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

Wine of the week: 2012 Chateau St. Michelle ‘Indian Wells’ Cabernet

From a great vintage in Washington, this wine is a perennial great value Cabernet. . . and St. Michelle's 2012 effort is no exception. The Indian Wells vineyard is located on the Wahluke Slope in Eastern Washington. The vines planted here are getting better and better with age. The resultant Cabernet is rich and concentrated, because of the heat produced in the 2012 vintage. If you are a fan of rich Washington Cabernet, you would be hard pressed to find a better Cab for the price. I seriously think this wine drinks like a 30 dollar bottle of Cab. Look for this wine at most Northwest area grocery stores, like QFC, Safeway and Fred Meyer. You can also find this wine at Costco.

2012 Chateau St. Michelle ‘Indian Wells’ Cabernet- Toasted oak with cloves, vanilla and blackberry on the nose. Palate has nice depth and richness in this balanced wine. Flavors of black olive, blackberry and chocolate. Excellent stuff. Drink now or cellar for 1-2 years. -91

Wine of the Week: 2013 Arbor Crest Sauvignon Blanc

Arbor Crest winery is one of the best value wineries in Washington. Located in the Spokane Valley, the winery also produces great red wines with many of their wines achieving 90 plus scores from Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator magazines. Each year the winery sources their Sauvignon Blanc from the Bacchus Vineyard in Columbia Valley. If you do not like oaked white wines and are looking for a refreshing white wine for under 10 bucks, this is the wine for you. Look for this wine at any Northwest grocery store, including Safeway, Fred Meyers, or QFC.
‪#‎arborcrestwinery‬

2013 Arbor Crest Sauvignon Blanc- This wine has honeysuckle and pear on the nose. Palate has cantaloupe and beeswax as well as pear on the palate. Delicious and refreshing. -91

Wine of the Week: 2010 Bodega Norton Privada

Bodega Norton is one of the most esteemed wineries in Argentina. Originally founded in 1895, many of the vines used for this blend are more than 50 years old. Particularly starting around 2000 there was a surge in quality of wine in Argentina, as wineries were producing the new hot wine for the world, Malbec. Recent accolades for the winery include their winemaker, Jorge Riccitelli, being named winemaker of the year by Wine Enthusiast magazine.
This wine is one of my favorite Red blends out of Argentina. The 2010 version really got it right. It is a blend of 40% Malbec, 30% Merlot and 30% Cabernet. Each varietal beautifully fits the puzzle. The wine readily available at most Northwest area Costcos. You can also find this wine at Total Wines. The 2011 version of this wine is not far off the pace of the 2010, as the 2011 received 93 points from Wine Enthusiast magazine.
‪#‎bodeganorton‬

2010 Bodega Norton Privada- This has improved with some cellaring. Deep rich hue with black cherry and anise on the nose. Palate is ft and viscous. But in a good way. Black cherry, vanilla, creme de cassis, dark chocolate and coffee on the palate. Very refined, drink now. -92

Interview with owner of San Juan Island Vineyards, Yvonne Swanberg

Recently I had the chance to catch up with the owner of the only winery on San Juan Island. San Juan Vineyards has achieved some great acclaim in the past, despite being a small production winery. The key is that the winery relies on fruit from great vineyards in Columbia Valley. Their red wines have achieved Wine Spectator scores of 90 in the past. They also recently achieved a double gold medal for their Madeline Angevine, a German varietal that is planted on their estate. This is one of the few varietals can thrive in the cool, damp climate of Western Washington. Here is my interview with Yvonne Swanberg, who talks about the trials and tribulations of being a winery owner.

(Washington Wine Blog) I'm wondering about your background in wine and how you decided to start a winery? What are some of the experiences that you have had?-
(Yvonne Swanberg) First, I had no background in wine aside from enjoyment. I enjoyed wine from the other side of the counter i.e. and more in an analytical sense. San Juan Vineyards was the idea of my late husband and business partner.
I became involved by “default” starting to do the marketing, etc. back in about 1998. By 2002 I was at the vineyard full time doing everything except the winemaking process. All decisions were made by my husband and partner. Previous to being at the vineyard, I was part of our insurance agency and worked as an Agent and Marketing Specialist. My husband (Steve) and I started an independent insurance agency back in 1980. I still tell people that it was this business that financed San Juan Vineyards and made it a reality.
I lost Steve to prostate cancer in 2006, and then the struggle started. The Partner refused to be a working or financial part of the project, but still would not work to turn it over to me. Finally, a couple of years ago it was necessary to work through legal channels to rid myself of this situation as he also refused to sign a listing agreement for the sale of San Juan Vineyards. I finally prevailed in June of this year. So, I listed the property hoping to find a new owner that has the passion to take the project to a new level. There is so much potential for San Juan Vineyards.

(Washington Wine Blog) Your wine has achieved 90 plus scores from Wine Spectator in the past. How has that acclaim impacted your winery?-
(Yvonne Swanberg) Our wines have received many accolades over the years – mostly medals from competitions. The wines have never garnered Wine Spectator scores of over 90. And, quite frankly, I quit pursuing this some time ago. I like the judgings with the medals and they have spoken well for the quality of our wines. We are a destination winery, and we are known specifically for our Estate Grown varietals. I believe my Winemaker, Chris Primus, has a distinct way of making the best Siegerrebe and Madeleine Angevine available in the Puget Sound. These two varietals are the main varietals grown in Puget Sound AVA, and not found in other areas in WA or OR. The 2013 Siegerrebe, receiving three Double Gold medals, shows there was no equal in the Puget Sound.

(Washington Wine Blog) Can you talk about your head winemaker and his style of winemaking? -
(Yvonne Swanberg) Chris Primus, Winemaker. Chris came to work for me in 2006 right after my husband lost his battle with cancer. The previous Winemaker had decided to go back to the Columbia Valley. This turned out to be a “good thing”. His style for red wine is basically to produce a wine that is food friendly, and also is true to varietal.

Wine of the Week: 2012 Seghesio Sonoma County Zinfindel

The Seghesio story began in the late 1800s, as immigrants from Italy descended on California and started a winery. In 1895 they planted their first vineyard in the Alexander Valley and the rest was history. At the time mostly Sangiovese was planted and for many years the Seghesio family was producing bulk wine to meet consumer demands for the time.
In 1983, the first wines were bottled under the Seghesio label at the hands of Ted Seghesio, a fourth-generation family winemaker.In 1986, his cousin Peter Seghesio joined the business and started a distribution network nationwide. By 1993, the Seghesio brand had grown to 130,000 cases of not only the family’s Zinfandel and Italian varietals, but also Chardonnay, Cabernet, Sauvignon Blanc, and red and white table wines. Seghesio became to grab acclaim for their Zinfandel wines from Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast and Robert Parker. In fact, some of their Zinfandel wines have featured in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list. The Zinfandel today is made from many old vines, some of which were planted in the late 1890s.
Their least expensive bottling, the 2012 Sonoma County Zinfandel, offers great value at the 20 dollar price point. I’ve had the past five vintages of this wine and it drinks well each year and consistently scores over 90 points from the top wine publications. You can find this wine in most wine shops, as well as Safeway, QFC and most Costco stores. Here is my pick of the week, the 2012 Seghesio Sonoma County Zinfandel.

2012 Seghesio Sonoma County Zinfandel- Blackberry and dried herbs on the nose. Palate has a strong acid structure and needs more than 30 minutes to open up after decanted and aerated. Flavors of blueberry, blackberry and mocha in this slightly jammy wine. Tasty stuff, drink now or cellar for 1-2 years. -91

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