Friday, May 16, 2008
Monday, May 12, 2008
Wine Notes
2005 Callaghan "Junior" - This brick red Merlot/Cab/Syrah combo is fairly transparent, but it has a nice nose of cigar box. Tastes of raspberry hard candy and fruit, but has a somewhat hard finish.
2004 Adelaida "Version" - This version of a Rhone beauty - Mourvedre, Syrah, Grenache, Counoise, Cinsualt - has lost a lot of weight since I tasted it at the winery, but that really hasn't improved its figure. It was full and curvaceous at the winery, but it may have become anorexic. Now it is easy, but too light and slim for my taste.
2004 Baer "Ursa" - While no bear of a wine, this beautiful Bordeaux Style Blend with a fairly light ruby color has a classic bouquet of blackcurrant and cedar. Raspberries, vanilla and coffee flavors make you want to drink more.
1998 L'Ecole No 41 Columbia Valley Merlot - Another ten year survivor, mellow and tasty in an old sort of way. Good fruit, balanced, mellow, but a little wrinkled and dusty.
2005 Opolo Mountain Zinfandel - Excellent big, full-bodied Zin from Paso Robles at 16.1% alcohol. Somehow I always unfairly compare every Zin the Grandpere vineyard in the Sierra foothills. This one was not bad!
2005 Ken Wright "Canary Hill" Pinot Noir - Good fruit, but too bright for me. A little too much acid in the finish for my taste.
2004 Turley Hayne Zinfandel - Big and complex, but not as great as its reputation. If this wine had not been made by a wine Goddess, expectations would not be so high, and you would love it.
2004 DeLille "Grand Ciel" Cabernet Sauvignon - Very European! Lots of fruit and lots of tannin. This Red Mountain biggie is DeLille's bid for a new Washington State "cult" wine. Reminiscent of the famous Bordeaux, Chateau Latour in a very good, but not great year. It has the size, depth and character of Latour and only the slightly hard tannins stop it from greatness at the moment. The real question is how will it age?
1996 Chateau Guiraud - Sauternes from this famous Chateau should be fabulous, but in fact it is prematurely bronzed in color and oxidized in taste. Tastes like a not so great 30 year old that has seen better days. Costco's buyer blew it on this one, even with the relatively inexpensive price for "great" Sauternes of only thirty buck
1988 Chateau Rieussec - Now this is what it's all about. A classic example of what aged great Sauternes should be - not too sweet, with beautiful floral notes.
1988 Chateau de Rayne Vigneau - Lighter than its two more famous cousins, this twenty year old is exquisitely elegant and refined. Had the famous Czeck writer Milan Kundera tasted this, he might have written "The Incredible Lightness of Being." Ineffable, paradisical!
Friday, May 09, 2008
Nostrovia!
I brought some smoked sausage with me from San Francisco and bought some Kishka at the "European" store at 4500 Speedway in Tucson. I, also, bought my first bottle of Russian wine from Georgia - 2001 Mukuzani made from the Saperavi grape. Georgia has been producing wine for thousands of years ,although recently there have been some questionable practices. Some Georgian have reached record old age, maybe there is something special in the wine. It has been said that it was Stalin's favorite wine, though I doubt he could possibly have killed as many bottles of it as he killed people. The wine is a kind of purplish claret color with spicy fruit, mushrooms and a hint of cedar in the nose. It is soft, round, light to medium bodied, with big soft fruit, a hint of mocha and a slightly tangy finish. It went great with the Kishka and salami. Very good wine. Dasvedania!
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Northwest Treasure From The Sea
What to drink with oysters? Dry, crisp whites! Classically, Sauvignon and Semillon based French whites such as Muscadet, Entre-Deux Mers, Bordeaux Blanc and Graves. Check out Albarino from Rias Xais in the northern Spanish province of Galatia. I particularly like Laxas Albarino.
Taylor Shellfish Farms holds an annual Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition to find west coast wines that match well with Oysters. The 2008 Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition " Oyster Award" Winners were:
2006 Amity Pinot Blanc
2006 Ch. Ste. Michelle Sauvignon Blanc
2006 Clayhouse Sauvignon Blanc
2006 Clos Du Bois Sauvignon Blan
2006 Covey Run Fume Blanc
2006 Dry Creek Fume Blanc
2006 Girard Sauvignon Blanc
2007 Kathryn Kennedy Sauvignon Blanc
2006 Robledo Suavignon Blanc
2006 Simi Sauvignon Blanc
2007 Van Duzer Pinot Gris
2007 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Gris
A dozen winners for a dozen oysters. In the 2007 competition, 2005 Brassfield Sauvignon Blanc and 2005 King Estate Pinot Gris were, also, among the winners. I might add that "Luna" Pinot Gris and Santa Margherita Pinot Gris are also good "oyster wines", but the Santa Margherita is outrageously overpriced in the $20 plus range. Less expensive dry Italian whites such as Vernaccia di San Gimignano and Orvieto are also excellent oyster wines. Soave works, too. This is one of those rare instances where European wines are less expensive and better tasting than American wines.
What makes an oyster wine. Here are some comments from the wine judges:
White, white, white.
Dry as a bone, clean as a whistle.
Crisp, clean.
This reminds me. Another great source of oyster wines - New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc such as Whitehaven.
Refreshing.
Good backbone of acid.
Avoid big, buttery, oaky Chardonnay.
Same temperature as the oyster.
Airy freshness.
Lean, austere.
Let's the oyster be an oyster.
Steely.
Crisp, flinty.
Doesn't get in the way of the next oyster.
These descriptions reminded me of a whole other group of French wines - Chablis. Avoid the really expensive Grand Crus. For oysters, stick with Petite Chablis, Chablis or Premier Cru. The cheaper the better because it will be drier, crisper, and tart. If you are going to drink Chardonnay with oysters these tart, dry versions of Chablis are perfect.
Brisk and clean.
Not too fancy, no complications.
I like it cold.
Get away from vanilla and butter.
Don't like any residual sugar.
Light, fresh.
Citric or mineral undercurrent.
Clean , slicing finish.
Acid and chalk.
Dry, steely, chilled to a crisp.
Crisp, delicate but firm.
Sharp, fierce acidity.
Another Eurowine comes to mind - Moschofilero from Greece.
Searingly dry.
Makes you want to eat more oysters.
Dry, crisp, clean finishing.
Wow, my tongue and throat are seared, pickled, and cold. Perfect prep for the next oyster. You understand, of course, that we are talking here about raw oysters - the perfect aphrodisiac. No Oysters Rockefeller here. Oysters are an acquired taste. It is an easy acquisition, if they are freshly opened and not "milky." The rule of "R" months is generally a pretty good guide but not always accurate for all micro-climates. The next "R" month will be September. That's a long time to wait. Ask your waiter about "milkiness." If you gather oysters yourself during the Washington summer, beware of Red Tide - call the hotline.
Champagne also works with oysters, although it is a shame to waste good oysters on Champagne and good Champagne on oysters. In any event, make sure the Champagne is very dry and very cold. If you are one of those weirdos who don't like wine, raw oysters are great with ice cold Vodka or Gin and totally dry Martinis. Very light, very cold beer, such as Corona, works, too. Cheers! Thanks Bob, Kathy and Robin for passing this on to me.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Wine Notes
2006 Panilonco Reserve Merlot/Malbec - My friend Tom brought me this Four Buck Chuck from Chile! Great fruit flavors in a light style. Perfect picnic wine (about $4 at Trade.
2006 Panilonico Reserve 2006 - Carmenere for Four Bucks? Yep! Another Trader Joe's find. Carmenere has become the hallmark wine of Chile. Here is another light styled fruity picnic wine. Lighter than the Merlot/ Malbec.
2006 Alexander & Fitch Cabernet Sauvignon - A different Tom gave me this Alexander Valley Cab. It is the genuine article. A full-blooded North Coast California Cab with loads of upfront fruit, medium body and good balance. An amazing value for around $7 at Trader Joe's.
2005 Escudo Rojo - This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Syrah, and Cabernet Franc was made by Baron Phillipe De Rothschild in Maipo, Chile. This medium bodied beauty, totally HWP with great fruit, is another great value at about $10 at Costco.
2004 - Candado De Haza - This Tempranillo made by Alejandro Fernandez Pesquera de Duero is very serious wine full of gravidad. Made to age! I clearly committed infanticide here. This Ribera Del Duero red has a big, rich purplish color followed by lots of raspberry, cassis and truffle flavors, but it is definitely not jammy or in-your-face. Subdued like a great Bordeaux or a Spanish aristocrat, but not overwhelmed by the obvious tannins. This is truly one for cellar. It would be fun to see what this is like in ten years. I predict it will be at it's peak in 2024, but it is quite drinkable right know with steak, roasts and stew. Another phenomenal bargain at $15 from Costco.
2001 Chateau D'Escurac - This purplish red Medoc wine from Bordeaux is medium bodied with black fruit and some tannin and acid. A bit austere, it has good fruit and is reasonably priced for Bordeaux at about $15. Definitely a food wine.
Monday, May 05, 2008
Three Degrees of Separation?
On Friday, the four of us set off on the back roads of Arizona toward the mile high wine country near Elgin. We drove up and back past a fairly obvious winery sign trying to find Sonoita Vineyards. Maybe we were yakking too much. Founded by pioneer, Gordon Dutt. Sonoita produced some award winning wines back in the 1980s that were even served at the White House and made wine "Enthusiasts" happy. Now the emphasis is on the money makers - wines for the "Overwhelmed" - pleasant, easy wines to sip on the patio with a fair amount of sugar, say, at least 1.5% - among others the French Columbard, Angel's Wings and Arizona Sunset. Several of the so-called premium wines had off tastes and odors which Mark immediately diagnosed as Brett and VA, or volatile acidity. In, fact, many of the wines we tasted that day had similar problems. This is unusal these days as the fix is a simple matter of sanitation. We decided to skip Arizona Winery and the Village of Elgin as their wines are very similar in style.
Our next stop was at the new Kief Joshua winery which actually looks almost like a Napa Valley winery, certainly no mom and pop operation, although Kief Mannings parents are heavily involved in the winery. It was a pleasure to talk wine with young Kief who trained in Australia.
His wines were well made, but from sourced grapes as his vines are still too young to make wine. In fact, we only found one winery that made estate grown wine. We liked Kief's Cabernet Franc best and had it with our picnic of cold lamb, hummus, tortillas, olives, etc., It was great with the lamb. BTW, Mark's 2001 RWV Reserve Sangio was great with the lamb the night before. This Sangio tasted like a really good Chianti with lots of fruit and the hallmark tangy finish of a Chianti. After lunch we had fun "playing" with Kief's 140lb. Bloodhound named Dizzy Gillespie. This is a winery to watch! Ranho Rosso wines were made exclusively from their estate grown grapes and exhibited very good undrlying fruit, but, again, we detected problems with Brett and VA. Finally in the town of Sonoita we checked out Dos Cabezas winery. The only wine we really liked at Dos Cabezas was the 2005 "La Montana" Petit Sirah/Merlot which they were closing out. Again, we found a few problems. We were looking forward to to visiting with Kent Callaghan as the highlight of he trip, but alas, he was in Paso Robles and the winery was closed. Kent makes world class wines fom estate grown grapes, so we know it can be done.
My old friend from the pioneering days of the Northwest wine industry, Dick Erath, has moved to Arizona to escape the dreay clouds of the Northwest and since selling his winery to Ste. Michelle started planting vineyards to the east, near Willcox, Arizona. It seems a number of Arizona's two dozen odd wineries, could use some consultation from Dick
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Six Kinds Of Wine Drinkers
The study identified six kinds of drinkers:
1) Overwhelmed - 23% of consumers are overwhelmed by the sheer number of wines on the shelf. Needing advice, there often isn't any. This consumer tends to buy wine in a supermarket and is too intimidated to go into a wine shop where they are afraid they will have to pay too much and look foolish, even though they actually might get some good advice. Just tell the salesperson how much you want to spend, whether you like red or white, sweet or dry and what you are buying the wine for.
2) Satisfied Sippers - 14% of consumers don't know that much about wine, but they know what they like and typically buy the same brand. These are happy drinkers who buy large quantities of their favorite brand and drink wine every day.
3) Traditionalists - 16% of consumers enjoy wine from established wineries. They feel that wine makes an occasion more formal. They like to entertain at home. They, too, stick to the same brands.
4) Savvy Shoppers - 15% of consumers love to shop for the best buys. They look for the best deals, and love specials and discounts. Value is paramount for these wine drinkers. These consumers want a $7 bottle and a $5 glass pour.
5) Image Seekers -20% of consumers view wine as a status symbol. Like to be the first to try a new wine. Image seekers who have the millions have it easy since all they have to do is subscribe to Robert Parker and the Wine Spectator and buy only "100 point" wines. Wine by the numbers, buzz, exclusive mailing lists, "cult" wines. At any level this is really a game of logos, labels, status and prestige. Millennials and males tend to occupy this space. Designer jeans, designer wines!
6) Enthusiasts - 12% of consumers consider themselves knowledgeable about wine. These are the wine geeks. They tend to live in cosmopolitan centers and affluent suburbs, love to entertain at home, read wine publications and are also influenced by wine ratings.
So what's the deal? In my experience, Enthusiasts and Image Seekers are fine with wine. They shop online, in wine shops, order direct from the winery, belong to wine clubs and mailing lists and by and large are not mystified or intimidated by wine. For the most part, Traditionalists and Satisfied Sippers are happy campers. Savvy Shoppers love the chase. The rest of us are Overwhelmed. As Jose Fernandez, CEO of Constellation, says, "The fact that most who work in the wine industry are Enthusiasts may account for the industry's failure to understand Overwhelmed consumers."
So what is the solution? Is there a "wine culture" in the U.S.? Something definitely shifted in the 1980s. All of a sudden, you could get "Aribica " coffee, French cheese, Croissants and other European delights in many places across the U.S. There was a paradigm shift. Calvinism was out, and hedonism was in. The American wine industry took off, and much more international wine became available in the U.S. Wine drinking was no longer effete, decadent and sinful. More recently, wine has become an accepted part of our daily routine. The fourth wave of wine naming arrived (by place, by grape, "Meritage" by marketers, "fun" and "cool" by winemakers). Finally wine is becoming fun and enjoyable instead of intimidating and mysterious. Not only are there six kinds of wine drinkers ( how many kinds of teetotalers are there?), people of every age are drinking wine. The young are totally into wine because, OMG, it is totally awesome. Yet, so many still feel totally overwhelmed. The answer? Quick and easy wine education. You don't have to have tasted wine from the 600 wineries in Washington , 6000 wineries in California or the 600,000 wines around the world to know what you like and enjoy wine. I teach people enough in a two hour wine class so that they are confident, can describe what they like and are freed from the "I don't know anything about wine" syndrome. Instead of expecting themselves to learn some official cant about wine, "cassis" and all that, they come up with really fresh ways of describing their experience of wine - "dirt", "flowers", "mellow, but not shallow." Instead of a formalistic, ritualistic recital of what you should taste, think of wine as a person and describe that person's physique, personality, etc. Instead of all that romanticized marketing hype on the back label, how about some straightforward facts about 1) when to drink it, 2) how sweet it is on a scale from 1-10, and 3) what to eat with it.
What kind of drinker am I? I am a total hybrid. I find the supermarket shelf overwhelming, overwhelmingly bad for the most part, although, fortunately for me, I can usually find the gems among the faux. I can be satisfied with a few old standbys and I frequently feel that a meal is enhanced and more formal with a serious wine on the table. Like most of us, I love a bargain and a sale, and love to sniff around all kinds of sources of vino. Once in a while I get carried away by prestige and status and like to show off, and, as you all know, I am a totally enthusiastic wine geek.
What kind of drinker are you?
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Woodinville Bests
Best Wine Names - The Dissident, Reckoning, Recession Red, Forbidden Red
Best Wine - Darby La Deuce
Best Winemaker - Erica Blue
Best New Winemaker - Michael LeMieux
Best Value - Alexandria Nicole Quarry Butte
Best New Winery - XSV
Best Winery - Adam's Bench
Best Puget Sound Chardonnay - Hollywood Hills
Best Sweet White - Northwest Totem
Best Chardonnay - Volterra
Best White Blend - Oriana
Best Rhone Style White Blend - Darby
Best Red Blend - Pomum
Best Cab - Januik
Best Syrah - XSV
Monday, April 28, 2008
Guy Noir Tastes Pinot
"Hey, Guy, why didn't you tell me your last name was Noir."
"Listen Pinot, I have enough trouble as it is. "
"Yeah, you do! I hear you've been dating Merlot lately. Didn't you see that movie, "Sideways"? You can always drown your sorrows with me baby."
"Merlot really went for that Cab guy. She kinda led me on, then she drops me for King Cab."
"Don't worry honey, you can take your fill of me!"
"Mmm, your my only Pinot. The only Pinot I've ever really enjoyed. Those French Pinots are such sour pusses, they never turn me on and those California bombshells are so in-your-face."
"I came all the way from Oregon just for you baby. I am HWP, perfectly balanced with delicious fruit and a great aftertaste. Here I am in Lake Wobegon where all the women drink wine and all the wines are above average."
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Woodinville Passport III
Ghost of Woodinville
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
"Wine Is A Living Thing"
Monday, April 21, 2008
Wine Notes
The 2004 Fuentespina Granate from the Ribera Del Duero region in Spain is bigger and much more rustic than Israeli wine, but it has lots of character and would be perfect with a stew, a roast, or almost any Spanish red meat dish. The back label advertises this 100% Tempranillo as a BBQ wine which for a change is right on.
The 2006 Huntington Chardonnay is the quintessential California Chardonnay - creamy texture, floral notes, tropical fruit, but not a lot of oak - a great value.
The 2006 Dupond Chardonnay is an example of how the French can succeed in the global wine market. This Chard, from the Pays D'Oc, almost tastes like a Sauvignon Blanc. It is dry, slightly tart, but with good fruit and body - sort of the anti-thesis of the Huntington Chardonnay, the "Anti-California" Chard or the Chard for people who don't think they like Chardonnay another great value.
The 2006 Dupond Cabernet Sauvignon is full of delicious fruit - another bargain.
Tune in on Thursday or Friday for the continuation of Woodinville Passport.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Woodinville Passport II
Monday, April 14, 2008
Woodinville Passport - I
From Columbia we drove a short distance up Woodinville - Redmond Road to Novelty Hill Januik Winery. The new winery looks a bit like a concrete bunker on the outside and the arrangement of the tasting seem not very accessible for a handicapped person, although I suppose they must have met all the current codes. As many of you know, Mike Januik makes the wines for Novelty Hill, owned by the Alborg family of Stillwater Creek Vineyard, and he makes his own wines under his own label in a shared winemaking facility. The 2005 Stillwater Creek Viognier was pleasant enough, but not very interesting. The 2004 Stillwater Creek Cabernet Sauvignon was soft and balanced with a slightly tangy finish. the 2005 Sangiovese was full of good fruit, also with a tangy finish. In this case, it tasted totally like a good high end Chianti, perfectly balanced between American and Italian style. This would be great with Italian food. The Januik 2006 Elerding Vineyard Chardonnay was fresh, European in style, but with less body than the Cold Creek Chard and tending toward a hint of tartness. Definitely a food wine. The 2005 Syrah was good, but not particularly exciting. The 2005 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was a beautiful standout wine - soft, medium bodied with great fruit. Really a blend of all the usual Bordeaux suspects, this one was a winner. It would have been interesting to taste some of Mike's other single vineyard wines such as Ciel Du Cheval, Champoux and Seven Hills Cab Sauv, Novelty Hill Stillwater Creek Roussanne, and Januik Cold Creek Chardonnay.
Last year we couldn't even find Brian Carter winery. This year we parked in the Tully's lot, hiked past Purple Cafe, the Chamber of Commerce, etc., and finally lighted upon the winery. The first wine we tasted was the 2005 Oriana, a blend of Viognier, Riesling, and Roussanne. A huge aromatic nose leads to a full-bodied wine that would go well with Asian or fusion cuisine. The 2005 Abracadabra Magical Red Blend is a witch's brew of seven varietals from three different vineyards. Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble! Poof! Brian Carter pulls a real beauty from a hat and at a reasonable price. It's a shame they weren't pouring the L'Etalon which is one of my favorite
wines
Once again, the day of Reckoning was here for winemakers and owners of Adams Bench, Erica and Tim Blue. Like last year, they were pouring two pre-release wines(2006 Reckoning and 2006 Reserve Cab "V"), and one available for immediate purchase(2005 Horse Heaven Hills Red). The wines can be purchased at their website: http://www.adamsbench.com/ These three wines were amazing. My notes include "awesome", "yum", purple, beautiful, chocolate, mushroom and black fruit. This year Tim told me five of their secrets: 1) Erica switched from medicine to winemaking and thus, from bringing human babies into the world, to bringing wine into the world. I've often contended that raising vines and wines is very similar to raising children; 2) they studied enology at U.C. Davis and thus have a thorough understanding of the chemistry of wine; 3) they have a great winemaking consultant - Chris Carmada over at Andrew Will; 4) they look for physiological ripeness in the grapes; 5) Tim seemed to imply that they are covert, or maybe overt, Robert Parker fans. We brought a bottle the 2005 Horse Heaven Hills Red home for dinner. It was followed by a 1991 Phillip Togni Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Carol loved the the Adams Bench, Diane loved the Phillip Togni. I liked them both. They are made in entirely different styles. The Adams Bench , while not jammy, was very fruit forward, exploding in your mouth with a hint of sweet feel at the end. The Togni was more linear and serious, kind of like Phillip himself. Different strokes for different folks. In any event, if Tim and Erica sent their wines off to Robert Parker, I have no doubt that he would rate them in the "90s". It would be a mutual admiration society.
Across the road from Adams Bench, at Hollywood Hill Vineyard, Steve Snyder, makes wine in the opposite style. His 2007 Hollywood Hill Vineyards Estate Grown Chardonnay is made from what may be the only patch of Chardonnay grapes grown in the Puget Sound AVA. Light, tart and fresh, it is totally reminiscent of Sancerre make in the Loire Valley of France, except, of course, it doesn't have the grapefruit and grass aroma associated with the Sauvignon Blanc grape from which the Sancerre is made. Substitute lemon for grapefruit and apple for grass and you've got it! Steve is truly a garagiste! To be continued...
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Best of Taste Washingon
Best Food - Kumomoto Oysters from Elliot Bay
Best Winery Name - Wawawai Canyon & Flying Trout
Best Wine Name - Deluge
Best Gang of Four - SSAW: South Seattle Artisan Wineries
Best Winery Architecture - Tertulia
Best Overall Quality - Note Bene
Best New Puget Sound Winery - Palouse
Best New Woodinville Winery - Darby & Pomum
Best New Yakima Winery - Airfield and Gilbert
Best New Columbia Cascades Winery - Stemilt
Best New Columbia Gorge Winery - Domaine Pierre Noire
Best New Walla Walla Winery - Adamant
Best Riesling - Isenhauer
Best Chardonnay - Buty
Best Red Blend - Fall Line
Best Syrah - Walter Dacon
Best of Show - Spring Valley Uriah
Taste Washington - III
- 428*
- Adamant*
- Airfield Estates*
- Caderetta
- Charles Smith
- Darby*
- Domaine Pierre Noire*
- Efeste*
- Flying Trout*
- Gilbert Cellars*
- Graves Cellars*
- Hence Cellars
- Hestia Cellars
- Kyra Wines*
- Lake Crest*
- NxNW Winery*
- Palouse*
- Pomum*
- Revelry
- Soos Creek*
- Stemilt Creek*
- Tertulia*
- Trust*
- Wawawai Canyon
- Whitestone
Taste Washingon - II
Monday, April 07, 2008
Taste Washingon - I
I only managed to taste wines from two of the South Park gang of four, aka SSAW. Tim Sorenson was up to his usual speed although his Horse Heaven Hills wine this year is in an entirely different style. Tim Narby at Note Bene once again shows a consistently high level of quality. Unfortunately, I missed "OS" and Cadence. Dave Larson at Soos Creek is making wine in a similar vein. I missed John Bell's wines which are definitely in the same class. I ran into Brian Carter but didn't have a chance to taste his wines. Brian is an excellent winemaker. BTW, Harry Alhadeff sold Apex Cellars, and Matt Wysman is no longer winemaker at Kana Cellars. Glacial Lake Missoula is making their usual overwhelming "Deluge." I had a chance to meet Lloyd Andersen whose Walter Dacon Syrahs where excellent as usual. Latah Creek over in Spokane made what may be the state's second Petit Verdot which, while not quite as big as Mike Januik's, was quite tasty. BTW, Januik's Petit Verdot has turned from a well-behaved beautiful child into a huge strapping teenager. What will it be like in adulthood? Townsend Cellar in Spokane is also turning out some good wines. Winemaker Serge Lavillle was pouring Spring Valley Vineyard's wines and once again Uriah was a standout. Five Star was stellar as usual. The new Amaurice wines are excellent. Trey Busch at Sleight of Hand continues his usual magic. He very cleverly bottles his "everyday" wines in screwcaps, and his "age-ers" in corks. Saint Laurent had several good new reds to taste, though I missed their outstandingly dry Riesling. Balsomroot continues to make good wines and Nefarious wines were totally wicked. Devin Stinger at Adamant was adamentine in his approach to some new reds. He is definitely a guy to watch. So many wines, so little time. Next we will review our impressions by region and finally we will list new wineries.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Crushed At The Crush pARTy
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Go Down Moses - Dry Falls Winery
Right now, mostly whites are available, but there are two Tempranillo reds with many more reds to come. My one sample of the De Hart art - the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon from Horse Heaven Hills was an"amateur" wine sample with no label, made, I believe, before the winery was bonded. Big, at 14.5% alcohol, it presents with lots of black fruit flavors followed by the tang of acid at the end. Not as velvety as the 2004 Anglim Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles, nor as elegant as the 2004 Fall Line Horse Heaven Hills Red, it tastes like a wine from the Southwest of France which is exactly what the winemaker says he was shooting for. Why he is trying to make wine in that style when, French winemakers are trying to make fruitier wines more agreeable to the global palate is not clear, but then winemakers are an eccentric bunch and frequently see other vineyards as greener. Among the whites available are a Semillon, White Riesling, "Old Vine Traditional" Chardonnay, Chardonnay " Old Vines Late Harvest", and "Old Vines Sweet" Chardonnay.
I predict that very soon other families will encamp near Moses Lake and that soon there will be a new "Go Down", "Dry Falls" or "Moses Lake" AVA. One of Washington's newest wineries, Dry Falls is definitely a winery to watch. BTW, would I ever write such a post about the Prophet Mohammed? Never!
Rush To The Crush pARTy in Tucson
Don't miss the pARTy! Friday's pARTy will include a silent auction - original art by regional artists, wine, art classes, restaurant gift certificates, jewelry, and many other items. The whole spectrum of auction items and prices will be represented, so that any of us peasants can find something affordable. The price is $60 in advance or $75 at the door. The Crush Classic will be a full blown gala dinner - black tie optional. With black tie optional, I'm not sure whether you could wear your Paul Bond custom-made "Las Vegas" alligator cowboy boots, but at $5000 a throw, you could probably get away with it. More likely, you would be the life of the party! Maybe next year, I'll get me some boots made with wine glasses on the sides. Then I'll be able to join Garrison Keillor's cowboy sidekicks Rusty and Dusty for a gourmet dinner. The Classic will feature a wine paired gourmet dinner, "quick-draw" plein-air paintings, rare wine and cigar bar, and, of course, a live auction of fine art and rare wine including Bordeaux, followed by music and dancing. All this, ladies and gentlemen, for only $200.
The Museum is in historic downtown Tucson close to major hotels at 140 N. Main Avenue. Check out the website at: www. tucsonmuseumofart.org. Call 520-624- 2333, ext.111 for tickets. Sounds like it's going to be a gem of a show!
Friday, March 21, 2008
U.C, Davis Wrings Last Chemical From The Grape
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Heavenly Wine From 2004 Fall Line Horse Heaven Hills
Monday, March 17, 2008
Will Tibetan Wine Free Tibet?
Tibetans have been drinking Chang or Qiang for many years. Made from barley, it is a central part of Tibetan culture to say nothing of providing central heating for the body in a, ahem, cold climate. Barley wine is a major beverage made from barley grown on the highlands. Barley wine is light yellow, mild and sweet and sour. It is low in alcohol and varies in taste depending on the brewing method and duration of fermentation. Sounds more like beer to me or mead. Look what Mead did for Beowulf.
Barley wine is an integral part of Tibetan culture and thus a potential antidote to " cultural genocide." Barley wine is a common gift and a requirement at any Tibetan Wedding. Barley wine is used to welcome guests and symbolizes connection to sky, earth and Buddha. Based in Lhasa, Tibet ZangYuan Brewing Company was founded in 2000 and produces a variety of barley wines ( http://www.qingkejiu.com.cn/ ).
Someone on the net described the current protests as the Tibetan Intifada. In fact, Tibetans have become the new Jews of Asia (The Jew in the Lotus - Rodger Kamenetz). Let us hope they will not have to wait two thousand years to regain their homeland. I once heard the Dalai Lama speak at a health conference. When he came to the Tibetan word for compassion he consulted his interpreter and chose the term "good - heart." The Tibetans surely could use some good heartedness right now. Will wine free Tibet? Wine freed the Persian poet and mystic Rumi. Perhaps it will help free Tibet. Oh, BTW, Happy Saint Patrick's Day. Green wine, anyone?
Friday, February 29, 2008
Back To Paso Robles
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
1997 Whitehall Lane Leonardini Merlot
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
1997 Robert Craig Affinity
Sunday, February 10, 2008
First 2005 Bordeaux
Monday, January 28, 2008
Widely Available Washington Wines
1) 2003 Red Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon - I've been drinking the Merlot for so long, I seem to have forgotten that Red Diamond makes a Cab. This was a pleasant surprise -lots of user-friendly fruit followed by some gentle tannin. Made me want to have a steak. Available in supermarket for about $9 ( $7 or $8 on sale.).
2) 2005 Hogue Chardonnay - Good basic Chardonnay with the usual green apple flavors. Fairly dry for an American wine. Good with food. A good value at about $8.
3) 2004 Columbia Crest "Two Vines" Chardonnay - Widely available (try any gas station in Washington), this wine is actually smoother and fruitier than the Hogue. Easy, great on it's own. About $7.
4) 2004 Columbia Crest "Grand Estates" Chardonnay - Drier than the "Two Vines", it is designed to go with food. I actually prefer to "Two Vines." About $8-$11.
5) 2003 Columbia Crest Merlot - Nicely balanced with lots of friendly berry fruit. Excellent value at about $7.
6) 2005 Waterbrook Chardonnay - Tart green apples, good with food. Is it worth the price difference? About $11.
7) 2006 Gordon Bros. - Jeff Gordon does it again! Not as smooth as the award-winning 2003, this one just need to age to surpass its ancestor. Beautiful, complex black berry fruit followed by a dollop of tannin. Almost European in it's structure, this wine deserves kudos and should be great in, say, 2010. This is definitely one for Ryan's cellar. About $18.
8) 2003 14 Hands Merlot - To this day, my original post on 14 Hands gets more hits than any other. Something about the name really struck a chord - perhaps a nostalgic longing for a simpler, more civil America. The wine is good, too, although this bottle doesn't seem as robust as previous bottles. Still, it's fruity, and light to medium bodied with mild cherry vanilla flavors. About $12.