Wines of Finca Sandoval

Spanish wines offer some of the best current value out there. The wines of Spain offer incredible diversity as they grow literally everything from obscure varietals like Verdejo to mainstays like Cabernet. The wines of Finca Sandoval are some of the best for the money in Spain. The winery is located in an emerging region, Manchuela, in the province of Cuenca, a few hours south of Madrid. Winery owner, Victor de la Serna, decided to plant a vineyard and using primarily Syrah and some other varietals like Bobal and Grenache. Grapes are sourced from two vineyards with a total of 26 acres planted de la Serna. Soils have a dominant clay-limestone component and offer great terroir to the wines. The end product is rich and inky wines that have a strong minerality. The price is right, as well.
Recently the winery introduced a second wine, Salia, that sells for roughly 20 bucks. It is a tremendous value in Spain. Their most prestigious wine, called Finca Sandoval, has consistently received 90 plus ratings from Robert Parker, Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast and Steven Tanzer. This wine is one of my favorite values in Spain each year and is an incredibly complex Syrah. Here are the great wines of Finca Sandoval to check out.

2010 Finca Sandoval ‘Salia’- This is the second wine of Sandoval, one of Spain’s best wineries. 49% Syrah and the rest two crosses of Grenache. Nose has black cherry, cassis and tar. Palate has nice minerality and is approachable now. Raspberry, red cherry, cherry cough syrup and light tanins. Almost like tasting a cross between Bordeaux and Southern Rhone. – 90

2007 Finca Sandoval- Primarily Syrah that creates a rich nose that nicely complements the inky color. Dark fruits both on the nose and palate. Flavors of anise, cassis, blackberry with light tannins. Needs 30 plus minutes of decanting to come into its own. Strong and powerful mineral driven wine with great terroir. -93

Wine of the Week: 2013 Chateau St. Michelle 'Eroica' Riesling

Each year, this is one of my favorite domestic Rieslings. The Eroica is a project by St. Michelle in which they have used famed German Riesling winemaker, Dr. Loosen, to create a Riesling using Columbia Valley grapes.
The best part is that their most recent effort is St. Michelle's best Eroica that I've tried in the past 10 years. There are typically little variations from year to year in their Eroica but this one has incredible minerality and effervescence. It almost tastes slightly sparkling. The wine is dry, with little sugar content. As we enjoy a few more days of sun, this is the perfect wine for the season, especially as a warm weekend awaits. Pick this one up at QFC, Costco or area wine shops.
‪#‎chateaustmichelle‬

2013 Chateau St. Michelle 'Eroica' Riesling- 1.5% Residual sugar on this one, a Kabinette style Riesling. Lemon zest and golden delicious on the nose. Palate has great minerality. Lemon-lime flavors with red delicious, cantaloupe and slate. Outstanding effort, the best Eroica I've had in 10 years. -93

Wine of the Week: 2012 Ferrari-Carano 'Siena'

This is an incredible bargain at Costco as this wine is under 15 bucks and usually is priced around 20. Ferrari-Carano has made this wine for more than 20 years and it is consistent and well-priced for a Sonoma red, a blend of mostly Sangiovese, with Malbec, Petite Sirah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Ferrari- Carano is one of the most beautiful wineries in Sonoma. The grounds are an architectural marvel and the wines that they produce mirror or exceed this incredible property. The 2012 version is fruit-forward and ready to drink, so it won't need any cellaring. Here's my pick for this week:
‪#‎ferraricarano‬

2012 Ferrari-Carano 'Siena'- Price is right on this attractive and complex red blend. Red cherry and dried sage with oak on the nose. The palate has fruit without being a fruit bomb. Red cherry, raspberry and blackberry jam. Nice balance in this crack and pour wine. Drink now. -89

Baer Winery

One of the big players in Woodinville in the past few years has been Baer. In a tragic story, the founder of Baer winery, Lance Baer, passed away at age 39 in 2007. While Lance produced some extraordinary red wines while he was still alive, he sadly was not able to see his most famous wine, Ursa, get named as one of the Wine Spectator Top 100 wines (#6 on the Top 100) for their 2008 effort. Scoring 95 points from Wine Spectator really put Baer on the map, as they began selling out of their wines almost immediately following their top 100 showing.
Baer focuses on the art of blending and their Ursa is one of my favorite Washington red blends every year. Ursa is a Merlot and Cabernet Franc blend, made in a lighter, and more feminine style, while having the structure to last for many years. The fruit is all from the Stillwater Creek vineyard, producer of some of the best Merlot, Cabernet, Cab Franc, and Chardonnay in the state. Baer's efforts for their 2011 wines were excellent, considering that the vintage was not the best.
A visit to their small, unpretentious tasting room in Woodinville’s warehouse district shouldn’t be missed. Baer is currently pouring their fantastic red blends, as well as a very good unoaked Chardonnay that they began crafting a few years back. Baer keeps their production small, so they regularly run out of their more popular blends, such as the Ursa and Arctos. Here are some of the great Baer wines that I recently tried at their tasting room.
‪#‎baerwinery‬

2013 Shard- Lemon zest and pear on the nose. Unoaked. Palate has golden delicious and pear. Finishes slightly sour. Nice minerality, 448 cases made. -89

2011 Star- 81% Merlot, 11% Cab Franc and 8% Cab. Impressive nose consisting the vintage. Red cherry and cherry tomato on the nose. Palate has nice richness. Blackberry, black cherry and anise. Coffee and tar nodes. -93

2011 Arctos- 70% Cabernet, 10% Cab Franc, 10% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot. Cabernet dominant nose with red bell pepper. Palate has blackberry, anise and cedar. Fruit has shut down and the wine needs at least two years of cellaring. -91

2010 Callisto- This is the second vintage of this wine. 100% French oak and 65% new oak. This wine is 77% Cabernet, 13% Cab Franc and 10% Merlot. Nose has red bell pepper and anise. Palate has blackberry, black cherry and coffee. Delicious, ready to drink, and complex. -93

White Wines of Januik and Novelty Hill

One of the most modern northwest wineries is Januik/Novelty Hill. This cavernous architectural marvel in the heart of Woodinville Wine Country is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the area. The expansive outside area even has a bocce ball court. It is truly the ideal place to sip their wines on a warm summer day, which is what I did last Sunday.
Head winemaker, Mike Januik, has been named "Master of Merlot" by Wine Enthusiast magazine. But his white wines are just as good and have consistently achieved 90 plus scores from Robert Parker, Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator. Following his ten year tenure as head winemaker for Chateau St. Michelle, in 1999 Januik founded his own winery just a few blocks down from St. Michelle. Januik is one of the more famous winemakers in the state, as he's had more than 10 of his wines on the Wine Spectator Top 100 list. The tasting lineup at Januik/Novelty Hill is impressive, as the tasting room typically pours more than 20 wines. Januik produces some unique Washington grown white wines, as he makes a pretty outstanding Sauvignon Blanc and Rousanne. His Chardonnays are mineral driven and are well-balanced. Look for his wines in northwest wine shops, as well as Costco and grocery stores like QFC.
Here are some of the excellent white wines that I sampled at Januik/Novelty Hill winery.
‪#‎januik‬, ‪#‎noveltyhill‬

2012 Januik Cold Creek Chardonnay- Lemon zest and baked apple on the nose. Palate has pear, nutmeg, golden delicious and minerals. Tasty. Drink now. -92

2012 Novelty Hill 'Stillwater Creek' Chardonnay- Green apple and unripe melon on the nose. Palate has orange find, pear and creme brûlée with minerals. Delicious. Drink now.
-92

2013 Novelty Hill 'Stillwater Creek' Sauvignon Blanc- Made with more than 20% Semillon, this has dried herbs, honeysuckle and cut grass on the nose. Palate has nice balance. Pear, minerals and lychee in this slightly sweet blend. Delicious and impressive effort considering 20 dollar price. Drink now. -92

2012 Novelty Hill 'Stillwater Creek' Viognier- Pear, oak and lychee on the nose. Palate has ripe orange and pear flavors. Novel and tasty. Drink now. -91

2013 Novelty Hill 'Stillwater Creek' Rousanne- Pear and lychee in the nose. Palate has pear, baked golden delicious apple and nice viscosity. Drink now. -90

2013 Januik 'Bacchus Vineyard' Riesling- Slate and pear on the nose. Palate is slightly sweet and has golden delicious and ripe pear with minerals. would like more vibrant acidity. Drink now. -89

2012 Januik 'Champoux Vineyard' Muscat Canelli- 5% residual sugar, this has nice tropical fruit in the nose. Palate has Japanese pear and pineapple. Nice minerality. Delicious. Drink now. -90

2011 Novelty Hill 'Stillwater Creek' Late Harvest Semillon- 22.6% residual sugar. Powerful nose with apricots and peaches. Palate has apricot, creme brûlée, and honey. Outstanding and viscous. Drink now. -93

Wine of the Week: 2013 Julia's Dazzle Rose

Wine of the Week: 2013 Julia's Dazzle Rose

Having sampled many Washington Rose wines this summer, I have found the best one of the bunch. Literally, the perfect wine for summer, this wine was produced by Gilles Nicault, an esteemed winemaker for Long Shadows. Gilles selected a block of Pinot Grigio and gave it extended time on the vine to develop a bright tint through slow fermentation, then added 2% Sangiovese to the blend for color. The results is a rich and flavorful Rose that is bright and has a strong minerality. The flavors and complexity of the wine are second to none for Washington Rose. In fact, I have never tried a better Washington Rose. You can find this wine for around 15 bucks at Costco and area wine shops. ‪#‎juliasdazzle‬

2013 Julia's Dazzle Rose- Made from Pinot Grigio grapes that are grown in The Benches. 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. -93

Red Wines of the Southern Rhone

There is no other terroir that I am fonder of than that found in the wines of the Rhone valley. The wines of the Rhone Valley have always mesmerized me. These wines are food friendly, well-balanced and if you know where to look, they can represent some of the best values in the world. Most people are familiar with Cotes du Rhone reds, as they are balanced and earthy. The flavors will go with literally almost every dish. Southern Rhone reds typically have red fruit flavors like red cherry and raspberry, as well as nice herbal flavors. Some of the areas surrounding the Cotes du Rhone produce some of the best Syrah, Grenache and Mouvedre in the world.
The recent vintages in the Southern Rhone have been outstanding. Essentially every vintage from 2003-2010 was a 90 plus vintage, based on recommendations from Robert Parker, Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator. Look for the 2010 and 2012 vintages in the stores. If you can find the 2009 vintage, be sure to check that out as well. In terms of the pricing, the most expensive wines in this region tend to be from Chateauneuf du Pape – esteemed wines that tend to be Grenache dominant and are more feminine than those found in the Cotes du Rhone.
Look for great values in the Cotes du Rhone Villages, Gigondas and Vacqueyras, which are all small towns near Chateauneuf du Pape that produce outstanding Grenache and Syrah dominant wines. Here are some of the best Southern Rhone Red wines that I have recently tasted.

2012 Domaine du la Presidente ‘Le Nonce’ Chateauneuf du Pape- Orange peel with raspberry, red cherry and figs on the nose. Palate is feminine but also concentrated in this 70% Grenache blend. Also comprised of 15% Cinsault, 10% Syrah and 5% Mouvedre. Red cherry, pomegranate, blood orange and nutmeg on the palate. Delicious now but should gain complexity with two years in the bottle. -91

2010 Dellas Chateauneuf du Pape- Complex nose with raspberry jam, Provençale herbs and blackberry. Palate is somewhat shut down right now but has complex blackberry and lavender as well as coffee flavors. This will need two plus years of cellaring. -91

2010 Domaine Albin Jacumin Chateauenuf du Pape- Comprised of 70% Grenache, 15% Mouvedre, 12% Syrah and 3% Cinsault. Nose has smoked meats and sage while the palate has boysenberry, figs and minerals. Tasty stuff but needs two more years of cellaring. -91

2010 Chateau Le Nerthe Chateaneuf du Pape- Cassis and ripe raspberry with dried herbs on the nose. Palate is medium weight with anise, blackberry and blueberry flavors. Delicious now but will improve in two plus years. Has the acid structure to cellar for 10. -92

2010 Comte de Lauze Chateauneuf du Pape- Classic CDP nose with Provençale herbs and smoked meats as well as red currant and black pepper. Palate has tons of fruit with red cherry, anise and boysenberry with dried herbs and some pepper edges. Impressive stuff, drink now or cellar for one year -93

2007 Caves St. Pierre ‘La Mitre’ Chateauneuf du Pape- This is a lighter style Chateauneuf, made of 60% Grenache, 15% Mouvedre, 15 % Cinsault and 10% Syrah. The nose has Provençale herbs and raspberry. Palate is light and smooth and has prune, fig, red cherry along light minerals. Drink now. -90

1999 Domaine Chaunte Perdrix Chateauneuf du Pape- This is an older vintage from the esteemed winery. Nose has a saline component and has smoked meats with sage. Palate has great richness with cran-cherry, boysenberry and dried herbs. Great minerality and balance. Drink now. -93

2011 Domaine du Grand Montral Vignes Vignes- This is old vine Grenache. Rich and dark color, with Provençale herbs and anise with nutmeg on the nose. Palate has medium concentration with raspberry, black tea, red cherry and anise. Nice balance. Drink now or cellar for 1-2 years. -91

2011 Domaine Fond Croze ‘La Croix du Coq’ Cotes du Rhone Villages- 100% Grenache from 40 year old vines. Nose has Provençale herbs and lavender with mulling spices. Palate has red currant, blackberry, red cherry and mushroom flavors. Great value and drink now. -90

2012 Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone- Classic Provençale herbs on the nose with figs. Palate is rich and viscous. Blackberry, anise and figs. Fruit forward and drink now. -90

Value Priced Washington Wine Restaurants

I feel that I am almost always struggling to find a reasonably priced wine list when I am dining out, so I wanted to feature a few Seattle area restaurants that offer value but don't compromise on wine selection. The results are in from Wine Spectator and they have named their best wine restaurants for the world. Washington has a number of restaurants that were chosen for their inexpensive wine lists, while also boasting the Award of Excellence, an award given to restaurants that have an outstanding wine list.
One newcomer to the award is Emory's on Silver Lake -- a restaurant that was also recognized for having a reasonably priced wine list. Some great choices from Emory's by the glass include 2012 Chateau St. Michelle Grand Estates Merlot ($7.00) and the 2011 Duckhorn Merlot ($14.00) which represents one of the best value glass pours I've ever seen. By the bottle they have a great buy on 2004 Dom Perignon ($225.00), as well as 2011 St. Innocent “Temperance Hill” Pinot Noir ($49.00), 2010 L’Ecole No. 41 Merlot ($47.00), 2011 Duckhorn Merlot ($52.00) and even 2010 Opus One ($250.00). White wine values include the 2013 Arbor Crest, Bacchus Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc ($28.00), the 2012 Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay ($62.00), the 2012 Alexandria Nicole Viognier ($39.00) and the 2011 Chateau Ste. Michelle, Cold Creek Vineyard Chardonnay ($49.00).
Chandler's Crabhouse in Seattle was also selected for having an inexpensive wine list and has continued their line of having a great and well-priced wine list as Wine Spectator award winner since 2008. Some good options by the glass on their list include 2012 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc ($10.00) and 2006 Chateau Larose ($14.00) or the 2009 Canoe Ridge Merlot ($14.00). Great values by the bottle include 2012 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling ($50.00), 2011 L'Ecole No. 41 Chardonnay ($44.00), and 2009 Ferrari-Carano Merlot ($59.00).
Finally, another Seattle restaurant that was recognized for an inexpensive wine list is Ten Mercer, a regular winner of Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence. Some values by the bottle on their list include 2012 DeLille Doyenne Rousanne ($56.00), 2010 Faiveley Mercurey ($46.00), 2009 Quintessa Cabernet ($149.00), 2012 Orin Swift 'Abstract' ($54..00), 2011 Abeja Syrah ($64.00) 2002 Chateau St. Michelle Reserve Syrah ($42.00) and 2006 Twomey Merlot ($68.00).
Be sure to check these restaurants out for great food and good value on their extensive wine lists.
‪#‎emorysonsilverlake‬ ‪#‎chandlerscrabhouse‬ ‪#‎tenmerce

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