Wine Press Northwest

01 cover.qxd

U.S. $5

8/28/09

9:42 PM

Canada $6 0 9>

0

74470 94059

3

Page 1

02 Yakima VCB ad

8/28/09

9:48 PM

Page 2

03 TCVCB ad

8/28/09

9:47 PM

Page 3

04 contents.qxd

8/31/09

12:54 PM

Page 2

WINE PRESS

Vol. 12, No. 3

N O R T H W E S T

Fall 2009

DEPARTMENTS

FEATURES

28 Inside Lake Chelan The Lake Chelan AVA is Washington’s newest appellation.

6 Wine Nose Lessons from Lake Chelan

10 A Distant Perspective

32 Touring Lake Chelan A winery-by-winery and restaurant-by-restaurant guide to Washington’s new wine country.

28 Tasting Lake Chelan We blind taste 47 wines made from grapes grown in the new Lake Chelan AVA.

44 The Herbies The results of our 11th annual Great Northwest Wine List Awards.

60 Fab Cabs We blind taste more than 130 Cabernet Sauvignons from Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Idaho.

COVER STORY On the cover: An aerial view of Lake Chelan from a float plane.

This page: A jet skier enjoys a sunny day on Lake Chelan.

Stories begin on page 28.

Photos by Jackie Johnston

Exploring lesser-known wines

12 Market Grapevine Celebrating autumn’s arrival

14 Swirl, Sniff & Sip Technology makes notetaking easier

16 Urban Sips It’s 5 o’clock somewhere

18 21 82 98

10 Things to Do Northwest Wine Events Recent Releases Vintage Musings Falling for Snoqualmie

05 Masthead

8/31/09

10:10 AM

Page 5

WINE PRESS N O R T H W E S T

Wine Press Northwest is for those with an interest in wine — from the novice to the veteran. We focus on Washington, Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia’s talented winemakers and the wineries, vintners and restaurants that showcase Northwest wines. We are dedicated to all who savor the fruits of their labor.

Publisher: Rufus M. Friday Editor-in-chief: Andy Perdue Phone: 509-582-1405 Fax: 509-585-7221 E-mail: editor@winepressnw.com Managing editor: Eric Degerman Phone: 509-582-1404 Fax: 509-585-7221 E-mail: edegerman@winepressnw.com Tasting editor: Bob Woehler Tasting panel: Vanessa Bailey, Virginie Bourgue, Jarrod Boyle, Jay Drysdale, Thomas Henick-Kling, Kate Michaud, Ken Robertson, Coke Roth, Dave Seaver, Paul Sinclair, David Volmut, Bob Woehler, Eric Degerman, Andy Perdue Master facilitator: Hank Sauer Page designer: Jackie Johnston Editor at-large: Jon Bauer Columnists: Dan Berger, Teri Citterman, Braiden Rex-Johnson, Ken Robertson, Bob Woehler Contributing writer: Cara Pallone Contributing photographers: Jackie Johnston, Jerry Redfern Ad sales: Shelley Ransier, 509-582-1570 E-mail: sransier@tricityherald.com To subscribe: Subscriptions cost $20 U.S. per year for four issues. Mail check, money order or credit card number and expiration date to address below or subscribe securely on our Web site.

Subscriptions and customer service: 800-538-5619; e-mail: info@winepressnw.com Letters to the editor: We encourage your thoughts and comments about our publication and about Northwest wines in general. Write to us at the address below.

Free weekly newsletter: Sign up for our free Pacific Northwest Wine of the Week e-mail newsletter at www.winepressnw.com Mailing address: P.O. Box 2608 Tri-Cities, WA 99302-2608 Shipping address: 333 W. Canal Drive Kennewick, WA 99336 © 2009 Wine Press Northwest A Tri-City Herald publication W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

FA L L 2 0 0 9 • W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T

5

06 Wine Nose

8/31/09

COLUMN

10:31 AM

Page 6

the wine knows

BY ANDY PERDUE

Lessons from Lake Chelan

S

ometimes, it takes a big injection of new ideas to shake up old ways of thinking. This is never more true than in the world of wine.

Arguably, we have seen this in the New World, where innovative ideas have infiltrated the Old World and in many ways changed the way wines are made in Europe.

And here in the Pacific Northwest, the old guard can learn a thing or two from emerging wine regions.

Take, for instance, Lake Chelan, Washington’s newest American Viticultural Area and the subject of our cover story this issue.

Two areas of Washington are the state’s traditional “playgrounds,” where residents go for family vacations and getaways: the coast and Lake Chelan. Aside from a new winery in Westport, the rugged Washington coast is not what one would describe as “wine country.” And until the past decade when the apple industry has struggled, neither was Lake Chelan.

But with more than a dozen wineries within short drives of each other and 250 acres of wine grapes, Lake Chelan is a legitimate part of the Washington wine scene. And in a remarkably brief period, Chelan actually has been able to quickly leapfrog over more traditional regions in one vitally important area: tourism.

You see, Chelan has been welcoming visitors for darn near a century. It knows how to treat folks when they arrive. In fact, before the wine industry came along, some 80,000 people came to play in Lake Chelan between May and October.

This didn’t count the folks coming for the great snowmobiling in the winter.

Meanwhile, longtime wine regions are more rural and agricultural in nature and have had to learn the tourism end of the business. Walla Walla, with all of its success in the past decade, is just making those inroads by offering more restaurants and other amenities that appeal to visitors. Same with the Yakima Valley, which has had woefully few places for people to dine until the recent explosion of activity in Prosser.

In Oregon, we see the same trends. Yamhill County, which is the heart of the Oregon wine industry, is just now gaining a reputation for good restaurants beyond a small handful of pioneers such as Tina’s in Dundee, Nick’s in McMinnville and Joel Palmer House in Dayton. The Ponzi family is one of the few to have this vision, first launching BridgePort Brewery in the 1980s and the Dundee Bistro in the late 1990s.

This attention to the needs of visitors quickly gives Lake Chelan a big advantage over other wine regions. Yes, the vines and winemaking need to mature, but they are well on their way, thanks to the arrival of veteran winemakers and an agricultural background that stretches back more than a century.

Here is the only fact you need to know to understand my 6

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

point: Off the top of my head, I can think of seven wineries in Washington that have on-site restaurants (open year-round or seasonally) — and five of them are along the shores of Lake Chelan: Tsillan Cellars, Karma Vineyards, Wapato Point Cellars, Lake Chelan Winery and Vin du Lac (and I wouldn't be surprised if Benson Vineyards joined that group in the next year or two). This is a huge advantage because visitors receive the full wine country experience. They don’t just elbow their way to the tasting bar, pay their fee, taste some samples and move on. Rather, they can slow down, savor the wines, walk the vineyards and eat delicious meals prepared with fresh local ingredients — all while taking in some of the most spectacular views in the Pacific Northwest.

From a pure business point of view, Lake Chelan wineries have it made. Most winery owners will tell you they love selling 25 percent of their product directly to visitors. They might just make a deal with the devil to push that to 50 percent.

Meanwhile, Lake Chelan wineries are accustomed to selling anywhere from 80 percent to 95 percent of their wines directly to consumers. Their accountants must love that.

This does not happen because the wines are better than those in Walla Walla, Prosser or Woodinville. It's because Lake Chelan is a destination, an experience.

The same thing is happening in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, another very young wine region (it didn’t start clicking until the late 1990s). The valley, particularly Penticton, has been the summer playground of those living in Vancouver and Victoria for decades. Long before they planted Syrah, Riesling, Pinot Noir and Merlot in the soil, folks in the Okanagan knew how to treat visitors. Today, no fewer than 20 wineries have on-site restaurants.

The rest of the Pacific Northwest can learn a lesson from Lake Chelan and its skyrocketing success. It would not be difficult to create a wine-country experience that includes food and other amenities. Walla Walla has begun to understand this, as has Prosser. Washington’s vast Columbia Valley produces dozens upon dozens of crops that can be used by local-minded chefs. Same goes for all of western Oregon. A few folks are doing it now, and more should follow.

John Bookwalter of J Bookwalter in Richland, Wash., knows this as well as anyone. A few years ago, he had a vision for what he wanted his winery to become. Today, it’s not just a tasting room; it’s an experience with live music, small plates and wine by the glass or bottle. Despite a recession that has caused dozens of restaurants to close across Washington, Bookwalter is having his busiest year yet.

Those of us who visit or live in wine country want these amenities, and those who learn from the success of Lake Chelan have the opportunity to prosper.

ANDY PERDUE is editor-in-chief of Wine Press Northwest.

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

07 Maryhill

8/28/09

9:46 PM

Page 7

08 Letters

8/29/09

10:07 AM

Page 8

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Plenty of room for wine blogs Wine columnist and critic Dan Berger wrote an article in the Summer issue entitled, “Wine writing, blogs and warts,” in which Mr. Berger takes exception to the numerous bloggers out there who express their opinion and observation about wine.

He asserts vehemently that most of these sites are written by individuals that as he states, “treat it as a lark to toss off after a day of arbitraging.”

Excuse me for screaming, but it sounds as if Dan has torn a page from the worn out book of bloviating by Robert Parker Jr., who has long looked with askew at wine critics who are involved some way in the wine business. Parker has also been quite vocal about the many blogs in cyberspace referring to them contemptuously as “white noise.”

Robert Parker Jr. is not the first and will not be the last newbie to come out with his or her opinion and observation about

wine and go on and be well respected.

Dan Berger, nor anyone else for that matter, is the definitive voice in the world of wine. I respect Mr. Berger for both his experience in the wine world and his education in journalism. This in itself does not give him the license to decide who is and who is not qualified to write about wine. This is a country in which freedom of speech is coveted and respected. Blogging is an avenue in

which individuals can exercise their freedom of speech. It is no different then a “newsletter” or any other form of writing.

Yes, there are blogs out there that do not deserve our time just as there are newsletters and Web sites out there that do not deserve our time.

My suggestion to Dan is share the space and drop the attitude.

Stan Reitan, Friday Harbor, Wash. www.blucid.com

PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Wine Club

Two Bottles of select

Northwest Wine delivered monthly, accompanied by our

“Vin Affairs” newsletter detailing your monthly selection.

503-620-6691 800-288-3008

www.pnwc.com 8

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

09 Esquin ad

8/28/09

9:46 PM

Page 9

10 Berger column

9/2/09

COLUMN

11:00 AM

Page 10

a distant perspective

BY DAN BERGER

Move beyond the same old thing

W

e call them grape varieties for a reason. But let’s put the horse back in front of the cart.

Walk into a fine wine shop and look at the shelves. Most of it is Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Most of it is overpriced. Most of it is from newcomers to the wine scene (wine merchants love the new and unknown, regardless of quality). Most of it is higher in alcohol than is medically prudent.

All this leaves the wines mostly tasting like one another.

Most reds are raisin juice. Whites made from Chardonnay are oaky and clumsy. There is sweet Viognier and flabby Syrah. It’s all the same old thing in a heavy bottle. I am bored just thinking about it.

What most Americans ignore, partly because of ignorance and reliance on high scores, are the truly exciting aspects of wine that are sitting there, not as much in plain view as in the corners.

You have to go looking for them, for they are wines that aspire to little more than being what they are supposed to be: a dinner companion with impeccable manners.

And the pleasant bonus here is that such wines usually are lower in price than the high-fallutin’ stuff.

If variety means anything to grapes, it means differences in aromas and flavors, not the sameness born of high scores in glossy rags. Variety means distinctiveness, it means exotic-ness, it means accessing the grape without having to traverse a serpentine, thicket-like maze of wood, alcohol, malolactic, and extraneous elements that take the liquid away from the grape.

Enter terroir. Here the grape picks up a distinctive and fascinatingly seductive (to me, at least) character that makes a wine hit those special notes that the mundane wines we usually buy never attain.

I do not demand a “terroir component” in the wines I like best, but when I smell the rotondone (black pepper) of a northern Victoria Shiraz, or the sharp, racy minerality of a cool-climate Riesling, the wild spice of a dry Alsace Gewürztraminer and the chalky nature of a lean Graves, I realize why diversity in wine is far more interesting to me than are big, rich, powerful flavors.

Is there no hierarchy for subtlety?

Riesling is one of those varieties we often forget. But just imagine it with foods (carefully chosen to match the wine’s sugar level to the richness of the dish). German halb-trocken with seafood has always seemed to me the perfect match that no one ever remembers!

I also love the racy tartness of red Roero from Piedmont (a Nebbiolo of finesse!), Grenache from McLaren Vale, Grenache rosé from Spain and the south of France, and tart 10

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

Muscadet and Sancerre from the Loire. Paired with foods, these wines usually are a lot more interesting than yet another 15% alcohol Cab with its low acidity.

Look at a few of the other options: Pinot Blanc: If Oregon didn’t make superb white wine from this variety, would so many producers keep making it? Fact is, this grape may well be Oregon’s second greatest wine achievement (some might suggest Riesling is better!), and a single sip of Ponzi’s 2008 proves the point most convincingly.

And from California, the Robert Sinskey is as dramatic as any.

Dry rosé: The key word here is dry. To me, the drier simply are best when the temperatures rise. Chardonnay to sip on a patio when the thermometer is up? No, thanks. Try Toad Hollow’s Eye of the Toad Rosé of Pinot Noir for a dry and light wine of perfect balance.

Barbera: The “other” grape of Piedmont has naturally high acidity, and a rusticity that gives the wines an earthy feel and depth that turns mere meat dishes into feasts. They are hard to “judge” on their own because of the demand on the palate, but put ’em with food and watch what happens.

Albariño: The Spanish grape does well in cooler climates, and can make a fascinating off-dry as well as dry wine that works with floral dishes. The 2008 from Abacela in Umpqua touches few of the traditional notes in any familiar grape variety except perhaps a trace of the spice of Gewurztraminer.

Bone dry, the wine sings a song you rarely hear.

Gamay Noir: The real thing perfectly made from France is hard to get, but Amity’s Myron Redford has some clonal material that makes a dramatic statement. Hard to imagine a more intriguing wine! And at a fair price.

I could go on. The fact is that some of the world’s most exciting wines never made it to 90 on the wish lists of those who use that famous linear scale to rank wines from 50 to 100. But wine is not a line segment; it is a three-dimensional statement of its own creation.

I have seen oddities from the numberers. I have seen a particular Chianti rated as great. Yet when I taste it, though it’s remarkably flavored, I find the wine amazing only in one attribute: There is no resemblance to Chianti.

And yet because a wine got “only” an 84, it languishes. But think about it: That wine may have gotten a score that low precisely because the label says it is a Semillon.

Need we explain what is at play here?.

DAN BERGER is a nationally renowned wine writer who lives in Santa Rosa, Calif. He publishes a weekly commentary Dan Berger’s Vintage Experiences (VintageExperiences.com).

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

11 Meier Enterprise

8/28/09

9:49 PM

Page 11

12 Market Grapevine

COLUMN

8/31/09

10:13 AM

Page 12

market grapevine

BY BRAIDEN REX-JOHNSON

Celebrating autumn’s arrival Each issue, Braiden Rex-Johnson matches four Pacific Northwest wines with fresh regional ingredients.

A

s the cool days of autumn arrive, Northwest cooks return to their kitchens to celebrate the season with regional favorites such as oysters and shellfish, pumpkins and root vegetables, rich meat and game dishes, cranberries and new-crop nuts.

Our abundant autumn feast begins with Oysters with Easy Aïoli, a recipe adapted from Short Cuts to Great Cuisine (The Crossing Press, $12.95). To begin, with the motor running, drop eight garlic cloves through the feed tube of a food processor. Add two eggs and one-quarter cup of fresh lemon juice and blend. Drizzle in one-and-one-half cups of goodquality extra virgin olive oil, drop by drop, until the sauce starts to thicken. Pour in the remaining oil in a thin stream.

Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Transfer to a small bowl, cover and chill.

Shuck 24 oysters and arrange on a serving platter along with the sauce. Pair the oysters with a well-chilled bottle of San Juan Vineyards 2007 Madeleine Angevine (Puget Sound, $17).

This estate-grown sipper is the perfect oyster wine. Rife with green apple and citrus (grapefruit) aromas and flavors and welcome minerality, its resounding finish is crisp, dry and pleasantly astringent.

Our first course, Sherry Pumpkin Soup, comes from Mike Wallace, winemaker/owner of The Vintner’s Inn and Hinzerling Winery, in Prosser, Wash.

To make the soup, melt one tablespoon of unsalted butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add one-half cup of finely chopped onions, one clove of minced garlic and onehalf pound of white (button) mushrooms (sliced). Cook until softened, stirring occasionally, eight to 10 minutes. Stir in two tablespoons of all-purpose flour and one teaspoon of curry powder and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for one minute.

Gradually add two cups of chicken stock, whisking until smooth. Stir in two cups of cooked fresh pumpkin (puréed) or one (14-ounce) can pumpkin, one tablespoon honey and one-half cup of Hinzerling Cream Sherry. Season with freshly grated nutmeg.

Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Add two cups milk, stir and warm through. Pair the soup with Hinzerling Winery 2006 Semillon (Yakima Valley, $18). With several years of bottle age under its cap, this refreshing wine’s aromas and flavors have evolved from peach and melon to an elegant Sherry-like character that contrasts nicely with the creaminess and spice in the soup.

Our autumn entrée, Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Relish, comes from Chateau Ste. Michelle (CSM) culinary director John Sarich. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place two teaspoons each fennel seed and kosher salt, plus one teaspoon black peppercorns, in a spice grinder and pulse until finely ground.

12

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

Pat one (one-pound) pork tenderloin evenly with the spices and allow to rest for 30 minutes. Roast until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, toss four large shallots and six cloves of garlic (unpeeled) with three tablespoons of olive oil and roast until very soft, about 40 minutes. In a saucepan, combine two cups of Merlot, one cup of dried cherries, one-half cup sugar, one-quarter teaspoon of ground cloves and a pinch of nutmeg. Bring to a boil, then simmer until most of the liquid has reduced. Transfer to a blender along with the roasted vegetables (peeled) and pulse until smooth. Cool. Slice the pork and serve with the cherry relish.

Chef Sarich suggests pairing the pork with CSM’s 2006 Ethos Syrah (Columbia Valley, $28) or 2006 Artist Series Meritage (Columbia Valley, $48). Winemaker Bob Bertheau describes the Syrah as “a rich mouthful of jammy blackberry fruit with layers of complexity and depth.” The Meritage, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and a touch of Petit Verdot, is “a complex wine with seamless tannins.” Take your pick!

We conclude our abundant autumnal feast with the Holiday Tart from the Macrina Bakery & Cafe Cookbook (Sasquatch Books, 2003, $29.95) by Seattle pastry chef and Macrina owner Leslie Mackie. Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F. Spread one cup of chopped pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toast 5 to 10 minutes, until golden brown. Cool.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together three eggs with twothirds cup each light brown sugar and light corn syrup, plus four tablespoons of unsalted butter (melted and cooled to room temperature), one-half teaspoon salt, one tablespoon Brandy and two teaspoons freshly grated orange zest.

Position one pre-baked, 10-inch tart shell (such as the Flaky Pie Dough Tart Shell found in Mackie’s book) on a rimmed baking sheet. Scatter the pecans and one-and-onequarter cups of fresh cranberries in the tart shell, then pour in the custard mixture. Place the baking sheet on the center rack of the oven and bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then remove the sides of the pan.

Dust the tart with powdered sugar just before serving it with Bridgeview Vineyard & Winery 2007 Semi-Sparkling Muscat (Southern Oregon, $12), a semi-sweet spritzer that serves double duty as aperitif or dessert wine. Rife with tropical-fruit and sweet-blossom aromas and flavors, it’s a winning way to celebrate autumn’s arrival.

Braiden Rex-Johnson has been writing about Pacific Northwest food and wine for 18 years. She is the author of seven books, including Pacific Northwest Wining and Dining (Wiley, 2007). Read her blog, Northwest Notes, online at NorthwestWiningandDining.com or follow her on Twitter at BraidenRJ. W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

13 CSM ad

8/28/09

9:50 PM

Page 13

14 Swirl Sniff Sip

8/31/09

COLUMN

12:55 PM

Page 14

swirl, sniff & sip

BY KEN ROBERTSON

Technology helps at tasting bar I’ve recently started taking a more serious approach to wine tasting and have started taking more extensive notes when I do. Any ideas for keeping my notes organized? And any tips for not seeming too obsessively geeky when I’m in the tasting room or at a restaurant?

N

o doubt any system you adopt will change over the years, so I wouldn’t worry too much about starting with the exact perfect recording system at the start. I first started taking notes about wine when my wife and I joined a group of friends to form a wine tasting group in the late 1970s. We still have most of those old rating sheets tucked away, though I seldom refer to them now. Like white wine, old notes tend to lose their appeal after enough years pass.

One of the best recent ideas my wife and I recently adopted is taking cell phone pictures of the labels on wines we have especially enjoyed. Since cell phones, BlackBerries and iPhones are ubiquitous in every setting, a quick discreet photo, even in a restaurant, is a great way to track the name, vintage, vineyard, etc., without having to write down a bunch of information.

With the dizzying proliferation of terms that are plastered on wine bottles these days, just making the notes to ensure you’re keeping your notes on the “Select Reserve” distinct from the mere “Reserve,” and not mixing up the “Canyon Superior” vineyard with the “Cañon Inferior” vineyard can be important.

I’d also advise that you not waste much time making notes about wines that seem really average, unless there’s something you want to remember — for example, the first time you tasted an unusual variety such as an Alvarihno or a Zweigelt.

Notes on paper have worked well for me, but for the crowd that’s really adept at texting, I suppose a cell phone could serve as well. And, for the clever, the text and photo can be easily combined, sent to your home e-mail and filed either digitally or on paper.

One word of caution about depending solely on digital storage. Your hard drive can crash so hard you lose all your data. And losing a decade or so of lovingly prepared notes, photos and other research is maybe even worse than dropping a $100 bottle of fine red wine.

At least the wine can be replaced.

For me, it’s been more useful to try to keep my notes organized by winery, along with any materials I may have picked up at the winery. But you might want to organize yours by wine varieties, by vintage, by AVA, by a broader region (Idaho, Oregon, B.C.), by alcohol content or by any other category that appeals to you.

If you get really geeky, you can put them all on a spreadsheet and make every nuance searchable. There’s no doubt someone out there who likes to track his/her tastings and wine cellar by all those categories and more.

But from your question, I expect you’d rather not get too 14

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

“geeky,” so go with what makes sense to you for now.

Wine Words: French hybrids

The avid Northwest wine explorer won’t travel far without running into a bottle containing one or more of these grapes, several of which were created by the avid hybridizer Eugene Kuhlmann in the Alsace early in the 20th century when the French were scared to death they would lose all their vines to the phylloxera louse, which began ravaging the vineyards of Europe in the 1860s.

Kuhlmann gets credit for creating what’s likely the bestknown French hybrid in the Northwest, Maréchal Foch, and Leon Millot, both of which are grown in Washington and British Columbia, especially on Vancouver Island.

The best-known breeder of French hybrids is generally considered to be Albert Seibel, who developed scores of them starting in the 1880s until 1936 in Aubenas in France’s Rhône Valley. He receives credit for the Seibel grapes, which include De Chaunac and Chancellor.

And another Seibel grape, Rayon d’Or, was crossed with Ugni Blanc by breeder Jean Louis Vidal to produce Vidal Blanc, the premier ice wine grape in New York and Ontario, but also common in B.C.’s Okanagan region, where JacksonTriggs Vintners, Inniskillin and Arrowleaf Cellars, among others, make ice wines and dessert wines from it.

Other French hybrids grown in the Northwest include Baco Noir, developed by Francois Baco. In Oregon’s Umpqua Valley, Girardet Wine Cellars produces a wine from this grape that The Oregonian’s Matt Kramer recently praised as one of Oregon’s best reds.

The French now put their noses firmly into the air over these hybrids and dismiss them with no more than a sniff.

With our Northwest ranges of climate and the willingness to experiment, many of our region’s winemakers and viticulturists are not writing off these hybrids.

Lon Rombough, in his book, The Grape Grower, cites a story about the renowned German grape breeder and researcher Helmut Becker secretly entering a hybrid grape wine in a prestigious European competition and winning it, much to the chagrin of the competition’s organizers.

Becker, by the way, was among the most famous European wine researchers from the 1950s until his death in 1990, and an early supporter of the effort to develop a Northwest wine industry. He helped recruit Germany’s Langguth family from the Mosel region to try its hand in Washington, resulting in the Columbia Basin winery that subsequently became today’s Saddle Mountain Winery.

KEN ROBERTSON, a newspaperman for 40 years and a Wine Press Northwest columnist since its founding, has enjoyed sipping and writing about Northwest wines for 32 years. He lives in Kennewick, Wash. Have a question for Ken? E-mail krobertson@winepressnw.com.

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

15 Auction ad

8/28/09

9:51 PM

Page 15

16 Teri Citterman

9/2/09

COLUMN

11:13 AM

Page 16

urban sips

BY TERI CITTERMAN

It’s 5 o’clock in some campground

T

he German and I headed south — Mendocino-south to the northern coast of California for the annual family camping trip. Yes, sometimes I camp — Rocky Mountain High and the works.

As soon as we arrive, the fun begins until inevitably, a bone breaks or an eye is poked out. Then we pack up and go home — until the next year when we do it all over again.

Despite the many, many dirty fingers attached to the little goblins, who seem to always be pursuing my plate, what brings me peace is knowing that it’s 5 o’clock somewhere, and on a camping trip, it’s never too early to drink. So scramble some eggs, pull the cork and pour a glass of some kind of wonderful.

Cherry Point Vineyards 2004 Ortega, Vancouver Island, is an unexpected glass of bliss and a great way to start the day. Serve it as a side of fruit, because this wine is full of ripe grapefruit, apple, pomello and mandarin orange with a smidge of minerality to even things out.

Admittedly, we packed this bottle with a fair bit of trepidation and rather low expectations, but we were pleasantly surprised to find a smooth and harmonious wine, sophisticated to serve at brunch with enough umph to unscrambles the eggs.

Next up: Januik 2008 Riesling, Bacchus Vineyard, is an amazing counterweight to the power of spice in Uli’s Famous Sausage straight from Pike Place Market. This wine is light and flinty with bursts of ripe peach and juicy apricot. Roast a dog over an open flame and while your mouth unsuspectingly fans the spicy heat, this wine steps in on its covert mission.

With a quiet forcefulness, this Riesling squelches the fire burning in your soul, looks left than right — and disappears into the darkness, superhero style.

Speaking of darkness, Walla Walla Vintners 2006 Bella Italia Red Blend, Columbia Valley, is the blend that calls to the wild things – lions and vampires and bears, oh my! this wine is appallingly luscious, and brings forth the power at twilight. Its first impression is structured and hard-hitting. Than it gradually softens – lulling you into a hypnotic seduction as it sets its sites on the kill.

Blood red with big-bodied intensity, this wine is the lion that falls in love with the lamb, showing evidence that stupidity is painful. Its red fruit is made redder with ripe cherry and dark plum – no camping trip is complete with out a real-life ghost story told around the campfire.

And, undoubtedly, campfire talk ranges depending on who’s doing the talking. From easy to elaborate, Willamette Valley Vineyards 2007 Elton Pinot Noir is something of the sort.

16

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

Smooth and mellow wrapped in earth and ripe strawberry.

It’s a provocative wine – that bores easily until the storm moves in. A blast of politics, a gust of guns – this wine casually ignites the flames proposing an assault rifle over an Anaconda six-shooter.

And you thought a bear was all you had to fear in the woods. This wine is direct, yet understated — imperious yet protective. It teases the tongue and mocks the mind undoing the seams where family harmony once prevailed.

But back to the bites. JM Cellars 2006 Cuvée, Columbia Valley, puts the meat in the ball atop a pile of camping-style spaghetti (jar, yes — can, no).

This wine has hearty strength — a backbone that bursts with juicy blackberry, black currant and fig. Smacked by tannins on the back of your tongue, this wine is robust enough to tame the tomato, yet refined enough for French cheese and chocolate.

And then there’s chocolate — wedged tightly between a golden, plump marshmallow and two slabs of graham cracker. It is the perfect blend of soft texture, creamy meltiness and crunch.

Enter Glencorrie 2006 Cuvee Marquis, Columbia Valley. This wine starts out subtle with a smooth finish, but exceptionally unobservant. Wait for it as it quietly unrolls the warm layers you should have packed. Bright cherry and earthy tobacco fill you up leaving plenty of room for s’mores al dente. A complex wine for an intricate meal, this wine comes alive with gusto and endurance.

More of a simple savor, Saviah Cellars 2008 Rosé is the watermelon we forgot at the market. With balanced acid and sour fig, this is a breezy, uncomplicated wine served best at the beach. Its soft salmon pinkness brings out the wham in spicy salsa and well as the crisp in the chips. It’s precisely what I was drinking when the German spouted that our friends the sea lions ”are dirty, loud bullies who eat with their feet and have no refinement.”

At least I thought he meant the sea lions. ...

Until we meet again, with packed car and filthy dog, oh family, we are filled with anticipation.

Cheers!

With sass and attitude, TERI CITTERMAN is a Seattle dweller and an eager wine enthusiast. She is the author of the latest edition of Best Places to Kiss in the Northwest. She is a contributing writer to the Puget Sound Business Journal, the Portland Business Journal and Northwest Best Places Travel Books.

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

17 Sunshine Wine ad

8/28/09

9:53 PM

Page 17

18-21 Calendar

8/31/09

1:19 PM

W I N E C O U N T RY

10

Page 18

activities

great things to do

in Northwest wine country

BY E R I C D E G E R M A N

Fall might be my favorite season because that’s when many of my interests collide.

There’s the sport of politics with election season. Alongside that are the politics of sport as folks debate who is No. 1 in college football and who will win the Fall Classic.

And where would we be without the rush to crush? Honestly, I don’t see how any winemaker in America can be a serious football fan because their lives border on 24/7 for the next three months.

Well, here’s a glass to those winemakers who give up on watching football. If you are a grad of the University of Washington or Washington State University, then you haven’t missed much lately.

1

Recession-proof Washington wines.

Washington State Liquor Stores unlock their doors each year to Washington Wine Month. Typically, it’s staged in August. This year, it got pushed back to September so you’ve still got time to score a bargain.

It marks the 25th anniversary of the promotion, and editor-in-chief Andy Perdue posted the complete list of the deals and how much you will save. Visit Andy’s Wine Knows blog for the complete lineup at winepressnw.com.

2

How Slow can you go? The international Slow Food movement recently named Cowichan Bay on Vancouver Island as North America’s first Cittaslow. Translated to “slow town,” the idea is to promote cities around the world that think local first, embrace rural lifestyles and seek cultural diversity.

And no, slow food does not mean bad service at Taco Bell. Anyone who has visited Cowichan Bay knows how tied the community is to maritime life and its support of local food and wine produc18

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

ers. Glenterra Vineyards and Rocky Creek Winery both are in the Cowichan Valley, and Venturi Schulze is nearby.

The official ribbon cutting ceremony is Sept. 18, and I’m guessing Sinclair Philip of the Sooke Harbour House might drive across the island to witness the festivities. After all, he served four years as president of Slow Food Canada. Go to ancglamping.com for more.

3

Sun setting on Willamette Valley’s 150 Days. On Valentine’s Day, the Willamette Valley Wineries Association launched its “150 Days of Wine” campaign in conjunction with Oregon’s 150th birthday of statehood.

More than 50 wineries participated in 130 events.

Well, it’s coming to a close with their Harvest Picnics promotion, and The Four Graces in Dundee is inviting you to lunch at the winery and take in the stunning scenery from Sept. 21 to Oct. 20. Call the tasting room the day before to order your picnic box lunch.

The lunch and a flight of their wines is $15. Go to thefourgraces.com or call 503-554-8000 to place your order. Visit the Willamette Valley Wineries site at willamettewines.com for other events.

4

An evening of wine. Wineries from across the state converge Sept. 25 on the Seattle Marriott Waterfront Hotel in support of the Pacific Northwest Diabetes Research Institute. It’s an impressive array of wineries. There’s Dunham, Reininger and Va Piano from Walla Walla. DeLille, Efeste, JM and Matthews represent Woodinville. Others are Boudreaux (Leavenworth), Chandler Reach (Benton City) and Fall Line (Seattle).

This is the sixth year of the fundraiser, which includes a reception, dinner, auction of wine packages to Leavenworth and Walla Walla, and a

wine tasting game. Patrons try to match blind pours from the wines to the tasting notes written by the participating wineries.

The PNDRI is a 54-year-old operation started by Dr. William Hutchinson Sr., who founded the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center as a tribute to his brother, arguably Seattle’s most famous homegrown baseball figure. Tickets start at $175.

Go to pndri.org or call 206-720-1200.

5

A grand cru thing. These aren’t the best of times to launch a project of this scale, but considering the principals involved, The Grand Cru Estates won’t fail.

Last year, respected Pinot Noir vintners Laurent Montalieu and Tony Rynders helped create a club in the Yamhill-Carlton District that will allow members the chance to be hands-on winemakers — under their tutelage.

Phillippe Boulot, a James Beard Award winning chef in Portland, leads the culinary program at Grand Cru Estates.

Each member selects the level of his or her participation, ranging from a quarter barrel (seven cases) to six barrels (150 cases). There’s an initiation fee of $5,000, then you pay about $65 for every bottle of Pinot Noir you make each year.

One barrel adds up to $20,000. And you’ll have access to grapes from every north Willamette appellation.

Go to thegrandcruestates.com or call 503-662-4730 for information.

6

Antiquing in Walla Walla. If you are a wine collector, then you likely collect antiques of some sort.

Ann Steiger, owner of Roxy Theatre Antiques in Kennewick, Wash., rolls out the Fall Walla Walla Antique Show on Oct. 9-11. It’s staged at the Walla Walla Fairgrounds’ historic pavilion and gathers more than 70 dealers from throughW I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

18-21 Calendar

8/31/09

1:19 PM

Page 19

W I N E C O U N T RY out the Northwest.

And it comes with a wine element.

There is a Wine Soiree on the first two afternoons when wines from the Walla Walla Valley will be poured. For more information, call 509-585-2301.

7

Some crunch for your palate. Here’s a new tasty and rather guiltless treat that came into our WPNW headquarters and went straight to my home.

Lesley Stowe Fine Foods in North America’s most beautiful city — Vancouver, B.C .— rolled out Raincoast Crisps to the Seattle market. The chef/cookbook author created these artisan-style crackers in the shape of Melba toast, and I found each version quite versatile.

I took these to a family gathering, set them next to bottles of Northwest wine and asked for comments. The Original seed cracker is nicely seasoned, a great palate cleanser and goes well with goat cheese. The Fig and Olive went well with Sawtooth 2005 Merlot and would make delicious croutons because of the hint of tapenade. The Rosemary Raisin Pecan is a sturdy cracker and akin to a little piece of breakfast toast, pairing nicely with a Raptor Ridge 2006 Pinot Noir. And the Cranberry Hazelnut is like eating dessert. Enjoy with blueberry-flavored goat cheese.

These crisps are available at Whole Foods and Metropolitan markets, the Salish Lodge and DeLaurenti’s or go to lesleystowe.com.

8

Live from George, Washington, it’s ...

For a second straight season, Cave B Estate Winery is featuring live concerts in the cellar, which is adjacent to the tasting room for Freddy Arredondo’s wines and the wine library.

The Live! at the Cellar series spotlights emerging Northwest musicians, and the shows are staged one Friday per month in the man-made cave. Seating is limited to 60, and there’s a special feel with the wall of basalt, which makes for unusual acoustics.

The sound must be compelling because Seattle-based folk/rock singer Kristen Ward and Ellensburg’s alternative

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

FA L L 2 0 0 9 • W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T

19

18-21 Calendar

9/2/09

10:41 AM

Page 20

W I N E C O U N T RY country artist Star Anna will close out the season Nov. 20. Tickets are a mere $12, which qualify as a “Best Buy!” on our scale. Perhaps someday they will play across the vineyard at The Gorge. Go to sagecliffe.com for the lineup and ducats.

9

Great Scott goes green in Moscow.

This summer, Idaho winemaker Stu Scott and his Camas Prairie Winery deepened their commitment to the environment. A grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Energy for America program helped Scott and his wife, Sue, install solar panels on the roof of their downtown winery. In July 2008, the Scotts’ electricity bill was $420.

A year later, they paid $180.

Stop in, taste some of Stu’s award-winning wines, and ask for a tour of his remarkable operation. Sen. Mike Crapo dropped by in August for the photo op and sound byte. If he didn’t try some mead or Champoux Cab, then he wouldn’t get my vote.

10

Another New Vintage of wine consumers. Here’s a stroke of genius by the Washington Wine Commission. It’s called “20something: The New Vintage” and targets younger folks who want to drink Washington wine and see that it’s cool.

This fall, it’s Nov. 21 at the Fremont Studios in Seattle. More than 25 Washington wineries will pour wines they retail for $30 and less. More than a dozen Seattle-area chefs serve nibbles while acclaimed producer/DJ Darek Mazzone sets the tone with his music programming.

How successful are these? The WWC holds them twice a year, and they keep migrating to larger venues. The party photos tell the tale. It’s great to see so many Millennials (ages 21-30) gravitate toward Northwest wine.

Go to thenewvintage.org to see which industry folks who will be there rather than be square. ı What is your favorite thing to do in Northwest wine country? Send your ideas to edegerman@winepressnw.com. ı Have a Northwest wine item to post on our free online Wine Events calendar? Go to winepressnw.com/events.

20

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

18-21 Calendar

9/2/09

10:36 AM

Page 21

events

W I N E C O U N T RY

September 26 Taste of the Harvest, Caldwell, Idaho. This College of Idaho event funds scholarships for migrant workers’ children. Call 208-459-5011 or go to collegeofidaho.edu.

26-27 Catch the Crush, Tri-Cities, Wash. Harvest celebrations from Red Mountain to the Horse Heavens Hills. Call 866-360-6611 or go to columbiavalleywine.com.

October 2 Gusto! Everett, Wash. More than 100 Northwest wines and 20 restaurants raise funs Everett Community College. Call 425-388-9948 or go to everettcc.edu/gusto.

1-11 Okanagan Fall Wine Festival, Okanagan Valley, B.C. More than 150 events stretch over 10 days. Call 250-861-6654 or go to thewinefestivals.com.

3-4, 10-11 Lake Chelan Crush, Lake Chelan, Wash. Ten days of a “berry to bottle” fest in the Northwest youngest appellation. Go to lakechelanwinevalley.com 9 Entwine, Walla Walla, Wash. This auction at the Marcus Whitman Hotel supports arts, wine and education. Call 509-527-4253 or go to wallawallawine.com.

24 Food, Wine & Wishes, Portland. Portland Art Museum assists Oregon’s MakeA-Wish Foundation. Call 503-292-2280 or go to orwish.org.

November 6 Walla Walla Valley Wine Tasting and Auction, Walla Walla, Wash. The 28th annual fundraiser for Planned Parenthood of Walla Walla. Call 509-540-4706.

6 Epicurean Delight, Spokane, Wash. This annual gala benefits the Inland Northwest Blood Center. Call 509-232-4567 or go to epicureandelight.org.

6-7 Tri-Cities Wine Festival, Pasco, Wash. One of the largest wine festivals in the Northwest is transported to Three Rivers Convention Center. Call 509-547-4849 or go to tricitieswinefestival.com.

7 Taste of the Peninsula, Port Angeles, Wash. Olympic Peninsula wineries and farmers help the YMCA for third year. Call 360-452-9244 or go to ccfymca.org.

12-15 Whistler’s Cornucopia, Whistler, B.C. Whistler’s annual extravaganza of Northwest wine and cuisine. Go to whistlercornucopia.com.

13-14 ¡Salud! Dundee and Portland. This annual Pinot Noir auction benefits Oregon’s vineyard workers. Call 503-681-1850 or go to saludauction.org.

13-14 Savor the Flavor, Pasco, Wash. Tri-Cities wine and food celebrities gather to assist Oasis School. Call 509-554-2587 or go to tastetricities.com/savor.

14 Northwest Wine & Food Festival, Portland. Fourth-year event returns to Memorial Coliseum. Call 800-422-0251 or go to nwfoodandwinefestival.com.

14 Seaside Downtown Wine Walk, Seaside, Ore. Seaside businesses pair up with regional wineries. Call 503-717-1914 or go to seasidedowntown.com.

14-15 Passport Wine Tour, Olympic Peninsula, Wash. The Olympic Peninsula Wineries’ annual fall wine-touring event. Go to olympicpeninsulawineries.org.

20-22 Holiday Wine Festival, Spokane, Wash. A weekend of wine, art and food annually staged the weekend before Thanksgiving. Go to spokanewineries.net.

27-29 Thanksgiving in Wine Country, Yakima Valley, Wash. Tour Washington’s oldest wine region. Go to wineyakimavalley.org.

27-29 Wine Country Thanksgiving, Willamette Valley, Ore. More than 100 wineries of the Willamette Valley celebrate the holidays. Go to willamettewines.com.

December 4-6 Holiday Barrel Tasting, Walla Walla, Wash. Enjoy a weekend visiting the wineries of the Walla Walla Valley. Go to wallawallawine.com or call 509-526-3117.

5-6 St. Nicholas Day Open House, Woodinville, Wash. Woodinville wineries open their doors for this passport-style event. Go to woodinvillewinecountry.com.

5-6 Lake Chelan Fall Barrel Tasting, Lake Chelan, Wash. Get a peek at wines from the state’s 11th American Viticultural Area. Go to lakechelanwinevalley.com.

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

FA L L 2 0 0 9 • W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T

21

22-26 Front of Book

8/31/09

D E S T I N AT I O N S

12:55 PM

Page 22

on the whatcom wine trail

Wine, fun (and maybe sun) in Whatcom Co.

BY JON BAUER

If you thought wineries in Western Washington were too few and far between to make a decent day or weekend of a winery tour, all you need do is look north to Whatcom County.

Bound by the Straight of Georgia to the west, the Canadian border to the north and Mount Baker and North Cascades to the east, Whatcom can entertain the wine traveler with several wineries, restaurants with unmatched views of sea and mountain, countless recreation opportunities and a thriving arts scene.

Start your journey by checking out the Whatcom Wine Trail Web site at whatcomwinetrail.com.

Whatcom County’s wine trail connects wine travelers with nine wineries within driving distance of each other: In Bellingham, Whatcom’s largest city and home to Western Washington University, you’ll find: Chuckanut Ridge Wine Co., red and white wines from Yakima Valley vineyards, 1017 N. State Street, 360-734-3537, chuckanutridgewinecompany.com.

Dynasty Cellars, 2987 Haxton Way. Honey Moon Mead, red and white wines, mead and cider, 1053 N. State Street, 360-734-0728, honeymoonmead.net.

On nearby Lummi Island: Legoe Bay Winery, red and white wines, 4232 Legoe Bay Road, 360-805-2710.

In Blaine, near the Canadian border: Dakota Creek Winery, maker of red and white wines from Eastern Washington AVAs, 3575 Haynie Road, 360-820-4752,

The Twin Sisters range provides the backdrop for farming in Washington’s Whatcom County.

(Photo by Peter James)

www.dakotacreekwinery.com.

Glacial Lake Missoula Wine Co., named for the Ice Age lake that helped create the terroir of Eastern Washington, making its Deluge series of red blends from Yakima valley vineyards, 1625 Boblett Street, 360-332-2097, glmwine.com; And in Everson, east of Bellingham: Mount Baker Vineyards, 4298 Mount Baker Highway, Western Washington vineyard pioneer, making red and white wines, 360-592-2300,www.mountbakervineyards.com.

Samson Estates, making varietals from Columbia and Yakima valleys and fruit and dessert wines, 1861 Van Dyk Road, 360-966-7787, samsonestates.com.

Vartanyan Estate Winery, red and white wines, 1626 Huntley Road, 360-733-1097.

Other things to check out in Whatcom County: • Walk the trail of boardwalk and trolley roadbed between downtown Bellingham and the historic Fairhaven District.

• Stroll Western Washington University’s outdoor sculpture garden.

• Browse for books at Village Books in Fairhaven, 1200 Eleventh St. • Film your own car commercial along the curves of Chuckanut Drive, then watch the sunset at Larrabee State Park.

• Ski Mount Baker or hike North Cascades National Park.

• Get in line at the border for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and Whistler, B.C. 22

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

The Web site is vewinery.com.

Leave the driving to someone else If you’d rather turn off the GPS and let someone else drive, two companies offer tours to some of the wineries.

Whatcom Wine Tours, 360-224-0734, whatcomwinetours.com, offers tours by passenger van to six of the wineries — Dakota Creek, Glacial Lake Missoula, Chuckanut Ridge, Mount Baker, Simson and Vartanyan — with visits to three on Saturdays and another three on Sundays, said Hollie Hilde who started the tours this year with her husband.

For $55 each, Whatcom Wine Tours will pick you and up to 10 others up at your hotel ($65 for a pickup at a Whatcom County residence), drive for tours and tastings at the wineries, serve a box lunch at one of the wineries and give you a souvenir wine glass. Tasting fees aren’t included but are nominal at those wineries that charge.

If you find something you like, Hilde said, there’s room in the back of the airconditioned van for up to six cases.

Although regular tours are not scheduled, Bellair Charters, 800-221-4548, airporter.com/bellair, offers special tours to the wineries, including a kayaking and wine expedition.

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

22-26 Front of Book

8/31/09

10:15 AM

Page 23

D E S T I N AT I O N S Say cheese Would you like some cheese to go with your wine? Make a stop in Bellingham’s historic Fairhaven district at Quel Fromage, 1200 Old Fairhaven Parkway, Suite 101, 360-671-0203, quelfromage.com. The cheese shop, which at most times offers an array of 125 imported and domestic cheeses, will wrap up a choice of three $20 Fromage-a-Go-Go picnic baskets that include two quarter-pound wedges of cheese, a small baguette, condiments and a cheese spreader.

Owner Rachel Riggs, who opened her shop about three years ago, is a cheese evangelist. Customers get an information sheet with each cheese that shows how to pronounce the name, information on where and how it was made and suggested pairings with food and wine. And don’t hesitate to ask for a taste.

With the cooler weather of fall on its way, expect to see more cheeses from Vermont, New Hampshire and other East Coast cheesemakers, Riggs said.

Quel Fromage also offers a selection of wines, mostly from California, but France, Oregon and Washington are represented.

Stroll through the wine list Dine at Du Jour Bistro in downtown Bellingham, 1319 Cornwall Avenue, Suite 102, 360-714-1161, thevinesdujour.com, for lunch or dinner and walk through the companion, The Vines Wine Shop, to select a bottle of wine to go with the meal.

Along with a short menu that includes small plates (bacon-wrapped dates, $5; artisan cheese and crackers, $10), soups, salads and big plates (a nightly seafood special; spaghetti with a Spanish meat sauce, $12.95; roasted leg of lamb, $21), Du Jour invites diners to select a wine from the shop and enjoy it with dinner for a modest $5 corkage fee. Along with a shelf of wines under $15, The Vines offers a selection of reasonably priced Northwest and B.C. wines, as well as bottles from South America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand and South Africa.

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

FA L L 2 0 0 9 • W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T

23

22-26 Front of Book

8/31/09

12:56 PM

Page 24

WINE VIEWS

Chardonnay on the cheap BY “BARGAIN BOB” WOEHLER

The grape: Chardonnay, enjoy as a cocktail wine.

The word: The Professional Friends of Wine,

www.winepros.org, say: “Rich is the word that best both describes Chardonnay... .

Its aroma is distinct, yet delicate... . It often smells like apples, lemons, peaches or tropical fruits. Oak commonly takes over Chardonnay if the wine is fermented or aged in new barrels or for too long in seasoned ones.”

Many wineries are going lighter on the oak, and some are making unoaked Chardonnay, more like a Chablis (the real French kind, not the fake California kind).

The match: Nat Decants, www.nataliemaclean.com, suggests pairing Chardonnay with gouda or Swiss cheeses, fried chicken, asparagus quiche, vegetable lasagnas, lobster and even popcorn.

The bargains: Columbia Crest Two Vines, Columbia Valley, $7-$9

Fruit-forward apple and pear aromas with a hint of lemon leading to balanced crispness and creaminess on the palate with a lingering, lush fruity finish.

Hogue 2006, Columbia Valley, $8-$10

Rich buttery pear and creamy flavors with food-friendly crispness.

Chateau Ste. Michelle 2007, Columbia Valley $9-$11

Appealing softness with bright, sweet, citrus fruit character and subtle spice and oak nuances.

Fish House 2006, Columbia Valley, $10

Smooth with tangerine and pineapple components and good minerality.

Barnard Griffin 2008 tulip label, Columbia Valley, $10-$12

An award-winning Chardonnay with aromas of lime and wood spice and flavors of apples and pears.

Snoqualmie 2008 Naked, Columbia Valley $7

“Naked” means organically grown grapes. Fresh pure aromas and flavors of fruit for a balanced clean finish.

A to Z, 2007, Oregon, $11-$13

This unoaked wine offers aromas of lemon-lime with good acidity, crisp apple flavors and a mineral finish.

Ste. Chapelle, 2007 Snake River, Idaho, $8 -$10

This vintage is full bodied and creamy with pear and citrus characteristics Nk’Mip Cellars, 2006, Okanagan Valley, $16 Canadian

The Chardonnay opens with butterscotch, Granny Smith apple followed by luscious pineapple.

24

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

Nom de vine: Stories behind wine names

‘Bad Bunny’ is good for Bellingham’s Chuckanut Ridge

BY JON BAUER

John Powers, owner of Bellingham, Wash.’s Chuckanut Ridge Wine Co., said the Bad Bunny name naturally followed from the artwork on the label, used for a 2006 Cab-Merlot blend from the Yakima Valley.

More Bugsy Siegel than Bugs Bunny, the tobaccosmoking rabbit is the work of Bellingham painter and printmaker Thomas Wood.

Powers is a fan of Wood’s strange yet whimsical work, and following a custom of using the work of Northwest artists on Chuckanut Ridge’s labels, Powers asked Wood if he would allow the image of the smoking hare to be used on bottles.

“Some artists are apprehensive, and others are almost insulted,” Powers said of artists he’s approached. But Wood was enthusiastic.

Wood’s bunny has been used for a Chuckanut red blend since a 2003 bottling. And although not Chuckanut’s top seller, the artwork and name attract a lot of sales in stores, Powers said.

Wood’s artwork has also been used on a label for a white blend. Bunny Le Blanc is “a more rotund female version of the Bad Bunny,” Powers said. Releases of that particular wine have sold out. Powers does plan to bring that wascally wabbit back at some point.

Editor’s note: Nom De Vine is a new feature in Wine Press Northwest that explores the story of how some of the Northwest’s more oddly labeled wines and wineries got their names. Wondering about a name? Send your suggestions to Jon Bauer at jbauer64@gmail.com W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

22-26 Front of Book

8/31/09

12:56 PM

Page 25

BOOK REVIEWS

Murder in wine country 3 new mysteries make a killing amid West Coast vines If you love a good murder mystery, your wine glass is spilling over now, as three new books set in wine country have hit the market in recent months.

The first, For the Sake of the

Vine, takes place in Washington’s Yakima Valley, while An Unholy Alliance is nestled in Oregon’s Yamhill County and Lethal Vintage is set in California’s Napa Valley.

Each has its own style and attitude, but all have three things in common: wine, murder and darned good stories.

— Andy Perdue

For the Sake of the Vine, by Adria Lang, 2009, Tigress Publishing, Seattle, $12.95.

An Unholy Alliance, by Judy Nedry, 2009, iUniverse, $19.95.

Lethal Vintage, by Nadia Gordon, 2009, Chronicle Books, San Francisco, $23.95.

This is set at the fictitious Lapis Vintners, next door to the real-life Kestrel Vintners in Prosser, Wash.

Winemaker Horst Bartlett and his wife have died in an awful plane crash in Central America, and Horst’s twin children, Zach and Angelina, must fly home from the East Coast to take on the family business while uncovering macabre mysteries behind Lapis’ legendary Merlot.

This is an illustrated novel that thrives on bizarre relationships amid marvelous twists and turns.

Fans of novelist Douglas Coupland (Shampoo Planet, Girlfriend in a Coma, Microserfs) should feel comfortable with the rather edgy writing style.

I love books that know how to set a scene, and Judy Nedry performs this beautifully in An Unholy Alliance.

Nedry has lived amid the vines of the northern Willamette Valley and was one of the modern wine industry’s earliest scribes as founder of Northwest Palate magazine.

Her hero, Emma Golden, is a Portland writer thrust into the middle of a murder (or two) in the northern Willamette Valley as she researches a book on Oregon wine.

This is a delicious read, and one does not have to read too much between the lines to see some of the real-life characters of the Oregon wine industry.

This is Nadia Gordon’s fourth murder mystery set in Napa, and this is as good as her inaugural Sharpshooter, which I thought was the best of the first three.

Sunny McCoskey is the owner and chef of Wildside, a favorite restaurant in the Napa Valley town of St. Helena.

Sunny always manages to insert herself into the middle of a murder investigation, and this time around, it’s a friend who dies after an evening of decadence. This time, though, Sunny is a suspect.

Gordon’s character development over the four books helps make this a real favorite, and this is probably the most classic style of murder mystery of the three books.

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

FA L L 2 0 0 9 • W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T

25

22-26 Front of Book

9/2/09

11:22 AM

Page 26

WINE NEWS

Richard Sommer checks sugar levels of his grapes in 2000. (Photo by Jerry Redfern)

Oregon’s modern pioneer, Richard Sommer, dies at 79

BY CARA PALLONE

Like the old winemaker’s vines, Richard Sommer’s legacy is rooted in time.

As the father of Oregon’s modern wine industry, he’ll be remembered for his exclusive love of nature.

Born and raised in San Francisco, Sommer attended the University of California-Davis in 1948 and majored in horticulture. When he predicted in the ’50s that he would grow fine wine grapes in Oregon, his professors told him it would be a waste of time.

His sister Susanne Krieg said her brother laughed and declared he would grow grapes in the gentle Roseburg climate anyway.

Although wine grapes were introduced on the Oregon Trail and berry wines have been a fruitful state staple for more than a century, Sommer pioneered Oregon’s vinifera industry. He introduced the European-style grapes to Umpqua Valley soil in 1961, experimenting mainly with Riesling and Pinot Noir and planting the first postProhibition vinifera on an old turkey farm west of Roseburg.

By 1963 he produced 200 gallons of 26

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

wine. By 1966, he was in full production, making 6,000 gallons and using the first stainless steel tanks for the task. His mellow red made a splash and he sold it in bulk. It wasn't until Sommer established HillCrest Vineyard that the seeds of the modern Oregon wine industry were sown. There are now nearly 400 wineries in the state.

“He was creative and thorough, and he laid out a lot of different plots,” said Steve Renquist, horticulture extension agent for Oregon State University Extension Service of Douglas County.

“It didn't take long for people to realize Pinot and Riesling were the ones that really seemed to stand out.”

Today, HillCrest Vineyard is the state’s oldest continuously running vinifera winery. Sommer died July 28 at age 79.

Dyson and Susan DeMara purchased HillCrest Vineyard in 2003. They are reminded of the old winemaker every day as they look out on their vineyard, where 13 acres of old vine are remnants of Sommer’s vision.

“He opened the door in terms of producing varietal wines and producing fine wines,” Dyson said, “and proving you could do it.”

Grapes are netted at DuBrul Vineyard in Washington’s Yakima Valley (courtesy of DuBrul Vineyard).

Washington sees record grape crop As harvest was set to begin in the Pacific Northwest, Washington wine grape growers and vintners expected another record crop.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates Washington’s wine grape crop will come in at 155,000 tons, which would be larger than last year’s record of 145,000 tons.

The Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers’ crop estimate, taken in July, was 149,373 tons.

A year ago, both pre-crush estimates were below the actual tonnage brought in.

The USDA is estimating that Oregon will bring in 37,000 tons of grapes, compared with 34,700 in 2008 and 38,600 in 2007.

Keep up on what’s happening during wine grape harvest in the Pacific Northwest through The Wine Knows blog (winepressnw.com/wineknows) or follow Wine Press Northwest on Twitter (winepressnw) or Facebook.

And check out our harvest videos at youtube.com/winepressnw.

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

27 House ad

8/29/09

1:07 PM

Page 27

28-31 chelan ava.qxd

8/31/09

10:18 AM

Page 28

Lake Chelan:

BY ANDY PERDUE

F

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JACKIE JOHNSTON

or decades, it’s been Washington’s playground, a mountain getaway with stunning vistas, the heart of the state’s famous apple industry and the nation’s third-deepest lake. And for the past decade, grapes and wineries have crept in amid the orchards, and this spring it officially became a part of Washington wine country.

The Lake Chelan AVA was approved this spring, making it Washington’s 11th appellation. The region is small, with just 16 wineries and about 250 acres of grapes planted. It’s also young, with the oldest vine-

From Benson Vineyards Estate Winery you can see Lake Chelan and its surrounding mountains.

28

yard planted in 1998. However, Chelan has a vaunted agricultural history, primarily with apples and other tree fruits.

“The wine in this area has become kind of a staple for us around here,” said Tony Race, owner of the Red Apple Market in Chelan. “It used to be apples, and now we’ve discovered that it’s wine. With local wineries, this is pretty fun. It’s something new and exciting, and it’s a year-round event. The apple orchards were a short, seasonal thing. There was no spring barrel tasting, no new releases, none of that.”

W

28-31 chelan ava.qxd

9/2/09

10:40 AM

Page 29

Washington’s newest wine country

One of the more established wineries on the lake is Vin du Lac on the north shore. Owners Larry Lehmbecker and Michaela Markusson launched it in 2002 as Chelan Wine Co., but as more wineries opened and took advantage of the famous regional name, they chose the new moniker.

Vin du Lac’s most famous wine is its Cabernet Franc, which has earned an astonishing four consecutive Platinum awards in Wine Press Northwest’s annual best-of-the-best competition. While some of the grapes for that wine come from the new Lake Chelan AVA

(approved in June), the majority are brought in from Snipes Mountain, another newly approved appellation in the Yakima Valley.

As the region matures, many wineries use grapes from outside of Lake Chelan, though more and more producers are relying on their own fruit sources for their wines. In fact, Wine Press Northwest conducted a tasting of more than 50 wines that used grapes solely from the AVA. And last year for the first time, grapes from Lake Chelan made up part of Chateau Ste. Michelle’s acclaimed Eroica Riesling blend, indicating

29

28-31 chelan ava.qxd

F E AT U R E

8/31/09

10:18 AM

Page 30

chelan ava

the state’s flagship winery’s growing interest in the region.

Alan Busacca, a retired WSU geology professor, was responsible for getting the Lake Chelen AVA approved.

G E O L O G I C A L LY D I F F E R E N T

THE LAKE CHELAN AVA IS markedly different than any other in Washington. Unlike all but the Puget Sound AVA, Lake Chelan was not shaped by the Ice Age floods that ravaged Eastern Washington and the Columbia Gorge some 15,000 years ago. In fact, glaciers were busy carving out the lake, the third-deepest in the United States (after Crater Lake and Lake Tahoe). Alan Busacca, the geologist who shepherded the AVA petition through the federal government, said the glacier that created the 50-mile-long lake was some 2,000 feet thick.

“This area really is special and quite different from any area in the state where wine grapes are grown,” Busacca said as he stood along the shore of Lake Chelan. “Almost all areas in the Columbia Valley for the most part were influenced by the outburst floods from Lake Missoula.”

Additionally, he said, the vast majority of the bedrock of the Columbia Valley is basalt, while that of Lake Chelan is granite. On top of that, a volcano about 20 miles to the west called Glacier Peak erupted some 12,000 years ago. It was on the scale of Mount Mazama, the Oregon volcano that erupted nearly 10,000 years ago and became Crater Lake.

“This whole area was just being de-glaciated,” Busacca said. Thus, the soils in Lake Chelan are very young in geologic terms and are a mix of crushed granite and pumice.

Busacca, a retired WSU geology professor, also was the primary force behind the formation of the Wahluke Slope AVA in 2006 and helped with the applications for the Horse Heaven Hills and Rattlesnake Hills AVAs. He has since launched a winery project called AlmaTerra that focuses on wines that

exhibit a region’s sense of place.

Though the oldest vineyards in Lake Chelan are barely a decade old, Busacca said the region actually has a rich history in wine grape growing.

An 1891 edition of the Chelan Falls Leader included an article about Louis Conti, an Italian immigrant with a 60-acre vineyard in the area. “(The article) clearly lays out that there are quite a few Italian immigrants who had been coming into

anything from California and Europe in just a few years.”

Busacca said he isn’t certain why this never happened, but he suspects a combination of Prohibition and the quickly profitable tree fruit industry were likely culprits.

A NEW BEGINNING

IN 1998, THE KLUDT FAMILY, owners of Lake Chelan Winery and Wapato Point Cellars, planted the first grapes in the modern era, replacing apple orchards. Others soon followed.

Bob Jankelson, owner of Tsillan Cellars on the lake’s south shore, planted grapes in 2000 immediate—BOB JANKELSON, OWNER OF TSILLAN CELLARS ly after removing 135 acres of Red Delicious, the top the area and bringing wine apple variety of Washington — and grapevines from California,” Busacca one hard hit in the 1990s when it said. “One leader is quoted as saying fell out of favor with consumers. this area will soon be covered in Jankelson has built a stunning facility wine vineyards and will be producreminiscent of an Italian villa. In fact, ing the finest wines that will rival

“The wine industry is, I think, the foundational cornerstone of the Chelan economy right now”

30

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

28-31 chelan ava.qxd

8/31/09

10:18 AM

Jankelson spent much time in Italy teaching dentistry and turned to that region for inspiration when he designed Tsillan.

The name (pronounced the same as the lake and town) is thought to be the original spelling of “Chelan” and appears on maps of the region from the early 1800s. It is a native word for “deep water,” Jankelson explained.

Jankelson is all about providing a wine country experience. The winery’s beautiful grounds and views inspire visitors to return, and he has brought in the owners of the famed Sorrento restaurant in San Francisco to operate the food service at Tsillan.

“It really is about giving people experiences, something that leaves memories, something you want to experience but don’t have the opportunity frequently,” Jankelson said, describing his operation as “passion unleashed.”

“The wine industry is, I think, the foundational cornerstone of the Chelan economy right now,” he added.

Mike Steel, executive director of the Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Information Center, certainly sees the wine industry as an important part of the region’s future. He said about 80,000 people visit the valley annually between May and October, and wineries have helped to fill hotel rooms.

“A different group is now being exposed to Lake Chelan,” he said, including couples who tend to be older, more sophisticated and with more discretionary income. And they tend to visit in the “shoulder” seasons when fewer families are vacationing on the lake.

Though Lake Chelan is a young wine region, it is quickly catching up. Veteran winemakers such as Katy Perry of Tildio and Ray Sandidge of Lake Chelan Winery bring nearinstant caché. Varieties being grown are all over the board and described

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

Page 31

by more than one Tsillan Cellars and its surrounding winemaker as a “big science exper- vineyards are just up the hill from iment.” Whites the lakefront. such as Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Viognier and Pinot Gris already are shining. For reds, Sangiovese, Syrah, Tempranillo and Malbec are beginning to stand out.

A WA R M & S C E N I C E X P E R I E N C E

CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, Lake Chelan is not necessarily cooler than the rest of the Columbia Valley (nearly the entire AVA is within Washington’s largest appellation). In fact, it is not much cooler than Red Mountain and the Wahluke Slope, generally considered to be the two warmest regions in Northwest wine country. However, the region’s most famous feature — the lake — keeps the vineyards along its shore from becoming too warm in the summer or too cold in the winter. The vineyards’ elevation (often around 1,100 feet above sea level) and temperature shifts between day and night preserve the grapes’ all-important acidity better than most regions of Washington.

“We have an amazingly scenic environment,” said Vin du Lac’s Lehmbecker. “We hope to make some world-class wines, and I think we’re starting to. But we also offer something with a wine-touring experience that is fairly rare,” he added.

“That’s something unique about Chelan. Most of us have been inspired to create venues where people want to come and hang out for a while, so you don’t just come to our tasting bar, taste the wines, buy the wines and you’re out of here. We have this great view to enjoy. We do what we can to entice people to hang out and come back frequently.” ı ANDY PE R D U E is editor of Wine Press Northwest.

JACKIE JOHNSTON , a freelance photojournalist, is a

regular contributor and the page designer for Wine Press Northwest. Her Web site is at: WineCountryCreations.com

32-39 chelan tour.qxd

F E AT U R E

8/31/09

1:01 PM

Page 32

chelan travel

Touring Lake Chelan

BY ERIC DEGERMAN

T

hose making wine around Lake Chelan have it made.

Virtually every other region in the Northwest first had to build up the wine industry. Next came the struggle of how to attract tourists.

It was the just the opposite for these pioneers whose young wineries ring one of the deepest lakes (1,486 feet) in North America.

And yet, perhaps no other region in the Pacific Northwest is as serious about providing a full wine touring

32

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JACKIE JOHNSTON

experience. The number of wineries that feature on-premise restaurants shows that.

This summer, one could visit five wineries and sit in their adjacent restaurant. That’s remarkable considering there are only 16 wineries in the appellation.

Each offers outdoor seating, and it’s the love of outdoor activities that lures the tourists as well as the talented winemakers.

For example, Katy Perry met her husband, Milum, on the chairlift at

nearby Stevens Pass. The winery and vineyards they built together, Tildio, are along the Manson Scenic Loop Road, and the Perrys ride their bicycles on it spring, summer and fall. In the winter, they can use it for crosscountry skiing.

At the northwest end of 50-mile long Lake Chelan is North Cascades National Park. The gateway to the park is the town of Stehekin, accessible only by boat or hiking boot.

In fact, more than half of the lake’s shoreline cannot be reached by car.

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

32-39 chelan tour.qxd

8/31/09

1:01 PM

Page 33

chelan travel

F E AT U R E

not being rented out for special occasions.

1681 S. Lakeshore Road, Chelan, 98816, 866-527-6225, goodkarmawines.com M E L L I S O N I V I N E YA R D S

A trip to Tuscany inspired Rob and Donna Mellison to launch a winery with an Italiansounding name. Ironically, Tsillan Cellars is their nearest neighbor, but Mellisons’ first releases feature German white varieties — Gewürztraminer and Riesling — from their steeply sloped 2-acre estate. Katy Perry of Tildio crafted those, which will be released late fall. Craig Mitrakul of St. Laurent made their Merlot and Syrah from Wahluke Slope fruit. They plan to debut those reds in spring 2010 at their new tasting room, which is in the development stages.

3155 Highway 97A, Chelan, 98816. Their Web site — mellisonivineyards.com — also is under construction.

N E FA R I O U S C E L L A R S

If Dean and Heather Neff had waited one more week, they say the opportunity to buy this remarkable parcel from the Tunnel Hill family would have passed them. Now, they are earning acclaiming for their estate Syrah, Riesling and Viognier. He makes the reds. She runs the white program and the Web site.

Together, they are raising two boys and make their home in the same building housing the winery and tasting room, which is in the middle of their expanding vineyard.

Vines roll up the hill to Nefarious Cellars.

All in all, what is happening here is remarkable, especially considering that Lake Chelan Winery was the first one to jump into the water just nine years ago.

WINERIES GEOGRAPHICALLY, IT’S EASY TO separate the wineries into north and south, with the bridge over the Chelan River near Campbell’s Resort serving as the boundary.

Tasting room hours at most wineries vary with the season, so call ahead to confirm. A growing number of these, particularly the smaller wineries, charge for tastings as a defense against those less-than-serious wine consumers.

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

SOUTH SHORE C H E L A N E S TAT E W I N E RY

The new AVA designation might directly affect Rich Nester more than most in the appellation because he now is required to make all of the bottles under this label with at least 85% of the grapes coming from within the AVA. They’ve already achieved success with Pinot Noir. In the past, they made awardwinning vineyard designate wines from Stillwater Creek in the Columbia Valley.

755 S. Lakeshore Road, Chelan, 98816, 509-682-5454, chelanestatewinery.com K A R M A V I N E YA R D S

The named is derived from the Pittsingers children, Karle and Matthew. Ray Sandidge makes the wines — including bubbles and estate Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir and Syrah — for this young operation, and the cozy tasting room is only the start of your experience.

This stunning and almost secluded property features a restaurant and a man-made cave that serves as a primary barrel room when

3495 S. Lakeshore Road, Chelan, 98816, 509-682-9505, nefariouscellars.com.

TSILLAN CELLARS

This Tuscan-themed showpiece of retired dentist Bob Jankelson — one of the largest wineries in the area at 7,000 cases — is a 135-acre parcel home to a 35-foot bell tower. It looks out across 40 acres of vines. Chelan native Shane Collins is in his second year as winemaker, but his work over the years with these vines has factored into this winery’s quick success.

Since 2003, it has produced some of the state’s best Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Riesling and red blends. They are served in the on-premise restaurant, Sorrento’s.

3875 Highway 97-A, Chelan, 98816, 509-682-9463, tsillancellars.com.

T U N N E L H I L L W I N E RY

While the multi-generation Sunshine Farm might be more famous, Denny Evans is raising the profile of the family winery with his bottlings of estate Pinot Noir, Syrah and Riesling. The new tasting room appears inspired by Thomas Kinkade and has the feel of a mountain lodge on the inside. Beyond those doors is a beautiful garden and stunning waterfall. Denny’s son, Guy, made the Emmy-nominated documentary Broken Limbs on the decline of family farms.

37 Highway 97-A, Chelan, 98816, 509-682-5695, tunnelhillwinery.com.

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

33

32-39 chelan tour.qxd

F E AT U R E

8/31/09

1:01 PM

Page 34

chelan travel

NORTH SHORE B E N S O N V I N E YA R D S E S TAT E W I N E RY

The Benson family began planting its vineyards in 1999 and opened the winery in 2005.

Extensive building has created an edifice that would not be out of place in Napa Valley.

However, the Bensons also can boast of a sweeping and stunning view of the lake and 30 acres of south-facing vineyards. The winery uses only estate fruit, making it the first one in the valley to do so. Oregon-trained Scott Benson’s 2006 Sangiovese is particularly stunning, earning a Platinum from us in 2008.

754 Winesap Ave., Manson, 98831, 509-687-0313, bensonvineyards.com.

C H E L A N G R ’ L A W I N E RY

Jim Berg launched this winery with a clever name in 2004. His case production of 300 ranks with the smallest in the state and includes fruit wines. He’s also produced wines from his 3.6-acres estate. Among them is Grandpa’s Dirty Belly Gewürztraminer.

3310 Manson Blvd., Manson, 509-687-9746.

C H E L A N R I D G E W I N E RY

This new winery by winemaker Lynn Munneke and her husband, Henry, anticipates a soft launch of its new tasting room in late 2009. They lost their entire inventory to a fire in July 2008, so their first release will be of 2008 estate Chardonnay. In 2002, they converted nine acres of their orchard to vineyards, which are planted next to the winery.

900 Swartout Road, Manson, 98831, 509-687-4455, chelanridgewinery.com.

F O U R L A K E S W I N E RY

Young winemaker Karl Koester quickly gained attention with award-winning reds from the 2004 vintage. Here is another stunning location as you can see all four lakes from the tasting room, but the road to it tests the best limo drivers. Tasting is by appointment.

223 Howard Flats Road, Chelan, 98816, 509-682-9028, fourlakeschelanwinery.com.

H A R D R O W T O H O E V I N E YA R D S

Judy Phelps opened the winery with husband Don in 2006 as Balsamroot Winery.

While her wines brought home many awards, visitors struggled to remember the name of the indigenous plant. So they rebranded the winery in reference to lore that a man operated a rowboat service to a house of ill repute at Point Lovely. The Phelps are having fun and success with the new concept. Judy’s Barbera and Zinfandel are particularly racy.

300 Ivan Morse Rd., Manson, 509-687-3000, hardrow.com.

L A K E C H E L A N W I N E RY

Steve and Bobbi Kludt were among the first to rip out their orchards and plant vine-

34

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

yards, starting 1998. Theirs was the first bonded winery in the county (2000), and they’ve transformed the historic Harding apple-packing house into a remarkable operation combining winery, tasting room and their BBQ in the Vineyard restaurant. Ray Sandidge also makes these wines, and LCW’s wine club parties often draw more than 1,000 folks. John Abbott, owner of Rivers Bend Vineyard in Benton City, is general manager/partner.

3519 Highway 150, Chelan, 509-687-9463, lakechelanwinery.com.

C.R. SANDIDGE WINES

Ray Sandidge graduated from Washington State University, left for the Rheingau to train as a winemaker, and returned in 1991.

He made his first Washington wines with Brian Carter at Washington Hills in Sunnyside before putting Kestrel Vintners in Prosser, Wash., on the map. Sandidge now makes wines for several folks in the Chelan Valley, but he also sells award-winning wines made under his family label. The new tasting room opens this fall in a historic building in Manson.

145 Wapato Way, Manson, 98831, 509-682-3704, crsandidgewines.com.

VIN DU LAC OF CHELAN

Larry Lehmbecker somehow manages to craft some of the Northwest’s best Cabernet Franc here while practicing law in the Seattle area. His partner, Michaela Markusson, helps make it possible as they manage the winery, vineyards and the state wine industry’s first on-premise restaurant. They also book live music every Saturday during the summer. In 2002, they replanted half of the 80-year-old orchard with 7 acres of vines. The Lehm series represents wines made from local grapes.

105 Highway 150, Chelan, 509-682-2882, vindulac.com.

T I L D I O W I N E RY

Seattle native Katy Perry worked at Stag’s Leap and Ste. Michelle before moving to Chelan. She made Tsillan Cellars’ first awardwinning wines before she and husband Milum opened their winery in 2005. Cyclists will find kindred spirits (and racing bibs) here. Live music is featured on the patio that overlooks Roses Lake and Katy’s mammoth lavender plantation. But it is her continued success with both reds and whites that prompted Wine Press Northwest to name Tildio as the Washington Winery to Watch in 2008.

70 E. Wapato Lake Road, Manson, 98831, 509-687-8463, tildio.com.

WA PAT O P O I N T C E L L A R S

Here is the Kludts’ other winery, which they opened in 2003. It’s a short walk from the Wapato Point Resort. Their son, Jonathon, is the winemaker, and his reserve wines bear the Kludt Family Winery label. Their daughter, April, handles marketing and events. A growing number of WPC wines are coming from

Lavender blooms in front of Tildio Winery

32-39 chelan tour.qxd

8/31/09

1:01 PM

Page 35

chelan travel

F E AT U R E

within the AVA, and they are proudly served in the adjacent Winemaker’s Grill, which the Kludts also own.

200 Quetilquasoon Road, Manson, 98831, 509-687-4000, wapatopointcellars.com

OUTSIDE THE AVA R I O V I S TA W I N E S

John Little retired from the Wenatchee School District and constructed what is believed to the only boat-accessible winery in Washington. His small vineyard is on the west shore of the Columbia River, just downstream from Wells Dam. Car travelers need to take Highway 97 out of Chelan and head north.

Paintings by acclaimed artist Kerry Siderius — their daughter — hang in the tasting room, which includes a shuffleboard table.

24415 Highway 97, Chelan, 509-682-9713, riovistawines.com.

WINE SHOPS CHELAN RED APPLE MARKET

Many wine tourists buzz by not knowing this neighborhood supermarket ranks among the best-hidden gems for wines. And it’s open at 7 a.m. each day.

310 Manson, Chelan, 509-682-4521 MANSON RED APPLE MARKET

This shop near Wapato Point Cellars boasts the largest selection of wines in the Chelan Valley.

1610 Wapato Way, Manson, 509-687-9333 THE VOGUE: A LIQUID LOUNGE

It’s a wine shop and wine bar with free wifi and much more. (See the Restaurant section).

117 E. Woodin Ave., Chelan, 509-888-5282, thevoguelounge.com.

LODGING A CLICK ON THE LAKE CHELAN Tourism site for lodging will bring up more than 20 attractive lodging options, ranging from hotels to lake cabin rentals. There’s also a separate page for bed & breakfast options, but here are two places to stay that we can personally recommend.

T H E L A K E H O U S E AT C H E L A N

The Lake House at Chelan, a new property, served as Wine Press Northwest’s headquar-

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

35

32-39 chelan tour.qxd

F E AT U R E

8/31/09

1:02 PM

Page 36

chelan travel Lake Chelan Winery, 3519 Highway 150, Chelan, 98816, 509-687-9463.

A view of the lake peeks between vines at Chelan Estate Winery.

B L U E B E R RY H I L L S

If you plan a morning tour of the north shore, this family eatery in the middle of a blueberry farm should be your first stop. The coffee isn’t the greatest, but their eggs Benedict makes up for it. Place your order, grab a table, then look around at the display of Sorensen family relics. It’s hard to pass up the homemade pies and preserves.

1315 Washington St., Manson, 98831, 509-687-2379, wildaboutberries.com.

I N N A M O R ATA D I N N E R C R U I S E

ters while we researched the region.

It’s been embraced by winemakers, who occasionally stage their monthly socials in the pool house. The location is ideal. It’s between the south and north shores along Highway 150 and just a five-minute walk through a neighborhood to downtown Chelan. Don Morse Park and the lake are just across the road.

Units are available to own or acquire as time-shares or rentals with full-service concierge. A three-bedroom/two-bath suite with full kitchen was large enough to stage a 50-bottle wine judging.

Brian Merrill’s staff will make your restaurant reservations and even see to it that the fridge is full of provisions upon your arrival.

And if you need to quickly buy a bottle of Washington wine, the Chelan Red Apple Market is next door.

The Lake House at Chelan, 402 W. Manson Highway, Chelan, 98816, 509-293-5982, thelakehousechelan.com.

C A M P B E L L’ S R E S O RT ON LAKE CHELAN

When you drive from the south to the north shore, you pass by this downtown landmark near the headwaters of the Chelan River. Iowa native C.C. Campbell built it in 1901, and it has grown to 170 rooms. Last year, Campbell’s great grandsons made a $3 million investment for renovations.

The expansive property buzzes like a beehive with activity and caters to families, but there’s also the River Room Spa for adult relaxation. And the restaurant features one of the state’s most remarkable wine lists.

104 W. Woodin, Chelan, 98816, 800-553-8225, campbellsresort.com.

36

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

RESTAUR ANTS MANY OF THE TOP RESTAURANTS in Chelan and Manson are found at wineries. It’s a concept some proprietors say was influenced by their touring of British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, primarily the Naramata Bench.

However, the winery-based restaurants aren’t the only dining rooms to see a benefit from the newly established AVA. “The Lake Chelan AVA has generated a budding interest in Chelan Valley wineries,” said George Van Over, wine director at Campbell’s Resort. “We started a wine and cocktail bar in the Campbell’s Bistro for the summer season, and there was definitely an increased interest in the wines from and of the valley.”

This may well be the quintessential Lake Chelan experience.

The late Dean Martin owned this 56-foot mahogany Chris Craft that was built in 1956 and seats 24. The yacht is named “Innamorata,” a song written for the movie “Artists and Models” starring Martin and Jerry Lewis.

Shelly Ward and Danny Lockhart captain the boat up and down the lake as a dinner cruise or private charter. Public dinners are $75 per person. Only Chelan-area wines are poured. During the ride, you will hear a recording of Martin singing Innamorata, an Italian term for sweetheart. It’s an unforgettable trip, and your captains are special. You board the charter in Chelan or Manson.

Call 509-682-9550 or go to innamoratacruise.com.

Riding on the Innamorata, a yacht once owned by Dean Martin, is one way to tour the lake in style.

B A R B E C U E I N T H E V I N E YA R D

The Kludts take the pretense out of a winery restaurant with this open-air, familyfriendly eatery near the vines at Lake Chelan Winery. Wine suggestions are listed on the menu for each dish, including dessert. Their pork ribs fall off the bone. It’s open daily from 4 to 8 p.m. from May to October, and reservations are NOT accepted.

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

32-39 chelan tour.qxd

8/31/09

1:02 PM

Page 37

chelan travel

F E AT U R E

To get a bird’s-eye view of Lake Chelan you can book a float plane flight with Chelan Seaplanes.

KARMA KAFE

The seasonal operation features small bites and big bites, including rack of lamb served with a Karma Pinot Noir reduction sauce.

A $5 wine sampler flight includes bread and cheese. They serve outdoors, with seating under shade screen near the landscaping and water features.

1681 S. Lakeshore Road, Chelan, 98816, 866-527-6225, goodkarmawines.com SORRENTO’S RISTORANTE

Word travels quickly around the lake, and Jerry Criscuolo’s restaurant inside Tsillan Cellars has people thrilled with his Italian cuisine. The cream of tomato basil soup alone is

worth the visit. You might receive two bills, one for the meal, one for the wine.

3875 Highway 97A, Chelan, 98816, 509-682-5409, tsillancellars.com.

TA N T I B A C I R I S T O R A N T E

If you enjoy the food at Sorrento’s, then you should like it here, too. Christina Criscuolo followed her father in the Lake Chelan restaurant business, only she opened hers across the lake. It’s dinner-only, but very filling and vegan friendly.

120 Wapato Way, Manson, 98831, 509-888-4868, tantibaci.org.

T H E B I S T R O AT V I N D U L A C

The concept here is modeled after a country bistro in Provence, and the menu leans toward lighter fare such as specialty meats, cheeses, breads and salads. You dine on the patio. Entertain yourself by watching the tasting room traffic or relax with views of the estate orchard and downtown Chelan.

105 Highway 150, Chelan, 98816, 509-682-2882, vindulac.com.

THE VERANDA GRILL AND PUB

Campbell’s Resort renamed its fine-dining restaurant, but Troy Nevascil, whose talents were profiled in Wine Press Northwest in 2006, remains as the chef. And George Van Over still lords over the wine list, which Wine Press Northwest has named as the Best Washington Wine List for six straight years.

Local support and low prices are constant in his wine program. “I kind of like the idea of people like myself being able to go out and be able to buy a memory wine without going to the mortgage company first,” Van Over said.

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

37

32-39 chelan tour.qxd

F E AT U R E

8/31/09

1:02 PM

Page 38

chelan travel

Fresh tomato and brie crêpes paired with the Rosé of Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese make for refreshing summer fare at Vin du Lac’s Bistro.

104 W. Woodin, Chelan, 98816, 800-553-8225, campbellsresort.com.

THE VOGUE

Gonzaga University grads Mike and Janice Cooney left Seattle to open this wine bar, coffee bar and market in the spring of 2005.

Food was in his business background. She taught preschool for nearly two decades. And

38

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

they both seem to enjoy running this local gathering place.

On Friday and Saturday, you could do breakfast, lunch, dinner, live music and dance at this “liquid lounge.” Morning coffee and local wines are spotlighted, which explains why it’s a favorite among vintners.

It’s the on-premise restaurant that shares two doors with Wapato Point Cellars. White linen tablecloth sets the mood here in what used to be the Katzenjammers restaurant.

The chef, Sean Akin, loves pairing estate wines with Nebraska corn-fed beef.

117 E. Woodin Ave., Chelan, 509-888-5282, thevoguelounge.com.

200 Quetilquasoon Road, Manson, 98831, 509-687-4000, wapatopointcellars.com

WINEMAKER’S GRILL, MANSON

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

32-39 chelan tour.qxd

8/31/09

1:03 PM

Page 39

chelan travel

TRANSPORTATION CHELAN SEAPLANES

Enjoy a 20-minute vineyard tour via floatplane. Fees are not prohibitive. Each seat in the DeHavilland Beaver comes with a headset that’s patched into the tour guide and/or pilot. Pay a winemaker to join you.

Call 509-682-5555 or go to chelanseaplanes.com.

C H E L A N VA L L E Y T O U R S

Want to go on a wine safari? Call Mike Stowe and ask for the WAVE — his Winery Assault Vehicle Excursion.

You and up to eight of your pals will ride in his open-air Pinzgauer, a Swiss military transport. He’s developed relationships with eight wineries, and he’ll appreciate it if you finish at Lake Chelan Winery.

Valley Association and created a slick site that covers many aspects of touring.

Go to lakechelanwinevalley.com.

LAKE CHELAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Perhaps no chamber of commerce is as tied into its area as Lake Chelan’s, and Hard Row to Hoe winemaker Judy Phelps is a board member. Its Web site is a great portal from which to start planning your trip.

An event schedule and map are available at lakechelan.com.

F E AT U R E

LAKE CHELAN TOURISM

And then there’s the Lake Chelan Tourism site. The first tab on its home page is “101 Things To Do.” Sign up for the electronic newsletter to receive updates for wine-related events in the region.

Go to cometothelake.com. ı ERIC DEGERMAN is managing editor of Wine Press

Northwest. Email him at edegerman@winepressnw.com.

JACKIE JOHNSTON , a freelance photojournalist, is

a regular contributor and the page designer for Wine Press Northwest. Her Web site is WineCountr yCreations.com.

Some barrel stave furniture awaits a weary wine tourist at Karma Vineyards.

Go to chelanvalleytours.com.

LAKESIDE LIMOUSINE

Roger Stockdale can steer you toward one of several packages, including the “Wild Women Wine Tour” and a stop at Hard Row to Hoe. Satellite radio is available.

Go to chelanlimo.com.

ACTIVITIES GAMBLING

The Colville Confederate Tribes operates Mill Bay Casino in Manson, and all-season Wapato Point Resort has a long-term land lease with the tribe.

Go to colvillecasinos.com.

GOLF

Bear Mountain Ranch Golf Course, a residential development on the south shore, provides not only a bird’s-eye view of the lake, but also a stern test. Mary Pat Scofield’s vision opened in 2005, and the PGA Professionals Guide to Travel last year voted it among the nation’s top six new courses with green fees less than $125. Von Smith, the director of golf, has lived in the Chelan Valley for more than 20 years and worked at all three courses.

Lake Chelan Municipal Golf Course, on the north shore, is the oldest in the area and not far from Vin du Lac. Green fees at this 6,400yard track top out at $37.

Desert Canyon Golf Resort is in Orondo, a 20-minute drive. The 15-year-old course once ranked as the No. 2 public course in the state.

MORE INFO LAKE CHELAN WINE VA L L E Y A S S O C I AT I O N

Most of the Lake Chelan area wineries organized to establish the Lake Chelan Wine

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

39

40-43 chelan ava tasting.qxd

F E AT U R E

8/31/09

10:19 AM

Page 40

chelan tasting

Alfresco wine tasting at Vin du Lac.

A taste of Lake Chelan

BY ERIC DEGERMAN

O

ccasionally, Wine Press Northwest will conduct “terroir tastings.”

These sessions focus on wines made with grapes from a particular appellation, or American Viticultural Area, and provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis of characteristics found in these wines. We look for how soil types, climate, vintage, viticulture and winemaking practices play out in the bottle.

In the past, our terroir tastings have included the Walla Walla Valley AVA and the six AVAs in the north Willamette Valley. This summer, winemakers in the newly established Lake Chelan AVA afforded us the opportunity to examine wines that could legally be labeled as being

40

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JACKIE JOHNSTON

made from grapes in the appellation. Some winemakers joined us in the evaluations, but their opinions did not factor into the ratings.

The reviews were made easier by the purity of the fruit, the minimal exposure to oak, the brightness of the acidity, an underlying tone of minerality and the quality of the winemaking.

Three panelists provided the reviews and ratings. They were Andy Perdue, editor-in-chief of Wine Press Northwest; Jay Drysdale of the British Columbia Wine Institute and a member of the Wine Press Northwest tasting panel and Eric Degerman, managing editor of Wine Press Northwest. Jackie Johnston, a freelance photographer and fre-

quent contributor to Wine Press Northwest, facilitated the tasting, which was staged in The Lake House at Chelan.

If you believe we’re easy graders, go and taste for yourself. That’s the whole point to this magazine.

OUTSTANDING Tildio Winery $18 2008 Viognier, Columbia Valley Katy Perry allows for an almost dizzying array of entry points into this alternative to Chardonnay. Orchard blossoms, peach, apricot, orange oil, apple box, lemon and a clip of artichoke fill the nostrils. It’s front-loaded on the palate with sweet peach and pineapple. While a bit hedonistic with residual sugar (1.2%), there’s a blast of amazing blood orange acidity on the midpalate and some natural bitterness on the finish. It’s consumer friendly, and we suggest stuffed pork chops off the grill with wild mushroom risotto or butternut squash ravioli in a cream sauce.

(14.1% alc., 96 cases)

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

40-43 chelan ava tasting.qxd

8/31/09

10:19 AM

Page 41

chelan tasting Vin du Lac $20 2008 Lehm Sauvignon Blanc, Chelan County This bottling by Larry Lehmbecker off Fallon Vineyard and the estate Michaela’s Vineyard will have you reaching for shellfish. Aromas of lime, river rock, flannel and lemon grass wave you in. On the palate it’s straight-forward with Limeade, Granny Smith apple, Thompson seedless table grapes, some lemon zest and more river rock minerality. Think of pan-seared scallops served with pineapple in a Grand Marnier finish. (13.6% alc., 175 cases) Mellisoni Vineyards $30 2008 Gewürztraminer, Lake Chelan What a debut for this fledgling southside operation, thanks in large part to the winemaking talents of Katy Perry across the lake in Manson. It is unmistakable Gewürz with aromas of pink grapefruit, apricots, peach, lychee, clove, orange rind and freshly folded linen. There’s delicious sweetened grapefruit, lychee and fruit salad flavors with rewarding viscosity all the way through. It’s Alsatian in style, and while it is a bit on the soft side (3.5% residual sugar), it nails the variety with classic rosewater and grapefruit rind bitterness in the finish. Chilling it down will tighten up the acidity. (12.3% alc., 57 cases) Lake Chelan Winery $18 2008 Sweet Gewürztraminer, Chelan County Don’t let the “sweet” designation fool you because this is a serious wine. It sits in the glass with a slight pinkish hue as aromas of orange blossom, mock orange, alyssum, fresh pine nuts, honey and pie spices filter out. Lychee pops out on the palate, along with other nice tropical flavors of papaya and dried mango in a slightly oily texture, balanced by a bit of spritzy acidity to balance that 3.5% residual sugar. Licorice and basil add complexity to accent the lengthy farewell. Try with fresh oysters on the half shell, served with a squeeze of lime and a dash of Tabasco. (12.8% alc., 441 cases) Tsillan Cellars $20 2007 Estate Dry Riesling, Columbia Valley This earned gold at the L.A. International Wine Competition, and for good reason. A subtle complexity to the nose features hints of apples, cloves, almond oil, river rock, petrol and mint leaf. The entry also is a bit subdued, but lime and Granny Smith apple flavors pick up quickly with biting acidity. All the while its constant line of minerality makes for a classic Riesling that’s right around 1% residual sugar. Bite into a brat smothered in sauerkraut, then cleanse. (13.4% alc., 885 cases)

Tildio Winery $18 2008 Estate Riesling, Columbia Valley On the north side of the lake, near Manson, the Perrys strive for a Kabinett style with this, and that’s why they brought in this crop on Sept. 27. That made for lower alcohol, a bit of residual sugar (1.8%) and cleansing acidity. Lemon defines the nose, which includes lime, mineral, diesel and lemon basil aromas. There’s a purity of fruit on the palate with huge hit of fresh apple on the entry, fresh pear in the middle, a line of minerality straight through, and a spoonful of lemon sorbet in the finish.

(12.8% alc., 136 cases) Tunnel Hill Winery $25 2006 Pinot Noir, Columbia Valley The Evans family, a four-generation farming operation on the south shore, flashes its skill as growers and winemakers with this bottling. It’s a lighter color in the glass than most, and there’s a brightness to the aromatics with strawberry freezer jam, cherry vanilla cola, caramel and cocoa powder. Get ready for an incredibly easy sip of juicy Bing cherries, root beer, cranberries and more cocoa. Food-friendly acidity makes this approachable from almost every angle.

(13.7% alc., 100 cases) Benson Vineyards Estate Winery $25 2006 Sangiovese, Chelan County Scott Benson won gold with this Italian red at Indianapolis in June 2008, and it went Platinum for us in November 2008.

Well, it’s drinking just as well more than a year later.

One gets the sense of its abundant acidity on first whiff with aromas of blood orange, cherry vanilla, crushed walnut and a turn of a pepper mill. There’s deliciously bold acidity on the front with cranberry and currants, a remarkable absence of tannin on the palate and a bit of milk chocolate in the finish. Enjoy with tomato-based and oregano-influenced dishes.

(13.4% alc., 509 cases) Hard Row to Hoe $35 2006 Barbera, Chelan County Judy Phelps excels with Italian varieties, and here’s another example for the rest of the state to consider. This opens with hints of black cherries, blackberries, Girl Scout mint cookies, strawberry fruit leather, cola and tobacco.

It’s a mouth-filling drink of pie cherries and boysenberry juice that delivers a delicious dose of foodfriendly acidity that hangs in the middle of the tongue, followed by finish of forest-floor mushrooms. That age-worthy acidity makes us want to revisit in five years, but enjoy it in the meantime paired with eggplant Parmesan. (13.5% alc., 75 cases)

F E AT U R E

Kludt Family Winery $42 2006 Cougar Ridge Reserve Syrah, Chelan County One of the warmest sites on the north shore of Lake Chelan produces one of the valley’s most expensive and expressive reds. It would seem to be no coincidence that this also exhibits some Côte-Rôtie qualities as cured meat aromas blend with notes of black raspberries, boysenberries, blueberries, cedar, oregano and coffee. There’s a laser beam of flavors down the middle of the rich and rewarding palate with more of those dark raspberries and big blueberry acidity. A bit of heat and tannins come into play, but by that point you’ll have a fork full of ribs in your mouth. (13.8% alc., 340 cases)

EXCELLENT Wapato Point Cellars $19 2008 Harmony White Wine, Chelan County Indeed, there’s a pleasing melody to this blend, which starts with an aromatic chorus of ripe apricot, Juicy Fruit gum, starfruit, cantaloupe, unfiltered apple juice, some Cracker Jack, vanilla bean, green peppercorns and a whiff of sea mist. There’s more Juicy Fruit on the bright palate with Granny Smith apples and melon. Jonathon Kludt left a touch of residual sugar (0.8%), and it carries the weight nicely with a gentle bit of spritzy acidity on the palate.

Enjoy as a deck wine or with mustard-glazed chicken on a Tuesday night. (13.8% alc., 467 cases) Tsillan Cellars $25 2006 Barrel Select Chardonnay, Columbia Valley This wine won its class at the 2008 Washington State Wine Competition and is doing nicely. Stone fruit, jicama, butter and lemon pepper aromas waft out alongside the medium French oak tones. It’s wellbalanced and lemony on the palate with an entry of dried pear and pineapple, backed with guava and minerality in the middle and Granny Smith apple peel in the finish. (13.4% alc., 403 cases) Wapato Point Cellars $22 2008 Pinot Grigio, Columbia Valley Estate fruit from the Home Vineyard on the lake’s north shore helped produce an enjoyable fresh and bright nose filled with mandarin orange, pears, apple, pineapple and banana. Vibrant flavors swirl around yellow grapefruit, Bosc pear and freshly squeezed lime. The citrus turns into Golden Delicious apple on the back end. Serve alongside seared halibut with mango salsa.

(13.8% alc., 280 cases)

Lake Chelan Winery’s wines can be sipped with its restaurant’s barbecued ribs and cornbread.

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

41

40-43 chelan ava tasting.qxd

F E AT U R E

8/31/09

10:20 AM

Page 42

chelan tasting

Vin du Lac $20 2008 Lehm Pinot Gris, Chelan County The French word for “exhilarating” is an apt description as there’s a refreshing citrus tone throughout this blend of Fallon and estate Michaela’s vineyards.

Aromatics include cantaloupe, apricot and a minty herbaceousness. It’s bright, tart and racy across the palate with more melon and a margarita mix finish.

Enjoy as a hot weather wine or pair with sole in a lemon ver blanc sauce. (13% alc., 200 cases) Benson Vineyards Estate Winery $19 2008 Viognier, Chelan County Mouthwatering aromas of Chelan-grown peaches, orange Creamsicle, lemon meringue pie and a hint of orchard blossoms are matched on the palate.

There’s a line of lemon and minerality, then at the midpoint comes a forceful blast of acidity that whisks along undertones of Granny Smith apple and orange. One might confuse it for a Sauvignon Blanc because of the dryness and acidity. Food pairing ideas include pahd Thai or dishes based on halibut, salmon or shrimp. (14% alc., 320 cases) Benson Vineyards $19 2008 Curious White Wine, Chelan County The 50/50 blend of Chardonnay and Viognier sold out rapidly, which is understandable. It’s fresh and fragrant with pineapple, orange Creamsicle, honeydew melon, river rock, cotton candy and grassy aromas.

It’s hugely tropical and mighty tasty, akin to fruit salad in a glass, with lemon and minerality in the background. It’s a sweet presentation (1.8% residual sugar), so chill it for hot tub action or serve

Shameless Hussy is one of Hard Row to Hoe’s humorous labels.

with spicy Thai curry or lamb Vindaloo.

(13% alc., 160 cases) Tsillan Cellars $20 2007 Estate Gewürztraminer, Columbia Valley Shane Collins captures the essence of this variety from start to finish with yellow grapefruit, apricot, dusty apple, clove and lychee aromas. It’s soft and juicy on the entry, chased quickly with Texas pink grapefruit acidity. There’s pleasing peach, apricot and lychee flavors on the palate, finished with a slice of orange and a bite of Honeycrisp apple.

(13.7%, 686 cases) Lake Chelan Winery $18 2007 Gewürztraminer, Chelan County Ripe grapefruit, ground almonds, muskmelon and NECCO wafer dust aromas lead into more grapefruit on the entry to the palate. Secondary flavors of juicy mango, apricots, Jolly Rancher green apple candy, a fair bit of residual sugar (1.6%), ample acidity and the lack of varietal bitterness make this quite quaffable. Also enjoy it with chicken Kompow or a plate of fresh cheeses. (12.8% alc., 638 cases) Tsillan Cellars $20 2007 Estate Riesling, Columbia Valley Traditional aromas of mineral, apple, lime and petrol are joined by peaches, apricots, clove, candy corn and Wheat Thin crackers. Golden Delicious and Granny Smith apple flavors await with more cloves and pleasing minerality, all tied together with bracing acidity and finished with grapefruit pith.

(13.7% alc., 861 cases) Mellisoni Vineyard $23 2008 Riesling, Lake Chelan Tildio vintner Katy Perry crafted the wines for this new south-shore vineyard, and the style is a bit different than others in the valley. Perfumy pear and honeydew melon aromas are joined by a dash of white pepper. Dried apple flavors lead to bright acidity on the entry, which transitions into a midpalate of lemon oil, some grassiness and sugar (2.7%), yielding to a return of honeydew. However, the flourish of pineapple at the finish keeps this going and going.

(12.6% alc., 90 cases) Tsillan Cellars $19 2008 Bocciolo di Rosa Estate Syrah Rosé, Columbia Valley Typically, we don’t enjoy off-dry pinks, but here’s an exception. Outside and in, the focus is on fruit, starting with aromas of fresh cherries, light strawberries, vanilla and cinnamon sugar.

It’s rather soft on the entry, but juicy and tasty with strawberries and cherries. Sweetness (1.95% residual sugar) rounds out the midpalate, and there’s a bit of late tannin. Enjoy while chillin’ in the hot tub.

(12.7% alc., 151 cases) Lake Chelan Winery $28 2007 Estate Pinot Noir, Columbia Valley Ray Sandidge has been dealing with Pinot Noir in Washington state longer than most, and his experience shows here. Cherry cola aromas include violets, sandalwood, mincemeat, red peppercorn and forest floor tones. Its structure across the palate feels elegant from start to finish, starting with juicy black cherries and accented by pie cherry acidity.

Moderate tannins impart impressive weight, and we’d enjoy seeing this in two to three years.

(13.7% alc., 372 cases) Best Buy! Wapato Point Cellars $15 2008 Chelan Nouveau Red Wine, Chelan County From a youthful, fun-loving winemaker comes an unmistakable Beaujolais nouveau-style that’s derived not from Gamay but from Pinot Noir. Jonathon Kludt showcases aromas of cherry cola, plums, lilac, violets, strawberry/rhubarb jam and orange oil. The lack of toasted oak shows

42

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

again on the palate that’s akin to plums packed in light syrup, more cherry cola and vanilla bean.

Here’s a bottle for those new to red wine, but nice acidity makes it a fun rather than mind-bending drink for the more experienced.

(13.8% alc., 250 cases) Benson Vineyards Estate Winery $28 2006 Estate Pinot Noir, Chelan County We reviewed this wine during the spring, and it continues to evolve and improve. Rainier cherries, cranberry, cassis, Whopper malted milk balls, vanilla, lavender, oregano and cedar forest aromas charge at you. However, the entry is sublime and a bit darker with black currants, raspberries, blueberries, chocolate and sarsaparilla. There’s a plushness on the midpalate that’s tightened up with a tug of tannin before giving way to more currants.

(13% alc., 256 cases) Benson Vineyards Estate Winery $30 2006 Cabernet Franc, Chelan County Francophiles appreciate and seek out Cab Francs with herbal qualities, and here’s one to look for.

Fresh-cut bell pepper aromas are trailed by stewed cherries, blueberry sauce, vanilla bean, coffee grounds, pepperoni, cracked black pepper and cedar. Black cherry jam and more bell pepper pour across the plush palate. The nice oak profile is framed by finely integrated and chocolaty tannins.

Enjoy with black olive spaghettini or prime rib with a mushroom sauce. (13.8% alc., 184 cases) Tildio Winery $24 2006 Tempranillo, Columbia Valley A wine for the adventurer, this robust red from Spain appears to have adapted to living around Lake Chelan.

Blueberries, Dr Pepper, milk chocolate, pepperoni, black olive and herbal aromas set the table for an entry of pomegranate juice, blackberries, black olives and black tea. Hefty tannins are met by notes of tobacco and tar. Serve up some bean and cheese enchiladas with chili powder.

(13.8% alc., 225 cases) Benson Vineyards Estate Winery $25 2006 Merlot, Chelan County Here’s a crowdpleaser that starts with enchanting aromas that include black cherries, red currants, brown sugar and a walk through a mossy- floored Western Washington cedar forest. Inside, it’s a rich entry of cherry cola and Muscovado sugar with chocolaty overtones, then finishes with some food-friendly leafiness. The family suggests pairing this with blackened New York strips or filet mignon. (14% alc., 321 cases) Kludt Family Winery $32 2006 Cougar Ridge Reserve Merlot, Chelan County This reserve tier of Lake Chelan Winery preserves the family name that bonded the county’s first winery. There’s a strong thread of richness throughout, opening with the nose of blackberry jam, chocolate syrup, sarsaparilla, caramel and spearmint. It features a round elegance on plummy entry with cherry cola in the midpalate and nice burst of acidity that pushes that tannins into the background. There’s blackstrap molasses and caramel again in the finish that shows youthfulness.

(13.8% alc., 243 cases) Benson Vineyards Estate Winery $26 2006 Rhythm Red Wine, Chelan County One might believe the Syrah (46%) has a higher stake than it does in this blend with Sangiovese (22%), Cabernet Sauvignon (18%) and Merlot. Black plums, blueberries, smoky bacon, black cherries, black pepper, leather and chocolate shavings swirl off the top of the liquid. Blackberries, black cherries and chocolate dominate in the fairly plump mouth feel, while the tannins start off smooth, then build with nice grip around the edges. (14% alc., 387 cases)

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

40-43 chelan ava tasting.qxd

8/31/09

10:20 AM

Page 43

chelan tasting Wapato Point Cellars $28 2005 Syrah, Chelan County The estate Home Vineyard has served as the building block for the Kludt family Syrahs, and this time it produces a wine brimming with aromas of Chukar Cherries, blueberries, huckleberries, cola, a hint of sausage and candied apple glaze. The ripeness of the fruit shows with flavors of cooked blueberries, Bing cherries and raspberry acidity. Tannins tug at the back end, where the drink leaves you with mocha and red licorice notes.

(13.8% alc., 200 cases) Benson Vineyards Estate Winery $27 2005 Syrah, Chelan County It will be difficult to find a more alluring and intriguing Syrah than this lighter-styled release by Scott Benson. There’s a long list of berry aromas — leading with raspberry, but also blueberries and strawberries — and then hints of bagged chocolate chip cookies, Root Beer Barrel candy, black licorice, mint leaf, orange rind and a freshly brewed mocha. On the entry, it’s a fruit-forward blend of strawberry and raspberry jam with the seed. The elegant, rather than rich, approach is a nice departure. Pair it with something off the grill that includes mushrooms and fresh herbs.

(14.8% alc., 442 cases) Lake Chelan Winery $28 2007 Harding Estate Vineyard Syrah, Columbia Valley This planting, nearly a decade old, bears the name of the old apple packing shed that is home to the winery. It’s another site on the warmer north shore, and the wine shows classic blackberry and sizzling bacon aromas with cedar and vanilla in the background. One judge described its flavors as fascinating with a lean entry of blueberries, cherries, raspberries and pomegranate. The structure highlights bright acidity and chewy tannins with mint and vanilla cola in the finish. The Kludt clan suggests Asian food, smoked seafood or game meats.

(13.7% alc., 303 cases) Tsillan Cellars $28 2006 Estate Syrah, Columbia Valley Competitions have served Shane Collins and this release quite well with gold medals this year at the Grand Harvest Awards and L.A. International. The nose is a vision of walking through a blackberry patch with crushed mint and blueberry aromas, joined by cream soda and saddle leather.

Blackberries and blueberries return on the palate with a bite of the seed. Its well-cast structure is young and strapping with big acidity, broad shoulders from tannin and blue fruit leather in the finish.

(14.57% alc., 520 cases)

RECOMMENDED Tsillan Cellars $25 2007 Estate Chardonnay, Columbia Valley Aromas of toasted oak involve vanilla and are followed by notes of pineapple, pear, starfruit and a slice of prosciutto. There’s a nice, sweet and creamy entry that features more pears, some mango and baked pineapple with butterscotch in the midpalate and late acidity.

Oak tones swing back on the finish with a hint of caramel. Enjoy with grilled prawns finished with a squeeze of lemon. (14.48% alc., 815 cases) Lake Chelan Winery $24 2008 Pinot Grigio, Chelan County Enticing florals elicit thoughts of homemade lemonade, perfumy rosewater, pineapple and fresh-cut celery. It’s juicy, clean and lively on the palate, too, with more lemon and pink grapefruit, including the pith, and it finishes with a dose of spritzy acidity.

(13.8% alc., 270 cases)

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

F E AT U R E

Nefarious Cellars $19 2008 Defiance Vineyard Viognier, Columbia Valley This estate block, on the south side of Lake Chelan, allows Heather Neff to bring out the variety’s tell-tale orange Creamsicle aromas, along with Meyer lemon, starfruit, jicama and fresh corn on the cob. There’s more Creamsicle on the entry with some pineapple and honeydew melon on the midpalate. There, the acidity picks up with orange zest and pith accents in the finish. Drink this chilled for supreme enjoyment. (13.6% alc., 387 cases) Vin du Lac $20 2008 Lehm Dry Riesling, Chelan County One swirl releases a long list of aromas that include peaches, apples, lemon, petrol, mineral, cinnamon and marzipan. The palate is penetrating with tart lime, Granny Smith apple and lots of minerality.

There’s a cracked pepper note and hint of quinine in the finish. The estate Michaela’s Vineyard (52%) and Tsillan Cellars Vineyard (48%) provided the grapes. (13.5% alc., 300 cases) Best Buy! Tunnel Hill Winery $15 2007 Estate Riesling, Columbia Valley Harvest came late in the season, Oct. 27, and helped produce aromatics of baked apple, dried apricots and drawn butter. Here’s a softer, easy-drinking style (2% residual sugar) with tasty Asian pear, apple, 7Up and pink grapefruit flavors.

(11% alc., 250 cases) Hard Row to Hoe Vineyards $16 2008 Pinot Noir Rosé, Chelan County Cortelli Vineyard on south side of the lake shows the promise of Pinot Noir in the Lake Chelan AVA. Few in Washington make rosé from Pinot Noir, but Judy Phelps showcases notes of dried strawberry, rose petal, peach, apricot, cinnamon and crushed hazelnuts. And while it’s 1.1% residual sugar, it’s dry in structure with cherry jam, cherry skin tannin and some toast with menthol in the finish. Enjoy during our Indian summer with a ham sandwich.

(13.8% alc., 100 cases) Tunnel Hill Winery $30 2006 Syrah, Columbia Valley Here’s the family’s first estate-built Syrah, and it is more food-friendly than most around the state because of its low alcohol and lofty acidity. Aromas center on blue and red fruits — currants, raspberries and blueberries — joined by a hint of smoke, leather, cracked pepper and fresh-baked brioche. The palate seems focused on cranberry, racy acidity and orange pekoe tea tannin. Enjoy with braised meats or lamb.

(13.2% alc., 50 cases) Benson Vineyards Estate Winery $33 2006 Winemaker’s Reserve Syrah, Chelan County Deeper barrel tones show in this reservestyle as espresso and chocolate sauce splash over boysenberries, cedar and mint aromas. As with the 2005 Syrah, there are accents of chocolate chip and mint, but it’s more blackberry and black cherry on the ripe and rich palate, with a finish of espresso grounds. That subtle structure will grow on you.

(14.4% alc., 150 cases) Nefarious Cellars $27 2007 Defiance Vineyard Estate Syrah, Columbia Valley Dean Neff heads up the red program and this husband/wife operation, and he talked Heather out of Viognier (5%) for co-fermenting. The results in your glass are a beautiful shade of purple with aromas of cherry jam, blueberries and cream, blackberry jam and toasted oak from 18 months in French oak. On the palate, it’s youthful and almost sybaritic with gobs of blackberry jam, cooked cherries and a rush of blueberries in the finish. It’s a remarkable first production from this young vineyard, so allow it

Sparkling wine ages in riddling racks in Karma’s wine cellar. to mature and lift the veil again in a year.

(14.1% alc., 259 cases) Tildio Winery $27 2006 Syrah, Columbia Valley Cherries, vanilla, Red Vines licorice, bacon and alfalfa tones come together in a young and yet integrated fashion.

Enjoy with braised beef or rosemary-accented rack of lamb. (14% alc., 192 cases) ı ERIC DEGERMAN is managing editor of Wine Press

Northwest. Email him at edegerman@winepressnw.com.

JACKIE JOHNSTON , a freelance photojournalist, is a regular contributor and the page designer for Wine Press Northwest. Her Web site is WineCountr yCreations.com.

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

43

44- ... Label ads

9/2/09

10:44 AM

Page 44

WINE COUNTRY DESTINATIONS

44

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

44- ... Label ads

9/2/09

10:44 AM

Page 45

WINE COUNTRY DESTINATIONS

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

45

44- ... Label ads

9/2/09

10:44 AM

Page 46

WINE COUNTRY: YAMHILL COUNTY

26421 NW Hwy 47, Gaston, OR 97119

16425 SE Webfoot Rd., Dayton, Oregon (503) 868-7359

503-662-4509 Open by appt. & holiday weekends

Open for tasting 12-5 weekends & by appt. weekdays

www.adeawine.com

“Consistently delicious wine!” Wine Press NW 26830 NW Olson Rd, Gaston, OR 97119 Open April thru October: Noon to 5:00 Daily Nov. thru March: Noon to 5 Thurs. thru Sun.

503-662-4545 • www.kramerwine.com

WINE COUNTRY: SOUTHERN OREGON

46

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

44- ... Label ads

9/2/09

10:45 AM

Page 47

WINE COUNTRY: WILLAMETTE VALLEY

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

47

44- ... Label ads

9/2/09

10:45 AM

Page 48

WINE COUNTRY: LAKE CHELAN

48

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

44- ... Label ads

9/2/09

10:46 AM

Page 49

WINE COUNTRY: LAKE CHELAN

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

49

50-59 winelists.qxd

8/31/09

AWA R D S

1:21 PM

Page 50

the herbies

11TH ANNUAL GREAT NORTHWEST WINE LIST AWARDS

Bottoms up to our trickle-down economy

BY ERIC DEGERMAN

A RT W O R K B Y K E N S U S Y N S K I

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JACKIE JOHNSTON

50

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

50-59 winelists.qxd

8/31/09

1:21 PM

Page 51

the herbies

A

s the Great Depression showed, folks drink in good times and in bad. And that was when alcoholic beverages were illegal.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and in this economic climate, Northwest wine often is the carrot to lure patrons into restaurants that hope for better days.

Alas, Pacific Northwest restaurants continue to suffer from this deep recession, as Ron Zimmerman of The Herbfarm in Woodinville, Wash. — this competition’s namesake — explains in his annual sidebar for the 11th annual Great Northwest Wine List Awards, affectionately nicknamed “The Herbies” after we retired eight-time winner The Herbfarm in 2008.

Sadly, a number of restaurants that showcased regional wines shuttered their doors in cities such as Boise and Walla Walla.

But then there’s The Ocean Crest Resort. This delicious destination in the tiny coastal town of Moclips, Wash., repeats with the Best Northwest Wine List. “The Herbie” is theirs for the second straight year.

The level of commitment wine director Stephen Pavletich receives from management remains remarkable.

And support from Northwest vintners is apparent by looking at his growing lineup of winemaker dinners for 2009-2010. See the series at winepressnw.com/calendar.

More restaurants seem to embrace discounting wines on “half-price night” as an incentive for diners to come through their doors.

As more people in the Northwest strive to keep their dollars local and support small businesses, we’re seeing restaurants promote their use of local products and see local wines as a key ingredient. Executive chef Frank Magaña of Picazo 7Seventeen in Prosser, Wash., continues with his master plan. Nearly all of his wines are made in

BEST NORTHWEST WINE LIST T H E O C E A N C R E S T R E S O RT, M O C L I P S , WA S H .

It’s 34 pages of fabulous and famous Northwest wines at moderate prices. Among the starstudded lineup are Alexandria Nicole, Argyle, Beaux Freres, Barnard Griffin, Coeur d’Alene, Dunham, Leonetti, McCrea, Mission Hill, Owen Roe, Quilceda Creek.

P O L I C I E S : Do you want your Chardonnay served at 50 degrees or 65 degrees? They give you the PROGRAM:

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

the Yakima Valley, which is why he moved his business from Seattle.

And in times like these, tableside service is more important that ever.

Jeff Moore, wine director at Wildwood in Portland, noted, “I’ve noticed that people are still willing to take a chance on something new and different as long as it’s by the glass. And we allow them to taste before purchasing if they are unsure.”

A growing number of Northwest restaurants use table-top placards and small signs as point-of-sale elements and to help tell the story of regional wines. Some go even further.

“We have used table tents to promote Washington wines in the dining room and at club events,” said Scott Nelson, food and beverage director at The Spokane Club.

“We also encourage word-of-mouth specials from the service staff. Washington wine selections are used on the daily menus and paired with fresh sheet items. Our club magazine Signals includes an ongoing article featuring Northwest wines.”

And then there’s the other end of the spectrum. This summer, I came across a struggling young bistro along a Columbia Basin highway. The chef shows imagination and skill with the menu, yet no wines were available.

“I don’t see how they can make it,” one restaurateur told me. “They are missing out on a lot of profits, and it’s not fair to their servers, either. What about their tips?”

So as you can see, there’s work to be done in Northwest restaurants. As the customer, your words and dollars carry all the weight. Don’t be shy to compliment, cajole and question.

Each year, we use the wine list awards to determine candidates for future restaurant features. Restaurants among our Match Maker alumni are denoted with an i .

choice. Taster flights of dessert wines, a thoughtful concept, served on a three-stem “wine tree.”

P R E S S I N G S : Coastal ties show with listings for Cadaretta (owned by Hoquiam family), Walter Dacon (Shelton), Westport (Aberdeen). i 4651 Highway 101, Moclips, WA, 98562, 800-684-8439, oceancrestresort.com

OUTSTANDING NORTHWEST WINE LISTS B O N N E V I L L E H O T S P R I N G S R E S O RT, B O N N E V I L L E , WA S H .

PROGRAM:

AWA R D S

Mouthwatering and

intense tasting notes. Each wine includes name of its winemaker.

P O L I C I E S : Columbia Gorge producers first and foremost on list.

Several wines from each winery represented.

P R E S S I N G S : Map of Columbia Gorge wineries available to visitors.

1252 E. Cascade Dr., North Bonneville, WA, 98639, 509-427-9711, bonnevilleresort.com.

B R I D G E WAT E R B I S T R O , ASTORIA, ORE. P R O G R A M : Approach Tony Kischner developed at Shoalwater near Long Beach, Wash., continues here. Pinots from Oregon. Big reds from Washington. Riesling from Idaho.

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

51

50-59 winelists.qxd

AWA R D S

8/31/09

1:22 PM

Page 52

the herbies

Glass pour/half-liter sheet has 20 from region, including two by Stimson Estate.

P R E S S I N G S : Charles Smith pops up twice among Walla Walla-built Syrahs.

POLICIES:

20 Basin St., Astoria, OR, 97103, 503325-6777, bridgewaterbistro.com.

BRIX 25, GIG HARBOR

Passion abounds.

Based on its size, this swanky little spot offers perhaps most thoughtful, well-written list in Washington.

P O L I C I E S : Each bottle on regular list is 50 percent off on Wednesdays.

Monthly winemaker dinners.

P R E S S I N G S : Adventure awaits with up-and-comers such as Barrage, Corvus, Efeste, Guardian, Ransom, Stafford Hill, Substance.

PROGRAM:

i 7707 Pioneer Way, Gig Harbor, WA, 98335, 253-858-6626, harborbrix.com.

B U R G U N D Y ’ S AT T H E S P O K A N E C L U B , S P O K A N E , WA S H .

P R O G R A M : Historic club overlooking Spokane River taps into nearly every local winery, including five sparklers by Mountain Dome.

P O L I C I E S : Magnum of Woodward Canyon Artist Series Cab ($105) shows reasonable pricing.

P R E S S I N G S : Goes into Oregon for Pinot Noir, Idaho (Coeur d’Alene Cellars) and B.C. (Gray Monk).

“Points of interest” in B.C. are Laughing Stock and Vincor; Oregon, it’s Sokol Blosser and Mystic; Washington, it’s the Eroica project and Quilceda Creek.

P R E S S I N G S : GM Brent Hayman, who judges West Coast wine competitions, among B.C. wine industry’s first supporters. i 1193 Denman St., Vancouver, B.C. V6G 2N1, 604-685-7337, raincitygrill.com.

S A L I S H L O D G E & S PA S N O Q U A L M I E , WA S H .

P R O G R A M : Of the 1,800 entries in 11,000-bottle cellar, 65 percent are Washington, with Oregon and a few B.C. P O L I C I E S : No corkage in Attic Lounge on Mondays. Corkage for magnum is $70. Promotes half-bottles.

P R E S S I N G S : Prior to The Herbfarm’s reign, this was Northwest’s top list. Few bargains, plenty of history, including Columbia’s 1979 Millenium.

i 6501 Railroad Ave., Snoqualmie, WA, 98065, 800-272-5474, salishlodge.com

S T E E L H E A D D I N E R , S E AT T L E P R O G R A M : Pike Place Market continues to amaze with perhaps the most concentrated and eclectic list in region.

P O L I C I E S : Only Washington and Oregon wines sold here.

P R E S S I N G S : Co-owner/chef Kevin Davis now controls list.

i 95 Pine St., Suite 17, Seattle, 98101, 206-625-0129, steelheaddiner.com.

S U N M O U N TA I N L O D G E , W I N T H R O P, WA S H .

P R O G R A M : Washington fills most of the 600-label cellar.

Solid selection of Willamette Valley Pinot. B.C. and Idaho stickies round-out regionality.

P O L I C I E S : Growing show of support for Chelan and Wenatchee wineries.

P R E S S I N G S : Don Elsing schedules winemaker dinners year-round now. You can dine among 5,000 bottles.

i 604 Patterson Lake Rd., Winthrop, Wash., 98862, 800-572-0493, sunmountainlodge.com.

1002 W. Riverside Ave., Spokane, WA, 99201, 509-838-8511, spokaneathleticclub.org.

RAINCITY GRILL, VA N C O U V E R , B . C .

P R O G R A M : English Bay destination among Northwest leaders in evolution of “100-mile menu.” Won Wine Press Northwest’s first Best Northwest Wine List award in 1999.

P O L I C I E S : Pioneer in 2-ounce wine flights.

52

Ocean Crest Resort in Moclips, Wash., has a beautiful view of the wooded shoreline from its dining room.

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

50-59 winelists.qxd

8/31/09

1:22 PM

Veranda Bistro & Bar at Campbell’s Resort on Lake Chelan

Page 53

the herbies shows with Chateau Ste. Michelle, DeLille. House wines by Hogue.

P O L I C I E S : VP Lane Hoss’ motto, “Every month is Washington Wine Month at Anthony’s restaurants.”

P R E S S I N G S : Prices for Côte Bonneville Chardonnay ($100) and Quilceda Creek Cab ($185) stick out.

2201 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA 98121, 206-448-6688, anthonys.com A N T H O N Y ’ S AT C O L U M B I A P O I N T, RICHLAND P R O G R A M : Ste. Michelle’s Eroica, Thurston Wolfe’s PGV, Tucker’s Gewürz, dry rosés by Barnard Griffin and Chinook earn perennial placement.

P O L I C I E S : “Best of season” glass pours available as flight of tasters.

Featured whites paired with in-season fish.

P R E S S I N G S : Wine manager Eric Zegzula been with company for 20 years.

BEST WASHINGTON WINE LIST VERANDA BISTRO & BAR, CHELAN

Campbell’s Resort on Lake Chelan changed its restaurant name, but this remains our favorite Washington list for the sixth straight year.

P O L I C I E S : As Lake Chelan wine industry expands, George Van Over continues to localize his list.

P R E S S I N G S : Prices ridiculously close to retail. Woodward Canyon 2000 Artist Series Cab, $49? Come on!

PROGRAM:

i 104 W. Woodin, Chelan, WA, 98816, 800-553-8225, campbellsresort.com.

OUTSTANDING WASHINGTON WINE LISTS A N T H O N Y ’ S P I E R 6 6 , S E AT T L E PROGRAM:

Woodinville influence

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

550 Columbia Point Dr., Richland, WA, 99352, 509-946-3474, anthonys.com.

B O N V I N O S B I S T R O A N D B A K E RY, SUNNYSIDE

Yakima Valley producers take center stage.

P O L I C I E S : List of featured wineries in 2009 has Airfield, Bonair, Milbrandt, Steppe, Tucker, Upland Estates and Wineglass.

P R E S S I N G S : Favored spot of winemakers for morning coffee/lunch.

Chef Roger Hazzard does winemaker dinners, caters to wineries.

PROGRAM:

122 N. 16th St., Sunnyside, WA, 98944, 509-837-3936, bonvinosbistro.com.

BURGERVILLE SALMON CREEK, VA N C O U V E R P R O G R A M : Pilot program by Portland-based fast-food group offers seven glass pours, all Northwest.

P O L I C I E S : Two-drink limit. No drive-thru sales. Most expensive is $9.

P R E S S I N G S : A to Z, Eyrie, Maryhill, O’Reilly, Ponzi, Tyrus Evans all chosen by Bay-Area sommelier Christine Tran.

13301 N.E. Highway 99, Vancouver, WA, 98686, 360-573-8223, burgerville.com.

AWA R D S

CG BISTRO WINE BAR, PROSSER P R O G R A M : Big supporters of nearby Airfield Estates, Coyote Canyon, Fidelitas, Kiona.

P O L I C I E S : One page with focus on wineries within 30 miles. Of 14 wines by the glass, 13 cost $6 or less.

P R E S S I N G S : Restaurant formerly known as Common Grounds.

364 Chardonnay Blvd., Prosser, WA, 99350, 509-786-3840, cgbistro.com.

D R A G O N F LY B I S T R O & L O U N G E , L E AV E N W O RT H P R O G R A M : Affordable regional wines, more whites than reds are hallmarks at this new Asian eatery.

Most glass pours at $7.

P O L I C I E S : Multiple placement for Boudreaux, Chateau Faire Le Pont, Chelan Estate, Jones, Okanogan Estate, Vin du Lac. Pinot from Oregon includes Adelsheim and Lachini.

P R E S S I N G S : Co-owner Troy Whalen managed Barking Frog in Woodinville.

633 A-Front St., Leavenworth, WA, 98826, 509-548-7600, dragonflyleavenworth.com.

PICAZO 7SEVENTEEN WINE BAR & R E S TA U R A N T, P R O S S E R P R O G R A M : List dominated by Yakima Valley producers. Nearly every wine featured by wine director Trina Cortez as glass pour is made in Prosser.

P O L I C I E S : Corkage is $25 for Californians. It’s $15 for other wines.

P R E S S I N G S : Arrive early for Industry Night Wednesdays.

717 Sixth St., Prosser, WA 99350, 509-786-1116, picazo717.com.

4 2 N D S T R E E T C A F E , S E AV I E W P R O G R A M : Undercurrent of values from likes of Barnard Griffin, Capstone, Chinook, J Christopher, Kestrel, Woodward Canyon and projects by Peter Rosback.

P O L I C I E S : Motto seems to be “Nice wines at fair prices.” Thursday is Rewards Wine Club Night.

P R E S S I N G S : Mount Baker Vineyards, whose owner has a beach

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

53

50-59 winelists.qxd

AWA R D S

8/31/09

1:22 PM

Page 54

the herbies

house nearby, earns placings on list.

4201 Pacific Way, Seaview, WA, 98644, 360-642-2323, 42ndstreetcafe.com.

9 4 S T E WA RT R E S TA U R A N T, S E AT T L E P R O G R A M : Newcomer to Pike Place Market settles on producers, offering red and white from many of them, such as Coeur d’Alene Cellars, DiStefano, Seven Hills, Two Mountain.

P O L I C I E S : Chef/owner Celinda Norton tastes and recommends each bottle on menu. Sunday nights feature no corkage.

P R E S S I N G S : Prosser’s Airfield Estates, Alexandria Nicole and Desert Wind make short list of glass pours.

94 Stewart St., Seattle, WA, 98101, 206-441-5505, 94stewart.com.

SOLSTICE WOOD FIRE CAFE, BINGEN P R O G R A M : Only five minutes from Hood River, and list is sourced not far beyond that range. Of 12 wineries represented, 11 are from Columbia Gorge region. Most also available as glass pours.

P O L I C I E S : Tasting flights of three are $6. Take a bottle home? It’s discounted 20 percent.

P R E S S I N G S : Live music/local wine tasting last Friday of each month.

415 Steuben St., Highway 14, Bingen, WA, 98605, 509-493-4006, solsticewoodfirecafe.com.

VA L L E Y C A F E , E L L E N S B U R G

Gregory Beach made commitment to pair his cuisine with Washington wines in 1981.

P O L I C I E S : List is 90 percent Washington. Month’s featured winery includes public tasting with winemaker on first Friday. Corresponding table tents full of wine info/prices.

P R E S S I N G S : Created information kiosk for wine tourists. Wine shop in adjacent deli.

PROGRAM:

i 105 W. Third Ave., Ellensburg, WA, 98926, 509-925-3050, valleycafe.org V I S C O N T I ’ S R E S T O R A N T E I TA L I A N O , L E AV E N W O RT H

More than half of the 500-plus list is Washington, which PROGRAM:

54

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

includes 100 entries from the Columbia Cascade region.

P O L I C I E S : Affordable pricing of local wines.

P R E S S I N G S : This year, Washington Wine Commission recognized coowner/chef Daniel Carr with its Winemaker’s Choice Award for industry support/staff training.

636 Front St., Leavenworth, WA, 98826, 509-548-1213. viscontis.com.

V I S C O N T I ’ S R E S T O R A N T E I TA L I A N O , W E N AT C H E E P R O G R A M : Daniel Carr’s original restaurant sticks a bit closer to the Wenatchee-area wineries. Backloaded with big Washington reds.

P O L I C I E S : Nice snapshots of older vintages from Walla Walla legends.

P R E S S I N G S : See how Woodward Canyon’s Barbera and Dolcetto stack up vs. their DOC counterparts.

1737 N. Wenatchee Ave., Wenatchee, WA, 98801, 509-662-5013, viscontis.com.

BEST OREGON WINE LIST C A S C A D E D I N I N G R O O M AT TIMBERLINE LODGE, MOUNT HOOD P R O G R A M : Sixth time at the summit of Oregon wine lists. It’s loaded with big Washington reds, too.

Helpful food pairing tips with glass pour offerings.

P O L I C I E S : Two dozen wines by glass. Sun spot logo on list notes wineries employing biodynamic/organic practices.

PRESSINGS: Executive chef Leif Erickson celebrates 30 years at helm.

i The Cascade Dining Room, Timberline Lodge, OR, 97028, 503-6220700, timberlinelodge.com.

OUTSTANDING OREGON WINE LISTS A L L O R O W I N E B A R & R E S TA U R A N T, BANDON PROGRAM:

World-class golf trans-

formed this quaint coastal town.

Witness Tree and other Oregon Pinot Noir lead Northwest offerings.

P O L I C I E S : Corkage is $20, $50 if bottle already on list.

P R E S S I N G S : Abacela, an hour’s drive inland, is spotlighted.

375 Second St. SE, Bandon, OR, 97411, 541-347-1850, allorowinebar.com.

A N T H O N Y ’ S AT T H E O L D M I L L D I S T R I C T, B E N D P R O G R A M : Washington-based restaurant group leans toward Willamette Valley in this Oregon mountain resort town.

P O L I C I E S : Chehalem, Four Graces, R. Stuart’s Big Fire among “Oregon’s 3 Ps” — Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir.

P R E S S I N G S : Intrigue added with Panther Creek’s Melon, a rare variety, and Sokol Blosser’s ever-popular Evolution series.

475 SW Powerhouse Drive, Bend, OR, 97702, 541-389-8998, anthonys.com.

C E L I L O R E S TA U R A N T A N D B A R , HOOD RIVER P R O G R A M : Columbia Gorge focus includes Cathedral Ridge, Erin Glenn, Pheasant Valley, Phelps Creek, Quenett, Syncline, The Pines 1852, Viento, Wind River.

P O L I C I E S : Corkage starts at $20.

Jacqueline Carey ensures rotation of Pinot Noir glass pours.

P R E S S I N G S : Leads region with Northwest half-bottles. Sister property to Sixth Street Bistro & Loft, a past Match Maker.

16 Oak St., Hood River, OR, 97031, 541-386-5710.

GEISER GRAND HOTEL, BAKER CITY P R O G R A M : Pinotphile Barbara Sidway continues to offer Northwest wine culture to Eastern Oregon frontier.

POLICIES: Constant themes are Domaine Drouhin, Domaine Meriwether sparklers, Precept and Williamette Valley wines by Jason Bull.

PRESSINGS: Annual springtime wine appreciation weekend features Wine Press Northwest’s Eric Degerman.

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

50-59 winelists.qxd

8/31/09

1:22 PM

Page 55

the herbies

AWA R D S

its offerings of “Whimsical Whites.”

729 SW 15th Ave., Portland, OR, 97205, 503-222-2171, graciesdining.com.

J O RY, N E W B E R G P R O G R A M : High-end Allison Inn & Spa, set to open Sept. 25, named its restaurant after what USDA deems as Oregon’s state soil type.

P O L I C I E S : Oregon wines dominate. Pinot Noir listed by appellations. Big reds from many Washington standouts.

P R E S S I N G S : Refreshing array of half-bottles, handful of Northwest rosés.

2525 Allison Lane, Newberg, OR, 97132, 503-554-2525, theallison.com.

PA L E Y ’ S P L A C E B I S T R O A N D B A R , P O RT L A N D P R O G R A M : Kimberly Paley keeps it fun with Abacela (Albariño, Tempranillo), Adelsheim (Auxerrois), Bunnell (Grenache), Love & Squalor (Riesling), ZanZibar (Sauvignon Blanc), yet serious with a dozen Willamette Valley producers of Pinot Noir.

P O L I C I E S : Wine Wednesday flights paired with special items from kitchen.

P R E S S I N G S : Wonder if they’ve ever done wine pairings with PaleyBars?

i 1204 NW 21st Ave., Portland, OR, 97209, 503-243-2403, paleysplace.net.

RIVERSIDE GRILL, HOOD RIVER

Best Western property with Italian focus denotes Columbia Gorge wines — more than 20 — with asterisk.

P O L I C I E S : Affordable/local. Glass pours range $6-$10. Most bottles from $25-$52.

P R E S S I N G S : Eco-friendly house wines by Viento’s Rich Cushman come from local vines, stored in stainless steel, require no bottles, boxes, labels, corks.

PROGRAM:

Just outside the Cascade Dining Room at the Timberline Lodge a gigantic fireplace keeps visitors toasty warm. i 1996 Main St., Baker City, OR, 97814, 888-434-7374, geisergrand.com.

G R A C I E ’ S , P O RT L A N D P R O G R A M : New restaurant in Hotel deLuxe features Northwest cuisine in setting reminiscent of “Golden Age of Hollywood.”

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

Established Willamette Valley producers such as Bergström, Chehalem, Cristom priced below most “foreign” offerings.

P R E S S I N G S : Abacela gains placement with its Spanish varieties Albariño and Tempranillo.

Adelsheim’s Auxerrois ranks among POLICIES:

1108 E. Marina Way, Hood River, OR, 97031, 541-386-8924, hoodriverinn.com U R B A N FA R M E R , P O RT L A N D PROGRAM:

Year-old steakhouse

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

55

50-59 winelists.qxd

8/31/09

AWA R D S

1:22 PM

Page 56

the herbies

promotes sustainable/organic/biodynamic practices. That explains Chehalem, Elk Cove, Evesham Wood, Soter and spotlight of Brick House. Nice slice of Walla Walla reds includes Long Shadows.

P O L I C I E S : Argyle bubbles by the glass. Day’s featured red/white is $5 per glass.

P R E S S I N G S : Restaurant in atrium lobby on hotel’s eighth floor.

The Nines Hotel, 525 SW Morrison St., Portland, OR, 97204, 503-222-4900, urbanfarmerrestaurant.com.

W I L D W O O D , P O RT L A N D

Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and Columbia Valley reds complement regional cuisine. Domaine Drouhin, Ken Wright contribute several to half-bottle list.

P O L I C I E S : Wine director Jeff Moore lists Europeans to provide “fuller appreciation of our local artisans.”

P R E S S I N G S : Glass pours with names such as Dominio IV’s Technicolor PROGRAM:

The economic storm While many Northwest restaurants are washed out by the deluge, others attempt to weather through with sunny reports of great local wine and produce

W

OODINVILLE, Wash. — I was down at our local bistro for a burger when I overheard the next table say, “Someday I’m going to try The Herbfarm, just once, to see what it’s like.”

Well, that pretty much sums up the year. And what a difference a year makes!

When I penned a few words for this column last year, the Olympics were just over.

Overhead some economic clouds swirled around. But no storm had struck the restaurants and wineries of the Northwest.

That all changed.

For us, at least, the recession began late last October.

Other than the fire that burned our place in 1997 — and the “big dipper” after the psychic wounds of 9/11

56

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

Sinclair Philip, co-owner of Sooke Harbour House.

— this economic era has been the most sustained challenge we’ve faced.

For most restaurants, especially those in “fine dining,” the recession staunched the normal tide of guests.

Business entertainment all but ceased. Overnight, all bets were off and our place — and others with whom I talked — found it impossible to forecast sales, which often fluctuated wildly from day to day.

The sudden clamping of the credit markets dampened dining demand not only for food, but also, of course, for wine.

Those who continued to dine out, dined less. And, often as not, they ate a tier or two down on the restaurant “pyramid.” Sales of top-end wines fell as more guests sought “value wines” or switched from a bottle of wine to wines by the glasses. Or a glass. Or no glass at all.

But while the economy frowned, the quality of the wines of the Pacific Northwest smiled, reaching an alltime peak. Prime Northwest grapes are now as good as any area of the world. Viticulturists and winemakers know more than ever how to coax the best from our bright and distinctive grapes.

Despite our viniferous golden age, the recession has put to rest the notion that there’s an endless and

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

50-59 winelists.qxd

8/31/09

1:22 PM

Page 57

the herbies Bat and Dusted Valley Boomtown Cab practically sell themselves.

1221 NW 21st Ave., Portland, OR, 97209, 503-248-9663, wildwoodrestaurant.com

BEST B.C. WINE LIST SOOKE HARBOUR HOUSE, SOOKE

Repeat winner Sinclair Philip has similar tight regional food/wine focus as that of The Herbfarm. Half of the province’s 125-plus wineries here.

P O L I C I E S : Expect to have B.C. wines and Vancouver Island ingredients in each course of your threehour meal. Last Saturday of each month features wine tastings.

P R E S S I N G S : Philip reigned as president of Slow Food Canada from 2003-2007.

PROFILE:

i 1528 Whiffen Spit, Sooke, B.C., V0S 1N0, 250-642-3421, sookeharbourhouse.com.

OUTSTANDING B.C. WINE LISTS C R E S TA U R A N T, VA N C O U V E R P R O G R A M : Fish-based cuisine loads up on bubbles and crisp whites.

P O L I C I E S : Never fewer than 30 wines by glass. Wines sorted by variety, then price, served in Riedel.

More than 175 half-bottles.

P R E S S I N G S : Sister property of Nu, Raincity. JoieFarm co-vintner Michael Dinn served as sommelier here.

2-1600 Howe St., Vancouver, B.C., V6Z 2L9, 604-681-1164, crestaurant.com.

N U R E S TA U R A N T + L O U N G E , VA N C O U V E R P R O G R A M : Blue Mountain, Burrowing Owl, Jackson-Triggs, Joie, Poplar Grove constant themes.

Gehringer Brothers shows up for dessert.

P O L I C I E S : Farm-to-table theme at False Creek hot spot includes provincial vino.

unlimited market for $50 and $100 bottles of wine. The opening of new wineries positioned to create “only ultra-premium” wines will slow.

Surprisingly, the bright side for many wineries during this past year is that tasting room sales have not declined, and in many cases have actually increased.

Odd as this seems, it is probably because more people are dining and entertaining at home, searching for a bond and story between the winery and their table.

As we emerge from this recession, I’m pleased to report that The Herbfarm cellar is strong and intact. It was tempting to draw the inventory down, but it was sobering to realize that so many bottles could never be replaced. Having a 25-year retrospective of Northwest wines and 25,000 bottles of aging wine is a good feeling and an exciting benefit for our guests.

Another big project for us this year has been our “100-Mile Dinner” theme. For this we decided that every molecule of food and wine had to be sourced from a 100-mile radius of the dining room. No problem, you say? I said everything. What about salt? Or pepper, baking powder, yeast, oils, flour, acids and, yes, wine?

Or more specifically, grapes and vineyards that lie within the circle? The bulk of Washigton grapes are more

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

AWA R D S

P R E S S I N G S : Herder 2006 Pinot Noir, Mission Hill 2004 Oculus, 2004 Osoyoos Larose among B.C.’s bestever, says sommelier Sara Bannerman.

1661 Granville St., Vancouver, B.C., V6Z 1N3, 604-646-4668, whatisnu.com.

O ’ D O U L’ S R E S TA U R A N T & B A R , VA N C O U V E R P R O G R A M : Calvin DesChene’s list inside jazz-loving Listel Hotel runs deep with Blue Mountain, Burrowing Owl, JoieFarm, Kettle Valley, LaFrenz. Wine-by-glass list features tasting notes/food suggestion.

P O L I C I E S : Markup policy no more than double retail. Several B.C. wines available in 375 ml. Sumac Ridge Steller’s Jay Brut available by glass, half-bottle or bottle.

P R E S S I N G S : Restaurant name a tribute to baseball great Lefty O’Doul, whose career included managing the Vancouver Mounties in 1956.

1300 Robson St., Vancouver, V6E 1C5, 604-661-1406, odoulsrestaurant.com.

than 100 miles from our base here in Woodinville.

Starting in early spring, we rededicated our attention to the Puget Sound AVA, Lake Chelan, the southern tip of Vancouver Island, and the very western end of the Yakima Valley. Let me just say that the old maxim about the food and wines of a region going together still rings true. Over several months, we found outstanding wines from all of the above areas, terrific matches to an exciting meal crafted only from ingredients in the big circle emanating from our farm and restaurant.

Come, dine, and explore with us.

Follow our daily adventures on Twitter.

Until next time, I’m@herbguy.

— RON ZIMMERMAN CO-PROPRIETOR, T H E H E R B FA R M

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

57

50-59 winelists.qxd

AWA R D S

8/31/09

1:23 PM

Page 58

the herbies

BEST IDAHO WINE LIST B R I C K 2 9 B I S T R O , N A M PA

Idaho’s industry at center stage with more than 20 instate wineries represented, including hard-to-find reds from Fraser Vineyard.

P O L I C I E S : Only two Idaho wines, Cinder Syrah and Williamson Cab, priced north of $40. Take a bottle home at 15 percent discount.

PROGRAM:

P R E S S I N G S : One of the Northwest’s top values, Pend d’Oreille’s Bistro Rouge, is $25.

320 11th Ave. S., Nampa, ID, 83651, 208-468-0029, brick29.com.

OUTSTANDING IDAHO WINE LISTS N E C TA R W I N E B A R & B I S T R O , MOSCOW PROGRAM:

Walla Walla, Idaho easy

to find on list at young operation just blocks from University of Idaho campus.

P O L I C I E S : Co-owner Brett Woodland not shy about introducing guests to Palouse-area wines.

P R E S S I N G S : Honey-based products made by family members used/sold here. i 105 W. Sixth, Moscow, ID, 83843, 208-8882-5914, moscownectar.com.

THE ORCHARD HOUSE, CALDWELL P R O G R A M : New family-style restaurant in wine country focuses on surrounding wineries — 18 of them — with bottles on display.

P O L I C I E S : Slogan reads “Proudly serving Snake River AVA Wines.” No wine listed for more than $34.

Featured winery is $5 per glass of white, $6 per red.

P R E S S I N G S : Winemaker dinner series. Ideal breakfast stop for wine tourists. Buy a bottle of Ste. Chapelle sparkling Riesling at brunch for $12.

14949 Sunnslope Rd., Highway 55, Caldwell, ID, 83607, 208-459-8200, theorchardhouse.us.

THE SANDBAR RIVER HOUSE, MARSING P R O F I L E : Davis Creek joins allSnake River lineup at 42-year-old establishment.

P O L I C I E S : Remains perhaps Northwest’s least expensive wine list. More than 30 wines available, but none more than $29.95.

P R E S S I N G S : Try the frog legs with the Koenig Pinot Noir.

18 Sandbar Ave., Marsing, ID, 83639, 208-896-4124, sandbarriverhouse.com. ı ERIC DEGERMAN is managing editor of Wine Press

The economy has meant more people getting wine by the glass instead of by the bottle when they eat out.

58

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

Northwest. Email him at edegerman@winepressnw.com.

KE N S U S Y N S KI is a Seattle artist who specializes in wine countr y art and whose artwork has accompanied this competition’s results for many years. His Web site is susynski.com.

JACKIE JOHNSTON , a freelance photojournalist, is a regular contributor and the page designer for Wine Press Northwest. Her Web site is WineCountr yCreations.com.

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

50-59 winelists.qxd

8/31/09

1:23 PM

Page 59

the herbies

AWA R D S

Northwest wine is an integral part of The Herbfarm’s menu.

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

59

44- ... Label ads

9/2/09

10:46 AM

Page 60

WINE COUNTRY: YAKIMA VALLEY

Award-Winning Wines Tasting Room open: Feb.-Nov.: Daily 10 am - 5 pm Dec.-Jan.: Daily 12 noon - 4 pm 530 Gurley Rd., Granger, WA 98932

1-866-EATON HILL

Join Us

“Help Stomp Out Breast Cancer” Grape Stomp October 3 & Tasting Room Thanksgiving in Wine Daily 10am - 6pm I-82 Exit at Zillah Country (509) 829-6810 www.claarcellars.com Nov. 27, 28 & 29 WINE COUNTRY: COLUMBIA RIVER

Visit our winery overlooking the Columbia!

3400 10th St. SE, East Wenatchee, WA 98802

509-886-4596 Open Thurs., Fri., & Sat. 12-5 & holiday weekends Tours by appointment www.martinscottwinery.com chris.scott@martinscottwinery.com

Enjoy our authentic Italian Cuisine, friendly atmosphere and extensive wine selection.

Visconti’s Ristorante Visconti’s Italian Italiano Restaurant 636 Front St. 1737 N. Wenatchee Ave., Leavenworth, WA Wenatchee, WA

509-548-1213

509-662-5013

www.viscontis.com

60

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

44- ... Label ads

9/2/09

10:46 AM

Page 61

WINE COUNTRY: IDAHO

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

61

44- ... Label ads

9/2/09

10:47 AM

Page 62

WINE COUNTRY: TRI-CITIES & RED MOUNTAIN

62

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

44- ... Label ads

9/2/09

10:47 AM

Page 63

WINE COUNTRY: TRI-CITIES & RED MOUNTAIN

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

63

44- ... Label ads

9/2/09

1:39 PM

Page 64

WINE COUNTRY: LEAVENWORTH AREA

64

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

44- ... Label ads

9/2/09

10:48 AM

Page 65

WINE COUNTRY: PUGET SOUND & WESTERN WASHINGTON O•S Winery

Opulent, voluptuous, concentrated red wines Located in South Seattle Open by appt • 206-243-3427 • www.oswinery.com

121 Widgeon Hill Road, Chehalis, WA 98532 (East off 1-5, Exit 81. Call for detailed directions) Tasting Room Please call for hours.

360-748-0432 • www.widgeonhill.com

San Juan Vineyards Gold Medal Wines 3136 Roche Harbor Rd, Friday Harbor, WA

360-378-WINE Fall hours: Open Daily/Seasonal Winery • Vineyard • Tasting Chris Primus, winemaker Join our Wine Club: www.sanjuanvineyards.com sjvineyards@rockisland.com W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

65

66-75 Fab Cabs.qxd

8/30/09

5:33 PM

Page 66

66-75 Fab Cabs.qxd

8/31/09

10:32 AM

Page 67

TA S T I N G R E S U LT S W I N E R AT I N G S

Fab Cabs of the Pacific Northwest Cabernet Sauvignon is an old favorite that has been rediscovered

BY ANDY PERDUE

C

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JACKIE JOHNSTON

abernet Sauvignon, known as “the king of wines and the wine of kings,” made Bordeaux and Napa Valley famous, and it would seem to be doing the same thing in Washington, where it is now the No. 1 red wine grape.

Cab surpassed Merlot as Washington’s top red wine grape in 2006. A year ago, wineries crushed 26,100 tons of Cab, coming in behind only Riesling (28,500 tons) and Chardonnay (28,000).

For this judging, we invited wineries from Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Idaho to send their Cabernet Sauvignons and received 134 entries. Of these, 108 earned a “Recommended” or better rating and are reviewed here.

Coke Roth, one of our tasting panel members and a longtime international wine judge, noted the wines as a whole lacked the faults he has seen over the years, attributing this to better winemaking and viticulture practices as a whole.

The top wine in our competition came from Dusted Valley Vintners in Walla Walla, Wash., It has earned this distinction in the past (often with reds), so this should be no surprise.

Right behind it was Barnard Griffin’s regular “Tulip” label, a great value as well as a great wine. In fact, many of the wines at the top of our list read like a “who’s who” of the wine industry: Kiona, Forgeron, Chateau Ste. Michlle, L’Ecole, Maryhill and Sineann.

One surprise was Glencorrie, a new winery in Walla Walla that

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

earned the rare distinction of earning two top “Outstanding” ratings.

Veteran winemaker Charlie Hoppes crafted these Cabs. And Zerba Cellars, a winery on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley, also received “Outstanding” ratings for its two entries.

Three hotspots for growing Cab showed up well in this judging, with wines from the Walla Walla Valley, Horse Heaven Hills and Red Mountain well represented amid the top wines.

And on an interesting note (for us anyways): The top wine in the judging was topped with a screwcap, as were two other “Outstanding” wines. And Sineann’s was topped with a glass cork.

Our judges for for this competition were: Virginie Bourgue, a Walla Walla Valley winemaker; Jay Drysdale, a British Columbia wine writer and consultant; Coke Roth, an international wine judge and Red Mountain vineyard owner; Thomas HenickKling, director of Washington State University’s viticulture and enology program; Ken Robertson, Wine Press Northwest columnist; and Dave Seaver, a member of Wine Press Northwest’s tasting panel.

OUTSTANDING Dusted Valley Vintners $45 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Owners and winemakers Corey Braunel and Chad Johnson consistently are producing some of the finest red wines in the Pacific Northwest, as evidenced by the fact that their wines regularly are at or near the top of our big judgings. This reserve-

All rated wines are tasted blind then placed in the following categories: Outstanding These wines have superior characteristics and should be highly sought after.

Excellent Top-notch wines with particularly high qualities.

Recommended Delicious, well-made wines with true varietal characteristics.

Best Buy! A wine that is $15 ($17 CDN) or under.

Prices are suggested retail and should be used as guidelines. Prices are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted.

CDN: Canadian dollars.

level Cabernet Sauvignon is more elegant than powerful, opening with aromas of black olives, back bacon and ripe cherries, followed by flavors of olives, cherries, raspberries, cinnamon and bittersweet chocolate. Acidity and tannins marry beautifully with the ample fruit. (125 cases, 14.7% alc.)

Barnard Griffin Winery $17 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Winemaker Rob Griffin’s ability to consistently craft greatness wine after wine and year after year never fails to astonish us. This is his mainstream Cab, and it is gorgeous. It is loaded with fresh dark-toned berries and olives with hints of smoke on the nose, followed by lusciously ripe blackberries, cherries and plums on the palate. Thanks to supple tannins and mild oak, this is eminently drinkable in its youth yet is likely to age for a half-decade or more. (6,548 cases, 14.3% alc.)

Forgeron Cellars $46 2004 Champoux Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills French native and Burgundiantrained Marie-Eve Gilla has blossomed in her nearly two decades in the New World. The winemaker and part-owner of this Walla Walla Valley winery made great use of some of Washington’s finest grapes from the Horse Heaven Hills to craft this sublime Cab. It opens with complex aromas of minerals, pencil shavings, blackberries and pie cherries, followed by elegant flavors of blackberries, red-toned fruit and hints of chocolate. The oak, tannins and alcohol are all expertly managed. (175 cases, 14.6% alc.)

Kiona Vineyards Winery $35 2003 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain Winemaker Scott Williams knows a thing or two about Red Mountain grapes because his family pioneered viticulture on the ridge in the eastern Yakima Valley. This suave Cab opens with aromas of slightly dried red and black fruit, a hint of smokiness and a touch of chocolate, followed by flavors of darker-toned fruit, including currants and Bing cherries.

This is wine is a bit older from a very warm vintage and is showing nice maturity. (1,680 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Weisinger’s of Ashland $45 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Rogue Valley John Weisinger was one of the early grape growers

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

67

66-75 Fab Cabs.qxd

8/31/09

10:06 AM

TA S T I N G R E S U LT S

Page 68

fab cabs

and winemakers in Oregon’s Rogue Valley, planting his estate vineyard in 1979 and launching the winery in 1988. He and son Eric have especially excelled in Bordeaux varieties over the years, though Eric has since departed to launch a career as an international winemaking consultant. This fascinating Cab provides aromas of menthol and black currants, followed by flavors of moist earth and minerals backed by silky tannins. This is a subtle, refined red with mouth-filling vibrancy. (813 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Chateau Ste. Michelle $40 2006 Ethos Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Grapes from vaunted Cold Creek Vineyard north of the Yakima Valley are the backbone for this reserve-level Cab from Washington’s flagship winery.

Winemaker Bob Bertheau also blended fruit from the Wahluke Slope as well as Canoe Ridge Estate Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills to craft a red wine of great complexity. It opens with aromas of rose petals, violets, mint and black cherry, followed by plush, fleshy flavors of blackberries and black chocolate. Tightly focused tannins and bright acidity back up the ample fruit, giving it plenty of backbone for enjoying now with prime rib or for years to come. (2,300 cases, 14.2% alc.)

Glencorrie Winery $40 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley Washington winemaking veteran Charlie Hoppes crafted the wine for this young Walla Walla Valley pro-

68

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

ducer, using grapes from the highly regarded Windrow and Dwelley vineyards. The result is an elegant and complex Cabernet Sauvignon with aromas of chocolate-covered cherries, along with hints of herbs and freshly ground coffee. On the palate are bright flavors of red fruit, primarily cherries, backed with chocolaty tannins and impeccable acidity. This wine will age well for at least a decade, or pop the cork now with grilled meats. (240 cases, 14.2% alc.)

Vin du Lac of Chelan $31 2005 Barrel Select Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Owner/winemaker Larry Lehmbecker’s touch with Bordeaux varieties is nothing short of remarkable. From his location on the north shore of Lake Chelan, Lehmbecker reaches out across the entire Columbia Valley to find the perfect grapes. This is one of his finest efforts to date with Cabernet Sauvignon, as it opens with big, dark aromas of black cherries, chocolate and a bit of coffee. On the palate are rich flavors of blackberries, mint, cherries, chocolate and cedar, with complex whispers of maple syrup and bacon. This is a rich wine. (220 cases, 14% alc.)

Glencorrie Winery $35 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley This young Walla Walla Valley winery has struck twice in our big Cab competition. This wine’s success should be no surprise, as the grapes come from two great vineyards: Stillwater Creek in the Frenchman Hills

and Gamache in the Columbia Basin. Winemaker Charlie Hoppes crafted a luscious red with aromas of black cherries, chocolate, coffee and a hint of oak, followed by big, dark flavors of blackberries, black olives, dark chocolate and hints of cedar. Just nine barrels made the cut for this blockbuster wine.

(208 cases, 14.7% alc.)

L’Ecole No. 41 $40 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley Marty Clubb is the man behind one of the Walla Walla Valley’s oldest and finest producers. This Cab is a blend of grapes from five vineyards, including Seven Hills, Pepper Bridge, Loess, Va Piano and Yellow Jacket. It opens with complex aromas of toffee, orange zest, cinnamon and cherries, followed by rich black fruit backed with youthfully exuberant tannins. You could open this now with a well-marbled steak, but hiding this in your cellar for at least a half-decade will reward your patience. (1,785 cases, 14.4% alc.)

Sawtooth Winery $17 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Snake River Valley Brad Pintler’s final release as winemaker for the operation he and his father started is a fitting farewell, as it is one of his greatest wines yet. It is a complex red with aromas of blackberries, moist earth, mushrooms and oak, followed by lingering flavors of cherries, cedar and coffee. Smooth, elegant tannins provide all the backing necessary for this nicely priced, drink-

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

66-75 Fab Cabs.qxd

8/31/09

10:07 AM

Page 69

fab cabs

now Cab. (1,500 cases, 14.5% alc.)

Best Buy! Snoqualmie Vineyards $12 2007 Naked Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley The inaugural Cab for winemaker Joy Andersen’s line of organically farmed wines is a doozy — not only for its quality but also its price. It is a fruit-driven red with aromas of sweet chocolate, cherries and even blueberries, followed by bright, upfront flavors of everything from black plums to red currants and cranberries. Moderate tannins and bright acidity give this gorgeous balance. Age this on the way home from the store. (1,500 cases, 13.7% alc.)

H/H Estates $28 2007 Coyote Canyon Vineyard Big John Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills This label for Coyote Canyon Winery in Prosser, Wash., is a beauty. Mike Andrews, part of the famed Andrews family of grape growers in Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills, oversees this operation. This gorgeous wine opens with aromas of olives, Bing cherries and huckleberries, followed by long, rich flavors of cherries, minerals, sweet herbs and chocolate. It’s a boldly structured wine, as one would expect from Horse Heaven Hills Cab. (103 cases, 14.8% alc.)

Westport Winery $27 2007 Charterboat Chick’s Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington Blaine and Kim Roberts own and oper-

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

ate Washington’s only coastal winery, running this operation (including a vineyard!) in the Grays Harbor County city best known for chartered fishing trips. The winery produces more than two dozen different wines, most of them with fanciful names and labels. But this Cab is serious business, with huge aromas of raspberries, blackberries, huckleberries and marionberries, followed by bold, ripe fruit loaded with flavors of raspberries, hazelnuts and leather. Restrained tannins and bright acidity provide all the balance this wine needs. (221 cases, 12% alc.)

Airfield Estates $22 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Yakima Valley This young producer in Prosser, Wash., continues to shine with one wine after another. Winemaker Marcus Miller took advantage of 20-year-old estate vines in Yakima Valley to craft this delicious and lively wine. It opens with a whiff of chocolate and slate, as well as aromas of blackberries, pie cherries and cedar. On the palate, the flavors of Rainier cherries, blackberries and strawberries are balanced with lively acidity and elegant tannins. When palate bombs from this vintage have long since faded, this wine will still be going strong. (355 cases, 15.4% alc.)

Sineann $48 2007 Baby Poux Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley One of the most amusingly named vineyards in Washington is Baby Poux, a younger block at famed Champoux Vineyards in the

TA S T I N G R E S U LT S

Horse Heaven Hills. Peter Rosback, owner and winemaker for one of Oregon’s most esteemed producers, has crafted a Cab with elegant aromas of spices, sweet herbs, raspberries and even a hint of citrus.

On the palate are flavors of freshly picked raspberries, as well as cherries and even blueberries. The fruit is just fleshy enough to meld with dense tannins. This is a pleasing wine from start to finish.

(250 cases, 15.1% alc.)

Zerba Cellars $45 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley Cecil and Marilyn Zerba launched their wine operation in Milton-Freewater, Ore., (about 15 minutes south of Walla Walla) in 2001 when they planted their first estate vineyard. Success has come quickly, and it continues with this Cabernet Sauvignon. It opens with aromas of cherries, leather, chocolate and forest floor, followed by flavors of bright raspberries, Bing cherries and bittersweet chocolate. Modest tannins and bright acidity provide youthful accessibility. (138 cases, 14.2% alc.)

Zerba Cellars $30 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley Winemaker Doug Nierman took the long way from the Wenatchee Valley to the Walla Walla Valley, working his way through Sonoma and Napa counties before working at Long Shadows and Pepper Bridge.

Now he’s crafting superior Cabs at this MiltonFreewater, Ore., winery. This red shows off aromas

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

69

66-75 Fab Cabs.qxd

8/31/09

10:07 AM

TA S T I N G R E S U LT S

Page 70

fab cabs

of black plums, blackberries and even boysenberries, followed by bold, ripe flavors of black raspberries and blackberries. It’s a fully loaded wine with ample fruit, oak, tannin and acidity. Tame this with a marbled ribeye. (1,389 cases, 14.3% alc.)

Gordon Brothers Family Vineyards $23 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Jeff Gordon planted his vineyard overlooking the Snake River near Pasco, Wash., in the early ’80s and launched his eponymous winery later that decade. He relies entirely on estate fruit for this wine, described by one judge as “a Cab lover’s Cab,” with aromas of blackberry cobbler, spearmint and even cranberries. On the palate, it’s a quietly contemplative wine with notes of pomegranates, black cherries and other underlying dark fruit. (3,500 cases, 13.7% alc.)

Maryhill Winery $20 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Our 2009 Washington Winery of the Year has crafted yet another delicious red wine. Craig and Vicki Leuthold have created a destination winery on a cliff overlooking the Columbia River near the town of Goldendale, Wash. This Cab opens with complex aromas of cola, vanilla bean, violets and black cherries, followed by flavors of cherries, clove and cinnamon backed with lively acidity and just enough tannins to age elegantly. It’s mighty tasty now and likely will reward another half-decade in the cellar. (1,200 cases, 14.5% alc.)

70

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

Dakota Creek Winery $22 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley This is a breakthrough wine for this producer on the border town of Blaine, Wash. This wine from the warm 2007 vintage reveals amazing and complex aromas of forest floor, focused red fruit, sweet pipe tobacco and freshly brewed espresso. On the palate are tightly structured flavors of black cherries, raspberries and hints of cranberries, along with minerally notes and a long, consistent finish. Enjoy this with grilled meats or vegetables. (250 cases, 14.7% alc.)

Pend d’Oreille Winery $35 2006 Lawrence Vineyard Meyer Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington The release of this wine marks the 20th anniversary of owner/winemaker Steve Meyer making wine. The grapes come from Josh Lawrence’s vineyard on the Royal Slope in Washington’s Columbia Basin, and the resulting wine is one of the finest yet to come from this North Idaho winery. It opens with aromas of black fruit, leather and chocolate, followed by suave flavors of ripe blackberries and red currants with silky tannins and impressively restrained oak. (97 cases, 14.7% alc.)

EXCELLENT Coyote Canyon Winery $18 2007 Coyote Canyon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills Coyote Canyon,

the estate winery for the famed Horse Heaven Hills vineyard, is in the Winemaker’s Loft in Prosser, Wash. This superb Cab opens with aromas of chocolate, cedar and cherries, followed by bright flavors of red cherries, raspberries, hints of chocolate and underlying cedar. (130 cases, 14.8% alc.)

Woodward Canyon Winery $39 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley Owner/winemaker Rick Small used grapes from his estate vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley as well as famed DuBrul Vineyard in the Yakima Valley for this superb Cab. He blended in 11% Syrah, which gives it round, plump notes. It opens with aromas of black licorice, blackberries and even notes of sausages, followed by flavors of black fruit, bittersweet chocolate and notes of coffee. (599 cases, 14.3% alc.)

Waterbrook Winery $22 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley This longtime Walla Walla Valley winery now is owned by Precept Brands of Seattle and has a beautiful new facility along Highway 12 a few miles west of Walla Walla. This delicous red provides succulent aromas of black olives, plums, sultry raspberries and plums, followed by rich, dark flavors of blackberris, black currants, orange zest and freshly baked bread. Well-balanced tannins provide just the right level of structure. (4,070 cases, 13.7% alc.)

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

66-75 Fab Cabs.qxd

8/31/09

10:07 AM

Page 71

fab cabs

Alder Ridge $40 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills Corus Estates in Seattle owns this vineyard and winery overlooking the Columbia River near Alderdale, Wash. It’s one of the most highly regarded vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills and supplies many wineries. This Cab reveals attractive aromas of freshpicked blackberries on a warm afternoon, followed by flavors of chocolate, cherries, blackberries and even blueberries. It’s a robust, mouth-filling wine that is delicious now and is likely to improve with a few years of patience. (2,500 cases, 14.5% alc.)

Cliff Creek $24 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Southern Oregon This Rogue Valley winery also has a tasting room in the growing wine community of Carlton, Ore., southwest of Portland. Über-winemaker Joe Dobbes crafts the wines for Cliff Creek with great results.

This offers elegant aromas of rose petals, cola, licorice and blueberries, as well as juicy flavors of Van cherries, touches of citrus and blueberries. The tight, focused tannins and ample acidity bode well for aging this Cab. (150 cases, 14.3% alc.)

Glacial Lake Missoula Wine Co. $40 2005 Kestrel Vineyard Deluge, Yakima Valley With its name, this winery in Blaine, Wash., pays tribute to the Ice Age floods that shaped the Columbia Valley more than 10,000 years ago. The grapes for the Cab-based blend come from one of the older

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

vineyards in the Yakima Valley. It offers telltale aromas of sweet herbs, black currants, spices and cedar, followed by big, juicy flavors of cherries, coffee, leather, chocolate and black plums. Its well-managed tannins provide just the right level of structure to give this backbone for pairing with roasted meats or several years in the cellar. (252 cases, 14.5% alc.)

Powers Winery $25 2006 Coyote Vineyard Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope Longtime Washington winemaker Greg Powers uses grapes from the warm Wahluke Slope to craft a wine of power and depth.

This opens with classic aromas of black olives, pie cherries and a bit of oak, followed by a smooth, fruitdriven entry with black cherries, ripe plums and hints of chocolate. It’s a well-structured wine that will pair well with prime rib, lamb chops with a balsamic reduction or beef Bourguignon. (400 cases, 14% alc.)

Sawtooth Winery $25 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Snake River Valley Idaho’s second-largest winery also is one of its oldest. The experience shows with its Cabernet Sauvignon, a grape that is coming into its own in the high-elevation volcanic soils of the Snake River Valley.

This fascinating Cab opens with a complex melding of aromas, including minerality, blueberries, moist earth and tobacco, followed by flavors of ripe berries, forest floor and cherry pipe tobacco. A sense of sweetness carries throughout and deep, pleasing tannins back

TA S T I N G R E S U LT S

up this rich wine. (200 cases, 14.6% alc.)

Alexandria Nicole Cellars $32 2006 Destiny Ridge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills Jarrod Boyle manages the 243-acre estate vineyards and makes the wine for this Prosser, Wash., producer (which also has a tasting room in Woodinville). This release from estate fruit opens up with sensual aromas of blackberries, marionberries, oak, leather and chocolate, followed by luscious flavors of ripe cherries, plums and Baker’s chocolate. Moderate tannins provide just the right amount of backbone to pair this with lamb chops, veal or a T-bone. (343 cases, 14.8% alc.)

Barnard Griffin Winery $40 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley After three decades of making wine in Washington’s Columbia Valley, Rob Griffin is dialed into exactly the grapes he wants each year. For this reserve Cab, he relied on fruit from two famed vineyards: Sagemoor near Pasco and Champoux in the Horse Heaven Hills. The result is a wine with aromas of sweet herbs, dark earthiness, blueberries and herbs de Provence, followed by juicy flavors of black cherries and blueberries backed with substantial but well-managed tannins. This is a meat lovers wine, so pair with a slightly seared sirloin just off the grill.

(508 cases, 14.6% alc.)

Chateau Ste. Michelle $16 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley This

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

71

66-75 Fab Cabs.qxd

8/31/09

10:34 AM

TA S T I N G R E S U LT S

Page 72

fab cabs that go into this mid-level label for Hogue Cellars.

The care shows in this nicely priced Cab, which opens with aromas of shaved Ghiradelli chocolate, black cherries and blackberries. On the palate are flavors of Van cherries and a fair bit of complex oak notes. The moderate tannins back up all the fruit for a lengthy finish. (39,906 cases, 14.3% alc.)

Merry Cellars $36 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley Montana native Patrick Merry is one of the leaders of the small but growing Palouse wine region. For this Cab, he reaches south into the Walla Walla Valley for fruit. The result is a wine with aromas of black olives, blackberries, chocolate, cherries and something that reminded us of a summer campfire on the beach. The palate is loaded with flavors of black olives, blackberries, mocha and cherries. Chocolateladen tannins provide just the right amount of balance. (66 cases, 14.9% alc.)

Sineann $72 2007 Block One Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Sineann owner/winemaker Peter Rosback acquired some very special grapes for this release.

This Cab uses fruit from the original 1972 plantings at Mercer Ranch Vineyards, now Champoux, making them some of the oldest vines in the state. This opens with aromas of black olives, hints of menthol and red and black currants, followed by a fruit-driven palate that includes black licorice, dark chocolate and a hint of smokiness. It’s a very complex wine that probably is way too young — and special — to be drinking quite yet. (72 cases, 15.4% alc.)

is, by far, the biggest production of Cabernet Sauvignon for Washington’s flagship winery.

Winemaker Bob Bertheau and his team relied upon many vineyards, including grapes from Canoe Ridge and Cold Creek estate blocks. The result is a deliciously complex wine — especially for the price. it opens with aromas of gorgeous black cherries, black currants, huckleberries, sweet spices and Mexican chocolate, followed by elegant flavors of black cherries, ripe dark plums and milk chocolate, all backed up with modest tannins and perky acidity. (166,000 cases, 13.5% alc.)

72

Cathedral Ridge Winery $32 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Michael Sebastiani, who commutes from Northern California to this Hood River, Ore., producer, is the winemaker behind Cathedral Ridge. He used grapes from Bangsund and Ashmore vineyards, both in The Dalles, Ore. It provides aromas of cherry jam, cedar, sweet herbs and moist earth. The ripeness provided by this warm area near the Columbia River reveals flavors of pomegranates, black cherries and sweet plums. It’s a sublime wine with notes of rosemary and finely tuned tannins. (348 cases, 14.2% alc.)

San Juan Vineyards $20 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Yakima Valley This winery is nestled on San Juan Island near the town of Friday Harbor, Wash. The fruit for this Cab, however, came from across the Cascades in Washington’s oldest grape-growing region. This wine reveals aromas of freshly picked cherries, vanilla, mint and forest floor, followed by flavors of raspberries, red cherries and dark plums. Fine tannins offer youthful accessibility and balance that props up the flavors for a lengthy finish. (324 cases, 14.3% alc.)

Columbia Crest $35 2006 Wautoma Springs Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Ray Einberger doesn’t just make massive lots of wine for Washington’s largest producer. He also likes to play with small lots that strike him as special. The vineyard for this release is near Ste. Michelle’s Cold Creek Vineyard, a warm area north of the Yakima Valley. This opens with aromas of black cherries, minerality, leather and chocolate, followed by dark flavors of ripe plums, black cherries, bittersweet chocolate and black licorice. It’s a well-crafted and balanced wine.

(300 cases, 14.2% alc.)

Sparkman Cellars $56 2006 Kingpin Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain Owner/winemaker Chris Sparkman runs the Waterfront Seafood Grill in Seattle during the day and his high-end Woodinville winery in his “spare” time. The vast majority of the grapes from this big Cab comes from famed Klipsun Vineyard. It opens with aromas of blueberries, black cherries, wild strawberries and even a hint of sage, followed by layered flavors of black cherries, black currants and hints of cherry pipe tobacco. It’s a complex and layered wine, and conventional wisdom dictates that this should hit its prime in a decade — and last well beyond that. (150 cases, 14.9% alc.)

Hogue Cellars $16 2006 Genesis Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Co Dinn and his team of winemakers at this Prosser, Wash., giant are selective about the grapes

Ash Hollow Estate Vineyards & Winery $32 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley As one drives east on Highway 12 into the Walla Walla Valley, the first vineyard on the right is Ash Hollow,

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

the estate fruit for this winery. This wine exhibits aromas of plum jam on toast, along with ripe blackberries, followed by flavors of dark fruit backed with hints of leather. Fine, silky tannins provide elegant balance. (450 cases, 14.6% alc.)

Chateau Ste. Michelle $18 2006 Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Indian Wells is a vineyard on the warm Wahluke Slope from which Ste. Michelle has purchased grapes for years. This wine is named for the vineyard, though not all the grapes necessarily come from there, as Ste. Michelle refers to the area as the “Indian Wells district.” Regardless, this is a delicious and nicely priced Cab with sweet oak aromas, as well as hints of fresh-picked thyme, dark chocolate and dark fruit. On the palate are flavors of President plums, a hint of spearmint and a velvety texture. It’s an approachable, well-rounded wine.

(24,000 cases, 14.2% alc.)

Sagelands Vineyards $20 2005 Doval Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope This Diageo-owned winery in the western Yakima Valley began producing this vineyard-designated wine with the 2002 vintage and likes the fruit from this Wahluke Slope vineyard so much, it continues today. This Cab reveals aromas of black plums, blackberries, freshly ground espresso and underlying succulent spices. A bold entry leads to flavors of rich, ripe, dark fruit backed with suave tannins and an elegant finish. (295 cases, 14.2% alc.)

Watermill Winery $24 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon , Walla Walla Valley This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (75%) and Merlot comes from a producer in Milton-Freewater, an Oregon town in the Walla Walla Valley. The grapes are from McClellan and Seven Hills vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley, along with Lewis Vineyard in the Yakima Valley. It’s a delicious wine with aromas of chocolate, raspberries, mushrooms and vanilla, followed by flavors of blueberries, black raspberries and peppercorns. Moderate tannins provide background music and all the structure you need to pair it with pork, beef or lamb.

(320 cases, 14.1% alc.)

Columbia Winery $20 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Kerry Norton honed his skills as winemaker for fellow Ascentia winery Covey Run and now oversees one of Washington’s oldest wineries. This Cab reveals complex aromas of black plums, black cherries, chocolate and even hints of peaches, followed by bold flavors of chocolate, black licorice, mint, anise and ripe cherries. Ample tannins provide plenty of structure. (14,000 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Inniskillin Okanagan Vineyards $19 CDN 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Okanagan Valley The highest-ranking B.C. Cabernet Sauvignon comes from one of the province’s iconic producers, a longtime Vincor winery in the important southern Okanagan Valley district. This wine opens with aromas of chocolate, black currants, blueberries and even sausage, followed by a rich entry that leads to luscious flavors of dark fruit, spices and mild oak. (4,400 cases, 14% alc.)

Inniskillin Okanagan Vineyards $25 CDN 2006 Dark Horse Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Okanagan Valley This southern Okanagan Valley vineyard is one of winemaker Sandor Mayer’s favorites. This vintage reveals aromas of blueberries, blackberries, red peppercorns and mellow oak, followed by flavors of red currants, pomegranates and hints of chocolate, all backed with firm tannins. (152 cases, 14% alc.)

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

66-75 Fab Cabs.qxd

8/31/09

10:35 AM

Page 73

fab cabs Martinez & Martinez $20 2006 Cesár Red Wine, Horse Heaven Hills This wine is named for a favorite nephew of the Martinez family, who planted its estate vineyard on famed Phinny Hill in 1981. This is a bright, expressive wine with aromas of raspberries, pencil shavings and cherries, followed by ripe, plump flavors of red and black fruit atop a rich, silky palate. (125 cases, 14.7% alc.)

Obelisco $60 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain This 30-acre vineyard is one of the new players on Red Mountain. Dick Shaw, who oversees other vineyards on the famous ridge in the eastern Yakima Valley, is part of the ownership group here, along with Doug Long (a Napa Valley veteran) and Paul Kaltinick. The inaugural vintage is a beauty, with aromas of dark fruit melding with cedar shavings and hints of smoke, followed by lush flavors of black cherries, huckleberries and chocolate. (300 cases, 14.1% alc.)

Powers Winery $30 2006 Champoux Vineyard Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills The Powers family in Kennewick, Wash., is one of four winery partners who own a piece of famed Champoux Vineyards, and winemaker Greg Powers makes this reserve-level wine annually. It offers aromas of sweet oak alongside ripe cherries, followed by lingering flavors of blueberries, chocolate and lingonberries.

It’s still quite youthful and is likely to continue to improve with some patience in the cellar. (975 cases, 14.5% alc.)

Sparkman Cellars $42 2006 Stella Mae, Columbia Valley Owner/winemaker Chris Sparkman named this big red for his eldest daughter. Its pedigree is impressive, including fruit from Klipsun, Lewis, Hedges, Ciel du Cheval and Wahluke Slope vineyards. The resulting wine is fascinating, with aromas of cherries, oak spices and a dusty road after a rainstorm. On the palate are intense, dense flavors of bold cherries and ripe black currants backed with bright acidity and moderate tannins. (250 cases, 14.9% alc.)

Whitestone Winery $24 2006 Lake Roosevelt Shores Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley The owners of this Wilbur, Wash., winery like to tell the story of how vineyards graced the shoreline of the Columbia River until Grand Coulee Dam flooded the area.

Walter and Judy Haig planted their new vineyard beginning in 1994 and have wonderful fruit to go with that legend. This new release offers aromas of pomegranates, bright cherries, chocolate and mild oak, followed by bold flavors of black currants, ripe plums, sweet chocolate and a hint of mint. (200 cases, 14.5% alc.)

Woodward Canyon Winery $49 2006 Artist Series #15 Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington When Rick Small launched his “Artist Series” Cab, it showcased Canoe Ridge Vineyards.

Other grapes have crept into the blend over the years, often the finest in the state. This includes some of his favorites, including Champoux, DuBrul, Charbonneau, Sagemoor and Woodward Canyon.

The wine is a winner with aromas of cherries, vanilla and chocolate, followed by hedonistic flavors of black cherries, oak and lingering chocolate. (2,795 cases, 14.5% alc.)

Cadaretta $40 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Veteran Walla Walla winemaker and French emigre Virginie Bourgue oversees the operation for this hot new property in Walla Walla. This new release offers up aromas of boysenberries and marionberries

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

TA S T I N G R E S U LT S

along with dark chocolate and mint, followed by bold, luscious flavors of ripe dark fruit and ample acidity and tannin. (1,884 cases, 15.4% alc.)

but sold out since a positive review appeared in the Globe & Mail in Toronto earlier this year. (1,355 cases, 14% alc.)

Claar Cellars $19 2006 White Bluffs Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley The Whitelatch family farms nearly 100 acres of grapes on dramatic bluffs overlooking the Columbia River north of Pasco, Wash., with a tasting room along the interstate in Zillah. This affordable Cab offers aromas of black and red currants, sweet plums and pie cherries, followed by bold flavors of cherries, blackberries and freshly brewed coffee. It’s a rich wine through the lengthy finish. (240 cases, 13.6% alc.)

Lindsay Cellars $48 2004 Del Rio Vineyard Caberent Sauvignon, Rogue Valley This ultra-premium label for Stone Wolf Vineyards is in McMinnville, Ore., though the grapes for this came from famed Del Rio Vineyard near Medford. The resulting wine is loaded with aromas of pomegranates, cherries and cedar, followed by bright, approachable flavors of red berries backed with pleasing tannins and mild oak. (100 cases, 15.3% alc.)

Kiona Vineyards Winery $35 2004 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain Winemaker Scott Williams’ family was the first to farm this ridge in the eastern Yakima Valley for wine grapes, back in the early 1970s. He used estate fruit for this reserve-level Cab. It’s a powerful wine with enchanting aromas of oak, black cherries, saddle leather and cocoa powder, followed by graceful flavors of huckleberries, dark cherries and a hint of cola. (217 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Silvan Ridge $24 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Rogue Valley One of the southern Willamette Valley’s largest wineries, Silvan Ridge near Eugene, Ore., has been going strong since 1979. This Cab from Southern Oregon opens with aromas of oregano, black cherries, vanilla, smoke and black olives, followed by dense, ripe flavors of black currants and black plums. Modest tannins and elegant oak notes offer nice complexity through the impressive finish.

(188 cases, 14.6% alc.)

Snoqualmie Vineyards $20 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Since 1991, Joy Andersen has overseen winemaking for this Ste. Michelle Wine Estates property.

And through the years, she has made those wines in various facilities from the Wahluke Slope to the Horse Heaven Hills until getting a permanent home in Prosser, Wash. This Reserve-level Cab opens with a beautiful nose of huckleberries, black cherries and cedar, followed by elegant dark fruit backed with nice acidity and modest tannins. (600 cases, 14.1% alc.)

Spangler Vineyards $26 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Southern Oregon Pat and Loree Spangler have taken the old La Garza Cellars in Roseburg, Ore., to great heights, including a Platinum from Wine Press Northwest.

This Cab continues the tradition with aromas of pie cherries, huckleberries and chocolate, followed by gentle flavors of raspberries and cherries, all backed with mild tannins. (324 cases, 13.4% alc.)

Two Mountain Winery $28 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Yakima Valley Since 2002, brothers Matthew and Patrick Rawn have been producing superb wines from their location in the Rattlesnake Hills town of Zillah, Wash. This Cab opens with aromas of sweet spices and black currants, followed by impressive flavors of black and red fruits and moderate tannins. (363 cases, 13.9% alc.)

Burrowing Owl Estate Winery $38 CDN 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Okanagan Valley One of the southern Okanagan Valley’s most impressive facilities includes vineyards, a tasting room, a restaurant and guest villas. The wine is delicious, as well. This Cab opens with aromas of bread crust, sausage and black fruit, followed by flavors of dark fruit backed with bold tannins. The wine is all

Skylite Cellars $28 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley Most of the fruit for this wine comes from Skylite Cellars’ estate vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley. It shows off aromas of fresh dill, pie cherres and cedar, followed by flavors of juicy Van cherries and notes of spearmint. (100 cases, 14.3% alc.)

Spangler Vineyards $50 2006 Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Southern Oregon Owner/winemaker Pat Spangler’s upper-end Cab from estate grapes is a superb red with good complexity from first whiff through the lengthy finish. It opens with well-balanced aromas of oak, chocolate, dark fruit, toffee and sweet herbs, followed by flavors of raspberries, black cherries and chocolate. This is a well-built wine with good tannic grip on the finish. (160 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Trust Cellars $36 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley This well-made Cab from a young producer in Walla Walla, Wash., uses grapes from top vineyards such as Phinny Hill and Champoux in the Horse Heaven Hills and Sagemoor’s Bacchus block in the Columbia Valley, as well as some Walla Walla Valley Merlot. It’s a luscious wine with aromas and flavors of blackberries, bing cherries and a rich smokiness that provides us with fond memories of a summer beach campfire. (235 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Sineann $30 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Owner/winemaker Peter Rosback’s mainstream Cab is one of only about six or seven he crafts in his Newberg, Ore., winery. This offers aromas of blackberries, cherries and bittersweet chocolate, followed by luscious flavors of marionberries, strawberries, a hint of dill and sweet dried herbs. The tannins are still a bit tightly wound, so we expect this to further improve with time. (400 cases, 14.8% alc.)

CedarCreek Estate Winery $45 CDN 2006 Platinum Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Okanagan Valley American expat Tom Di Bello is closing in on his first full decade in British Columbia after tours in California, Australia and Washington.

His wines at this Kelowna producer have been consistently superb, and this Cab is no exception. It opens with aromas of rich blackberries, slate and dark chocolate and palate-coating flavors of black cherries, blackberries and a bit of Baker’s chocolate.

(502 cases, 13.9% alc.)

Girardet Wine Cellars $25 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Umpqua Valley The father-son team of Philippe and Marc Girardet is one of the most underrated in the Southern Oregon wine scene, having first planted their estate vineyard in 1971. This Cab from Umpqua Valley grapes opens with aromas of plums, alder smoke and minerals, followed by flavors of ripe black plums and even cranberries. It’s a fairly juicy palate though backed with solid tannins. (436 cases, 13.8% alc.)

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

73

66-75 Fab Cabs.qxd

8/31/09

10:36 AM

TA S T I N G R E S U LT S

Page 74

fab cabs

RECOMMENDED

roasted coffee beans, raspberries, vanilla and a touch of herbs. Enjoy this with slices of prosciutto.

(225,000 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Chateau Ste. Michelle $25 2006 Canoe Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills Legend has it this ridge along the Columbia River was named by Lewis & Clark as they floated by heading to the Pacific. We don’t necessarily see the canoe, but we see why wine grapes are popular here. This wine reveals aromas of dusty cherries and something that reminds us of a dusty country road after a summer rainstorm. On the palate, it’s a muscular wine with big cherry and wild strawberry notes backed with tight, focused tannins.

(3,000 cases, 14.2% alc.)

Best Buy! Columbia Crest $11 2006 Grand Estates Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley This is one of America’s more respected value-priced wines, thanks to its consistently high quality and nationwide availability. This vintage reveals aromas and flavors of sweet herbs, simmering tomato sauce, dark-toned fruit and underlying chocolate. Modest tannins and the price tag make this a drink-now wine. (200,000 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Vin du Lac of Chelan $35 2006 Barrel Select Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Owner/winemaker Larry Lehmbecker’s newest release of Cab is a richly structured red with aromas and flavors of black fruit backed with suave tannins and ripe goodness on the midpalate. This is still pretty young, and we would like to see what develops in the next year or so.

(220 cases, 14.7% alc.)

Lake Chelan Winery $28 2005 Rivers Bend Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley This winery on the north shore of Lake Chelan is famous for its barbecues amid the vines, and this Cab is made for just such an occasion, thanks to its aromas and flavors of plums, blackberries, dark chocolate and silky tannins. (749 cases, 13.7% alc.)

Columbia Winery $30 2005 Red Willow Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Yakima Valley The relationship between grower Mike Sauer and winemaker David Lake is legendary, and this is one of the last wines Lake worked on before he retired. It reveals aromas and flavors of blackberries, huckleberries and mint with chocolaty tannins that lead to a moderate finish. (1,000 cases, 14.1% alc.)

Hogue Cellars $30 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope As far as we can recollect, this is the first Hogue wine to carry the Wahluke Slope AVA on the label. The region’s warm climate contributed to the luscious ripeness in this Cabernet, which provides aromas and flavors of dark plums, rich raspberries, oak, chocolate and leather notes. (1,413 cases, 14.9% alc.)

Maryhill Winery $36 2006 Proprietor’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Our 2009 Washington Winery of the Year used grapes from Tudor Hill, Eagle Ranch and Conner Lee vineyards for this reserve-level Cab. It offers aromas and flavors of rich dark chocolate, ripe black fruit and whispers of smoke. (900 cases, 13.85% alc.)

Gilbert Cellars $32 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope Three generations of the Gilbert family oversee this operation in Yakima, Wash. These grapes come from the warm Wahluke Slope and reveal plenty of ripeness, showing off aromas and flavors of dark plums, boysenberries and sweet spices. Gentle acidity gives this youthful approachability. (110 cases, 14.9% alc.)

Pepper Bridge Winery $55 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley This winery near the Oregon border in the midst of the Walla Walla Valley uses grapes from its eponymous vineyard for this highly regarded Cabernet Sauvignon. It provides aromas and flavors of black cherries, blackberries and dark chocolate, all backed with elegant underlying tannins. (2,494 cases, 14.1% alc.)

Mannina Cellars $30 2006 Birch Creek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley Winemaker Don Redman crafted this wine from nearby grapes, with just under three barrels making it into this wine. It shows off aromas of black olives, pencil shavings and oak, followed by ample black fruit and chocolate undertones. (62 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Ward Johnson Winery $25 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain This urban winery at the foot of Seattle’s Queen Anne Hill uses grapes from famed Klipsun and Red Mountain vineyards for this delicious Cab. It shows off aromas and flavors of blue and black fruits, chocolate and underlying oak, all backed with bright acidity and modest tannins. (115 cases, 14.2% alc.)

Airfield Estates $32 2007 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Yakima Valley Using estate grapes from vines planted in 1989, winemaker Marcus Miller has put together a reserve-level Cab that has yet to show its full potential — though we can begin to get a peek at what it could evolve into. It’s a bold wine with inviting aromas and flavors of chocolate, black currants and tar, all backed up with rich tannins that are fairly harmonious. (189 cases, 15.5% alc.)

Cathedral Ridge Winery $44 2006 Reserve Caberent Sauvignon, Columbia Valley This Hood River, Ore., winery relies on fruit primarily from the surrounding areas, including warmer spots around The Dalles. This big Cab is loaded with ripe black fruit, including blackberries, black plums and hints of black currants. They meld with notes of chocolate and oak for a wine that has yet to show its full potential. (196 cases, 14.6% alc.)

Best Buy! Columbia Crest $8 2006 Two Vines Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Not surprisingly, the least-expensive wine in our judging also is its most widely available. This nicely priced Cab reveals aromas and flavors of

74

E.B. Foote Winery $18 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Owner/winemaker Sherrill Miller uses grapes from Graves and Milbrandt vineyards to craft this Cabernet Sauvignon. It provides aromas and flavors of oak, pomegranate and dark, leathery notes throughout. A tasty wine at an affordable price. (183 cases, 13.6% alc.)

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

Couvillion $27 2006 Sagemoor Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Owner/winemaker Jill Noble used grapes from legendary Sagemoor Vineyard in the Columbia Basin for this Cab. It is a bold wine with aromas and flavors of dark cherries, black currants, black licorice and hints of olives. (225 cases, 14.2% alc.)

DiStefano Winery $32 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley California native Hillary Sjolund crafts the wines for this longtime boutique producer in Woodinvile, Wash. This Cab offers aromas of minerality, vanilla extract and black cherries, followed by bright, racy flavors of cherres, raspberries and chocolate. (828 cases, 14.5% alc.)

Dusted Valley Vintners $26 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley The mainstream Cab for this Walla Walla Valley winery is a good one, with aromas of sweet spices, vanilla, pomegranates and dusty cherries, followed by flavors of Van cherries, vanilla and even hints of almonds. (852 cases, 14.7% alc.)

Gård Vintners $35 2006 Lawrence Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley This young winery has a long farming history on Washington’s Frenchman Hills north of the Saddle Mountains and runs its tasting room in the ever-growing Woodinville Warehouse District. This wine comes from estate grapes and exhibits delicious aromas and flavors of jammy black cherries and sweet spices. (107 cases, 13.9% alc.)

Lake Chelan Winery $28 2004 Rivers Bend Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley The Kludt family is the modern pioneer of viticulture in the Lake Chelan area, first converting orchards to vineyards in 1998. This Cab from estate grapes revals aromas and flavors of ripe black fruit backed with notes of oak and solid tannins. (1,398 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Bergevin Lane Vineyards $26 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley This Walla Walla winery is gaining a strong reputation for its delicious reds and whites, and this luscious Cab is no exception. It shows off aromas of ripe plums, dense blackberries and dark chocolate, all backed with fairly tightly wound tannins that need a little time in the cellar. (900 cases, 14.5% alc.)

Boudreaux Cellars $100 2005 Champoux & Loess Vineyards Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington Owner/winemaker Rob Newsom acquired some of the state’s most coveted grapes for this wine, including Champoux Vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills and Leonetti’s Loess Vineyards in Walla Walla. It’s a sturdy wine with juicy flavors of blackberries, ripe plums and dark chocolate, all backed with bright acidity and even tannins. (150 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Desert Wind Winery $18 2006 Desert Wind Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope One of the largest vineyards on the vast Wahluke Slope is run by one of the largest family owned wineries in Washington.

This Prosser producer has created a showpiece winery that includes a vast tasting room and guest rooms overlooking the Yakima River. This Cab is delicious and affordable. It shows off aromas and flavors of minerality, black cherries and hints of chocolate and oak. (5,236 cases, 15% alc.)

Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate $26 CDN 2006 Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Okanagan Valley This is the upper-tier wine for one of B.C.’s largest wineries. Jackson-Triggs brings its grapes from all over the Okanagan Valley, though primarily from the warmer southern end near the U.S. border. This reveals aromas and flavors of boysenberries, sweet cherries and raspberries, all backed with luscious tannins. (800 cases, 14.1% alc.)

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

66-75 Fab Cabs.qxd

8/31/09

10:37 AM

Page 75

fab cabs

BY THE NUMBERS CABERNET SAUVIGNON JUDGING

Here are a few interesting numbers from our big Cabernet Sauvignon judging: iϧ We judged 134 Cabs and reviewed 108 of them. Of these, 22 were rewarded with our top “Outstanding” rating, 46 earned our “Excellent” rating, and 40 received a “Recommended” rating. iϧ The wines reviewed here represent 782,058 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon produced in the Pacific Northwest. iϧ The average price of the 108 wines reviewed was $31.39. iϧ The average alcohol was 14.26%. iϧ The following appellations were represented: Columbia Valley (45), Walla Walla Valley (12), Horse Heaven Hills (9), Red Mountain (7), Wahluke Slope (7), Washington (7), Yakima Valley (6), Okanagan Valley (6), Southern Oregon (3), Rogue Valley (3), Snake River Valley (2) and Umpqua Valley (1).

Kestrel Vintners $22 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Kestrel Vintners has been producing wines of distinction since 1995 and owns one of the older and most-respected plantings in the vast Yakima Valley.

This is a delicious and well-crafted red wine with aromas and flavors of red and black cherries, shaved dark chocolate and hints of vanilla. (2,096 cases, 13.9% alc.)

Saint Laurent $22 2006 Estate Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope Craig Mitrakul is one of the rising young winemaking stars in Washington, and he oversees winemaking for this family operation in the Wenatchee area town of Malaga. The grapes come from an estate vineyard planted a decade ago by owner Mike Mrachek. This is a tasty Cab with classic aromas of ripe plums, hints of oak and a dab of dark chocolate. (825 cases, 14.1% alc.)

Wedge Mountain Winery $40 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain Owner/winemaker Charlie McKee used grapes from Scott Williams’ north block of grapes on Red Mountain. The wine was aged for 1,000 days in new French oak. The result is a luscious wine with aromas and flavors of black currants, sweet spices and ripe plums. (72 cases, 14% alc.)

Amavi Cellars $28 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley Jean-François Pellet oversees winemaking for this sister winery to Pepper Bridge, also in Walla Walla.

It’s a beautiful wine with aromas and flavors of minerality, blackberries and black cherries. It’s all backed with rich, sturdy tannins. (5,974 cases, 13.9% alc.)

Kiona Vineyards Winery $25 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington Kiona is the oldest winery on Red Mountain (as well as Washington as a whole). Second-generation winemaker Scott Williams crafted this older release, which exhibits aromas and flavors of blueberries, plums and cedar, all backed with pleasing tannins.

(1,500 cases, 13.8% alc.)

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

Sineann $64 2007 Baby Poux Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Not quite two barrels made the cut for this reserve-level Cab from one of Washington’s most famous vineyards (Champoux). It’s a dark, brooding wine that is still pretty tightly wound and will benefit from some time hiding in your cellar. At this time, it is beginning to reveal aromas and flavors of vanilla bean, black cherries and hints of violets. (48 cases, 15.1% alc.)

Covey Run Winery $26 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Kate Michaud oversees the winemaking for this large Washington brand based in Woodinville.

Her experience ranges from Walla Walla to California to New Zealand. This is a tasty red with aromas and flavors of black cherries, blackberries, red plums and hints of black licorice on the finish. (5,175 cases, 13.5% alc.)

DiStefano Winery $60 2005 15th Anniversary Ottimo, Columbia Valley “Ottimo” is the fanciful name given to this Woodinville, Wash., producer’s barrel-select Cabernet Sauvignon. This edition provides aromas and flavors of blackberries, boysenberries and hints of oak. Well-structured tannins provide a solid backbone. (175 cases, 15.3% alc.)

Best Buy! Duck Pond Cellars $10 2004 Desert Wind Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope The Fries family straddles both sides of the Columbia River, with operations in Prosser, Wash., and Dundee, Ore. This wine’s grapes come from estate vineyards on Washington’s Wahluke Slope but go behind the family’s Oregon label. It’s a rich wine with aromas and flavors of raspberries and sweet cherries and will pair well with roast beef. (8,140 cases, 14.5% alc.)

Novelty Hill Winery $25 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Former Ste. Michelle head winemaker Mike Januik crafts the wines for this Woodinville, Wash., winery, which owns vineyards on the Frenchman Hills in the

TA S T I N G R E S U LT S

Columbia Valley. This Cab exhibits aromas and flavors of strawberries, blueberries and plums with hints of chocolate around the edges. (3,832 cases, 14.4% alc.)

Church & State Wines $35 CDN 2007 Coyote Bowl Cabernet Sauvignon, Okanagan Valley Church & State, our 2009 British Columbia Winery to Watch, has its operations on Vancouver Island but reaches across the province to the Okanagan Valley for its grapes.

This Cab provides fascinating aromas of sandalwood, as well as flavors of cranberries, red cherries and red currants. It’s fairly tannic on the finish but well backed with ample fruit. (233 cases, 14.7% alc.)

McKinley Springs Winery $22 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills McKinley Springs is a 2,000-acre vineyard and winery in Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills owned and operated by the Andrews family. It uses grapes from the original 1980 plantings, as well as some from the vineyard’s newer areas.

The wine is loaded with aromas and flavors of plums, blackberries and sweet spices. (725 cases, 14.5% alc.)

Sovereign Cellars $36 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain This tiny producer in Olympia, Wash., has crafted a delicious wine using grapes from one of the state’s hottest regions. This opens with aromas of sarsaparilla, cedar and white strawberries, followed by flavors of pie cherries, black currants and whispers of oak. (34 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Thurston Wolfe Winery $20 2006 The Teacher Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington One of Stan Clarke’s many claims to fame in Washington wine lore was that he introduced Wade Wolfe and Becky Yeaman, who eventually married and started this Prosser winery.

Clarke, who passed away in late 2007, taught elementary school in the Yakima Valley and helped budding winemakers at Walla Walla Community College. This Cab honors Clarke on the name. It shows off aromas and flavors of pie cherries, sweet spices, black and red currants and something that reminded us of teriyaki. (300 cases, 14.5% alc.)

Best Buy! Dusted Valley Vintners $15 2006 Boomtown Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Dusted Valley Vintners in Walla Walla started this value label a couple of years ago, and it has been a hit. This delicious and affordable Cab provides aromas and flavors of cola, blackberries, cherries and Wheat Thins. It’s straightforward and easy drinking. (5,000 cases, 14.2% alc.)

Nelms Road $24 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington Woodward Canyon Winery’s second label has entered its second decade and is as popular as ever.

Owner/winemaker Rick Small uses it to “declassify” barrels and lots that don’t quite fit into his Woodward Canyon program, so the wine ends up here and is a value as well as delicious. This new release shows off aromas and flavors of cherries, cranberries, red and black currants and Baker’s chocolate. (5,521 cases, 14.1% alc.) ı AN D Y PE R D U E is editor of Wine Press Northwest.

JACKIE JOHNSTON , a freelance photojournalist, is a

regular contributor and the page designer for Wine Press Northwest. Her Web site is WineCountryCreations.com

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

75

44- ... Label ads

9/2/09

10:49 AM

Page 76

WINE COUNTRY: WALLA WALLA VALLEY

Semillon, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Red & White Blends Open daily 10am to 5pm • 509-525-0940 12 miles west of Walla Walla on Hwy 12 41 Lowden School Road • Lowden • Washington www.lecole.com

We craft elegant, approachable, award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Semillon. A small, family operation, we farm sustainably for the benefit of future generations.

Amavi Cellars

635 N. 13th Ave., Walla Walla, WA 99362

509-525-3541 Tasting Room Hours: Daily 11 am to 5 pm www.amavicellars.com

840 "C" St. Walla Walla, WA We are dedicated to making the finest wines in the Walla Walla valley for that special occasion with friends, family or both.

Open Sat. 10-4 Special Events & by appt

509-527-8400 www.fivestarcellars.com

76

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

44- ... Label ads

9/2/09

10:49 AM

Page 77

WINE COUNTRY: WALLA WALLA VALLEY Stop in and taste our new releases We look forward to your visit

Vineyard Ln & Mill Creek Rd, Walla Walla Open Saturdays Other times by appt. Call 509-525-4724 See our map: www.wallawallavintners.com

New September Releases: 2007 Morrison Lane Vineyard Syrah 2007 Pepper Bridge Vineyard Malbec

Tasting Room Open Daily 11 AM - 4 PM 33 West Birch Street • Downtown Walla Walla www.forgeroncellars.com • 509-522-9463

We produce elegant Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from our Seven Hills and Pepper Bridge estate vineyards. These luxurious wines showcase the distinctive terroir of the Walla Walla Valley.

Pepper Bridge Winery 1704 J.B. George Road, Walla Walla, WA 99362 509-525-6502 Open daily 10 am - 4 pm www.pepperbridge.com

Tamarack Cellars Come visit us at the Historic WWII Firehouse in Walla Walla’s airport complex.

700 C St. Walla Walla, WA Hours: Mar.-Nov. Thurs. & Fri. 12-4 Sat. & Sun. 10-4

509-526-3533 www.tamarackcellars.com

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

77

44 ... Label ads

8/30/09

11:22 AM

Page 78

44- ... Label ads

9/2/09

10:50 AM

Page 79

WINE COUNTRY: PROSSER

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

79

44- ... Label ads

9/2/09

10:50 AM

Page 80

WINE COUNTRY: COLUMBIA GORGE

Marshal’s Winery

Maryhill Winery

World-class wines, great selection with small production quality

9774 Hwy 14 Goldendale, WA

Taste our new releases!

2006 Lemberger 2004 Merlot 2006 Syrah

Tasting Room Open daily 10-6

Tasting Room Open daily: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

150 Oak Creek Rd, Dallesport, WA

• Gold medal wines

1/4 mile E of Hwy 197 & Hwy 14 interchange

• Huge Gift Shop selection

509-767-4633 Fax: 509-767-2194

Excellent case discounts • Shipping available www.marshalsvineyard.com • marshalswinery@gorge.net

80

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

www.maryhillwinery.com

1-877MARYHILL

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

44- ... Label ads

9/2/09

10:50 AM

Page 81

WINE COUNTRY: COLUMBIA GORGE

WINE COUNTRY: SPOKANE

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

81

82-97 Recent Releases

8/31/09

WINE REVIEWS

1:10 PM

Page 82

recent releases Dirty Laundry Vineyard

ABOUT RECENT RELEASES

2007 Pinot Noir

Wine evaluation methods

Okanagan Valley, 238 cases, 13.4% alc., $25 CDN

Recent Releases are evaluated under strict conditions to ensure objectivity. Northwest wineries submit wines to Wine Press Northwest for evaluation by Wine Press Northwest’s tasting panel. After wines are received, they are stored for at least two weeks and a third party serves them “double blind,” meaning the tasting panelists know neither the producer nor the variety. In addition, the panelists are served glasses of wine and are not able to view the bottles or their shapes prior to tasting.

Wines are stored in a U-Line Wine Captain, which allows them to be served at perfect cellar temperatures.

Price is not a consideration in these evaluations, nor is a winery’s advertising activity with Wine Press Northwest, as the magazine’s editorial/wine evaluation activities and advertising/marketing efforts are kept strictly separate.

The panel has a combination of technical and consumer palates. If at least three of the four panelists consider a wine technically sound and commercially acceptable, it is included here as “Recommended.” The panel may also vote the wine as “Excellent” or “Outstanding,” our top rating. Wines considered unacceptable by the panel are rejected and not included. Reviews are grouped by variety or style and listed alphabetically by winery. Prices listed are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated.

ues to display the promise of Pinot Noir in the Okanagan Valley. It’s 100% of the variety and shows some smoky oak behind the dark cherry, boysenberry and vanilla aromas. There a fresh and ripe entry of Bing cherries and blackberries across the palate, accented by moderate tannins and finished with Coffee Crisps.

Excellent. Consulting winemaker Phil Soo contin-

Reds

from 22 months in American oak and vines with decades of life in their history.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Pinot Noir

Girardet Wine Cellars 2007 Barrel Select Pinot Noir Southern Oregon, 2,585 cases, 13.1% alc., $25

Recommended. Philippe and Marc Girardet grow

this wine in the Old World style in the Umpqua Valley by dry-farming and using sustainable practices. The nose is of boysenberry, lingonberry, saddle leather and smoky bacon. It’s an easy drink of more boysenberry and leather with juicy Bing cherries, mellow tannins and good acidity. Enjoy with kippered salmon or quiche.

King Estate 2007 Signature Collection Pinot Noir

Alexandria Nicole Cellars

Aubichon Cellars

2006 Destiny Ridge Vineyard Alderdale Cabernet Sauvignon

2007 Pinot Noir

Oregon, 29,000 cases, 13% alc., $27

Willamette Valley, 103 cases, 13.5% alc., $34

Excellent. Only sustainably farmed grapes make

Horse Heaven Hills, 343 cases, 14.5% alc., $32

Excellent. A separate label for Le Cadeau, the

Outstanding! Drafting the name of the town you

focus of the program is on hillside fruit farmed by Buddy Beck, former vineyard manager for iconic Domaine Drouhin in Oregon.

It’s a high-toned and stylish Pinot showing pie cherries, strawberry/rhubarb compote and cassis. Mint, tobacco and red pepper flakes add spice up and set the table for a long finish of Craisins.

live in and using it on one of your wines is a bold play, but it's a bold wine. There’s no shortage of barrel accents — chocolate syrup, tobacco, coffee and leather — yet there’s plenty of black fruit to keep up.

Blackberry smoothness and Bing cherry acidity stand shoulder-to-shoulder with sinewy tannins.

Aubichon Cellars

Davis Creek Cellars

2007 Reserve Pinot Noir

2007 Williamson Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Willamette Valley, 325 cases, 14.1% alc., $42

Snake River Valley, 45 cases, 15.1% alc., $29

Recommended. This wine from Anam Cara (60%)

Recommended. Young Idaho winemaker Gina

and the Le Cadeau vineyards in the Chehalem Mountains with Vista Hills (30%) in the Dundee Hills makes for a plummy drink with black cherry, smoked pepper and green leaf tobacco tones.

Davis is well-acquainted with this vineyard after serving as Greg Koenig’s assistant on the Sunny Slope. She produced tones of black cherries, black plums, cedar and fresh green beans with chocolaty tannins, balance and a supple sendoff.

Mount Baker Vineyards & Winery 2006 Proprietor’s Limited Release Cabernet Sauvignon Yakima Valley, 762 cases, 14.1% alc., $16

Recommended. This sturdy wine’s pedigree

belongs to Crawford, Portteus, Lonesome Springs and Kiona vineyards, and it’s spiced up

by Merlot (9%), Malbec (8%) and Cab Franc.

Blackberry, milk chocolate, mint, coffee and bay rum aromas transform into flavors of more blackberries with cherries inside a chewy structure. Bright acidity and bittersweet chocolate show up in the finish.

Upland Estates 2006 Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon Yakima Valley, 99 cases, 13.7% alc., $28

Recommended. Dusty black cherries, cloves, boy-

senberries, cedar and coffee notes are consistent with the delivery. And that’s rich and bold

82

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

Cassini Cellars 2007 Reserve Pinot Noir Okanagan Valley, 150 cases, 14% alc., $34

Excellent. One of the newcomers to the “Golden

Mile” in British Columbia has released an easydrinking Pinot with a density of ripe Bing cherries and plums with barrel notes that include Chick-o-Stick candy, tobacco and cigar box.

Vines north of Oliver on the west bench supplied the berries.

David Hill Vineyards & Winery 2007 Estate Pinot Noir

it into this program of John Albin’s, and 104 lots — each fermented and barreled separately — were considered for this. Scents of strawberry/muscat jam, raspberry juice, Rainier cherries, apple sauce and milk chocolate come through onto the palate. There’s a smooth entry, and it’s an easy drink with pleasing balance. A sweep of more raspberries, red currants and chocolate signals the farewell.

Le Cadeau Vineyard 2007 Côte Est Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, 427 cases, 13.5% alc., $47

Outstanding! Colgate grad Tom Mortimer farms his 28-acre estate in four parcels that overlap plantings of different clones. Steve Ryan of Hopland, Calif., took over this portion from Josh Bergstrom, and the production features aromas of currants, plums, dusty cherries and horehound. On the palate, it leads with strawberry fruit leather, huckleberries and black currants among food-friendly tannins. Juice of cherries and plums creates a pleasant finish.

Le Cadeau Vineyard 2007 Diversité Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, 237 cases, 13.5% alc., $47

Recommended. Cheryl Francis and Sam Tannahill

of A to Z Wineworks created this from clones 113, 115, 667, 777, Pommard and Mariafeld.

The results are high-toned fruit of huckleberries and boysenberries, with food-friendly notes of crushed herbs, cherry juice acidity and sublime tannins.

Willamette Valley, 903 cases, 13.3% alc., $20

Excellent. Half of this 40-acre vineyard in Forest

Grove, Ore., is dedicated to Pinot Noir, and Jason Bull continues to excel. A complex and plummy nose of cranberries, pomegranate, cherries and raspberries includes hints of cinnamon, allspice and leather. The drink is one for more serious Pinot drinkers as it is high-toned with more cranberries and pie cherries.

Le Cadeau Vineyard 2007 Equinoxe Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, 450 cases, 13.5% alc., $47

Excellent. Jim Sanders — Tom Mortimer’s wine-

making partner in Aubichon Cellars — worked with the center cut of Mortimer’s vineyard. His building blocks were Dijon clones 667 and 777 with clone 115 and Pommard, and this seems W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

82-97 Recent Releases

9/2/09

3:15 PM

Page 83

recent releases the most oak-influenced of the series. There’s a jammy theme, too, joined by pie cherries, a touch of orangy acidity and tobacco in the finish.

medium body. Present it with grilled sockeye salmon or pork loin in a cherry sauce.

Le Cadeau Vineyard

Airfield Estates

2007 Rocheux Pinot Noir

2007 Merlot

Willamette Valley, 225 cases, 13.5% alc., $47

Recommended. Vineyard owner Tom Mortimer

employed Chehalem’s Harry Peterson-Nedry to work his rockiest section, which is overlapped with Pommard and Dijon clone 777.

The nose is reminiscent of strawberry Swedish Fish, joined by red currants and dusty cherries. The drink is all about strawberries and pie cherries.

Nk’Mip Cellars 2006 Winemaker’s Series Pinot Noir Okanagan Valley, 1,764 cases, 13.5% alc., $19 CDN

Excellent. Randy Picton can see the U.S. from

this winery in Osoyoos, B.C., and he picked up his passion for Pinot Noir while working for American expatriot Tom DiBello at CedarCreek in Kelowna. Black cherries, cocoa powder, vanilla, rosewood and forest floor notes help give this a delicate structure on the palate.

Merlot Yakima Valley, 331 cases, 16% alc., $22

Recommended. Grown-up fans of Dr Pepper

should have fun here, and winemaker Marcus Miller notes the super-ripe nature of this wine was not by design as the crop came in at 2 tons per acre. The goal was 3.5. It’s quite drinkable with tones of rich cherries, cola, raspberries, vanilla cream, shriveling strawberries and citrusy acidity. Enjoyed it with three years.

Alexandria Nicole Cellars 2007 Destiny Ridge Vineyard Gravity Merlot Horse Heaven Hills, 388 cases, 14.2% alc., $24

Excellent. Distant from the mainstream, soft-spo-

Okanagan Valley, 623 cases, 13.9% alc., $23 CDN

ken winemaker Jarrod Boyle continues to push out wines that are far from shy. And here’s another weighty one that starts the conversation with blackberries that lead to smoky cherries, chocolate, leather and toasty oak aromas.

Brassy fruit gushes forth on the tongue with more juicy blackberries, chocolate-covered cherries and some tart boysenberries.

Expressive tannins extend the discussion.

Recommended. Plums, black cherries, lots of

Camas Prairie Winery

Nk’Mip Cellars 2007 Qwam Qwmt Pinot Noir

chocolate and wheat bran flakes come across both as aromas and flavors. It's a juicy structure that features zesty food-friendly acidity rather than tannin.

Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyards 2007 Pishon Bloc Pinot Noir Umpqua Valley, 665 cases, 12.7% alc., $31

Outstanding! Stephen Reustle enjoyed a vintage

in 2007 conducive for his Pinot Noir, and this release in particular garnered gold medals in two California competitions. Named for a Biblical river in the Garden of Eden, here’s a babbling brook of high-toned red fruit as cherries, sweet cranberries, strawberries swirl all around. Accents of rose hips, crushed herbs and tart cherries mingle with the smooth and juicy structure.

Shadow Mountain Vineyards 2007 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, 506 cases, 12.5% alc., $20

Recommended. A lightly structured Pinot Noir is

the result of a slightly heavier crop (2.5 tons per acre) and a more subtle barrel program. Notes of pie cherries, brambleberries, pomegranate, cigar leaf, saddle leather and alfalfa swirl over soft tannins and lighter acidity.

2006 Champoux Vineyard Merlot Washington, 200 cases, 12.8% alc., $16

Excellent. It’s guaranteed you’ll never see another Champoux red priced within everyone’s reach.

Pie cherries, pink SweeTarts and cedar aromas transcend into appealing flavors of canned pie cherries, blueberries and Red Delicious apples.

The tannins arrive up front, but it's a party in the back. The structure and ripeness of the fruit make this appealing and fascinating.

Chateau Ste. Michelle

Columbia Valley, 1,700 cases, 14.6% alc., $28

Excellent. Vines entering their fourth decade of

life also contributed some Cabernet Sauvignon (22%) to this offering of sweet oak aromas, plums, figs, cedar and orange zest. Ripe boysenberry flavors include black currants and more fig inside a smooth and polished structure that finishes with bittersweet chocolate.

Chateau Ste. Michelle 2006 Indian Wells Merlot Columbia Valley, 23,000 cases, 14.5% alc., $23

Excellent. Typically, the Indian Wells program tar-

gets accessible fruit, and this glass of finesse is no exception. Wahluke Slope grapes dominate the equation, including Syrah (19%), and the subtle invitation starts with plums and toasted oak with cordial cherries, cola, leather and tobacco. Cherries, plums and blackberries spill out in a balanced, smooth and pleasing tone, a just a bit of tannin and crushed leaf in the finish.

Suggested pairings include flank steak salad and arroz con pollo — the Latin classic rice with chicken dish.

8th Generation Vineyard 2007 Merlot Okanagan Valley, 388 cases, 14.5% alc., $22 CDN

Recommended. Eight generations of winemakers

are on the tree of this family in Summerland, B.C. Inviting aromas of raspberry, Rainier cherry and green peppercorn are met by a bold rush of black cherries, chocolate and toasted oak on the palate.

Lake Chelan Winery 2006 Merlot Columbia Valley, 499 cases, 13.7% alc., $28

Recommended. One of the largest bottlings in the

Chelan Valley, its black cherries, dark plums, grassiness and juicy acidity should lend it nicely with a pepper steak or Hungarian goulash.

Lodmell Cellars 2005 Merlot

Excellent. Cold Creek Vineyard is across the

Columbia Valley, 200 cases, 14.4% alc., $33

Columbia River from the Wahluke Slope in central Washington and supplied most of the fruit in this high-end blend with Cabernet Sauvignon (10%), Syrah (5%) and Malbec. Aromas of black plums, cherries and cranberries are backed by abundant oak notes of brownies, black olive and peat moss. It’s boysenberry, blackberry and more chocolate in the flavors, with hints of strawberry and cranberry on the midpalate. The finish is a cup of oolong tea and cocoa powder.

Recommended. Andrew Lodmell makes the wine

Chateau Ste. Michelle

2006 Reserve Pinot Noir

Horse Heaven Hills, 11,500 cases, 14.7% alc., $22

Willamette Valley, 125 cases, 13.2% alc., $30

Outstanding! Mellowness returns with this medium-bodied Merlot that should serve as an example to follow. Bob Bertheau and Co., fill the nose with blackberries, strawberries and woodruff while allowing the oak to impart toasted hazelnut tones. It’s an easy entry of Bing cherries, lingering cassis and more nuttiness in a pleasurable structure framed by black tea tannins and Aussie black licorice.

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

2006 Cold Creek Vineyard Merlot

Columbia Valley, 2,300 cases, 14.5% alc., $31

2006 Canoe Ridge Estate Merlot

vineyard program near Eugene is coming into its own as shown with this release of Dijon 115 in Bellpine and Jory soils. The cropping to 2.2 tons per acres allows for red-toned aromas of cherries, cranberry, white pepper and cedar.

Long and spicy cherry flavors hook up with notes of cranberries, green tea and leather in a

Chateau Ste. Michelle

2006 Ethos Merlot

Shadow Mountain Vineyards Excellent. This expanding eponymous estate

WINE REVIEWS

and manages the vineyards along the Snake River near Fishhook Park in Pasco, Wash. The combination created a wine full of black cherries, tobacco, alder smoke, pink peppercorns and lip-smacking Super 100 cherry tomato acidity.

Merry Cellars 2007 Stillwater Creek Vineyard Merlot Columbia Valley, 190 cases, 15.1% alc., $30

Excellent. One of the Columbia Valley’s steepest

sites gave Patrick Merry a lot to play with.

Purple fruit aromas are joined by cassis, cedar and brown sugar, then it’s cassis, cherries, watermelon and blackberry chocolate cake on the tongue. Pleasing tannins and good acidity should serve this nicely with marinated flank steak.

Mission Hill Family Estate 2006 Reserve Merlot Okanagan Valley, 13.5% alc., $25 CDN

Recommended. President plums, Bing cherries, FA L L 2 0 0 9 • W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T

83

82-97 Recent Releases

8/31/09

WINE REVIEWS

1:11 PM

Page 84

recent releases

tobacco and 14 months in 50% new French barrels come together in a sweet, oaky and chalky structure.

Novelty Hill Winery

of Idaho’s "Lake City” winery. A nose of plums, Dr Pepper and brown sugar funnels into a concentrated and rich drink of plum cobbler, juicy boysenberries, mocha, coffee and tobacco.

2006 Merlot

Coeur d’Alene Cellars

Columbia Valley, 2,980 cases, 14.4% alc., $22

2006 Boushey Syrah

Excellent. This second label for Januik Winery

Washington, 172 cases, 14.1% alc., $36

consistently delivers, and here it's with a variety of tones that scream for steak. Black cherries, tar, tobacco, coffee, chocolate, pink peppercorns and beef juice aromas are matched on the palate in a delicious fashion with a balanced finish.

Outstanding! Dick Boushey’s Syrah from the

Pepper Bridge Winery 2006 Merlot Walla Walla Valley, 1,543 cases, 14.1% alc., $50

Excellent. A nearly even share of Seven Hills and

Pepper Bridge vineyards came into JeanFrançois Pellet’s way, and he lures you in with a bouquet of cherry cola, cinnamon, sarsaparilla and cedar. It’s a plump and round delivery of blackberry jam and bright red fruit, with copious levels of chocolate and ample acidity.

St. Laurent 2006 Estate Vineyard Merlot Wahluke Slope, 500 cases, 14.2% alc., $18

Recommended. Few wineries in the Northwest

feature a view as breathtaking and expansive as this estate winery near Wenatchee, Wash.

Their other vineyard, an hour's drive downstream on the Columbia River, produced accents of blueberries, black cherries and lilacs with abundant oak notes of vanilla bean, caramel, coffee and lingering tar.

Waterbrook Winery 2006 Reserve Merlot Columbia Valley, 3,024 cases, 13.7% alc., $20

Excellent. One of Leonetti Cellar’s estate vine-

yards — Loess — joins fruit from Wahluke Slope site Stonetree as well as Blackrock near Red Mountain to create an easy sipper. Aromas hint at blueberry, Bing cherry, malted milk, tobacco and forest floor. The flavors bring in more juicy blueberries and cherries that find a sweet spot on the midpalate. Frontal tannins, white pepper and tobacco accents will fare well with a tenderloin in a blueberry demiglace.

Syrah

Yakima Valley is among the most coveted by Northwest winemakers, and North Idaho winemakers Warren Schutz and Kimber Gates show you why. It starts in the aromas of strawberry fruit leather, Red Vines licorice, cherries, freshly brewed coffee, smoky bacon and rich chocolate. A sip brings almost guilty pleasure with Chukar Cherries and plum jam with juicy acidity.

Coeur d’Alene Cellars 2006 Envy Washington, 313 cases, 14.9% alc., $32

Outstanding! Our 2006 Idaho Winery to Watch

continues to secure its enviable place in the company of the top Syrah producers in the Northwest. Horse Heaven Hills fruit from Rob Andrews’ McKinley Springs Vineyard includes Viognier (5%) and produces opulent aromas of plums, black cherries and milk chocolate. It’s remarkably approachable with more plums and rich milk chocolate, Kona coffee and tobacco accents. Not only will you find it difficult to put your glass down, but you also can show patience in your cellar.

Coeur d’Alene Cellars 2006 Opulence

Excellent. Jeff Gordon embarked on his plantings

overlooking the Snake River near Pasco, Wash., back in 1980. One of his biggest crops is cherries, and this estate Syrah seemed chock full of them, joined by hints of soy sauce, saddle leather, cooked pinto beans, black olive and 70% dark chocolate. That rich structure and cherry-like acidity bodes well for suggested fare of lamb, grilled steak or the backyard burger.

Lake Chelan Winery 2006 Rivers Bend Estate Vineyard Reserve Syrah Columbia Valley, 195 cases, 13.7% alc., $36

Recommended. General manager/co-owner John

Abbott also owns this Washington vineyard that looks across the Yakima Valley between Benton City and Prosser. The nose is of boysenberry, lavender, burlap and abundant oak.

Huckleberries and more boysenberries, including with the seed, flow into a structure of lovely tannins.

Lake Chelan Winery 2006 Rivers Bend Estate Syrah Recommended. This family operation features Ray

Washington, 263 cases, 14.8% alc., $36

Sandidge as the winemaker and boasts a remarkable outdoor barbecue restaurant out back. Ironically, this wine broadcasts aromas and flavors of alder smoke, along with bacon, plums on parchment paper, blackberries, mint, pink peppercorns and tar. There’s also the foodfriendly structure of acidity winning out over tannin. No wonder barbecued meats sound good with this.

Recommended. Blueberries are supposed to be

L’Ecole No. 41

good for guys, and those little berries seem to fill almost every corner of this wine. Cherries and chocolate add to a juicy structure that’s bright with acidity and departs with berries and a tug of tannin.

2007 Seven Hills Vineyard Estate Syrah

McKinley Springs in the Horse Heaven Hills delivers aromas of pie cherries, horehound and pencil shavings, followed by a mouthful of cherry pie, oatmeal sprinkled with cinnamon and brown sugar, as well as assertive tannins.

Coeur d’Alene Cellars 2006 Stillwater Creek Vineyard Syrah

2007 Skyline Vineyard Syrah

Yakima Valley, 250 cases, 15.5% alc., $22

Snake River Valley, 68 cases, 13.7% alc., $20

Outstanding! The Millers cropped these grapes at

Excellent. Gina Davis and other Idaho vintners

3.5 tons per acre, which begins to explain its decadent nature. Aromas lead with boysenberry, a bit of loganberry, almond extract, milk chocolate and black pepper. A tilt draws in big and juicy boysenberries with smooth chocolaty tannins and a pinch of mint for complexity. Pair this with Tragerized ribs.

appreciate the hangtime these grapes get at 2,700 feet elevation. She took advantage of that and turned out a wine with aromas of dusty plums, thyme, menthol and tobacco. Real reward spills out with dark berries, cherries and plums in a supple entry. Complexity increases with more tobacco and coffee, then gives way to a lengthy finish. Her suggestion of prime rib will pair nicely with the slightly chalky tannins.

Washington, 126 cases, 14.2% alc., $40

Gilbert Cellars

Excellent. This Horse Heaven Hills site along the

2006 Syrah

north bank of the Columbia River is among the featured Washington vineyards in the portfolio

Excellent. It’s unmistakeably Syrah from the start

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

Columbia Valley, 2,300 cases, 13.7% alc., $20

Recommended. The reserve-style Syrah off

Davis Creek Cellars

84

2006 Syrah

Columbia Valley, 403 cases, 13.7% alc., $28

2007 Syrah

2006 Alder Ridge Vineyard Syrah

Gordon Brothers Family Vineyards

Washington, 661 cases, 14.9% alc., $40

Airfield Estates

Coeur d’Alene Cellars

with aromas of blackberries, blueberries, sweet cinnamon and hibiscus. The reward continues with more brambleberries on a palate that has a punch of food-friendly leanness on the midpalate. Cocoa powder, black licorice and tobacco round out the finish.

Wahluke Slope, 350 cases, 14.9% alc., $26

Walla Walla Valley, 1,013 cases, 14.8% alc., $37

Recommended. This stately vineyard in Milton-

Freewater, Ore., is a partnership with Leonetti Cellar and Pepper Bridge Winery, and the wines that come off it are destined for long life.

Plums, pomegranate and dark oak aromas are matched in a sweet manner on the palate. Firm tannins give way to a touch of tar and a trail of chocolate.

Lodmell Cellars 2006 Syrah Columbia Valley, 100 cases, 14.2% alc., $28

Excellent. While the family vineyard flanks the

Snake River, Andrew Lodmell relied on Alder Ridge in the Horse Heaven Hills for this bottling. Aging for 23 months in 3- and 4-year-old French oak helped him create stunning aromas of a blueberry shake, blackberries, vanilla bean, coffee and light cedar. Juicy blueberries are a force on the palate and abundant oak tones allow for beautiful flavors of chocolate, coffee and cherries.

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

82-97 Recent Releases

9/2/09

3:15 PM

Page 85

recent releases

WINE REVIEWS

Best Buys: Red wines Outstanding, Excellent or Recommended wines that retail at $15 and under.

DavenLore Winery

Mount Baker Vineayrds & Winery

NV Recovery Red

2006 Barrel Select Cab-Merlot

Washington, 120 cases, 14.9% alc., $15

Yakima Valley, 52 cases, 14.2% alc., $14

Recommended. This scenic Prosser, Wash., winery — a project of

Gordon Taylor and Washington State University soil scientist Joan Davenport — priced this blend for consumers waiting/hoping for the economy to rebound. The assemblage of Merlot (75%), Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot is an easy drink of blackberry syrup, first-pick Bing cherries, cola, nutmeg, chocolate and tea.

Excellent. Here’s an interesting project by owner Randy Finley, a 50/50 blend of his Propietor’s Cabernet Sauvignon and his Propietor’s Merlot, which he offers at a bargain price. It’s a spicy nose of black cap raspberry, cherry, pomegranate, mint, tobacco and Graham cracker. The basket of mountain berries — black, blue and razzy — pleases the palate, and supple tannins are ushered out by chocolate and star anise.

Hester Creek Estate Winery

Sagelands Vineyard 2005 Freddie’s Blend Red Table Wine

2007 Merlot

Columbia Valley, 2,990 cases, 14.1% alc., $15

Okanagan Valley, 2,100 cases, 14.2% alc., $17 CDN

Excellent. An era of transition seems to have ended at this storied win-

ery in Oliver, B.C., and here's wine that's done well in U.S. competitions this year. It also will fare well at the dining table with its Old World style. Cranberry, white strawberry with the leaf, Red Hots candy, root beer and green peppercorn notes feature bright acidity and sandy tannins.

Excellent. Frederique Spencer blends in Merlot (56%), Cabernet

Sauvignon (33%), Malbec (10%) and Petit Verdot, a collaboration primarily of the estate Canoe Ridge Vineyard with support from Andrews, Elephant Mountain, Pepper Bridge and Dovel. It features Rainier cherries, blueberries and leather tones in an easy-drinking style with a plush finish of warm oak.

Sagelands Vineyard

Lone Canary Winery

2006 Select Merlot

2007 Barbera

Columbia Valley, 336 cases, 14.1% alc., $14

Wahluke Slope, 440 cases, 14% alc., $15

Excellent. Lots of chocolate, cherries and loganberries — with a pinch of

Recommended. Spokane’s Mike Scott continues his tradition with the

spearmint and rub of saddle leather — are recurring themes in this juicy and lively drink that should be best enjoyed within two years.

Milbrandts’ Northridge Vineyard, and it’s one of the Northwest’s largest productions of this food-friendly Italian variety. Black cherries, plums, rhubarb and cola tones surround chewy tannins that gain favor on the second pass. Try with meats braised with a blackberry reduction sauce.

Snoqualmie Vineyards 2007 Naked Merlot Columbia Valley, 4,500 cases, 13.7% alc., $12

Recommended. Organically grown grapes in the Horse Heaven Hills

Mission Hill Family Estate

bring hints of cherry cough syrup, grape candy, cinnamon oil and cigar box amid a structure of assertive tannins.

2007 Five Vineyards Pinot Noir Okanagan Valley, 13% alc., $17 CDN

Outstanding! Whiffs of dried strawberries, spicy cherries, Bull Durham tobacco and mahogany create wonder. It’s Bing cherries and freshpicked strawberries on the palate with a bite of seed adding just a bit of tannin, giving way to a finish of pie cherry acidity. Its low alcohol also makes it easy for food applications, including salmon, chicken or cheeses.

Mission Hill Family Estate

Waterbrook Winery 2006 Merlot-Cabernet Columbia Valley, 3,965 cases, 13.5% alc., $12

Recommended. A pair of Horse Heaven Hills sites — Alder Ridge and Destiny Ridge — contribute to this 60/40 split focused on soft and ripe tones of black cherries, blackberries, malted milk, cola and brown sugar.

feature blackberry, Van cherries, fig and a chocolate brownie. The drink is full-flavored with boysenberries and plums that accent acidity, but there’s a good backing of tannin in the finish for pleasing balance.

and a toasted Triscuit drift out of this blend with Mourvèdre (3%). It leans toward juicy blackberries on the palate with good acidity and tamed tannins. A rich finish of chocolate and coffee.

Nicholas Cole Cellars

Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyards

2006 Dauphiné Estate Syrah

2007 Masada Bloc Syrah

Walla Walla Valley, 600 cases, 15.4% alc., $49

Umpqua Valley, 739 cases, 13.3% alc., $32

Recommended. A life of nearly two years in

Recommended. Black currant, dried strawberry,

French oak casts long shadows in this. And it's loaded with black cherries, chocolate brownies, dark toast and green peppercorns with a mouthful of tannin.

cherry, red peppercorns, tobacco and saddle leather tones combine to make this a juicy, straight-forward Syrah from Southern Oregon with bittersweet chocolate on the back end.

Novelty Hill Winery

St. Laurent

2006 Syrah

2006 Estate Vineyard Syrah

2006 S.L.C. Syrah

Columbia Valley, 1,233 cases, 14.4% alc., $22

Wahluke Slope, 700 cases, 14.2% alc., $21

Okanagan Valley, 950 cases, 13% alc., $37 CDN

Excellent. Mike Januik has been making wine in

Outstanding! John Simes continues to dial in his

the Columbia Valley for 25 years now, and here’s one of the most affordable and approachable Syrahs you will find. Chukar Cherries, black currant, coffee, black pepper

Outstanding! The Mracheks control more than 200 acres of vineyard, but they sell more than 80 percent of their grapes. Their winemaker, Craig Mitrakul, gets his choice, and here’s a prime cut. It’s easy to pick out the

2006 Reserve Shiraz Okanagan Valley, 12.5% alc., $22 CDN

Excellent. Proper hang time in vines near Oliver and Osoyoos, not far from the U.S. border, paved the way for this. Plummy aromas include black cherries, malted milk balls, cinnamon, sensual leather and pink peppercorns.

That plumminess continues on the entry with just a touch of greenness, quickly followed by more cherries and loganberries. It’s juicy with lovely smoothness across the tongue and blueberries in the finish. And look at that low alcohol!

Mission Hill Family Estate

Select Lot Collection program, and here’s the latest example, which ranks among the best Syrahs ever produced in B.C. Dark fruit aromas W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

FA L L 2 0 0 9 • W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T

85

82-97 Recent Releases

8/31/09

WINE REVIEWS

1:11 PM

Page 86

recent releases

fruit aromas of boysenberry and ripe Bing cherry, backed by hints of chocolate, coffee and cola. There are more Bings and chocolate on the vibrant and balanced palate, along with blackberry, sarsaparilla, Earl Grey tea and leather.

San Juan Vineyards 2006 Syrah Yakima Valley, 292 cases, 14.1% alc., $19

Outstanding! Chris Primus joined on as winemak-

er in time for this harvest, and he made the most of that first vintage, including these grapes ferried over from Kestrel View Estates in Prosser, Wash. Sweet oak aromas are backed by plum jam, canned cherry, vanilla, bay rum and anise. The drink is luscious with more plums and Van cherries, but there a sense of slightly unripe blackberries that accent the wine’s remarkable acidity.

Seia Wine Cellars 2006 Alder Creek Vineyards Syrah Horse Heaven Hills, 290 cases, 15% alc., $20

Recommended. Sugared plums, black cherries,

lavender, leather, leaf tobacco, orange zest and

86

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

bright, food-friendly acidity are the hallmarks here. This is the second bottling from this vineyard by the 4-year-old winery near Seattle’s Madison Park.

Sovereign Cellars 2006 Syrah Red Mountain, 50 cases, 13.8% alc., $32

Excellent. Dennis Gross, a retired science

teacher in Washington’s state capital, has been making wine professionally since 2004. He appears to understand chemistry, too. This work from Kiona Vineyards fruit allowed him to send out tones of cordial cherries, strawberry, vanilla, coffee and fresh-laid road tar. Its structure is balanced, and there’s a persistent finish of cherries.

Sparkman Cellars 2006 Ruckus Syrah Columbia Valley, 100 cases, 15.3% alc., $40

Recommended. This blend of Syrah (75%) off

Klipsun and Hedges gathers muscle via Cab from Lewis Vineyard (23%) and Petit Verdot off the Wahluke Slope. They collaborate for a straightforward and food-friendly drink of blue-

berries, pomegranate, cherries, cloves, spearmint and tar.

Spring Valley Vineyard 2006 Nina Lee Syrah Walla Walla Valley, 500 cases, 15.6% alc., $50

Recommended. Just like her vaudeville photo, this

comes off as smoky, seductive and even a bit steamy with raspberry jam, blueberries, black cherries, bittersweet chocolate and tarry accents.

Sangiovese Le Chateau Winery 2006 Sangiovese Columbia Valley, 220 cases, 13.5% alc., $34

Outstanding! White Bluffs Vineyard, the estate site of Claar Cellars, also accounts for the Merlot (5%) and Cabernet Franc (5%) in the release from Dick and Diane Hoch's new Walla Walla faux chateau. Cherry and plum aromas include chocolate and cinnamon spice from the two years in French oak.

Cherries and chocolate circle smoothly around the palate, followed by robust food-

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

82-97 Recent Releases

8/31/09

1:11 PM

Page 87

recent releases friendly acidity and a clove NECCO wafer as a final treat.

Lone Canary Winery 2007 Sangiovese Wahluke Slope, 382 cases, 14% alc., $17

Recommended. The Milbrandts’ Pheasant

Vineyard produced the fruit for this true-to-thegrape release. It’s a charming little wine with a red-toned fruit profile of Rainier cherries, boysenberries and strawberries with the leaf. Zippy acidity and chocolaty smooth tannins prompted thoughts of a Spanish stew with smoked paprika.

Whidbey Island Winery 2007 Sangiovese Yakima Valley, 300 cases, 13.5% alc., $18

Recommended. Greg Osenbach is among what

seems to be a growing number of Puget Sound wineries tapping into Crawford Vineyard for fruit. Snipes Canyon and Elephant Mountain also contribute to this drink of Dr Pepper, blueberry, allspice and bittersweet chocolate with juicy acidity and a tart, food-friendly farewell.

Tempranillo David Hill Vineyards & Winery 2006 Tempranillo Rogue Valley, 275 cases, 14.4% alc., $24

WINE REVIEWS

famous in the U.S. produces another noteworthy effort. There are aromas of black cherries, strawberry jam, Nutrella spread and a freshly brewed mocha. Inside is a bold structure of plums and Bing cherries with blueberry acidity and black tea tannin.

Excellent. Jason Bull turns matador on this bold

Spanish red as he removed it from barrel and re-blended the wine three times during a 27month period. The results show with juicy cherries, chocolate, coffee, tobacco, eucalyptus and saddle leather tones.

Davis Creek Cellars 2007 Wood River Vineyard Tempranillo Snake River Valley, 46 cases, 13.3% alc., $20

Recommended. This Spanish variety is taking off

in Idaho, and the expression by this young winery — which is moving to Caldwell — features a bowl of sweet cherries along with black plums. It’s fun and interesting, and there’s a cup of espresso waiting at the finish.

Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyards 2007 Reserve Tempranillo Umpqua Valley, 217 cases, 14.3% alc., $38

Recommended. The valley that made Tempranillo

Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyards 2007 Timnah Bloc Tempranillo Umpqua Valley, 661 cases, 13.6% alc., $26

Recommended. Dark cherries, plums and dusty

chocolate aromas filter into pie cherries and pomegranate flavors. Sturdy tannins make it lively on the palate. This sinewy red will pair nicely with lasagna or a well-marbled steak, and the combination of acidity and tannin bode well for the future.

Zefina Estate Winery 2006 Tempranillo Horse Heaven Hills, 100 cases, 14.6% alc., $25

Outstanding! Success stories continue to spread as this historic Spanish variety infiltrates the Northwest. Rob Chowanietz’s barrel program of 22 months delivered aromas of pomegranate, plums, dark toast, spearmint, raw beef and

Experience the Northwest’s Best Wine Store • Over 5,000 wines • Discount prices • Free local delivery • We ship UPS • Call for free mailer • Private wine lockers • Secured access • Climate controlled • Convenient location

2700 Fourth Avenue South Seattle, WA (206) 682-7374 • (888) 682-WINE www.esquin.com W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

FA L L 2 0 0 9 • W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T

87

82-97 Recent Releases

8/31/09

WINE REVIEWS

1:11 PM

Page 88

recent releases

Indian spices. There’s a nice big entry of blueberries, black currants, Bing cherries and dried fig, with juicy tannins and chocolate pudding in the back end.

Malbec Davis Creek Cellars 2007 Wood River Vineyard Malbec Snake River Valley, 47 cases, 13.5% alc., $20

Recommended. This site in Homedale, Idaho,

allowed young winemaker Gina Davis to bottle this Bordeaux variety for the first time. It releases aromatics of pie cherries, pomegranate, cocoa powder and a snip of cedar. Enjoy the plum jam as well as the concentration of cherries on the palate, with accents of Baker’s chocolate and coffee.

Gilbert Cellars 2006 Malbec Wahluke Slope, 275 cases, 14.9% alc., $26

Outstanding! This release notes the winemak-

ing transition to Justin Neufeld, who arrived at this rising Yakima winery in 2007 from Glen Fiona. The organic Doc Stewart estate vineyard makes for a nosefull of spicy plums, cinnamon bark, Tennessee red cedar and eucalyptus. It’s lively on the palate with concentrated cherry notes, juicy plums and bright acidity.

Sagelands Vineyard 2006 Dovel Vineyard Malbec Wahluke Slope, 560 cases, 14.1% alc., $18

Excellent. Longtime Yakima Valley winemaker Frederique Spencer shows a passion for working with this vineyard, having created both an exemplary rosé and this single-variety bottling.

There’s a creaminess in the nose with cherries, chocolate and warm oak, followed by a full-on fruity entry of more chocolate and cherries. It’s juicy with a roundness to the balance and capped by a cup of espresso.

Upland Estates 2006 Malbec Yakima Valley, 74 cases, 13.4% alc., $28

Excellent. Subsequent vintages of this from Todd

Newhouse’s winery will feature the new Snipes Mountain appellation. Here it opens with black cherries, milk chocolate and brown sugar notes.

The drink is thick, rich and very smooth with boysenberries and Chukar Cherries. A trail of coffee lingers in the finish.

Other reds Alexandria Nicole Cellars 2007 Destiny Ridge Vineyard Lemberger Horse Heaven Hills, 56 cases, 14.3% alc., $25

Recommended. There’s a history of success with

this Central European grape in this region of Washington, and there’s a future for it at this site. It’s heavy with black cherry, blueberries, mint, cocoa and anise, and the juicy structure makes it ready to enjoy now.

DavenLore Winery 2007 Durif Horse Heaven Hills, 101 cases, 14.9% alc., $25

Outstanding! Canadian-born Gord Taylor takes

88

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

interesting angles in Prosser, Wash., with his wines. Most wineries want nothing to do with this variety’s traditional name. Here, Taylor pays tribute to the late Francois Durif, who discovered the grape now known as Petite Sirah.

Effusive aromas from the Zephyr Ridge fruit feature blackberries, cloves and an Almond Joy bar. Bold black fruit, nutmeg and meaty flavors rush through, and Taylor tames the tannins with surlie aging for four months. Bright cherry acidity helps this pair with a French-cut ribeye.

barrels shows first in the aromas of raspberry, unripe blackberry, citrus, cedar, black pepper and tar. Early and bright acidity lifts the pie cherry and raspberry flavors. The tannins are akin to raspberry seeds, and the berries come back on the finish. Enjoy with grilled or smoked meats, but all that acidity bodes well for the cellar, too.

Kyra Wines

Recommended. It’s rare to see a blend of Italian varieties such as this Dolcetto (50%), Primitivo (25%), Sangiovese (12%) and Barbera (1%), and the addition of Syrah (12%) adds a lot of flesh. A hugely rich drink of black cherries, milk chocolate and blueberries, there a good grip of tannin in the finish for complexity.

2008 Purple Sage Vineyard Dolcetto Wahluke Slope, 100 cases, 13.5% alc., $20

Recommended. The estate vineyard of Kyra

Baerlocher and her husband, Bruce, produced a quaffable drink with this its second commercial vintage. It’s filled with notes of President plums, marionberry, pie cherries and root beer with chocolaty tannins.

Michael Florentino Cellars 2007 Monastrell Columbia Valley, 72 cases, 13.5% alc., $26

Recommended. Most folks outside of Spain

know this grape as Mourvèdre. In this case, there’s a splash of Primitivo (6%) blended. As a package, it features a marvelous nose of baked black cherry pie, blueberry, cocoa powder and slate. It’s pie cherry again on the palate, where a mild and mellow structure accents acidity over tannin with a dash of soy in the finish. Enjoy with marinated flank steak.

Pentâge Winery

Airfield Estates 2007 Spitfire Red Wine Yakima Valley, 95 cases, 14.3% alc., $24

Blackwood Lane Vineyards & Winery 2006 The Reference Red Wine Okanagan Valley, 240 cases, 14.2% alc., $89 CDN

Outstanding! One of Canada’s most expensive red wines is the product of Vancouver businessman Carlos Lee’s partnership in Langley with winemaker Charles Herrold. Each of the five primary Bordeaux varieties takes part in this presentation that invites with sweet oak, black cherries, dried strawberries, crushed herbs and pencil shavings. Cherries also dominate the palate, with red raspberries and boysenberries serving as background music. It’s sweet, juicy and lengthy. And built to last.

Bodhichitta Winery NV Primordial Compassion Red Wine

2008 Gamay Noir

Oregon, 20 cases, 12.5% alc., $28

Okanagan Valley, 120 cases, 13.5% alc., $20 CDN

Recommended. Mark Proden served 11 years in the Air Force as a pilot, and now he’s a Salem, Ore., winemaker providing public service by giving all his winery profits to charitable causes. His blend of 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon (66%) from the Applegate Valley with 2008 vintage blackberry wine releases notes of marionberry and strawberry. It’s got little in the way of tannin, there's a reward of acidity and it comes in bone dry, adding up to a worthy food wine.

Excellent. Wines of distinction continue to

emerge from Paul Gardner’s sweet spot overlooking Skaha Lake. This release from the estate Vista Ridge Vineyard opens with plums, pomegranate, cloves, horehound, almond and cedar aromas. It’s sweet with Bing cherries, raspberries and plums on the palate, yet shiny acidity and cinnamon bark keep it fresh and remarkably tasty.

Spangler Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc

Cassini Cellars

Southern Oregon, 284 cases, 13.4% alc., $24

2007 Maximus Red Wine

Recommended. This Roseburg, Ore., winery con-

Okanagan Valley, 800 cases, 14.6% alc., $34 CDN

tinues to make remarkable Cab Franc and includes a dash Petite Sirah (3%). Black cherry, Aussie black licorice, violets and pinch of patchouli lead the aromas. What spills out on the tongue are more black cherries and some blackberries, plum, loganberry, horehound and chocolate.

Excellent. Adrian Capeneata in Oliver, B.C.,

Red blends Airfield Estates

quickly caught the attention of Vancouver collectors with this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (59%), Merlot (37%) and Malbec from the Black Sage Bench and Road 19. It’s a noseful of dusty cherries, plums, chocolate and a pinch of oregano. And there's beauty in the glass with plums, black cherries and chocolate. It's statuesque in structure and finished with cherry skins and fresh coffee.

2007 Aviator Red Wine

Challenger Ridge Vineyard & Cellars

Yakima Valley, 222 cases, 14.7% alc., $28

2006 Gordon Red Wine

Outstanding! Here’s a product of Marcus Miller’s

Yakima Valley, 267 cases, 13.2% alc., $20

fifth commercial vintage, and it’s a family estate blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (49%), Merlot (22%), Cabernet Franc (12%), Malbec (11%) and Petit Verdot. Beautiful control of the

Excellent. Randy Bonaventura moved away from

Mount Baker to Concrete, Wash., to focus on Pinot Noir, but this tribute to one of his best friends is a nicely priced claret — Cabernet W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

82-97 Recent Releases

8/31/09

1:12 PM

Page 89

recent releases Sauvignon (53%), Cabernet Franc (42%), Petit Verdot (2%), Malbec and Merlot. Aromatics include black cherry, sandalwood, green tobacco, black olive and celery leaf. Cherries, plums and green peppercorns play easily on the palate with bright acidity, and the finish of Craisins bodes well for a turkey breast fresh from the oven.

Coeur d’Alene Cellars 2006 McKinley Springs Vineyard BDX Red Wine Washington, 274 cases, 14.1% alc., $32

Recommended. Production of this Bordeaux-style

blend doubled over the 2005 version. Cab Franc (45%), Cab Sauv (36%) and Merlot come together for tones of cherry jam, blackberries, juniper berries, cedar, anise and toasted oak.

Check their Web site to see the recipe for their suggested pairing — Three-Chocolate Cranberry Cookies.

Eaglemount Winery 2006 Eaglemount Red Wine Washington, 105 cases, 13.8% alc., $18

Recommended. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and

Syrah from Arianses Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope give this eponymous blend a cherry focus with mint, oregano and Italian parsley notes. Its round structure, bright acidity and enjoyable tannins make a perfect pairing with meat loaf.

Eaglemount Winery 2006 Meritage Reserve Raptor Wine Washington, 53 cases, 13.8% alc., $26

Recommended. The Olympic Peninsula winery

also taps into the Wahluke Slope for a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (52%), Merlot (37%) and Cabernet Franc (11%) for plummy, cherry, chocolate and cola approach built on acidity rather than tannins.

E.B. Foote Winery 2007 Remembrance Red Wine

Gilbert Cellars 2006 Allobroges Red Wine Columbia Valley, 781 cases, 14.9% alc., $24

Excellent. A history lesson is served with this

WINE REVIEWS

ery bears the same name as the AVA. So enjoy this strongly flavored package of black cherries, plums, chocolate and leather, all of it held firmly by assertive tannins.

blend of Syrah (60%), Grenache (22%) and Mourvèdre as this Yakima farming family pays tribute to a Rhône-based Celtic tribe crushed by Hannibal. The Carthaginian commander would have enjoyed this peaceful drink, which opens with boysenberry and marionberry aromas, joined by cherry cola, green peppercorns and freshly trimmed artichoke. Inside it’s akin to a warm berry pie with charming acidity and black cherries in the finish. Enjoy with spoils such as a marbled T-bone.

L’Ecole No. 41

GraEagle Winery

L’Ecole No. 41

2006 Red Wing Red Wine

2006 Seven Hills Vineyard Estate Perigee

Walla Walla Valley, 1,200 cases, 14.4% alc., $25

Walla Walla Valley, 1,627 cases, 14.4% alc., $50

Excellent. Estate fruit for this second label of

Recommended. Marty Clubb takes a similar

2006 Pepper Bridge Vineyard Apogee Walla Walla Valley, 1,748 cases, 14.3% alc., $50

Recommended. Blueberry, plum, black cherry,

bacon, lavender and pepper aromas emerge from this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (46%), Merlot (42%), Malbec (8%) and Cab Franc.

Black cherry flavors make for a mouth-filling entry met by muscular tannins that provide this wine plenty of strength for cellaring.

Nicholas Cole Cellars gives Michael Neuffer a nice set of tools in this melange of Cabernet Sauvignon (38%), Cabernet Franc (35%), Merlot (18%), Syrah (6%) and Petit Verdot. The choice of all French oak is apparent with warm toast among the blackberry, pomegranate, plum and cedar tones. A theme of blackberry and chocolate arrives on the palate with chewy tannins, leaf tobacco and a finish of plums.

approach to this Cab-led blend off his estate parcel in Milton-Freewater, Ore., as he does with the Apogee from Pepper Bridge. However, this merging of Cabernet Sauvignon (56%), Merlot (34%) and Cab Franc features a more hedonistic structure with black cherry juice, brown sugar and cola. There’s good grip from tannin, joined by underlying tar and tobacco, and finished with piece of caramel.

Lake Breeze Vineyards

Merry Cellars

2006 Tempest Red Wine

2007 Stillwater Creek Vineyard Mourvèdre-Syrah

Naramata Bench, 300 cases, 14.5% alc., $35 CDN

Columbia Valley, 210 cases, 15.6% alc., $36

Outstanding! While it ranks as the biggest red produced at this winery overlooking Penticton, B.C., it might also be its best. Merlot (60%) takes the lead with Cabernet Franc (35%) and Cabernet Sauvignon in support, and time in new French oak carries notes of Belgian chocolate in the nose, but not at the expense of the dusty plums and black cherries. The drink is a smooth one of blackberries, black cherries, a cup of mocha and a slice of gooey chocolate cake. Generous tannins signal the finish.

Outstanding! Palouse vintner Patrick Merry makes this a 50/50 split of Rhône varieties, and it’s a successful marriage. Most of the plum, cherry cola, strawberry Twizzlers, tobacco and mincemeat aromas make it onto the palate, but blackberries and red currants stand at the altar.

They are bound together by a pleasing structure, a scrape of tannin and a lingering kiss of black cherries.

Mission Hill Family Estate 2006 Five Vineyards Cabernet Merlot

Columbia Valley, 795 cases, 14.4% alc., $28

Lake Chelan Winery

Okanagan Valley, 12.5% alc., $19 CDN

Recommended. Once you learn the story behind

2005 Maximum II Meritage

this wine, you’ll understand why it’s Sherrill Miller’s largest production. She blended Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (30%) and Cabernet Franc as a tribute to her late husband, Rich, claimed last year by Alzheimer’s.

She donates $14 of each sale toward clinical research of the disease. Notes of plums, pomegranate, lavender and leaf tobacco make this one to toast with while seated to a table featuring prime rib.

Excellent. An assortment from five vineyards in

Columbia Valley, 203 cases, 13.8% alc., $45

Oliver, Osoyoos and the Naramata Bench were blended as Merlot (48%), Cabernet Sauvignon (37%) and Cab Franc. It equates to aromas of red cherries, chocolate-covered pretzel and cedar with flavors that also include plums and a tannin profile of jasmine tea. Suggested fare

Recommended. Trivia time: Why won’t this winery

be able to use Jones Merlot (60%) and Rivers Bend Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (40%) to this extent any longer? Because they come from outside the new Lake Chelan AVA, and the win-

Gilbert Cellars 2006 Claret Wahluke Slope, 952 cases, 14.5% alc., $20

Outstanding! Credit goes to the previous winemaker, Nate Gilbert, who created harmony with Cabernet Sauvignon (74%), Merlot (12%), Malbec (8%), Petit Verdot (5%) and Cabernet Franc from the estate Doc Stewart vineyard. There’s intensity from start to finish as cherries, vanilla bean, nutmeg, Ovaltine and tobacco abound. It’s supremely balanced inside its medium structure and features notes of hickory coffee and mocha in the finish.

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

Climate Controlled Self-Storage rentals with 24-7 access.

Dometic “Silent Cellar” wine cabinets for home storage.

Unique Wine Accessories and Necessities.

Steel Racks, Wood Bins, WineSafe Luggage & Lead-Free Crystal.

306 SE ASH ST. & MLK

503/231-1121 WWW.PORTLANDWINE.COM

FA L L 2 0 0 9 • W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T

89

82-97 Recent Releases

8/31/09

WINE REVIEWS

1:12 PM

Page 90

recent releases NORTHWEST WINE REGIONS

Northwest appellations The following are official viticultural regions in the Pacific Northwest.

Washington Columbia Valley: This multi-state appellation is 11 million acres in size and takes up a third of Washington. It encompasses the Yakima, Walla Walla and Chelan valleys, Red Mountain, Horse Heaven Hills, Rattlesnake Hills, Wahluke Slope and Snipes Mountain. It was established in 1984.

Yakima Valley: The Northwest’s oldest appellation (established in 1983) stretches past Wapato in the west to Benton City in the east and includes Red Mountain, Rattlesnake Hills and Snipes Mountain.

Walla Walla Valley: This multi-state appellation is in the southeast corner of Washington. It was established in 1984.

Red Mountain: Washington’s smallest appellation is a ridge in the eastern Yakima Valley. It is 4,040 acres in size. It was established in 2001.

Horse Heaven Hills: This large appellation — 570,000 acres — is south of the Yakima Valley and stretches to the Oregon border. It was established in 2005.

Wahluke Slope: Approved in early 2006, this huge landform north of the Yakima Valley is an 81,000acre gravel bar created by the Ice Age Floods. It is one of the warmest regions in the entire Pacific Northwest. It was established in 2006.

Rattlesnake Hills: This appellation is in the western Yakima Valley north of the towns of Zillah, Granger and Outlook.The appellation is 68,500 acres in size with about 1,300 acres of vineyards. It was established in 2006.

Puget Sound: This sprawling appellation is in Western Washington. It stretches from the Olympia area to the Canadian border north of Bellingham. It also sweeps through the San Juan Islands and to Port Angeles. It was established in 1995.

Columbia Gorge: This multi-state appellation begins around the town of Lyle and heads west to Husum on the Washington side of the Columbia River. It was established in 2004.

Snipes Mountain: This is one of Washington’s oldest wine-growing regions. At 4,145 acres in size, it is the state’s second-smallest AVA. Grapes have been grown on Snipes Mountain and at the adjacent Harrison Hill (also part of the AVA) since 1914.

This AVA is within the Yakima Valley appellation and was approved in 2009.

Lake Chelan: This area in north-central Washington is almost entirely within the Columbia Valley. It is a young area, with the oldest vines dating to 1998.

About 250 acres are planted here. It was approved in 2009.

Oregon Willamette Valley: Oregon’s largest appellation stretches roughly from Portland to Eugene. It was established in 1984.

Ribbon Ridge: This is the Northwest’s smallest appellation at 3,350 acres. It is best known for its Pinot Noir and is within the Chehalem Mountains AVA. It was established in 2005.

Yamhill-Carlton District: This is a horseshoeshaped appellation that surrounds the towns of Yamhill and Carlton. It was established in 2005.

Chehalem Mountains: This is the largest within the Willamette Valley. This 62,100-acre appellation is northeast of the Dundee Hills. It was established in 2006.

90

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

Dundee Hills: Many of Oregon’s pioneer wineries are in the Dundee Hills within Oregon’s Yamhill County. The appellation is 6,490 acres in size. It was established in 2005.

Eola-Amity Hills: This important region stretches from the town of Amity in the north to the capital city of Salem in the southeast. It is 37,900 acres in size.

It was established in 2006.

McMinnville: The hills south and west of the Yamhill County city of McMinnville are more than 40,000 acres in size. It was established in 2005.

Umpqua Valley: This Southern Oregon appellation surrounds the city of Roseburg north of the Rogue Valley. It can produce Pinot Noir as well as warmclimate grapes. It was established in 1984.

Rogue Valley: The Northwest’s southern-most appellation surrounds the cities of Medford and Ashland, just north of the California border. It is known for its warm growing conditions. It was established in 2001.

Applegate Valley: This small valley within the Rogue Valley is known for a multitude of microclimates that can result in wines of distinction and complexity. It was established in 2004.

Columbia Gorge: This multi-state appellation is around and south of the city of Hood River. It was established in 2004.

Southern Oregon: This AVA encompasses the Umpqua, Rogue and Applegate valleys and Red Hill Douglas County. It was established in 2005.

Red Hill Douglas County: This tiny appellation — just 5,500 acres — is within the Umpqua Valley.

Fewer than 200 acres of wine grapes, primarily Pinot Noir, are grown here. It was established in 2005.

Columbia Valley: This multi-state appellation is 11 million acres in size. It is mostly in Washington but also dips into Oregon along the cities of The Dalles, Boardman and Hermiston.

Walla Walla Valley: This multi-state appellation is in the southeast corner of Washington and northeast section of Oregon, around the town of MiltonFreewater. In fact, many of the appellation’s most famous vineyards (Seven Hills, for example) are on the Oregon side of the border.

Snake River Valley: This is in southwestern Idaho and southeastern Oregon. It covers 8,263 square miles and was established in 2007.

British Columbia Okanagan Valley: In the province’s interior, this 100-mile valley stretches from the border in Osoyoos to Salmon Arm in the north. Most wineries are near Oliver, Penticton and Kelowna. It was established in 1990. Spelling note: In Washington, the county, river and city are spelled “Okanogan.”

Similkameen Valley: This warm valley is west of the southern Okanagan Valley. It was established in 1990.

Vancouver Island: This marine-influenced appellation is in the southwest part of the province. It was established in 1990.

Fraser Valley: This farming area is in the Lower Mainland, south of Vancouver. It was established in 1990.

Gulf Islands: This appellation, the province’s newest, includes approximately 100 islands spread out between Vancouver Island and the southern mainland. It was established in 2005.

Idaho Snake River Valley: This is in southwestern Idaho and southeastern Oregon. It covers 8,263 square miles and was established in 2007.

includes lamb stew or duck confit.

Mount Baker Vineyards NV Tivoli Bistro Red Wine Yakima Valley, 23 cases, 13.4% alc., $25

Excellent. A true bistro wine in the sense that this

trio of Syrah (50%), Mourvèdre (25%) and Grenache (25%) was made for Bellingham's French-themed Tivoli Bistro. The ponderous oak in the aromas of coffee and ketchup lifts upon the entrance to the palate, where black cherries and bright acidity stand tall. Moderate tannins are covered in a sweep of milk chocolate and coffee.

Nicholas Cole Cellars 2006 Juliet Red Wine Walla Walla Valley, 150 cases, 14.1% alc., $40

Outstanding! A superbly structured Super Tuscan- style red has emerged from Michael Neuffer’s estate. Sangiovese (53%) takes the lead on Cabernet Sauvignon (24%), Cabernet Franc (16%), Merlot (4%) and Petit Verdot.

Dense aromas of blackberries and blueberries sidle up to plums, black cherries, moist earth, coffee and a puff of cigar. Smooth sips of blueberries and blackberry jam fill the mouth, and chocolaty tannins meet with the juicy acidity that calls for a New York strip.

Nodland Cellars 2005 Private Blend Red Wine Columbia Valley, 401 cases, 14.5% alc., $35

Recommended. Tim and Tracy Nodland christened

their Spokane Valley winery with this blend of six Bordeaux varieties off some famed sites — Seven Hills Merlot (43%), Pepper Bridge Cab (39%), Dineen Cab Franc (9%) and Gamache Malbec (5%), as well as Carmenere (3%) from Davis in Walla Walla and Petit Verdot via Jessica Vineyard near Red Mountain.

Hallmarks of this include black cherries, mint chocolate, fragrant oak, rosemary, saddle leather and a structure of richness with frontal tannins.

Patterson Cellars 2006 BDX Red Wine Columbia Valley, 235 cases, 14.8% alc., $22

Excellent. John Patterson’s connections in

Washington show with his grape sources — Boushey, Kiona, Milbrandt, Snipes Canyon, Wahluke Slope — for this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (55%), Merlot (23%), Cab Franc (12%), Malbec (7%) and Petit Verdot. It leans toward hedonism as new French oak helps elicit tones of blueberries, cherries, cocoa, cedar, tar and tobacco spin around into rewarding depth and a touch of sweetness.

Pepper Bridge Winery 2006 Seven Hills Vineyard Red Wine Walla Walla Valley, 462 cases, 14.1% alc., $55

Excellent. A classic blend from a stately vine-

yard, put in the hands of a skilled vintner, produces wines of distinction such as this. Jean Francois-Pellet brought in Cabernet Sauvignon (50%), Merlot (40%) and Cabernet Franc, then shepherded French oak barrels for 18 months. What comes out are aromas of boysenberry, strawberry fruit leather, allspice, fresh-cut hay, cedar, lilac and molasses. Very W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

82-97 Recent Releases

8/31/09

1:12 PM

Page 91

recent releases

WINE REVIEWS

juicy flavors of cherries, blueberries and black currants show a hint of sweetness alongside taut tannins.

take center stage and cast a lengthy — and sturdy — shadow into licorice and black olive accents.

tle in the mouth before a squirt of lemonade arrives in the finish. Serve with seared scallops.

RockWall Cellars

Whitestone Winery

Desert Hills Estate Winery

2007 Second Generation Red Wine

NV Piece of Red v 5.09

2007 Unoaked Chardonnay

Washington, 149 cases, 15.1% alc., $34

Columbia Valley, 450 cases, 14.7% alc., $17

Okanagan Valley, 700 cases, 13.75% alc., $17 CDN

Excellent. This new winery in Omak, Wash.,

Excellent. Michael Haig makes wines from the

Excellent. Ripening grapes on the Black Sage

photogenic family vineyard along the Columbia River not far above Grand Coulee Dam. This annual, albeit nonvintage blend, routinely sells out. It’s easy to see why as Merlot (60%), Cab Franc (30%) and Cab Sauv create aromas of raspberry, pie cherry, cranberry, chocolate and bell pepper. Foodies, in particular, appreciate this because the palate is that same high-toned red fruit, and orangy acidity pushes aside the tannin.

Bench is no problem as this winery near Oliver, B.C. shows. Pineapple, apricots and lemon/lime aromas include a kernel of popcorn. There’s supreme richness among the tropical flavors, emboldened by orange and grapefruit acidity.

grabbed gold at the San Francisco Chronicle earlier this year for its Riesling, and here’s a medal-worthy red, too. Cabernet Sauvignon (50%) from White Bluffs in Pasco, Wash., Merlot (47%) from Oroville and estate Maréchel Foch make for aromas of Montmorency cherries, Hershey’s Kiss, teriyaki, coffee, charcoal and fresh-cut Douglas fir. The palate is of sugared raspberries on top of chocolate, with coffee-like acidity and bracing tannins.

Sparkman Cellars 2006 Ruby Leigh Red Wine Red Mountain, 200 cases, 14.6% alc., $42

Recommended. Christian Sparkman is part of the

“Hoodinville” scene in Woodinville, but he’s also got some respected friends on Red Mountain. His blend of Merlot (60%), Cabernet Sauvignon (20%), Cab Franc (19%) and Petit Verdot (1%) is named for his youngest daughter and comes as a boisterous drink of blackberry jam, chewy blueberries, slate and bittersweet chocolate. As with many Red Mountain reds, they start to come of age 2-3 years after release.

Sparkman Cellars 2006 Wilderness Red Wine Columbia Valley, 400 cases, 14.5% alc., $28

Whites Chardonnay Bodhichitta Winery 2008 Chardonnay Willamette Valley, 30 cases, 13.4% alc., $30

Excellent. Wisconsin native Mark Proden sought

a return to his farming roots, so the former Air Force pilot modeled his new nonprofit winery in Salem, Ore., after the Newman’s Own line. This wine casts out aromas of Golden Delicious apple, pear and grapefruit aromas, but it’s bone-dry with piercing food-friendly acidity on the palate. The apple goes Granny Smith and that citrus will serve it nicely alongside a fatty fish such as sturgeon or oysters on the half shell.

Excellent. Christian Sparkman could charge more

Boudreaux Cellars

for his blend of Syrah (29%), Merlot (20%), Petit Verdot (18%), Cabernet Franc (18%), Petite Sirah (12%) and Cabernet Sauvignon, and perhaps he should considering he donates some proceeds to The Wilderness Society.

Plums, pie cherries, a scrape of orange peel and pleasing oak aromas are followed onto the palate. There’s marionberry jam and mint, then a bit of grip in the finish for braised meats or cellaring.

2007 Unfiltered Chardonnay

Spring Valley Vineyard

Chateau Ste. Michelle

2006 Frederick Estate Red Wine

2007 Canoe Ridge Estate Chardonnay

Walla Walla Valley, 1,500 cases, 15.4% alc., $50

Horse Heaven Hills, 12,000 cases, 14.4% alc., $22

Recommended. Vines surrounded by rolling

Excellent. Bob Bertheau champions this style of

Palouse wheat fields produce this Cab-based blend with 21 months of French oak behind it.

Blueberries, black cherries, pomegranate, bittersweet chocolate and bright acidity are its hallmarks.

Spring Valley Vineyards 2006 Uriah Red Wine Walla Walla Valley, 2,500 cases, 14.9% alc., $50

Excellent. French winemaker Serge Laville’s most prolific — perhaps best — wine ignores Cabernet Sauvignon. Instead, it’s Merlot (54%), Cabernet Franc (33%), Petit Verdot (7%) and Malbec. Their life in French oak is three months less than the other Spring Valley wines, and that is apparent. First come whiffs of strawberry jam, cherries, chocolate, coffee beans and celery leaf.

Smooth flavors of chocolate-covered cherries W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

Washington, 175 cases, 13.3% alc., $35

Recommended. Rob Newsom's cult winery near

Leavenworth, Wash., works with Celilo Vineyard fruit for the first time, and his use of neutral oak is key. Butterscotch, lemony citrus and apple aromas jump into that first bite of a Granny Smith apple. A mix of citrus and creaminess on the back will play out nicely with Alfredo sauce over pasta.

Chardonnay, and fruit for this richly colored drink comes from near sister winery Columbia Crest in Paterson, Wash. It’s unmistakable as aromas say Chard with copious notes of toasted French oak, buttered popcorn and butterscotch. There’s not as much oak on the entry.

Instead, lots of enjoyable creaminess with apple and pear flavors build along with acidity. It’s well-balanced for food, so try with grilled chicken, ginger/teriyaki-glazed salmon, pork or crab cakes.

Gilbert Cellars 2007 Estate Chardonnay Wahluke Slope, 217 cases, 14.1% alc., $20

Recommended. Doc Stewart Vineyard shows off

notes of citrus fruit, apple and lemongrass, then there’s the hazelnut and barrel aging accents.

The acidity and trailing grapefruit pith should pair well with poached tilapia.

JoieFarm 2008 Un-Oaked Chardonnay Okanagan Valley, 1,254 cases, 12.9% alc., $21 CDN

Excellent. Michael Dinn and Heidi Noble added

“Farm” to their winery brand and strive to make this in a style similar to the Macon region of France. Hugely fragrant is the nose of Golden Delicious apple, pineapple, starfruit, jasmine and honeysuckle. The drink is a quintessential oyster wine — dry and tart as apple transitions to lemon. Try it also with a fruit plate featuring pineapple, green salads or shrimp drizzled with a lemon chipotle sauce.

Spangler Vineyards 2008 Unoaked Chardonnay Southern Oregon, 168 cases, 13.9% alc., $20

Outstanding! Patrick Spangler left the Midwest five years ago to make first-rate wine in Roseburg, Ore., and here’s just his latest example. The nose isn’t all about fruit as the pear accents are joined by fresh sweet corn, marshmallow and sandalwood. Fruit explodes on the palate in delicious, but not sweet, fashion as more pears, grapefruit and a bit of nectarine with the peel appear. And yet its greatest quality might be the beautiful acid balance.

Sparkman Cellars 2007 Lumiere Chardonnay Columbia Valley, 14.3% alc., 450 cases, $32

Recommended. Brightly toned fruit from Stillwater

Creek Vineyard in the Frenchman Hills gives Chris Sparkman the chance to use native yeast fermentation, French oak and age on the lees.

Aromas of Asian pears, starfruit, lemon peel and nice minerality transcend to sweeter fruit on the palate. Think of Bartlett pear, tangerine acidity and shaved coconut with toasted filberts and butterscotch in the farewell.

Riesling

David Hill Vineyards & Winery 2007 Estate Reserve Chardonnay Willamette Valley, 488 cases, 12.9% alc., $18

Cave B Estate Winery

Recommended. Subtle aromas of apple, pineap-

2008 Riesling

ple, starfruit, dill, straw and artichoke are overcome by a wealth of fruit of the palate.

The pears, apples and creamy pineapples jos-

Excellent. Classic Riesling aromas of lime,

Columbia Valley, 375 cases, 12.7% alc., $18

apples in a harvest box and petrol ease into flaFA L L 2 0 0 9 • W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T

91

82-97 Recent Releases

8/31/09

WINE REVIEWS

1:12 PM

Page 92

recent releases

vors starting with a spoonful of lime sherbet. It checks in as juicy, tasty and a bit off-dry (1.8% residual sugar), then finishes with a notes of tonic water with quinine. Serve with a mild chili relleno.

palate with succulent citrusy acidity to counter the pleasing sweetness (2% residual sugar).

Enjoy as an aperitif or serve with peach cobbler.

Pinot Gris

JoieFarm 2008 Riesling

Bodhichitta Winery

Okanagan Valley, 1,071 cases, 11% alc., $21 CDN

2007 Pinot Gris

Outstanding! Michael Dinn and Heidi Noble

Rogue Valley, 115 cases, 13% alc., $22

describe this as a “delicate vintage.” Imagine what they will do with the next easy season.

Their goal is a German Spatelese, so their sugar measures in at 2.3%. And they’ve nailed the sweet spot. It’s not a Riesling for Grandma, unless her name is Helga, because its far from “brunchy.” Instead, it’s about minerality, river rock, lime and yellow grapefruit. The acidity is spritzy, and you’ll sense some lime pith and spearmint gum in the farewell.

Recommended. This new and tiny nonprofit winery

Kalala Organic Estate Winery

2007 Pontin Vineyard Pinot Grigio

2007 Riesling Okanagan Valley, 250 cases, 12.5% alc., $17 CDN

Recommended. Nearly 20 years ago, Karnail

Singh Sidhu gave up his career in India as an electrical engineer to begin farming organically in the Okanagan Valley. Last year, he opened his winery and sold through this tasty introduction with accents of crème brûlée, Key Lime pie, apricots, honeydew melon, orchard blossoms and clipped artichokes.

Nodland Cellars 2005 Bebop Riesling Columbia Valley, 33 cases, 12.7% alc., $25

Recommended. This Spokane couple sourced

Riesling from Two Guns in Quincy and Pleasant in Prosser then did something atypical. They age it two years in stainless steel. It emerged with aromas of Juicy Fruit gum, petrol, butter and toast. The dry structure is laced with Golden Delicious apples and more petrol before lemon/lime acidity extends the palate.

St. Regulus Wines 2008 Reserve Riesling Snake River Valley, 33 cases, 13% alc., $19

Outstanding! There’s a new winery in the tiny

town of Weiser, Idaho, and Dave Rule gained quick attention with this release. Lively is the nose of apples, pear, honeydew melon, lime, fresh-cut asparagus and minerality. It’s delicious, luscious, refreshing and bright between the lips with apples and pears. There’s good balance and a touch of sweetness as an underlying tone of river rock adds varietal complexity.

Trust Cellars 2008 Riesling Columbia Valley, 224 cases, 12.4% alc., $16

Outstanding! Steve Brooks left his job as a CNN journalist to make wine in Walla Walla, and he knows how to balance his wines as well as his reporting. The story line for this production from CJ Farms, Pheasant and Evergreen vineyards starts with peach, tangerine and a hint of herbaceous in the nose. It’s a peachy entry on the

92

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

Van Westen Vineyards 2007 Vino Grigio Naramata Bench, 333 cases, 14.1% alc., $19 CDN

Recommended. The estate Home Lot Vineyard

produced a Pinot Gris full of aromas of green apple, pineapple, vanilla and cotton candy, followed by a fruity mouthful of juicy pineapples and more green apples.

Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc Alexandria Nicole Cellars

in Salem, Ore., recently donated $12,000 to school construction in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Mark Proden styled this in foodfriendly fashion with aromas of apple, starfruit, citrus and yellow popcorn, followed by a melding of Gala apple and Meyer’s lemon juice flavors. That wealth of acidity should sidle up to a shrimp salad.

Recommended. Hints of freshly sliced Fuji apple and pineapple from this estate site ride into more apple and pear flavors with a nice round mouthfeel, touch of nuttiness and citrusy finish of lime.

Davis Creek Cellars

Cadaretta

Yakima Valley, 63 cases, 14.1% alc., $16

Outstanding! Young Idaho vintner Gina Davis

must have connections because this Prosser, Wash., vineyard annually produces some of the best Pinot Gris in the Northwest. And she knows what to do with it, displayed first by aromatics of Fuji apple, gooseberry, pear, lavender, Juicy Fruit gum and a whiff of sea breeze. It’s juicy and bright on the palate with orange, grapefruit and lemon. Pears and apple return on the midpalate, and a slice of tart starfruit keeps it balanced.

Ponzi Vineyards 2008 Pinot Gris Willamette Valley, 7,000 cases, 13.1% alc., $17

Excellent. Sustainable farming is important to the

Ponzi family, and each contributing vineyard — Linda Vista, Lazy River, Gemini and Dion, as well as the three estate sites — achieves that.

No oak gets in the way here as the theme is pineapple, grapefruit, gooseberries and Granny Smith apple. Warm and juicy it is on the entry, with fresh-squeezed lemon creating a substantial finish.

Lake Breeze Vineyards 2008 Pinot Gris Okanagan Valley, 1,400 cases, 13.5% alc., $18 CDN

Excellent. Gary Reynolds worked the vines and

Garron Elmes turned the fruit into inviting fragrances of Honeycrisp apple, citrus and a hint of fresh-baked bread. What awaits are bright and juicy flavors of pineapple and apple that finish with flourish of tart lemon.

2008 Destiny Ridge Vineyard Steel Horse Sauvignon Blanc Horse Heaven Hills, 800 cases, 13.6% alc., $20

2008 sbs Columbia Valley, 6,000 cases, 12.5% alc., $23

Recommended. Huge notes of grapefruit, lemon

and lime peel make this deliciously tart blend of Sauvignon Blanc (79%) and Semillon an astounding food wine. Enjoy with flaky halibut and lemon, deep fried calamari, raw oysters, green salads or Asian fare.

Cave B Estate Winery 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Columbia Valley, 116 cases, 13.9% alc., $19

Excellent. Central Washington vineyards have

produced vibrant wines from this grape, and this expanding George, Wash., showpiece offers the latest example. Gala apple, lemon, some grassiness and a touch of mineral fill the nose. It’s a lively and juicy drink that features Granny Smith apples, a touch of sweetness on the midpalate and pleasing crispness on the back from lemony acidity.

Church & State Wines 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Okanagan Valley, 432 cases, 14% alc., $20 CDN

Excellent. Bill Dyer made his name in the Napa

Valley, but he no doubt enjoys working with the crisp whites in B.C. for this Victoria-based winery. Vin 117 in Oliver delivers the aromas of apricot, pineapple, apple, facial powder and grassiness that make it alluring. There’s more Granny Smith and juicy Barlett pear flavors with grapefruit and underripe pineapple. Enjoy with broasted chicken.

Lodmell Cellars 2006 Sauvignon Blanc

Noble Ridge Vineyard & Winery

Columbia Valley, 13.4% alc., 90 cases, $18

2008 Pinot Grigio

Recommended. Andrew Lodmell coaxed amazing

Okanagan Valley, 700 cases, 13.1% alc., $19 CDN

complexity from this. Aromas include peaches, carmel corn, lemon Laffy Taffy, lime and quinine.

The drink is refreshingly long and citrusy, akin to a gin and tonic, with some buttery oak notes.

Serve with ceviche or, as the Lodmells suggest, Penn Cove mussels with buttered linguine.

Excellent. This family operation along the

Corkscrew Trail near Okanagan Falls., B.C., ferments this in steel, then oaks it lightly. That explains aromas of pineapple and lime along with subtle notes of valerian blossom, vanilla and lemon pepper. Lime and orange dominate the structure, backed by tree-ripened Barlett pears and Honeycrisp apple. It's nicely finished with long citrusy acidity and guarded by screwcap.

Merry Cellars 2008 Stillwater Creek Vineyard Semillon Columbia Valley, 59 cases, 14.6% alc., $18

Recommended. Dressed for cocktails rather W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

82-97 Recent Releases

9/2/09

3:15 PM

Page 93

recent releases

WINE REVIEWS

Van Westen Vineyards

Ponzi Vineyards

2007 Viognier

2008 Pinot Blanc

Naramata Bench, 101 cases, 14.2% alc., $25 CDN

Willamette Valley, 744 cases, 13.7% alc., $17

Recommended. Robert Van Westen taps into his

Recommended. Thistle Vineyard in the Dundee

Orlando parcel for this wine, all of which he guards with screwcap. Orange blossoms and strong citrus flavors are joined by nutmeg and butterscotch, which create thoughts of an orange sponge cake topped with whipped cream.

Hills and the estate Aurora site in the Chehalem Mountains combine for aromas of peaches, oranges, petrol, honeycomb and toasted almonds. It’s akin to a Riesling on the palate with juicy pear and green melon, citrusy acidity and minerality.

Columbia Valley, 1,311 cases, 13.5% alc., $18

Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyards

San Juan Vineyards

Recommended. Mike Januik drops in some

2008 Noah’s Bloc Viognier

2008 Estate Siegerrebe

Semillon (10%) and the nose yields starfruit, dusty apple, tangerine, a hint of butterscotch and chalkboard dust. Think of semi-sweet citrus flavors as yellow grapefruit and tangerine acidity sits on the tongue. Apples and orange peel are found in the finish. Enjoy with steamed mussels.

Umpqua Valley, 332 cases, 14.1% alc., $22

Puget Sound, 365 cases, 11.3% alc., $18

Excellent. Stephen Reustle names his plot for

Excellent. Germans crossed Madeleine Angevine

than dinner, this first catches your eye with its rich honey color and whispers hints of banana pudding and butterscotch candy.

Busty barrels and sur lie aging make it seductive in the mouth with pineapple. You’ll also find moist apricots, pear and more butterscotch candy, then some Honey Nut Cherrios in the finish.

Novelty Hill Winery 2007 Stillwater Creek Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc

Biblical figures, and a menagerie of descriptors awaits, starting in the sweet aromas with cherry blossoms, apple, pear, candy corn, cotton candy and banana taffy. It’s a serious drink though with juicy Asian pear and Rainier cherry leading the charge. Lemon-lime accents provide crispness and balance. Enjoy with scallops poached with a mixture of lemon and lime juice.

and Gewürztraminer to create this variety, and it expresses itself quite nicely in the Puget Sound. Grapefruit, gooseberry, pineapple and tangerine aromas also show up on the tongue with nice upfront acidity and a generous long flavors of citrus and pith. Pair this with a couscous salad that spotlights Mandarin oranges and scallions.

2008 Crawford Viognier

Zefina Estate Winery

SuLei Cellars

Columbia Valley, 1,200 cases, 13.4% alc., $20

2007 Alder Ridge Vineyard Viognier

2008 Roussanne

Recommended. This Prosser-based winery rarely

Horse Heaven Hills, 250 cases, 14.6% alc., $20

Walla Walla Valley, 75 cases, 14.1% alc., $18

goes outside of its estate for fruit. Here’s an exception, and it’s from a vineyard nearby. Look for tones of Rainier cherries, peaches, honeysuckle and nice minerality that slowly build and are capped by a hit of sweetness (0.75% residual sugar).

Recommended. This wind-swept vineyard that

Recommended. A new boutique winery in Walla

Viognier Alexandria Nicole Cellars

Alexandria Nicole Cellars

overlooks the Columbia River produced a wine that includes Roussanne (14%) and features apple, fig, jasmine, grassy and smoky accents.

The structure features refreshing lemon with a round and creamy finish.

Gewürztraminer

2007 Mackay Epiphany Viognier Horse Heaven Hills, 250 cases, 13.7% alc., $24

Cave B Estate Winery

Outstanding! The omnipresent Jarrod Boyle

2008 Gewürztraminer

makes this wine special for the Mackay family and its El Gaucho restaurants. Orange blossoms, grapefruit, diesel and Orange Julius aromas funnel into deeper tones of orange, honeysuckle, fresh lemonade and lime zest. Its creamy and long finish may make you long for coconut-encrusted shrimp.

Columbia Valley, 117 cases, 12.7% alc., $22

Cave B Estate Winery

Recommended. A number of folks in Washington

made this Germanic variety off-dry, and this sits at 2% residual sugar. Leading with aromas of grapefruit, gooseberry and orchard fruit, it’s a nice sipper for those who prefer sweeter wines.

Very flavorful it is with pear, passionfruit and orange oil notes.

Walla gains attention with its use of grapes from Cockburn Hills Vineyard. Pear, peach, kumquat, Orange Julius and oak accents come together for a zesty and clean drink.

Troon Vineyard 2008 Vermentino Applegate Valley, 86 cases, 12.7% alc., $18

Recommended. It is believed that the Martin family

and winemaker Herb Quady are the only folks in the Northwest to work with this Italian variety, which comes off the estate Grafted Block. This second commercial bottling yields aromas of apple butter, grapefruit, gooseberry and clean linen. It’s built dry, and the palate focuses on yellow grapefruit and fresh-squeezed lemon juice. Enjoy with a grilled brat on a hot summer day.

White blends

2008 Viognier

Lake Breeze Vineyards

Columbia Valley, 245 cases, 13.9% alc., $20

2008 Gewürztraminer

Outstanding! Praise-worthy whites find them-

Okanagan Valley, 800 cases, 14% alc., $18 CDN

selves in your hands during social hour and also near your plate at the table. Young winemaker Freddy Arredondo delivers both with this Viognier. It’s a refreshing and inviting nose of citrus, Wenatchee Valley orchard fruit and minerality in the background. That delicious fruit is found again on the palate with Golden Delicious apple on the entry and lemon pudding in the midpalate, setting the stage for a long finish of lime. Enjoy with Asian fare or black cod at Tendril’s — the estate restaurant.

Outstanding! Garron Elmes remains on the

Horse Heaven Hills, 1,100 cases, 13.4% alc., $20

Naramata Bench and continues to produce some of Canada’s top whites. He does this in a dry style with plenty of exotic aromatics, predominately passionfruit and fruit cocktail. Its charm contines with flavors of fruit cocktail in a very light syrup, which accents the attractive acidity. Enjoy it with lunch on a sunny day at the winery’s Patio restaurant.

Outstanding! There doesn’t seem to be a grape that Jarrod Boyle and Jose Luiz Yanez can’t grow on the slopes overlooking Crow Butte Park and the Columbia River. Here's a blend of Rhône varieties — Roussanne (65%), Marsanne (24%) and Viognier — that’s effusive in its aromatics, leading with gooseberry, Bosc pear, McIntosh apple, llme and toasted nuts.

Complexity awaits with tons of acidity from flavors of sweet pineapple, more pear and lemon, then sweet figs on the midpalate. Buckle up for the big finish of lime.

Novelty Hill

Other whites Cascadia Winery 2008 Mariposa Vineyard Roussanne

Alexandria Nicole Cellars 2008 Destiny Ridge Vineyard Shepherd’s Mark

2007 Stillwater Creek Vineyard Viognier

Columbia Valley, 94 cases, 13.5% alc., $18

Cave B Estate Winery

Columbia Valley, 436 cases, 13.5% alc., $22

Recommended. White Heron’s estate vineyard

2008 SageCliffe 100 White

Recommended. Rhône varieties seem to thrive at

near Quincy provided all the fruit to this young winery in Peshastin. The results are an off-dry offering (1.7% residual sugar) with notes of lemons, limes and sugar cane, that are joined grassiness and chased with just enough acidity.

Recommended. Ask for this at the Inn at SageCliffe and you’ll find that it is unoaked Chardonnay. Granny Smith apples and citrus aromas are joined by hints of coconut milk and

this Frenchman Hills site, and this features dried apricots, pineapple, zesty orange and saffron. A touch of Roussanne (5%) adds notes of herbal tea and pear.

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

Washington, 511 cases, 12.9% alc., $19

FA L L 2 0 0 9 • W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T

93

82-97 Recent Releases

9/2/09

WINE REVIEWS

3:16 PM

Page 94

recent releases Dessert wines

(60%) and Merlot comes through with vibrant red pigment and tones of strawberry, cherry, rose petal, tobacco and bittersweet chocolate that would be delicious at a picnic or enjoyed with ham.

Airfield Estates

2008 A Noble Blend

JoieFarm

Excellent. Not often is a late harvest crafted in

Okanagan Valley, 2,440 cases, 12.5% alc., $22

2008 Re-think Pink Rosé

Outstanding! The Germans craft wines called

Okanagan Valley, 2,300 cases, 12.5% alc., $19 CDN

“Edelzwicker,” which translates to “noble blend.”

So Heidi Noble, and her husband, Michael Dinn, gather Gewürztraminer (36%), Kerner (17%), Pinot Blanc (16%), Auxerrois (13%), Pinot Gris (12%) and Oraniensteiner (6%) from eight vineyards. The results are stunning, and our space for description is limited. Apricot, grapefruit, women’s facial powder and a hint of petrol only begin to tell what the nose knows.

It’s tongue-wagging, explosive and slightly offdry with Texas pink grapefruit, Mandarin orange and lime. Lemons and apricot arrive in the finish. Serve with margarita chicken.

Outstanding! Among the most eclectic pinks in

such as elegant way. Dried pineapple, apricot and honeysuckle are joined in the nose with hints of nuttiness and botrysis. It’s a viscous drink, rich with dried papaya and reminiscent of a buckwheat pancake topped with apricot syrup. The residual sugar sits at 22%.

Twisted Tree Vineyards and Winery

Mission Hill Family Estate

2008 Trio White Wine

2008 Five Vineyards Rosé

Okanagan Valley, 280 cases, 14% alc., $22 CDN

Okanagan Valley, 1,381 cases, 13% alc., $15 CDN

Excellent. Three Rhône varieties — Marsanne

Recommended. John Simes and his team take a serious approach to pink in this blend of Merlot, Gamay and Pinot Noir. Aromas of strawberry lemonade, a Fuzzy Navel, apricot, rhubarb and fresh-cut grass play out in similar fashion on the palate with a dry structure (0.8% residual sugar) and pie cherries in the finish. As with so many in B.C., this went out under screwcap. Enjoy with roast pork or Easter ham.

almond, though, it does show oak-free on the palate. There’s a citrusy, mouthwatering and refreshing blast of orchard fruit, just a bit offdry.

JoieFarm

(50%), Viognier (36%) and Roussanne — were taken Oct. 1, Oct. 17 and Oct. 21 respectively off this scenic vineyard overlooking Osoyoos Lake. Newman’s Limeaid, Granny Smith apple, gooseberry, grapefruit and some herbal notes dominate this drink with spritzy acidity that will be well-served with halibut or cod with lemon.

Rosés

the Northwest, it’s also one of the best.

Gamay (36%), Pinot Noir (30%), Pinot Meunier (24%) and Pinot Gris. Think mixed berry compote, ambrosia salad and rose hips in the nose. Delicious and just a bit off-dry (.9%), it's a veritable cornucopia of cranberry, cherry, raspberry, lingonberry, blueberry and strawberry/rhubarb. As far as food apps, it’s difficult to go wrong. And for the Americans who complain we write too much about B.C. wines, Michael Dinn plans to export the 2009 vintage to Oregon.

Anam Cara Cellars

Sagelands Vineyard

2008 Nicholas Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir

2008 Dovel Vineyard Dry Rosé

Chehalem Mountains, 64 cases, 14.2% alc., $18

Wahluke Slope, 388 cases, 14.1% alc., $12

Recommended. A first-time production from this

Excellent. Frederique Spencer grew up in

budding winery features Dijon clone 115, it’s filled with notes of President plums, Cherry Coke, white strawberries and pink peppercorns.

The dry angle, vibrant acidity and pinch of spiciness will find favor alongside glazed ribs and other barbecued meats.

Provence and trained in Bordeaux, and this drinks so nicely she must have made pink from Malbec before. Aromas of Van cherries, strawberry/rhubarb pie and peaches play out on the palate with more strawberry and cherry flavors.

It’s smooth, easy drinking and a welcome companion at backyard barbecues.

DiStefano Winery 2008 Rosé Amaré

Willamette Valley Vineyard

Columbia Valley, 85 cases, 13.8% alc., $19

2008 Pinot Noir Rosé

Recommended. This saignée of Cabernet Franc

Willamette Valley, 838 cases, 13% alc., $16

Recommended. Approachable and quaffable, it

carries notes of strawberries, cranberries, tangerine, rose hips and pie cherries that finish with a drip of sweetness.

Sparkling wine Noble Estate Vineyard 2008 Semi-Sparkling Muscat Willamette Valley, 1,000 cases, 7.3% alc., $14

Outstanding! The world’s oldest grape variety makes some of the most delicious sparkling wines in the Northwest. Orchard fruit aromas of Granny Smith, peach, apricot and grapefruit include rosewater, mint and fresh linen. They are matched on the palate along with accents of tangerine and a pinch of rosemary. Tingly lemony acidity balances the residual sugar (5%). Enjoy during Sunday brunch or any other night of the week.

94

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

2008 Late Harvest Riesling Yakima Valley, 490 cases, 12.4% alc., $28

Alexandria Nicole Cellars 2008 Destiny Ridge Late Harvest Riesling Horse Heaven Hills, 470 cases, 12.5% alc., $16

Excellent. It’s a tasty first venture into the late-

harvest world for this Prosser winery, and it starts with dusty orchard fruit aromas, gooseberry, fruit cocktail and petrol. Rich and round, it’s pleasingly sweet at 3.2% residual sugar, well-made and balanced with flavors reminiscent of peach cobbler and Dole fruit cocktail.

Ice wine Upland Estates 2007 Vintage Muscat Ice Yakima Valley, 90 cases, 10.2% alc., $25

Outstanding! Drink in some history here as W.B. Bridgman planted these Muscat of Alexandria vines in 1917. Ninety years later, Robert Smasne turned them into a masterpiece. Open the jar on glacéed apricots, clover honey, jasmine, sliced apple, canned peaches, butterscotch, apple blossoms and cocoa butter. What follows is a spoonful of orange marmalade with more apricots, honeysuckle and then slices of pears and apples. Mouthwatering acidity provides balance to this rich nectar (24.7% residual sugar).

Port-style DavenLore Winery 2007 Dr. Davenport Syrah Forte Snipes Mountain, 55 cases, 18.6% alc., $25

Excellent. This is one of the first wines to display the new Snipes Mountain AVA on the label, and Gord Taylor names this dessert wine in honor of his wife, Joan, a soil scientist.

Rather complex, it opens with a nose of blackberries, golden raisins, a Tootsie Roll, Flintstone vitamin and a pinch of leafiness for complexity. Inside are long cherry flavors with strawberries dipped in chocolate and chocolate-covered orange peel. Taylor’s talent in managing alcohol shows in the syrupy smoothness.

Granite Creek Estate Wines 2005 Fortified Merlot Okanagan Valley, 18.2% alc., $23 CDN

Recommended. The Kennedy clan winery in

Tappen, B.C., opened five years ago on the northern edge of viticulture in North America near Lake Shuswap. They relied on French oak aging to produce a drink filled with fresh cordial cherries. black currant and sarsaparilla.

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

82-97 Recent Releases

8/31/09

WINE REVIEWS

1:13 PM

Page 95

recent releases

Best Buys: White wines Outstanding, Excellent or Recommended wines that retail at $15 and under.

Airfield Estates

Camas Prairie Winery

2008 Unoaked Chardonnay

2008 Chardonnay

Yakima Valley, 1,830 cases, 14.1% alc., $12

Washington, 200 cases, 12.8% alc., $14

Excellent. Either you like oaky Chardonnay or you don’t. Those who

Recommended. It’s tradition for Stuart Scott to take Chardonnay from

don’t, will enjoy this product from 12-year-old vines that soars with aromas of apricot, apple, pineapple and a hint of butterscotch. And the flavors match. Citrus integrates with the orchard fruit for pleasing length to be enjoyed on its own — or with white fish prepared with lemon, butter and capers.

Wyckoff Farms in Grandview and turn out inexpensive wines for the college town of Moscow, Idaho. Notes of apple, citrus, pineapple, coconut and timothy hay are releasd in gentle fashion.

Camas Prairie Winery 2008 Champoux Vineyard Domestic Goddess

Airfield Estates

Washington, 180 cases, 11.8% alc., $13

2008 Gewürztraminer

Recommended. This longtime Idaho winery produces two Orange

Yakima Valley, 317 cases, 13.3% alc., $14

Muscats off this famed Horse Heaven Hills vineyard, and this one weighs in at 7.4% residual sugar. It’s heavily peachy with tasty notes of pink grapefruit, pineapple and Honey Nut Cheerios.

Excellent. Alluring and perfumy is this nose that features peaches, apri-

cots, banana and Circus Peanuts candy. It’s a sweet and peachy entry with more orange on the midpalate. Despite the residual sugar (1.3%), there’s enough acidity to match with spicy Asian food.

Camas Prairie Winery

Airfield Estates

Washington, 100 cases, 10% alc., $15

2008 Pinot Gris

Excellent. Stuart Scott routinely wins accolades with this dessert wine,

Yakima Valley, 818 cases, 14.5% alc., $15

which he drops into 375-milliliter bottles. Rub a sliced apricot across your face, and you’ll get the sense of this, which includes accents of anise and Limoncello. Its pleasingly light viscosity showcases the sweetness (11.5% residual sugar), but there's ample acidity, too.

Excellent. Estate fruit and the eschewing of barrels are common threads

with Marcus Miller’s whites. Think of peaches and pineapples with this Pinot Gris as it lifts off with apricot and baby powder aromas. The landing is similar in a package of pleasing juiciness and balanced acidity.

Enjoy with sweet and sour pork or chicken.

NV Champoux Vineyard Late Harvest Orange Muscat

Challenger Ridge Vineyard & Cellars 2007 Pinot Gris

Airfield Estates

Yakima Valley, 163 cases, 14.2% alc., $13

2008 Riesling

Recommended. Equal bits of Viognier (7%) and Sauvignon Blanc (7%)

Yakima Valley, 510 cases, 14.1% alc., $14

add roundness and acidity to this oak-influenced release with starfruit, butterscotch gooseberry, pear and dusty apple notes. It’s just a tich offdry (0.9%) and finishes with some fig and orange.

Excellent. The Miller family established the vines for this in 1978, mak-

ing them among the oldest in Washington. Sectioned yellow grapefruit, spun honey, canned fig, petrol and diesel waft from the glass.

Cling peaches, baked apples and honey sweep through the lips along with candy corn. Next comes late tangerine acidity to balance the residual sugar (1.7%).

Airfield Estates 2008 Thunderbolt White Wine Yakima Valley, 428 cases, 13.5% alc., $14

Excellent. This young outfit in Prosser, Wash., has rapidly established a

reputation for deliciously affordable whites. A blend of Sauvignon Blanc (95%) and Semillon makes it a clean and mean drink with apricot, peach, honeysuckle and grassy flavors with bold orangy acidity. Food suggestions include Greek and Caesar salads, white fish and grilled asparagus.

Arrowleaf Cellars 2007 Gewürztraminer Okanagan Valley, 1,250 cases, 12.7% alc., $15 CDN

Excellent. The Zuppigers’ 20-year-old vineyard north of Kelowna and a

site in Carr’s Landing provide a balanced expression of apples, peaches, jasmine, jicama and lemon in the nose. In the mouth, it’s still peachy with firm nectarine on the midpalate and enjoyable crispness in the finish with yellow grapefruit.

Arrowleaf Cellars 2007 Pinot Gris Okanagan Valley, 585 cases, 13% alc., $15 CDN

Excellent. Manuel Zuppiger and our 2005 Winery to Watch in B.C. do

well with this variety, and it opens with classic starfruit, Fuji apple and sweet pear aromas. There’s a lot to like on the palate, too, with more of the same apples and pears. Lemony acidity provides balance, and it finishes with sugared (1% residual) yellow grapefruit.

95

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

Chateau Ste. Michelle 2008 Gewürztraminer Columbia Valley, 89,000 cases, 12% alc., $10

Excellent. There’s a warm spot in Bob Bertheau’s heart for Muscat

Canelli, and he shows why here. A portion (16%) goes into this wildly aromatic production that carries tropical notes along with Granny Smith apples, apricots, jasmine, honeysuckle, baking spice and cupcake sprinkles. Balanced sugars allow this to also be enjoyed with Asian cuisine.

Chateau Ste. Michelle 2008 Riesling Columbia Valley, 669,000 cases, 12% alc., $10

Excellent. Indeed, this ranks among the world’s more famous Rieslings

because of the price, quality and quantity — the largest production on the planet. The inviting nose is reminiscent of ambrosia salad featuring pear and apple, joined by jasmine, river rock, vanilla and cotton candy notes. More apples, pears, jasmine and some peach hit the off-dry palate in a juicy manner. Residual sugar registers at 2%, but it’s balanced by late acidity, capped with a squirt of grapefruit. Drink as an aperitif or serve with a cheese plate, crab or chicken.

Chateau Ste. Michelle 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Columbia Valley, 105,000 cases, 13% alc., $10

Outstanding! Australian winemaker Wendy Stuckey heads up the white program, and one wouldn’t expect her to make this Sauv Blanc in a New Zealand-style. Rather, it’s focused on Cameo apple and Barlett pears while also a bit tropical in the mouth-watering aromas. There’s a delicious entry of more pear along with juicy fresh-cut pineapple, and the great acidity just keeps on going. Suggested fare includes clams, halibut, oysters and herb-accented chicken.

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

82-97 Recent Releases

9/2/09

WINE REVIEWS

3:16 PM

Page 96

recent releases

Best Buys: White wines Outstanding, Excellent or Recommended wines that retail at $15 and under.

DavenLore Winery

Gray Monk Estate Winery

Yakima Valley, 72 cases, 13.4% alc., $15

the lemony finish that bodes well for fresh oysters. The residual sugar is 1.2%, and the enclosure is screwcap.

Excellent. One might appreciate the way Gord

Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery

Excellent. Sites in Kelowna and Kaleden, British Columbia, come together at this second-generation destination winery that's well-known particularly for its skill with whites. Aromas of grapefruit, kumquat, jasmine and jicama give way to on citrus across the palate in broad and dry style. There’s tasty drinkability here, and the finish of a lemon tart gives it depth.

2008 Riesling

Taylor in Prosser, Wash., describes the aging potential of this dry-style Riesling — “0-2 years.” There are hints of sweetness in the nose with pineapple and passionfruit mingling with lemon-lime, grapefruit and alder smoke.

It spotlights bright lemony citrus and a bit of orange pith, a combination meant for suggested fare as stir fry, hot wings or seafood.

Dirty Laundry Vineyard 2007 Pinot Gris Okanagan Valley, 687 cases, 13.3% alc., $17 CDN

Excellent. Hired gun Philip Soo, also consulting

winemaker at Cassini and Noble Ridge, dialed in the right amount of oak for this Summerland, B.C., winery. Tangerine, pineapple, dates, melon and delicate apple blossom are not lost in the nose or across the palate.

Pears and apples strike at the balanced midpalate before a dry finish that bodes well poached seafood or white meat.

2008 Classic Auxerrois Okanagan Valley, 2,300 cases, 13.3% alc., $14 CDN

Outstanding! Given that the previous vintage earned a Platinum from us in 2008, this comes as no surprise. Showcased are clean and crisp aromas of a caramel-covered Pink Lady apple, lemon, gooseberry and a slice of pineapple upside-down cake. Its supreme balance makes this easy to drink and pick out the pineapple, apricot and vanilla bean flavors. It’s also a remarkably adaptable food wine, serving as past Match Maker.

Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery 2008 Classic Dry Riesling Okanagan Valley, 2,000 cases, 13.4% alc., $14 CDN

Washington, 150 cases, 11% alc., $14

Outstanding! These wines are among the best and most-affordable in the Northwest, not just British Columbia. Think of spicy tropical fruit, Granny Smith apples, pink grapefruit, rosewater, lemon, a touch of herb and some minerality. The slightly off-dry palate pinpoints spicy citrus along with more rosewater and freshcut pineapple.

Excellent. This new winery on Discovery Bay

Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery

Eaglemount Winery 2007 Riesling

2007 Gewürztraminer Okanagan Valley, 3,300 cases, 12.5% alc., $17 CDN

Kyra Wines 2008 Chenin Blanc Columbia Valley, 430 cases, 12.5% alc., $13

Outstanding! No surprise here as Kyra Baerlocher earned our top rating two years ago for this variety and received double gold earlier this year at the Seattle Wine Awards.

There’s a beautiful display of orchard fruit, honeysuckle and Sprite aromas. Next comes a sweet entry of more lemon-lime on the palate with peach and citrus flavors. It’s very clean, fun to drink cold with the sugar at 1.7%, and yet it finishes dry.

Kyra Wines 2008 Pinot Gris Columbia Valley, 200 cases, 13.3% alc., $14

Excellent. Moses Lake’s first winery keeps giv-

Riesling, here’s a destination. Peach pie, pineapple ice cream, juicy Rainier cherries and grapefruit aromas play out in a pleasant balance of sweetness that’s capped by a twist of lemon.

ing folks more reasons to pull off Interstate 90. Pleasing citrus and gooseberry aromas include melon, a bit of butterscotch and a hint of grassiness. Inside, it’s strongly flavored with sweet peaches and honeydew melon, but a good whisk of citrusy acidity and a hint of pith provides balance. It’s easy to envision this with vegan entrees or seafood at Tsunami Sushi in Moses Lake.

2008 Riesling

Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery

L’Ecole No. 41

Washington, 15,000 cases, 12.8% alc., $13

2008 Dry Rock Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc

2008 “Walla Voila” Chenin Blanc

Outstanding! Gordy Hill, Mattawa’s Wahluke

Okanagan Valley, 650 cases, 13.4% alc., $16 CDN

Columbia Valley, 1,504 cases, 13.5% alc., $15

Wine Co. and the Milbrandts’ Evergreen Vineyard share in the credit for this wine that will make you feel good to be alive. Aromas of lemon-lime, ripe papaya, pineapple, petrol, sugar cane and jicama transcend into a bright entry of orange, tangerine and more pineapple. The sugar is balanced and the flavors linger. A portion of the proceeds sail off to the Ocean Conservancy, a bit ironic considering that suggested food pairings include grilled seafood.

Excellent. At a decade old, these vines are pro-

Recommended. Willard Family Farms committed

near Port Townsend offers up an off-dry Riesling (4% residual sugar) that’s akin to 7UP for grown-ups. Passionfruit, dried apricot, gooseberry, vanilla bean and margarita mix aromas swing into flavors for more of the same with some honeysuckle, honeydew and peach. A nice delivery of citrus gives it the balance of a surfer.

Flying Fish

Ganton & Larsen Prospect Winery 2007 Larch Tree Hill Riesling Okanagan Valley, 4,365 cases, 12.5% alc., $14 CDN

Excellent. This second label for Mission Hill

continues to expand and gather respect, especially among those searching for value.

Notes of pineapple, citrus, beeswax and straw in the aromas reach more toward citrus and apples on the balanced entry to the palate. A small herbal component is brushed aside by

96

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

2008 Classic Riesling Okanagan Valley, 3,100 cases, 13% alc., $14 CDN

Excellent. If you seek simple pleasure in

ducing some of the best whites in the province. And here’s a fine example of Sauvignon Blanc, keyed from the onset with aromas of tom cat, muskmelon, grapefruit, apricot, diesel and grassiness. There’s lots of smoothness with melons, sectioned yellow grapefruit with the pith and gooseberries filling the mouth.

to these Rattlesnake Hills vines in 1979, and this famed winery in Lowden, Wash., has been creating this wine since 1987. It’s barely off-dry and brings notes of pears, peaches, lemonade and coconut with ample acidity.

Merry Cellars 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Wahluke Slope, 175 cases, 14.4% alc., $14

Gilbert Cellars 2007 Riesling Yakima Valley, 273 cases, 12.9% alc., $15

Excellent. Justin Neufeld took over the wine-

making reins at this multi-generation winery in Yakima and produced an accomplished Riesling with this his first vintage there. Fruit from Olsen Vineyard allowed for scents of pear, apple and apricot fuzz as well as jasmine and petrol. Peachy flavors and citrusy acidity make for a dry feel on the finish to balance the residual sugar (1.3%).

Excellent. Terroir-driven Patrick Merry turns his attention to the Milbrandts’ Northridge Vineyard. It’s a delicate nose of Granny Smith apple, pineapple, lemongrass, almond and citronella. A succulent entry packs more pineapple, nectarine and lemon with some roundness in the balance and Limeaid in the finish.

Michael Haddox House Wines 2008 Chardonnay-Pinot Gris Yakima Valley, 13.9% alc., $15

Excellent. Once the winemaker at Glen Fiona,

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

82-97 Recent Releases

8/31/09

1:13 PM

Page 97

recent releases

WINE REVIEWS

Best Buys: White wines Outstanding, Excellent or Recommended wines that retail at $15 and under.

Michael Haddox has left the Winemaker’s Loft in Prosser, Wash., and here’s a second label for his new operation in Kennewick. Behind the aromas of Gala apple and pear, it smells akin to an Arnold Palmer — the popular mix of sweet tea and lemonade. A summertime drink, it’s a bit off-dry with Barlett pear, pleasing crispness and a lemony finish with no bitterness.

Mount Baker Vineyards & Winery 2007 Madeleine Angevine Puget Sound, 215 cases, 11.4% alc., $12

Recommended. This estate near Bellingham,

Wash., even supplied the Siegerrebe (21%) in this aromatic maze of peaches, petrol and apples. What follows is a balanced drink of pears and lemon bitters that should fit in nicely among offerings of cod, crab or shellfish.

Northwest Cellars 2008 Adagio White Wine Columbia Valley, 448 cases, 13.5% alc., $15

Outstanding! What began as a specialty label operation in Kirkland, Wash., has evolved into a business with special wines behind the label. Bob Delf’s cadre of winemakers presented him a fragrant blend of Chardonnay (61%) and Sauvignon Blanc with grapefruit, tutti fruity, rosewater and powdered sugar aromas. Yellow grapefruit and creamy orange soda flavors strike a clean balance and create a finish of orange icing on a bundt cake.

Sagelands Vineyard 2007 Chardonnay

Sagelands Vineyard

Two Mountain Winery

2007 Snipes Vineyard Riesling

2008 Riesling

Yakima Valley, 391 cases, 12.5% alc., $13

Rattlesnake Hills, 327 cases, 13% alc., $15

Recommended. At an elevation of 1,300, these

Excellent. The Rawn brothers made this seem

grapes are among the loftiest spots in the valley. Pleasing minerality, jasmine, Rainier cherries and nice sweetness (2.5% residual sugar) make this a fun wine for an evening with an attractive friend. Enjoy with roasted pork, a steamy bowl of pho or a fruit and cheese plate.

as though they picked this fruit off an orchard tree rather than estate vines. A perfumy nose of lime, tangerine and peach turns in a lipsmacking style on the palate of the same fruit.

There’s considerable sweetness (1.7% residual sugar), but the acidity balances it out in delicious fashion for brunch or the patio.

Six Prong

Upland Estates

2007 Chardonnay

2007 Gewürztraminer

Horse Heaven Hills, 606 cases, 13.7% alc., $10

Yakima Valley, 115 cases, 13.2% alc., $14

Recommended. The estate Alder Ridge

Excellent. Historic vines on Snipes Mountain for

Vineyard produced this easy drink that features canned pineapple, Uncola, butterscotch and lemon bitters. Pair this with grilled shrimp or halibut.

Snoqualmie Vineyards 2008 Naked Chardonnay Columbia Valley, 7,200 cases, 13.5% alc., $12

Outstanding! More parcels of organic grapes are opening up, and this fruit hails from the Horse Heaven Hills. It made the short trip to Prosser, Wash., where Joy Andersen seems to have passion for this program. Apricot preserves, apple and lemon taffy aromas evolve into flavors of peaches and more taffy. Yellow Gatorade on the midpalate and tangerines in the finish make this drink both a fruit bomb and a partner for poached scallops with lemon butter.

Columbia Valley, 5,994 cases, 14.1% alc., $12

Excellent. Fruit from Snipes, Franklin and

Anderson vineyards in the Yakima Valley were blended with the estate Canoe Ridge Vineyard to produce aromas of Fuji apples and juicy pears. There is vanilla and just a bit of toast from oak. Apples return in the form of flavor, with Anjou pear and coconut. Zippy orangy acidity mingles with a bit of pith in the background.

Sagelands Vineyard 2008 Snipes Vineyard Gewürztraminer Yakima Valley, 433 cases, 13.5% alc., $14

Recommended. Inviting notes of apples, pears,

anise and a beguiling sense of bubblegum powder highlight this fruity but not cloying drink. Next year, this release will feature the Snipes Mountain AVA. Pairing ideas include seafood, salads or a fruit/cheese plate featuring Gruyere.

Sagelands Vineyard 2007 Minick Vineyard Pinot Gris Yakima Valley, 334 cases, 13% alc., $12

Recommended. Dried apricot, fresh-cut apple,

candy corn and orangy citrus accents from this 20-year-old, 200-acre site make for a worthy drink regardless of price.

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

Snoqualmie Vineyards 2008 Naked Gewürztraminer Columbia Valley, 2,600 cases, 12% alc., $10

Excellent. It’s not just a crowd-pleaser but also

embraced by the green movement because the grapes are organically grown. Aromas conjure up thoughts of a can of cling peaches with some jasmine, honeydew melon and tangerine. There’s more of the same on the palate, and its structure as off-dry (2.6% residual sugar) makes for brisk sales in the tasting room as well as companion to Asian food.

Snoqualmie Vineyards

this young estate winery in Outlook combine to produce an excellent deck wine. Dusty pears and Red Delicious apple aromas are met by hints of candy corn and lemon rind.

The drink is pleasant and quaffable with a big entry of apricot, juicy white peaches and some honeysuckle (1.6% residual sugar). A twist of lime makes for a persistent finish.

Waterbrook Winery 2007 Chardonnay Columbia Valley, 24,181 cases, 13.7% alc., $12

Recommended. This Walla Walla winery

observed its 25th anniversary this year, and at this price, everyone can join the celebration. Six vineyards contributed to this quaffer that's focused on tropical tones of mango, pineapple, lemon custard and some orange peel.

Waterbrook Winery 2007 Melange Blanc Columbia Valley, 3,935 cases, 13.5% alc., $15

Excellent. John Freeman blended

Gewürztraminer (30%), Riesling (26%), Viognier (10%), Chardonnay (10%), Sauv Blanc (10%), Pinot Gris (7%) and Muscat Canelli (7%). That bit of Muscat makes this a showy little wine by imparting Juicy Fruit gum aromas to join those of apple and LemonHead candy. It’s a might juicy drink with lemon/lime flavors, a bit of grapefruit and more apple. Tartness rather than bitterness balances the residual sugar (1.3%), setting up a wonderful farewell.

2008 Naked Riesling

Whidbey Island Winery

Columbia Valley, 17,400 cases, 12% alc., $10

2007 Roussanne

Outstanding! Harvest began Oct. 15, which is

Yakima Valley, 200 cases, 13.4% alc., $15

10 days later than normal at her organic site in the Horse Heaven Hills. That didn’t seem to slow down Joy Andersen’s track record of consistently delicious Riesling.

Perfumy notes of dried papaya, apricot, pineapple and honey are nailed again on the palate with bright citrusy acidity. It’s wonderfully delicious, a real drinker and built for patio consumption at 3.1% residual sugar.

Recommended. Crawford Vineyard in Prosser,

the unofficial vineyard of this and several other island wineries in Washington, also contributed the co-fermented Viognier (20%).

That accounts for the orangy aromas that also include apples, peach and banana cream pie. Apricot and peach flavors are joined by tarragon in a tart structure that will pair well chicken or pasta in an Alfredo sauce.

FA L L 2 0 0 9 • W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T

97

98 Vintage Musings

9/2/09

COLUMN

10:37 AM

Page 98

vintage musings

BY BOB WOEHLER

Falling for Snoqualmie

P

ROSSER, Wash. — Snoqualmie Vineyards is one of those rare places where even its high-end reserve wines are bargains.

Snoqualmie sells no wine for more than $26, and many of their wines are in the $10 to $14 range.

This baby sister to Columbia Crest and Chateau Ste. Michelle is no secret to discerning wine folks, who know that winemaker Joy Andersen is at the top of her form when turing out everything from a Barbera to something called a “naked” Riesling.

Joel Klein, previously head of winemaking at Ste. Michelle, established Snoqualmie in 1983.

In 1991, Stimson Lane Vineyards & Estates, the former name of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, purchased Snoqualmie, acquiring the Saddle Mountain label, a Mattawa facility and lease rights to Snoqualmie’s Western Washington tasting room. Joy Andersen became Snoqualmie’s winemaker in 1991.

Prior to moving into its Prosser facility, Snoqualmie was made inside the cavernous Columbia Crest winery in Paterson. It was there where Andersen honed her winemaking skill under the tutelage of Doug Gore, now head of all winemaking for Ste. Michelle Wine Estates.

In 2001, it was time for the “little sister” to go out on its own, and Snoqualmie moved to Prosser.

Like Columbia Crest and Chateau Ste. Michelle, Snoqualmie has an extensive lineup of wines ranging from that Barbera to a “Naked” Gewürztraminer. Don’t let the word “naked” upset you, as it is a term being used by several wineries these days to describe grapes grown organically.

Not all Snoqualmie wines are termed “naked,” but the list is growing.

There is no fee to taste a dozen Snoqualmie wines and even the reserve wines can be tasted for a $5 fee.

Snoqualmie reserve seem to being holding up well as I had an opportunity to try five of these gems.

2001 Reserve Merlot, Columbia Valley: There’s still good life left here with oak, light chocolate and a hint of rosemary/spice aromas along with generous marionberry flavors.

2001 Reserve Syrah, Columbia Valley: A wonderful bouquet of oak melds with berries that lead to good expressive fruit flavors. There is a sense of spice at the finish.

2002 Reserve Merlot, Columbia Valley: Robust and tasty, starting with chocolate and pipe tobacco, leading to ripe Bing cherries and sturdy tannins.

2003 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley: An aromatic delight with chocolate, herbs and a touch of lavender. There is still lots of body and flavors of blueberries and plums.

2004 Rosebud Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley: Old vines from the Wahluke Slope give this red characteristics of toast and nuts with some tobacco aromas. It’s very juicy, easy 98

W I N E P R E S S N O RT H W E S T • FA L L 2 0 0 9

drinking, with ripe Bing cherry flavors.

My overall impression of these five wines is they are very drinkable now but probably will start losing some quality by around 2012, so drink them soon.

On to the current vintages of reserve wines.

2005 Reserve Syrah, Columbia Valley, $26: Jammy black fruit flavors are set up by aromas of blackberries laced with tobacco.

The tannins are soft and elegant.

2005 Reserve Merlot, Columbia Valley, $25: Leather and spice greet you with dark Bing cherries taking hold lead to a smooth lush finish.

2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $25: Very easy drinking with sweet oak aromas, red currant flavors and supple tannins.

2007 Barbera, Columbia Valley, $16: A nutmeg and vanilla beginning leads to a boysenberry-jam finish.

Snoqualmie is noted just as well for its low-cost reds and whites that can be found for around $10 at times.

2007 Naked Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $13: Juicy citrus aromas and flavors with a clean finish.

2008 Naked Gewürztraminer, Columbia Valley, $12: Meyer lemon aromas, spice and mouthwatering grapefruit flavors.

2008 Naked Riesling, Columbia Valley, $12: Blossoms with easydrinking clean orchard fruit flavors.

2007 Naked Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $13:

Outstanding for the price, showing oak and balanced berry flavors.

2006 Naked Merlot, Columbia Valley, $13: Sweet oak, spice and rich cherry flavors.

Snoqualmie makes other wines that aren’t labeled “naked,” which are also very good and bargains.

2008 Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $10: A rich tropical fruit and citrus chardonnay, perfect as a cocktail.

2008 Winemaker’s Select Riesling, Columbia Valley, $9: Loaded with aromas and flavors including apricots, lemons and honey. The residual sugar is 6.5 percent.

2006 Merlot, Columbia Valley, $10: Luscious and loaded with dark smooth dark cherry flavors.

2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $10: A bargain that usually sells for $16. It’s showing oak and spice, big tannins and berry flavors.

2007 Whistle Stop Red, Cabernet-Merlot, Columbia Valley, $10: The winery’s most popular wine and for good reason. It’s a bargain and tasty with black fruit and supple tannins.

2007 Muscat Canelli, Columbia Valley, $10: A classic with 5.2 percent residual sugar. Beguiling peach and apricot aromas lead to lingering dried fruit and honey sensations on the palate.

BOB WOEHLER is Wine Press Northwest’s tasting editor. He has been writing about Northwest wine since 1976.

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

99 Best Western ad

8/29/09

11:51 AM

Page 99

100 Canyon's Edge

9/2/09

1:40 PM

Page 100