermentation. 790 cases produced.

Erath Pinot Gris Oregon 2010 $14
(Good) A moderately aromatic wine with fresh red and green apple and spice. The palate is tart and lean, full of green apple flavors and bright acidity. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. 13.0% alcohol.

Waterbrook Winery Sauvignon Blanc Columbia Valley 2011 $11
(Good) An aromatically appealing wine full of pineapple, gooseberry, and lime zest. The palate is full of tart, lively fruit flavors. A bit of a bite on the back end is all that holds this wine back. 100% Sauvignon Blanc. 0.3% Residual Sugar. Sample provided by winery.

NxNW Riesling Wallula Benches Horse Heaven Hills 2010 $12
(Decent/Good) A lightly aromatic wine with petrol, citrus, and mineral notes. Palate is dry and tart with a slightly sour finish. 0.7g/100ml RS, 0.9g/100ml TA, pH 3.05. 13.0% alcohol. 5,000 cases produced.

Charles Smith Wines Eve Chardonnay 2010 $12
(Decent) An aromatically appealing wine with green and red apple and spice. The palate is tart with a medium bodied feel and lean fruit flavors. A yeasty note on the finish. 100% Chardonnay. Sundance, Newhouse, Airport Ranches, and Ryan Patrick vineyards. Fermented in stainless steel, aged 10 months in French oak. 13.5% 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)

Readers please note that Blogger, where this site is hosted, has upgraded to a new version which has significant bugs and formatting issues. There are, at present, no work arounds, so you may see significant formatting errors within the posts.

The Washington Wine Industry Widens Its Footprint

Earlier this week the Washington Wine Commission released the findings of an economic impact study on the Washington wine industry. The numbers are impressive, a clear sign of the industry’s rapid growth and its subsequent effect on the regional and national economy.

The overall economic impact of the Washington wine industry is $8.6B annually in state, $14.9B nationally. The industry creates 27,000 jobs in Washington, $1.2B in wages, and $238M in taxes. There are 2.4M tourist visits annually with $1.1B in associated spending. All of these numbers were up significantly from 2007, the last time such a study was undertaken.

In addition to its economic data, the report is a smorgasbord of interesting information. Walla Walla County has the highest concentration of wineries – 123 – just ahead of King County at 117. Benton County has the highest overall production, accounting for 41.6% of Washington wine – a staggering figure – followed by Grant County at 22.8%. These two counties, along with King (17.2%) account for 81.6% of all of Washington’s wine production. 35 wineries account for 95% of the state’s production meaning that approximately 700 wineries account for the final 5%.

11.2M cases of Washington wine were produced in 2010 with a $1.47B retail value. Washington wineries employee 3,630 full time employees. Wine grapes are the state’s third most important fruit crop behind apples and cherries. 35,000 acres are currently in production with another 8,000 due to come on-line in the next two to three years – a substantial increase.

Estate grown grapes made up 29% of Washington’s crushed grapes in 2010, an indication of how few Washington wineries have their own vineyards at present. Not surprisingly, Riesling, Cabernet, Chardonnay, and Merlot represent 80% of the state’s total production.

With its focus on the economic impacts, the implications for the study are clear. The Washington wine industry is a revenue generator – a big one. It creates jobs locally and nationally and creates tax revenue. Importantly, the industry has continued to thrive despite the downturn in the economy.

Washington Wine Commission Executive Director Steve Warner says, “This report shows that Washington State wine is a vibrant and thriving contributor to the regional and national economies.”

While the report gives much to be positive about, there are some cautionary notes as well. In one section the report states, “Building a coherent national reputation, especially at the consumer level, with so many very small brands and such a diversity of wines, is a challenge.” Indeed.

The Washington Wine Commission commissioned the study, which was conducted by California-based Stonebridge Research Group. The last economic impact study was conducted in 2007. However, this is the first time data by county has been available, and it is therefore considered to be a baseline for future studies.

Washington Wine Commission chairman Kent Waliser says of the report, “It really demonstrates at a particular point in time what we’ve accomplished over the last forty or so years in this industry.”

Noting that it is gratifying to look back Waliser says, “While this is a great accomplishment to acknowledge forty years of work, what we’re looking for is the next forty years.” Here’s to that.

Washington Gets Serious About Rosé

Seattleites, tune in to 1150AM KKNW today 8-9am when I'll be on Table Talk Radio talking about rosé. 

Now that spring is not only officially here but there is warm weather to prove it, it’s time to turn our attention to rosé.

Rosé comes in just about every shade and color. It is also made from just about every red grape being produced in Washington – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese, Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre. You name it.

Some are a blend of grapes and some are varietally labeled wines. Most are fermented and aged in stainless steel, but I have had a few that were fermented and aged in non-neutral barrels (!). They can be dry, off dry, or even semi-sweet and, as is usually the case, there is no way to tell unless the bottle is labeled as such unfortunately.

Rosé can be made in several different ways. One method is to grow grapes specifically for rosé; pick them earlier than you would normally pick grapes for red wine so that the acid is higher and the alcohol is lower; and then ferment the juice briefly on their skins to give the wine a light color.

Another method, referred to as the saignée method, involves taking grapes intended to be used for red wine, fermenting the juice briefly on their skins to provide some color, and then bleeding off a small amount of the juice to produce a rosé while leaving the rest to become red wine. This has the duel effect of concentrating the red wine as well as creating some juice that can be sold as rosé.

For me, the best rosés inevitably come from grapes grown for rosé. This just makes sense right? It shows intentionality instead of having the final product essentially a by-product. You would never grow grapes trying to create the world’s best dessert wine and then use a little bit of the juice to make white wine as well right? Why should rosé be any different?

You can generally get some sense of what type of rosé you are drinking, saignée or not, by looking at the alcohol level. Grapes picked specifically for rosé tend to be lower in alcohol – less than 13.5% is a decent, but not perfect, rule of thumb. Similarly, grapes picked for red wine tend to be higher in alcohol with over 14% alcohol being a general rule of thumb (I’ve seen some pushing 15%!). Another indication of a saignée wine is a blend of every grape in a winery’s portfolio.

While each year Washington produces a number of enjoyable rosés and some producers even consistently produce high quality bottles, overall rosé is a bit of a no man’s land in Washington. Many wineries don’t make that much, if any of it. Even fewer take it particularly seriously as a wine. For some it is simply a cash cow (see the saignée, kitchen sink blends). For others it is a limited offering that is often intended as a simple, straightforward wine.

But rosé doesn’t need to be just a simple spring and summer quaffer. These can be serious wines as well.

Enter two 2011 Washington rosés, one from Gramercy Cellars and one from Maison Bleue. This is the first time either of these two wineries has entered the rosé fray, and these wines do not disappoint.

The Gramercy Cellars wine is 50% Cinsault, 25% Grenache, 25% Syrah with the fruit hailing from Olsen Vineyard. Winemaker Greg Harrington says of his decision to make the wine, “Chateau Peyressol is, to me, the best rosé in the world. I absolutely love what they do. Then it occurred to me that we have the same varietals, Cinsault, Syrah, Grenache, at Olsen Vineyard. So we wanted to see what would happen if we picked it specifically for rosé.”

The results in the 2011 Gramercy Cellars Rosé are extremely impressive, raising rosé quality to new heights in Washington. To me this wine is all about texture with the use of 100% malolactic fermentation giving the wine a long, drawn out feel.

Harrington says he decided to use 100% ML due to the high acidity of the vintage. He also says, “I think rosé, acid wise, needs to be somewhere between red and white wine. When you taste the great rosé from Provence or even the Southern Rhone, they have the perception of acidity, but are not driven by it.” Note that I have included Gramercy Cellars’ Rosé Manifesto in its entirety at the bottom of this post for your enjoyment.

While Gramercy Cellars made a limited amount of its rosé in 2011 – and at 97 cases you’ll have to go to the winery to find it - Prosser’s Maison Bleue went all in with its rosé producing 420 cases of this exceedingly delicious wine. Interestingly, this varietally labeled Mourvèdre rosé also comes from Olsen Vineyard with 10% Grenache added from Boushey.

As with all of the Maison Bleue wines, this one comes with a name with a personal meaning. Winemaker Jon Martinez explains, “La Famille – the family. It’s for my mom and dad. They’ve always wanted me to make rosé, so this is for them. Unfortunately dad’s gone but he would have loved it.”

Martinez credits rosés from Bandol as the inspiration for the wine. He adds, “I wanted to make a wine that was bone dry. I’m also looking for a certain potential alcohol and a certain amount of acidity as well, so it had to be the perfect picking decision.” Especially considering the difficulty of the growing season Martinez says of the results, “I got lucky.”

Whether luck or another sign of the strength of this young winery is no matter. This is a thoroughly delicious rosé that conveys as sense of seriousness while also remaining light on its feet. Along with the Gramercy Cellars offering, the Maison Bleue 2011 La Famille Rosé of Mourvedre is as fine a pink wine as the state has produced, a perfect summer wine.

While there is nothing wrong with a simple, straightforward rosé, both of these wines give a little something extra to contemplate and enjoy while sitting on the porch or flipping burgers on the grill. And with spring now upon us, who could ask for anything more? Let the rosé season begin!

Gramercy Cellars Rosé Olsen Vineyard Columbia Valley 2011 $25
(Excellent/Exceptional) Pale salmon with a slight pink tinge, slightly cloudy as the wine is unfined and unfiltered. An aromatically appealing wine with watermelon, raspberry, and cherry. The palate is incredibly textured and drawn out with a lingering, sour cherry-filled finish. 50% Cinsault, 25% Grenache, 25% Syrah. Olsen Vineyard. Fermented and aged in stainless steel with 100% malolactic fermentation. Unfined and unfiltered. 13.2% alcohol. 97 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Maison Bleue La Famille  Rosé of Mourvedre Yakima Valley 2011 $20
(Excellent/Exceptional) Pale salmon colored with a slight copper tone. Lightly aromatic but with great complexity with orange zest, strawberry, and spice. Palate is medium bodied and textured, drawing out for such a long time it’s impossible to separate where the palate stops and the finish begins. As compelling a rosé to come out of Washington to date. 90% Mourvedre (Olsen) and 10% Grenache (Boushey). Fermented and aged in stainless steel. 12.5% alcohol. 420 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

 
What follows is Gramercy Cellars Rose Manifesto

"Rose needs to be conceived from a specific intent to make Rose. Too much Rose today is the after thought of blending various substandard, homeless red and white lots or the result of bleeding off pink wine from highly alcoholic reds. It should only be made from red grapes with proper maceration techniques.

Good Rose is made in stainless steel tanks at cold temperatures and is bright orange or very light pink. Leave the bright pink neon in Las Vegas where it belongs.

Rose should be drunk chilled, not ice cold or luke-warm. And remember, ice cubes are for iced tea, not Rose. Drink only the most recent vintage of Rose - ie, only 2011 Rose should be consumed this year. All other vintages are terminal or deceased.

Rose is to be consumed only during t-shirt weather. If this is too difficult to remember, defer to the old white pants rule for women. If you can wear white pants, you can drink Rose. Since this is absolutely foreign to most men, you can start drinking Rose right after March Madness and should stop when you hear John Madden on TV - or when you start cleaning that deer rifle.

Rose is one of the most versatile food wines, second only to German Riesling and Champagne. (Note that "French Champagne" is a redundant term).

And most importantly, never be ashamed to admit you love Rose with your whole heart and soul. It will never give you more than a summertime romance, but you will always have the memories." 


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)

Readers please note that Blogger, where this site is hosted, has upgraded to a new version which has significant bugs and formatting issues. There are, at present, no work arounds, so you may see significant formatting errors within the posts.

Tonight! April Virtual Tasting - 2009 Charles Smith Wines Chateau Smith

Seattleites, tune in to 1150AM KKNW this Wednesday 8-9am when I'll be on Table Talk Radio.

This month's Virtual Tasting is tonight! The wine will be the 2009 Charles Smith Wines Chateau Smith Cabernet Sauvignon (Note that some readers have told me they have seen the 2010 on the shelves, so feel free to pick that up instead). This wine retails for $20 and is widely available. The tasting will take place 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 #charlessmith. For those on Twitter, follow me @wawinereport.

Join us!

Washington Wine Round-up April 15th to 21st 2012

This month's Virtual Tasting will take place Tuesday at 7pm Pacific. Read about how to participate here.

A round-up of stories on Washington wine from April 15^thto 21^st. Read previous round-ups here.

From around the country…

No love this week.

From the blogosphere…

Table Talk profiles Brian Carter of Brian Carter Cellars.

Nectar Tasting Room and Wine Blog writes about four Nectar wineries joining the Spokane Wine Association.

Wine and Beer of Washington State reviews the Sexy Syrah event. They also write about Passport to Woodinville and a day at Vin du Lac.

Paul Gregutt asks which is harder to make – red or white? He also writes about the tyranny of weather and Rainstorm wines.

Lucha Vino compares a Washington tempranillo to one from Ribera del Duero.

WineEYak does a vineyard spotlight on Upland Estates. They also write about AntoLin Cellars.

Through the Walla Walla Grapevine writes about Walla Walla wine for dummies with a weekly wine word.

Wine Peeps writes about Wine Out West. They also write about Columbia Crest’s Reserve Tempranillo.

Woodinville Wine Update gives a sneak peak at Bunnell Family Cellar. Shona also writes about Spring Barrel Tasting in Woodinville.

Blue Collar Wine Guy writes about Zero One Vinters.

Kirkland Patch writes about the Kirkland warehouse district wineries.

Vinous Wonderland writes about roadtripping through Washington.

Wild 4 Washington Wine writes about 509 Wine Company. William also writes about Taste Washington and a Legends of Wine vertical.


From the locals…

The Yakima Herald writes about research on grafting.

The Tri-City Herald writes that the Clore Center is set to open in 2013.

The Seattle Times reports that some state liquor store employees are already leaving their jobs.

They also write about liquor store bidding.

KIMA TV writes about Yakima Valley’s Spring Barrel Tasting.

Oregon Live writes about Heisen House Vineyards. They also write about McMinnville and Walla Walla.

Eater PDX writes about Taste Washington in Portland.

Bellingham Herald writes about Taste Washington.

Herald.net writes about bargain red wines.

The Olympian writes about the cut in state workers after I-1183. They also write about bidding ending for the state liquor stores.

The Moscow Pullman Daily News writes that liquor consumption is expected to increase post-1183 (requires subscription).

KNDO writes that wine prices are expected to go up in 2012.

KING 5 writes about wineries taking the carbon reduction challenge.

Portland Business Journal writes that Oregon and Washington are poised to fill a growing demand for grapes.

KIRO says that liquor stores closing equals cheap wine for consumers.

That's all folks!

Images from Walla Walla Wine Country

Today, just a few pictures from the Walla Walla Valley. Several areas are reporting bud break and more expect to see it soon, with the timing closer to average compared to the last two years. No reports of any winter damage this year, and all fingers are crossed for a more 'normal' growing season. Click on the pictures for larger images.

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

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

From around the country…

Las Vegas Review-Journal writes about Covey Run Riesling.

Fox Business says forget pairing wine and chocolate; drink chocolate wine.


From the blogosphere…

Jameson Fink writes about tasting 58 Washington Syrahs.

Paul Gregutt gives a first look at the 2010 Cayuse wines.

Seattle Crosscut.com writes about a year of making due with no tourism budget.

Table Talk writes about Taste Washington roses.

AgInfo.net writes about wine grape scholarships. They also write about state funding for the wine science center.

Wine and Beer of Washington State writes about wineries opening a warehouse district in Kirkland.

Technorati writes about the Hot to Trot Red Wine.

WineEYak writes about spring barrel tasting in Yakima Valley.

Woodinville Wine Update writes about the Woodinville Wine Shuttle. Shona also writes about new tasting rooms in Kirkland.

Lucha Vino compares a Washington Bordeaux-style blend to a Bordeaux.

Woodinville Patch writes about more tasting rooms opening in Woodinville.

Wild 4 Washington Wine writes about Waters Winery. William also writes about Whitestone Vineyard and Winery and Vin du Lac.

Northwest Wine Anthem writes about Taste Washington coming to Portland.

Wine Peeps writes about the Brian Carter Cellars Abracadabra. They also write about Passport to Woodinville.


From the locals…

The Bellingham Herald writes about Chardonnay.

Seattle Metropolitan writes about the Washington Wine Commission’s new Executive Director.

Seattle Magazine writes about the 10 best new Washington wines of 2012. They also write about Taste Washington whites.

Seattle Times writes an editorial about privatized liquor sales beginning June 1.

The Bellingham Herald writes that 1183 may change the way the world operates. They also write about the Tri-Cities wine center getting state funding.

Tri-Cities Journal of Business writes about the expansion of Washington wine.

Mercer Island Reporter writes about Lodmell Cellars.

Kirkland Reporter writes about Zero One Vintners.

Seattle Weekly writes about the jimgermanbar.

The Olympian writes that Tumwater will stick with seven liquor stores post-1183.

Port Townsend Leader writes about liquor stores in flux.

The Tri-City Herald writes about Thurston Wolfe Winery turning 25.

KVEWTV writes about state funding for the wine science center.


Leftovers (posts missed from previous weeks)…

Wines & Vines writes about an increase in plantings on Red Mountain.

Vinotology writes about Taste Washington.


That's all folks!

Fresh Sheet April 13th 2012

Today’s Fresh Sheet – new and recent releases – includes wines from Fielding Hills, Seven Hills, Sweet Valley, Vin du Lac, and Walla Walla Vintners.

Fielding Hills Winery

In a very short time, Fielding Hills Winery owners Mike and Karen Wade have placed themselves in the top tier of Washington producers. For this reason, their new releases are always worthy of anticipation, and the 2009 releases continue the winery’s track record of excellence.

As always, the fruit for the wines comes from the winery’s estate vineyard, RiverBend, on the Wahluke Slope. True to the house style, the 2009 wines are all bold and fruit filled - no wimpy wines here. Reflective of this and the warmth of the vintage, the new releases also all sport high alcohol levels, but by and large the richness of the fruit carries it off.

Of note, while Fielding Hills was initially a part of Urban Enoteca south of downtown Seattle, the winery’s one-year lease ended at the beginning of the year, and the Wades chose not to renew, making the winery again open by appointment only in Wenatchee.

Read previous posts on Fielding Hills here.

Fielding Hills Merlot RiverBend Vineyard Wahluke Slope 2009 $36
(Excellent) A moderately aromatic wine with stewed raspberries, red currant, mocha, mint, and sweet spices. The palate is big and bold with rich red fruit flavors, soft tannins, and a tart, cranberry filled finish. A compelling, full throttle expression of Washington Merlot. 94% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Syrah. Aged 19 months in American and French oak (68% new). 16.12% alcohol. 164 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc RiverBend Vineyard Wahluke Slope 2009 $30
(Excellent) A moderately aromatic wine marked by stewed cherries, chocolate, and sweet spices. The palate is rich, silky, and textured with abundant cherry flavors. 90% Cabernet Franc, 5% Syrah, 3% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged 19 months in American and French oak (68% new). 15.40% alcohol. 266 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Fielding Hills Cabernet Sauvignon RiverBend Vineyard Wahluke Slope 2009 $42
(Excellent) An aromatic wine with vanilla, dark fruit, and spice. The palate is tart and rich, full of cherry and light herbal flavors that draw out across the palate and linger on the finish. 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Syrah, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Merlot. Aged 19 months in French and American oak (68% new). 15.62% alcohol. 231 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Fielding Hills Tribute Red Wine RiverBend Vineyard Wahluke Slope 2009 $32
(Excellent) Very aromatically closed up initially this wine opens to reveal dark fruit, mint, chocolate, and sweet spices. The palate is rich and full bodied, full of chocolate and cherry flavors that linger on the finish. 31% Cabernet Franc, 30% Syrah, 30% Merlot, and 19% Cabernet Franc. Aged 19 months in American and French oak (68% new). 15.7% alcohol. 221 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Fielding Hills Syrah RiverBend Vineyard Wahluke Slope 2009 $38
(Good) A moderately aromatic wine with maraschino cherries, boysenberries, licorice, mint, and spice. On the palate the wine is incredibly rich, thick, and palate coating with abundant cherry flavors followed by a sweet, fruit filled finish. 94% Syrah, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Aged 19 months in American and French oak (68% new). 16.2% alcohol. 250 cases produced. 94% Syrah, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Aged 19 months in American and French oak (68% new). 16.20% alcohol. 250 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.


Seven Hills Winery

Seven Hills Winery is one of Walla Walla Valley’s founding wineries, and, with a birth date of 1988, is now approaching the quarter century mark.

The winery was started by Casey McClellan, a fourth generation farmer. At Seven Hills, McClellan has made his mark offering wines that are lower in alcohol and use lower percentages of new oak than is currently in vogue. While the winery often flies under the radar, Seven Hills consistently produces high quality wines that are immediately accessible, offer excellent aging potential, and better yet, have a place at the table.

McClellan and his family were involved in the original planting of Seven Hills Vineyard in the southern section of the Walla Walla Valley. While no longer an owner of the site, McClellan continues to source fruit from this vineyard with compelling results. Of note, each year the Seven Hills Vineyard Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon come from the same vines McClellan has used since the winery was founded - something few Washington wineries can boast.

In addition to Seven Hills Vineyard, the winery also uses fruit from Ciel du Cheval, Klipsun, McClellan Estate, and Windrow as well as a number of other sites throughout the Columbia Valley.

Seven Hills Winery is located in downtown Walla Walla in the same historic building as the Whitehouse-Crawford Restaurant.

Seven Hills Winery Merlot Seven Hills Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2009 $28
(Excellent) A lightly aromatic wine with dried red fruit, mocha, and dried herbs. The palate is soft, plush, and fruit filled with raspberries, cherries, and chocolate accented by soft tannins. A very enjoyable expression of Merlot from this esteemed vineyard. 91% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc. Aged 20 months in French oak (40% new). 14.3% alcohol. 521 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Seven Hills Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Seven Hills Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2009 $36
(Good/Excellent) A lightly aromatic wine full of sage and red cherries. The palate is tart with a plush feel, abundant cherry and herbal flavors accented by soft tannins. A very pretty, understated wine. Give this one some time to open up and show its stuff. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged in French oak (40% new). 13.9% alcohol. 658 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Seven Hills Winery Red Wine Ciel du Cheval Red Mountain 2009 $38
(Good) A moderately aromatic wine with floral notes, tar, red vines, herbal notes, and licorice. The palate has an understated grace with soft fruit flavors and chalky, slightly dry tannins. A tart, lingering finish. 39% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Verdot, and 11% Cabernet Franc. Aged 20 months in French oak (40% new). 14.2% alcohol. 525 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Seven Hills Winery Pentad Red Wine Walla Walla Valley 2007 $50
(Good) A moderately aromatic wine full of sage, tea leaves, floral notes, and dry chocolate with an underlayer of cherries. The palate is tart and medium bodied with abundant herbal flavors. Green notes steal the show at times on this otherwise very enjoyable wine. 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Petit Verdot, 12% Malbec, 12% Merlot, and 6% Carmenère. Aged 23 months in French oak (50% new). 13.8% alcohol. 214 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.


Sweet Valley Winery

Sweet Valley Winery is the work of winemaker Josh McDaniels. McDaniels started out in the wine business at the tender age of 15, but his youth belies his experience. After high school, he enrolled and graduated from Walla Walla Community College’s Center for Enology & Viticulture. He started Sweet Valley in 2005 (bonded in 2007), did an internship with Paul Hobbs Wines at Vina Cobos Winery in Mendoza in 2010, and is currently an assistant at FIGGINS.

McDaniels’ winery has two labels – Sweet Valley and Righteous wines. Sweet Valley, named after Walla Walla's sweet onions, is dedicated to using fruit from the Walla Walla Valley, while Righteous Wines uses fruit from throughout Washington State.

Read previous posts on Sweet Valley here.

Sweet Valley Viognier Columbia Valley 2009 $25
(Decent/Good) Pale in color. A very lightly aromatic wine with peach, almond, and creamsicle notes. The palate is on the lighter side of medium bodied but with an viscous feel, thinning out toward the finish. 100% Viognier. McKinley Springs Vineyard. Aged 18 months sur lie in stainless steel barrels. 13.5% alcohol. Less than 100 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Sweet Valley Righteous Tempranillo Walla Walla Valley 2009 $24
(Good) A mixture of brambly red fruit, lavender, vanilla, orange peel, and butterscotch. The palate is initially front loaded with wood spice in front of a soft core of red fruit. As the wine opens up, plump red fruit flavors come to the fore. An intriguing bottle of rarely seen single vineyard, Walla Walla Valley Tempranillo. 92% Tempranillo, 8% Syrah. Les Collines Vineyard. Aged 24 months in French and American oak (50% new). 13.9% alcohol. Less than 100 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Sweet Valley Syrah Walla Walla Valley 2008 $30
(Good) An aromatic wine with abundant floral notes, orange peel, raspberries, and cranberries along with the slightest touch of pepper and meat. The palate is on the lighter side of medium bodied with a soft, silky feel and tart fruit flavors. Let’s up a bit on the second half but overall a very pretty, enjoyable expression of Walla Walla Valley Syrah. 94% Syrah, 6% Viognier. Morrison Lane (80%) and Les Collines vineyards. Aged 36 months on lees in French oak (19% new). 14.1% alcohol. Sample provided by winery. Less than 100 cases produced.


Vin du Lac

Vin du Lac is part of the growing Lake Chelan wine scene, an area that received appellation status in 2009.

The winery was founded in 2002 by Larry Lehmbecker. Of his interest in wine, Lehmbecker writes, “I was lucky to have parents that loved wine. Mom even tried her hand at winemaking. My teen-age buddies and I drank a lot of that precious nectar stored under the basement stairs in carboys. Mom never figured out why her evaporation rates were so high!”

Throughout his law school days and after, Lehmbecker became increasingly interested in the subject. “As I watched the Washington wine industry grow throughout the 80's and 90's, more and more I was determined that somehow I needed to find a way to be part of it,” he writes.

Lehmbecker had always loved Chelan and wanted to have a property there. After purchasing his site overlooking the lake, Lehmbecker planted Michaela's Vineyard. The site, which is adjacent to the winery, is planted to Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The winery has several different labels. LEHM focuses on fruit from the Lake Chelan Valley; Red Café are the winery’s bistro wines; Les Amis is dedicated to white wines; and finally Barrel Select are the winery’s limited production wines.

Vin du Lac is located in an outrageously scenic location overlooking Lake Chelan. In addition to its wines, the winery offers bistro fare and live music. Vin du Lac is one of the valley’s larger producers, making 12,000 cases annually.

Vin du Lac LEHM Gewurztraminer Lake Chelan 2010 $20
(Good) Abundant spice, pink grapefruit and wet stone on an aromatic wine. Stretches out across the palate with a broad, very tactile feel – presumably due to 30% of the wine being barrel aged. Laden with mineral notes, this wine finishes just off dry. An intriguing, enjoyable wine from this nascent growing region. 100% Gewurztraminer. Michaela’s, Tsillan Cellars, and Fallon vineyards. 13.3% alcohol. 0.9% Residual Sugar. 233 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Vin du Lac LEHM Pinot Gris Lake Chelan 2009 $20
(Decent) Abundant lees notes along with mineral and spice. On the palate, the wine is as much about feel as about fruit expression, on the fuller side of medium bodied with a textured feel, accented by spice notes. Finishes very tart. 100% Pinot Gris. Michaela’s and Fallon vineyards. Aged in three and four year old barriques with extended less stirring. 14.0% alcohol. Sample provided by winery.

Vin du Lac Barrel Select Merlot Columbia Valley 2007 $35
(Good) A moderately aromatic, very varietally correct wine full of fresh raspberries, chocolate, mint, sweet spices, and currant. As the wine opens up vanilla notes comes to the fore. The palate is rich with sweet, succulent fruit flavors and soft tannins. A tart, cranberry filled finish that ends a touch sweet. 100% Merlot. 14.7% alcohol. Sample provided by winery.

Vin du Lac Barrel Select Cabernet Franc Columbia Valley 2007 $40
(Good) A very lightly aromatic wine with dark cherries, light herbal notes, and fig. The palate is full of sweet, rich cherry flavors and chocolate. A hedonistic, enjoyable expression of Cabernet Franc. 82% Cabernet Franc, 18% Merlot. Aged in one-year old French and American oak. 14.5% alcohol. Sample provided by winery.

Vin du Lac Barrel Select Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2007 $35
(Decent/Good) An intriguing aroma profile of eucalyptus, mint, chocolate, and cherry. The palate is big and bold with rich fruit flavors and soft tannins. Finishes quite sweet. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Malbec. Sample provided by winery.

Vin du Lac Red Café Syrah Columbia Valley 2009 $20
(Decent) Abundant fresh cranberry, cherry, coconut, and chocolate aromas on an aromatic wine. The palate is full of tart but also quite sweet fruit flavors followed by a sweet finish. 14.8% alcohol. Sample provided by winery.


Onesies

Walla Walla Vintners has consistently produced some of the finest expressions of Columbia Valley’s Sagemoor Vineyard. This site contains some of Washington’s oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vines dating back to 1972. The 2009 vintage of the winery’s Sagemoor Vineyard Cabernet is once again a beautiful expression of this site in a classic Walla Walla Vintners style.

Walla Walla Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon Sagemoor Vineyard Columbia Valley 2009 $40
(Excellent) An aromatically compelling, classically Walla Walla Vintners wine with dark, chocolate covered cherries, mocha power, cassis, and toasty spice. Coats the palate from end to end with silky fruit flavors and soft tannins and a slightly sweet finish. A very pretty, elegant expression of Cabernet Sauvignon from this top vineyard site. 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, and 8% Cabernet Franc. Cabernet from Sagemoor Vineyard’s Bacchus Blocks 3, 9, and 9C.


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)