Brian Carter Wine Tasting

On a beautiful sunny Seattle afternoon, I had an opportunity to taste the new wines of Brian Carter Cellars. The 2004 Oriana, a blend of 45% Rousanne, 36% Riesling, and 19% Viognier, was fresh and crisp with hints of citrus. This wine was so much better than most French Rhone Valley whites, more like a dry Alsatian white. Definitely a food wine, it will go great with fish and seafood, but fruit and cheese, too (about $25 a bottle).

The 2002 Tuttorosso Super-Tuscan Style blend of 51% Sangiovese, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 15% Syrah had a bouquet of tobacco and leather, followed by good fruit with the Sangiovese tanginess of a Chianti, the tannin of the Cabernet and the rich color of the Syrah. Brian says this is his favorite (about $32).

The 2002 Byzance, a South Rhone-Style blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah, had subtle fruit in the nose with a slightly vegetative element, medium body and good fruit, and a hint of tanginess in the finish
(about $ 32).

The 2002 L'Etalon Boreaux-Style blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, and 4% Petit Verdot is nicely balanced with lots of mouth-filling black fruit flavors and a hint of tannin in the finish. With it's blend of all the classic varietals, this wine is very reminiscent of a left bank Medoc, perhaps from St.Julien. This was my favorite of the pack (about $32).

The 2000 Solesce Bordeaux-Style blend of 44% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Malbec had enough good fruit to last through the several years required to tone down the tannins. Definitely a wine to age, Brian estimates it will improve over the next decade (about$60).

If I were sitting down to a fine meal, I would want to have the Oriana with oysters and the L'Etalon with rack of lamb. Congratulations Brian on a great start. Oh, by the way, Brian will be working some more of his magic with Abracadabra, a red blend to be priced at about $16. Look for it in about six months.