Sean P. Sullivan - Washington Wine Report

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

The June Virtual Tasting is tonight! The wine is the 2012 Hogue Cellars Sauvignon Blanc Columbia Valley. This wine retails for $11 and is widely available. The tasting will take place from 7-8pm Pacific Thursday June 27th.

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 #hoguewine. For those on Twitter, follow me @wawinereport.

The following article was written by Ryan Messer. Read other articles from Messer here.

In October of last year, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) awarded a group of authors approval for the Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley appellation. Members of the authoring group, which included Dr. Vince Bryan of Cave B Estate Winery and Cameron Fries of White Heron Cellars, hosted a small group of wine writers and wine commission staff for a more official unveiling in mid-May, which I had the pleasure to attend. Here are my thoughts.

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

From around the country...

Wines and Vines writes about Celebrate Walla Walla.

The Vancouver Sun writes about Chateau Ste. Michelle’s Indian Wells Red Blend 2010.

From around the blogosphere...

Great Northwest Wine writes about Pinot Gris. They also write about Mike Hogue being inducted into the Washington wine Hall of Fame, Riedel conducting a wineglass seminar in Walla Walla, Chateau Ste. Michelle’s record for Riesling in 2012, and Fume Blanc.

The June Virtual Tasting wine is the Hogue Cellars Sauvignon Blanc Columbia Valley 2012. This wine retails for $11 and is widely available. The tasting will take place on Thursday June 27th 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 on the specified date using the hashtag #hoguewine. For those on Twitter, follow me @wawinereport.

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

From around the country...

Wines and Vines writes about topography and temperature in the Columbia Valley.

The San Francisco Business Times writes about the 2013 wine blog award winners.

The Emporia Gazette writes about 14 Hands.

The Washington Post writes about rosé with a shout out to Charles and Charles.

This month’s Pic of the Vine was captured by resident photographer Richard Duval in Walla Walla right next door to the Northstar winery.

“One of my favorite wine scenes is the presence of spring wildflowers set amidst a vineyard,” he noted. “It’s a scenario that suggests beauty now with beauty to come. That overhead cloud served as a perfect arrow from flower to vine, and I put a bit of soft-focus vignette effect to it just to underscore the dreamy nature of the scene. Like wineophiles all around Washington, I’m primed for the season!”

Click on the picture for a larger image. See previous Pic of the Vine images here.

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

From around the country...

Wines and Vines writes about the Woodinville Wine Village emerging.

The Washington Times writes about Va Piano Vineyards’ One Wine.

Greenville Online writes about Sleight of Hand.

The Georgetown Dish writes about Washington wine.

I am honored and humbled to announce that Washington Wine Report won the Wine Blog Award for ‘Best Single Subject Wine Blog’ 2013. There was a great group of finalists this year, all of who were deserving and merit your attention. The finalists were: On Reserve: A Wine Law Blog; New York Cork Report; Mad About Madeira; On The Wine Trail in Italy; and Stuart Pigott’s Planet Wine. Please give them a look!

I would like to thank the judges as well as everyone who voted (NB: Paul Gregutt was one of this year’s judges but did not vote in this category). I would also like to thank contributors Richard Duval, Ryan Messer, and Erika Syzmanski as this is truly a team award. We’ll do our best to earn another nomination next year.

See the complete list of this year's winners here.

The Summer issue of Washington Tasting Room Magazine contains an article I wrote titled, "Terroir: The Rocks of Walla Walla." Additionally, the May/June issue of Vineyard and Winery Management has an article I wrote titled, "Whither Washington whites?" discussing reasons for the general lack of focus on white wines in the state. Finally, the June issue of Wine Enthusiast contains a series of wine reviews.

Enjoy!

Of the world’s many wine drinkers, few age their wine for any significant period of time. Doing so means you not only need more than one bottle of wine on hand – a rarity for many consumers - it also means you need the patience to squirrel the wine away for an extended period. Here winemaker Kendall Mix of Lawrelin Wine Cellars has taken care of the patience part, holding onto his inaugural releases for – wait for it - more than a decade prior to release.

Last month I had the opportunity to taste more than six hundred Washington wines over the course of several weeks, providing an interesting snapshot of the state of the industry. Here are some lessons learned.

Alcohol levels lower in many 2010 reds – As expected, the cool 2010 vintage led to many red wines labeled with lower levels of alcohol compared to recent vintages, with many wines coming in less than 14% (it should be noted that there is also a financial incentive for labeling the wines in this manner and that there is wiggle room in the actual alcohol level of the wine in the bottle). A few red wines even dipped below 13%. However, there were also many wines above 14% with some over 15%. A number of the wines also displayed higher acid levels than recent vintages with some overtly tart.

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

From around the country...

Wines and Vines writes about a partnership for the Wine Science Center.

The Star-Telegram writes about the South Korean trade pact kicking in.

The Examiner writes about blind tasting Washington reds.

From around the blogosphere...

The Wild Walla Walla Wine Woman writes A Swan Song (count me among those who hope that the hiatus is just temporary). Catie also writes about a tasting of Waitsburg Cellars.

Bloom is occurring in eastern Washington. This picture was taken at Nostra Terra Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley and is provided courtesy of Dumas Station.

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Sean P. Sullivan is the editor of Washington Wine Report and a contributing editor at Wine Enthusiast magazine, covering Washington and Idaho. He has been writing about and reviewing Washington wine since 2005.

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14 Hands 2010 Initiatives Abbey Page Abeja Adams Bench Airfield Estates Alder Ridge Alexandria Nicole Alternative Closures aMaurice Cellars Amavi Ambassador Ancestry Ancient Lakes Andrew Januik Andrew Will Anelare Angel Vine AntoLin Apex Cellars Ardor Arlington Road Cellars Array Ash Hollow Ashan Auclair Avennia Baer Winery Balboa Barnard Griffin Barons V Barrage Barrister Beresan Bergevin Lane Betz Family Winery Board Track Racer Bonair Winery Bookwalter Boomtown Boudreaux Cellars Brian Carter Bridgman Bunchgrass Winery Bunnell Family Buried Cane Buty Cadaretta Cadence Cairdeas Cana's Feast Candy Mountain Canoe Ridge Canon del Sol Cartel Wine Group Cascade Valley Wineries Castillo de Feliciana Castle Rock Winery Cave B CAVU Cayuse Vineyards Cedergreen Cellars Charles and Charles Charles Smith Wines Chateau Rollat Chateau Ste. Michelle Chelan Estate Chelan Ridge Chinook City Limits Cloudlift Cellars Clubhouse Cellars Co Dinn Col Solare College Cellars Columbia Crest Columbia Gorge Columbia Winery Concentric Wine Project Cooper Wine Company Corked Counter Corked Wines Corliss Estates Corvidae Corvus Cellars Cote Bonneville Cougar Crest Covey Run Covington Cellars Crayelle Cellars Cuneo Cellars CZ Cellars Darby Daven Lore DeLille Delmas Desert Wind Distant Bay DiStefano Domaine Pouillon Domaine Ste Michelle Donedei Double Canyon Doubleback Dowsett Family Winery DuBrul Vineyard Duck Pond Cellars Duckhorn Dumas Station Dunham Dusted Valley Dynasty Cellars Efeste Eight Bells El Corazon Eliseo Silva Elsom Cellars Ensemble Cellars Envious Cellars Erath Eritage Estrin Estates Eyrie Fall Line Falling Rain Fidelitas Winery Fielding Hills WInery Figgins Five Star Cellars Fjellene Flying Dreams Flying Trout For a Song Force Majeure Forgeron Full Pull Wines Furion Cellars Gard Vintners Giant Wine Co Gifford-Hirlinger Gilbert Glencorrie Goedhart Golden Ridge Goose Ridge Gordon Brothers Gorman Gramercy Cellars Grand Rêve Grosgrain Guardian Hard Row Harvest 2010 Harvest 2011 Harvest 2012 Harvest 2013 Harvest 2014 Harvest 2015 Harvest 2016 Harvest 2017 Harvest 2018 Harvest 2019 Hawks View Haystack Needle Heaven's Cave Hedges Family Estate Helix Hestia Cellars Hogue Cellars Hoodsport Hors Catégorie Horse Heaven Hills Horsepower Vineyards Hyatt Vineyards Idilico Intrinsic Isenhower Cellars Januik Winery JB Neufeld JM Cellars Jones of Washington Juliette's Dazzle K Vintners Kaella Winery Kerloo Kevin White Kiona Kontos Cellars Kyra Wines L'Ecole Lake Chelan AVA Lantz Cellars Latitude 46 North Laurelhurst Cellars Lauren Ashton Lawrelin Leonetti Cellar Liberty Bay Cellars Lobo Hills Locati Cellars Lodmell Cellars Lone Birch Lone Canary Long Shadows Lost River Winery Magnificent Wine Company Maison Bleue Manu Propia Mark Ryan Winery Maryhill Matthews Estate McCrea Cellars McKinley Springs Mercer Estates Michael Florentino Milbrandt Vineyards Modern Wine Project Monesia's Song Morrison Lane Mosquito Fleet Mountain Dome Naches Heights Naches Heights AVA Napeequa Vintners Native Sun Nefarious Nelms Road Nicholas Cole Cellars No Girls Nodland Northstar Northwest Wine Round-up Nota Bene Novelty Hill NW Totem Cellars NW VIne Project NxNW Obelisco Estate Olsen Estates OS Winery Otis Kenyon Ott and Murphy Owen Roe Pacific Rim Palencia Palouse Pamplin Pandora Parejas Passion Patterson Paul Gregutt Pendulum Pepper Bridge Phylloxera Pic of the Vine Plumb Cellars Pomum Cellars Pondera Portteus Pour Me Powers Proletariat Wine Company Proper Prospice Puget Sound Purple Star Quilceda Creek Ramseyer Vineyards Randall Harris Rasa Vineyards Red Diamond Red Mountain Red Willow Reininger Renegade Result of a Crush Rex Hill Reynvaan Family Vineyards RiverAerie Riverhaven Cellars RMV Cellars Robert Ramsay Robison Ranch Cellars Ross Andrew Rotie Royal Slope Rulo Winery Russell Creek WInery Rusty Grape Vineyard Ryan Messer Ryan Patrick Sageland Vineyards Saint Laurent Salida Wines Salmon Harbor San Juan Vineyards Sandhill Sapolil Cellars Savage Grace Saviah Cellars Scarborough Screwcaps Seattle Area Wineries Seufert Seven Hills Winery Shady Grove Winery Sheridan Silvara Silver Bell Silver Lake Winery Sineann Six Prong Skylite Cellars Sleight of Hand Smasne Cellars Snipes Gap Vineyards Snipes Mountain Snoqualmie Sockeye Sodovino Sol Stone somme de parties sonoris Soos Creek Sparkman Cellars Spindrift Spokane Area Spring Valley Steele Wines Stella Fino Stevens Winery Stomani Cellars Stonecap Stottle SuLei Cellars Sweet Valley Winery Swiftwater Syncline Cellars Syrah SYZYGY Tagaris Tamarack Cellars Tefft Tempus Tenor Wines Tero Estates Terra Blanca Winery The Burn of Columbia Valley The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater Three Rivers Winery Thurston Wolfe Tildio Townshend Cellar Tranche Treveri Trust Tulpen Cellars Two Mountain Two Vintners Upland Estates Va Piano Vineyards Valdemar Estates Viento Wines Vin du Lac Vinyl Wines Virtual tasting W.T. 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Editor - Sean P. Sullivan

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Washington Wine Report is an independent publication focused on bringing Washington wine to you and bringing you to Washington wine. My goal is: to help you select Pacific Northwest wines at a variety of price levels; to keep you up-to-date about the Northwest’s wineries, vineyards, and individuals; to help you plan trips to wine country; and to connect you to the larger wine community.

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