La Chanterelle

There are plenty of great boutique Washington wineries out there that impress. Go ahead and add La Chanterelle to the list. Based out of Bellingham, this is a very small production winery as the winery only makes 72 cases of their Cabernet each year! La Chanterelle was originally a home project that was finally founded into a winery in 2012. This is one to look out for, as they produced some exceptional wines from an exceptional vintage, 2012.
Head winemaker Donatas Pocus has created a nice combination of balance and richness in his Syrah and Cabernet. And their 2012 Cabernet was recently the only Gold Medal winner out of Washington wines entered in the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition. I had a chance to meet Donatas at a recent wine event in Kirkland and he talked about his passion for winemaking and the potential for the future. This thing is no longer a home project, look for them to expand their production in the future. I know I’ll look forward to their 2013 releases! While their 2012 Cabernet is currently sold out, you can find their Syrah online at lachanterellewine.com. Here are the 2012 releases from La Chanterelle.

2012 La Chanterelle Syrah- Dark purple hue with flavors of blackberry, black olive and black cherry persisting with bright acidity. Delicious and open but could cellar well for a few more years. Drink 2015 on. -90

2012 La Chanterelle Cabernet- Perfumed nose with anise and blackberry. Nice roundness on the palate with flavors of cassis, black olive, anise and mocha. Nice richness, indicative of the vintage. Drink 2015 on. -92

Paul Hobbs

Paul Hobbs

As we approached the address of the winery we only saw a modern sign with the address number appearing. Where is the sign for Paul Hobbs? Our knowledgeable guide, Christopher O’ Gorman, the marketing and communication manager for Paul Hobbs, later mentions that the winery was having too many guests and that they had to take down their Paul Hobbs sign because their winery could not actually accommodate so many people tasting their wines. There’s a good reason why the tasting room was having a ton of traffic. Paul Hobbs is truly one of the most important players in wine – not only in California but in the world. He not only makes top Napa Cabernet, Pinot and Chard but makes what I consider to be the best Malbec in the world, the Vina Cobos (http://www.vinacobos.com/).
Hobbs has been making wine since 1977, previously working at Robert Mondavi and Opus One before starting his own winery. His 2002 Cabernet from the To Kalon Vineyard received 100 points from Robert Parker. Only a handful of people can say that they’ve made 100 point wine.
The tour at Paul Hobbs is exquisite. The tasting room and nearby production facility is modern and hip and the picturesque rolling hills of vineyards is something out of a storybook. Christopher took us to the private tasting room and we sampled the new releases. The lineup was impressive, as Paul Hobbs quality is there from Chard to Cab. I was impressed with their effort in difficult vintage, as their 2011 Cabernet was rich and layered, which was difficult to obtain due to the coolness of the vintage. The quality of the winemaking is present in each of their wines. The 2012 Paul Hobbs ‘Nathan Coombs Estate’ Cabernet was one of the best Cabs, if not the best Cab out of my Sonoma and Napa tastings. Look for these wines at specialty wine shops (Esquin and Pete’s Wine Shop in the Seattle area) or online at http://www.paulhobbswinery.com/. Here are some of the great wines that I recently sampled at Paul Hobbs winery.

2014 Paul Hobbs Crossbarn Rose- This is their second label, made from Pinot grapes. Green melon and strawberry on the nose. Palate has strawberry, guava, and unripe cantaloupe. -90

2013 Paul Hobbs Russian River Chardonnay- Nose has pear and golden delicious. Palate has pear, brioche and red delicious. Nice viscosity and depth. -92

2012 Paul Hobbs ‘Richard Dinner Vineyard’ Chardonnay- Nose has butterscotch, Crete brûlée, and pear. Palate has minerality, with red delicious and butterscotch flavor a. -93

2013 Paul Hobbs Russian River Pinot Noir-Perfumed nose of black cherry, rose petals and raspberry. Palate has raspberry, black cherry, vanilla and cherry cola, with minerals. Drinking well right now. Roughly 2500 cases. -92

2013 Paul Hobbs ‘Hyde Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Rose petals and raspberry with mushroom on the nose. Palate has mushroom, black cherry, blackberry, and cherry cola. -93

2012 Paul Hobbs ‘Cuvée Augustina’ Pinot Noir- This is named after Hobbs’s eldest daughter. Powerful nose with rose petals, mushroom, red cherry and oak. Palate has mushroom, red cherry, blackberry, and red currant. Complex and rich. Drink 2016 on. -94

2011 Paul Hobbs Cabernet- Nose has herbaceous nodes with red bell pepper, anise and black cherry. Palate has anise, blackberry, coffee and nice richness for the vintage. Drink 2015 on. -93

2012 Paul Hobbs ‘Nathan Coombs Estate’ Cabernet- nose had anise and blackberry. Richness is profound. Milk chocolate, anise and blackberry with moderate tannins. Very serious. Drink 2018 on. -95

Washington Whites and Roses for Summer

Summer is here with a bang. What is typically a mild Northwest June has turned into near heatstroke for most. Weather this hot calls for a great white wine or rose to match the heat. Over the past few months I’ve had the chance to try many of the new Washington white wine and rose releases. There are so many great options, depending on your budget to quench your thirst, so I have divided the best ones I’ve tried into those under 15 bucks and those over 15 bucks.
One to watch is the perennial top rose made in Washington, 2014 Julia’s Dazzle. At Costco for $12.99, this one is a rich, refreshing and fruit filled steal, as Long Shadows could easily charge twice as much, if not even more for this bottle. Also consider some lesser known varietals for value, as the 2013 Gard Freyja blends Viognier and Rousanne to create a lithe fruity quaff. For those who enjoy semi-sweet wines, check out the excellent 2013 Chateau St. Michelle ‘Cold Creek’ Riesling packs a ton of fruit and has vibrant minerality
In the higher range category, the 2013 Dunham Cellars Shirley Mays Chardonnay is their best release of this wine that I’ve tried, and is filled with flavors of pear and golden delicious with the right amount of oak. The 2013 Abeja Chardonnay, one of the best Chards out of Washington each year, impresses with the layered fruit and buttery mouthfeel. The 2013 Fidelitas Optu Blanc is also the best release of this wine that I’ve tried and tastes like a high end Bordeaux Blanc with a huge range of flavors, from white peach to butter. Finally, the 2013 DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate Blanc is a rich and opulent Bordeaux Blanc style white that is probably the best of its kind in Washington. Here are some of the best new White wine and Rose releases from Washington:

Under 15 bucks

2013 Gard Freyja- Made from 81% Viognier and 19% Rousanne. Nose has lychee and jasmine followed by flavors of pear, red delicious and starfruit. Delicious and complex for the price. -90

2014 L'Ecole No. 41 Chenin Blanc- Pear, baked apple and cinnamon on the nose. Palate has red delicious, starfruit, pear and vibrant acidity. Delicious. -90

2013 Chateau St. Michelle 'Cold Creek' Riesling-nose has orange blossom, jasmine and pear in this perfumed nose. Palate has great minerality. Pear, starfruit and red delicious. Tasty. -92

2013 Chateau St. Michelle Gewürztraminer- Honeysuckle and orange blossom on the nose. Palate has ginger, lemon zest and starfruit. Excellent wine. -89

2013 Hogue Pinot Grigio- Nose has green apple and cut grass with flavors of baked pear. A bit one note but tasty. -85

2012 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Chardonnay- nose has brioche and pineapple followed by flavors of pineapple, golden delicious pear and cream. Delicious wine. -90

2013 Hogue Chardonnay- pear and red delicious on the nose followed by flavors of pear, honeydew and minerals. Clean and refreshing for Chard. -87

2012 Columbia Winery Chardonnay- Pear and oak on the nose with flavors of butter, cream and pear. Smooth, albeit simplistic. -87

2013 Chateau St. Michelle Chardonnay- Nose has pear and oak with flavors of butter, cream, vanilla, golden delicious and a long finish. -89

2013 Columbia Crest H3 Chardonnay- Butter with mushroom and cut grass. Light and lithe palate with green apple, pear, minerals and limited oak flavors. The new Washington style Chard. -90

2013 Chateau St. Michelle Indian wells Chardonnay- Pear and golden delicious with some oak on the nose. Palate has pear, starfruit and red delicious. Nice minerality but slightly behind the 2012. -89

2014 Long Shadows Julia’s Dazzle Rose- This is a Pinot Grigio Rose, with a small amount of Sangiovese added. Nose has strawberry, guava and white peach. Palate has vibrant minerality. Strawberry, guava, pear and a long finish. Up there with the best in the state. -93

Over 15 bucks

2014 Bunnell Family Winery Viognier- Orange blossom and pear on the nose followed by pear, brioche and cantaloupe flavors. -90

2013 Chandler Reach Viognier- Honeysuckle, pear and baked apple on the nose. Palate is balanced and has red delicious, pear and a light cream finish. Delicious. -90

2013 Mark Ryan Viognier- Honeysuckle and pear with light spice on the nose. Palate is lithe and has pear, red delicious and cantaloupe. Fantastic expression of the varietal. -91

2012 Cougar Crest Viognier- honeysuckle and pear with nutmeg on the nose. Palate has velvety texture with Japanese pear, vanilla, and brioche. Delicious, drink now. -91

2013 JM Chardonnay- Golden delicious and pear on the nose with light oak. Palate has pear, red delicious and light oak component with cream. -91

2013 Dunham Cellars Shirley Mays Chardonnay- Made from Lewis Vineyard fruit. Pear and honeysuckle on the nose. Pear, golden delicious and oak with nice richness on the palate. Their best one yet. -93

2013 Abeja Chardonnay- nose has mushroom golden delicious and peer. Palate has butter, pear, red delicious and star fruit. Just rich and delicious. Mouthfeel is excellent. -93

2013 Woodward Canyon Chardonnay- Nose has banana and oak, followed by flavors of vanilla, red delicious and starfruit. Nice long finish. -93

2013 Chateau St. Michelle Canoe Ridge Vineyard Chardonnay- Nose has pear, red delicious and butter. Palate is rich with butter, pear and red delicious. Drink now. -91

2012 Tranche Slice of Pape Blanc- Blend of Rousanne, Viognier and Marsanne with Nose has honeydew, pear and red delicious. Palate has pear, red delicious and star fruit. Nice richness. -93

2012 Lauren Ashton Rousanne- Honeydew and pear on the nose. Palate has cut grass, stardust and pear. Viscous and tasty. -92

2013 Fidelitas Optu Blanc- Klipsun Vineyard fruit. Butter, pear, honeysuckle, and cantaloupe on the nose. Palate has white peach, pear, red delicious, butter, and vanilla. The finish lingers. -93

2013 Chaleur Estate Blanc- 65% Sav Blanc and 35% Semillon. Nose has lemongrass, cantaloupe and mushroom with forest floor. Palate has bright acidity with Meyer lemon, cantaloupe, lemon lime flavors and incredible balance. Finish lingers. -95

2013 Novelty Hill Stillwater Creek Sauvignon Blanc- Made with 16% Semillon. Pear, orange blossom and cantaloupe on the nose. Palate has pear, honeydew and red delicious. Drink now. -90

2014 Cote Bonneville Riesling- This is done in the Spatlase style. Peach, honeysuckle, and orange blossom on the nose, followed by flavors of lemon lime, honey, red delicious and pear. Impressive effort. Excellent minerality. -91

2013 Poets Leap Riesling- Pear and mushroom on the nose. Palate has bright minerality. Pear, golden delicious, mushroom and slate. Light lemon lime as well. Best Riesling in WA? -93

2014 Seven Hills Rose- This is made from mostly Cab Franc. Strawberry, baked apple and raspberry on the nose. Palate has pear, strawberry and guava. Lithe and delicious. -91

2014 DeLille Cellars Doyenne Rose- Grenache dominant Rose. Nose has watermelon, pear, and strawberry. Flavors of cran-cherry, watermelon and vanilla. -92

Cougar Crest

One of the state’s most consistent producers of value priced Washington reds each year is Cougar Crest. Founded by two Washington State University grads, Cougar Crest crafts some excellent reds but also makes one of the state’s best Viognier. If you like the rich and tropical fruit style of Viognier, this one is for you. Cougar Crest utilizes their Estate fruit from the Walla Walla Valley and has achieved some impressive scores from Wine Spectator in the past, including one of the highest ratings for any Washington Cabernet Franc (2007 & 2009 vintages achieving scores of 93). Established in 2001 by David and Debbie Hansen, the Hansens planted vines in 1997 and decided to leave their careers as Veterinarian and Pharmacist to form a winery. After taking classes in winemaking from UC Davis, Deborah Hansen became the head winemaker, while her husband took over the winery operations side.
The 2009 Cougar Crest Anniversary Cuvee is taken from a fantastic vintage. Harvey Steinman from Wine Spectator rated this wine a 93 and I rated this one a 92. The wine made from Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Verdot, captures the art of blending, as you can taste the components of the wine playing together nicely. This is a great wine to pick up for a special education. Many of the Cougar Crest wines can be found at Northwest wine shops, but some of their wines can be found at Costco as well. Look for them at grocery stores like QFC and Metropolitan Market, as well as Esquin and Pete’s Wine Shop.

2013 Cougar Crest Grenache Rose- Nose has smoke and orange peel with cranberry. Palate has cranberry, orange peel, and minerals. Finishes clean. -89

2012 Cougar Crest Viognier- honeysuckle and pear with nutmeg on the nose. Palate has velvety texture with Japanese pear, vanilla, and brioche. Delicious. -91

2009 Cougar Crest Late Harvest Viognier- Peach and vanilla on the nose. Palate has vibrant acidity with rich peach and golden delicious and pear flavors.- 92

2012 Cougar Crest Merlot Rose- Slightly acerbic nose with red fruits and burnt rubber. Smooth palate with vanilla and cherry. -88

2009 Cougar Crest Mistral- 86% Grenache and 14% Syrah. Red cherry and raspberry. Light and balanced. Smooth and well made with cranberry, raspberry and herbs. Delicious now, 2014 on. -91

2008 Cougar Crest Merlot- rich nose with black olive, black cherry and espresso. Palate is plush and has great minerality. Red cherry, black olive, and vanilla. Nice viscosity. Drink 2014 on. -92

2009 Cougar Crest Merlot- Red cherry and red bell pepper on the nose. Palate has red cherry, dried herbs, and raspberry. Ripe and delicious. Drink 2014 on. -91

2008 Cougar Crest Syrillo- This is a blend of Tempranillo and Syrah. Earthy and herbaceous nose. Balanced with good acidity there is a citrus component to this wine. Great wine for food. Red cherry, raspberry and mushroom. Drink 2014 on. -90

Byron

Byron is a Santa Barbara producer of top notch Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. While their wines can be found across US restaurants and wine bars, their tasting room in Los Olivos, showcases some of their harder to find wines. Byron is known for their buttery but not overly ripe style of Chardonnay and if you are a fan of that style, a visit to Byron is a must. Despite 2011 being a cool vintage, their 2011 Clone 95 Chardonnay impresses with nice richness and golden delicious flavors, followed by a very long finish.
Winemaker Jonathan Nagy has been receiving some excellent scores from Wine Enthusiast recently, as their 2012 Monument Pinot Noir was just given 94 points. Nagy has a degree in Chemistry from UC Davis and also has worked for Robert Mondavi Winery and Cambria Winery. I’ve had many vintages of their regular production Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which impress for the price, but their winery only wines were even better. Look for these wines online at byronwines.com, Total Wines or at local Northwest wine shops and some higher end grocery stores such as Metropolitan Market or QFC. Here are some of the great new releases that I tried at Byron.

2012 Byron Santa Maria Chardonnay- Pear and golden delicious with butterscotch on the nose. Palate has lychee, butter, pear and golden delicious. -91

2011 Byron Chardonnay Clone 95- Nose has banana, pineapple and butterscotch. Palate has nice viscosity with pear, golden delicious, and a long vanilla cream finish. -92

2012 Byron ‘Nielson Vineyard’ Pinot Noir - Mushroom, smoke and blueberry on the nose. Palate has red raspberry, red cherry, and mushroom. Fruity but balanced. Drink 2015 on.- 91

2011 Byron ‘Julia's Vineyard’ Pinot Noir - Earthy nose with mushroom, dried herbs, raspberry and oak. Palate has red cherry, dill, red cherry, cinnamon. and mushroom. Drink 2015 on. -91

2011 Byron Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills- Perfumed nose of sage, raspberry and oak. Palate has cran-raspberry, red cherry, orange rind, dill, and a long finish. 50 case production. Drink 2015 on. -92

Lauren Ashton Cellars

Lauren Ashton Cellars

Happy Friday to you all! A few years back, distinguished dentist Dr. Kit Singh, decided slow down his day job and start a winery. While he still has a dental practice (www.eastsidedental.com), he now devotes a great deal of his time towards winemaking. Dr. Singh began his wine journey in college but traveled extensively throughout Europe and became more interested in winemaking. He ended up doing an extensive self-study and even bought textbooks from UC Davis to learn his second craft as winemaker.
The new releases from Lauren Ashton are great examples of Dr. Singh’s chemistry background, as the combination of fruit and acid structure are there. It doesn’t hurt that Dr. Singh interned at DeLille Cellars, one of the premier Woodinville wineries. Dr. Singh’s makes a range of wines, from Riseling to Rousanne and sources from some of the best vineyards in the state, such as the Sagemoor and Weinbau vineyards.
I rated each of his wines at or above 90 points and was particularly impressed with his 2012 Rousanne that was a novel and viscous effort. Considering that his winery was founded in 2009, Dr. Singh has an extremely bright future as a winemaker. These wines are excellent values for the price. Look for these wines online at http://laurenashtoncellars.com. Here are some of the great wines that I sampled at Lauren Ashton Cellars:

2012 Lauren Ashton Rousanne- Honeydew and pear on the nose. Palate has cut grass, stardust and pear. Viscous and tasty. -92

2014 Lauren Ashton Riesling- .4 percent residual sugar in this Kabinette style Riesling. Nose has petrol and crushed flowers. Flavors of pear, red delicious and minerals. Tasty. -90

2011 Lauren Ashton Reserve Syrah- Nose has blueberry and smoked meats. Flavors of black olive, smoked meats and red cherry. Drink 2015 on. -91

2012 Lauren Ashton Cuvée Arlette- Feminine wine with flavors of red cherry, dill and raspberry. Drink 2015 on. -92

Lancaster Estate

Lancaster

Lancaster winemaker Jesse Katz has a great story. The son of a photographer, he always knew that he would be in the winemaking business. After a stint at Fess Parker and Vina Cobos, maker of some of the worlds best Malbec, he decided to take on his own Malbec project in hoping to craft the best Malbec out of California. Katz is not only head winemaker at Lancaster, he has a winery called Devil Proof where he crafts what Robert Parker has called the best Malbec in California (and received a 94 point rating from Parker and Wine Enthusiast). Katz has also worked at Hourglass and Screaming Eagle in Napa, some of the most esteemed wineries out there, before coming to Lancaster.
His releases at Lancaster impress, particularly his 2009 and 2010 Cabernet that are drinking nicely now but will have an incredibly long life. If you are a fan of powerful Cabernets with lush flavors of blackberry and cassis, these wines are for you. You can find Lancaster Cabernet at great Northwest wine shops or online at lancaster-estate.com.
Here are the great current releases from Lancaster. ‪#‎lancasterestate‬

2012 Lancaster Sauvignon Blanc- Nose has grapefruit and green apple. Palate has grapefruit, Meyer lemon and cantaloupe. Nice minerality. -91

2011 Lancaster Sophia's Hillside Cuvée- Blackberry and chocolate on the nose. Slightly herbal. Palate has black berry, black cherry, anise and black olive. A bit lean but tasty. Drink 2015 on. -90

2010 Lancaster Cabernet- This was the winemaker's first vintage. Nose has blackberry and creme de cassis. Palate has Flavors of mocha, blackberry, crème de cassis and is layered. Needs time, drink 2016 on. -92

2011 Lancaster Cabernet-nose has dark nose with blackberry, cassis and dill. Palate has blackberry, minerals and black cherry. Mineral driven and slightly lean but balanced. Drink 2017 on. -90

2009 Lancaster Cabernet- nose has anise and blackberry. Palate has anise, crime de cassis and blackberry. Drink 2017 on. -92

2012 Lancaster Nicole's Red- herbaceous nose with dill and red bell pepper. Palate has nice richness and viscosity. Blackberry, blueberry and crème de cassis. Drink 2017 on. -93

2011 Lancaster Nicole's Red- Nose has black olive, cassis and dill. Flavors of blackberry, cassis and red cherry. Striking minerality. Drink 2017 on. -91

L'Ecole No. 41 Winery

L’Ecole No. 41 Winery

L’Ecole is an iconic Walla Walla winery, known for high quality and good value red and white wines (particularly Chardonnay and an excellent Chenin Blanc). The winery is set in a 1915 schoolhouse and is the perfect location to taste some of the valley’s most consistent lineup of red and white wines. In fact, I can’t think of a better overall and more varied Washington winery tasting lineup, as you sample everything from Semillon, to Rose, to Syrah, to Red Blends. Linus from Sideways was wrong about Merlot. . . and had never tried the L’Ecole Merlot, a perennial value red wine. Winemaker Mike Sharon crafts his 2012 Estate Merlot as a dense and chewy wine that is ready to drink now. Their red wines have been critically acclaimed by the big four wine publications. I was particularly impressed with their red blends, the 2012 Perigee and the 2012 Ferguson, both rich and needing time in the bottle to fully express their fruit flavors. These wines have the potential to be monsters in a few years.
I’ve sampled the past nine vintages of L’Ecole Chardonnay and have found the quality to be incredibly consistent. Their Chardonnay (the 2012 was featured as one of my Top 20 wines of 2014) each year strikes a wonderful balance between fruit flavors and clean minerality. The 2013 L’Ecole Chardonnay is a slight step behind their 2012 but does not disappoint, with nice pear and green apple flavors with minerals. Many L’Ecole wines can be found for under 30 bucks and look for them at good northwest wine shops or online at http://www.lecole.com/. Here are some of the great wines that I recently sampled at L’Ecole No. 41. #lecole

2014 L’Ecole No. 41 Chenin Blanc- Pear, baked apple and cinnamon on the nose. Palate has red delicious, starfruit, pear and vibrant acidity. Delicious. -90

2013 L’Ecole No. 41 Semillon- Blended with 13% Sauvignon Blanc. Nose has cantaloupe and pear. Palate has butter, pear and red delicious. Very nice. -89

2013 L’Ecole No. 41 Chardonnay- Light aromas of baked apple and pear, followed by flavors of pear, golden delicious and starfruit in this easy drinking Chard with bright minerality. -90

2014 L’Ecole No. 41 Grenache Rose- Nose has strawberry, bubble gum and rose petals. Palate has strawberry, red cherry, and pear. Bright wine. -90

2012 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Estate’ Merlot- Blended with 10% Cabernet and 10% Cab Franc. Nose has red bell pepper, red cherry, blackberry and nutmeg. Palate has red cherry, blackberry, and baking spices. Dense and chewy. Drink
2015 on. -91

2012 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Cabernet- This is sourced from 7 vineyards in the valley. Nose has prune, anise and blackberry. Palate has anise, mocha and graphite. Moderate tannins. Drink in 2017. -92

2012 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Seven Hills Vineyard’ Syrah- Smoked meats and anise. Palate has blackberry, anise, black cherry and nice depth. Drink 2015 on. -91

2012 L’Ecole No. 41 Columbua Valley Syrah- Smoked meats and blackberry on the nose. Palate is plush and open with black cherry and blackberry flavors. Drink 2015 on. -91

2012 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Perigee’- Seven Hills Vineyard fruit. Nose is a bit shut down with black cherry and blackberry. Palate has anise, black cherry, blackberry and tannins. Drink 2017 on. -92

2012 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Ferguson’- Nose has black cherry, anise, and Rosemary. Palate has black cherry, anise, black olive and blackberry flavors. The wine is chewy and tannic. Drink after 2017. -93

JM Cellars

JM Cellars

If you’re looking for a winery with the best view in town, JM is the place for you. I’d say that the wine stands up to and eclipses the views from the winery. Founded in 1998, JM is perched on top of the hill just west of the many Woodinville tasting rooms. The parking situation there is somewhat tricky but they have valets on the weekend. The stylish and open tasting room spills into their beautiful outside area that is lush and wooded. Winemaker/owner John Bigelow has been crafting some excellent limited release red and white wines and has worked with some of the states best winemakers, such as Charlie Hoppes and Mike Januik.
The new releases from JM impress, although their reds are not designed for early drinking and will require some cellaring. Their reds have been highly acclaimed from the major wine publications. In fact, their red and white wines have achieved scores of 95 and 94 points from Wine Enthusiast magazine. I was impressed with the quality of their white wine releases, as their Chardonnay and Viognier were very good and had excellent complexity.
Here are some of the great new releases from JM Cellars.

2013 JM Cellars Viognier- White peach, honeysuckle and pear on the nose, followed by red delicious, starfruit and a light cream finish on the palate. Lithe. -91

2013 JM Cellars Chardonnay- Golden delicious and pear with oak on the nose. Palate has red delicious, pear and a light oak component with cream. -91

2012 JM Cellars 'Tre Fanicul'i- This is a Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah blend. Nose has red cherry and raspberry, somewhat restrained. Palate is more open with raspberry, red cherry and excellent mouthfeel. Drink 2015 on. -91

2012 JM Cellars 'Longevity'- Red bell pepper, red cherry and blackberry on the nose. Palate has blackberry, anise and black cherry. Needs a lot of time. Better in 2017. -91

2012 JM Cellars ‘Klipsun Vineyard’ Syrah- Smoked meats, black cherry and blackberry on the nose. Flavors of blackberry, anise, black cherry and black olive mark this dense wine. Drink 2016 on. -93

Woodward Canyon Winery

Woodward Canyon Winery

As one of the oldest and most prestigious Walla Walla wineries, Woodward Canyon has been crafting ageworthy red and white wines since 1981. In the past few years I’ve tried some of their reds and whites from the ‘90s and they continue to impress. Woodward keeps their production small and their tasting room is now featuring some of the harder to find wines, such as their Celilo Vineyard Chard and their Old Vines Cabernet. Winemaker Rick Small has been crafting wines for more than 30 years and one of the keys to these esteemed wines is sourcing from some of the best vineyards in the state, such as Celilo and Champoux.
Their reds are viscous, heavy and ageworthy. One of my favorite Cabernets each year is their Artist Series. Commanding a slightly lower price than their ‘Old Vines’ Cabernet, I’ve sampled every Artist Series vintage since 2002 and their new release, the 2012, just might be their best. Approachable in its youth, this is a tremendous wine for a special occasion. You can find their wines at their wine shop (https://www.woodwardcanyon.com/store/products), or you can grab their wines at Pacific Northwest specialty wine shops or Total Wines. Here are some of the great new releases that I tried at Woodward Canyon:‪#‎woodwardcanyon‬

2013 Woodward Canyon Chardonnay- Nose has banana and oak. Palate has vanilla, red delicious and starfruit. Nice finish. -93

2012 Woodward Canyon Celilo Vineyard Chardonnay- Tich nose with oak, banana, lemon zest and brioche. Palate has starfruit, golden delicious, unripe pear and nice tang. Delicious. -93

Woodward Canyon Non Vintage red wine- Nose has blackberry, black cherry and oak. Palate has red cherry, anise and raspberry. Soft but balanced. -89

2012 Woodward Canyon 'Erratic'- This is the second release of this wine. Mouvedre heavy wine. Nose has smoked meats, black olive and blackberry. Palate has blackberry, stewed strawberry, and black cherry. Nice depth and richness. Drink after 2017. -93

2011 Woodward Canyon Estate Red- 95% Cab Franc and 5% Petite Verdot. Nose has fill, red cherry, and anise. Palate has red cherry, raspberry, and is layered and deep. Very serious considering the vintage. Drink after 2016. -94

2012 Woodward Canyon ‘Nelms Road’ Cabernet- Nose has anise and blackberry. Palate has blackberry, black cherry and light tannins. Drink 2015 on. -90

2012 Woodward Canyon ‘Old Vines’ Cabernet-Powerful wine, with a highly perfumed nose of anise, red currant, blackberry and cassis. Palate has chocolate, anise, blackberry and is rich. This is serious juice. Don't drink until after 2017.
-95

2012 Woodward Canyon Cabernet Artists series-Graphite and cassis on the nose. Dense wine with creme de cassis, blackberry and mocha. Incredible depth. Drink after 2015. -95

2011 Woodward Canyon Columbia Valley Merlot- Nose has red cherry, anise and red bell pepper. Palate has cherry tomato, red cherry, and vanilla. Layered and rich. Drink 2016 on, as the fruit still needs some time to integrate. -92

Abeja Winery and Interview with Head Winemaker, Rob Chowanietz

Abeja Winery and interview with head winemaker, Rob Chowanietz

One of the most picturesque wineries I’ve ever visited in the Walla Walla valley is Abeja. They have been producing some of the best Chardonnay in the state for many years and I can’t think of a more relaxing place to sample that and the rest of their excellent wines than their beautiful tasting room, set over a small creek outside of town. This expansive property also has an Inn that overlooks the valley. I recently had the chance to interview the head winemaker at Abeja, Rob Chowanietz, and he talked about his winemaking, as well as some of the recent vintages which impressed during the tasting. Rob is a thoughtful and approachable guy that has a long history of making wine. Rob studied at both WSU and UC Davis before working for Woodward Canyon as cellarmaster and Zefina as head winemaker. He has recently taken over as head winemaker at Abeja and his recent releases are wonderful varietal expressions that combine great fruit with Walla Walla terroir. Here is my interview with Rob Chowanietz, followed my review of the recent Abeja releases. These wines can be found at Total Wines, as well as online at www.abeja.net. ‪#‎abeja‬

WWB: One of my favorite Washington Chardonnays is the 2013 Abeja Chardonnay. Can you talk about making that wine, as well as the 2014 which will be released later?

Rob C.: The best way to describe it is we love White Burgundy and we love Chablis and we aren’t Burgundy but we are trying to mirror a style that is in that style. It is important that you have a distinct style. Sonoma is tried and true and the KJs [Kendall Jacksons] of the world and they are loved by people. But that is not what we are going for. Balance is one of our favorite words and not only with the wines but in the vineyard. Not only the visual appearance but doing our best to understand the growing season and balancing the farming too and you are predicting what the weather is going to continue to be like. [2014] ‘14 we were sure I was going to be warm and as it progressed it was one of the warmest years in record and we balanced that by keeping more canopy and in other years we would do more crop thinning. With the oak, there is between 30 and 40 percent new [oak] and then the rest is old [oak]. French and tight grain and medium more elegant toast barrels. We do use a mix of two and three fill barrels and that is a vintage to vintage decision. With the 2013 I give a lot of credit to the Celilo [Celilo vineyard] and how we handle it in house starts with the press and the press cuts were very regimented. Every sample goes in and we always check the PH and if it get above the PH then it is going in a different direction and some of that will go into the lower tier and then it will go to someone else.

WWB: Can you please talk about the winemaking in the 2014 Viognier?

Rob C.: This is a lighter style of Viognier and we like to bring out that starfruit and that clean and crisp flow. There is zero new oak on it and it is barrel aged but we don’t do any battonage with that and rack it very early and get it as clean as possible because it has a natural tendency to be reductive. You can also get the skin issues and if you aren’t careful with that you are going to impart that and we see that as interference. This all starts with the press. We are very careful about how we press the Viognier and the PH changes astronomically with each and usually only the first couple of section makes it into the blend. The other stuff will be more bold and a Chardonnay style if you will. Those are the pieces that we say goodbye to. We bring in about a third more fruit than we actually use. We tier our wines down and make the quality level that we are used to and that is part of our style and approach. That’s what we were looking for when it was started in 2000 and we wanted to hold true to that and not grow exponentially and not compromising quality just to get numbers. That is part of the reason why you saw so much of a small crop for 2013 and 2014 and we had to tier down a lot of gallons [of wine] that works for others

WWB: Many experts in the wine industry have felt that the 2012 vintage was an incredible vintage. What are your thoughts on the vintage?

Rob C.: We go back to the normal vintage [pattern with 2012] and coming out of ’10 [2010] and ’11 [2011] where it was cold and a lot of stuff to learn. We were very excited about it and we knew that we were going to have a full fruit profile and back to the lush mid palate fruit. That is what we are known for the aromatics and a little bit of tannin on the back end, whereas ‘10 and ‘11 has beautiful acidity and less weight on the mid palate.

WWB: Do you have any other favorite Walla Walla producers or wines?

Rob C.: Back in the day I would really like Canoe Ridge and now locally I know there are a few Tamarack wines that are really fun. Always been a supporter of Dunham and I like their Syrah, their Lewis [Lewis Vineyard] stuff. L’Ecole’s whites are great. The way they have transformed. I just had their Luminscence and that was really nice. Chennin [Blanc] has gone drier and my wife and I love that wine. It is really approachable. I also like getting imports and Malbec. We drink a lot of whites but they are imports as well. We get spoiled here and a lot of White Burgundy is a part of them. I recently just bought a few Cabernets like Dominus and it is a really fun style and a completely different approach. And different fruit, not like Walla Walla and not Washington State style. Also a huge fan of bubbles. My go to Champagne is Deutz. Krug also makes an amazing Rose Champagne.

WWB: 2013 was considered to be another excellent vintage by most experts. Can you talk about the 2013 vintage and how it worked out with your red and white wines?

Rob C.: ‘13s [2013s] I love. ‘12, ‘13 and ‘14 have been so similar and progressively warmer and ‘14 was the second hottest year on record but it is close enough to traditional weather that we get the full ripeness that if we tweak the vineyards correctly. There was a learning process from ‘10 and ‘11 and that helped. Loved the 10s for what they are but we love the ‘11s. ‘13s, they are going to be nice wines and will have nice weight.

Here are the new releases from Abeja:

2014 Abeja Viognier- Honeysuckle and green apple on the nose. Tangy palate with cantaloupe, green apple and green papaya. Mouthwatering and refreshing. Finishes clean. -93

2013 Abeja Chardonnay- Nose has mushroom, golden delicious and pear. Palate has butter, pear, red delicious and starfruit. Just rich and delicious. Mouthfeel is excellent. -93

2012 Abeja Merlot- Figs and blackberry with chocolate on the nose. Spice box in there too. Palate has mocha, black cherry, and raspberry. Delicious and plush wine. Drink in 2016. -92

2012 Abeja Cabernet- Anise and blackberry on the nose. Palate has blackberry, anise, and black cherry. Delicious and open. Drink after 2016. -92

2013 Abeja Syrah- Blended with 3% Viognier. Smoked meats, black pepper, anise and spice box on the nose. Palate has nice balance and depth. Black cherry, anise, blackberry with nice acidity. Drink after 2016. -93

Darby Winery

Darby English first began making wine in 2001. By 2005 he was making 200 cases of Syrah. Two years later he opened his tasting room in Woodinville in the warehouse district. Darby sources from some of the best vineyards in the state including Stonetree, Connor Lee, and Stillwater Creek. Darby was taught by some of the best as Mark McNiely of Mark Ryan Winery, Tim Stevens of Stevens Winery, Chris Gorman of Gorman Winery and Bob Betz of Betz Family Winery have served as previous mentors. He currently makes between 3500 to 4000 cases per year and now has some excellent Bordeaux style wines, along with the Rhone varietals.

A visit to their modern new tasting room (a few doors down from Long Shadows in Woodinville) and you will see the excellent terroir of the wines, that perform well even in difficult vintages. Darby has achieved multiple scores of 93 and 92 from Wine Spectator in the past and was named a “Winemaker to Watch” in 2010 by Seattle Magazine. Their current releases of wines are long lasting wines that need cellaring. Here are some of the great new releases that I tried at Darby:

2013 Darby ‘Le Deuce’- Nose has pear, grapefruit and golden delicious. Palate has starfruit, pear, red delicious and nice minerality. Very solid. -91

2011 Darby ‘Flipside’- GSM blend. Smoke and red currant with raspberry on the nose. Palate has red currant, smoked meats, blackberry and anise. Balanced and medium weight. Drink 2015 on. -90

2012 Darby ‘Aunt Lee’ Syrah-100% Syrah. Nose has smoke, tar and blackberry pie. Palate has nice weight. Blackberry, anise, black cherry and black tea. Drink 2016 on. -91

2011 Darby ‘Chaos’- Bordeaux style blend. Vegetal nose with red bell pepper, smoke, and black cherry. Palate has cherry tomato, red cherry, raspberry and anise. Drink 2016 on. -91

2010 Darby ‘Swagger’- Cabernet dominant blend that has anise, blackberry and smoke on the nose. Red cherry, blackberry and anise on the palate. Restrained and needs time. Drink after 2017. -91

2012 Darby Mouvedre- Vegetal nose with red bell pepper, red cherry and smoked meats. Palate has red cherry, smoke and cranberry. Needs time. Drink 2016 on. -90

Interview with Mackenzie Parks, Sommelier at El Gaucho Seattle

Mackenzie Parks is the head sommelier at the iconic steakhouse, El Gaucho Seattle. She has a culinary arts degree from Johnson & Wales University and had worked in fine dining from Miami to Seattle. Last year she completed her Level 3 Sommelier certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers and she aspires to someday be a Master Sommelier, one of the highest distinctions in wine (219 of them in the world!).
I recently had the chance to interview her about her background in food and wine and she had some wonderful and candid responses. Having known her for more than a year, she has made some excellent wine recommendations for me and her experience in the industry really shows. She helps craft one of the best wine by the glass list in Seattle (list: http://www.elgaucho.com/Menus/EGT-Wine.pdf), a list that is particularly strong with Washington Red and White wine selections, and she always finds the perfect wine to compliment some great steakhouse favorites. A visit to El Gaucho Seattle is a must for food and wine lovers. Here is my interview with Mackenzie Parks. ‪#‎elgaucho‬

WWB: Can you talk about your journey in the food and beverage industry? How did you end up at El Gaucho Seattle?

Parks: When I was very young, I would cook macaroni and cheese (yes, from a box) and set up the dining room table with our finest china- I would look up how to fold napkins and make fancy napkin folds for everyone and serve macaroni and cheese to my family in the fanciest way you could ever imagine- I have always been fascinated by service, food, beverage, hospitality and the restaurant industry in general. I have worked almost every position in a restaurant- busser, expeditor, dishwasher, server, hostess, line cook, manager, beverage director, bartender and Sommelier… I have never been a General Manager, been a Chef and I have never owned a restaurant- that’s all just a bit too masochistic for me. I became fascinated with the food production side of things when I was a hostess- I was a terrible hostess, because I was always in the kitchen. I attended Johnson & Wales University where I attained a degree in Culinary Arts. I was lucky enough in my final year at Johnson & Wales to be sent to Germany to learn about wine. At the time I was happy to be getting a chance to drink in Europe and earn credits at the same time- but it ended up changing my career path altogether. We travelled throughout all of Germany’s many vineyards, visited Alsace, Switzerland, Austria, Burgundy, Champagne and the Rhone Valley. It was nothing short of the most epic introduction to wine ever, and I absolutely fell head over heels in love with wine- the many stories behind it, the many appellations and lands that it originates from, the endless possibilities of flavors, aromas, terroir, its ability to pair with food and make a truly unique and memorable experience- and the fact that I could study this world every day for the rest of my life and still not know everything. I immediately came back the US and got a job as an Assistant Sommelier at Emeril’s in Miami Beach. I moved on to work at Michael’s Genuine as their first head Sommelier, then went to Sushi Samba as their Miami Beverage Director for their location in South Beach as well as their offshoot restaurant, Sugarcane, in the Design District in Miami. I moved back to Denver to be closer to my family and get to know my niece and worked for Frank Bonanno while I was there. While working with all of these amazing people and getting a very well-rounded experience career-wise, I was working towards my Advanced Certification with The Court of Master Sommeliers. I had been through the test several times and not passed- and not passing was just not an option any more. I looked at cities that I could move to where I could be in a community of sommeliers that would help me to attain the goal of eventually becoming a Master Sommelier, but first passing my Advanced- and nothing made more sense to me than Seattle. It was a quick decision, and I moved up here without even having a job secured. As luck would have it, Daniel’s Broiler in Bellevue was hiring for their Sommelier Team and I landed a Lead Sommelier position with them a week and half after I landed in Seattle. It was great being able to sell more First Growth Bordeaux than I had ever sold before- but Cooper Mills (The General Manager of El Gaucho) had sat down with me when I first landed in Seattle and told me that he was very interested in hiring me at El Gaucho once a position opened up. A year later, a position happened to open up and I was able to start working at my favorite restaurant job I have had to date. All of the restaurants I have worked in before were wonderful, the people all taught me things that I will forever hold dear, and the many personalities I have had the pleasure of knowing will never be forgotten- but I feel that El Gaucho is truly the culmination of all of my experiences in this industry.

WWB: Can you talk about the differences between the level 2 and level 3 sommelier exam? What did you find to be the most difficult part of the level 3 sommelier exam?

Parks: The difference is huge. The first time I went through the Advanced Test with The Court of Master Sommeliers, I was amazed at how much more intense and detailed the knowledge they required was. It also inspired me- I went through the test four times before I passed, and even though I did not get a pin the first three times I always came out a better Sommelier. The best way to really understand in detail the differences, you can reference their website- but I look at it like this- Level Two is something that both industry folk and folks who are passionate and interested in wine should take and pass. The Advanced is something that unless your career is involved with wine intimately, you might not have the endurance to get through it- unless you are gifted with photographic memory and you think that enduring days of intense amounts of stress and anxiety is an appropriate part of your hobby. The tests are ever-evolving to keep up with the growth and change in the wine industry itself- the things that people tell me are being asked in Level Two these days are way above the level that I experienced when I went through that test.

WWB: El Gaucho has crafted one of the best wine by the glass lists in all of Seattle. Can you talk about crafting that list and some of your favorite selections by the glass?

Parks: James Parsons is really the man who crafts our list of wines by the glass. I very much agree with him on how he goes about selecting what goes on that list- we have a few wines on there that we personally really enjoy, we have more wines by the glass that we know that our demographic will enjoy, and we have a few that we were able to work out some great deals with our suppliers that fit into both of those previous categories, but also offer some great value to our guests as well. First and foremost, we are a steak house- so the Cabernet Sauvignons and Cabernet/ Merlot based blends dominate our selection both by the glass and by the bottle. These are wines that folks tend to want to enjoy with steaks, and we are happy to supply a variety of choices suited for every type of palate out there. If you look through our selections, you will also notice that we carry more wines from the Northwest than anything else by the glass- we are huge supporters of Washington and Oregon wines and are happy to take advantage of the plethora of wonderful and delicious wines that are produced around here.

WWB: There are some fantastic new Washington wineries. Can you discuss some of your favorite up and coming Washington wineries?

Parks: I’m a big fan of Avennia- great Syrah and Bordeaux blends. W.T. Vintners is really exciting as well. For summer I am really enjoying some fine roses as the temperature warms up- one being Coral Wine’s rose which is delicious. II Vintners is something I always enjoy letting people know about- their wines a big success whenever I sell them on the floor, and their “Some Days are Stones” Syrah is a terrific value.

Seven Hills

Seven Hills

Founded in 1988, Seven Hills is a Walla Walla mainstay that makes a cracking Rose and excellent Cabernet. A visit to their tasting room and you will try one of the best 2014 WA Roses out there. The Seven Hills vineyard is a historic vineyard and some of the best Washington wineries have sourced from there. Seven Hills wines tend to be restrained and balanced rather than extracted. They’ve received considerably acclaim for their Pentad, a Red Blend, that received 96 points from Wine Enthusiast for their 2009 version. Their latest Cabernet release was an excellent effort that can cellar for another decade. Here are some of the wines that I sampled at the Seven Hills tasting room.

2012 Seven Hills Riesling-Nose has pear, cantaloupe, cut grass and has nice brightness. Palate has lemon lime, baked apple, gooseberry and slate. Rich and layered for the price. -91

2013 Seven Hills Pinot Gris- Made from Oregon Fruit. Cantaloupe and pear on the nose. Palate has cantaloupe, lemon zest, pear and vanilla on the finish. Excellent. -90.

2014 Seven Hills Rose- This is 84% Cab Franc with the rest Petite Verdot and Malbec . Strawberry, baked apple and raspberry on the nose. Palate has pear, strawberry and guava. Lithe and delicious. -91

2013 Seven Hills Malbec- This is from the McClellan Estate which is next to the Seven Hills Vineyard. Bright nose with blueberry and blackberry with oak. Palate has blueberry, blackberry, and red currant flavors. Nice richness. Drink 2016 on. -91

2012 Seven Hills ‘Seven Hills Vineyard’ Merlot- Nose has red cherry, anise and oak. Palate has red cherry, spice box and blackberry. Nice balance and weight. Drink 2016 on. -90

2012 Seven Hills Ciel du Cheval Vineyard ‘Red Mountain’- Nose has anise, blackberry and cassis. Palate has red currant, blackberry and anise. Balanced but drink after 2016. -92

2012 Seven Hills Cabernet- Nose has cherry cough syrup, anise and blackberry. Palate has blackberry, black cherry and anise with mocha. Delicious and rich. Drink 2016 on. -92

2013 Seven Hills Late Harvest Riesling- Made from 9.5% residual sugar and 10% alcohol. Nose has apricot and pear. Palate has lemon lime, grapefruit, tangerine and is medium sweet. Great acidity and balance. -92

Maison Bleue

Maison Bleue

One of the rising stars in the Washington wine scene is Maison Bleue. A visit to their stylish Walla Walla tasting room is a must, especially for those who are a fan of Rhône varietals. They produce some excellent Grenache and Syrah, using very little French oak. Head winemaker Jon Meuret, was trained as a dentist and then became a full time winemaker, focusing on making high quality Rhone varietals. The results are superb, as the wines showcase both terroir and fruit. These are wines that are great out of the bottle and won’t require any cellaring. Their value priced wine called ‘Jaja’ impresses for the price and can be found at some Northwest Costcos for around 20 bucks. Find the rest of the wines at specialty Northwest wine shops or online at https://www.mbwinery.com/. Here are some of the great wines that I recently sampled at the Maison Bleue tasting room in Walla Walla. ‪#‎maisonbleue‬

2012 Maison Bleue Metis Blanc-This is a blend of 60% Marsanne, 25% Grenache Blanc and 5% Rousanne. Nose has honeydew, starfruit and and pear. Palate is dry and has pear, red delicious apple, and green papaya. Balanced. -91

2014 Maison Bleue Lisette-This is a Grenache rose with small amounts of Mouvedre, Cinsault and Viognier. Bright nose with strawberry, guava and baked apple. Palate has strawberry, red delicious and guava. Just delicious for the style. Nice finish. -91

2012 Maison Bleue Metis-70% Syrah, 25% Grenache and 5% Mouvedre. Smoked meats, black cherry and black olive on the nose. Palate has smoked meats, red cherry and pomegranate. Layered and balanced. Drink now. -91

2012 Maison Bleue Bourgeois-Blend of 90% Grenache and 10% Syrah. Provencale herbs, smoked meats, red cherry anise and oak on the nose. Palate has black cherry, anise, cassis and nice acid structure. Very classy. Drink 2015 on. -92

2012 Maison Bleue Voyageur Syrah- 100% Syrah. Nose has smoked meats, tar and black cherry. Palate has nice depth. Black cherry, anise, smoked meats in this plush wine. Layered. Drink 2015 on. -93

2012 Maison Bleue Jaja- This is a Rhone style GSM blend. Nose slightly subdued with red cherry, and dried herbs. Palate is open and balanced. Raspberry, red cherry and pomegranate with nice mouthfeel. Drink 2015 on. -91

Cote Bonneville Winery and Interview with co-owner, Kathy Shiels

Cote Bonneville Winery and Interview with co-owner, Kathy Shiels

Cote Bonneville is a premier Washington producer of red and white wines, located in Sunnyside. The winery owners, Kathy and Hugh Shiels, set up their tasting room in the old town train station. This historic building is the perfect place to sample some of their critically acclaimed red and white wines. The Shiels daughter, Kerry Shiels, is their superstar winemaker. While Bonneville has made a name for themselves through their excellent red wines, their whites impress as well. In fact, their 2012 Chardonnay is one of the best Washington Chardonnays that I've tried in the past year. I was able to interview co-owner, Kathy Shiels, who has many years of experience in the Washington wine industry and vineyard management at the famed DuBrul vineyard, the source of fruit for Cote Bonneville wines. Here is my interview with Kathy Shiels, followed by a review of the excellent Cote Bonneville wines.

WWB:
Can you talk about some of the other excellent Washington wines that you enjoy?

Shiels:
I prefer balanced and more elegant wine such as Chaleur Estate (a DeLille Cellars wine). At the time we founded our winery, they were the only winery who focused primarily on Bordeaux Blends. Most wineries at that time focused on varietals. DeLille was a role model for us. I also enjoy Owen Roe wines and are happy they have chosen to locate in the Yakima Valley. This speaks volumes on the quality of Yakima Valley fruit. Co Dinn will be releasing the first wines from Co Dinn Cellars this summer. He is making a beautiful Chardonnay and vineyard designated wines from vineyards he has identified as being premier sites.

WWB:
What do you think about the differences between 2011 and 2012 vintages in Washington?

Shiels:
2011 was a challenging year. It was a cool year similar to 2004. 2004 was a bit warmer at the tail end of the growing season. We have an advantage that we have a spectacular site and were able to make the appropriate adjustments throughout the growing season to ensure full maturation. In 2004 our Côte Bonneville DuBrul Vineyard was chosen Wine of the Year by SEATTLE Magazine. 2011 will be very similar. Cool years in WA approximate Bordeaux, warm years California. There will be more savory notes in the wines vs the fruit forward wines of warmer years.
2012 was a beautifully balanced year. The heat seemed to come at all the right times. This vintage stands out as an exceptional vintage for Washington.

WWB:
You make an exceptional Chardonnay. Can you talk about the wine and how you make such high quality Chardonnay?
Shiels: We introduced Chardonnay to our lineup of wines in 2004. It was ABC (anything but chardonnay) at that time. I have always loved Burgundian style chardonnays. If you are in this business long enough you see varietals come in and out of favor. Now there is a resurgence of Chardonnay and that is good. Our chardonnay is made in the classic Burgundian style, made in the barrel, sur lees, complete ML and bottled unfined and unfiltered.

WWB:
I am particularly impressed with 2008 and 2009 bottlings of Carriage House, considering the price point. Can you talk about the Carriage House wines and what flavor profiles you are going for?

Shiels:
We let our wines express the site. We have two distinct growing areas within DuBrul. The Carriage House block is alluvial. Rocks and siltation have been carried through flooding from the hills over time. Our hillside is part of the Ellensburg formation. Comprised of fingerings of basalt, floods and volcanic eruptions. Washington State has own-rooted vines. Chile is the only other place in the world where you have that on a large scale. Own rooted vines express their site without the influence of grafted rootstock. The sense of place is the Holy Grail of wine.
Carriage House wines are characterized by bright cherry, red current and cassis. Our tannins are soft and approachable. The wines are balanced, complex and food friendly.
The hillside vines make up the Côte Bonneville DuBrul bottling, our flagship wine. They are often described as classic DuBrul cherry, more indicative of that ripe bing bursting in your mouth cherry. The berries are small, the clusters are small and the yields are low, resulting in bigger, well-structured and complex wines. Approachable while young yet continuing to mature and develop with age.
We source our wines from the same rows in the vineyard each year. It’s interesting to follow the vintages through a vertical of Côte Bonneville wine. You can tell they belong to the same family but reflex the nuances of the vintage.

WWB:
Can you talk a bit about the 2008 and 2009 vintages in Washington? I know they were both excellent vintages but did you see any major differences in the vintages and the structure of the wines?

Shiels:
There are always subtle differences in vintages. I can remember in 2002 thinking that if it never got any better than this it would be ok. 2003 came around and it was even better. In 2004 we were chosen as Wine of the Year and Vineyard of the Year, for the second time, by SEATTLE magazine. 2005 Wine Spectator picked us as one of the 10 Rising Stars of American Wine. 2006 and 2007 were classic Washington vintages. 2006 was the first year that we made a Cabernet Sauvignon from a very tiny area of the vineyard that differentiated itself. 2008 was similar to 2003 and 2005. 2009 comparable to 2002. ’10 and ’11 more like ’04. Kerry (head winemaker) has a Master’s in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis. She has experience in California, Australia, and Argentina. Her philosophy is to celebrate the vintage, and make classic wines that let the vineyard speak for itself.

Here is my review of the fantastic new releases from Cote Bonneville.

Cote Bonneville's superstar winemaker, Kerry Shiels.

2014 Cote Bonneville Riesling- Nose has peach, honeysuckle, and orange blossom. Palate has lemon lime, honey, red delicious and pear. Impressive effort. Excellent minerality. -91

2014 Cote Bonneville Rose – This is a Cab Franc rose with pear, apple, strawberry and watermelon on the nose. Palate has pear, red delicious, guava, strawberry and has a long finish. -90

2012 Cote Bonneville Chardonnay- Mushroom, golden delicious, pear and oak on the nose. Palate has rich mouthfeel with pear, mushroom, golden delicious and a long cream finish. Balanced and rich. -93

2009 Cote Bonneville ‘Carriage House’-Nose has rich boysenberry preserves, strawberry and red cherry. Palate has red cherry, blackberry, anise, Christmas spice and is open and polished. Nice weight and balance. Drink 2015 on. -93

2008 Cote Bonneville ‘Cote Bonneville’- Compelling nose has black fruits like anise and blackberry on the nose. Palate has anise, blackberry, red currant and graphite. This is a long ager. Drink after 2017. -94

2012 Cote Bonneville Syrah- Black cherry, anise, black pepper and smoked meats on the nose. Palate has smoked meats, orange peel, blackberry and is chewy. Drink after 2016. -92

Amavi Cellars

Amavi Cellars

If you are in Walla Walla, a visit to Amavi’s beautiful winery overlooking the valley is a must. Amavi has been crafting wines that are open, expressive and perform well in even challenging vintages. Take their 2011 Cabernet, one of my Top 20 Wines of 2014. Considering the coldness of the vintage, it was impressive how they were able to create the fruit profile, the ripeness and the balance. Winemaker Jean-Francois Pellet has the experience to craft some impressive wines. Amavi’s new releases are forward, approachable and ready to drink, as they continued their impressive run of form in their 2012 releases. Amavi’s price point is one of the best for Walla Walla wineries, as most of their wines hover around 30 bucks. Look for Amavi wines online, or at Total Wines or good Northwest wine shops.
Here are some great new releases from Amavi that I recently tried at their Walla Walla winery.

2012 Amavi Syrah- Rich nose with mocha, blackberry, and cigar box. Palate has boysenberry, smoked meats, black cherry and black olive. Rich and layered. Drink 2015 on- 92

2012 Amavi Cabernet- This is a blend of 7 varietals. Nose has blackberry, anise and smoke. Palate is lithe with blackberry, anise and creme de cassis. Delicious now. Drink 2015 on. -91

2011 Amavi Les Collines Vineyard Syrah- Nose has smoked meats, black cherry and black olive. Palate has red cherry, anise, raspberry and provencale herbs. Complex and delicious. Drink 2015 on. -91

2013 Amavi Late Harvest Semillon- Beeswax, pear, and honey on the nose. Palate has vanilla cream, pear and golden delicious. Nice depth. -92

Stag Hollow Winery and Interview with Winemaker/Owner, Mark Huff

Stag Hollow Winery and Interview with Winemaker/Owner, Mark Huff

Stag Hollow is a boutique Oregon winery that produces world class Pinot Noir. Their wine is difficult to find in Washington but can be purchased online through their website. The winery is literally located in the middle of nowhere, as you follow a long gravel driveway to their spot on the hill. Steep slopes of vines line the winery. They have a by appointment tasting room, graciously hosted by the winery owners, Jill Zamowitz and Mark Huff, who started the winery more than 20 years ago. Here is my interview with Mark Huff, owner and winemaker of Stag Hollow Winery, followed by my review of his wines.

WWB: How did you decide to start the winery?-

Huff: Well, I started out as a home brewer and it didn’t take long to realize that brewing doesn’t provide as much challenges as wine does. Mother Nature gives you a lot of opportunity to deal with complexities because the grapes can substantially change from year to year. Beer making is all about recipes that are made over and over again.  And as a scientist the idea of winemaking where Mother Nature is always generating new challenges each year appealed to me. And the complexities have been really challenging. I started with bringing in grapes from California in the mid-80s. Back then there was a company called Wine and the People based in Berkeley;  during that era they had access to high quality grapes. Now it would be very difficult for a home wine maker to source high quality California grapes like Zinfandel and Cabernet.

I did that for two years and decided that there were bigger challenges ahead, and that was Pinot Noir. Beginning in 1986 I started purchasing grapes from the Whale family, which provided the opportunity to make wine from one of the oldest Pinot Noir clonal trials that was planted by Oregon State University in the early  70s--before Dijon Clones became available. I made many clonal wines from the Wahle Vineyard from 1986 through 1993 vintages, and that is before Dijon Clones became available. In 1989 my spouse and partner, Jill Zarnowitz, and I  purchased the property next to Wahle Vineyard, began planting the first block in 1990, and released our first commercial wine from the 1994 vintage.

WWB: Can you talk a bit about your style of vineyard management?-

Huff: That is where my passion comes from crafting wines in the vineyard. Once the grapes move into the winemaking process the list gets shorter of what you can do with the wine. The goal is to bring in the best and most flavorful grapes that you I can and then stand back and do minimalist winemaking.  There are key decisions that I you need to make in the winemaking, but I don’t fuss with it a lot. I am at the other end of the scale -- some winemakers are much more hands on during the winemaking process than I am. We were among the first to plant a high vine density vineyard, about the same time as Domaine Drouhin Oregon. We planted and decided that the goal here is to modestly stress the vines by creating root-to-root competition for resources among vines. There are flavor benefits that grapes provide by stressing the vines. Right at the get-go we planted our vineyard to three thousand plants per acre. The standard back then was far less, and we were tripling what most people had been doing. Then the next challenge became managing and a couple of things that I needed to look trellising the grapes. The model for this was Burgundy who had been planted at high density for hundreds of years. What did not attract me was the way that they managed their vines. 

They used over the row tractors and that is not the option for the Oregon’s typical hillside plantings. In Burgundy, they trellis the grapes are fairly low to the ground.  I didn’t want to be harvesting hunched over the vines and that means that it would be very expensive to harvest.  Instead and I designed a new trellis system that would work for high density that we raised. I brought the fruiting wire up to about three and a half feet and rather than growing the grapes upright like in a normal vertical trellis, instead we force the shoots downward. There is some compelling literature out there that this can be beneficial in providing moderate vine stress. However, the approach is expensive because each vine shoot has to be tucked behind a wire, pointed downward instead of its natural desire to grow up. One or two canes are brought above the hedge canopy to and nurture for the following year. Like fruit trees and cane berries, production comes from second-year wood. The next year’s fruiting canes are grown above the hedge-canopy open fin above the sunshine and that provides buds with extra sun have exposure, increasing the bud fruitfulness. There’s a lot of literature to support the benefits of sun exposure on buds. Now during a really warm year this fruit exposure to sun during heat spells near or over 100 degrees can be problematic: the grape skins can get sunburn just like people do.  With the right amount of sun exposure on the grapes skins, the skins provide develop complex flavor compounds that are expressed during the next process, fermentation. In addition, to moderately stress the vines we maintain a cover crop and that also to increase is competition with the vines for the water and nutrient resources.  In a really hot year, I will do light tilling of the cover crop, but if the summer doesn’t look too stressful then the cover crop is left to compete with the vines. We also use a low vigor root stock since most grapes are on root stock and the reason that grape growers use that is there is a pest in the soil that can kill the vines and that actually can have an influence on the vigor of the vines.

WWB: I am particularly impressed with your reserve wines as the 2009 Reserve stands out a bit to me. Can you talk about that wine and the vintage?-

Huff: The 2009 vintage was a warm one. We had at the time record- breaking number of days over 90 degrees and anytime that Pinot Noir finds itself in a warm vintage it becomes a little problematic to figure out when to harvest.  The reason for that is the sugars can be in advance and moving quicker than the development of the flavor compounds.  As a result, there are some tough decisions that need to be made in hot-weather vintages.  It is important to and taste the grapes every day to determine when sugar compounds and flavor compounds are optimally balanced for harvest. In a warm year, optimal flavors in grapes can occur and dissipate quickly.  If missed, then the alcohol can be more prevalent on the palate. ’09 was a tough vintage to find that sweet spot and I think we hit it pretty good in terms of balancing out the flavors and the alcohol balance. The trick as a grower and winemaker was to make the right decision in the flavors in the finished wine and I was very fortunate that we hit it really nicely that year. Stylistically, with Pinot Noir drinkers there are those who love the fuller flavors and there are some who gravitate more towards the lighter styles.  In most vintages, except the most temperature-cool ones, which Stag Hollow wines tend to be stylistically full-flavored, with plenty of complex layering of flavors. At the start of a vintage, we can’t predict the flavors of the finished wine, especially after aging 6 or more years.  Flavors are contributed from barrels, yeast fermentation, and from the grapes juice and skins, and many more chemical reactions.  The goal for a style in a warm year is conceptual in terms of making sure that the wine doesn’t go over the top with too much extraction. We keep the fermentation temperatures cool, less than 82 degrees

WWB: Can you talk about the 2011 vintage and how the wine turned out?-

Huff: 2011 was the coolest vintage weather-wise in last 20 or more years.  We were fortunate in 2011 going into October. Oregon grape and wine producers were at high a great deal of risk of not having sufficiently ripe grapes to have a valid vintage: one that was flavorful and made good wine. Mother Nature cooperated at the end by giving a good window of drier weather rather than the Northwest monsoon season starting early. Through that we were able to harvest the grapes the last few days of October and into November; the results were impressive, given the situation. A remarkable, eye opening vintage for me, that the harvest brix levels that were around 21.8-22.2  and that the final wine flavors could still be very expressive. In 2011, we achieved vintage mature flavors were in the grapes but at a lower than normal sugar component. Jill and I are fond of 11s and we have received some good press.

WWB: Can you talk about the 2012 vintage and how the wine turned out?-

Huff: 2012s are the most concentrated wines that I have made in the past 20 years. They are intense wines. From my perspective, the reason why the wines have showed such intensity is goes back to our discussion on vineyard. Stress. What Mother Nature did in 2012, more so than any other vintage, is that she gave us an extended drought conditions of over 100 straight days of no rain straight into harvest. At harvest the grapes were dehydrated and concentrated by less water content in the grapes than normal. Thus the flavors got were magnified and that came expressed as intense flavor. We didn’t have any loss of fruit off character that might happen in with a sort of droughty situation, rather instead it got concentrated.

WWB: I think that 2008 was one of the classic vintages for Oregon Pinot Noir. Can you talk about your 2008 Reserve? –

Huff: 2008 was a vintage that happens about once or twice every decade in which growing conditions are truly optimal for extracting the inherent beauty of Pinot Noir. To best express a balanced wine, Pinot Noir prefers a mild summer -- not too hot and not too cold.  2008 was one of those vintages that allowed the vines to show fruit with nice richness and nothing over the top, well rounded. For our site, we probably harvested a little bit later than others. I thought that the flavor profiles weren’t developing as quickly as I wanted; by waiting, we got rich wine out of the 2008 vintage. What made the vintage really interesting is that I expected the 2008 Pinot Noirs to be more open in its youth than they were. There were many winemakers that felt that the 8s [2008s] went into a long stage of being tight and then they came back out again.  For Stag Hollow, the ’08 Reserve only recently has started to reblossom. We had been tracking potential development by tasting how well the wine holds after being open several days--approximating the aging process through oxidation.  Even though the wine had been in a closed down phase, we could taste the potential after being open for several days.  Given that, this wine could be one of the longest lived that we have ever made. Owen, when you recently tasted the 2008 Reserve, it was in a stage of starting to reemerge, as a late bloomer. I don’t think I have ever had a vintage that tasted so good in its early youth and then went through a prolonged dumb stage like the 2008s. I shouldn’t be surprised by such behavior; this is Pinot Noir. The 7s [2007s] were different than the 2008s. 8s went into a dumb stage whereas the 7s were closed in from the very beginning and it has taken years for them to come around.  I am convinced that the media missed out on the 2007s. I agree that they weren’t enjoyable in their youth. We are in an impatient society, however, where wines have to be peaking almost upon release. Unfortunately the media doesn’t look back or wait before jumping to conclusions.  I am fortunate that I am small enough that if a vintage isn’t ready then I will hold it for a while. Unlike many of the Oregon Pinot Noirs that are emphasizing forward fruit, we are at the other end of the spectrum with Pinot Noirs that express lots of structure--which is trade-off of forward fruit. Our highly-structure style of Pinot Noir requires extra bottling aging, sometimes up to 5 years to unfold their complex flavor profiles.

Stag Hollow Field Blend- this is a non-vintage wine. Blend of their Pinot, Dolcetto, Chardonnay and Eastern Oregon Syrah. Slightly smoky nose with red raspberry, red cherry and oak. Palate has fruity character. Red cherry, strawberry, raspberry, clove and mushroom. Fruity and delicious. -88

 2012 Stag Hollow Dolcetto- Nose has red currant and spicebox. Slightly Herbaceous. Palate has guava, strawberry, red cherry and a long finish. Impressive effort for this novel varietal. Drink now. -90

 2011 Stag Hollow Pinot Noir- Translucent color. Nose has mushroom, raspberry and nice terroir. Palate has raspberry, guava, red cherry and nice minerality. Drink now. -89

 2012 Stag Hollow Pinot Noir - This has mushroom, red cherry and cloves on the nose. Palate has nice smooth mouthfeel. Red cherry, guava, pomegranate and a long finish. Drink now. -91

 2012 Stag Hollow Reserve Pinot Noir- Raspberry, lavender and mushroom on the nose. Palate has guava, pomegranate, raspberry and red cherry. Long finish with nice richness. Delicious. Drink now or cellar for 1-2 more years. -92

 2008 Stag Hollow Reserve Pinot Noir- Black cherry, mushroom and cloves on the nose. Palate has mushroom, cran-cherry, anise and a long finish. Nice weight. Drink now. -93

 2009 Stag Hollow Reserve Pinot Noir- Rich nose of mushroom, forest floor, raspberry and red cherry. Palate has vanilla, red cherry, guava, pomegranate and mushroom in a forward style. Drink now. -93

Dunham Cellars and Interview with Head Winemaker, Dan Wampfler

I was recently able to taste the new Dunham Cellars lineup with head winemaker Dan Wampfler. Dunham Cellars was created in by Erik Dunham 1995 and is one of the older and most prestigious wineries in Walla Walla. Wampfler came onto the Dunham team and has been crafting some incredible wines, as I’ve been impressed with his recent releases that combine richness with great terroir. Dunham wines include Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Trutina (Bordeaux style blend), Three Legged Red (red table wine), Riesling and the "Shirley Mays" Chardonnay. They also have an offshoot project called Pursued by Bear and Baby Bear, that are impressive releases. Dunham wines have been heralded by two of the most prominent wine publications, Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast. In fact, Dunham wines have received scores of 96 and 97 by Wine Enthusiast, which is exceptionally rare. Some of their older wines have shown incredibly well, including their 2007 Lewis Vineyard Merlot and the 2007 Syrah. Here is my recent interview with Dan Wampfler, followed by my reviews of recent releases from Dunham. ‪#‎dunhamcellars‬

WWB: Can you talk about your new value wine release, the 2013 Dunham Three Legged Red?-

Wampfler: This is Cab, Merlot, Syrah and is Cab dominant. It has 10 months in experienced oak and there is some Cabernet Franc, Sangio [Sangiovese] on any given year and we are trying to create this Wednesday afternoon soft burger and pizza wine. This is our entry level and attractive so that you can just pour a glass.

WWB: What do you think the differences between the 2013 vintage vs. the 2012 vintage?-

Wampfler: '10 [2010] and '11 [2011] were super cold and 12s [2012s] started to warm up, '13 [2013] warmed up and 14 [2014] even warmer. '12 became a transition year going from cold to warm year and the fruit was actually ripe and easy to work with. We didn’t have significant challenges in the vineyard or the cellar. I think the [2012] wines were a lot easier than '10 or '11. '12 was a reset year and a lot longer on the vines and extract the skins a colors and back to the warmer year and the 1'3 was comfortable back with a hot vintage again.

WWB: Many people have called the 2012 vintage a signature vintage for Washington. Would you agree with that contention?-

Wampfler: I think that is too quick to tell and the 2012 Three Legged Red was killer and now we are on the ‘12 for Truitina and I think the benchmark is the Cab. So we will have to see how that Cab turns out.

WWB: Can you talk about the last few vintages of the Truitina? –

Wampfler: So '10 [2010] and '11 [2011] took their sweet time and turned the corner. I think '10 is getting together now and '11 is a year out and '12 is already there and ready to drink.

WWB: I was impressed with your 2011 Cabernet, considering the vintage. Can you talk about the winemaking for the 2011 Cabernet? –

Wampfler: By far this is my favorite vintage [for Cabernet] and it is a differentiation from the '11 and '12 Truitina and this is going to get better with age but is rocking the show right now. I am so pleased where this is at. Of all the wines that we made this was the hardest and maybe we spent the most amount of energy getting this wine where it is but I am so pleased where it is. I was just trying to get it in the door and get it ripe. Style was out the window because it was literally, we had not a single grape come into the door above 23 brix. That is lower than any red and the other challenge in 2011 is we fermented and brought in all our fruit in 17 days and didn’t start harvest until October 6. '14 [2014] we started a month earlier and the challenges was getting the fruit in the door and where to ferment it and by leaving the wines on the skins we were extracting more flavor and we had to do that in '11 but we were so limited in tank space that everything came in in that window. But the Cab comes in last and you don’t have to rush it to barrel. All of the Cab had all of the time in the tank that it needed. I was waiting and waiting for ripeness and as soon as things were approaching ripeness it started raining and getting cold and that was a problem. We had less than three weeks [for harvest].

WWB: Regarding the winemaking in the 2007 Lewis Merlot-

The Lewis Merlot is serious juice

Wampfler: It has this amazing too pure and too fake cherry and strawberry profile and then there is not herbal or minty but sagebrush. Like when you drive through Yakima and if the sagebrush is blooming it is a combination of eucalyptus and minty and it just slightly mingles and layers in the wine that I absolutely love.

2013 Dunham Lewis Vineyard Riesling-1.8 residual. Lemongrass, cut grass, oak, mushroom. Winemaker noted they he's trying to make this as Germanic as possible. He likes the 2013 better. Slate and lemon lime on the palate. Minerality is very nice. Very clean and refreshing. -90

2013 Dunham Shirley Mays Chardonnay- Buttered toast and oak with slight melon undertones. Palate has oak, golden delicious, pear with nice cream finish. Drink now. -91

2013 Dunham Three legged Red- Anise, red cherry, and cherry tomato on the nose. Palate has blackberry, red cherry, and cherry tomato. Open and round, drink 2015 on. -89

2011 Dunham Syrah- 100 percent Syrah. 20-22 months in new and old oak. Classic Dunham Syrah nose. Red currant, smoked meats, black pepper and oak. Palate has blackberry, anise, in this Northern Rhone style that is balanced and smooth. Impressive considering the vintage. Drink after 2015. -92

2007 Dunham Syrah- smoked meats and creme de cassis on the nose. Palate has anise, smoked meats, and red cherry. Delicious. Drinking good as of 2015. -93

2007 Dunham Lewis Merlot-Nose is compelling. Prune, red cherry, rose petals, and toast with a vegetal quality on the nose. Palate has great viscosity. This is seriously impressive, up there with the best Washington Merlots. Red cherry, nutmeg, anise, blueberry, tomato leaf and spice cake. Serious wine. Drink after 2014. -94

Interview with Andy Hata, Beverage Director at Urban Farmer in Portland

Urban Farmer is a fantastic farm to table steakhouse, located on the 8th floor of The Nines hotel in downtown Portland. I recently had the chance to visit the restaurant and sat down with the beverage director, Andy Hata, who has composed an exquisite wine list. Andy has been working in the food and beverage industry for many years but has created a Northwest heavy wine list that offers some good values, despite being the feature restaurant in a five star hotel. Here is my interview with Andy Hata: ‪#‎urbanfarmer‬

WWB: Can you talk about your background in wine?

Hata: I began studying wines when I attended Syracuse University where I was the TA in a Wine Appreciation Course which was offered in my department. During a study-abroad program to Europe, I traveled through the wine regions of France and Italy and gained an appreciation for learning about wines at their source rather than in classrooms. I then decided to continue my travels abroad and spent the first several years after finishing my degree working in the vineyards of New Zealand and Australia. I then found myself training to be a sommelier in a restaurant called Vue de Monde in Melbourne, Australia. My continued love for traveling eventually took me through the Pacific NW and to my current position at Urban Farmer in Portland, OR.

WWB: I was noticing that a lot of the wines on the list are Washington, as your Northwest section is very strong. Can you talk about some of your favorite Washington producers (red and white wine) and why they are your favorites? I also noticed the strong showing of Oregon Pinots, obviously being an Oregon restaurant you want to highlight some of the best wines. Can you talk about some of your favorite producers of Oregon Pinot Noir and why they are your favorites?

Hata: As a restaurant in Portland, we very much consider it our responsibility to be ambassadors of the great wine producers of Oregon and our neighbours in Washington as well. This is why we try to have a strong representation of these wines throughout our list. A few favourites:

Eroica Riesling – Such a consistently great wine vintage after vintage. I also think that it speaks miles when a legendary winemaker from Europe sees the potential in WA and wants to make wine with the locals.

Domaine Drouhin ‘Arthur’ Chardonnay – I like the Arthur because rather than making “Burgundy in Oregon”, the Drouhin family respect the land and I feel that they set out to make great Oregon wine and I continually find myself going back to this wine.

J Christopher ‘Lumiere’ Pinot Noir – I always have the highest respect for those who dare to venture down the path of biodynamic production. The resulting great wines aside, I think the positive impact it has to for the land is priceless. Jay Somers’ wines are a bold expression of the Eola-Amity with a firm structure on the palate and lots of dark fruit and chocolate notes. It also has the touch of “funkiness” that you get in biodynamic wines too, which I love.

Longshadows Sequel Syrah – Maybe it’s because of my time in Australia and my fondness of wines by John Duval, but from the first time I discovered this wine it has been one of my favourites. Big, bold, peppery Syrah without being over the top. Give it a decent amount of air before starting a bottle and it’s perfect with our Painted Hills Ribeye.

WWB: Also what do you think about vintage variation in Oregon, for instance the 2011 vintage vs. the 2012 vintage?

Hata: Overall, I think we have been very fortunate to consistently see quality wines produced in Oregon year over year. The great winemakers in the region have really found a way to juggle through even the most difficult of seasons to still come out with great wines in the end. The wines definitely differ vintage to vintage, but I think the industry as a whole is too quick to judge wines in their youth. I was recently involved in a 20-vintage vertical tasting of Cameron and it was very apparent that the wines didn’t really start expressing uniquely until they were about 8 years old. As for the Oregon 2011 vs. 2012 discussion, I think only time will tell how good these wines really are. As it stands right now I think the 2012’s are drinking a bit better where as the 2011’s could use a bit more time to become interesting.

WWB: Many of the wines featured on your list are newer. Have you considered buying some older bottles of northwest wine that might be a good fit?

Hata: We are actually in the process of developing a cellaring program. We are working with some of our favourite producers to see if they have any great back-vintages available, but also buying larger quantities of current vintages to set aside for a later release on our list.

WWB: Can you also talk about your favorite pairings for steak or types of steak (fillet, ribeye,etc.)?

Hata: I like Pinot with my leaner steaks and Cabs/Syrahs with the fattier cuts. Currently I’m drinking Hawks View Pinot Noir with my Filet and Lachini ‘La Bestia’ with my Ribeye.