Wine of the Week: 2012 Willakenzie Estate Pinot Gris

Wine of the Week: 2012 Willakenzie Estate Pinot Gris

Willakenzie Estates has been making world class Pinot Noir for many years but they surprise people with the quality of their Pinot Gris. This wine is so consistent that it achieved 90 point scores from Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate and Wine Enthusiast magazines. I'd say they're all dead on with their ratings.
For those of you who want a fresh, lithe, fruity and light summer white wine, this is a great option. This wine is easy to find and should be available at some grocery stores such as QFC, as well as most Pacific Northwest wine shops. Hard to find a better Pinot Gris in this price range.

2012 Willakenzie Estate Pinot Gris- Bright nose with lemon and grapefruit. Palate has mango, papaya, cantaloupe and lemon merringue pie. Delicious, drink now. -90

Wine of the Week: 2012 Chateau St. Michelle 'Indian Wells' Chardonnay

Wine of the Week: 2012 Chateau St. Michelle 'Indian Wells' Chardonnay

Chateau St. Michelle has been producing excellent value-based Chardonnays for many years. I've had probably the past five vintages of this wine and it never disappoints. This is one wine where there tends to be very little vintage variation year to year. Each year you get the same nice tropical fruit flavors with light cream and oak. You can find this great value at Costco or pretty much any local grocery store, including QFC, Fred Meyer, etc. Pretty hard to find a Chardonnay this good for around 12 bucks. ‪#‎chateaustmichelle‬

2012 Chateau St. Michelle 'Indian Wells' Chardonnay- Toasted oak and valilla with pear on the nose. Palate has pear, golden delicious apple, butter and cinnamon toast. Delicious and refreshing. Drink now. -90

Blue Eyed Boy by Mollydooker

Australian wines had a huge push a few years back but less and less are currently imported to the US due to high shipping costs. This has made it more difficult to find world class Shiraz.
Mollydooker is located in McLaren Vale, Australia and is a winery that focuses on Shiraz. They have many tiers to their wine and their top tier of Shiraz, The Velvet Glove, just scored a 98 from Wine Spectator. This wine is bold and complex beyond belief and I had a chance to try it at the Taste of Tulalip last year. Due to the 200 dollar price tag, its available to few.
But there is a more affordable option by Mollydooker. The Blue Eyed Boy by Mollydooker is a world class concentrated and inky Shiraz that has remarkable consistency, despite major vintage variation. The 2011 vintage in South Australia was challenging at best. They even experienced torrential rains at harvest. Despite the challenges of the 2011 growing season, Mollydooker's Blue Eyed Boy received 92 points from Wine Spectator. The Blue Eyed Boy is so exceptional that from 2006-2012 it received Wine Spectator scores of 92, 92, 91, 92 and 92. I have tried the 2007-2011 vintages and have found them to be more in the range of 94 points, depending on the vintage.
The 2009, which I rated 94 points, was an inky and hedonistic effort. It was a delicious fruit bomb but was layered and complex with blackberry, cherry pie and coffee, even chocolate flavors. Bottom line, if you have the chance to purchase The Blue Eyed Boy by Mollydooker, be sure to pick one up and save it for a special occasion. ‪#‎mollydooker‬

Argyle Winery

One of my favorite Oregon wineries is Argyle. I’ve purchased many bottles of their Spirithouse and Nuthouse Pinots over the years and they have become fantastic age-worthy expressions of Willamette Valley Pinot. In fact, some of their 2007 Pinots are drinking great right now.
I had a chance to visit the winery recently and was intrigued by their recent releases following their winemaker, Rolland Soles, leaving the winery and starting his own project. Soles has produced fantastic scores from Robert Parker and Wine Spectator – in fact, since 1998 his Nuthouse Pinot Noir has achieved Wine Spectator scores of 93, 93, 92, 91 93, 93, 92, 93, 92, 90, 92, 91, and 92 which is essentially unprecedented consistency for Willamette Valley wineries.
Some of the best wines produced at Argyle are sparkling wines and Argyle makes a great Rose, as well as their finest sparkling called Extended Tirage, which is essentially the best and highest rated sparkling wine produced in North America. Argyle has many different flights at their tasting room, so I suggest sharing a few of them if you visit their tasting room. Here are some of the great Argyle wines that I have tried recently. ‪#‎argylewinery‬

2007 Argyle Spirithouse Pinot Noir- Translucent color indicative of a relatively poor vintage. This wine has improved considerably since I first bought it a few years back and has the acid structure to age another five years. Nose has rose petals and raspberry. Strawberry, raspberry and guava flavors with mushroom and cedar. Impressive effort for the vintage. -92

2008 Argyle Nuthouse Pinot Noir- Light color with strawberry and oak on the nose. Palate has guava, cranberry and red cherry with mushroom flavors. Earthy and delicious. Drink now or cellar for 1-2 years. -92

2011 Nuthouse Pinot Noir- Translucent color. Red cherry and guava on the nose. Palate has mushroom, red cherry and raspberry. Somewhat diluted but tasty. -90

2012 Nuthouse Pinot Noir- Smoke and guava on the nose. Palate has wonderful texture. Red currant, raspberry and red cherry. Nice viscosity and depth. Needs 2-3 years for the fruit to integrate. -92

2012 Reserve Pinot Noir- Strawberry and smoke on the nose. Palate has orange peel, strawberry, raspberry and cherry pie. Delicious. Hard not to drink now. -92

2011 Nuthouse Pinot Noir- Translucent color. Red cherry and guava on the nose. Palate has mushroom, red cherry and raspberry. Somewhat diluted but tasty. -90

2011 Clubhouse Pinot Noir- Knutsen vineyard. This would have been their Spirithouse but they did not declare a Sprithouse Pinot this year. Earthy and mushroom on the nose. Palate is light but earthy. Mushroom, red raspberry and red cherry. Delicious but diluted. Needs 2-3 plus years for fruit to integrate further.- 90

2010 Brut Rose- pear and almost apricot with strawberry on the nose. Palate has strawberry, guava and pear. Wonderful wine. Drink now. -92

2010 Blanc de Blancs Sparkling- Pear and red apple on the nose. Palate has minerals along brioche, pear and starfruit. Tasty. Drink now. -91

2009 Knudsen Vineyard Sparkling- Perfumed nose with pear and red apple. Ripe and rich nose. Palate has pear, red apple and lingers. Drink now. -93

2010 Brut Sparkling- pear and red delicious on the nose. Palate has nice effervescence. Pear, golden delicious and minerals on the palate. Drink now. -90

2000 Extended Tirage Sparkling- Nose has baked apple and oak with mushroom. Palate has brioche, baked apple and pear, with light vanilla nodes. Tremendous effort, effervescent with strong minerality for its age. This could cellar for 5 more years. -96

2012 Nuthouse Chardonnay- butter and mushroom with barnyard on the nose. Butter on the palate with pear and mushroom along w red apple. Nice depth. -91

2007 Minus Five- This is their Riesling dessert wine. 21% Residual sugar. Pear and golden delicious apple on the nose. Palate has lemon lime, golden delicious, orange creamcicle and ripe pear with vanilla. 300 cases made. Rich and delicious, drink now. -93

Domaine Serene

The serene life is clearly at the top of a large hill in the Willamette Valley. The views at Domaine Serene are breathtaking and the wines are even better. Winemaker Erik Kramer has been making Willamette Valley Pinot since 2004 and makes probably the best Chardonnay in the valley. I was particularly impressed with his Chardonnay from the more challenging 2011 vintage. While some of my colleagues in wine have complained of pretentiousness at the winery, I found their staff to be helpful and highly knowledgeable.
The pedigree at Domaine Serene is impressive as they have achieved many scores above 93 from Wine Spectator. In fact, their 2010 Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir was the #3 Wine of the Year in 2013 from Wine Spectator. These wines are pricey and are somewhat difficult to find (mostly can find at great wine shops, not Costco or grocery stores) but they are special occasion wines that shine year after year.
Here are some of the great wines that I recently tried at Domaine Serene:
‪#‎domaineserene‬

2011 Rose- Rose petals and citrus on the nose. Palate has guava and strawberry. Nice minerality. Tasty and drink now. -90

2011 Etoile Vineyard Chardonnay- Lemon zest and oak on the nose with mushroom. Palate is delicious. Lemon zest and cantaloupe with oak and butter. Lingers. Drink now or cellar for 1-2 years. -93

2012 Evenstad Reserve Chardonnay - Lemon and cantaloupe with cut grass on the nose. Palate has oak with lemon zest, very smooth. 30% new oak with the rest stainless. Drink now. -92

2011 Yamhill Cuvée Pinot Noir- Raspberry, red cherry on this juicy nose. Palate has white pepper, cranberry, red currant and red cherry. 50 percent new oak. Somewhat diluted but tasty. Drink now. -90

2011 Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir- Smoky nose with cinnamon and red currant. Red cherry and raspberry with vanilla and light tannins. Really nice minerality and acidity. Delicious in 3 plus years. -92

Sauvignon Blancs For Summer Nights

I’ve been neglecting a post on crisp summer Whites. After a few months of trying domestic and international Sauvignon Blanc, I finally have some top picks. Summer is here in full force and this is the perfect time of year for crisp white wines. Many of these wines are easy to find at local grocery stores as well as Costco.
Here are my top Sauvignon Blancs for under 20 dollars:
‪#‎chateaustmichelle‬ ‪#‎michaeldavid‬ ‪#‎ferraricarano‬ ‪#‎simi‬ ‪#‎whitehalllane‬ ‪#‎robertmondaviwinery‬ ‪#‎chalkhillestate‬ ‪#‎whitehaven‬ ‪#‎nobilo‬ ‪#‎kimcrawford‬ ‪#‎tablelands‬

2012 Chateau St. Michelle 'Horse Heaven' Vineyard- Pale color with lemon-lime and cantaloupe on the nose. Palate has minerals with green apple, lemon rind, and cantaloupe. Very nice. -89

2012 Michael David Sauvignon Blanc- Ripe grapefruit and some light cinnamon spice with on the nose. Palate has grapefruit, orange zest, pear in this slightly sweet interplay with sour fruits. Refreshing and drink now. -88

2012 Ferrari Carano Fume Blanc- This is one of my favorites, year after year. Lemongrass and grapefruit on the nose. Palate has bright minerals with grapefruit, pear, slate and minerals. Bright and refreshing. Drink now.-90

2012 Simi Winery Sauvignon Blanc- Sonoma county fruit. Very pale color with light nose of lemons, cut grass and pear. Palate has light fruit flavors of pear, red delicious apple and minerals. Simplistic but a good value. Drink now. -87

2012 Whitehall Lane Sauvignon Blanc- Somewhat muted nose with light orange and grapefruit. Palate is bright with good minerality along pear, green papaya and cantaloupe. Drink now. -89

2012 Robert Mondavi Winery Fume Blanc- Pale color with oak, grapefruit and melon notes. Palate has good acidity with pear, gooseberry and grapefruit flavors. Very solid. Drink now.-89

2011 Chalk Hill Estate Sauvignon Blanc- Light oak and grapefruit with cut grass on the nose. Palate is bright with starfruit, green papaya, gooseberry and ruby red grapefruit. I like the smoothness. Drink now. -90

2013 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc- This is one of my perennial favorites out of New Zealand. Ripe grapefruit and cut grass on the nose. Palate has lemon, grapefruit and white peach flavors with minerals. Delicious. Drink now. -91

2012 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc- Lemongrass and grapefruit on the nose. Tangy palate with gooseberry, white peach, pear and lemons rind. Delicious. Drink now. -91

2013 Nobillo Sauvignon Blanc- This has an herbal nose with grapefruit and dried herbs on the palate. Simplistic but very tasty. Great value. Drink now. -87

2011 Tablelands 'Southdown Vineyard' Sauvignon Blanc- This New Zealand wine has lemongrass and grapefruit on the nose. Palate has nice balance but is lacking some richness. Gooseberry, lemon peel and white peach. Solid effort. Drink now. -89

2013 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc- Lots of citrus fruit on the nose. Palate is bright with gooseberry, grapefruit and lemon. Slightly unbalanced but tasty. Drink now. -90

Clarendon Hills

One of my favorite wineries out of Australia is Clarendon Hills. They are a unique winery in that they are dedicated to single-vineyard wines. It is really cool to see the variation in vineyards from year to year.
Clarendon Hills is known for rich and inky Shiraz but they also make great Cabernet and Grenache. I found their 2006 Grenache to be the best expression of Grenache from Australia that I've ever tasted. Unlike many Aussie wineries, the wines at Clarendon Hills are held back, so they have a chance to properly age. Their current release is 2010, whereas most other Aussie wineries are releasing their 2011s or 2012s. Their high end wine, Australis, recently received a perfect 100 points from Robert Parker. Yeah, these guys are that good. These wines also age exceptionally well, as I have had some older vintages of both Shiraz and Grenache that are 10 years old.
Here are some of the fantastic Clarendon Hills wines that I've sampled recently. While they are pricey, they are definitely worth a splurge. Most can be found online.
‪#‎clardendonhills‬ ‪#‎clarendonhillswinery‬

2007 Clarendon Hills 'Bakers Gully' Shiraz- This wine has an inky color and I get anise and black pepper on the nose. Palate has great viscosity and has black tea, black cherry, anise and black pepper. Delicious now. -92

2006 Clarendon Hills 'Brookman' Shiraz- Compelling nose. Blueberry, violet, rose petals and red cherry. Palate is viscous and concentrated. Prune, black cherry, creme de cassis, smoke and tar. Minerality is fascinating for an Aussie Shiraz. Winemaking is exceptional. Drink now. -94

2007 Clarendon Hills 'Brookman' Cabernet- Tar and anise on the nose with some oak. Palate has great depth and richness. Good balance and has blackberry, anise and cassis on the palate with olive and black cherry. Nice terroir. Drink in 1-2 years. -91

2007 Clarendon Hills 'Hickenbothem' Grenache- Perfumed nose with rose petals and pomegranate on the nose. Palate has great minerality and freshness. Raspberry, pomegranate, red cherry and lavender. Delicious and needs an hour of decanting to achieve it's potential. Drink now or cellar for 1-2 years. -93

Willakenzie Estate

One of the most famous houses in Willamette Valley is Willakenzie Estates. This winery is unique in that it produces Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris with small amounts of Pinot Meunier, Gamay Noir and Chardonnay. The tasting room has received a facelift in the past few years and the views from the expansive tasting room are some of the best in the valley.
I was pleasantly surprised with the 2011 Pinots as they were pretty much on-par with the 2012 Pinots, despite being a more challenging vintage. Willakenzie has produced quality and consistent wines for many years. I've enjoyed older vintages of their wines, including the 2006 Terres Basses and the 2003 Pierre Leon. Their wines are made for long-term aging. Their whites are very consistent as well. I find their 2012 Pinot Gris is one of the best values in Willamette Valley.
Here are some of the impressive wines that I recently tried from Willakenzie Estates
‪#‎willakenzieestates‬

Willakenzie Estates

2012 Pinot Gris- This wine has a bright nose with lemon and grapefruit. Palate has mango, papaya, cantaloupe and lemon meringue pie. Delicious. -90

2011 Clos Marco Chardonnay- estate grown. stainless fermented. Cantaloupe and pear on the nose with vanilla. Palate has pear, red apple and minerals. Very nice, lighter style. -89

2010 Clos Marco Chardonnay- pear and grapefruit on the nose. More depth and richness than the 2011. Pear and starfruit with red apple and mushroom. Fruit has integrated better than the 2011. Nice minerality. -90

2011 Blanc de Pinots- This is 95% Pinot Noir and Gamay as well as Pinot Menuier. Cantaloupe, pear and starfruit on the nose. Palate has grapefruit, orange peel, starfruit and pear. Highly acidic and a bit lean, but novel. -89

2012 Pinot Menueir- Smoky nose that has oak with blackberry and raspberry. Palate has nice mouthfeel. Red cherry, red currant, smoked meats and vanilla. Tasty. -90

2012 Giselle Pinot Noir- This is their estate cuvée. Oak and red cherry with guava on the nose. Palate has nice balance. Medium weight. Pomegranate, guava, cherry pie and smoky oak. Very tasty now so drink now. -91

2011 Aliette Pinot Noir- This wine is from the oldest vines, planted in 1992. Very translucent color. Pommard clone. Smoky nose with red currant and white pepper. Palate is light bodied and bursting with acidity. Raspberry, guava and red cherry with white pepper. Tasty and refreshing. Would like more richness, vintage made this slightly diluted. -90

2011 Pierre Leon Pinot Noir- Nutmeg and white pepper with red currant on the nose. Palate has guava, pomegranate and red cherry. Slightly diluted, from a difficult vintage. Nice minerality. -91

2011 Terres Basses- Rich nose with cinnamon, white pepper, and anise. Palate has nice cherry pie, pomegranate, and guava on this fruity wine. Very solid, nice balance- 91

Beaux Freres

Consistently one of the Willamette Valley heavyhitters, Beaux Freres has achieved very high Steven Tanzer and Wine Spectator scores that rival the best of the region. Head winemaker Grant Coulter has had a knack for making the best out of the least promising vintages, such as 2007, 2009 and 2011 – vintages considered sub-par compared to 2008, 2010 and 2012. I was particularly impressed by the 2009 wine, that had impressive terroir and aromas.
Tasting at Beaux Freres is a relaxing country experience. The tasting room is simple but you are there for the wine, not the aesthetics of the tasting room. The tasting room staff was somewhat austere, but that is what you expect for an appointment only winery and the wines do speak for themselves. Here are some of the outstanding wines that I sampled at Beaux Freres.
‪#‎beauxfreres‬

2011 Beaux Freres Vineyard Pinot Noir- Incredibly perfumed nose. Guava, red cherry, cinnamon. Palate has cran-cherry, guava, raspberry and mint with light spice. Complex and delicious, on the lighter side. Impressive effort for the vintage. -92

2007 The Beaux Freres Vineyard Pinot Noir- Mustier nose with mushroom and forest floor. Palate has raspberry, mushroom and nutmeg with cherry pie. Lighter style. Delicious. -92

2009 The Beaux Freres Vineyard Pinot Noir- Higher alcohol at 14.2%. Riper vintage. Raspberry, nutmeg, mushroom on the nose. Palate has better viscosity and richness on the palate than the '07. Mushroom, raspberry and cherry pie. Delicious. -93

2012 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir- Comprised of mostly fruit that they purchased. Perfumed nose with red cherry and rose petals. Plush style with raspberry, red cherry and vanilla. Very solid. -91

Emory's On Silver Lake Wine Dinner featuring J Bookwalter

This past week I had the great pleasure in eating some fantastic food paired with J Bookwalter wines. Established in 1983, J Bookwalter has made a name for itself with quality and high-scoring red wines. Only recently they have been producing high quality and well-priced white wines.
I have to say that their space at their tasting room in Woodinville is nothing short of fantastic. They have a huge outdoor patio and serve their wines by the glass and bottle out there. The range of wines that I tasted there was pretty fantastic.
Wine Enthusiast, in particular, has given Bookwalter some fantastic ratings. In fact their 2008 and 2009 Bordeaux blend, Conflict, was awarded 96 points. While I did not see their current lineup in that scoring range, their wines have achieved some pretty formidable accolades, particularly in the past five years. If you haven't had a chance to visit their Woodinville tasting room, a visit is a must.
Pairing J. Bookwalter wines with some great dishes from Emory's on Silver Lake created a pretty special evening. Particularly the thinly cut seared beef tenderloin served with huckleberry BBQ sauce was cooked to perfection and was a perfect match for the 2010 J. Bookwalter Foreshadow Cabernet. It was a mouthwatering combination. But probably the most unique food item was the Salmon Calzone, served with cantaloupe and Reggiano cheese. This creative amalgamation was a hit! I thought that the food was every bit as good as the wines. . . if not better.
Here are some of the wines that I have recently tried at J Bookwalter, including my visit to their Woodinville tasting room a few weeks ago.
‪#‎jbookwalter‬

2012 Subplot Number 28- Some years a nonvintage wine. Plum and red cherry on the nose. Palate is smooth. Simplistic. Red cherry, guava and raspberry. Drink now. -87

2012 Couplet- Their Chard and Viognier blend. 60% Chardonnay and 40% Viognier. Cut grass and cantaloupe on the nose. Palate has good acidity and smoothness. Cream, butter, honeydew, lithe and refreshing. Drink now. -89

2011 Protagonist- 52% Cabernet, 40% Merlot and 8% Syrah. Shut down nose. Smoky oak. Palate has fig and black cherry and Christmas spice. Elegant and medium bodied. Needs 2-3 years for fruit to integrate. Winemaker says if needs 8 plus years- 90

2011 Foreshadow Merlot- Prune and oak on the nose that is shut down right now. Palate has red cherry, fig and prune. Needs 2-3 plus years for fruit to integrate. A bit straightforward, but tasty. -90

2012 Novella Late Harvest Viognier- Honeysuckle and grapefruit on the nose. Palate has white peach, Welches white grape juice and pear but has a slightly sour finish. Medium to light weight. I would like a bit more richness and concentration for this type of wine Drink now. -87

2010 Foreshadow Cabernet- Open wine compared to the '11. Red cherry, blackberry and toasty oak on the nose. Palate has blackberry, black cherry, anise and vanilla. Nice finish. Drink now or cellar for 1-2 years. -92

2011 Foreshadow Cabernet- Smoked meats, cassis and black olive on the nose. Red cherry, black pepper and vegetal nodes. Nice balance and Bordelaise but richness somewhat lacking from the vintage. Needs 2-3 years for the fruit to integrate. -91

2012 Suspense- This is one of their Bordeaux blends. Smoky nose. Blackberry and smoked meats. Palate has nice balance. Black cherry, plum and black olive. Nice viscosity. Needs 2-3 years, if not more.-92

2012 Antogonist- Smoke and vegetal nose. Palate has red cherry
smoke and raspberry. Will need a lot of time in the bottle, maybe 2-3 years and likely will be drinking considerably better then. -90

2011 Conflict- Smoky nose and plum. Great nose considering the vintage. Herbaceous and red bell pepper, black olive and cherry tomato with red cherry. Nice minerality. Drink in 2 years. -92

2011 Protagonist- Smoky nose with red bell pepper. Herbaceous. Tasting a lot of Merlot smoothness. Red cherry, anise and raspberry flavors. Drink in one to two years. Lightly tannic. -91

Dunham Cellars

A few days ago I had the opportunity to taste the latest Dunham Cellars lineup with Dunham General Manager John Blair and head winemaker Dan Wampfle Dunham Cellars was created in 1995 by Erik Dunham and is one of the older and most prestigious wineries in Walla Walla. The winery has evolved in recent years with the change at head winemaker, hiring their winemaker from Columbia Crest.
Dunham wines include Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Trutina (Bordeaux style blend), Three Legged Red (red table wine), Lewis Vineyard Riesling and the "Shirley Mays" Chardonnay. They also have an offshoot winery called Pursued by Bear, that makes some impressive reds. Particularly in in the past few years, 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, as typically only Leonetti, Cayuse and Quilceda Creek typically receive such a rating.
These guys have been on fire since they changed their winemaker, as their Cabernet has received scores of 93, 96 and 92 in the past 3 vintages. Over the years Dunham has been one of my favorites. Some of their older wines have shown incredibly well, including their 2000 Trutina, 2002 Cabernet and 2003 Syrah that I’ve had in the past year.
Here are some of the great Dunham wines that I have tried recently.
‪#‎dunhamcellars‬

2012 Lewis Vineyard Riesling- Nose is more reminiscent of a Spatlase than a Kabinette style. Pear, golden delicious on the nose and mushroom. Richer than the 2013. Slate, lemon lime, green papaya and grapefruit. Drinking good now. -92

2013 Lewis Vineyard Riesling- 1.8% residual sugar. Lemongrass, cut grass, oak, mushroom. Winemaker noted they he's trying to make this wine as Germanic as possible. He likes the 2013 better than the 2012. Slate and lemon lime on the palate. Minerality is very nice. Very clean and refreshing. Drink now. -90

2012 Late Harvest Riesling- Around 12% residual sugar. 130 cases made of this small production wine. Rich, golden color. White peach, golden delicous, Welches white grape juice. Palate has minerals with white peach, pear, creme brûlée, ripe tangerine and apricot. Complex and delicious now but could cellar for 5 plus years. -95

2013 Shirley Mays Chardonnay- Buttered toast and oak with slight melon undertones. Palate has oak, golden delicious, pear with nice cream finish. Drink now. Winemaker mentioned that it has cellaring potential for 10-15 years. -91

2012 Three Legged Red- this wine is blended differently each vintage. This year it is Cabernet dominant with 30% Syrah, and the rest Merlot, Sangio and Petite Verdot and Malbec with Cab Franc. Same fruit but high percentage of Lewis fruit. Spicy nose with black fruits. Palate has black cherry, red currant, anise and tomato leaf. Very solid. No new oak and 100% hand harvested. -89

2011 Truitina- Christmas spice on the nose with prune, oak and a blackberry. Winemaker says 18-20 months in new and is more layered and more brooding. Bordelaise style. Lighter style but has nice balance. Red cherry, anise and spicecake. Needs 2-3 years of aging. -90

2010 Trutina- Blackberry and raspberry with dried herbs on the nose. Palate has nice richness. Fruit structure has evolved considerably since trying 6 months ago. Red currant, black cherry, chocolate and anise with blackberry pie. Smooth and has really come together. Drink now or cellar for 1-2 years. -92

2009 Trutina- Classic Washington ripe fruit on the nose, getting blackberry and raspberry with oak. Palate has good depth and acid structure to cellar for many years. Raspberry, anise, figs, blackberry and oak are dominant. Nice balance. Drink now or cellar for 1-2 years. -92

2011 Syrah- 100% Syrah. 20-22 months in new and old oak. Classic Dunham Syrah nose. Red currant, smoked meats, black pepper and oak. Blackberry, anise, in this Northern Rhone style with the Washington Syrah. Smooth. impressive considering the vintage. Drink now or cellar for 1-2 years. -92

2010 Cabernet- Released in October 2013. When the wine is released he winemaker says that it is ready to drink but can also cellar for 10 plus years. Black fruits predominant on the nose like black cherry, anise and the wine maker noted a texture to the smell. Clearly a very compelling nose. Palate has blackberry, anise, spice cake, vanilla and black tea. Layered and delicious. Great acid structure and needs at least 3 years of cellaring. Drinking slightly better than when I tried it at the Taste of WA. -93

2007 Lewis Vineyard Merlot- Nose is compelling. Prune, red cherry, rose petals, and toast with a vegetal quality. Palate has great viscosity. This is seriously impressive, one of the best Washington Merlots I've had in a while. Red cherry, nutmeg, anise, blueberry, tomato leaf and spice cake. Serious wine, drink now or cellar for 2-3 more years. -94

2005 Lewis Vineyard Syrah- Smoked meats and blackberry with black pepper on the nose. Wonderfully perfumed nose. Smoked meats, blueberry, light tannins on the palate as this wine is still youthful. Anise, blackberry as well, drink now or cellar for 2-3 years. -94

Interview With Dunham Cellars 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. The winery has evolved in recent years with the change at head winemaker. A few days ago I had the chance to sit down with Dan Wampfler, of Dunham Cellars, one of the most highly regarded winemakers in Washington. Dan is a native of Michigan, who achieved undergraduate and Master's degrees in enology from Michigan State University. He then worked for Chateau St. Michelle Wine Estates as a research winemaker, and also worked with whites and premium red wines as Assistant Winemaker at Columbia Crest.
Here is the transcript of my interview with the Dan Wampfler of Dunham Cellars:

Dan Wampfler mentioned that at Columbia Crest he was working as an assistant winemaker he was working on reds and whites. He described his journey into winemaking and noted “I left Michigan State with a graduate in enology and moved in 2001 and took the job at as a researcher. And then I was the research wine maker and we had an amazing thing. We were basically making 20 plus thousand cases from the research perspective and would blend all things to Chateau St. Michelle reds and internally taste them. As all great things tend to fade it did and then I was transferred into a senior production at their red facility.” Dan stated that at Chateau St. Michelle he was working on red wine production. Then he worked for Columbia Crest and worked on barrel fermented white wines, working with Semillon and Chardonnay as well as Luxe (sparkling wine). Dan mentioned “Helped out with the winemaker on those and then assisted on all reds. Did that for a few years and then focused on reds. To come full circle I handed off the barrel focused to my wife and she is now a head winemaker in Walla Walla. I left Columbia Crest as an assistant winemaker and then took the position of Dunham in December 2007.”

Regarding the transition to Dunham Cellars, a boutique winery Dan explained “You go big and the better you go the better you are off. You learn more at the big wineries and you can apply all those principles and can move from making 4 million cases vs 10 thousand and you can’t make the leaps the other way. The difference is not necessarily the winemaking but you have a sales department a marketing department. We have those at Dunham but for the most part it is all of us at staff changing our hats. I think to have your arms around the ownership of more is really what was enticing for me [at Dunham] and at St. Michelle I didn’t do any packaging and time in the vineyards as I am now and now I am in there all of the time and working closely with the vineyard manager and other managers. As well as making all the packaging orders and steer the decision making along with support from the owners. And managing my own team. On the production side. The ownership of all winemaking practices that is enticing.” Dan mentioned of the major perks of his job is the high degree of autonomy that he is afforded and the “hands off” approach by management.

Dan described his time spent at St. Michelle and Columbia Crest as “Winery U. you go there and it is a tidal wave of knowledge and experience that you absorb slowly after a number of vintages. Chardonnay is an example. The difference between 20 barrels at Dunham and 20 thousand barrels. How many years would it take to learn that and at Dunham? And at Columbia Crest we would do stacks of yeast type and one malolactic bacteria strain and one temperature variation and you are just a percentage point times all the different vineyards that you source from. At one vintage you get 20 years of experience at a small facility.”

Dunham has significantly increased the quality of their Chardonnay in the past five years. Dan mentioned that in regards to his Chardonnay he is “Trying to create is White Burgundy and to me that is one of the finest things in the world and I think that what I am trying to create with all our wines is balance and for me chardonnay is typically 60 stainless steel 40 barrel aged for roughly 6 months. That depends on the vintage. And so I am trying to create crisp and clean fruit forward chardonnays that are age-worthy and that become more white burgundy. Intriguing as you age. The barrels that I chose they don’t offer chateau 2x4 and I am looking to add texture. It is 100 percent new oak. Choice of barrel. French barrel.”

With regards to his winemaking style in making red wines Dan mentioned “We [he and Erik Dunham] both approach winemaking that we want to accentuate what the variety and vineyard offer. I think that the context is different. When Erik [Dunham] was making the wine it was much smaller production and he had more freedom to do whatever and it could be pushed through the system. Now we are a larger winery and we are a wine club only wine and I am expressive with and doing fun and exciting thing and I have brought a safety factor to the arena. One way that I joke around is I am the pocket protector and he is the artist and I think that I brought things to do the table like larger fermenters and sterile filtering the wine and cold stabilizing the whites and there is a production element that has a negative err to it but in reality it is still artisan but is more protective and allows the wine to have more longevity.”

Dunham Cellars has recently achieved some very high scores (even scores of 96 points) from both Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast. Regarding the recent Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast ratings Dan explained “I hate the scores and it is one person’s opinion in one point of time in one point in the wines life. Someone’s palate evolves and to have that convergence be one number is not a fair judgment but I understand the scores as well and they are important. Trying to align someone’s wine purchasing habits on a more knowledgeable wine writer but as an artist to have your art subjected to a number. It is like movies. There are tons of movie writers but there are only a few famous wine writers and you have five people, only two in the US, making or breaking a win that you put your heart and soul into that you are a slave to mother nature on. But the scores sometimes do really well with scores and sometime they are scores that you don’t agree on.”

The 2011 vintage in Washington State is regarded by most experts to be the most challenging in decades, due to the low summer heat which developed generally under-developed fruit. Regarding the 2011 vintage Dan noted “2011 was the most challenging vintage that I worked with in Washington State. From 2001 to 2014. Having said that 2010 was challenging and we learned a lot that we immediately applied in the 11 vintage. And I think that we adjusted pretty rapidly a third of the way learning what not to do and what to do and how to react to fruit that was coming in under-ripe by 7, 8, 9 vintages standards. Like leaving fruit on the vine longer to extract more body and creative ways to mask or reduce any vegetative flavors that were less than optimal and immediately began applying them from when we were receiving fruit and what is exciting is that I had a gloom and doom opinion of 10 and 11 and 10 surprised me at every tasting. 11 is doing the same thing. And I think that my perception of quality Washington wine has changed. It is like raising kids and every kid that you have takes time to meet their own maturity. Perfect example is their 2011 Truitina and 2010 Columbia valley cab. Those are my favorites in the two toughest vintages that I made. The marketing is they are more food friendly but in reality they are more elegant. I even adjusted the winemaking so that we don’t bring in the overripe vineyards and try to keep a consistent style and you don’t have the huge peaks and make it worse by a ripe 13 and 14 and 11 was the most ripe. 14 is looking like it is riper than 13. Has the potential. The trick is to have balance in the vineyard and in your opinion of the wines and that

DeLille Cellars

One of my favorite spots in Woodinville for wine tasting has to be DeLille Cellars. And not because they have an outstanding outside patio, perfect for Washington summers. . . because they are truly one of the best and most consistent high end producers of Washington whites and reds.
DeLille is a small production winery that began production in the early '90s. They quickly became one of the most famous Washington wineries, producing some of the highest quality Bordeaux varietals in the state. I think they make the best Bordeaux style white outside of Bordeaux. This wine is called the Chaleur Estate Blanc and unfortunately they were sold out of the wine so I wasn't able to try the last vintage. I've tried the last six vintages of the Chaleur Estate Blanc and this wine is so good every year that they always sell out of it. One of their most popular wines is called D2, which is a Merlot dominant blend that tends to be a staple at many high end Seattle restaurants like El Gaucho and the Metropolitan Grill.
These wines are certainly not cheap, but winemaker Chris Upchurch is one of the best in Washington and literally every wine that he makes is outstanding. It doesn't hurt that he has fantastic Red Mountain fruit to work with and his Red Mountain fruit really helped him create some outstanding 2011 reds, despite working with a less than spectacular vintage. Upchurch even makes a great Rose!
Here are some of the outstanding wines that I recently tried at DeLille Cellars.
‪#‎delillecellars‬

2013 Doyenne Rose- Rhone style Rose rose. Pear and strawberry on the nose with some smoke. Nice balance on the palate with strawberry, gooseberry, and guava. Excellent, drink now. -91

2011 Doyenne Aix- This is a Cab Syrah blend. Great nose considering the vintage. Cedar, chocolate and black cherry on the nose. Palate has good depth. Blackberry, black cherry, anise and cedar. A bit hot and needs 1-2 years to integrate. -90

2011 Grand Ciel Syrah- Smoked meats and cassis on the nose. Lighter bodied than expected but smooth. Blackberry and red cherry flavors. Needs 1-2 years of cellaring. -91

2011 DeLille Cellars D2- Nice and perfumed nose considering the vintage. Vegetal nose with spice. Palate is smooth and tastes very Bordelaise. Red cherry, guava, and boysenberry flavors. Needs 1-2 years of cellaring. -91

2011 DeLille Cellars Four Flags Cabernet- This is sourced from some of the best vineyards in the state. Very rich nose considering the vintage. Provencale herbs anise, spice box, and red bell pepper. Palate is shut down but has potential and needs a lot of time, 3 plus years of cellaring. Blackberry, blueberry, coffee and light tannins. -92

Top Picks Under 20 Bucks

Over the past few months I have been compiling a list of recommended wines that I have tried at wineries and restaurants. This list includes my top picks for wines under 20 bucks. Many of these wines can be found at local supermarkets, such as Safeway, QFC and also Costco (one of the best places to buy wine). These wines all have one thing in common; they rock. Here are my recommended red and white wines under 20 bucks.

2010 Columbia Crest H3 Pinot Gris- Nice white raisin and cantaloupe on the nose. Palate is smooth and balanced. Cantaloupe, lychee, starfruit, and nutmeg. Refreshing and drink now. -91

2013 Julia's Dazzle Rose- Made from Pinot Grigio grapes that are grown in The Benches, Longshadows famed vineyard. Roses and grapefruit on the nose. Palate is crisp and delicious. Minerals, strawberry, guava and a ton of character. Maybe even vanilla cream. I'd say this is the most delicious and best made Washington rose I've ever had. Drink now. -93

2012 Dunham Lewis Vineyard Riesling- Pushing the 20 dollar price point. Pear and lemon on the nose. Lime and slate great acidity. Nice richness and fantastic value. Drink now.- 92

2012 Poets Leap Riesling- Pushing 20 bucks here. Fresh flowers, white peach and pear on the nose. Minerals on this off dry effort. Not the best Poets Leap I've had but better than the 2013. Really hard to find a better WA Riesling. Pear, white peach, cantaloupe, ripe pear and red delicious apple flavors. Balance and winemaking is there. Nice effervescence. -93

2012 Chateau St Michelle 'Mimi' Chardonnay- This is from Horse Heaven Hills. Tropical fruits on the nose. Palate has butter, golden delicious apple and minerals. Rounded out and smooth. Very solid, drink now.- 90

2013 Chateau St Michelle ‘Cold Creek’ Riesling- Excellent aromatics, getting lime and lemon. This is serious stuff for the price. Off dry with a little bit of sweetness. Pear and lemon with great minerality on the palate. Drink now.-92

2011 Chateau St. Michelle ‘Cold Creek’ Chardonnay- Definitely pushing the 20 dollar price point. Pear and apple with light oak on the nose. Nice oak integration on the palate with green apple, butter and pear. Drink now. -91

2012 L'Ecole Number 41 Chardonnay- This one is probably more than 20 bucks, but barely over that price. Pale color with oak, butter and tropical fruit on the nose. Palate is vibrant with oak, cream, cantaloupe, pear and butter. Rock solid. -92

2012 Alexandria Nicole Chardonnay- Pushing the 20 dollar price point. Light spice on the nose with rich pear and golden delicious. Palate is viscous and rich. Pear, golden delicious and cantaloupes with vanilla and oak. Solid effort, drink now. -91

2013 Alexandria Nicole ‘Crawford Vineyard’ Viognier- Perfumed nose of orange blossoms, white peach, and honeysuckle. Almost a gardenia on the nose. Palate has good structure and light saccharin flavors with ripe pear and red delicious. Drink now. -90

2012 Chandler Reach Viognier- nice nose of honeysuckle, pear and golden delicious. Vibrant acidity with ripe pear, red delicious, and white peach. Impressive. Drink now. -91

2012 Cougar Crest Viognier- Orange blossom and grapefruit on the nose. Palate has great acidity and minerality. Meyer lemon and green melon flavors. Refreshing. Drink now. -91

2012 Ferrari-Carano Fume Blanc- Lemongrass and grapefruit on the nose. Palate is bright with minerals and grapefruit, slate, pear in this refreshing quaff. Drink now. -90

2012 Whitehall Lane Sauvignon Blanc- somewhat muted nose with light orange and grapefruit. Palate is bright with good minerality along pear, green papaya and cantaloupe. Drink now. -89

2012 Robert Mondavi Winery Fume Blanc- Pale color with oak, grapefruit and melon notes. Palate has good acidity with pear, gooseberry and grapefruit flavors. Very solid, drink now. -89

2013 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc- Classic New Zealand Sav Blanc. Lemongrass and grapefruit on the nose. Tangy palate with gooseberry, white peach, pear and lemon rind. Delicious. Drink now. -91

2012 Chateau St. Michelle H3 Cabernet- blackberry and oak ov nose. Palette is rich and has blackberry and black cherry. With figs. -90

2011 Chateau St. Michelle H3 Cabernet- complex nose with smoke, blackberry, cassis and oak. Palate is viscous and soft. Blackberry, anise, black cherry, black olive and chocolate on the palate. Very nice. -91

2011 Columbia Crest H3 Les Cheveaux- Columbia Crest uses fruit in this blend that is slightly below their Reserve tier. For many wineries, this wine would be their reserve blend. 75% Syrah and 25% Merlot. Cloves, cigar box and dark fruits on the nose. Good depth on the open palate with red cherry, blackberry, vanilla and black olive along fine grained tannins. Well-structured, this could cellar well for a couple of years, but why wait? -90 points

2010 Chateau St Michelle Indian Wells 'Red Blend' - This is a blend of 60% Merlot, 28% Syrah, 6% Cab, 3% Grenache, 2% Malbec and 1% a combination of Cinsault and Mouvedre. Dark color with red cherry and dates in the nose. A bit of a fruit bomb. Palate has a ton of character and flavors of red cherry, guava, pomegranate and chocolate. This is a must buy considering the price, drink now. -90

2009 Chateau St Michelle ‘Canoe Ridge’ Merlot- Red cherry and anise on the nose with oak. Palate is rich and soft. Plum, red cherry and boysenberry flavors. Impressive. -91

2010 Chateau St. Michelle Cold Creek Merlot- Rich color with spice, prune and oak. Palate also has a nice spice component with the red cherry and pomegranate. Drink now. -91

2010 Gordon Estates Syrah- Hard to find a more complex Syrah for around 20 bucks. This is a crack and pour. Brooding, dark color, with black pepper and oak on the nose, leading to beef jerky, blackberry and plum flavors. Blended with 7% Cab which contributes to the rich fruit flavors and adds structure. Excellent value, pick up a few while you can. - 92 points

2012 Wines of Substance Syrah- Muted nose with black cherry and smoked meats. Palate is smooth and exhibits classic WA Syrah flavors of red cherry, pomegranate, smoked meats and sage. Would like a bit more richness but a good price for the bottle. Very solid. Drink now. -89

2011 Pendulum- This is a Washington red blend that offers good value. Cab with 25 percent Merlot. Nose somewhat muted with some light fruit flavors. Palate has strong acidity with blackberry and smoked meats. Also 4 percent Syrah with some Tempranillo. Very nice. -90

2010 Waterbrook Reserve Malbec- rich, dark color. Nose has smoked meats and blackberry. Palate is viscous and has violets, black pepper, blackberry and figs. Drink now. -90

2010 Airfield Estates Cabernet- A great Northwest winery that produces everything from Coinoise to Cab. The winery is known for small production and attention to detail for a fraction of Napa labels. Dark color with blackberry, cassis, dark cherry with oak. Similarly attractive palate with dark cherry, blackberry, tomato and olive collected with some medium tannins. Drinking great now. -90 points

2011 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Cabernet- One of the best Cabernets for the price. The grand estates Cab been a great value wine for years. You’d be hard pressed to find a better Cabernet in this price range. Plum and cherry with oak and buttered toast on the nose. Palate is well-balanced and has fig, vanilla and cherry preserves. Excellent effort. -87 points

2011 Chateau St. Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet- Complex nose with nutmeg, coffee, chocolate and stewed plum with the oak. Cassis, blackberry and anise with coffee on the palate. Great acidity suggests you could wait a few years before opening this one, but drinking nicely now. 10% Syrah was added in this cool vintage.- 90 points

2009 Chandler Reach Corella- Some translucence on the reddish brown color. Blend of 75% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Merlot. Perfumed nose of rose petals, smokey oak, and blackberry. Palate is vibrant with great balance. Ripe strawberry and raspberry. Very tasty. Drink now. -92

2008 Chandler Reach Ventoso- 90% Merlot with 10% Cabernet. Brownish red hue with cherry cough syrup nose. Palate is smooth with fig, red cherry and oak. Nice complexity and slightly vegetal. Drink now. -90

2011 Michael David Petit Petit- Pushing the 20 dollar price point here. California Petite Syrah and Petite Verdot. Blueberry and blackberry jam on the nose. Palate has blackberry and spice. Straightforward but serious richness with black fruit with black tea. Drink now. -89

2011 Terrazas de las Andes Reserva Malbec- plum, cranberry and baking spices on the nose. Palate has good viscosity with tons of fruit. Plum, dark cherry and raspberry with good balance. Drinking good now. -90

2010 Kepos di Ampelia- This one is slightly over the 20 dollar price point but if you can pick up a bottle, it is well-worth it. Made from Grenache, Mouvedre, Carignan, and Alicante Bouchet. Fragrant nose with rose petals, spiced plum and red cherry. Palate is delicious. Red cherry, guava, pomegranate and raspberry with minerals and lavender. Crack and pour, this is delicious juice. -92

2008 Marques de Caceres Rioja Reserva- Oak with blackberry and smoke on the nose. Palate is rich and needs 30 or more minutes of decanting to open up. Blackberry, black cherry and cola gives this an atypical flavor profile for this wine. Very tasty, with good viscosity. Drink now or cellar for 2 years. -91

Emory's On Silver Lake Wine Dinner Featuring Pomum Cellars

Last night I had the chance to sample some of the best area food and wine at Emory's on Silver Lake. Emory's boasts one of the best wine lists in the Everett area and they have been doing wine dinners for a few years with great success. Last night they showcased Pomum Cellars, a winery that specializes in growing Spanish varietals, such as Tempranillo and Graciano, utilizing Columbia Valley terroir.
Pomum Cellars was started by winemaker Javier Alonso, who is originally from the Ribera del Duero region of Spain. Javier spoke last night about his journey to the US from Spain and how well Spanish varietals grow in Washington state. Pomum has another line called Idilico, that produces a very novel Albarino. The best wine I tried last night was their Bordeaux blend, which was sourced from some of the most famous vineyards in Washington, including DuBrul Vineyard and Elerding Vineyard. While the wines excelled last night, the food was even better. Particularly the slow roasted shortribs were melt in your mouth delicious.
Here are some of the wines that I sampled from Pomum Cellars:
‪#‎pomumcellars‬

2011 Pomum Tempranillo- Pomum is the biggest producer of Tempranillo in WA. 10% Grenache is added. Red cherry and plum on the nose. Palate is fruity with plum, raspberry and blueberry. Nice balance. Drink now. -89

2012 Idilico Riesling- Melon and cut grass on the nose. Medium acidity with pear, red delicious and cantaloupe with minerals. Tastes like Pinot Gris. Simplistic but tasty. Dry with .4 residual. Drink now. -87

2013 Idilico Albariño- Biggest producer of Albarino in WA. 1000 cases. Grapes in stainless steel. Lemon peel and fresh flowers on the nose. Palate has nice acidity with pear, starfruit and cantaloupe. Bright and novel but a little light in flavor. Drink now. -88

2010 Pomum Syrah- Columbia Valley fruit, 150 cases of this limited production wine. Nose has smoke, cinnamon, and anise. Palate has blackberry, black cherry, smoke and pomegranate. Nice weight and slightly sweet. Drink now. -89

2009 Pomum Shya Red- 71.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10.5% Cabernet Franc, 9.5% Merlot, 4.7% Petit Verdot and 4.2% Malbec From Dubrul, Sheridan, Elerding and other great Washington vineyards. Yakima valley fruit. Prune, blackberry and blueberry on the nose. Palate has blackberry, blueberry and anise with chocolate and coffee nuances. Slightly alcoholic but rich. Drink now or cellar for 1-2 years. -90

2011 Idilico Graciano Reserva- Red currant, red cherry and pepper on the nose. Palate has red currant, white pepper and raspberry flavors. Forward but tasty. Drink now. -89

Favorites of Red Mountain

I had a chance to check out a two of my favorite Red Mountain wineries a few weeks back. Hedges is one of the oldest Red Mountain wineries. The Hedges family began making wine from Red Mountain fruit in 1987. Fast forward more than 25 years later, their spot on Red Moutain lies at the the state's most famous land for Washington wine. The winery is beautifully perched up on a hill, overlooking the Columbia valley. If you have a chance to check out the winery, it is worth the trip! Hedges is known for Cabernet and Merlot, especially their estate Red Blend (and sold at Costco) but they also grow some interesting Portugese indigenous varietals that they throw into their estate vintage Port. I have to say that their Port is nothing like I've ever tried in Washington state. It is an outstanding effort!
About a mile down the road from Hedges lies Fidelitas Winery. Fidelitas is a modern facility that was created by superstar winemaker, Charlie Hoppes, former head winemaker for Chateau St. Michelle. Hoppes began making wine at Red Moutain in 2000 and has produced fantastic reds and whites since that time. Currently making 7,000 cases of wine, Fidelitas is known for their red and white Bordeaux blends, as well as their rich Cabernets. Their value wine series, M100, is also very good for the price and sells to Costco and most Seattle area grocery stores.
Here are some of my favorites from Hedges and Fidelitas:
‪#‎hedges‬
‪#‎fidelitaswinery‬

2011 Hedges Red Mountain- 44% Cabernet, 33% Merlot, 16% Syrah, 4% Malbec and 3% Cab Franc. Herbal nose. Shut down on the palate with ripe red cherry and strawberry flavors with oak. Needs 1-2 years. -89

2009 Hedges Red Mountain- This is their signature red blend, from a better vintage than '11. Anise and blackberry on the nose. Blackberry and cassis with black cherry with dried herbs on the palate. Rounded out and smooth. Slightly better than the '11. Drink now. -90

2011 Descendants Liegios DuPont Syrah- -14% alcohol. Smoked meats and cassis on the nose. Shut down on the palate. Black cherry and blackberry. A bit straightforward. Drink now. -89

2010 Goedhart Family Syrah- All estate fruit. Smoked meats and blackberry on the nose with oak. Northern Rhone tasting, having strong terroir, with a citrus element with tar and smoked meats and blackberry. Very solid. Drink now. -91

2008 Malbec Limited Release- Anise and black cherry on the nose with oak. Chewy wine with blackberry, anise and good balance. Drink now. -90

2006 Red Mountain Fortified- This is their port, using 100 percent Portuguese varietals. Aged for 30 months. Ultra dark color. Nice heavy nose of oak, blueberry and blackberry. Palate has good balance and acid structure. Plum, anise and blackberry. Impressive. Drink now, -92

2012 Fidelitas Optu- 57% Sav Blanc and 43% Semillon. Honeysuckle and cut grass on the nose with a hint of orange marmalade. Palate has a nice viscosity. Pear, red delicious apple and minerals on the palate. Very smooth. -92

2010 Fidelitas Merlot Champoux Vineyard- Prune and red cherry on the nose with rose petals. Palate has black cherry, prune and blackberry. Nice richness. Great acid structure. Drink now or cellar for 2 plus. -92

2011 Fidelitas Columbia Valley Malbec- Waluke slope fruit, 100 percent Malbec. Spice nose with oak and red cherry. Palate has anise, red cherry and white pepper. Novel wine. -90

2010 Fidelitas Red Mountain Cabernet- Slightly vegetal on the nose with red bell pepper, red cherry and light spice with oak. Palate has great balance with the fruit. Blackberry, red cherry-92

2011 Optu Red- Red mountain fruit, with 50% Merlot, 34% Cab and 16% Cab Franc. Nose is a bit shut down. White pepper with herbaceous nodes. Rich fruit considering the vintage. Fruit hasn't full integrated. Red cherry, blackberry and smoke. Needs 3+ years. -92

Alexandria Nicole, Hogue and Columbia Crest Wineries

I recently had the opportunity to visit these wineries in Columbia Valley. Alexandria Nicole is a small production, boutique winery. Recently they opened a tasting room in Woodinville. Their main tasting room is located in Prosser, right down the street from Hogue. A relatively new winery that produces 10,000 cases on wine, Alexandria Nicole is known for their fantastic Viognier that is one of the best in the state. Recently they have been experimenting with relatively unknown varietals to Washington such as Carmenere and Albarino – and the results have been novel and exciting. In fact they have over 23 varietals planted at their esteemed Destiny Ridge vineyard in Horse Heaven Hills.

Hogue Cellars has gained national acclaim for their value wines. Most of their wines are readily available in grocery stores and have received very high reviews from Wine Spectator in particular, considering their price. Their Reserve label and their Terroir label (winery only) involves the winery’s choicest fruit. Terroir wines have sourced from the most famous in the state, including the Champoux Vineyard in Red Mountain. Over the years the Hogue Reserve Merlot is consistently one of the best made Washington Merlots. With its bold cherry flavors, it is definitely worth a try.

About a 30 minute scenic drive from Hogue Cellars lies Columbia Crest Winery, one of the biggest wineries in the Northwest. But they back up their large production with exceptional results. Columbia Crest boasts the only wine made in the Pacific Northwest to achieve the number one wine in the world (their 2005 Reserve Cabernet was rated 95 points) on the top 100 list by Wine Spectator magazine. While Columbia Crest makes incredible value wines in their Two Vines and Grand Estates label (including the some of the best quality Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet for the price), their Reserve label wines are truly outstanding and are also readily available. One of their best wines consistently is the Walter Clore, a Cabernet blend that is easy to find at Costco. Many Costcos also sell their Reserve Cabernet, another Columbia Crest signature wine.
Here are some of the great wines that I tried at Alexandria Nicole, Hogue and Columbia Crest.
‪#‎alexandrianicole‬
‪#‎hoguecellars‬
‪#‎columbiacrest‬

Alexandria Nicole

2012 Chardonnay- Light spice on the nose with rich pear and golden delicious. Palate is viscous and rich. Pear, golden delicious and cantaloupes with vanilla and oak. Solid effort, drink now. -91

2012 Riesling- .6 residual sugar. Very dry style. Somewhat subdued nose with pear and honeysuckle. Palate has vibrant minerality. Lemon lime, grapefruit and orange peel, drink now. -89

2013 Albariño- 185 cases on this small production wine. White peach on the nose. Maybe unripe green papaya. Palate has pear
and red delicious apple. Light acidity and would like more minerality considering the varietal. That said, extremely novel. Drink now. -88

2012 Shepherds Mark -65% Rousanne 20% Marsanne 15% Viognier in this Rhone blend. Perfumed nose. Honeysuckle, ripe golden delicious and white peach. Palate has nice richness and viscosity. Minerals too. Golden delicious, pear and Welches white grape juice. Very solid. Drink now -91

2013 Crawford Vineyard Viognier- Perfumed nose of orange blossoms, white peach, and honeysuckle. Almost a gardenia on the nose. Palate has good structure and light saccharin flavors with ripe pear and red delicious. Drink now. -90

2013 Rose- Cab Franc and Tempranillo. Subdued nose with rose petals and light mushroom. Too sweet on the palate. Red cherry and strawberry flavors. Simplistic. -84

2012 Jet Black Syrah- white pepper and smoked meats on the nose. Slightly herbal. Palate has good acidity. Anise and smoked meats with tar. Also dried herbs. Drink now. -89

2011 Members Only- This is a GSM. 57% Grenache 30% syrah and 13% Mouvedre. 237 cases, so limited production. Black pepper, black olive and smoked meats on the nose. Nice balance on the palate with red cherry, red currant and blackberry. Maybe huckleberry? Nice complexity. Drink now. -91

2011 Carmenere- Not 100 percent of the varietal with 10 percent cab and 3 percent Malbec. Green olive and black pepper on the nose. Nice herbaceousness on the nose. Palate has nice balance but is a little thin. Red cherry and raspberry flavors. Novel wine. Drink now.-88

2011 Cabernet Franc- Brownish purple color with 3 cab and 2 petite Verdot. 191 cases produced. Feminine and perfumed nose with red cherry and rose petals. Rich nose considering the vintage. Palate is light bosiws and is somewhat herbaceous with vegetal tones and red cherry and guava. Strong acid structure and might need some time for the fruit to integrate. Light tannins and A bit thin. Drink now or cellar for 1-2 years.-88

2010 Destiny- Bordeaux blend wine with black olive and black cherry on the nose. Red cherry and raspberry on the palate. Acidic and a long ager. Slightly vegetal. Would like a little more richness. Drink now. Drink now or cellar for 1-2 years. -89

2011 Block 17 Syrah- 14% Grenache with the rest Syrah. Smoke and black tea on the nose. Palate has serious richness. Boysenberry jam and figs. Tasty. Drink now.-90

Hogue Cellars

2013 Terroir Viognier- Honeysuckle and orange peel on the nose. Nice balance with good structure. Pear, golden delicious and starfruit with vanilla and minerals on the palate. Drink now. -88

2012 Terroir Barbara Rosato- Strawberry, guava and mushroom on the nose. Red cherry, pomegranate and guava with strawberry on the palate. A bit simplistic. Some earthiness as well. A step behind other vintages. Drink now.-88

2011 Reserve Chardonnay- Aged 17 months in oak. Oak and butter on the nose with golden delicious. Palate has some mushroom with oak, cream and golden delicious apple. Drink now. -89

2009 BIII- Merlot, Cabrnet and Malbec. Blackberry and black cherry with spice on the nose. Palate has nice richness with spice and black cherry, raspberry and anise. Straightforward style. Delicious, drink now. -90

2010 Reserve Merlot- Red cherry and anise on the nose. Palate is chewy. Red currant adds some spice with red cherry and raspberry. Solid. Drink now.-89

2010 Terroir Syrah- Slightly subdued nose with white pepper and smoked meats. Palate has black cherry, black olive, black pepper and blackberry. Slightly shut down. Might cellar for a year and see if it opens up.- 88

2011 Reserve Cabernet- Oak and baking spices on the nose. Maybe blackberry pie? Palate 76% Cab, 16% Merlot, 4% Malbec and 4% Petite Verdot in this blend. Open and plush blend. Some herbaceousness. Very nice with red bell pepper, anise, red cherry and ripe tomato. Light tannins. Drink now or cellar for one year. -90

Columbia Crest Winery

2011 Reserve Malbec- Blueberry and mulling spices on the nose. Palate has plum, blueberries, blackberry and smoke. Excellent. Drink now. -92

2010 Reserve Walter Clore- 53% Merlot, 36% Cab and 11% Cab Franc. Blackberry oak and smoke on the nose. Nice balance on the palate. Red currant, red cherry and red bell pepper in this consistently impressive blend. Drink now or cellar for one year. -91

2009 Reserve Cabernet- Black cherry and smoke on the nose. Palate is rich with plum, creme de cassis and blackberry. Light tannins. Delicious. Drink now. -93

2010 Reserve Cabernet- Slightly more vegetal nose than the 2009. Red bell pepper, herbs and red cherry on the palate. Somewhat shut down on the palate. Blackberry, anise and heavy tannins. Fruit hasn't quite integrated. Cellar for 1-2 years. -91

2010 Reserve Stonetree Vineyard Cabernet- 100% Cabernet. Pomegranate, guava and red cherry on the nose. Palate has black cherry, anise and blackberry. Nice richness, this wine is rock solid. Drink now.-92

2012 Reserve Late Harvest Viognier- orange blossom, honeysuckle and nutmeg on the nose. Palate has light richness. Maybe a Spatlase style. Honeydew and starfruit flavors. Acid structure lacking but tasty. Drink now.-88

Col Solare

When two world famous wineries merge, great things can happen. Col Solare was created when the Antinori family (one of the most famous families of Tuscany) and Chateau St. Michelle came together to form a winery. Starting with their first vintage in 1995, Col Solare’s mission has been to amalgamate these two distinct viticultural and winemaking backgrounds to create a fantastic Cabernet Sauvignon-based red wine from choice Red Mountain fruit. The result is one of the finest and most consistent Washington Red blend.
Col Solare recently set up a tasting room in Chateau St. Michelle Winery. They are appointment only, but offer a really fantastic retrospective of their wines. Their tasting room in eastern Washington offers gorgeous panoramas of Red Mountain. It is a wold class facility where you can try one of Washington's great wines.
Col Solare makes only two wines. Their signature blend, Col Solare, is typically made from around 70 percent Cabernet, depending on the vintage. Their second wine is called Shining Hill and is better than many winery's first wines.
I was able to taste multiple vintages of Col Solare at the winery. Both the 2008 and 2009 earned high marks, although I see them as a slight step behind the outrageously good 2007. Here are the wines that I tried a Col Solare, one of Washington's best.
‪#‎colsolare‬

2008 Col Solare- Rich nose with anise, Christmas spice and provencale herbs. Palate is medium bodied and balanced. Blackberry, red currant, black olive and red cherry with fine grained tannins. Drinking great now but could also be cellared for a year. -92

2009 Col Solare- Rich nose and incredibly perfumed. Ripe raspberries, crème de cassis and oak. Palate has cassis, blackberry and smoke. Tannic and slightly shut down. This will be a monster in 2 years, so cellar for at least 2. -94

2009 Component Collection Cabernet- This is a new project for Col Solare, a 97% Cabernet wine with 3% Cab Franc. Slightly alcoholic with boysenberry preserves. Palate is rich wit some light tannins. Blackberry, anise and cassis. Needs 2 years of cellaring. -92

2010 Shining Hill-This is Col Solare's second wine. Intense smoke with blackberry and cassis on the nose. Palate is medium bodied but balanced. The winemaking is there. Cran-cherry, pomegranate and red cherry with light tannins. Drink now. -90

Chandler Reach Winery

If you are ever in Columbia Valley, visiting Chandler Reach Winery is a must. Perched on top of a hill, overlooking the valley, the winery is in a fantastic location. There is something really novel about visiting a winery in a remote location. Looking out at Chandler Reach, you feel like you are a million miles from the city.
The winery now has a tasting location in Woodinville, which makes tasting their wines more convenient for those who live in Western Washington.
Chandler Reach is a small, boutique winery that makes some great wines for the price. Many of their wines are in the 10-20 dollar range and their wines receive consistently 90 plus ratings from Wine Spectator. Many of their current released wines are from the 2008 and 2009 vintages (which were fantastic years for Washington red wines), which is novel considering most Washington wineries do not hold their wines back. Chandler Reach grows only red varietals (Cabernet, Cab Franc, Merlot, Sangiovese and Syrah) but they have recently begun making a fantastic quality Viognier.
Here are some of the wines that I tried at Chandler Reach Winery.
‪#‎chandlerreach‬

2012 Viognier- nice nose of honeysuckle, pear and golden delicious. Vibrant acidity with ripe pear, red delicious, and white peach. Impressive. Drink now. -91

2009 Corella- Some translucence on the reddish brown color. Blend of 75% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Merlot. Perfumed nose of rose petals, smokey oak, and blackberry. Palate is vibrant with great balance. Ripe strawberry and raspberry. Very tasty. Drink now. -92

2008 Ventoso- 90% Merlot with 10% Cabernet. Brownish red hue with cherry cough syrup nose. Palate is smooth with fig, red cherry and oak. Nice complexity and slightly vegetal. Drink now. -90

2009 Brevetatta- Brownish red color. Syrah, Sangiovese and Merlot blend. Raspberry and smoke on the nose. Tasting red raspberry, red cherry and dried herbs. On the lighter side but well-made. -89

2008 Syrah- Red cherry and raspberry oak and smoke on the nose. Very perfumed. Impressive nose considering it's age. Palate is smooth and plush. Raspberry, red cherry and smoke. Balanced and ripe.on the lighter side but novel. Drink now. -90

2008 Parris Reserve Cabernet Franc- Vegetal nose with green bell pepper, red cherry and white pepper. Balance is fantastic. Red cherry, anise and red bell pepper on the slightly herbaceous palate. This is consistently one of their best wines. Drink now. -92

2007 Parris Reserve Sangiovese- Brownish red hue. Nose is slightly astringent with raspberry and oak. Palate is on the acrid side with red raspberry, red cherry and olive flavors. -89

Long Shadows

Last weekend I had the opportunity to visit Long Shadows winery in Woodinville. The story behind Long Shadows is pretty epic. Roughly 10 years ago, one of the more famous people in Washington wine, the former Chateau St. Michelle CEO, Alan Schoup, came up with a brilliant idea. Schoup decided to take the best winemakers in the world and have them make wines by using Columbia Valley grapes. Shoup bought some choice vineyard land in Columbia Valley and assembled an incredible dream team of winemakers.
Shoup chose Armin Diehl of Schlossgut Diel from the Mosel region of Germany to make a Riesling. Diel's Riselings are some of the best in the world. The Riesling he makes for Long Shadows is called Poet's Leap.
He also chose the Folonari family from Tuscany to make a Super Tuscan (Sangiovese, Cab, Merlot and Syrah) called Saggi. The Folonaris have been making wine in Tuscany since the 1700s!
Augustin Huneeus and Philipe Melka was chosen to make a Bordeaux blend, Pirouette. They are both known for being a winemakers (and Huneeus is the owner) at the esteemed Quintessa Winery in Napa.
Schoup chose probably the most famous winemaker of Syrah in the world. John Duvall is known for making Penfolds Grange, a wine that has achieved 100 points by Robert Parker. Duvall's wine is called Sequel and it is a rich and inky Syrah and arguably the best Washington Syrah for the price.
Michel Rolland, possibly the world's most famous wine consultant, was chosen to make a Merlot blend called Pedestal. This wine is one of the best Merlots made in Washington and can age for 10 or more years.
Randy Dunn, owner of Dunn Vineyards and formerly a winemaker at Caymus Winery, creates the Cabernet called Feather. Feather is a softer style of Cabernet that many years can be drunk rather young.
The director of winemaking is Giles Nicault, who has a great deal of experience in making Washington wines. Nicault was formerly a winemaker at Hogue Cellars and Woodward Canyon Winery, before moving to Long Shadows. Nicault crafts the Chester-Kidder red blend, which is primarily a Cabernet and Syrah blend.
Long Shadows Winery is so good that it deserves a lengthy introduction. Here are the fantastic and innovative wines that I tried:
‪#‎longshadows‬

2013 Poet's Leap- Herbal nose with orange blossom. Palate is dry with orange, lemon-lime and Japanese pear. Refreshing but slightly behind other vintages. Drink now. -90

2011 Saggi- Sangiovese blend with perfumed roses and red cherry on the nose with a little oak. Palate is plush and open. 45% Sangiovese and 43% Cabernet with the rest Syrah. Ripe raspberry, chocolate, coffee and white pepper. Tannins have already dissipated. Drink now. -92

2010 Sequel- Inky color with smoked meats, tar and bacon fat on the nose. Palate is rich with blueberry, blackberry and anise with black pepper. Finishes long. Drink now or hold for 1-2 years. -93

2010 Chester Kidder- Blackberry and red cherry with oak on the nose. Palate has some tannins. I get black cherry, anise, black olive and chocolate. Drinking good now but could be cellared for 1-2 years. -91

2011 Pirouette- 53% Cabernet and 25% Merit with the rest other Bordeaux varietals. Somewhat closed on the nose with blackberry and cigar box. Palate is surprisingly open with blackberry, blueberry, creme de cassis and cedar. Nice balance and lightly tannic. Drink now or cellar for 1-2 years. -92

2011 Pedestal- Ripe raspberry, red cherry, oak and vanilla on the nose. Palate is plush but the fruit hasn't fully integrated. Red cherry, raspberry and oak. Needs 2+ years of cellaring. -92

2011 Feather- Cassis and blackberry with smoke on the nose. Palate is rich and remarkably smooth. Blackberry, black cherry, black olive, red bell pepper and vanilla with fine grained tannins. Delicious and complex. Drink now or cellar for 1-2 years. Great effort for the vintage. -93