Beaulieu Vineyard

A winery with serious prestige and history, the Beaulieu Vineyard name traces back to 1900, when Georges de Latour's wife, Fernande, first laid eyes on the land that would become their original Rutherford vineyard, she named it "beau lieu," or "beautiful place." De Latour saw the potential of the land and sold his prosperous cream of tartar business, purchasing the four-acre ranch and later founding Beaulieu Vineyard.  For many years I have enjoyed visiting the BV Reserve Room — one of the great locations to try some of the best wines in Napa. The new red wines by BV were outstanding across the board. Trevor Durling has taken over as winemaker and general manager in the past year, as the torch has been passed from superstar winemaker Jeffrey Stambor. Originally from Sonoma County, Trevor has a degree in viticulture and enology from the esteemed University of California, Davis.

Look to the 2015 Beaulieu Vineyard ‘Rutherford’ Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 91) which shows excellent value and wonderful Napa terroir. The standout wine was the absolutely epic 2014 Beaulieu Vineyard ‘Georges de Latour’ Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 95) which has incredible depth, precision and an old world feel. This is truly one for the cellar. Learn more about these gorgeous new wines at https://www.bvwines.com Here are the new releases by BV.

2015 Beaulieu Vineyard Merlot- This outstanding Merlot by Beaulieu Vineyards opens up with aromas of black tea, red currant and anise. Nicely structured and balanced, the wine reveals black tea, anise, black cherry compote and milk chocolate flavors that sit alongside some nice minerality and light tannins Drink 2018-2024- 89

2015 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon- The herbaceousness of this wine hits you immediately with red bell pepper and sage. This shows a nice combination of weight and structure, as the wine reveals black tea, anise, creme de cassis and Turkish coffee flavors. Forward and delicious, enjoy this excellent wine over the next five plus years. Drink 2018-2024- 89

2015 Beaulieu Vineyard ‘Rutherford’ Cabernet Sauvignon-  Head winemaker Jeffrey Stambor has crafted an outstanding new wine with the 2015 BV ‘Rutherford’ Cabernet Sauvignon. This opens with green bell pepper, sage, and anise on the nose. The mouthfeel is polished and refined. Black tea, mocha, anise and creme de cassis with red bell pepper flavors impress. Downright delicious now, this wine will age gracefully for a decade or more. Drink 2018-2028- 91

2014 Beaulieu Vineyard ‘Tapestry’ Red Wine- The 2014 ‘Tapestry’ by BV is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot with a touch of Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. This starts off with aromatics reminiscent of anise, cocoa powder, creme de cassis and red bell pepper. This has a wonderful balance and sense of place. Anise, mocha, creme de cassis and green bell pepper flavors connect with a great structure. This polished effort improves after a two hour decant. Drink 2018-2030- 92

2014 Beaulieu Vineyard ‘Georges de Latour’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2014 BV Vineyards ‘Georges de Latour’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a highly compelling blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Merlot, largely sourced from the Rutherford AVA in the Napa Valley. The nose is polished and downright intoxicating. Anise, creme de cassis, coffee grounds and red bell pepper bring you back to the glass for more. This has a Bordeaise feel and a wonderful balance. Black tea, mocha, anise and creme de cassis with a touch of blueberry compote complete this exceptional wine. There is a wonderful balance and poise here. Drink 2019-2035- 95

Sparkling Wines of Hampshire

Friends, a few weeks back I had the great opportunity to visit the vineyards of Hampshire, located roughly 50 miles southwest of London. The tasting was set up at Hattingley Valley, one of the up and coming wineries of England. We left central London and took the train to Basingstoke, located roughly 50 minutes from the winery. The region sees less rain than most other parts of England. They had recently endured some snowy conditions — which is highly unusual weather for them. Usually this region sees very little snowfall during the year and mild growing conditions which somewhat echo those in Burgundy.

The past two vintages in Hampshire have been highly challenging, leading to low yields and a very small crop. Most wineries have chosen not to bottle vintage 2016 and 2017 sparking wines and have chosen rather to blend those vintages into other cuvees. The previous two vintages, 2014 and 2015 were generally excellent growing conditions. Here is a background on the vintages and wineries, as well as the wines reviewed. It was a very memorable journey to the south of England which is a very exciting emerging region that makes some excellent sparkling wines.

Vintage Reports

Speaking to winery representatives, they were able to offer good detail on each vintage, which was a general consensus that the past two vintages were challenging and the two prior to that were near perfect growing conditions.

2017- Last years vintage, 2017, was considered to be a challenging vintage. A late frost hit the vineyards late so that impacted the vines. That led to lower yields but a high quality crop. Cottonworth lost 70% of their crop due to the frost conditions. The harvest was prolonged during the growing season which led to nearly two different harvests. The weather in July helped the growing season. Some wineries did not make wine which were sold in bulk.

2016- The 2016 vintage was a lower yield vintage as well with generally dry weather. Grapes were harvested in early October. Quality was high but the yields were down considerably, just as in 2017. There was some late frost which didn’t to hit vines as badly as 2017. The wines were not typically as high quality as 2014 and 2015 but growers are optimistic that the wines show a nice purity of fruit and a good acidity.

2015- This a vintage with good quality fruit. The region saw a long growing season with harvest being largely in mid to late October which was a week later than the previous vintage. Yields were generally down due to some ripening issues. Fruit was generally solid, as the wineries reported particularly good Chardonnay grapes.

2014- The was a wonderful, near perfect vintage. There was a long growing season with good conditions in the spring and having warm weather in September. The winemaker from Hattingley Valley, Emma Rice, mentioned that this was the largest vintage which had high yields and high quality fruit. 

Cottonworth

Cottonworth is a winery that boasts a four generation farming background. Hugh Liddell, serves as proprietor, owns two thousand acres of Hampshire farmland. In 2006 he planted a vineyard, against the will of his family. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier was planted and in 2010 their first wine was made in a garage. Following that vintage their wines have been made at Hattingley Valley. The vines are set on chalk and clay in their a 30 acre vineyard, which is largely planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

NV Cottonworth ‘Classic Cuvee’ Brut Sparkling Wine- The ‘Classic Cuvee’ is a blend of largely Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with a touch Pinot Menier. This was aged for 26 months on the lees prior to disgorgement. The wine was disgorged in September 2017. This begins with aromatics of brioche, lemon zest and Marcona almond. There is a wonderful astringency to the wine leading to kumquat, macadamia nut and a touch of lemon oil towards the back end. This is very well-made. Drink 2018-2024- 90

2014 Cottonworth ‘Rose’ Brut Sparking Wine- The wine is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. This has a very pretty color, as the wine was aged for 26 months on the lees prior to disgorgement. Guava and orange zest mark the nose. The palate is lithe and full of life. Pomegranate seed, sourdough bread and lemon oil flavors impress. The mineral driven finish lingers. Drink 2018-2028- 90

Exton Park

This winery sources from an estate 50 acre vineyard. The owner has previously been in the watercress business before planting vines. Wines are grown on chalky soils and the vineyard is planted to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Head winemaker, Corinne Seely, is originally from France and drives this winery. 

2011 Exton Park ‘Blanc de Blancs’ Sparkling Wine- This 100% Chardonnay wine is sourced from a cool vintage in Hampshire. Musty and yeasty on the nose, there are brioche, and lemon zest on the nose. The palate has good lift and weight. With good astringency, this shows intense lemon zest flavors towards the back end. The lingering mineral and citrus driven finish drives this wine, as does the subtle nutty quality. Drink 2018-2025- 91

NV Exton Park ‘Britagne Rose’ Sparkling Wine- This wine is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. This starts off with aromatics reminiscent of ripe strawberry, orange rind and suggestions of red cherry candy. A touch of sweetness marks this wine that brings some nice red fruits with citrus rind. This refreshing wine is really in need of a hot summer day. Drink 2018-2024- 89

Jenkyn Place

Jenkyn Place is a family run winery that was purchased in 1997. The vineyard was first planted in 2004 with additional plantings the next two years. There are now a total of 12 acres planted on three different vineyard sites devoted to Pinot Noir, Pinot Meuneur and Chardonnay. The wine is made in West Suxxex at Wiston Wine Estate. The vineyard overlooks the owner, Simon Bladon’s house. Simon helps regularly with vineyard management. His daughter, Camilla, works in the vineyard as well as the business side of the winery. 

2013 Jenkyn Place ‘Classic Cuvee’ Brut Sparkling Wine- This wine was disgorged in July 2017 as the wine sat for three years on the lees. The wine is 62% Chardonnay with the remainder Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. This starts off with aromatics of brioche, lemon blossom and white flower. The tension is lovely as the wine has a very refreshing side. Kumquat, sourdough bread and wonderful crushed seashell flavors impress. This is an outstanding wine that will cellar well for a decade. Drink 2018-2028- 91

2010 Jenkyn Place ‘Blanc de Noir’ Sparkling Wine- The wine was aged extensively on the lees. The musty and nutty nose entices immediately with roasted hazelnut and wild mushroom aromatics with baked apple. There is really good balance here and good weight. Astringent and highly poised, the wine yields green apple, kuymquat and Challah bread flavors that sit alongside the wonderful tension. Drink 2018-2028- 92

Hattingley Valley

Owned by Simon Robertson who was a corporate lawyer in London, he had an interest in wine and Simon planted at two vineyard sites in 2008. The first vintage was 2010. The ‘Classic cuvee’ is the first non-vintage wine that they have made. Emma Rice serves as head winemaker and the winery was designed to her specifications. Hattingley Valley house other producers at their facility such as Raimes and Cottonworth. Pommery Champagne also has an English sparkling wine made at Hattingley Valley.

NV Hattingley Valley ‘Classic Reserve’ Sparkling Wine- Disgorged in Fall 2017 the wine is a blend of blend of largely Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Roughly 8 thousand cases are made of this wine. This starts off with brioche and white flower aromatics with a touch of nutmeg. The palate is lithe as the wine reveals bright lemon zest and kumquat with brioche flavors. The wine finishes long with lemon oil and minerals. Polished and delicious, this is an outstanding effort by Hattingley Valley. Drink 2018-2024- 91

2014 Hattingley Valley Rose Sparkling Wine- This wine is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir, 38% Pinot Meunier with a touch of Pinot Precoce. With 8 g/l this wine was fermented in 4-5 year old Burgundy barrels prior to bottling. This has lovely red fruits on the nose with a touch of citrus. Lithe and delicious, this refreshing Rose shows off wet stone, lemon zest and cran-pomegranate flavors that sit alongside some beautiful tension. This is a really good effort by winemaker Emma Rice. Drink 2018-2024- 91

Raimes

Raimes is owned by a farming family that owns two thousand acres owned by fifth generation farmers. The vines for the wine were first planted in 2011. Located in South Downs, the vineyard is known for chalky soils. The wines are made at Hattingley Valley and the winery produces roughly 800 cases each year, depending on the vintage. 

2014 Raimes ‘Classic’ Sparkling Wine- The wine is largely 51% Chardonnay, 29% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier. The wine was disgorged in Aug 2017 prior to bottling as it spent 28 months on the lees. This starts off with brioche, baked apple and kumquat. The wine yields some bright flavors of Gravenstein apple, lemon zest and suggestions of brioche. Well-made and sturdy, this wine has a wonderful tension and salinity. There is a good sense of place. Drink 2018-2024- 90

DeLille Cellars Barrel Tasting

Friends, as we slowly wind down another wonderful Washington Wine Month I wanted to share with you one of the jewels of Washington wine. DeLille Cellars has a longstanding history in the Washington wine industry. Legendary winemaker, Chris Upchurch, help craft the first Bordeaux style white wine in Washington. They currently make what I consider to be the best of its kind, their Chaleur Estate Blanc:

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. 

Winemaker Jason Gorski, has previous stints at Chateau St. Michelle and Spring Valley prior to coming to DeLille. He makes some really stunning wines. A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to taste some of his wines in the barrel and was very impressed. Most of the red wines came from the 2016 vintage — one that saw generally ideal growing conditions which has reminded some winemakers of the 2008 and 2012 vintages. The wines that I tried are exciting red wines, with wonderful freshness, verve and good concentration. A mainstay that is looking good right now is the 2016 DeLille Cellars ‘Signature’ Syrah (WWB, 92-94) which has wonderful richness and weight, as well as acidity. This is going to be a truly outstanding wine. I am also excited to see how their 2016 DeLille Cellars ‘Grand Ciel’ Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 94-96) evolves, as this is a downright stunner right now, showing incredible viscosity and tension. Learn more about DeLille and their great wines at www.delillecellars.com Here are the great new wines currently in the barrel from DeLille Cellars.

2015 DeLille Cellars Grenache -92-94

2016 DeLille Cellars ‘Signature’ Syrah- 92-94

2016 DeLille Cellars ‘Doyenne’ Red Wine- 91-93

2016 DeLille Cellars ‘Grand Ciel’ Syrah- 92-94

2016 DeLille Cellars ‘D2’ Red Wine- 91-93

2016 DeLille Cellars ‘Harrison Hill’ Cabernet Sauvignon- 92-94

2016 DeLille Cellars ‘Four Flags’ Cabernet Sauvignon- 93-95

2016 DeLille Cellars ‘Grand Ciel’ Cabernet Sauvignon-94-96

2016 DeLille Cellars ‘Lot 3’ Cabernet Sauvignon- 94-96

2017 DeLille Cellars ‘Le Petit Doux’ Dessert Wine- 92-94

Soos Creek

Nearing the end of another fantastic Washington Wine Month, we bring you one of the oldest wineries in Washington that you might have never heard of. Soos Creek was founded in 1989 by David and Cecile Larsen. David Larsen has seen out nearly 30 vintages now. Originally starting to make wine in the Boeing Wine Club (and even blackberry wine), David caught the wine bug thanks to inspiring trips to Europe and Napa Valley. Initially modeling his winery after Quilceda Creek, producing only one Cabernet wine, he has since expanded to making an excellent Merlot and red blends. Sourcing from some of the best vineyards in the state including Ciel du Cheval and Klipsun in Red Mountain, David makes roughly 2,000 cases each year focusing on high quality red wines. Prices are seriously reasonable, ranging from $20.00 to $45.00 for their Champoux Vineyard Cabernet. I found that David’s wines exude quality across the board.

A downright killer value at $30.00 is the 2014 Soos Creek ‘Artist Series’ Red Wine (WWB, 92) which has wonderful herbaceousness with an abundance of dark fruits and a lovely minerality. Another great value at an even lower price point is their 2014 Soos Creek ‘Sundance’ Red Wine (WWB, 90) which is a solid effort showing pretty red fruits from Cabernet Franc. Learn more about this great boutique winery at http://www.sooscreekwine.com Here are the excellent new wines by Soos Creek.

2014 Soos Creek ‘Sundance’ Red Wine- The wine is largely Cabernet Franc with lesser parts Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The herbal notes are nice on the nose, connecting with red fruits. This has a delicious red fruit flavor profile with a silky mouthfeel. Drink 2017-2022- 90

2014 Soos Creek ‘Palisades’ Merlot- Sourced from the Columbia Valley, this wine opens with aromas of red cherry and sagebrush. The mouthfeel here is really plush and delicious. Milk chocolate, roasted figs and black cherry flavors impress. The balance and richness is there. Drink 2017-2027- 91

2014 Soos Creek ‘Terrible Beauty’ Cabernet Sauvignon- This inky colored wine yields some dark fruit aromatics with pencil shavings and a touch of cocoa powder. Red bell pepper, red cherry, and sagebrush flavors impress. This has an enticing combination of weight and poise. Drink 2017-2027- 91

2014 Soos Creek ‘Artist Series’ Red Wine- The ‘Artist Series’ Cabernet Sauvignon by Soos Creek is a blend of largely Cabernet Sauvignon with a smaller portion Cabernet Franc. The nose is elegant with black cherry and mocha aromas with a touch of herbal notes. The balance here is lovely as the herbaceousness from the Cabernet Franc is currently shining brightly. Black and red fruits mingle beautifully alongside some nice tension. Drink 2017-2027- 92

Warr-King Wines

As we continue our voyage through Washington Wine Month we bring you a relatively new winery. Founded in 2013 by Lisa Warr-King Packer, Warr-King is located in the warehouse district of Woodinville. Lisa spent 20 years in the high tech marketing world, prior to starting a wine internship with Patterson Cellars. She completed the Wine Technology Program at Lake Washington Technical College and later completed the two year program in Enology at Washington State University.  Lisa then spent two years collaborating with John Patterson, and a harvest with Chateau Ste. Michelle prior to starting her winery.

Her new release wines were very good. Lisa makes an excellent white wine, her 2016 Warr-King Roussanne (WWB, 90) which is poised, balanced and delicious. Also look to her 2014 Warr-King Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 90) which has a good structure and concentration of dark fruits. Learn more about this exciting new winery at http://warr-kingwines.com Here are the new wines by Warr-King

2016 Warr-King Roussanne- This Columbia Valley bottling starts off with aromatics reminiscent of starfruit with a touch of butter and banana. The wine has a really nice texture, as the wine showcases toasty brioche, macadamia nut and cantaloupe flavors that connect with some good minerality. Drink 2018-2022- 90

2014 Warr-King Syrah- This deep colored wine starts off with dark fruits on the nose with a touch of chocolate. Showing a nice mouthfeel, this wine has dark cherry and roasted fig flavors that need a bit of time to amalgamate. Drink 2018-2024- 89

2015 Warr-King ‘Descendant’ Red Wine- The ‘Descendant’ is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The nose begins with oaky overtones with dark fruits and baking spices. This has good richness and shows off wild blackberry, dark cherry and milk chocolate flavors. Medium weight, this is meant for relatively early consumption. Drink 2018-2024- 89

2014 Warr-King Cabernet Sauvignon- Sourced from Red Mountain, this wine starts off with dark cherry and blackberry jam on the nose. Fruity and also lithe, the wine has a good depth and combination of dark fruits and tension. This is a well-made Cabernet by Lisa Ward-King Packer. Drink 2018-2024- 90

Tertulia Cellars

Tertulia Cellars

Continuing on another great Washington Wine Month, we bring you another Walla Walla winery, Tertulia Cellars. Founded in 2005 Tertulia Cellars is surrounded by their estate Whistling Hills Vineyard, set in the foreground of the Blue Mountains. In 2008 Tertulia Cellars completed their winery. Tertulia makes some intriguing wines including a very good Carmenere. They have three tasting rooms located in Woodinville, the Willamette Valley, and at their Walla Walla winery. 

Head winemaker, Ryan Raber has crafted some good new releases. The 2014 Tertulia Cellars Syrah (WWB, 90) has a really good mouthfeel and rich flavors. This balanced effort is best enjoyed in the short-term. Even better was the 2013 Tertulia Cellars ‘The Great Schism Reserve’ Red Wine (WWB, 91) showing wonderful aromatic range at the moment. Learn more about this Walla Walla winery at http://www.tertuliacellars.com/ Here are the new wines by Tertulia Cellars. 

2014 Tertulia Cellars Syrah- Sourced from the Whistling Hills Vineyard, this starts off with aromas of milk chocolate with baking spices and dark cherry. This has as nice mouthfeel as the wine shows off dark and red fruit flavors with baking spices. Drink 2018-2025- 90

2015 Tertulia Cellars Cabernet Franc- The 2015 Tertulia Cellars Cabernet Franc is sourced from the Elevation Estate Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley. There is a nice herbal nose with rose petals and sage. On the lighter side, the wine shows a nice combination of red and dark fruits with good balance. Drink 2018-2025- 89

2014 Tertulia Cellars Carmenere- The 2014 Carmenere by Tertulia Cellars is sourced from the Phinny Hill Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. Smoky aromatics with baking spices mark this elegant wine that shows some good poise midway through. Medium bodied, the wine shows off a nice combination of dark and red fruits. Drink 2018-2025- 89

2014 Tertulia Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon- Sourced from the Tertulia Cellars Estate Vineyard, the wine begins with espresso bean, dark cherry and loganberry preserve aromatics. There are medium bodied dark fruit flavors that connect with good tension. Drink 2018-2025- 89

2015 Tertulia Cellars ‘Tierra Labrada’ Merlot- Slightly reticent on the nose, the wine begins with dark fruits with some chocolate accents. There is nice balance but not a ton of fruit through the middle, as this may need some time to better amalgamate. Drink 2018-2024- 88

2013 Tertulia Cellars ‘The Great Schism Reserve’ Red Wine- The ‘Great Schism’ is a blend of largely Grenache and Syrah from the Riviere Galets Estate Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley. Smoked pork shoulder and rose petals with red cherry preserves dominate the sexy nose. This wine has a really nice sense of place with red cherry, cran-pomegranate, smoked brisket and a touch of blood orange rind flavors towards the back end. This is seriously tasty wine, with good range and poise. Drink 2018-2028- 91

Four Feathers

Taking a different approach today as part of Washington Wine Month, we bring you one of the largest bulk wine producers in Washington. The Zirkle family started growing fruit in Washington in the 1880’s when owner and President Mark Zirkle’s great – great grandparents moved from Virginia to the Yakima Valley. The Zirkle Fruit label was started in 1948 with fruit grown and packed by Mark’s grandparents in Selah, Washington. Run by the Zirkle family, Four Feathers winery provides both bulk wine and custom winemaking for clients throughout the country. Four Feathers also have the ability to bottle and label wine you produce wine, as well as other custom services. The production center, constructed in 2012, includes many of the modern innovations such as a gravity flow crush pad and high capacity winemaking equipment. The Zirkle family owns and farms six vineyards: Beverly, Four Feathers, Soaring Eagle, Zillah Ranch, Paterson, and McNary. Most of the bulk wine production is sourced primarily from the McNary, Zillah Ranch, and Soaring Eagle vineyards. Bulk wine prices also seem remarkably reasonable, with a gallon of single vineyard Merlot selling for $14.00 or single vineyard Cabernet even less expensive: 

David Forsyth serves as winemaker at Four Feathers. David has previously worked for many years at Hogue Cellars for 23 years and has a deep understanding for Eastern Washington terroir. HIs last release, the 2012 Four Feathers ‘Wautoma Springs Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 90) was a very solid effort with wonderful dark fruits and good poise. David made about 40 thousand cases of wine in 2017. I expect good things to come from this winery. Learn more at https://www.fourfeathers.com

2012 Four Feathers ‘Wautoma Springs Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The Wautoma Springs Vineyard was first planted in 1998 and has expanded it to 52 acres, located next to Chateau St. Michelle’s Cold Creek Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope AVA. This wine starts off with aromatics of dark chocolate with baking spices and roasted figs. Ripe and generous, the wine reveals black tea, sagebrush and  milk chocolate covered black cherry flavors that connect with a lively minerality. This is an outstanding value that will be best enjoyed in the short-term. Drink 2018-2022- 90

Saviah Cellars

As part of Washington Wine Month we bring you a feature on a storied Washington winery. Founded back in 2000, Saviah Cellars started as a 300 case production winery that has gained nationwide prestige particularly for their rich and terroir driven red wines. Founded by winemaker Richard Funk and his wife, Anita, both natives of Montana, the couple moved to Walla Walla in 1991 and later planted their first vineyard in 2001.  Saviah is a family name from Anita’s great-grandmother, a schoolteacher, artist and author, who settled in western Montana in the early 1900s. 

Richard Funk’s wines enjoy a cult following in Washington. Having a background in microbiology, Richard previously worked as the Environmental Health Specialist with the Walla Walla County Health Department and is a self-taught winemaker. Richard has assisted several wineries with their start-up processes and served as the winemaker for Watermill Winery from 2006-2009, àMaurice winery from 2005-2006 and also as a consulting winemaker for several new wineries. His new red wine releases were really outstanding, coming from warm 2014 and 2015 vintages. Showing a lovely savory edge, the 2014 Saviah ‘The Stones Speak’ Syrah (WWB, 93) showcases the rocky terroir of the Walla Walla Rocks region. This is a wine not to be missed. Nearly as good was his new release Cabernet, the 2015 Saviah ‘Walla Walla’ Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 92) which has wonderful richness and intensity in this hot vintage. Learn more about this outstanding winery at https://www.saviahcellars.com/ Here are the outstanding new red wines by Saviah.

2014 Saviah ‘The Stones Speak’ Syrah-The Saviah 'The Stones Speak' Syrah is a sensational effort. Profound aromatics fill the glass lead by dark fruits, umami, iron, milk chocolate and barnyard nuances. The range here is somewhat intoxicating as the texture is silky smooth, driven by flavors umami, red cherry preserves and blackberry jam that connect with the wet rock mineral elements. This is nearly drinking beautifully right now and just about impossible to resist. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2015 Saviah ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Syrah-This outstanding 2015 Syrah starts off with wonderful dark fruits on the nose which set the tone. There are deep flavors of chocolate with crème de cassis and black olive tapenade accents which add complexity on the palate. With serious lift, this warm vintage wine is a more than solid effort and incredible value.Drink 2018-2028- 92

2015 Saviah ‘Walla Walla’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon begins to immediately open with aromas of crème de cassis, prune and coffee grounds. Inviting and plush with a equally as compelling flavor profile, featuring dark cherry preserves, milk chocolate and a touch of sage. This is a wonderful wine which will cellar well over the course of the next decade.Drink 2018-2025- 92

Tablas Creek

One of the top producers in Paso Robles, Tablas Creek was founded in 1990 by Jean-Pierre and François Perrin of the Perrin family, proprietors of Beaucastel since the early 20th century, and Robert Haas, an importer and the founder of Vineyard Brands. In 1989 the Perrins and Haas chose the site, a former alfalfa farm that is set on limestone soils in the Adelaida Hills. From the beginning they focused on Rhône-style wines made organically. The first plantings took place in1994 and the first Tablas Creek Vineyard wines produced in 1997. The winery has been an incredible success since that time, reaching worldwide acclaim particularly for their Rhone style red and white blends.

The new releases were exciting, energetic and terroir driven, largely coming from an exceedingly hot vintage (2015) in Paso Robles. A killer value, the 2016 Tablas Creek ‘Patelin de Tablas’ White Wine (WWB, 90) won’t break the bank but offers really lovely range and poise. The white wine show-stopper of the bunch is the 2015 Tablas Creek ‘Espirit de Tablas’ White Wine (WWB, 94). With its oily texture and rich mouthfeel, this gorgeous Rhone style blend will cellar well for a decade or more. Not to be outdone is the 2015 Tablas Creek ‘Espirit de Tablas’ Red Wine (WWB, 94) which is largely Syrah and Grenache based and dives into red and dark fruits with a wonderful stony terroir. Learn more about these outstanding wines at https://tablascreek.com Here are the compelling new wines by Tablas Creek. 

2016 Tablas Creek ‘Patelin de Tablas’ White Wine- A compelling blend of primarily Grenache Blanc and Voignier, this wine shows a wonderful poise with kumquat, white peach and green apple flavors. Crisp and refreshing, this is an outstanding value by Tablas Creek. Drink 2018-2022- 90

2016 Tablas Creek ‘Cotes de Tablas’ White Wine- The oily texture grips you immediate in this blend of primarily Viognier and Grenache Blanc. Flavors of bright starfruit, green papaya, and unripe banana complete this gorgeous wine. The minerality is really outstanding. Drink 2018-2024- 92

2015 Tablas Creek Roussanne- The Roussanne by Tablas Creek starts with beeswax, and nectarine aromatics. The mouthfeel is fantastic here, as is the compelling structure. A bit tightly wound, the palate opens up following an hour decant with papaya, baked apple and dried apricot flavors. A delight to savor, this is one of the best of its kind, as this finishes strong with whipping cream. Drink 2018-2024- 92

2015 Tablas Creek ‘Espirit Blanc de Tablas’ White Wine- The 2015 ‘Espirit Blanc de Tablas’ is a blend of largely Roussanne, with smaller portions Grenache Blanca and Picpoul Blanc. Needing some time to fully amalgamate in the decanter, this has brioche, toasted hazelnut and poached pear aromatics. The mouthfeel and texture to this wine really shines. Apricot, straw, Challah bread and green papaya flavors show enormous range. This finishes with vanilla cream. An outstanding blend, this wine of great weight and tension will cellar well for a decade or more. Drink 2018-2028- 94

2015 Tablas Creek ‘Patelin de Tablas’ Red Wine- A blend of largely Syrah and Grenache, the wine jumps out of the gate with heady aromatics of red fruits with a touch of prune and milk chocolate. The palate is plush, especially following a one hour decant. Red currant, red cherry candy and suggestions of baking spices entice. Fruity and downright delicious, this warm vintage wine is best enjoyed over the next six years. Drink 2018-2024- 90

2015 Tablas Creek ‘Cotes de Tablas’ Red Wine- The 2015 ‘Cotes de Tablas’ is a fantastic blend of 39% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 16% Counoise and 10% Mourvedre. This starts off with aromatics reminiscent of red cherry, orange zest and suggestions of cran-pomegranate. The sexy red fruits also shine on the palate with good length and tension. Balanced and lithe, this is a fantastic showing from an Uber-hot vintage in Paso Robles. Drink 2018-2024- 92

2015 Tablas Creek Mourvèdre- One of the best of its kind in California, the smoky nose hits you immediately with green bell pepper and black fruit notes intermingling. The palate shows wonderful richness and texture. The meaty quality shines through with black cherry and black olive beautifully complimenting. Drink 2018-2026- 92

2015 Tablas Creek ‘Espirit de Tablas’ Red Wine-The expressive nose brings red cherry, dried sage, red currant and a touch of blood orange. The aromatics improve with more than an hour decant, showing more range and expression. The astringency and poise to this wine is fantastic and sets the tone for a wonderful combination of red and dark fruits. The light, flinty quality to the wine adds to the drinking enjoyment. Dense and chewy this is a wonderful wine by Tablas Creek. Drink 2018-2028- 94

Cayuse, No Girls and Horsepower Vineyards Tasting at WAC Wine Club

When Christophe Baron speaks, everyone listens. Last night we had the unique opportunity to relish in a very special tasting, put on by special guest, Christophe Baron. Christophe is, of course, the founder of Cayuse Vineyards, one of the top producers of Syrah and Grenache in North America. The wines have incredible verve, tension and stony character, as vines struggle incredibly under intense pressure from the stones. 

Christophe talked about his story in wine and presented a number of aged wines from his vineyards. They were all aging marvelously and were a delight to savor, all showing stony terroir but very different nuances. Two of the wines were from cold vintages in Walla Walla, 2010 and 2011. To this day I think nobody does a better job in Washington cold vintages than Christophe Baron. I have been completely blown away with the wines that he produced in these two vintages — particular the quality coming from the highly challenging 2011 vintage which was the coldest vintage in history. Christophe has an incredible farming background and talked about how he approached the challenges of the 2011 vintage. The resultant wine is one that exudes incredible tension while maintaining wonderful intensity and richness. The wine is unlike any other made from this vintage. The 2011 Cayuse Vineyards ‘Bionic Frog’ Syrah has incredibly rich and inky color. Judging from the color it is downright shocking that the wine comes from this cold vintage. The wine itself has incredible stony character, starting Chateauneuf du Pape right in the face.

A legendary bottle, the 2012 Cayuse Vineyards’ God Only Knows’ Red Wine, the Washington Wine Blog 2016 Wine of the Year, is a stunning blend of Grenache with a touch of what Christophe notes ‘God Only Knows.’ While I guess it is Syrah added, this is a silky wine with unparalleled range from Washington Grenache. Speaking to Christophe about the wine, he talked about the incredible tension to the wine. This is truly a one of a kind bottling that is drinking in its sweet spot. The texture and citrus components to the wine along with the red fruits and umami are just delicious at this juncture.

Also enjoyed was a show-stopping Cabernet, the 2010 Cayuse Vineyards ‘Widowmaker’ Cabernet Sauvignon. Coming from a cold vintage, this rich and beautifully textured wine is also drinking right in its sweet spot. I would enjoy this awesome wine in the next few years. Finally, we finished our tasting with the decadent and intense 2013 Horsepower Vineyards ‘The Tribe’ Syrah. The smoky and meaty character to the wine was apparent as was the horse manure and wet stone nuances. This wine showed even more intensity than the other wines, coming from a warm vintage in Walla Walla. A show-stopper, this wine is young and can continue to be enjoyed over the next five to ten years.  However, it is drinking so beautifully right now in all it is downright impossible to resist right now. Learn more about these incredible wineries at https://cayusevineyards.com/static/ and https://nogirlswine.com/nogirls/ as well as https://horsepowervineyards.com/horsepowervineyards/

Sin Banderas

As we continue our journey through Washington Wine Month, we are always scouring the state for exciting and noteworthy new projects. A new Washington winery, Sin Banderas was founded by four friends from different parts of the world. They all met in Yakima while working together at Owen Roe. The wine is made at the Owen Roe custom crush facility. Sin Banderas winemaker Jacki Evans is originally from Texas and studied Biology at the University of Texas in Austin. She has over 10 years of winemaking experience with 15 harvests around the world, including Napa Valley of California, Willamette Valley of Oregon, the Great Southern of Western Australia, Barossa Valley of South Australia, Burgenland, Austria, and Marlborough, New Zealand.  She's been in the Yakima Valley of Washington State making wine with Owen Roe Winery since the 2013 vintage. 

The new red wine by Sin Banderas was very good, coming from the warm, 2015 vintage. This wine made from largely Syrah shows a wonderful red and dark fruit character, with a lovely mouthfeel. This project winery is an exciting endeavor that will only continue to produce high quality bottlings. Learn more about this new wine project at https://www.sinbanderaswines.com Here is my review of the 2015 Sin Banderas Red Wine. 

2015 Sin Banderas Red Wine- The 2015 Sin Banderas Red Wine is a blend of 80% Syrah and 20% Mourvedre sourced from the Yakima Valley. Needing an hour to settle in the decanter, the wine starts with aromas of smoked meats, tar, and red cherry preserves. Forward and fruity on the palate, the wine shows off a nice combination of red and dark fruits with milk chocolate flavors. The balanced wine will cellar well over the next decade. Drink 2018-2026- 90

Passing Time

As we continue along Washington Wine Month, we bring you one of the great producers of Washington Cabernet Sauvignon. Passing Time was founded by NFL Hall of Fame Quarterback, Dan Marino, and University of Washington quarterbacking legend Damon Huard, with backing of Doug Donnelly, Kevin Hughes and winemaker Chris Peterson. Damon and Dan had been talking about owning a winery together for many years as they grew to share their affinity for great Cabernet while Damon served as Dan's backup with the Miami Dolphins. Dan and Damon remained good friends and they finally got the nerve to start a winery in Woodinville and they have been crafting some seriously good Cabernet wines since their first release with the 2012 vintage (Interview with Damon Huard here:)

One of the great winemaking talents in the state, Chris Peterson has consistently been producing some seriously good red lineups in the state. Chris has a storied history, being the first graduate of the Walla Walla Community College’s Enology and Viticulture program and working at DeLille for eight years under legendary winemaker Chris Upchurch. Peterson was hired to be head winemaker at Passing Time, a winery founded by former NFL quarterbacks Damon Huard and Dan Marino. I recently had the chance to try one of their new release wines, sourced from the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. His 2015 Passing Time ‘Horse Heaven Hills’ Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 94) is a stunning effort that will cellar marvelously for decades to come. Learn more about this great boutique winery at http://www.passingtime.com Here is my review of the new 2015 Passing Time ‘Horse Heaven Hills’ Cabernet Sauvignon. 

2015 Passing Time 'Horse Heaven Hills' Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2015 'Horse Heaven Hills' Cabernet Sauvignon is an outstanding wine from this hot vintage in Washington. This gorgeous wine starts off with intense aromatics of red bell pepper, black currant jelly and blackberry jam. The palate is both lithe and rich, showcasing black tea, sagebrush and mocha flavors that sit alongside really good tension. Delicious and forward, this is an outstanding wine by Passing Time and superstar winemaker Chris Peterson. Drink 2018-2030- 94

Grace and Ken Evenstad Center for Wine Education at Linfield College

We wanted to share some big news today out of the Willamette Valley. Grace and Ken Evenstad, owners of Domaine Serene, one of Oregon’s top producers of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, have worked together in creating a new undergraduate wine studies program at Linfield College. The program will be known as the Grace and Ken Evenstad Center for Wine Education. This is the largest wine education gift in Oregon history, a total of 6 million dollars. The wine studies program at Linfield College will be unlike anything in the United States. As a well-rounded major degree, the wine studies degree focuses on winemaking, management, accounting, as well as the Evenstad Wine Laboratory. In crafting this program Grace and Ken Evenstad worked with Gregory Jones, PhD, who will serve as the director of wine education, alongside Linfield College President, Tom Hellie.

Ryan Harris, Domaine Serene president, explained the importance of education at Domaine Serene and serving the Willamette Valley. Said Harris, “One of the bing things that inspires us is to create a sustainable industry for the future. Ken, Grace and I were impressed with the unique program given that it is multidisciplinary.” The generous gift of 6 million dollars by the Evenstads backs this program, as Harris mentioned “The Evenstads always have been extremely generous and are focused on children’s charities as well. The idea is that you want kids and young adults to do well not only for themselves but also for the community. In total Ken and Grace have given about 20 million to charities —they have been both giving to others all of their lives.” The Evenstads found this to be the perfect opportunity to help young adults that are learning early in their careers so they can cement their foundation for the future. Said Grace Evenstad “This gift will enable thousands of future students to follow their passions in the wine business. It will prepare them for success and will enable the American wine industry to benefit for generations, even centuries, to come.” This is truly some very exciting news for wine education in America. Hope you all are enjoying a fantastic Thursday. 

Doubleback

As part of Washington Wine Month, we bring you one of the great Washington wineries, Doubleback. The winery was founded 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 Walla 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 friend and superstar winemaker, Chris Figgins, of Leonetti Cellar, who served as consulting winemaker until Josh McDaniels assumed the role in 2015. 

Here is my interview with Josh: (http://www.washingtonwineblog.com/blog/2016/10/13/interview-with-josh-mcdaniels-head-winemaker-of-doubleback-and-sweet-valley-wines). 

Following up last year’s stunning wine is the 2015 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 94) which comes from an extremely hot vintage in Washington. You wouldn’t know that if you try the wine as it has serious poise and tension that shows the talents of superstar winemaker Josh McDaniels. Even better is the 2015 Doubleback ‘Estate Reserve’ Red Wine (WWB, 96) which is the best wine from Washington that I have sampled in the past six months. This wine is an incredible effort that will cellar well for two decades. Learn more about this outstanding winery at http://www.doubleback.com/

2016 Doubleback ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Chardonnay- The 2016 Doubleback ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Chardonnay showcases a golden hue and exudes opulence. The Chardonnay was aged in 35% new French oak, 50% neutral French oak, as well as 15% concrete tulips. Fermented for 16 months sur lie, the wine saw bi-weekly bâttonage and you can tell why with this stunning texture. This great wine begins with intense aromas of marizpan, creme brûlée and toasty oak. The palate is exceedingly plush. The round mouthfeel entices as the soft texture beautifully coats the mid-palate. Vanilla creme brulee, Pazzaz apple pie, and roasted pineapple flavors make this absolutely impossible to resist. With serious weight, this gorgeous wine will pick up secondary characteristics if you cellar. Enjoy this outstanding Chardonnay that is built to age over the next decade. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2015 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon-The 2015 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon is a remarkable wine made from an exceedingly warm vintage. There is a marvelous elegance to this wine and a nice sense of place. Black cherry, black olive and cigar ash fill the nose. The balance and poise is lovely as this tends to glide across the mid-palate. Somewhat backwards now, with massive tannins, in the glass the Cabernet slowly reveals chocolate covered cherry, mocha, anise and blueberry compote flavors. This memorable wine really needs another year to fully develop. Drink 2019-2033-  94

2015 Doubleback ‘Estate Reserve’ Red Wine- The 2015 Doubleback ‘Estate Reserve’ Red Wine is a simply stunning effort from a very warm vintage in the Walla Walla Valley. Needing more than a two hour decant to fully come together, this inky and brooding in colored wine begins with heady aromatics reminiscent of cigar ash, graphite, creme de cassis, black olive tapenade and Turkish coffee. The stunning aromas bring you back to the glass for more. There is a marvelous sense of place to this wine, as the purity of fruit shines through. Black tea, blackberry pie, mocha and sagebrush accents complete this marvelous wine. With moderate to heavy tannins, this wine will cellar marvelously over the next 20 plus years. Another feather in the cap to the uber-talented Josh McDaniels. Drink 2019-2033- 96

Orin Swift

Greetings and happy Monday to you all. One of the great Napa houses known for intense and full-throttle red wines, Orin Swift crafts some exceptional wines that are not for the weary. Orin Swift Cellars was started in 1995 when on a lark, David Swift Phinney took a friend up on an offer and went to Florence, Italy to spend a semester “studying”. During that time, he was introduced to wine, and he later landed a job at Robert Mondavi Winery in 1997 as a temporary harvest worker. In 1998 he founded Orin Swift Cellars; Orin is his father’s middle name and Swift is his mother’s maiden name. Starting with two tons of Zinfandel and not much else, David spent the next decade making wine for others as well as himself and grew the company into a multinational brand.

The new wines were really outstanding across the board. The 2016 Orin Swift Machete (WWB, 93) shows a beautiful texture, sumptuous fruit weight and compelling complexity. A true heavyhitter, the 2015 Orin Swift ‘Mercury Head’ Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 95) is one for the cellar. Deep and rich, the wine has wonderful acidity and gobs of dark fruits. Learn more about Orin Swift’s strong lineup at http://www.orinswift.com. Here are some of the gorgeous release wines by Orin Swift.

2016 Orin Swift ‘Blank Stare’ Sauvignon Blanc- The nose has enticing aromas of honeysuckle, Honeydew melon and starfruit with a touch of baking spices. The mid-palate mouthfeel is seductive as the wine reveals lemon curd, cantaloupe and pink grapefruit flavors with a touch of butter. Drink 2018-2023- 91

2016 Orin Swift ‘Slander’ Pinot Noir- This deep colored Pinot Noir wine begins with aromas of cherry cola, bramble and wild blackberry aromatics. The texture to this wine is lovely as this reveals sexy flavors reminiscent of red cherry starburst candy, orange rind, rose water and suggestions of pomegranate puree. Lithe and rich, this great effort will cellar well for a decade or more. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2016 Orin Swift ‘Abstract’ Red Wine- The 2016 ‘Abstract’ by Orin Swift is an intense blend of Grenache, Syrah and Petite Sirah which was aged for 10 months in 35% new French oak prior to bottling. This begins with bright aromatics of milk chocolate, sagebrush, black tea and black olive. The texture of this wine impresses as the wine glides across the mid-palate. Black tea, blackberry jam, and mocha flavors impress, as does the extremely long finish. A bit tightly wound, give this at least an hour in the decanter to fully develop. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2016 Orin Swift ‘Palermo’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2016 Orin Swift ‘Palermo’ Cabernet Sauvignon was aged for 10 months in 35% new French oak prior to bottling. This deep colored Cabernet starts off with red bell pepper, sage, blackberry pie and suggestions of coffee grounds. Silky and wonderfully textured, the wine has a nice poise despite the 15.4% alcohol. Black tea, asian spices, blackberry jam and creme de cassis flavors impress. This is another gorgeous effort by Orin Swift and superstar winemaker David Phinney. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2015 Orin Swift ‘Papillon’ Red Wine- This exceptional bottling is a silky blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec which was aged in 40% new French oak for 16 months prior to bottling. This begins with beautiful aromatics reminiscent of blackberry cobbler, black cherry, boysenberry cordial and milk chocolate. The palate is smooth and seductive, revealing a wonderful combination of weight and tension. Blackberry jam, Black Forest cake, cigar ash and Turkish coffee flavors complete this outstanding bottling that shows some very nice balance in a hot vintage. Drink 2018-2030- 93

2016 Orin Swift ‘Machete’ Red Wine- You are immediately drawn to the highly compelling aromatics of this wine. Sweet pipe tobacco, dark chocolate molten cake, and blueberry compote aromas come to mind. Despite obviously high alcohol, this is highly poised wine as the tension shines through. Deep mocha, anise, creme de cassis and blueberry pie flavors impress. Seductive and intense, give this beauty at least a two hour decant before enjoying in its youth. Delicious now, this wine will cellar well over the next decade. Drink 2018-2028- 94

2015 Orin Swift ‘Mercury Head’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2015 ‘Mercury Head’ by Orin Swift is a stunning bottling by superstar winemaker David Phinney. This intense wine had heady aromatics of mocha, crushed mint, creme de cassis and anise. The palate is lithe and seductive as the wine reveals uber-dark fruit flavors of mocha, anise, creme de cassis and red bell pepper. This incredible wine will cellar marvelously for decades. Try to resist this intense and seductive wine for another year at least. Drink 2019-2333- 95

Tensley

One of the great values in California wine, in 1998 Joey Tensley launched Tensley Wines with a one hundred case production. He set out craft reasonably priced Syrah wines from great vineyards across Santa Barbara County. Joey has a background working for Santa Barbara wineries, first working as a “cellar rat” for Fess Parker Winery in Santa Barbara County. He later became assistant winemaker at Babcock Vineyards and in 1998 Joey moved on to become the assistant winemaker at Beckmen Vineyards where he first created his own label. Tensley Syrahs offer a wonderful combination of terroir and richness. They are not to be overlooked as a visit to their Los Olivos tasting room is a must stop for those who love California Syrah.

HIs new wines were simply awesome, as they come from a hot vintage in Santa Barbara County. Check out the outstanding 2015 Tensley ‘Colson Canyon Vineyard’ Syrah (WWB, 94) which displays gobs of dark fruits and wonderful tension. This beautiful wine will cellar well for a decade or more. Learn more about these outstanding wines at https://tensleywines.com Here are the outstanding new Syrah releases by Tensley.

2015 Tensley 'Santa Barbara County' Syrah- This dense wine is an awesome value from this estate. It begins with rich aromatics of smoke, blueberry compote and red cherry. This leads to rich flavors of sweet cherry compote, mocha, sage and crushed mint. Delicious now, this rich and layered bottling will cellar gracefully over the next decade. Drink 2018-2018- 93

2015 Tensley ‘Colson Canyon Vineyard’ Syrah- The nose here is absolutely intoxicating with bulls blood, milk chocolate shavings and blackberry pie. The palate is deep and plush as the wine reveals copious dark fruits with a touch of violet liquor. Velvety and seductive, with great acidity this is a stunning effort from superstar winemaker Joey Tensley. Drink 2018-2028- 94

2015 Tensley ‘Tensley Vineyard’ Syrah- The nose has distinct green peppercorn aromatics with black cherry and roasted dates. There are deep dark fruit flavors that connect with a touch of citrus. Balanced and showing a wonderful minerality, this will age gracefully for a decade or more. Drink 2018-2028- 93

Seghesio Family Vineyards

Seghesio

One of the premier wineries for Zinfandel in North America, the Seghesio family has been involved in wine for more than 120 years. In 1895 Italian immigrant and winemaker Edoardo Seghesio planted his first Zinfandel vineyard in what is now Seghesio’s Home Ranch Vineyard in Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley. Edoardo and his wife Angela survived Prohibition as one of roughly100 wineries to survive that era. Following prohibition, Seghesio sold bulk wine and it was only under 4th generation owner, Ted Seghesio when a focus on premium wines evolved. In a short period of time, Seghesio became synonomous with some of the highest quality and good Zinfandel available on the retail market. Their success lead to the 2011 sale of Seghesio Family Vineyards to Crimson Wine Group. Ted continues to serve as winemaker and crafts some outstanding wines. 

Picture here of the 100 year old house and vineyard owned by the Seghesio family.

A few weeks back I had the chance to try a 2011 Seghesio ‘Home Ranch’ Zinfandel. While the wine came from a less than heralded vintage, I was amazed by the combination of weight, poise and aging potential of the wine, as it was showing beautifully despite its age. The new releases by Seghesio were stunning, particularly the 2015 Seghesio ‘Old Vines’ Zinfandel (WWB, 93) which shows wonderful richness from a warm vintage in Sonoma. Learn more about these awesome wines at http://www.seghesio.com

2016 Seghesio ‘Sonoma County/ Zinfandel- Sourced from a host of Sonoma County Vineyards, this Zinfandel starts off with aromatics of red berries and prune with sage undertones. Juicy and ripe, with nice acidity, the wine shows off bramble with red cherry and red raspberry pie flavors. Bright and nicely balanced, this is an outstanding value Zinfandel by Seghesio. Drink 2018-2025- 91

2015 Seghesio ‘Old Vines’ Zinfandel- Showing a deep core, the wine starts with aromatics reminiscent of prune, bramble, and blueberry syrup. Rich and wonderfully poised, the wine shows black tea, blackberry cobbler and milk chocolate flavors with lively acidity. This is a gorgeous wine by Seghesio that will cellar well for a decade or more. Drink 2018-2028- 93

Interview with Benjamin Smith, Co-Owner and Winemaker of Cadence Winery

Originally starting with the famed Boeing Wine Club, Benjamin Smith began learning more about wine through making his own beer and wine more than 20 years ago. Together with his wife Gaye McNutt, Ben produces some outstanding red wines from the Red Mountain AVA for their Cadence Winery, located in Seattle. Ben and Gaye also both own their own vineyard in Red Mountain, the Cara Mia Vineyard. Cadence has gained a nationwide reputation for crafting a sterling minerality in all their wines —regardless of vintage. I found their last releases, largely from the warm 2014 vintage, to be really outstanding across the board. These wines evoke a Bordealise feel while maintaining the classic Washington red and dark fruit profiles. I recently had the chance to sit down with Ben and chat wine. Highly knowledgable, Ben has now been in the Washington wine industry for more than 20 years. I think you are going to really enjoy hearing his story in wine. Here is my interview with Benjamin Smith, Owner and Winemaker of Cadence.

WWB:  How did you first become interested in wine and winemaking?

BS: I moved to Seattle from Columbus, Ohio in 1986.  There wasn’t much in the way of wine culture at that time, though honestly I wouldn’t have noticed anyway being a poor college kid.  However, Seattle was different – it already cared about fresh, local, handmade and artisanal crafted products.  I took notice, started drinking the locally produced beers (they were good!) and eating the food (it wasn’t from a can!)  Then I began brewing beer, which segued into my first grape harvest – a 1992 Cabernet/Merlot blend from Dick Boushey’s vineyard – and then it was off to the races.  I joined the Boeing Winemaking Club, became its head of grape procurement, won the competition three times in a row, the last time in 1997.  In 1998 my wife and I founded Cadence.

WWB: I have enjoyed your signature style of mineral-driven, Bordelaise type winemaking for many years. Can you talk about how you have crafted this Bordelaise style at Cadence?

BS: Our goal has always been to produce wine that shows a sense of place, hence vineyard designation.  A key, though, is that I believe that the riper wine becomes (after a point) the less it reflects its site.  In other words, riper and riper leads to similarities of flavors between sites, and ultimately between grape varieties, that obscure where the fruit comes from.  This line of thought directs me to pick at lower potential alcohol levels than do many of my peers, and leads to wines that are brighter in acidity, more compact in style, and carry flavor components that have been baked out of riper wine (like the minerality to which you refer).  In short, my wines are more Bordelaise than many, as a direct result of how we wish to show off the vineyard.

WWB: Your 2014 releases were outstanding across the board. Can you talk about the challenges with making wine and maintaining your style of winemaking in the warm 2014 vintage and the 2015 vintage that saw severe heat spikes?

BS: Yes, they were very challenging vintages!  Growing Degree Days (GDD) is a measure of the heat accumulated throughout the growing season, and an easy way to characterize the vintage.  On Red Mountain the average heat accumulation is about 2900 heat units (GDD).  2014 ended up around 3200 GDD and 2015 topped 3700!  So yes, those years were extremely hot.  Another way to look at the growing season is the number of days between flowering and harvest.  2014 started cold but warmed dramatically.  We probably lost ten days between flowering and harvest compared to normal years.  2015, on the other hand, started warm, so budbreak and flowering were early.  Harvest was early too, but overall the season was closer to a normal length than in 2014.  This goes a little way to explaining the tougher tannins in 2014 versus 2015, and also the brightness that 2015 carried into bottle that belies the heat of the vintage.  Data and comparisons aside, I just pick when the fruit tastes ripe and ferment according to gut instinct tempered with data.

WWB: When you are not enjoying Cadence wines, what are some of your favorite wines of Washington and wines of the world?

BS: We just opened a vertical of Andrew Will Sorella (his flagship Bordeaux blend) back to its first vintage, 1994.  The tasting was divine, even the oldest wines were lively and pure.  Chris Camarda is definitely a hero of mine!  Outside of Washington we gravitate to Piedmont, Italy because of  Barbaresco and Barolo.  These regions combine beautiful fruit, bright acidity and enormous tannins to make incredibly age-worthy wine meant to be paired with the wonderful cuisine of the region.  Nebbiolo also profoundly reflects its site, another plus.

Brittan Vineyards

Brittan Vineyards

One of the standout Oregon producers of Oregon Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Brittan Vineyards is guided by superstar winemaker Robert Brittan, formerly winemaker at Stags’ Leap Winery in Napa. Robert is a graduate of the UC Davis Viticulture and Enology program who started Brittan Vineyards in 2004. Robert acquired a 128-acre hillside property with soils that 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. 

The new Brittan Vineyards releases are some of the most impressive wines out of Oregon that I have tried in the past year. Check out the absolutely stunning 2016 Brittan Vineyards Chardonnay (WWB, 94) which has just incredible tension and range. Just as good was the 2015 Brittan Vineyards ‘Gestalt Block’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 94) is an exceptional Pinot Noir that has incredible terroir and a wonderful sense of place. Learn more about the great wines of Brittan Vineyards at http://www.brittanvineyards.com Here are the new Pinot Noir releases by Brittan Vineyards. 

2016 Brittan Vineyards Chardonnay- Showing a rather pale color, the 2016 Brittan Vineyards Chardonnay starts off with bright aromatics of poached pear, lemon blossom and a touch of toasted hazelnut. The mouthfeel is velvety and soft, revealing an enticing mineral streak. Lemon oil, pink grapefruit rind, and brioche with baked New York apple flavors arouse the senses. The intensity of this wine is downright invigorating. This is another stunning effort by superstar winemaker Robert Brittan. Enjoy this gorgeous wine over the next decade. Drink 2018-2028- 94

2015 Brittan Vineyards ‘Basalt Block’ Pinot Noir- This gorgeous Pinot Noir is sourced from south facing Pinot Noir vines set in fractured basalt. Earthy tones dominate the nose, with sage, crushed wet gravel, peat moss and black cherry cordial. The mouthfeel is voluptuous as the wine reveals a wonderful combination of dark and red fruits that connect with the forest floor and wild mushroom elements. Elegant, rich and downright intoxicating, this is a gorgeous wine by Brittan Vineyards. Try to resist this outstanding Pinot Noir for at least another year. Drink 2019-2030- 94

2015 Brittan Vineyards ‘Gestalt Block’ Pinot Noir- The Gestalt Block is located on a western facing hillside that is set on broken basalt. The range of aromatics is lovely. Orange rind, Asian spices, red cherry preserves and black truffle crudo fill the nose. Elegant and highly poised, the wine shows off deep smoked wild mushroom, wild blackberry jam and orange rind flavors that connect with the gorgeous minerality. The brisk acidity and weight make this nearly impossible to resist right now. Drink 2019-2030- 94

2015 Brittan Vineyards ‘Cygnus Block’ Pinot Noir- The Cygnus Block is named after the winemaker’s wife, Ellen. This starts off with rich aromatics reminiscent of loganberry preserves, black tea and Asian spices with forest floor. The palate has marvelous weight and minerality, as the wine shows off blackberry jelly, orange rind, red cherry compote and black tea with peat moss. This has wonderful range and is impossible to resist right now. Enjoy this gorgeous wine over the next decade or more. Drink 2019-2033- 94

Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot & Dom Pérignon Tasting

Happy Friday to you all. Last night I had a unique opportunity to sample a pretty outstanding collection of Champagnes all in the same sitting. LVMH group (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) is one of the world powers of Champagne. If you’re sipping a glass of Champagne, chances are it is comes from LVMH. While only 1% of the world’s wine is Champagne, 2017 LVMH amassed profits of €42.6 billion in 2017, an increase of 13% over the previous year. That a ton of Champagne sold. 

LVMH owns Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot and Dom Pérignon, all storied houses in Champagne. The tasting showed off both nonvintage and vintage Champagnes, all culminating with the new release of Dom Perignon coming from the somewhat challenging 2009 vintage. Dom Perignon has not released a Champagne since the 2006 vintage so it was exciting to try their new wine. I also learned that Dom Perignon will be producing a 2008 vintage wine later in the year. 

The 2009 Dom Pérignon Champagne (WWB, 95) was an ethereal effort with tremendous balance and body. This wine has marvelous cellaring potential and I think that it currently needs a few years in the cellar to come together. Hugely complex and gorgeous right now, the 2006 Veuve Clicquot ‘La Grand Dame’ Champagne (WWB, 95) has an exotic range of aromatics and flavors. This wine is a stunner that will also cellar well for decades to come. Learn more about these storied Champagne houses at https://www.lvmh.com/ Here are the new Champagne releases by Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicot and Dom Perignon. 

NV Moët & Chandon ‘Brut’ Champagne- Forward but delicious, this wine delivers a bouquet of orange zest with strong challah bread undertones. The mousse is silky, learning to balanced flavors of lime zest with brioche and macadamia nut accents. Lovely and refreshing, this is an outstanding new effort. Drink 2018-2022- 90

NV Veuve Clicquot ‘Brut’ Champagne- The NV Brut Champagne by Veuve Clicot has a great combination of poise and elegance. The flavors of banana, brioche and citrus rind connect marvelously with the weight of the wine. Crisp and lithe, this delicious effort finishes clean with a nice minerality. Drink 2018-2022- 90

NV Veuve Clicquot Rose Champagne- 12% still wine was added to this blend that is an awesome showing by this house. This starts off with aromatics of orange rind, watermelon and suggestions of pomegranate seed. The balance here is really lovely as this revels wild strawberry purée, red cherry and lemon zest flavors that sit along wonderful tension. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2006 Veuve Clicquot ‘La Grand Dame’ Champagne- The 2006 ‘La Grand Dame’ is a seriously good effort in this exciting vintage. This gorgeous wine showcases highly complex aromatics of lemon oil, brioche and roasted macadamia nut. The tension and balance is simply amazing. The mousse and weight is even more appealing. Ripe Japanese apple, green papaya, lemon cake and suggestions of key lime finish this outstanding wine. I love the weight of this wine on the mid-palate as this evokes almost an unctuous texture. This outstanding Champagne cellar marvelously for two plus decades. Drink 2018-2038- 95

2008 Moet & Chandon ‘Grand Vintage’ Champagne- Aged for seven years, the 2008 ‘Grand Vintage’ Champagne has wonderful musty aromatics with toasty oak, hazelnut and vanilla cream. The palate is lithe and intense, showing kumquat, challah bread and Gala apple flavors that connect with a wonderful tension. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2009 Dom Pérignon Champagne- Disgorged in June 2016, the 2009 Dom Pérignon is a simply fabulous effort from a challenging vintage in Champagne. The musty and earthy aromatics grab you straight away. Wild mushroom, brioche, poached pear and toasted hazelnut aromatics impress. Hugely balanced and smooth, this showcases lemon zest, baked apple and marzipan with biscuit flavors. This Champagne might be a touch young, needing time to develop, but it is a downright gorgeous wine with marvelous cellaring potential. Try to hold off on this stunner for at least two years. Drink 2020-2040-95