Interview with Kim Kramer, Head Winemaker of Kramer Vineyards

Growing up around her family vineyards Kramer Vineyards Head Winemaker, Kim Kramer, wasn't initially get drawn into wine industry work. Attending nearby Linfield College, Kim was connected to Art History and Philosophy rather than wine tasting. She chose one of the great Oregon wineries to work at, St. Innocent, and started learning about the industry. 
Over time, Kim gravitated to learning about how wine is made and connecting with her family vineyards. I recently had the chance to sit down with Kim and chat wine. We talked about her fantastic new release wines as well as her winemaking story. Here is my interview with the talented winemaker of Kramer Vineyards, Kim Kramer. 

WWB: Can you talk about your experience working with Pinot Noir in the past and how you have learned to work with the varietal:

KK: I went to Burgundy in 2010 and worked with them for a harvest. I learned that we had this great piece of property here in Oregon and could discover what parts are good for the upper tier wines but every vintage I wasn't sure what the approach was going to be. 2010 after going to Burgundy and living with the family and having my time in fruit for three weeks instead of doing the thing in the cellar that I am supposed to do, I came to really understand all the steps that you take. So I came home and I felt like I had a storing point of view and knew how I wanted the wines to be made. Picking the fruit at the right time is essential. Also fostering a heathy fermentation is really important, rather than looking at the fruit when it comes in, understanding what happens during the entire course of the fermentation really helps. Being an estate vineyard I can go out and sample whenever we want. Picking is quick which helps because we are estate. For me, once a harvest date is set, paying attention until fermentation is done.

I was really impressed with your 2014 Kramer Vineyards ‘Brut’ Sparkling Wine (WWB, 90). Can you talk about your great new Sparkling Release the 2014 Brut? 

KK: We have three blocks that are set aside for our Brut and the blend is determined by the vineyard. When we target the right time to pick and it is important that the acid be nice and high. The job of the Sparkling Wine is to have that mineral driven side and I am not afraid of high acid. The 2014 vintage was warm and we have a hilly property so it has uneven ripening. That works to the benefit for this wine. There is a ripeness of the top of the vineyard and then green that might come through for other wines, we want that in. 2014 and 2015 and 2016 were exceedingly hot vintages and we need to have more green fruit in our Brut for the acid levels. There was minimal dosage in our 2014 Brut and it was about 3 grams a liter. I want to be open to that level based on the vintage. Ever since i have been making this wine in 2009 we have settled in that. We even do some zero dosage but as the wine ages it give more weight and freshness. 

WWB: I thoroughly enjoyed your 2104 ‘Pommard Clone’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 91) which was a fantastic earthy effort Can you talk about the wine?
�KK: In our 2014 Pommard Clone Pinot Noir experimented with whole cluster fermentation. My parents had experimented with that in the past but in 2014 we had a lot of fruit to work with. That helped with doing these experiments that I wanted to do for four or five vintages. We did about 20-25% whole cluster fermentation The Pommard is from our estate vineyard and from a Yamhill vineyard that is lower elevation. Blending them together I thought would be really interesting because I am familiar with the Pommard from our site but the other site I wasn't as sure how it would turn out. The thing that is somewhat frustrating is that I don’t have the most amazing blending palate. When we do a blend I am often surprised how much the wine changes over time. So for all of differences in that wine compared to our estate, the Pommard Clone wine is really interesting. That helps to get a grasp of what the new site contributes to the wine. I really like the weight the texture and mouthfeel of our 2014 Pommard. 

WWB: Your delicious 2014 Kramer Vineyards ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 90) is a great value, priced at $28.00 retail. Can you talk about the wine and how you look to add value to your winery portfolio?

KK: We like to have wines that are good value. I think it is easier to have a price point where people can incorporate into their regular routine instead of making them special occasion wines. This Estate Pinot Noir wine comes from the block of the vineyards that my parents planted in 1985. At that time we had access to 3 types of clones off Pinot Noir. This wine was made 25% whole cluster fermentation. All the fruit comes in about the same time, around late September. One of the things that is really important is to have the acidity there at harvest and I am not adding it later. That is really important for the primary extraction that you have the first few days. The red berry fruit, you want that to be there and you get more into the red fruits when you don't have the acidity there to begin with. When I saw the acid numbers I thought maybe it was too early with picking but now closer to bottling we realized that it is a nice combination of showing well now but i will only get better with time. Our barrel program is pretty simple. My dad does a lot of the vineyard work and I am not interested in showcasing barrel. This one had about 25% of new french oak. A lot of older french oak.

Kramer Vineyards

A historic Oregon winery, Kramer Vineyards dates back to 1983 when Trudy and Keith Kramer acquired their 60 acre property in the Yamhill-Carlton appelation. They eventually planted 22 acres of vines for their estate vineyard. Now they have a range of varietals planted including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Müller-Thurgau, Carmine, Muscat, Pinot Meunier and Grüner Veltliner. The Kramer’s daughter and winemaker Kim Kramer, has taken over as winemaker. Kim first began making wine in 2006, using an excess of Chardonnay from St. Innocent winery. In 2010 she spent a harvest in Burgundy, which helped cement her knowledge in making great Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Speaking Kim yesterday about her wines, she talked about the importance of using estate fruit, as she is constantly in the vineyard testing fruit and acid levels. Look for the completely delicious 2014 Kramer Vineyards ‘Brut’ Sparkling Wine (WWB, 90), which is an awesome value that shows wonderful poise and minerality with a beautiful array of flavors. Her 2014 Kramer Vineyards ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 90) is an awesome valuein Oregon Pinot at $28.00. This wine is both fruity and structured, showing lovely red fruits, and will cellar well into the next decade. Learn more about these great wines at kramervineyards.com Here are the great new release wines by Kramer Vineyards.

Just a killer photo of the Kramer Vineyards co-owner and vineyard manager, Keith Kramer, during harvest.

2014 Kramer Vineyards ‘Brut’ Sparkling Wine- Head winemaker Kim Kramer has crafted a fantastic new wine with her 2014 ‘Brut’ Sparkling Wine. This delightful Sparkling Wine opens with a bouquet of brioche, lemon oil, white peach and allspice accents. This leads to bright flavors of Gravenstein apple, marzipan, baking spices and suggestions of green papaya. This shows wonderful poise and length, with a nice stringency towards the back end. Drink 2017-2023- 90

2014 Kramer Vineyards 'Yamhill-Carlton' Pinot Noir- This limited, 125 case production Pinot Noir wine opens with aromatics of black cherry, black tea, black olive and suggestions of baking spices. There is lovely acidity as the wine displays open flavors of cranberry, Mandarin orange rind, red cherry and red currant. This has wonderful poise from this hot vintage. I can see this cellaring well for a decade.  Drink 2017-2026- 91

2014 Kramer Vineyards 'Estate' Pinot Noir- Weighing in at 13% alcohol, this excellent wine opens with aromatics of black cherry, black tea, black truffle and forest floor. There is lively acidity as the wine shows ripe strawberry, guava, red cherry and red currant flavors with peat moss. This is a great value out of Oregon. Drink 2017-2025- 90

2014 Kramer Vineyards 'Dijon 225 Clone' Pinot Noir- This excellent Pinot Noir wine underwent 25% whole cluster fermentation and is a wonderful wine made by Kim Kramer. There are deep flavors of forest floor, wild mushroom, peat moss, and wet rock with black cherry and black tea elements. The mid-palate has nice weight and lively structure as the wine yields flavors of black tea, forest floor, black olive tapenade and baking spices. Drink 2017-2025- 90

2014 Kramer Vineyards 'Pommard Clone' Pinot Noir- An excellent bottling by head winemaker Kim Kramer, this Pinot Noir wine shows earthy aromatics of wet stone, black truffle, with black raspberry coulis and wild blackberry. There are rich flavors of black cherry, blackberry pie, white truffle oil and peat moss. The Pinot shows wonderful terroir and minerality and will cellar well into the next decade. Drink 2017-2026- 91

2014 Kramer Vineyards 'Dijon 777 Clone' Pinot Noir-This wine opens with terroir driven aromatics of wet stone, forest floor, cigar box, black cherry and black tea. This leads to lithe flavors of black cherry, wild blackberry and peat moss. Drink 2017-2025- 90

Alexana

A fantastic Oregon winery founded by eminent cardiologist, Dr. Madaiah Revana, Alexana has greatly impressed with their set of new release wines from some warm vintages. Alexana is named after Dr. Revana’s daughter, Alexandra. Inspired by the great wines of Burgundy, Dr. Revana purchased an 80-acre vineyard property set in the Red Hills in the center of the Willamette Valley.. The expansive winery utilizes both gravity flow and Gold LEED certification. Head winemaker, Brian Weil has previously worked at Domaine Serene before heading back to Oregon State University, where in 2008 he graduated with a degree in Enology and Viticulture. Bryan then served as assistant winemaker at Home Cellars and in 2012 joined Alexana winery as winemaker.

HIs new release red and white wines were outrageously good. The 2015 Alexana ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Gris (WWB, 92) is an awesome value Pinot Gris and shows impressive mouthfeel and ripe fruit flavors. HIs range of red wines were exceptional. The 2014 Alexana ‘Signature’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 93) was seriously tasty, showing gorgeous minerality, a velvety mouthfeel and plush dark and red fruit flavors. Learn more about this exciting winery at http://www.alexanawinery.com Here are the great new release wines by Alexana. 

2015 Alexana ‘Revana Vineyard’ Riesling- Dr. Madaiah Revana planted just three acres of Riesling which is located in the south-east sections of his Revana Vineyard, set in the Red Hills of Dundee. The 2015 Revana Riesling begins with aromatics of petrol, white flowers, crushed wet gravel and suggestions of Granny Smith apple. The striking acidity hits you at first, leading to lovely flavors of white grapefruit, gooseberry, white peach, Gravenstein apple and hints of Key lime. This shows impressive range and persistence. Drink 2017-2025- 91

2015 Alexana ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Gris- This Pinot Gris wine was stirred on the lees for two weeks, prior to being pressed whole cluster. This gorgeous wine begins with aromatics reminiscent of nutmeg, poached pear, starfruit and hints of nectarine. The mouthfeel is plush and yields a wonderful minerality, leading to bright flavors of kiwi, starfruit, cantaloupe, wet stone and suggestions of baked apple. The structure of this wine is absolutely gorgeous and pushes the envelope considering the heat of the vintage. Hats off to head winemaker Brian Weil and his winemaking team on this impressive wine. Drink 2017-2025- 92

2014 Alexana ‘Terroir Series’ Chardonnay- This bottling was sourced from a host of vineyards in the Willamette Valley and opens with a bouquet of pear, honeydew melon, peach pit, Gala apple and hints of vanilla cream. This leads to flavors of vanilla bean, creme brulee, cantaloupe and mushroom accents. Well-structured and having a dense mouthfeel, this is a lovely effort. Drink 2017-2025- 91

2014 Alexana ‘Lonesome Spring Ranch Gran Blanc’ White Wine- The 2014 'Gran Blanc' is a blend of 49% Viognier, 25% Marsanne and 26% Roussanne which was sourced from the Lonesome Ranch Vineyard. This wine begins with aromatics reminiscent of green papaya, mango, starfruit and suggestions of Japanese pear. There is very nice minerality to this wine, despite obvious heat from the vintage. Flavors of cantaloupe, Pink Lady apple, kiwi and mulberry persist. The finish is exceptional and mineral-driven. I can see this having a surprisingly long life in the cellar. Drink 2017-2025- 91

Great new red wine releases by Alexana. 

2015 Alexana 'Estate East Blocks Volcanic' Pinot Noir-This gorgeous wine begins with aromatics of sandalwood, red cherry, guava and hints of teaberry. There are rich flavors of candied red cherry, guava purée, blackberry pie, and suggestions of mint. This is polished and smooth wine by highly talented winemaker Brian Weil. Drink 2017-2027-92

2014 Alexana 'Signature' Pinot Noir- The 2014 ‘Signature’ Pinot Noir is a gorgeous release by Alexana. The perfumed Pinot Noir wine begins with a bouquet of red currant, potpourri, red cherry and boysenberry liquor. There are rich flavors of wild blackberry, black cherry, Satsuma orange and forest floor hints. The minerality and mid-palate weight is exceptional. Drink 2017-2029- 93

2014 Alexana 'Revana Vineyard Pommard Clone' Pinot Noir- Head winemaker Brian Weil has crafted an exceptional and earthy wine here. This wine begins with aromatics reminiscent of peat moss, forest floor, black truffle oil, blackberry and black tea. There are dense flavors of black truffle crudo, black cherry cough syrup, wet earth, cran-orange and black raspberry with mulberry accents. The minerality is intense and lithe. This dense and chewy wine will have an exceedingly long life in the cellar. Drink 2017-2030- 93

2015 Alexana 'Revana Vineyard' Pinot Noir- This translucent colored Pinot Noir wine opens with a bouquet of red cherry, red raspberry, guava and strawberry with forest floor. The mid-palate is lithe and mineral-driven with bright flavors of strawberry, red cherry, guava and wild mushroom. This shows considerable poise despite the considerable heat of the vintage. Drink 2017-2028- 92

2014 Alexana 'Gran Rouge' Red Wine- A Syrah heavy based red blend, the wine begins with rich aromatics of smoke, black cherry, eucalyptus, pipe tobacco and black currant. There are ripe flavors of red cherry, black raspberry, black tea, dried sage and suggestions of crushed mint. This shows gorgeous poise and richness with racy freshness. Drink 2017-2027- 93

2015 Alexana 'Revana Vineyard West Block Sedimentary Soil' Pinot Noir- This impressive wine opens with a bouquet of red cherry, red raspberry, guava purée, pomegranate seed and suggestions of cran-orange. This leads to lithe flavors of guava, ripe strawberry, teaberry and suggestions of mulberry. Poised, focused and feminine, this red fruit focused Pinot will have a long life in the cellar. Drink 2017-2028- 93

Résonance

An exciting new player in Oregon, Résonance is Maison Louis Jadot's first wine project outside of Burgundy, France, since their founding in 1859.  Last year marked the winery’s debut release from their estate Résonance Vineyard, in the Yamhill-Carlton wine region.  The vineyard was first planted in 1981 and was purchased by the Jadot family in 2013. The Résonance project is led by eminent Jadot Winemaker, Jacques Lardière who has crafted Pinot Noir in Burgundy for  42 years. 

Last years wine releases were wonderful, terroir driven wines and these new releases were just as good, if not better. Look for the 2014 Résonance ‘Résonance Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 93) which is a gorgeous, earthy and terroir driven bottling with an outrageously good bouquet. Here are the new release wines by Resonance.

2015 Résonance 'Hyland Vineyard' Chardonnay- Louis Jadot sources this wine from a vineyard in the McMinnville AVA. The vines are set on a south facing slope in the Oregon Coast Range. There are bright aromas of white peach, pear, baking spices and green apple. This leads to flavors of vanilla cream, Pazzaz apple, poached pear and creme brulee. Drink 2017-2024-90

2014 Résonance 'Decouverte Vineyard' Pinot Noir- The Decouverte Vineyard is located in the center of the Dundee Hills. This wine begins with aromatics of wild mushroom, forest floor, peat moss, red cherry and cranberry. There are earthy flavors of peat moss, pipe tobacco, black truffle crudo, and black tea with black cherry. This is extremely Burgundian with wonderful terroir, currently displaying some nice black fruit tones. Drink 2017-2027- 92

2014 Résonance 'Résonance Vineyard' Pinot Noir- This beautiful wine has an engaging bouquet of wet stone, peat moss, forest floor, black truffle oil, wild blackberry and cigar box. The aromatics are simply intoxicating. There are rich flavors of black tea, wild blackberry preserves, black tea, black truffle and suggestions of cranberry sauce. Deep, seductive and earthy, this beautiful Pinot Noir will have a long life in the cellar. Drink 2017-2028- 93

Smith-Madrone

A seriously cool and historic Napa estate, Smith-Madrone wines are sourced from the winery's dry-farmed estate vineyards surrounding the winery on top of Spring Mountain in the Napa Valley. Stuart Smith chose specific slopes with different exposures for specific varietals when planting the vineyards: eastern exposure for Riesling, southern and western exposures across flat stretches for the Cabernet Sauvignon and the coolest north-facing slopes for the Chardonnay. The soil is mostly deep-red Aiken Stoney Clay loam, and is primarily volcanic-based, well-drained and deep for mountain soils. The estate is a 200 acre ranch, partly planted as vineyard over a century ago. California black bears and other wildlife once thrived here as did 120-year-old Picholine olive trees which frame a path and view down to the floor of the Napa Valley. 

I recently had the chance to review the wines from this historic estate in Napa and was hugely impressed with the quality of wines from the warm vintages of 2013 and 2014. The 2013 Smith-Madrone Cabernet (WWB, 93) in particular, showed wonderful terroir, aromatic range and Napa character. While delicious now, this wine will have a long life in the cellar. Learn more about these fantastic wines at https://www.smithmadrone.com Here are the great new releases from Smith-Madrone

2014 Smith-Madrone Riesling- This high elevation Riesling wine shows brisk acidity considering the heat of the vintage. Aromatically subdued at first when needing a one hour decant, this wine begins with a bouquet of white roses, honeysuckle, unripe pear and petrol. There are deep flavors of Gravenstein apple, unripe honeydew melon, lemon rind and a touch of green papaya. This has lovely astringency and structure, as this currently displays an almost unctuous mouthfeel. Drink 2017-2022- 92

2013 Smith-Madrone Cabernet- This gorgeous wine begins with aromatics of violets, black cherry, creme de cassis, black olive tapenade and suggestions of baking spices. Tannic and rich, this wine has flavors of coffee grounds, creme de cassis, cigar box, dark chocolate shavings and boysenberry liquor. Dense, tightly wound and intense come to mind when savoring this lovely Cabernet. The mouthfeel is gorgeous, showing beautiful texture and structure. Try to give this lovely wine another year for the fruit to fully amalgamate. Drink 2018-2030- 93

Brittan Vineyards

One of the iconic winemakers in the Willamette Valley, Robert Brittan made the bold decision to leave Stags’ Leap Winery in Napa after serving as Winemaker and Estate Manager for 16 years, in order to start his own winery in Oregon. His journey north the Willamette Valley began in his dorm room at Oregon State University, where he was a physics and philosophy major. He actually began his career in fermentation sciences in attempting to gain female interest. Robert ultimately completed his education at UC Davis and moved to Napa Valley, where he made wines for Far Niente, Saint Andrews and Stags’ Leap Winery. Robert has 40 years of experience making wine. Once he finally found the right site for his winery, Brittan Vineyards began on an 128-acre hillside in Oregon in December 2004. The soils are a mixture of glacial deposits and volcanic material, with a predominant presence of broken basalt. The volcanic material clearly adds to the wonderfully stony aspect in the wines. In 2004 there were 18 acres of existing vines but Robert needed to replant nearly half of the rootstock. This included one of the first plantings of the Swan clonal selection of Pinot Noir in Oregon.

After dropping all of the crop in 2005 to allow the vines to get better established, the first two Pinot Noirs from the mature vines on the property came from the 2006 vintage, a total of 720 cases. In the spring of 2008, an additional 3.5 acres of Pinot Noir were planted, which are now in production— the rocky soils and low water retention often means that it takes five years for a vine to get into production. In addition to the Pinot Noir, Robert has 4 acres of Chardonnay and 1.5 acres of Syrah have been planted. In addition to his own wines, Robert serves as the winemaker for several other brands, including Blakeslee, de Lancellotti, Fairsing, Noble Pig, Winderlea and Youngberg Hill. 

Robert’s Brittan Vineyards releases in 2013 were some of the best Pinot Noir bottlings that I sampled in my 2016 Oregon Report for International Wine Report. HIs new 2014 releases were just as good, if not better. The 2014 Brittan Vineyards ‘Gestalt Block’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 95) is one of the best wines from Oregon that I have sampled in the past year. It is an epic and exceptional effort that comboines exceptional terroir, rich fruit and incredible minerality. Learn more about these simply amazing wines at http://www.brittanvineyards.com Here are the new Pinot Noir releases by Brittan Vineyards. 

2014 Brittan Vineyards ‘Basalt Block’ Pinot Noir- The 2014 Brittan Vineyards 'Basalt Block' Pinot Noir is primarily comprised of clones Pommard, 667, 777, 115 and Swan. This is another utterly compelling wine from winemaker Robert Brittan which begins with complex aromatics of cranberry, teaberrg, mulberry, pomegranate seed, forest floor and black truffle oil, all taking shape and continually bringing you back to the glass for more. The richness and mouthfeel of this wine is purely sumptuous. There are beautifully concentrated flavors of wild blackberry cobbler, blood orange, black cherry, wet stone, black tea and black truffle with hints of sandalwood. The minerality is stunning, as this wine will truly age geacefully for years to come. Drink 2017-2030- 94

2014 Brittan Vineyards ‘Gestalt Block’ Pinot Noir- The Gestalt block in the Brittan Vineyard mostly contains Pinot Noir clones 115, 667, 777 and Swan on 101-14 and 4453 rootstocks. These southwestern facing blocks stare receive constant winds from the Pacific Ocean through the Van Duzer corridor.  Even more pungent, funky and earthy than the 'Basalt' bottling this dark colored Pinot Noir opens with aromatics of white truffles, blackberry cobbler, mint, teaberry, cranberries and orange zest. There are focused flavors of black raspberry liquor, white truffle and kumquat all backed by grippy tannins. The range, intensity and fruit weight is novel and simply remarkable. Allow this another year or two of bottle age beofre it hits its stride. Drink 2018-2030-95

Darby Winery

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

Darby has a beautiful and modern tasting room in Woodinville.

A recent visit to their Woodinville tasting room impressed. Look for their 2014 ‘Le Deuce’ White Wine (WWB, 90) which is a solid blend of Viognier and Roussanne that is downright delicious. Also impressive was their 2012 ‘Aunt Lee’ Syrah (WWB, 91) which showed marvelous structure and mineralogy with dark fruit flavors. Learn more about this great winery at http://www.darbywinery.com/wine/ Here are the great new wines by Darby Winery. 

2014 Darby 'Le Deuce' White Wine- This wine is an excellent blend of 56% Viognier and 44% Roussanne. The wine begins with aromatics of lemongrass, white peach, lychee and hints of New York apple. There are flavors of nectarine, Welches white grape juice, lemon zest, and lovely minerality with a slight saline streak. Drink 2017-2021- 90

2014 Darby 'Live Wire' Rose- This is a Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre based Rose wine that truly needs a hot summer day. There are aromatics of rose petals, red cherry and ripe strawberry. This leads to flavors of red cherry, red raspberry, teaberry and suggestions of orange rind. Drink 2017-2020- 89

2012 Darby 'Flip Side' Red Wine- This excellent Rhone style wine is a blend of 38% Grenache, 34% Syrah with 28% Mourvèdre. It opens with aromatics of smoked meats, rose petals, red cherry and hints of orange rind. There are flavors reminiscent of red cherry, red raspberry, black tea and orange rind. Drink 2017-2024- 90

2012 Darby 'Aunt Lee' Syrah- This great Syrah wine was aged for 18 months in French oak (50% new). The wine begins with aromatics of black tea, smoked pork shoulder, black olive and black cherry. There are flavors reminiscent of blackberry cobbler, black tea, anise and black cherry. Like many of the Darby wines, this has excellent structure and will cellar beautifully into the next decade. Drink 2017-2025- 91

2011 Darby 'Chaos' Red Blend- This intriguing wine is a blend of 32% Cabernet,  28% Merlot, 22% Petite Verdot and 18% Cabernet Franc. The wine begins with aromatics of sage, green bell pepper, red cherry and hints of coffee grounds. There are flavors reminiscent of black cherry, mocha, sage, roasted dates and coffee grounds. This shows wonderful poise and is pretty irresistible right now. Drink 2017-2027- 91

2011 Darby 'Swagger' Red Wine- This cold vintage Cabernet wine has 10% Malbec added to it. The wine was aged for 18 months in French oak (70% new) prior to bottling. The wine starts with aromas of black tea, sandalwood, black cherry and black olive. There are flavors reminiscent of black tea, anise, red bell pepper and hints of white pepper. Drink 2017-2025-89

Eight Bells

Making out way towards the end of a great Washington Wine Month for 2017, I wanted to highlight one of the exciting new wineries out of Washington, Eight Bells. The winery only produces 2000 cases per year and is based in the Roosevelt/Ravenna neighborhood of North Seattle. What began as a garage wine experiment, Eight Bells Winery first produced wine in the 2009 vintage. Eight Bells Winery is jointly owned and operated by Tim Bates, Andy Shepherd and Frank Michiels. Tim began making wine in his basement in 1980 with grapes from Sagemoor Farms. Like many who catch the wine bug, this experiment is now something quite serious as all winery owners have completed the WSU viticulture extension program.

I was highly impressed with their new release red wines. Each wine had old world structure and wonderful Washington character. Look for the juicy 2014 Eight Bells Syrah (WWB, 90), a wine with a fantastic mouthfeel and poise. The best wine I reviewed was the 2012 Eight Bells ‘David’s Block’ Red Wine (WWB, 91), which had wonderful depth and impressive layers. Learn more about this winery at 8bellswinery.com Here are the new red wine releases by Eight Bells.

2014 Eight Bellls Syrah- This forward and seductive style Syrah wine has lithe flavors of black cherry, black olive repented, smoked meats, sagebrush and a strong mineral push towards the end. The mouthfeel is really lovely. Drink 2017-2024- 90

2013 Eight Bells Sangiovese- This Sangoivese wine has heady aromatics of smoke, white pepper and black cherry. This leads to flavors of black cherry, sage, black olive and a strong saline and mineral streak on the finish. There is a really nice old world feel to this wine. Drink 2017-2024- 90

2012 Eight Bells ‘David's Block’ Red Wine -This wonderful Washington wine is a blend of six Bordeaux varietals. The red wine begins with highly perfumed aromas of black cherry, blackberry pie and mocha. There are rich flavors of blackberry pie, cassis, coffee grounds and hints of mint. Wirth some mild tannins right now, this will cellar well into the next decade. Be sure to give this at least an hour decant if enjoying right now. Drink 2017-2027- 91

Doubleback

Continuing some great Washington wineries for Washington Wine Month, a winery with prestige, Doubleback was started by former NFL quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who grew up in Walla Walla and attended high school there. For many years Drew had wanted to own his own winery following his illustrious career in football. Going back to Walla Walla was the perfect choice for him. Drew returned to Walls Walla in 2007 to plant his estate vineyard, McQueen, on the southern end of the Walla Walla Valley AVA. Doubleback was born in 2008 which would focus on estate fruit to create world class Cabernet Sauvignon from Walla Walla. Drew knew he needed a top class winemaker and connected with childhood friendand superstar winemaker, Chris Figgins, of Leonetti Cellar, who served as consulting winemaker until Josh McDaniels assumed the role in 2015. 

I had the great opportunity to sit down with Josh last October and talk wine (http://www.washingtonwineblog.com/blog/2016/10/13/interview-with-josh-mcdaniels-head-winemaker-of-doubleback-and-sweet-valley-wines). Last year’s release, his 2013 Doubleback Cabernet (WWB, 94) found its place on my Top 100 Wines of North America. This years release, the 2014 Doubleback Cabernet (WWB, 94) is every bit as good. While extremely tightly wound and closed, this wine has a massive core, intense tannic structure and dense fruit that will result in a highly age worthy wine. Josh is clearly one of the bright young winemaking talents in Washington state. Learn more about this esteemed winery at http://www.doubleback.com/ Here is my review of there 2014 Doubleback Cabernet. 

2014 Doubleback Cabernet- This wine is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon with 7% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec which was sourced from the McQueen, Bob Healy, LeFore, Seven Hills, Pepper Bridge and Waliser Vineyards. Dense and massive aromatics of black cherry, dried figs, black olive tapenade and hints of creme de cassis. This leads to flavors of creme de cassis, mocha, graphite, sandalwood, blackberry cobbler and suggestions of black olive. Massive tannins line this dense core. This is a beauty. Try to give this another year to settle and for the fruit to better amalgamate as this Cabernet is another spectacular effort by superstar winemaker Josh McDaniels. Drink 2018-2033- 94

Col Solare

Col Solare is a partnership of the titans in wine between the Antinori family (one of the most famous families of Tuscany) and Chateau St. Michelle. Starting with their first vintage in 1995, Col Solare’s mission has been to amalgamate these two distinct viticultural and winemaking backgrounds to create a fantastic Cabernet Sauvignon-based red wine from choice Red Mountain fruit. The result is one of the finest and most consistent Washington Red blends.
Col Solare has a gorgeous tasting room in Chateau St. Michelle Winery and an even more gorgeous setting on Red Mountain. They are appointment only, but offer a really fantastic retrospective of their wines. Their tasting room in eastern Washington offers gorgeous panoramas of Red Mountain and is a wold class facility where you can try one of Washington's great wines.
Until recently Col Solare made only two wines. Their signature blend, Col Solare, is typically made from around 70 percent Cabernet, depending on the vintage. Their second wine is called Shining Hill and is better than many winery's first wines. They also now have a special wine for their wine club called their 'Collector's Society' Red Wine, as well as Component Collection wines that showcase individual varietals such as Syrah and Malbec. Last year's 2014 Component Collection Malbec (WWB, 94) was the best Washington Malbec that I have ever reviewed. Col Solare will release their new red wine next month but I had a chance to sample the wine at Taste Washington last weekend. The 2014 Col Solare Red Wine (WWB, 95) is an absolutely scintillating release that is among the best Col Solare wines that I have sampled in the past near 20 vintages. This wine is a massive, cellar-worthy Cabernet blend that shows incredible poise, viscosity and mouthfeel. I also sampled their 2014 Col Solare 'Collector's Society' Red Wine (WWB, 94) which was a rich and decadent treat comprised of equal parts Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. Learn more about Col Solare at https://www.colsolare.com Here are the absolutely stunning new Col Solare wines to be released in April 2017.

2014 Col Solare Red Wine- This gorgeous wine is up there with some of the best Col Solare releases that I have sampled in the past 20 years. This intense, massive and brooding deep-hued wine is a classic effort by the superstar winemaking team of winemaker Darel Allwine and assistant winemaker Will Wiles at Col Solare. Dense, firm and masculine, this monster of a wine awakens with aromatics of black tea, sandalwood, black cherry, creme de cassis and Turkish coffee. The nose reminds me of the incredible 2013 bottling. There are decadent flavors of black tea, black olive, mocha, allspice and suggestions of dark chocolate shavings. Polished, smooth and absolutely scintillating, this is another stunner by Col Solare and their superstar winemaking team. Give this at least a two hour decant before enjoying. Drink 2018-2033- 95

2014 Col Solare 'Collector's Society' Red Wine- A blend of 50% Cabernet and 50% Malbec, this is a wine club only wine by Col Solare. There are rich and intense aromatics of black cherry, black olive and mocha with sagebrush accents. There are dense flavors of black cherry, anise, creme de cassis, mocha and hints of pipe tobacco with green bell pepper. This is an absolute stunner with a graphite edge and an exceedingly long finish. This will need at least a one hour decant if enjoying young. Drink 2017-2033- 94

Upchurch Vineyard

Continuing Washington Wine Month, we bring you a feature on one of the iconic names in Washington wine, Chris Upchurch, clearly one the top winemakers in the state. Chris has served as head winemaker at DeLille for many years and continues to oversee production there. Following his degree from the University of Washington, Chris began working as a wine merchant, which helped him refine his palate through some of the best wines from around the world before becoming the founding winemaker and partner of DeLille Cellars. For more than Chris has gained incredible experience about Washington wine and Washington terroir as head winemaker at DeLille. In 2007 Chris found the perfect plot of land on Red Mountain and started his own winery, Upchurch Vineyard. Last year his 2013 Upchurch Vineyard Cabernet (WWB, 94) landed at #73 on my Top 100 wines of North America (http://www.washingtonwineblog.com/top-100/#/2016-top-100/). This was an absolutely massive and structured wine that is meant for the cellar.

HIs 2014 Upchurch Vineyard Cabernet (WWB, 93) was stunning, just as his last release. I recently had the chance to sit down with Chris and chat about his new Cabernet wine. He was very pleased with the result, as he loved the combination of structure, intense dark fruits and aging potential. I could not agree more. The vineyard remains rather young but has a ton of potential. While I think that this wine probably should sit in the cellar for at least one more year before enjoying, the wine clearly has incredible cellaring potential as the massive structure and tannins of this wine impress.  Learn more about this impressive winery at https://upchurchvineyard.com/ Here is my review of the gorgeous new 2014 Upchurch Vineyard Cabernet.

2014 Upchurch Vineyard Cabernet- The 2014 Upchurch Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is an impressive follow up to their gorgeous 2013 bottling. Superstar winemaker, Chris Upchurch, has blended in 9% Merlot to his Cabernet wine and has aged the wine in new French oak (Taransaud & Orion) prior to bottling. Chris has mostly used Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 2 which he feels adds to the floral aspect of the wine. The new oak influence is quite minimal at this juncture, as the wine is currently displaying pretty aromatics of red currant, fresh rose petals, black cherry, black olive and sagebrush influences. The mid-palate minerality and structure is impressive. There are ripe flavors of sweet tobacco, red cherry, red raspberry, sagebrush and wild blackberry pie. Try to give this beautiful Cabernet another year to settle and for the fruit to further integrate. Drink 2018-2033- 93

Roserock Drouhin

Domaine Drouhin Oregon is one of the historic houses in the Willamette Valley. First established in 1987 in the Dundee Hills, Domaine Drouhin wanted to forge a new project winery which is set in the Eola-Amity Hills, Roserock. The Drouhin family, owners of Joseph Drouhin in Burgundy and Domaine Drouhin Oregon (DDO), purchased the 279-acre Roserock Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills a few years back. This adds to their 225 acres at its estate property in the Dundee Hills and made them one of the largest landholders in the Willamette Valley.

Wines form the Roserock Vineyard truly add something different to the Domaine Drouhin Oregon portfolio. While the Domaine Drouhin Oregon wines tend to show a darker, more masculine profile in their Pinots, the Roserock wines showed more red fruit and pretty feminine characteristics that has made Eola-Amity Hills famous. Look for the absolutely delicious 2015 Roserock Chardonnay (WWB, 91), a wine that shows wonderful structure and elegance, alongside the silky texture and mouthfeel. Also impressive was the 2014 Roserock ‘Zephrine’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 92) which showed wonderful feminine and earthy characteristics and has the structure to cellar well into the next decade. Learn more about this great winery at http://roserockoregon.com Here are the great new wines from Roserock. 

2015 Roserock Chardonnay- This beautiful Chardonnay by Domaine Drouhin begins with bright aromas of honeydew melon, starfruit and Pazzaz apple. This leads to flavors of lemon zest, Gravenstein apple, orange rind, pink grapefruit blossom and teaberry. Lithe and light on its feet, this has wonderful structure to cellar well into the next decade. The texture and wonderful structure is quite a remarkable achievement from this warm vintage. Drink 2017-2023- 91

2014 Roserock ‘Eola-Amity Hills’ Pinot Noir- The 2014 Rose Rock Pinot Noir from Domaine Drouhin shows pretty floral aromas of rose petal as well as crushed volcanic rock, red cherry, baking spices and pomegranate seed. There are bright flavors of wild blackberry jam, red cherry, blood orange and crushed wet stone. This shows wonderful aromatic and flavor range. Overall this is a well made wine with nice cellaring potential. Drink 2017-2026- 91

2014 Roserock ‘Zephrine’ Pinot Noir- This gorgeous Pinot Noir made by Domaine Drouhin is a barrel selection wine sourced from the Roserock vineyard. The wine begins with aromatics of crushed wet rock, red cherry, orange zest and suggestions of pomegranate seed with wild mushroom. This leads to rich flavors of red cherry, red raspberry, cranberry, pomegranate seed and suggestions of blood orange. Lithe and rich, this has wonderful structure and texture. This feminine wine will cellar well into the next decade. Drink 2017-2028- 92

Evening Land

Evening Land

A winery that displays incredible terroir, Evening Land wines utilize the famed Seven Springs Vineyard for their Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Gamay bottlings. The Seven Springs Vineyard is truly one of Oregon's most historic vineyards. First planted in 1984, the Seven Springs' eastern exposure allows the fruit in the vineyard to experience an abundance of morning sunlight. The vineyard also mitigates heat by utilizing the Van Duzer Corridor, which brings cool breezes in from the Pacific Ocean. The combination of heat and cool breezes affords the fruit to slowly ripen.

I have visited the winery on numerous occasions and was hugely impressed with this new set of releases. Each wine was stunning. Look for the 2014 Evening Land ‘Seven Springs’ Chardonnay (WWB, 93) which is a great value and offers a ton of aromatic and flavor range. This gorgeous, mineral driven wine will cellar marvelously. The 2014 Evening Land ‘Summum’ Chardonnay (WWB, 95) is one of the best wines that i have sampled from Oregon in the past year and is certainly one of the more memorable Chardonnays. This wine makes it case for competing with the elite new world Chardonnays out there. The wine is simply gorgeous, showing incredible structure and Burgundian earthy tones. It is truly one for the cellar. The Pinot Noir releases were just as stunning, none more so than the 2014 ‘Anden’ Pinot Noir bottling (WWB, 94) which showed tremendous poise, terroir and black fruit flavors. Learn more about this incredible winery at https://www.eveninglandvineyards.com Here are the exceedingly good new release wines by Evening Land.

2015 Evening Land ‘Seven Springs’ Gamay Noir- From one of the oldest plantings of Gamay in North America, this wine arises with earthy aromatics of stewed wild mushroom, cinnamon stick, peat moss and cranberry with orange rind. There is nice minerality on the mid-palate with red fruit flavors leading to a pomegranate and orange laced finish. Drink 2017-2025- 90

2014 Evening Land 'Seven Springs' Chardonnay-This excellent Chardonnay begins with aromatics of wild mushroom, lemon curd and kumquat. There are lithe flavors of vanilla cream, butterscotch, lemon oil and suggestions of roasted pineapple. The exceedingly long, 40 plus second finish, accentuates this Chablisesque, gorgeous Chardonnay. Drink 2017-2027- 93

2014 Evening Land 'La Source' Chardonnay-Deep and earthy aromatics mark this bottling, currently showing morel mushroom, forest floor, peat moss, brioche and Golden Delicious apple accents. The mid-palate shows brisk minerality, and a lovely weight. There are bright flavors of Meyer lemon oil, white grapefruit, crushed wet stone, Pazzaz apple and suggestions of vanilla creme brulee. The finish lingers for nearly a minute. This has the structure to cellar marvelously and pick up secondary characteristics but it is nearly impossible to currently put down this impressive mineral-driven Chardonnay. Drink 2017-2028- 94

2014 Evening Land 'Summum' Chardonnay-This wine is sourced from a small section of the Seven Springs Vineyard. The wine opens with a bouquet of shitake mushroom risotto, lemon zest, challah bread and baking spices. This leads to flavors of lemon oil, tangerine rind, meringue and white truffle crudo. Intense, lithe and having wonderful fruit weight, this complete Chardonnay is a joy to savor. The exceedingly long, near one minute finish, connects this world class Burgundian style Oregon Chardonnay. Drink 2017-2030- 95

2014 Salem Wine Company 'Eola-Amity Hills' Pinot Noir- This is an off-shoot winery project by superstar winemaker and master somm, Rajat Parr. This lovely, feminine style Pinot Noir opens with a bouquet of red cherry, guava purée, black raspberry, Earl Grey tea and suggestions of wild mushroom. There are ripe flavors of strawberry, guava, pomegranate seed, Mandarin orange rind and suggestions of tobacco leaf. This has wonderful structure and will cellar beautifully into the next decade. Drink 2017-2027-93

2014 Evening Land ‘Seven Springs’ Pinot Noir- Comng from old vine Pinot Noir, more than 30 years of age, the wine utilizes Pommard and Wadenswil clones that are set on volcanic Jory soils. The wine was hand harvested and hand sorted, with roughly 75% of the fruit being destemmed. This excellent Pinot Noir wine begins with aromaticcs of black truffle, cran-pomrgranate, red cherry, sage and forest floor elements. Showing wonderful mid-palate weight and acidity, the wine delivers flavors of cranberry, teaberry, mulberry, red cherry, guava puree and suggestions of baking spices. This is layered, fresh and delicious wine. Drink 2017-2028- 93

2014 Evening Land ‘La Source’ Pinot Noir- The 2014 Evening Land ‘La Source’ Pinot Noir comes from Seven Spring Vineyard Dijon clones that are set on a rocky slope reaching 700 feet in elevation. The ‘La Source’ section of the vineyard sees a strong wind influence from the Van Duzer Gap. This gorgeous wine opens with an aromatic profile of black tea, white truffle, black cherry liquor, black raspberry and suggestions of nutmeg. The wine has a silky and smooth texture and rich, mineral driven mouthfeel, currently yielding flavors of black cherry, red raspberry, tangerine, guava, pomegranate seed and hints of black forest cake. The lingering finish beautifully connects the citrus and red fruit elements. Drink 2017-2028- 93

2014 Evening Land ‘Anden’ Pinot Noir- This gorgeous wine, sourced from the Seven Springs Vineyard, featuring Pommard clones which were planted in 1984. This wine opens with a bouquet of rose petals, black cherry, cran-pomegranate and teaberry with a touch of forest floor. As the wine unwinds in the decanter it continues more earthy elements, with pipe tobacco and wild mushroom risotto. Dense and more masculine than the ‘La Source’ bottling, this wine is currently unveiling flavors reminiscent of black cherry, black raspberry, black truffle crudo, roasted figs and hints of milk chocolate. The long and lingering finish is memorable. Be sure to give this beautiful wine at least a two hour decant before enjoying. Drink 2017-2030- 94

Interview with Ali Mayfield, Head Winemaker of The Walls

As part of Washington Wine Month we bring you another exciting winemaker feature. Highly talented and having a passion for working with less usual varietals, Ali Mayfield serves as head winemaker for The Walls. A new winery, The Walls have released some really awesome wines that capture the art of blending and show wonderful poise and terroir. Ali has been in the industry for more than ten years. She has studied under former head winemaker of Corliss Estates, Kendall Mix and has a very good feel for Washington fruit. Her new releases were very compelling. I think you will like hearing about her story in wine. Here is my interview with Ali Mayfield, head winemaker of The Walls.

WWB: Ali, can you talk about your background in winemaking and how you first became interested in winemaking? 

AM: I moved to Walla Walla in 2005, after leaving a job with UPS to go back to school to study Enology and Viticulture. I was offered an internship with Kendall Mix, who was at the time making the wines for Corliss Estates. Kendall was—and still is—a great mentor to me. In 2007, I went on to work for Long Shadows Vintners, which was an incredible experience, being introduced to the different winemakers and the styles of wine they created.

In 2011, I had the pleasure of meeting French Oenologist Claude Gros and instantly I knew I wanted to learn more from him. Claude and I have been working together ever since. It was a nice combination of working with great Washington winemakers and then gaining Old World winemaking knowledge from Claude. I’m constantly learning! I first became interested in wine as a hobby—I would make a carboy or two and bottle it up, design a label and share it with my friends. It’s fun to look back on those days now!

WWB: The Walls is a new winery project that was started rather recently. Have you always wanted to start a winery? What were some of the biggest challenges with starting a winery?

AM: Yes, I’ve always wanted to start a winery—it’s a dream come true, and I’m blessed to have Mike Martin as my business partner. For several years, Mike and I were the only ones working on the project, and I often wish we could go back to the simplicity of those days. For me, the biggest challenge was adding more people to the project. I have such a great team at the winery, but it was definitely a challenge to go through an entire vintage and learn how to work together and to learn the unique strengths that each person brought to the team. 

WWB: Your new release, the 2014 The Walls ‘Lip Stinger’ Grenache Blanc (WWB, 91) is one of the best Grenache Blancs that I have sampled in the past year. Can you talk about this lovely bottling, as well as this warm vintage. How were you able to attain this degree of minerality despite the obvious heat from the vintage?

AM: I’m so happy to hear it’s one of the best Grenache Blancs that you’ve sampled, thank you! The Lip Stinger has such a great personality—this wine is always created in the vineyard with our grower Damon LaLonde at French Creek. We keep a very close eye on this site during the ripen stage, as French Creek is a warmer site for whites, which requires us to sample and monitor the pH and sugars often. The flavors developed in late August and the natural acids were still in balance with a low pH. We harvested the Grenache Blanc and co-fermented it with the small amounts of Piquepoul, Roussanne, Marsanne, Vigonier and Clairette Blanche in barrel. 

WWB: I was also very impressed with your 2014 The Walls ‘The Ramparts’ Red Wine (WWB, 92), which showed wonderful feminine and masculine components. Can you talk about the blending of this wine and what you sought to achieve in terms of aromatics and flavors with this lovely bottling? The 2014 Ramparts is a blend of Grenache, Mourvédre, Syrah and a small amount of Counoise. In the 2014 vintage the Grenache was definitely the feminine piece of the blend. We co-fermented the Grenache with Syrah, which we often do to add a touch more structure to the wine. We were patient with the Mouvédre and the vintage allowed us a longer hang time on the vine, which gave us more concentration and riper flavors—the masculine component. We found the balance of the blend by adding a touch of Counoise, which adds more brightness and acidity to the blend. 

WWB: With March being Washington Wine Month I'm curious what your other favorite Washington wines are?

AM: I enjoy drinking wines from the Rocks district—to me, it is one of the most distinctive vineyard sites in Washington. I’m currently waiting for a shipment to arrive from Force Majeure which I’m really excited about, and I’m also inspired by the wines of Avennia.

Interview with Dave Specter, Co-owner and Winemaker of Bells Up Winery

A relatively new winery, first started in 2013, Bells Up Winery in Newberg, Oregon was started by winemaker David Specter and his wife, Sara Pearson Specter. I was hugely impressed with the past two Pinot Noir releases from this estate as both wines had wonderful feminine characteristics, ripe red fruit flavors and tons of terroir. I had to sit down with Dave and talk wine. He was a delight to speak with, as he talked about how he initially caught the wine bug from his life as a Cincinnati attorney. I think you will really enjoy hearing his story in wine. Here is my interview with Dave Specter, winemaker and co-owner of Bells Up Winery.

WWB: How did you decide to start Bells Up?

DS: I started making wine as an amateur 11 years ago. When developing my own style I looked to other wines I liked, and what I really enjoyed was the elegance of certain wines. The only way to achieve that, I think, is to let the fruit do its thing and not try to manipulate it into something big, heavily extracted, or over the top. So on my wife Sara and my five-year wedding anniversary we started making wine together. We bought a box kit that comes with the juice and yeast. At the time, I was still an attorney, but what I loved about winemaking was that it gave me the opportunity to experiment and try different things. I could produce something physical and tangible—very different from my career as an attorney. Over time we transitioned into making wine from grapes, and I became associated with the Cincinnati Vintners’ Club. It’s an amazing group that sources from all over California, bringing in primarily Bordeaux varietals—mostly to make Cabernet- and Merlot-based blends. For white wine, I was able to get some local Seyval Blanc grapes in Ohio. It’s a

French hybrid that you see quite a bit in the Midwest, because it has been bred for cold weather hardiness. It has Sauvignon Blanc parentage and produces a dark yellow colored wine. This is the varietal that won my first amateur wine competition, so when we moved to Newberg, in the Willamette Valley, we decided to plant Seyval Blanc in our estate vineyard; it’s the only planting in the valley and we’re looking forward to having that in the tasting room when it comes online in a couple of years.

WWB: How did you decide to start a winery?

DS: In 2008 Sara and I had just returned from our first visit to Oregon wine country. We had fallen in love with the Willamette Valley and the feel of the place, particularly the concentration of small, craft-style wineries. These were folks who got into the business because they enjoyed making wine, not because they thought it would make them billionaires.

Upon returning from vacation, my firm started pushing me to go partner track, and Sara’s professional mentor was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer—having just turned 40—and she died a few months later. We were also new parents. We decided we didn’t want to continue on that corporate path, but instead to set an example for our daughter about following your passion. We were also in our mid-30s at the time and felt like we were still young enough to take a financial risk, yet still have the energy to pour into it.

I took a leave of absence from my law career, and spent three years interning at an urban winery in Cincinnati—Henke Winery—from 2009 to 2012. Joe Henke became my winemaking mentor. He makes 2,000 cases a year in the basement of a 100-year-old house with 8-foot ceilings. Nothing fancy, just a lot of attention to detail and to the basics. He makes a lot of different wines, but not Pinot Noir, even though that’s one of his favorites. I learned a ton from him.

During that learning process my own winemaking improved to the point that in 2011 I won a couple of national amateur winemaking competitions. We put the house in Cincinnati on the market, and when it sold in 2012 we moved to Newberg, rented a condo, and started networking and looking for properties. I did a harvest internship at Alexana in Dundee, Oregon, that fall, and Sara found the unlisted property that we own today.

WWB: Can you talk about your vineyard?

DS: We are located in the Chehalem Mountains AVA, on a 10-acre site that includes our house and the barn that we converted into the winery and tasting room. It has about 8.5 plantable acres; we have five acres planted now. We started by planting three acres in 2014 of Pinot Noir Pommard and Dijon Clone 667. In 2015 we added the Seyval Blanc, and in 2016 we planted three more Pinot Noir clones: 113, 943 and Wadenswil. We have a little more space to plant sometime in the future.

The vineyard is on Jory soil, a red-colored clay and loam and it rises from about 450 feet to 650 feet in elevation, facing fully south. It holds water wonderfully, so we have never had to irrigate, and the soil and elevation play well with the style of wine we are aiming to create. We’re excited to make our first estate Rosé of Pinot Noir from our own grapes this fall, in 2017.

WWB: Both the 2013 and 2014 releases of the “Titan” were excellent (WWB, 91) and showed marvelous poise, elegance and pretty red fruit flavors. Can you talk about the differences that you noticed between the 2013 and the 2014 vintage?

DS: What we personally love about Oregon Pinot Noir is that the grape itself is so expressive of each unique growing season. That allows us to bottle the story of a season in a very tangible way. In 2013, we had weather that was slightly warmer than average through the summer. But then September brought two separate rain events that dumped 8 to 10 inches of rain in the valley. Sara and I had a lot of “what the heck have we gotten ourselves into” moments. Especially when the valley was covered with vineyards that were overcome with mold and rot issues because of the rains.

However, because we are a micro-boutique winery making such incredibly small lots and limited quantities, we specifically try to work with micro-growers who have 5 acres or less under vine. Small growers, in our experience, are doing this because it’s a passion for them—not a profession—they just love tending a vineyard. Keeping up with the maintenance, thinning the fruit, and staying on the details is easier in a smaller acreage site, and it’s what makes the difference in a year like 2013. That meant our fruit was exceptionally clean, and we were able to pick after the rains, when we felt the flavors had developed to their maximum potential.

That said, most of the 2013s we’ve tasted have been lighter because of the rain influence. As a winemaker, you have to decide what you’re going to do with that. Some tried to bulk up flavor and color in their Pinot Noir through various extractive means. I decided to just run with it because our flavors were great and I don’t worry about color—it doesn’t make the wine taste better. I’m more interested in creating elegant Pinot Noir.

Then 2014 was completely different than 2013. I like to think Mother Nature owed us one after 2013. We had consistently warm daytime temperatures, some nice, cool nights that helped to round out the acids, and no September rains, so we could pick when we wanted. That brought out more berry flavors in the 2014 Titan than our 2013 Titan, in my opinion.

In general, I find that the warmer the year here in Oregon, the bigger the berry flavors are going to be in the finished wine. In the cooler years, it seems to be harder for those berry flavors to come out. Usually there are more floral elements in the cool vintages for Oregon, which we’ve noted in our 2013. Again, our 2014 Titan Pinot Noir is lighter in color than many other producers’, but I like to say that once the wine gets in your mouth, you aren’t going to care about color. Interestingly, the pick dates were just one day apart between 2013 and 2014.

Looking ahead to our 2015 Titan Pinot Noir, which we will be releasing later this year, it was definitely a hot vintage. It was the hottest year on record in Oregon, which produces bold wines. For me, that was a tremendous winemaking challenge because my personal style is to aim for balance and elegance.

WWB: When you are not enjoying Oregon Pinot Noir, what is typically in your glass?

DS: Sara and I have always loved the small, off-the- radar producers. I personally love Washington Reds. I taste a lot of the varietal characteristics in Washington wines across the board. That’s one reason we source Walla Walla Valley AVA Syrah fruit—from Milton-Freewater, Oregon—for our Firebird wine, as opposed to sourcing from California.

I spent time in the Prosser area when I did a distance enology program with Washington State University, and visited the local wineries, from larger producers like Hogue to smaller producers like Davenlore. Gordon Taylor at Davenlore is one of the coolest people I have met in the wine industry, and he makes some great wines. He’s built a winery brand that’s similar to ours, and he’s been a wonderful resource.

DeLille Cellars

It is always a pleasure tasting wines with superstar winemaker, Jason Gorski of DeLille Cellars. DeLille is one of the longstanding Woodinville wineries that rose to prominence under eminent winemaker Chris Upchurch. DeLille Cellars was the first winery in Washington to focus on creating Bordeaux style wine blends. DeLille owns a 20 acre vineyard in Red Mountain and also sources from some of the top sites in the Yakima Valley. DeLille Cellars currently produces six Bordeaux-styled wines including Grand Ciel, Chaleur Estate Rouge, D2, Harrison Hill, Four Flags and Chaleur Estate Blanc. This winery has expanded production in recent years, but quality has remained exceptional. 

Jason talked about the past few vintages in Washington and showed off his 2016 Rose (WWB, barrel sample 90-93), which has not yet been released. HIs new release wines were absolutely stunning. Another great white wine release, the 2015 DeLille Rousssanne (WWB, 93) showed wonderful poise and weight, as the wine speaks to the vintage. The 2014 DeLille 'Quintessence Vineyard' Malbec-Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 95) is comprised of 68% Malbec and the rest Cabernet. This is an insanely good and dense treat that will cellar beautifully for decades. The DeLille lineup was spectacular top to bottom, as Jason is really one off the best young winemakers in the state, as you can taste the attention to detail in the glass. He has done a fantastic job with the hot, 2014 vintage. Learn more about DeLille and their great wines at www.delillecellars.com Here are the great new release wines from DeLille.

Aweomse new red wine lineup from DeLille Cellars

2016 DeLille Rose (barrel sample)- 90-93

2015 DeLille 'Harrison Hill' Cabernet (barrel sample)- 94-97

2015 DeLille Roussanne- This excellent Roussanne wine begins with aromatics of beeswax, brioche, honeydew and hints of macadamia nut. There are rich flavors of cashew nut, green papaya, Meyer lemon rind and a long, creamy finish. This is truly one of the best of it's kind in the state. The mouthfeel and texture is gorgeous. Drink 2017-2023- 93

2014 DeLille 'Metier' Red Wine- This is a blend of 40% Grenache, 40% Mourvèdre and 18% Syrah with 2% Cinsault. The wine begins with aromatics of rose petals, red cherry, Umami, red raspberry and smoked meats. There are flavors of white pepper, marionberry pie, blackberry jam, orange rind and hints of wet stone. This has a rich mouthfeel and a wonderfully dense texture as this wine shows wonderful layers. This is exceedingly hard to resist. Drink 2017-2025-92

2014 DeLille 'Doyenne' Red Wine- This a blend of half Cabernet and half Syrah which was sourced from the Yakima Valley.  This wine begins with aromatics of black cherry cough syrup, red cherry, sagebrush, anise and hints of dried herbs. There are flavors of red cherry, blackberry preserves, milk chocolate and hints of sagebrush. This is juicy, poised and delicious wine. Drink 2017-2025- 93

2014 DeLille Cellars 'Signature' Syrah- This wine was co-fermented with 2% Viognier and shows wonderful drinkability at this juncture.  This juicy Syrah wine has aromatics of bacon fat, blackberry preserves, black cherry and mocha accents with sagebrush. These are just intense and wonderful aromatics that bring you back to the glass for more. There are rich flavors of black cherry, anise, blackberry pie and mocha accents. This is dense and has marvelous structure. Drink 2017-2026- 93

2014 DeLille Merlot-This awesome Merlot wine was sourced from the Klipsun, DuBrul, Red Willow and Upchurch vineyards.  This gorgeous new release Merlot begins with black cherry, black raspberry, black tea, coffee grounds and suggestions of graphite. There are rich flavors of black cherry, cassis, anise, Turkish coffee and suggestions of red bell pepper. The poise, intensity and elegance is really wonderful. To some this might pass for a hot vintage right bank Bordeaux. Try to give this another year in the bottle for everything to settle. Drink 2018-2030- 94

2014 DeLille Cellars 'D2' Red Wine- This excellent wine is a blend 45 different blocks of Merlot and Cabernet with a touch of Cabernet Franc. I can imagine that to be an extremely laborious blending process. The wine was aged for 20 months in French oak prior to bottling. This begins with aromas of red cherry, red raspberry, sagebrush, with baking spices. There are rich flavors of red cherry, blackberry pie, milk chocolate and graphite. This is dense, chewy, tannic and gorgeous. Drink 2017-2029- 93

2014 DeLille 'Red Willow Vineyard' Malbec- A brooding, dark color coats the glass to this intense and unctuous Malbec wine. This inky colored wine opens with aromatics of dark chocolate, roasted figs, black cherry and black tea. This leads to flavors of black tea, mocha, anise, creme de cassis, black olive and blackberry cobbler. Intense, layered and rich, this needs another year for fruit and aromatic amalgamation. Drink 2018-2030- 95

2014 DeLille 'Quintessence Vineyard' Malbec-Cabernet Sauvignon- Made from 68% Malbec with the rest Cabernet, this is one of the most exceptional bottling of its kind that I have sampled in the past few years. The Malbec dominant wine opens with aromas of violets, black cherry, anise, creme de cassis and graphite with milk chocolate. The palate is plush, displaying ripe flavors of black tea, blackberry jam, mocha, anise, creme de cassis and sagebrush. Layered, massive and deep, this is a decadent treat. Try to give this another year for everything to soften and come together. Drink 2018-2030- 95

2014 DeLille 'Shaw Vineyard' Cabernet Sauvignon- This awesome Cabernet wine was barrel selected from Block 2 in the Shaw vineyard, located in the northwest corner. The wine begins with intense aromatics of anise, creme de cassis, mocha, and red bell pepper. There are rich flavors of red cherry, milk chocolate, black tea and anise with a silky mouthfeel. This is plush and smooth Cabernet that has wonderful mid-palate weight. If enjoying in its youth, be sure to give this a long decant. Drink 2017-2030- 94

2014 DeLille 'Four Flags' Cabernet- This gorgeous wine is a blend of 42% Grand Ciel, 31% Upchurch, 19% Ciel du Cheval and 8% Klipsun. The intense and brooding Cabernet wine begins with ripe aromatics of sagebrush, black tea, red bell pepper and mint with milk chocolate. There are rich flavors of black tea, anise, creme de cassis, red bell pepper, sagebrush and coffee grounds. This shows wonderful range, persistence and poise. The wine is drinking beautifully right now but will cellar for 15 plus years. Try to resist this exceptional Cabernet for another year. If enjoying young, give this at least a one hour decant. Drink 2018-2033- 95

2014 DeLille Cellars 'Chaleur Estate' Red Wine-The 2014 ‘Chaleur Estate’ Red Wine is a gorgeous and dense wine that will have an exceedingly long life in the cellar. This excellent red wine begins with aromatics of graphite, anise, creme de cassis, coffee grounds, red bell pepper, and suggestions of baking spices. There are dense flavors of red cherry, mocha, red bell pepper and creme de cassis with a slight salinity. This shows impressive range. This is chewy and massively tannic with an exceedingly long finish. Drink 2018-2033- 94

2015 DeLille Cellars ‘Chaleur Estate’ Blanc- The 2015 ‘Chaleur Estate’ Blanc follows up the past two exceedingly impressive releases of this wine — both of which were featured on my Top 100 wines of North America. This impressive white wine begins with aromatics of hazelnuts, New York apple, cantaloupe and suggestions of wild mushroom. There are flavors reminiscent of marzipan, cashew nut, ripe pear, Meyer lemon zest, brioche and heavy whipping cream. This has wonderful freshness considering the heat of the vintage. The viscosity and texture is gorgeous. Drink 2017-2027- 94

Pietro Rinaldi

A short jaunt to Piedmont in northern Italy today on the blog, as I wanted to present a gorgeous producer of Barolo. Pietro Rinaldi’s vineyards are located south of Torino in Cascina "Cicchetta", as they have Dolcetto, Barbera, Nebbiolo, Arneis and Moscato planted. Grass is left among the rows of vines and biodynamic farming is used without herbicides to respect biological and vegetative cycles. Grape thinning and harvest are done by hand.

I had a chance to review two great vintages in Barolo, 2010 and 2011. Our International Wine Report head editor Joe D’Angelo has described the 2010 vintage as “classic and more structured than 2011.” Joe explained “2010 had slightly cooler temperatures but very stable and consistent conditions throughout the growing season. This lead to steady ripening and age-worthy, structured Barolos as well as more polished tannins. 2011 had ideal weather early on, however, cooler summer months were followed by a significant heat spike late in the season. This was a bit of a shock to the vines, and resulted in a rapid increase in sugar levels leading to an early harvest. Overall, the quality in 2011 is more vineyard specific, as wines showed notable differences in structure, acidity and sugar levels throughout the entire region.”

The wines by Pietro Rinaldi reflected that vintage variation. The 2010 had more firm tannins and a slightly broader range of aromatics and flavors than the 2011. The 2011 was. slightly less classic and a touch more forward, as it needed less time in the decanter to unwind. These wines were both gorgeous at this stage. Learn more about this wonderful estate at http://www.pietrorinaldi.com/pagine/eng/vini_rinaldi/barolo_monvigliero.lasso Here are the fantastic 2010 and 2011 releases from Pietro Rinaldi.

2010 Pietro Rinaldi Barolo- This gorgeous Barolo begins with sexy aromatics of black truffle oil, forest floor, cigar box, pencil shavings, red cherry and red currant. The slight mustiness and vegetal quality to this wine is truly lovely. The palate is lithe, currently displaying flavors of cram-cherry, pink bubblegum, blood orange, red raspberry and mulberry accents with forest floor. Thew range of flavors and aromatics is striking. With light tannins at the end, this is drinking remarkably well despite its obvious youth. If enjoying now, be sure to give this wine a two hour plus decant. Drink 2017-2030- 93

2011 Pietro Rinaldi Barolo- A slightly more translucent core than the ’10 Barolo, this expressive bottling begins with aromatics of rose petals, teaberry, cran-orange, red raspberry and hints of wild mushroom. There are flavors reminiscent of ripe cranberry, orange rind, cigar box, black truffle crudo, smoke and nutmeg. The finish lingers to this wonderful wine. Drink 2017-2028- 92

Domaine Drouhin

One of the founding Oregon wineries, Domaine Drouhin Oregon, the estate has created Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines for more than 25 years. The Oregon estate was established in the late 1980s, but the winemaking roots were planted in Burgundy a century earlier, when Joseph Drouhin moved from Chablis to Beaune, and in 1880 founded Maison Joseph Drouhin. He was succeeded by his son, Maurice Drouhin, who dedicated his life to making fine wine. In 1957, Robert Drouhin became the third generation to run the business. He first “discovered" Oregon terroir in the 1960s. Then in 1987, Robert Drouhin was invited to participate in the first International Pinot Noir Celebration, and on that trip, he decided to purchase land in the Dundee Hills. Where there had only been Christmas trees and wheat, the Drouhin's began planting their first vineyards in Oregon.  At the same time, Robert nominated his sister, Véronique, to be the newly christened DDO winemaker, and her brother Philippe Drouhin took responsibility for viticulture.  In 1988, DDO produced its first vintage, from purchased grapes, and in 1989 built the landmark, four-story gravity flow winery.

I've visited the estate on many occasions, as the winery has sweeping views of the Willamette Valley and is the perfect spot to sit outside on a warm summer day. The expansive tasting room pays homage to its sister winery in France, as you can even purchase some of their Burgundy estate wines there. The new release wines from Domaine Drouhin were highly impressive. Look foer their simply awesome 2015 ‘Arthur’ Chardonnay (WWB, 92) which shows marvelous richness and minerality. For a spurge, check out the 2013 ‘Laurene’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 93) which impresses in this challenging vintage, showing wonderful structure and rich red fruit flavors. Learn more about this storied Oregon estate at http://www.domainedrouhin.com/ Here are the awesome new releases from Domaine Drouhin. 

2015 Domaine Drouhin 'Arthur' Chardonnay- Partially fermented in French oak barrels,This golden hued Chardonnay opens with a bouquet of ripe pear, honeydew melon, nutmeg, brioche and starfruit accents. The flavors are ripe and largely citrus based, showing candied white grapefruit and lemon zest with buttered toast, and vanilla cream suggestions. Overall, this is a lovely effort from this estate. With its dense mouthfeel and striking minerality, this will cellar beautifully well into the next decade. Drink 2017-2026- 92

2014 Domaine Drouhin 'Dundee Hills' Pinot Noir-Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir wine was first produced in 1988. This release begins with aromatics of black cherry, black truffle oil, with hints of Mandarin orange rind. There are flavors reminiscent of black cherry, black raspberry cordial, lemon zest, white truffle and hints of forest floor and cranberry. This shows impressive weight, range and texture, as the finish glides on for half a minute. Drink 2017-2027- 92

2013 Domaine Drouhin 'Laurene' Pinot Noir- Named after Veronique Drouhin's daughter, the elegant  'Laurene' Pinot Noir wine was aged in 20% new French oak and bottled in February 2015. The wine begins with an aromatic profile of red raspberry, red currant, red cherry, and black truffle accents. The palate is rich, displaying a wonderful texture and yielding ripe flavors of cran-pomegranate, Bing cherry, orange rind and hints of forest floor. Structured and balanced, this Burgundian style Pinot will cellar well past the next decade. Drink 2017-2030- 93

The Walls

The Walls

As part of Washington Wine Month we continue our coverage of exciting Washington wineries. Last July I had the chance to first run through new releases from this awesome new winery out of Walls Walla, The Walls has also impressed with their second run of new release wines. The winery was founded by Mike Martin and Ali Mayfield (head winemaker), and they have recently purchased a 20 acre parcel in the Walla Walla Rocks region as they will start planting vines in 2017. The Walls sources from a host of great vineyards across Washington 

Highly talented head winemaker Ali Mayfield has impressed again with her new releases for 2017. Originally from Indiana. Ali studied at Indiana University and began making wine at home while working for UPS. She eventually caught the winemaking bug full time. Look for her 2014 The Walls ‘Lip Stinger’ Grenache Blanc (WWB, 91) which is one of the best of its kind that I have sampled in the past year. The wine has marvelous texture and range. Also impressive was the 2014 The Walls ‘The Ramparts’ Red Wine (WWB, 92) which is a Grenache dominant blend that displays lovely red fruit flavors as well as rocky characteristics. Learn more about The Walls and look for these wines online at https://www.thewallsvineyards.com/ Here are the great new release wines from The Walls.

Awesome new lineup of wines by The Walls

2014 The Walls 'Lip Stinger' Grenache Blanc- This excellent wine begins with aromatics of beeswax, lemongrass, unripe nectarine and suggestions of white flowers. There are ripe flavors of Gravenstein apple, cut grass, kiwi, cantaloupe and wet stone that sit alongside lively minerality. The mid-palate weight is lovely as the creamy finish lingers. Drink 2017-2022- 91

2014 The Walls 'The Ramparts' Red Wine- This excellent wine has aromatics of spicy oak, rose petals, red cherry, red raspberry and black plum. There are rich flavors of red cherry, lavender, wet rock, blood orange rind and black raspberry liqueur. This shows wonderful range and purity of fruit from the Grenache in particuar. Drink 2017-2027- 92

2014 The Walls 'Gaspard' Syrah- This inky colored Syrah wine had aromatics of white pepper, smoked pork shoulder, black cherry and milk chocolate. This leads to rich flavors of milk chocolate, blackberry preserves, black cherry, loganberry liquor, smoked brisket and anise. Light tannins finish this lovely Syrah. Drink 2017-2026- 91

2014 The Walls 'Cheys' Syrah- This deep hued wine begins with aromatics of black cherry, anise, smoked pork shoulder and hints of baking spices. There are rich flavors of black plum, black cherry, anise, baking spices and blueberry pie. Forward and packing a punch, this can withstand some medium cellaring in the next decade. Drink 2017-2025- 91

Yao Family Wines

Growing up I was a huge Seattle Supersonics fan I would go to nearly every home game during the glory years of Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton. The Houston Rockets, one of their main rivals, drafted a relatively untested center named Yao Ming in 2002 with the first pick in the NBA draft. Yao became an instant sensation and one of the best players in the league, until retiring after a series of injuries in 2011. That was the year that he launched Yao Family Wines.

Yao Family Wines sources from a host of great Napa Valley vineyards. The grapes are fermented and then aged up to 18 months in 100% French oak barrels. Only the best lots were used in the final blend. I was very impressed with their new release wines. Their flagship wine in particular, the 2014 Yao Family Wines Cabernet (WWB, 92) was dense and muscular, showing wonderful and generally intoxicating dark fruit flavors. This massive wine will cellar marvelously for 15 years or more. Learn more about Yao Family Wines at http://www.yaofamilywines.com Here are the great new release wines by Yao Family Wines.

2014 Yao Family Wines Cabernet- The 2014 Yao Family Wines Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 3% Cab Franc and 2% Petite Verdot. It is a wonderful showing from this estate which brilliantly showcases this hot vintage. This excellent Cabernet wine opens with black olive aromas with creme de cassis, mocha, tar and hints of black plum. There are rich flavors of creme de cassis, anise, black cherry cough syrup, black raspberry and coffee grounds. This has a wonderful plush mouthfeel and shows gorgeous range of flavors and aromatics. Drink 2018-2030- 92

2014 Yao Family WInes 'Napa Crest' Red Wine- The 2014 Yao Family Wines 'Napa Crest' Red Wine, is a Cabernet dominant blend (63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 12% Petit Verdot) that shows beautifully without a decant. This wine begins with aromatics of red currant, red cherry, anise, dill and rose petals. There are flavors of anise, mocha, creme de cassis, black cherry and black raspberry. Drink 2017-2027- 90