Wine Press Northwest Winter 2010

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WINE PRESS

Vol. 13, No. 4

N O R T H W E S T

FEATURES

26 Vancouver for Wine Lovers Discover some of the best places to eat, drink and be merry in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Winter 2010/2011

DEPARTMENTS 6 Wine Nose A case for growing Washington

8 A Distant Perspective Variety spice of wine lovers’ lives

10 Market Grapevine

42 Harvest Roundup Grape growers give insights to the 2010 vintage.

50 Platinum Awards Find out which gold medal wines went on to receive Platinum awards in our annual “best of the best in the Great Northwest” competition.

64 Match Maker Summerland, B.C. chef Paul Cecconi pairs dishes with Okanagan Valley ingredients with local wines for Local Lounge • Grille.

Great grape escape to Vancouver Island

12 Swirl, Sniff & Sip NW wines show well with age

14 Urban Sips Skiing with wine, not whine

16 Bloggers’ Blend The value of tasting blind

18 21 72 90

10 Things to Do Northwest Wine Events Recent Releases Vintage Musings An education in Sangiovese

COVER STORY This page: A sunny autumn morning greets a woman walking along a pier next to Harbour Green Park in Vancouver, B.C. On the cover: A boat sails past Sunset Beach in Vancouver, B.C. Story begins on page 26.

Photos by Jackie Johnston

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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 Editor at-large: Jon Bauer Tasting editor: Bob Woehler Tasting panel: Winnie Alberg, Vanessa Bailey, Dan Berger, Jay Drysdale, Thomas Henick-Kling, Kate Michaud, Justin Michaud, Mike Rader, Parks Redwine, Ken Robertson, Coke Roth, Christopher Sagadin, Dave Seaver, Paul Sinclair, Eric Zegzula, Bob Woehler, Eric Degerman, Andy Perdue.

Master facilitator: Hank Sauer Page designer: Jackie Johnston Columnists: Jon Bauer, Dan Berger, Teri Citterman, Braiden Rex-Johnson, Ken Robertson, Bob Woehler Contributing photographers: Jackie Johnston, J. Kevin Dunn Contributing writers: Kori Voorhees Ad sales: Parker Hodge, 509-585-7257 E-mail: phodge@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 Address: 333 W. Canal Drive Kennewick, WA 99336 © 2010 Wine Press Northwest A Tri-City Herald publication W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

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the wine knows

BY ANDY PERDUE

A case for growing Washington

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he recession has been tough on segments of the Washington wine industry. A few wineries have closed in the past two years, and some grapes went unsold and uncrushed this fall. Some producers are still selling wines from vintages that are four, five and six years old. And at least a couple of producers didn’t bother to make wine in 2010 because their inventory is bloated.

But this is not the worst of times. Even if might not seem like the best moment to argue that the Washington wine industry is too small, I’m going to do that anyways.

Let’s start with a few numbers: Washington is the country’s second-largest wine-producing region. The state’s 700plus wineries produce 12 million cases from 37,000 acres of vineyards. The number of wineries has doubled in five years, and the acreage planted and amount of wine produced are twice what they were when we launched this magazine in 1998.

The state has enjoyed remarkable maturity to go along with the growth in the past decade. Thanks to accolades for Columbia Crest (No. 1 last year on Wine Spectator’s year-end list) and Quilceda Creek (four perfect 100-point scores from Wine Advocate in six years), the state’s profile is at unprecedented levels.

Yet there remains so much work to be done. Consider this: Napa Valley, an area that is just 3 miles wide and 27 miles long, has 45,000 acres of wine grapes. Cross the Maycamas Mountains to Sonoma County, and you will encounter 60,000 acres of wine grapes. These two counties combined encompass just 20 percent of California’s total wine grape vineyard acreage.

Washington does not need to grow out of ego. Frankly, the state’s wine production could double and California would still dwarf Washington, so playing that game is folly. Rather, Washington should grow because the numbers simply add up that way. Eastern Washington’s vast Columbia Valley has wide swaths of land that will grow world-class wine grapes. (Yes, water is an issue in Eastern Washington, just as it is elsewhere in the West, but wine grapes are much more “aqua-nomical” than nearly all other crops, so focusing more on vineyards actually could decrease water use.)

The biggest reason Washington should double again in the next decade is this: According to the Washington State Liquor Control Board, the state wine industry enjoys an embarrassingly low 35 percent market share. This means that out of every 100 bottles of wine sold in Washington, just 35 are made in Washington. Granted, this is up considerably from the 18 percent market share just a decade ago, so sales are going in the right direction and the hard work put in by the Washington Wine Commission and industry as a whole is paying off. But there’s still so much more potential.

California, which has a population six times larger than 6

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Washington, has a market share closer to 75 percent. Go to any traditional wine-producing country in Europe (Italy, France, Germany, Spain), and you will encounter a market share close to 100 percent. In other words, the French typically drink French wine, Italians drink Italian wine, etc. In fact, if you’re in Tuscany, you’ll be hard pressed to find a wine from another Italian region, much less another country.

Market share is the biggest argument for growth in Washington. Until 60 to 70 percent of the wines sold in Washington are made here, there is little point in talking about the industry being too big.

And don’t just take it from me.

Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, by far the state’s largest producer, grows every year. This fall, for example, many wineries reported being down anywhere from 10 percent to 20 percent in total grape tonnage. Meanwhile, Ste. Michelle as a company probably increased its tonnage by about 8 percent this fall. The folks who run Ste. Michelle are among the sharpest in the business. They will not make more wine than they can sell.

Ryan Pennington of the Washington Wine Commission agrees.

“The industry doubled in the last five years,” he said. “It’s fair to say that the pace of growth will slow somewhat, but it could double again in the next decade.”

Granted, as public relations director, it’s Pennigton’s job to be bullish on Washington wine, but it isn’t in the wine commission’s best interest to advocate for unhealthy growth.

Rather, Pennington knows there are opportunities ahead for the industry.

Sales growth can happen in three main areas: restaurants, retailers and wineries. Restaurants can and should carry more Washington wines on their lists, and retailers (especially groceries) should make it harder for consumers to buy California wines and imports. And wine tourism is great for everyone: Wine lovers enjoy the experience, wineries make more money by selling directly to consumers, and related businesses benefit.

So where will all these wineries go? Woodinville and Walla Walla seem pretty well maxed out, but the Olympic Peninsula is wide open. Lake Chelan is proving it can become much bigger. The I-5 corridor from Canada to Oregon has all kinds of room for wineries, as does the I-82 corridor between Yakima and the Tri-Cities. Spokane is on a growth track, too.

You don’t have to look far to find opportunities.

Now is the time for the Washington wine industry to think bigger. Not only because it should.

Because it can.

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

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a distant perspective

BY DAN BERGER

Variety spice of wine lovers’ lives

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wo decades ago, at a small café in Collio Orientali in northern Italy, I ordered a red wine that was reasonably priced, and I was pleasantly surprised. It tasted sort of like Zinfandel and was a charming accompaniment to my pasta.

The wine waiter, who fortunately spoke rather good English, told me the wine was a local Refosco, a grape I hadn’t yet heard about and seemed rather tasty.

This wasn’t an isolated story. As years passed, I found myself drawn to many of the obscure grape varieties, for reasons that continue to make me excited about wines.

It happened again at Wine Press Northwest’s Platinum Judging, when I got jazzed by Cana’s Feast Winery’s Counoise, a no-account grape of the Rhône that makes a lovely rosé and rarely makes a red wine worth gurgling over.

But I gurgled. The 2008 Cana’s Feast Counoise was loaded with black pepper, clove and red cherry fruit, and though it had a light color, the flavors were impeccable.

Then there was a Carménère that got me excited since it had a typical peppery, blueberry aroma and a fascinating acidtannin ratio that leaned on the former, not the latter.

Obscure grapes are not precluded from making a great wine, but the number scorers who dote on alcoholic Cabernet Sauvignons and black Syrahs and oaky Chardonnays and who ignore the greatness of Chenin Blanc and even Carignane, are simply missing why we call them grape varieties. Because they add variety to wine.

Imagine how boring is it to taste 10 or a dozen 95-to-100point red wines. There is a striking similarity to them all, and ultimately a rather significant amount of boringness. (I did this once and believed I had fallen into a stupor. I had to run out and have a glass of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc to revive myself.)

Not all of the thousands of grapes that are used to make table wine around the world can make a great wine. Foja Tonda, Airen, Pais, Criollo, Malvasia Bianca and hundreds of others are grapes that can be relied upon to make a tasty wine and little more. (Some aren’t even very tasty.)

But there are lot of obscure grapes that can make great wines if treated properly. Here are a few.

French Colombard: This superb little grape has been disparaged for a long time for all the wrong reasons. It has a fascinating citrus and spice character to its aroma, holds its acidity well and can make a delightful white wine. Yannick Rousseau in the Napa Valley makes a dry version each year that is a stunner.

Grenache: A grape widely planted in France’s Rhône Valley as well as in Spain (where it’s called Garnacha) and Australia, the wine it can make is usually best from ancient vines. This fragrant red wine grape can add astounding complexity when blended 8

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with Syrah/Shiraz (or almost any other red variety!), and on its own can make a delicious red or pink wine. Rarely heavy and concentrated (often it’s rather light in color), it can make a delightful early-drinking pale red wine. The grape has the aroma of cranberry and pomegranate, occasionally with black pepper.

Grüner Veltliner: This white grape shows best in Austria, offering a light, pleasingly dry white wine that can pair nicely with appetizers and especially with Asian foods. Some even have the sweetness to work with light desserts. There is a faintly exotic note to many of these wines, which are not unlike a wine with Riesling added. I have had 10-year-old versions that are superb.

Torrontes: A Spanish/Argentine grape that’s part of the Malvasia family of aromatic graopes, it has a spice component that’s not unlike a steely Pinot Gris or Muscat. Usually dry and on the lean, steely side, this flavorful white wine is a classic accompaniment for grilled seafood or sautéed trout.

Arneis: A delicate white grape from Italy’s northern district of Piedmont, Arneis once made a wine that oxidized easily and was rather bland in aroma. Over the last 20 years, a number of producers (mainly Ceretto, with a wine called Blange) have made splendid white wines with this lower-acid grape that arrive fresh and crisp. Many bear the name Roero Arneis, a district in northwestern Piedmont that is rapidly coming into its own as a finewine region. Ponzi in Oregon annually produces an Arneis.

Roero: The red wine counterpart to Arneis, Roero is not a grape but a region, and the red wine it makes is made entirely of the regal grape Nebbiolo. Because the region it comes from is a bit cooler than its cousins Barolo and Barbaresco, the wine is typically made a bit lighter and more elegant.

Good Roero red wines (two great ones are from Deltetto and Matteo Coreggia) age nicely for five to 10 years, and their great benefit is price.

Semillon: This is the primary white grape of Sauternes, where it produces wonderful sweet wines. But it also flourishes in numerous areas of Washington and Australia as well as a few special plantings in California. Made dry, the wine typically has lower alcohol (rarely more than 11 percent in Australia!) and a slight fig and wet hay sort of aroma. It tends to age nicely. Semillons from Columbia, Hogue, Chateau Ste. Michelle and Columbia Crest in Washington are usually worth trying.

They may be obscure grapes to you, but they represent excitement to me.

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).

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northwest edge

BY BRAIDEN REX-JOHNSON

Great grape escape to Vancouver Island

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ICTORIA — “They look happy,” the woman seated behind me on the Victoria Clipper exclaimed as two super pods of orca whales danced port, starboard and forward of the high-speed catamaran as we crossed from American into Canadian waters.

It was mid-October, and we were headed to Victoria, B.C., for a long weekend of wining, dining and fall-foliage gazing.

We set up camp at The Magnolia Hotel & Spa, a 64-room boutique hotel just a two-minute walk from Victoria’s bustling Inner Harbour and a block off the town’s main drags, Douglas and Government Streets. Rated one of the top hotels in Canada by Condé Nast Traveler readers, it’s the kind of place where a piano player tinkles the ivories as you enter the hotel restaurant, while a complimentary continental breakfast awaits. The groaning board includes assorted pastries, cheeses, meats, yogurt and fresh fruit, along with fivegrain granola and make-your-own waffles.

Rooms are elegantly tasteful, with two-poster beds, feather pillows, glass walk-in showers and soaker tubs. Our top-floor aerie boasted inspiring views of Inner Harbour and the city.

The hotel’s business center is open 24/7, and the seven-room Spa Magnolia is open daily for pampering.

We journeyed to The Magnolia for the Grape Escape Package — two nights’ superior accommodation, complimentary continental breakfast and valet parking — plus a wine-focused welcome basket and $100 credit at Prime Steakhouse & Lounge, the hotel restaurant. Designed to highlight Lower Vancouver Island’s wine country with a self-guided tour of the Cowichan Valley or Saanich Peninsula, the two-night experience is available each year May 15 until Oct. 15, with rates starting at $299 per night based on a two-night, two-person stay.

With the island’s wide variety of wineries and cideries, apiaries and fromageries, farms and organic markets — even a balsamic vinegar producer — we relied on the handy reference materials in our welcome basket (along with a bottle of island-produced wine) and The Magnolia’s knowledgeable staff to help chart our course.

So early Saturday morning, we set out for the Cowichan Valley, about a 45-minute drive from downtown Victoria.

First stop along the wine route? Cherry Point Estate Wines, one of the original wineries on the island, renowned for its Cowichan Blackberry Dessert Wine. Take a walk in the estate vineyards, then enjoy a glass of Coastal White and a bite to eat at Cherry Point Bistro, open April to October.

Our next stop was Venturi-Schulze Vineyards, where two generations work side by side crafting exceptional wines (Brut Naturel, Brandenburg No. 3), ancient-method balsamic vinegar and verjus (an acidic juice pressed from unripe grapes for use in cooking) from organic estate-grown grapes.

One of the draw-card wineries on Vancouver Island — Averill Creek Vineyard — boasts breathtaking views of the Cowichan Valley and a beautifully appointed tasting room.

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also produces some of its finest Pinot Noir, as well as Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris and the lush Cowichan Black dessert wine.

At Glenterra Vineyards and Thistles Café in the Vineyard, winemaker John Kelly crafts the three Pinots — Gris, Blanc and Noir — while wife Ruth Luxton runs the café with seasonal, regional offerings (Hunter Chicken Stew, Torta Rustica, Yam Quesadilla) on the daily-changing menu.

But our long weekend in Victoria and environs was not only dedicated to wining, but also to dining. Back in downtown Victoria, we enjoyed lunch at Pescatores Seafood & Grill, where outstanding fresh-cut halibut and chips (in a light tempura-beer batter) came accompanied by chunky tartar sauce served up in a real oyster shell!

Camille’s Fine West Coast Dining, an intimate subterranean boîte in Bastion Square, features a weekly seasonal menu plus a daily-changing five-course menu along with a hefty B.C. wine list and impeccable service.

Prime Steakhouse & Lounge lives up to its name with delectable signature dishes such as Dungeness Crabcake with Limoncello Aïoli, aged Ribeye with Brandy Peppercorn Sauce and Prime Cheesecake with Grand Marnier Syrup; wines from B.C. and around the world; and creatively crafted cocktails, all served up in a warm, clubby atmosphere.

Although high tea tempts the tourists at the venerable Empress, those in the know head directly for the Bengal Lounge for the Curry Buffet, where dishes such as Seafood Chowder, Signature Butter Chicken and Lamb Curry along with all the traditional curry fixins’ — chutney, cucumber raita, chopped peanuts, shredded coconut and dried fruit — wow the crowds. Cardamom Crème Brûlée serves as sweet finale.

Although microbrews and gastropub-style food are the main draw at the Bard & Banker Scottish Pub, this popular establishment is refreshingly serious about its wine program as well, with an Enomatic wine-dispensing machine, provincial wines by the glass and creative wine flights.

The new kid in the Cowichan Valley is Saison Market Vineyard, a few miles north of Duncan. Part bakery, produce stand, specialty-food store and vineyard, it’s the perfect spot to grab a slice of quiche and savor vineyard views reminiscent of France.

With just two-and-a-half days in Victoria, we were only able to visit a small sampling of the island’s bounty. Next trip, we’ll be sure to check out Starling Lane and Blue Grouse Estate wineries, Merridale Ciderworks, Victoria Spirits and Tugwell Creek Honey Farm & Meadery near Sooke Harbour House.

As we settled in for our three-hour ferry ride back to Seattle, we felt like the orcas — sated, satisfied and supremely happy.

Braiden Rex-Johnson is a Seattle-based cookbook author, food-and-wine columnist and blogger. Visit her online at www.NorthwestWiningandDining.com.

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swirl, sniff & sip

BY KEN ROBERTSON

NW wines show well with age With recent reports that wineries are crafting their red wines with a “drink now” philosophy, what can you suggest for how long the current crop of wines will keep?

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’m reluctant to estimate just how long any wine or vintage will last because our Northwest region is so young that even as we are about to enter a fifth decade of modern winemaking, our track record really is pretty scant. Let me offer a bit of my own recent experience as an example.

I’ve been drinking about a dozen well-aged red wines from my cellar that date largely from the early to the mid-1990s, some of which I feared might be dangerously close to falling over the edge. And I also recently sampled a once very common Cabernet Sauvignon, 1992 Columbia Crest Barrel Select, from the cellar of Andy Perdue, Wine Press Northwest’s editor.

Surprisingly, all were very drinkable. Make no mistake, they were changed, with some showing a definite brown edge around the rim of the glass and with their original fruitiness somewhat subdued. And it’s important to note that all had spent most of their time in proper storage — except for the summer when my wine storage unit failed and it took some time to diagnose and replace the refrigeration unit.

To make it clear that I wasn’t cherry-picking, here’s a partial list, by age: 1991 Barnard Griffin Tulip Label Merlot; 1991 Woodward Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon (the wine that’s now often referred to as Lowden, Wash., winemaker Rick Small’s “Old Vine” Cab); the 1992 Columbia Crest barrel select Cab; 1992 and 1995 Chinook Winery Merlot; three California Zinfandels from 1995 and 1996 that ranged in price from about $17 to $25, including a truly fine 1996 Marietta Angeli Cuveé; and a 2001 Barnard Griffin Reserve Merlot, which I included because I wanted to see how it compared with some of the older Merlots in this admittedly limited sampling. (And approaching age 10, it was very good indeed.)

For me, there were several surprises and several observations that confirmed my previous experiences. Among the expected: The Woodward Canyon was still outstanding and gave every indication it might well last for another 10 years.

Its fruit was only slightly diminished, its tannins still firm, and it still stood right up with a hearty steak dinner. Interestingly enough, its alcohol was listed at 13.1 percent, the product of a harsh winter, a wet spring and reduced yields in the vineyards.

The 1991 Merlot also was holding on well, which was a bit of a surprise even though Richland, Wash., winemaker Rob Griffin’s tulip label wines have always offered high quality for a fair price. It displayed plenty of fruit and nicely resolved tannins. And 1991, for those without long memories, is usually regarded as a fine year for whites, not reds, because of the whites’ excellent acids and full flavors that year.

The following year was almost a dead opposite. Overall production of wine grapes for 1992 nearly doubled to 50,000 tons from 26,000 tons for 1991. The average yield per acre reached four tons, according to Washington Wine Commission records, the result of a “gentle winter, mild 12

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spring and very warm summer.”

That’s not a recipe for long-lasting wines, and both 1992s were showing some age. But they were far from being fodder for salad dressing. The Chinook showed Prosser, Wash., winemaker Kay Simon’s dedication to producing a Merlot that can hold onto its balance of fruit and acid, with its moderate alcohol kept in the background. The Columbia Crest Cab, which Perdue picked up at the winery in 2005, was a bit down on fruit, but it’s unfair to compare it with a top-line premium wine like Woodward Canyon. It had held onto what it was in 1992 — a good value with some retained charm and no serious defect emphasized by age. The 1995 Chinook Merlot again reflected both Simon’s careful winemaking and its vintage, which produced high-quality wines from a then-record 62,000-ton harvest.

The California Zinfandels from 1995-96 were a surprise. I expected their fruit to be fading and their rather high alcohol of 14.5 percent or more to be large and in charge. But that wasn’t happening. All three still showed plenty of fruit, especially the Marietta, and the alcohol, though plentiful, had not become dominant. All three were holding onto some ageappropriate tannins.

What this little experiment confirmed for me is that there’s no substitute for good storage conditions — consistent, cool temperatures and well away from lights, especially fluorescents. And if you’re worried about your wines, there’s one sure remedy. Drink them regularly and if they begin to show their age, be diligent about it.

Wine word: Disgorgement

With winter’s arrival, it seems like an especially appropriate time to turn talk about another of those wonderful French terms in the world of wine, especially since a key element of making sparkling wine employs cold to clear out the sediment left behind in the bottle when the traditional methode champenoise is used to craft sparkling wine. Disgorgement is simply blowing the sediment out of the neck of a bottle of sparkling wine. Long before it can begin, the bottle undergoes riddling, a process in which the sediment in the bottom of an upright bottle is gradually settled into the upside-down bottle’s top. The inverted bottle is then plunged into a freezing brine solution just long enough for slush to form in the bottle neck. Then the bottle is turned upright with the slush still in the top, its temporary crown cap is removed and the pressurized bottle blows out the sediment without the loss of much wine. Then the bottle is refilled with wine and resealed.

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 33 years. He lives in Kennewick, Wash. Have a question for Ken? E-mail krobertson@winepressnw.com.

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WINE COUNTRY: COLUMBIA GORGE

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urban sips

BY TERI CITTERMAN

Skiing with wine, not whine

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other Nature promised snow, and La Niña made sure she delivered. If you’re a winter wonderland type, then you’re living large right about now. Yah baby!

Grab your glass and let’s hit the slopes!

On a ski trip to Whistler, I watched a skier decked out in neon yellow (‘nuff said) yard sale near a shoebox-sized gap in the snow. So, it probably should have been marked as a hazard, but by the way he described it to friends (of course, I was eavesdropping), you’d have thought he’d narrowly escaped a drop into an Everest-sized crevasse.

Exaggeration triplefies when buddies get involved. The fish that got away? Yah, it was six beer cans long. I mean 12!

Speaking of 12, I say get me a glass of it! Twelve 2005 Pinot Noir 144 from Oregon is a bottle of boldness with liquid bravado. It’s confident in its oral expression of red licorice, earthy raspberry, blackberry and cherry. It’s dark and lush — like the forest of trees you just skied through, before you skied off the cliff and threw a mid-air, triple-back somersault with a twist. And nailed it!

Ski trips are tricky. If you’re anything like me, your tolerance for people is low to start with. Throw in some whine and a funky group dynamic, and you’ve got yourself an excruciating potpourri of attitude in need of adjustment.

Enter Wendy Whiner where fingers are cold, feet are cold, boots are tight, run’s too steep, snow’s too hard, etc.

Everyone knows discomfort is the basis for skiing, right?

Otherwise, we’d all wear soft, cushy booties like snowboarders, but I digress. ...

The first rule of skiing is no whining. The second rule of skiing is NO WHINING! And if you brought the whiner, you’d better have brought the wine — and I mean the good stuff. Owen Roe’s 2009 Abott’s Table is an inclusionary wine, as long as everyone’s cool. Ripe red raspberry ribbons through red current and juicy pomegranate. Relaxed and balanced, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc bookend everything in the middle — from Zin and Sangio to Malbec and Grenache.

Toss in a little Blaufränkish attitude, and it’s a party at the table. But if you’re bringing whine, then forget what I just said.

Now back to boarders. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not down on boarders. They’re hip, they’re cool, and they probably saved skiing from extinction. I’ll even go so far as to admit that there’s nothing more elegant than the superb grace of a boarder carving.

But too many of them act like monkeys. They’re loud, obnoxious and lay down in the most inconvenient places. As a skier, you try to avoid running over them, but like a magnet, sometimes the draw is too strong. So it helps to have a wine that throws you an extra crutch of resistance just in case you loose your mind for that moment. Maryhill 2008 Winemaker’s Red from Columbia Valley unravels in a rhythm of 14

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big blackberry, juicy plum and caramelized pecan. With edge and resolve it’s a glassful of willpower, keeping you sane when you need it most. Slight smoke engulfs in tart cranberry with an expressive finish of mocha fringe and bittersweet chocolate. Yummy!

There’s a marginal distinction between a daredevil and a dumbass — the main difference being, one wears a helmet. On any given run, you will undoubtedly encounter one of the two, and the event is fairly predictable. While you stand assessing the descent of a double black diamond, the daredevil whizzes by at high speed, leaving the feeling of wonder — whether a bullet was just dodged or lodged. At the same time, if you are that daredevil, beware of the dumbass standing in the middle of the narrow entrance puzzling at the “No Easy Way Down” sign while scratching his head.

It could be crashtastic, complete with ambulance lighting!

Instead, your maneuver to avoid this potential pile up requires something like a Jack that’s nimble and quick. Saviah Cellars 2007 Stillwater Creek Syrah from Walla Walla steps up with an herbal essence that’s ripe with blackberries, dark plum and black pepper. This is a wine that’s gentle, yet firm — calls a spade a spade and expands its elegance, through the decent into a roasted meaty finish.

And when it comes to roasted meats, I’ve heard bunny is exquisite. And by bunny, I mean, “snow” and by roasted I mean, “hot!” Snow bunny hotties — you’ve gotta luv ‘em!

They have their place and it’s usually wedged between a hunk of Frank and a side of Joe. I’m all for uppin’ the hotness in the lodge. I just think it helps your street cred if your ski aptitude matches your outfit. But that’s just me.

Nonetheless, what’s in order is something light and uncomplicated. Cold and playful and all bunny, Girly Girl 2008 Pinot Gris is, as you would expect, the chickadee who won’t leave the party. Yah, she’s cute; she makes a few turns before the junk in her trunk rolls in the wrong direction and she bursts into giggles. Sure she’s swishy with green apple and honeydews — bursting in all the right places. But the question is, “Can she hold her own?” The answer? Depends on what she’s holding, I suppose.

A toast to the happy times ahead in 2011!

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 and the Northwest Wine Journal. She also was the winner of the Napa Valley Wine Writers Editor’s Choice Award in 2007. She contributes to Seattle Metropolitan and writes An Urban Sip Wine Blog at anurbansip.com.

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WINE COUNTRY: PUGET SOUND & WESTERN WASHINGTON

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

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16 Blogger column

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BY KORI S. VOORHEES

The value of tasting blind Editor’s note: Beginning with this issue of Wine Press Northwest, we will reserve a column to be written by a wine blogger. The column will rotate among the top bloggers in the Pacific Northwest.

B

y tasting wines blind, outside influences such as the label, reputation of the winery or winemaker, and price are removed from the equation and the focus is completely on the quality of the wines.

Based on my experience, it is the only way to be completely unbiased in the evaluation of wines. In a single-blind tasting, the variety is known but not the identity of the individual wines. In a double-blind tasting, neither the variety nor the identity of the individual wines is known.

In November, I had the pleasure to participate as a nonvoting judge during the Platinum Judging. Don’t let the “nonvoting” part fool you. While my ratings did not factor into the final decision of the other judges, I tasted all of the wines along with them, made my own notes and observed the process for the competition.

The thing that struck me time and time again was the value of blind tasting. As you flip through the pages of this issue, you may be surprised at some of the wines that were awarded Platinums as well as some that were not. When those outside influences are removed, the wines can then be objectively evaluated based on their own merits. What is actually in the bottle is far more important than the label on the outside.

While this was my first year to participate in the Platinum Judging, the competition is in its 11th year, and Wine Press Northwest has it running like clockwork. It was well organized and the folks in the backroom, led by master facilitator Hank Sauer, did a remarkable job to make sure things ran smoothly.

It is the people working behind the scenes who ensure the integrity of the competition. They set up each flight, pour the wines, and label the glasses with a code so that the judges’ ratings can be tracked back to the correct wine. Therefore, the judges never see the bottles, only the glasses of wine that are set in front of them. Each wine is evaluated under singleblind peer-group conditions.

My participation in the Platinum Judging and observing the evaluation of the wines in the context of a blind tasting only reinforced my belief in the value of blind tasting.

It has been an important part of how we taste and evaluate wines at Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps is an independent wine blog dedicated to helping our readers get the most bang for their buck in wine. We do this through blind tastings of wine from around the world and calculations of Quality-to-Price Ratios (QPRs). Because we are located in Seattle, we have a special interest in Washington wines. While I am the editor16

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in-chief and primary contributor, Wine Peeps is a family effort. My husband, Colby, provides technical support for the blog and is the primary photographer. My parents, John and LaGayle Sosnowy, are also actively involved. John is a contributing editor and calculates the QPRs, and LaGayle is our food and cooking expert.

We began exploring wine and visiting wine country long before we started writing the blog in January 2008. Early on in our wine journey when we found what we thought was a good wine while visiting a winery, we would buy a case and take it home. Too often the wine did not taste nearly as good at home as it had in the tasting room. There are any number of reasons why this happenedm including being unduly influenced by a friendly tasting room host, being served cheese and chocolate while we tasted or suffering from palate fatigue after visiting a number of wineries in one day.

As a result of those experiences, our solution was to just buy a bottle or two, rather than a case, at the winery, bring it home, and taste it blind against similar wines. Once a wine proved to be a favorite in these tastings, we felt like we could confidently buy more. Out of this process came the idea of putting on regular wine tasting dinners. This month, we will be playing host to our 90th wine tasting dinner.

The experience we gained from these wine tasting dinners set the foundation for the way we evaluate and review wines on Wine Peeps. Whenever possible, we review wines under single-blind, peer-group conditions.

Not only have our wine tasting dinners proved to be wonderful opportunities to objectively compare and evaluate wines, they have also been great social events as well. If you have never participated in a blind tasting, I encourage you to give it a try. You could host your own wine tasting dinner or simply sack up a couple of wines to enjoy with a weeknight meal. After you have evaluated the wines, the real fun begins, which is removing the sacks and discovering the identities and prices of the wines.

For many, the results can be quite surprising.

While blind tasting can ensure the integrity of wine critics’ ratings, it is also a fun and educational way for wine lovers to find out what they like and don’t like.

Kori S. Voorhees is a Certified Specialist of Wine and editor-in-chief of the independent wine blog, Wine Peeps (winepeeps.com): Your Link to Great QPR Wines from Washington State and Beyond. She also writes for Washington Tasting Room Magazine and Skagit Publishing. Kori lives with her husband and daughter in Seattle.

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WINE COUNTRY: YAMHILL COUNTY

“Consistently delicious wine!” Wine Press NW 26830 NW Olson Rd, Gaston, OR 97119 November through March Hours: Thursday-Sunday Noon to 5pm

503-662-4545 • www.kramerwine.com

Check us out on facebook

16425 SE Webfoot Rd., Dayton, Oregon (503) 868-7359 Open for tasting 12-5 weekends & by appt. weekdays

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activities

great things to do

in Northwest wine country

BY ERIC DEGERMAN

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raditional festive colors at this time of year are red, green and white. It depends upon the setting, but to me they denote red wine, green bottles, white wine and white snow.

I enjoy seeing them all as long as I’m on my couch and the fireplace is burning apple wood that’s been logged to make way for vinifera.

All those bottles end up at the neighborhood recycling center. If not, there would be a cacophony of breaking glass on my block at 7:10 a.m. each Thursday when the sanitation engineer makes his pickup. Neighbors may then view my old government Richland “Y” house as home to a couple of winos. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

1

Just say no to Styrofoam. Tina Hammond of Privé Vineyard warned customers that shipments from her ultra-boutique winery in Newberg, Ore., would be smaller.

That’s because the vessels filled with her coveted Pinot Noir will be made of less glass. The smaller bottle translates to a 10 percent reduction in shipping charges and affords Hammond to use recyclable pulp boxes. No Styrofoam.

“We were shocked to find that our old bottle weighs in 11 1/2 ounces heavier!” she said. “That adds up to over 8 pounds more shipping weight!"

Her “green” customers seem pleased.

“The most interesting note was from a very large buyer (6-8 cases per year) who mentions a write-up he read by Jancis Robinson,” she said. “Apparently, she refuses any wine that arrives in Styrofoam shippers, so he made a decision to stop ordering from wineries who used them, too. Based on our change of bottle, he just placed his first order with us since reading that story two years ago!” Go order at privevineyard.com.

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2

A touch of Christmas in Idaho.

Speaking of the white stuff, the Snake River Valley gets a fair amount of it. And The Orchard House Restaurant, bearer of Wine Press Northwest’s Best Idaho Wine List, has an extra special feature this time of year.

Kris Thompson and Sherri McCoy refer to it as their third annual “Christmas at SunnySlope,” and it runs Sunday evenings and Wednesday evenings through Christmas. They present a light display, a bonfire and photo ops with Santa. There’s also mocha, latte, chai, hot cocoa and cider on offer.

Go to their website and download a 2-for-1 coupon on those drinks. And there’s decorated walking path leading to the big draw — a chap named Clyde.

He’s a camel. To meet him, present a canned food donation for the Idaho Food Bank. Go to theorchardhouse.us.

3

Toying around in Woodinville. The Precept Brands folks are among the most fun loving in the Northwest wine industry. Unfortunately, I’ve yet to win their annual March “Mayhem” basketball prediction pool, but I got a swell T-shirt as a thanks-for-playing prize.

Among the Precept properties is Apex at Alder Ridge, one of the growing number of Woodinville tasting rooms. It’s partnering with Wellspring Family Services on a toy drive for the holidays.

For every donation of an unwrapped toy, Apex at Alder Ridge will give a free tasting and 20 percent off wine purchases.

Last year, more than 1,000 children received gifts. Go toalderridge.com.

4

Speaking French, drinking Northwest.

When Andy Perdue signed copies of The Northwest Wine Guide: A Buyer’s Handbook, he often would write, “Kiss French. Drink Northwest.”

Now, there’s an iPhone app that teach-

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es you proper pronunciation of wine terms. Enotria Guide was created by Melissa Lavrinc Smith of K&L Wine Merchants in Redwood City, Calif. Perhaps something came out wrong during a meeting with a client. The guide has an audio database of more than 200 wine terms from France, Germany and Italy.

The app is $3. I don’t own an iPhone or iPod Touch, but the CD costs $13.

Now if I could only get our North Idaho bureau chief to stop pronouncing the state I live in as “WAR-shington.” To learn more, go enotriaguide.com.

5

No barrel full of monkeys. Last year during harvest, Seattle-based Discovery Bay Games released Crush: The Dice Game. The family-oriented game company packages Crush in a rather handsome wood container that is shaped like a mini-wine barrel.

Discovery Bay credits the concept to the dice game Farkel. Two or more can play, and it centers around six winethemed dice and a “Cheese Please” die.

Another handy feature — pull the top “head” off the barrel and what’s left will hold a Bordeaux-shaped bottle.

The game ($24) is meant for ages 18 and older, but I could see my boss teaching it to his 6-year-old daughter.

Roll to discoverybaygames.com.

6

Take a moment for a hilarious video.

Many of you likely have seen it, but I’ve recently watched it for about the fifth time and it still cracks me up.

Go to YouTube and search for Sommelier starts a winery. It’s 2 minutes and 32 seconds of entertainment.

Greg Harrington and wife Pam of Gramercy Cellars produced the video via xtranormal.com, and it’s the ultimate in self-deprecating humor. Their animated figures are set in a New York City subway car. There the dude, sporting a goatee and watchman’s cap, plans their new life W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

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W I N E C O U N T RY — opening a winery in Walla Walla.

“I want to be closer to the earth. I want to bask in the glory of Mother Nature,” he says. “I want to say, ‘low yields’ and be sustainable. I want to drive tractors and fork lifts. I want to give up my skin-tight 7 jeans for the freedom and movement of Carhharts.”

Among the comments are “LMFAO!” and “Nearly perfect ... needs to include ‘terroir’ to describe brett infection.”

7

Give the gift of Grabers. These are not a Northwest product, but Andy Perdue, Coke Roth and I judge wine competitions in the U.S. where Graber olives have become a staple palate cleanser. They are superior to the typical offerings of stale white bread, waxy cheese and brown apples.

Why are these olives from Ontario, Calif., so special and ideal with wine?

Well, they’ve spent no time in vinegar and neither are they oxidized into blackness. Graber says the key is harvesting them fully ripe off the tree. They are buttery, nutty and carry weight.

I’ve rarely seen Grabers ($7 per can) in the Northwest, so I order them online by the case. This fall, we made them the unofficial palate cleanser of Wine Press Northwest’s Platinum Competition. Perhaps we can work out something that will elevate Graber olives to “official” status. Visit the Graber Olive House at graberolives.com.

8

Walla Walla chef going mobile.

Andrae Bopp prepared one of the best breakfasts of my life while he was director of cuisine at Red Feather Lounge in Boise. The St. Louis native also created a marvelous recipe for our Match Maker series while at his own restaurant — Andrae’s — just a couple of blocks from Idaho's state Capitol.

Soon after, he left for Walla Walla to learn the wine industry from the Wisconsin lads at Dusted Valley Vintners. He continued cooking.

Now, he’s a moving target with two businesses, and I can hear Pete Townshend sing, “I can pull up by the curb. I can make it on the road.”

First, there’s La Porte Brune. Bopp (rhymes with pope) stages his

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W I N E C O U N T RY “Underground Dinners” throughout Washington. You sign up without knowing where dinner will be.

Secondly, there’s AK’s — which stands for Andrae’s Kitchen. And it’s mobile.

Last summer, his gourmet food truck got rolling with stops at wineries such as Pepper Bridge. During the week, you can find him during lunch hours downtown at the Corliss Estates parking lot.

To sign up for one of his dinners, put a fork in laportebrune.com. And for AK’s, drive to andraeskitchen.com.

9

Follow the winter weather. Many of the weather cams we see on TV are stationed over freeways. Well, now there’s at least one in Northwest wine country — Maryhill Winery in Goldendale, Wash.

Craig Leuthold, co-owner of our 2009 Washington Winery of the Year, let us know the Weatherbug weathercam went live. It’s mounted at the east end of his amphitheater to show the winery, Gunkel Vineyard and the Columbia River.

Portland’s KION-TV features it among its live weather feeds as its eye into the east part of the Columbia Gorge.

There’s also live weather information.

Take a look at maryhillwinery.com.

10

A taste of Platinum. It’s dubbed “The best of the best in the Great Northwest with a view from the top.”

We’re talking about the Eighth Annual Platinum Dinner on the 75th floor of Seattle’s Columbia Tower Club on Friday, Feb. 4. Executive chef James B. Hassell and wine director Kerry Johnson pair cuisine with wines from Wine Press Northwest’s 2010 Platinum Judging.

There’s an hour-long meet-and-greet before dinner as the folks who made the wines pour them for guests.

It costs $117 for non-members (tax and gratuity included). Each attendee gets a one-year subscription to this magazine. Contact the CTC at 206-622-2010. 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.

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events

W I N E C O U N T RY

January 14-16 Winterfest, Chelan, Wash. Wineries in the Northwest’s youngest appellation join in for the 25th annual event, held on Martin Luther King weekend. Call 800-424-3526 or visit lakechelanwinterfest.com.

15-23 Okanagan Ice Wine Festival, Sun Peaks, B.C. The 13th celebration of the province’s stickies returns to this resort. Call 800-807-3257 or go to owfs.com.

18 Taste B.C. 2010, Vancouver. The Hyatt Regency plays host to the 17th annual fund-raiser for B.C. Children’s Hospital. Provincial wineries, restaurants, cheese and chocolatiers step up. Call 604-739-7804 or go to libertywinemerchants.com.

22 A Celebration of Washington Wines, Woodinville. Chateau Ste. Michelle serves as the home for this black-tie event in its 10th year, which benefits WSU’s viticulture and enology program. Call 509-335-7772 or go to wineauction.wsu.edu.

28-29 Oregon Wine, Food and Brew Festival, Salem. This fairgrounds event includes a wine competition. Call 866-904-6165 or visit oregonwinefoodbrewfest.com.

29 Gifts from the Earth, Seattle. The South Seattle Community College Foundation showcases its culinary arts and wine program by pairing celebrity chefs with state wineries. Call 206-764-5809 or go to southseattle.edu.

29 Wenatchee Valley Winter Wine Gala, Wenatchee, Wash. The ninth annual fundraiser for the Wenatchee Valley Museum features regional wineries and chefs.

Call 509-888-6240 or go to columbiacascadewines.com.

February 4-5 Portland Seafood & Wine Festival. This multiple sclerosis fundraiser features 50 wineries and food demonstrations at the Oregon Convention Center. Call 360210-5275 or start by going to metroproductions.net.

5 St. Joseph’s Art & Wine, Kennewick, Wash. The 15th annual fundraiser for St. Joseph’s Parish and School features regional wines, restaurants, artists and musicians. Cost is $60. Go to stjoesartandwine.com.

8-11 Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers Convention, Kennewick, Wash.

Growers, winemakers and vendors throughout the Northwest convene at the Three Rivers Convention Center and Toyota Center for the 15th annual meeting and trade show. Call 509-782-8234 or visit wawgg.org.

12-13 and 19-21 Red Wine & Chocolate Tour, Olympic Peninsula, Wash. Member wineries on the peninsula and islands pour it on over two weekends and Presidents Day. Cost is $25. Call 800-785-5495 or go to olympicpeninsulawineries.org.

19-20 Red Wine and Chocolate, Yakima Valley, Wash. More than 50 wineries in the heart of the Northwest’s oldest grape-growing region pair their wines with chocolate. Reserve ticket is $35. Call 509-965-5201 or go to wineyakimavalley.org.

21-23 Oregon Wine Industry Symposium, Eugene. Enology, viticulture and business meet at the Hilton Hotel and Conference Center. Go to oregonwine.org/symposium.

25-27 Newport Seafood & Wine Festival, Newport, Ore. The 34th annual event features more than 50 wineries. Call 800-262-7844 or go to newportchamber.org.

March 1-5 Classic Wines Auction, Portland. This 27th annual fund-raiser for Portland-area children sells out months in advance. It features winemakers and restaurants on both sides of the Columbia. Call 503-972-0194 or go to classicwinesauction.com.

4-6 Poverty Bay Wine Festival, Des Moines, Wash. Rotarians stage this gathering of more than 20 Washington wineries, fare and live jazz at Landmark on the Sound for the seventh year. Cost is $25. Call 206-824-9462 or go to dmrotary.org.

5 Greatest of the Grape, Canyonville, Ore. The oldest wine event in the Northwest celebrates its 41st anniverary and pairs Southern Oregon wineries with restaurants at Seven Feathers Casino. Cost is $75. Go to umpquavalleywineries.org.

11-13 McMinnville Wine & Food Classic, McMinnville, Ore. This 18-year-old event lands at the Evergreen Space Museum. Cost is $15. Call 503-472-4033 or go to sipclassic.org.

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NORTHWEST WINE

Bargain Bob sniffs out some Sauvignon Blanc BY “BARGAIN BOB” WOEHLER

The grape: Sauvignon Blanc The word: This variety, sometime sold as Fumé Blanc, is

often overlooked when selecting a wine for dinner with lighter dishes. That’s a pity because Sauvignon Blanc is a great wine starting with appetizers and finishing with the main course. The crisp fruity wine, with a touch of herbs and citrus, has been produced mostly in Washington for 30 years in two styles, the fruity kind and the more grassy or herbaceous type. Both are perfect styles are perfectly balanced for food.

The match: Sauvignon Blanc shines at the dinner table. It is just right for artichoke and crab dip, shrimp cocktail and mild cheese like chevre, (goat or sheep) Feta or garlic-flavored cream cheese.

Pacific Northwest Wine Clubs ELLENSBURG WINEWORKS WINECLUBS We offer 2 wine programs to suit your wine preference and budget. A quarterly Washingtononly wine club, 6 btls $200-250/shipment and a monthly or every-other-month international club 2 btls/shipment. www.ellensburgwineworks.com 509-962-VINE (8463) • VINE TALES WINE CLUB • Distinctive wines from smaller cellars with growing reputations -- offering superior values! NW, international & exclusive offerings. www.vinetales.com 1-888-883-VINE (8463)

It’s also the classic oyster wine with its inherent minerality and light touch. Want a wine with fresh fish and chips?

Sauvignon Blanc is the choice.

Other great matches include ling cod and rotisserie chicken.

The bargains:

Mercer Estates 2008 Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley, $14.

Barnard Griffin Fumé Blanc, $6.

Covey Run Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley, $6.

Hogue Fumé Blanc, Columbia Valley, $6.

Chateau Ste. Michelle Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley $9.

Lone Canary Winery 2008 Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley, $9 Ste. Chapelle 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, Snake River Valley, $6.

THE WINE ALLEY, Fairwood Shopping Center, 14276 SE 176th St., Renton, WA 98058 Finest wines from the Pacific NW & the world 425-271-4501 • www.thewinealley.com

Tacoma Area WILDSIDE WINE, just off Sixth in Tacoma, at 608 A S. Oxford (3 blocks E of Jackson around the corner from JT's). E-mail for our specials: Carol@wildsidewine.com • 253-565-0811

Washington

WINE BANK, 7017 27th St W. University Place, WA 98466. Open Tuesday-Saturday. Saturday tastings. Sign up for weekly e-mail events & specials. Discount wine club. We ship wine!

Great wines, great prices, great service! 253564-1101. www.winebankup.com

Greater Seattle Area

Olympic, Kitsap Peninsula, San Juans

CITY CELLARS FINE WINES, 1710 N.45th St., Seattle. (206) 632-7238. Tues.-Sat.11-7; Sundays 12-5. www.citycellar.com. Friday tastings 5-7. “In the heart of Wallingford.”

DeLAURENTI SPECIALTY FOOD & WINE, 1435 1st Ave. in Seattle's Pike Place Market.

Over 1000 wines & 250 Cheeses (800) 873-6685 • www.delaurenti.com

COMPASS WINES, 1405 Commercial Ave., Anacortes, WA. 360-293-6500; fax: 360-588-1895.

Extensive collection of rare & collectable wines.

Wine storage. Only 2 blocks from the marinas.

Dockside delivery available. compasswines.com

Central Washington

ESQUIN WINE MERCHANTS, 2700 Fourth Ave. S., Seattle. More than 4,000 wines.

Discount prices and free local delivery. Open 7 days a week. 206-682-7374. www.esquin.com

ELLENSBURG WINEWORKS Bottle shop and wine bar. Themed wine tasting every Friday & Saturday. Artisan cheeses, meats, olive oil and more. WE SHIP! www.ellensburgwineworks.com 509-962-VINE (8463)

GEORGE’S WINE SHOPPE, Kelsey Creek Shopping Ctr., 15015 Main St. Ste 115, Bellevue, WA 98007. Wines for every taste!

Open Mon.-Sat. 10-6. 425-644-7723 www.georgeswineshoppe.com

GIFTS OF THE VINE, Ellensburg, WA. 421 N Pearl St. Suite 100; Tues-Sun afternoons, Pacific NW wines & gifts; Fri-Sun Tastings giftsofthevine@gmail.com • 509-925-1020

NORTH CITY BISTRO & Wine Shop Seattle.

1520 NE 177th. Extensive wine selection.

206-365-4447 • www.northcitybistro.com ncwshop@integra.net

LONE PINE FRUIT & ESPRESSO, 23041 Hwy 97 between Wenatchee & Chelan, 17 mi N. of Orondo. Regional wines, specialty foods, gifts. www.lonepinefruit.com • 509-682-1514

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Yakima, Tri-Cities, Walla Walla, Pullman STEMS, NW wines & gifts, 411 E. Yakima Ave., downtown Yakima, in the Hilton Garden Inn. Open Monday-Saturday 10-6 Tastings: Wednesdays, 12-7 • 509-452-8800

Oregon Greater Portland Area BRENTWOOD WINE COMPANY — Internet fine wine weekly auctions. Titanium Schott Zwiesel crystal wholesale & retail. The Northwest's largest buyer of fine wine.

For free appraisal, email wine list: appraisals@brentwoodwine.com (503) 638 WINE • www.brentwoodwine.com CORNELL WINE COMPANY, Portland, 14740 NW Cornell Rd. #90. Open Tues - Sat 10-7 pm.

Tastings: Friday & Saturday (503) 531-3981 mick@cornellwine.com • www.cornellwine.com

Southern Oregon JACKSONVILLE INN WINE & GIFT SHOP Extensive list of hard-to-find wines. Dinner guests can select from over 2,000 wines (541) 899-1900 (800) 321-9344 • jacksonvilleinn.com

Eastern Oregon GREAT PACIFIC WINES & COFFEE CO., 403 S. Main St., Pendleton, OR. (541) 276-1350 Mon-Thurs: 10-8; Fri: 10-9; Sat: 8:30 am-8 pm

Oregon Coast THE CELLAR ON 10TH, Astoria. Corner of 10th & Marine Dr. Finest selection of regional wines. Wine bar; weekly tastings; storage; gifts.

(503) 325-6600 • www.thecellaron10th.com E-mail us: thecellaron10th@aol.com W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

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NORTHWEST WINE

Nom de vine: Stories behind wine names

Okanagan winery has blast with name, labels

BY JON BAUER

Evelyn and Chris Campbell, having left the world of finance in Vancouver, B.C., came to Okanagan Falls in 2002, bought a vineyard and winery and immediately confronted their first challenge: what to call their winery.

The couple contacted Bernie HadleyBeauregard at the Vancouver design firm of Brandever and soon agreed on what they didn’t want.

“We wanted to do something innovative and knew we needed to stay away from the clichés,” Hadley-Beauregard said. “We had to avoid all the Ridges, Creeks, Hills and Valleys and stay away from the critters.”

During a tour of Okanagan Falls, Hadley-Beauregard stopped into a museum and began asking the employee about the town. Were there any intriguing stories she could tell?

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

Well, she replied, there’s the “dynamite church.”

And she proceeded to tell him about a congregation in Okanagan Falls in 1929 who wanted a new church and knew where an abandoned church could be found in an old mining camp about 16 miles away. The trick would be in moving the church.

To save the church, they had to destroy it, or at least dismantle it. So a plan was made to loosen the church’s nails with a controlled blast from four

sticks of dynamite. Aside from losing the steeple, the plan worked and the church was moved board by board to Okangan Falls.

“I asked her if anyone had ever called it Blasted Church,” Hadley-Beauregard said, “and she pursed her lips, goodnaturedly, and said, ‘No, no one’s ever called it Blasted Church.”

Hadley-Beauregard returned to the Campbells with a list of 430 suggestions for a new name but knew that Blasted Church was the one.

Blasted Church has used two artists.

The first labels were designed by illustrator Monika Melnychuk, who developed a priestly character who appeared more put-upon than dour. For the most recent vintages, three-dimensional illustrator Chris Sickels with Red Nose Studio has retold the Blasted Church story in comic scenes, most featuring the melancholic padre.

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A wine lover’s guide to Vancouver, B.C. S T O RY B Y J O N B A U E R PHOTOS BY JACKIE JOHNSTON

Lions Gate Bridge crosses from Stanley Park to North Vancouver.

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You don’t start out as a city much more humbly than as a mill town dubbed Gastown, especially when you get that name from “Gassy Jack” Deighton, who in 1867 opened a ramshackle tavern next to a sawmill.

Gastown remains as one of Vancouver’s brick-paved and steam-clocked historic districts, but Vancouver has since grown into an international, ethnically diverse city of more than a half-million people, a metropolis cradled by natural wonders, a major center for film and television production and a winter sports paradise now with Olympic standing.

And with British Columbia’s growing reputation as a producer of wines that rival those from Old and New World regions, Vancouver is an obvious choice for wine-loving tourists, who can enjoy the best wines coming from award-winning wineries in the Okanagan and around the world, whether you find that bottle in a neighborhood wine shop, a white-linen restaurant or a techno-beat wine bar.

Here’s a taste, then, of what wine lovers will find in Vancouver.

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The Vintage Gallery in O'Doul's Restaurant & Bar is a private dining area that seats up to 20 and showcases more than 1,500 bottles of wine for gourmet events, wine-paired dinners and tastings.

VANCOUVER WINERIES PA C I F I C B R E E Z E U R B A N W I N E RY

It started simply enough with two friends, Frank Gregus and Maurice Hamilton, in an amateur winemaking club, where “everybody helps everybody else try to make better wine,” Gregus said.

When the men got good enough at making the wine they enjoyed that they started getting requests to sell their efforts, the two made plans for a winery that stayed true to its “garagiste” origins.

It’s grown into Pacific Breeze 28

Urban Winery in New Westminster, B.C., a winery producing red and white varieties and blends, housed in a warehouse beneath the elevated course of Vancouver’s SkyTrain.

Joining the men in the effort is Hamilton’s son, Dylan. The trio shy from formal titles, and true to their garage origins, share in the work that needs to be done at the moment.

“When I was a kid, I was happy to help out in the garage, and they were looking for a strong back,” Dylan Hamilton said.

Pacific Breeze started work in 2005 and opened its doors in 2007, looking south to Washington’s Woodinville-area wineries for inspira-

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tion, Gregus said.

The Pacific Breeze name provides a clue to its philosophy, drawing its grapes from British Columbia’s Okanagan but also from the wine regions of Washington, Oregon and California.

On a recent October morning, the day before Canada’s Thanksgiving, Pacific Breeze’s staff was awaiting the arrival of grapes from a Washington vineyard, readying the equipment to continue crush amid a collection of stainless steel vats and stacks of oak barrels.

“We take the grapes from areas that we really like,” Gregus said, such as Pinot Gris from Oregon, Cabernet from California, Syrah

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vancouver 2009 Zinfandel, wines available now include 2009 Riesling and Chardonnay, Syrah from 2007 and 2006, the 2007 Vin de Garagiste blend of Cab Sauvignon and Cab Franc and their Cabernet Sauvignon series dubbed Killer Cab for its yellow and black checkered label.

Pacific Breeze’s tasting room opens at noon each day until 5 p.m.

Sunday through Thursday and until 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday. A $5 fee, waived for a purchase, offers tastings of two whites and three or four reds.

6-320 Stewardson Way, New Westminster, B.C., 604-522-2228, www.pacificbreezewinery.com L U L U I S L A N D W I N E RY

from Washington and Grenache from the Okanagan.

The trio also works closely with the coopers who provide their American and French oak barrels, Gregus said. Recently one cooper visited to taste through their wines so he could help them choose oak from a particular stand of trees.

The ability to use grapes from such a large swath of the West Coast allows them to make wines that don’t necessarily resemble what other B.C. wineries are producing.

“There are just different tastes,” Gregus said. “Our Merlot doesn’t taste like a B.C. Merlot.”

While Maurice Hamliton is eager for the release of a “young, fruity”

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Lulu Island winemaker John Chang started young, learning to make fruit wines at the side of his grandmother when he was a young boy in Taiwan.

Chang and his wife, Allison Lu, immigrated to Canada in the late 1990s and soon opened a winery that built on what he had learned from his grandmother, said Heather Turnbull, marketing and development manager for Lulu Island.

Blossom Winery, its original name, made fruit and ice wines that continue to sell under the Blossom label to an growing market in Asia as well as North America. But in 2007, Chang and Lu decided to expand into table wines, building their new estate winery on Richmond’s island. With the new winery came a change in name, taking Richmond’s original name of Lulu Island.

It’s just a happy coincidence, said Lu, that the new name reflects her own.

The winery now produces an array of 17 wines, a list that continues to grow. A passionfruit wine is being developed, and Lu is tending 10 acres of Orange Muscat on the winery’s grounds, Turnbull said.

“We just celebrated our red releases for 2009,” Turnbull said. Among its wines are unoaked Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and

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Gewürztraminer; a French oaked Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot; a red ice wine, a white ice wine of Riesling and Chardonnay; and a blend of ice wine and Okanagan apple cider that Chang has dubbed “Iceder.”

While blueberries, raspberries and other fruit are grown nearby, all of the winery’s grapes come from vineyards in Osoyoos, Penticton and Oliver in the Okanagan and brought to the winery for crush. Because of the demands of ice wine, Turnbull said, grapes frozen on the vine in the Okanagan are crushed there and the concentrated nectar brought to the winery.

Change and Lu put $7 million into the winery facility, building with an eye toward expansion. In addition to the main tasting room and shop, the winery has two smaller tasting rooms for private events as well as a currently vacant space for which the winery hopes to find a restaurant partner.

That space hasn’t gone unused, however, Turnbull said. During the Winter Olympics, the large room served as China House, a place where fans of China’s Olympians could gather to celebrate victories, meet athletes and coaches and socialize. Among the bigger celebrations at China House was for the Chinese New Year, Turnbull said. In thanks, the team presented the winery with official China Olympic Team uniforms, which are now on display in the winery’s shop.

“It was a huge honor,” Turnbull said.

Tours of the winery are offered twice a day and tastings are offered throughout the day. The first five samples are free, with $2 charged for each after that.

The tasting room and shop is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

16880 Westminster Highway, Richmond, B.C., 604-232-9839, www.luluislandwinery.com

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vancouver 1868, www.wellbrookwinery.com

S A N D U Z E S TAT E W I N E S

Also located in Richmond, Sanduz, which opened in 2006, makes a diverse list of table wines, including Merlot, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Noir; fruit and dessert wines, including gooseberry, black currant, blueberry, rhubarb, crab apple and portstyle blueberry and cherry wines; as well as wine syrups and jellies and honey produced by the bees in its own fields.

Sanduz’s tasting room is open each day from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

B.C. DRUNK DRIVING LAW FAIR WARNING WARNING TO WINE tourists in British Columbia: The provincial government earlier in 2010 passed Canada’s toughest drunken driving laws, significantly lowering the legal blood-alcohol level for drivers.

Under the new law, drivers who show a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 percent or refuse a roadside test face an immediate 90-day driving ban and a $500 fine and will have their vehicle impounded for 30 days.

But even drivers below the 0.08 mark familiar to most U.S. drivers can face penalties.

Drivers with a blood-alcohol level between 0.05 and 0.08 will lose driving privileges for three days and will be fined $200.

12791 Blundell Road, Richmond, B.C., 604-214-0444, www.sanduzwines.com I S A B E L L A W I N E RY

Yet another Richmond winery, Isabella produces a variety of table, fruit and ice wines under the Isabella and Little Beaver labels, including Pinot Noir, a Cab-Merlot blend, Viognier, Pinot Gris, pomegranate and cranberry wines, and ice wines of Zweigelt, Pinot Noir and Riesling.

The tasting room is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

1491 River Road, Richmond, B.C., 604288-0608, www.isabellawinery.com W E L L B R O O K W I N E RY

Located on a 55-acre farm,

Wellbrook Winery and its Old Grainery Store offer a selection of fruit wines, including blueberry, rhubarb, cranberry and apple blends and fortified dessert wines of apple, raspberry and blackberry.

Wellbrook is open daily, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

4626 88th Street, Delta, B.C., 604-946-

W E S T H A M I S L A N D E S TAT E W I N E RY

Located on a 35-acre fruit and berry farm, Westham offers a wide selection of fruit wines, including apple, blackberry, cranberry, gooseberry, rhubarb, tayberry and more and a white and red table wine, as well as preserves, wine jellies and fruit syrups. During the summer, the Wine Boutique and Tasting Room are open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call during the off-season for hours and tour availability.

2170 Westham Island Road, Delta, B.C., 604-940-9755, www.westhamislandwinery.com

WINE BARS U VA W I N E B A R C I B O T R AT T O R I A

Edward Perrow, director of operations for Uva Wine Bar, doesn’t like pretentiousness, but he does enjoy good wine.

Perrow traces his interest in wine to travels in Europe and recalls sitting in a vineyard, enjoying a good wine and thinking to himself: “This is what wine is all about.”

It’s an ethic that has carried over to Uva, in Vancouver’s downtown Arts and Entertainment District. But

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vancouver unpretentious doesn’t mean a lack of wine knowledge for Perrow, who has managed at Vancouver restaurants and wine bars since 1992.

Perrow and Neil Taylor, chef for Uva and sister restaurant Cibo Trattoria, recently competed in the Gold Medal Plates competition, a fundraiser for the Canadian Olympic Team’s Own the Podium program.

Taylor prepared a carpaccio of wild venison with pine mushrooms, black truffle and celeriac aioli and redwine-soaked pecorino. Perrow paired the dish with a 2007 Pinot Noir from Okanagan’s Foxtrot Vineyards. Taylor and Perrow took third place in the Vancouver competition, with the judges praising Perrow’s selection as “the most precise and seductive of the night.”

Uva won another honor recently, earning Gold as Best Bar/Lounge for 2010 in Vancouver Magazine’s annual restaurant awards.

Uva, dressed in comfortable but modern decor, is housed in the same 1908 building as Cibo and the companion Moda boutique hotel and Viti wine shop.

The wine bar offers about 26 wines by the glass, primarily from Canada and Italy, using a dispensing system that limits an open bottle’s contact with air. Along with small plates prepared by Taylor, Uva also offers a selection of bruschetta, salumi and cheese plates.

Perrow said he enjoys helping guests find a match with Taylor’s dishes, particularly when he sees diners taking pleasure in the pairing of wine and food.

“Absolutely,” he said. “It’s what I live for.”

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Pedestrians walk past the Sutton Place Wine Merchant.

900 Seymour Street Uva Wine Bar: 604-632-9560, www.uvawinebar.ca Cibo Trattoria: 604-602-9570, www.cibotrattoria.com A U P E T I T C H AV I G N O L

A must-visit for lovers of wine and cheese, Au Petit in East Vancouver’s Strathcona neighborhood pairs itself

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with its companion cheese shop, Les Amis du Fromage, which carries an extensive list of cheeses from around the world and from family farms in B.C. Au Petit’s wine list features 14 wines by the glass and scores by the bottle, with several from the Okanagan and the rest of the New and Old World. To keep things affordable, the bar limits its mark-up to no more than double its cost, and not more than $40 over its cost.

This would be the place to try the very Canadian poutine. The dish of french-fried potatoes served with cheese curd and peppercorn gravy is among its cheese-centric dishes including croque monsieur, platters of cheese and meats, a four-cheese macaroni and fondue and raclette.

from regions including Italy, Australia and B.C., including 30 wines by the glass and three wine flights. The menu is selected to complement wine, including cheeses, cured meats and wine, in addition to a 7-course Chef ’s Table dinner.

843 E. Hastings, 604-255-4218, www.aupetitchavignol.com

1137 Hamilton Street, 604-628-5555

1590 Commercial Drive, 604-258-0005, www.divinovancouver.com GEORGE

Downstairs from Brix Restaurant in Yaletown, George describes itself as an “Ultra Lounge for the cocktailhour crowd.” The atmosphere is casual. The music is loud. The menu is primarily small plates and pizzas.

And the glass-walled wine cellar includes wines from B.C. and around the world.

THE KEEFER BAR DIVINO

Located in the GrandviewWoodland neighborhood, Divino offers an extensive list with wine Art lovers will find plenty of First Nations artwork in Vancouver galleries and museums. This cedar box was carved by Bill Reid and can be found at the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art. 639 Hornby St., 604-682-3455, www.billreidgallery.ca

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Located in Chinatown, the Keefer Bar offers Asian-inspired small plates, cocktails made with herbal infusions and a limited but all-B.C. wine list.

135 Keefer Street, 604-688-1961, www.thekeeferbar.cocock THE OPUS BAR

Located within the Opus Hotel in Yaletown, Opus offers a short menu of its “O” bites, including truffle macaroni and cheese and barbecue

duck tacos. Its wine list, except for two Champagnes, is all-B.C. Opus also offers an extensive list of Scottish blended whiskeys and single-malts from the United Kingdom and North America.

350 Davie Street, 604-642-0557, www.opusbar.ca LOLO

Located in North Vancouver, Lolo offers artisan cheeses and charcuterie, small plates and sandwiches and wines by the glass and bottle from B.C. and around the world.

100 E. Second Street, 778-340-6655, www.lolnorthvan.com R E G I O N A L TA S T I N G L O U N G E ( R . T L )

R.tl serves French-inspired small plates and entrees and a list of more than 30 wines by the glass and flight from B.C. wineries and around the world.

1130 Mainland St., 604-638-1550, www.r.tl/contact.html BIN 941 & BIN 942

Two tapas parlors inspired by New York wine and tapas bars, with separate menus featuring wild game, seafood and local produce. Each offers a wine list with 18 wines by the glass from B.C., Spain, Italy, Chile, New Zealand and elsewhere.

Bin 941: 941 Davie Street, 604-683-1246, bin941.com

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vancouver Bin 942: 1521 W. Broadway Street, 604-734-9421 R AW C A N VA S

A tapas lounge, wine bar and art studio in Yaletown where guests are invited to grab a smock, buy a canvas and use provided paints and brushes to create. Wines by the glass, flight and bottle from B.C., France and California. And if you spill a little wine on your creation, hey, it worked for Jackson Pollock.

1046 Hamilton St., 604-687-1729, www.raw-canvas.com

WINE SHOPS O K A N A G A N E S TAT E W I N E S H O P

Michael Romand developed his love for wine, and for British Columbia wines in particular, during tours of B.C.’s Okanagan when he and friends would rent a limo and hit eight to 10 wineries in a weekend.

While his friends would roam the grounds during their stops, “I’d never leave the tasting room,” he said.

Romand’s Okanagan Estate Wine Shop in the Kitsilano neighborhood of Vancouver, reflects that Okanagan tasting-room atmosphere as well as the selection.

“If you’re looking for B.C. wines,

there’s not a better place to find them,” Romand said.

Okangan Estate offers only wines produced in British Columbia and mostly those from the Okanagan.

Even so, the wine shop is packed as Romand attempts to offer the full line from each of 26 B.C. wineries, with the exception of some special releases usually found only at a winery’s tasting room.

And the selection continues to grow. Romand, who has owned the 3-year-old shop since early summer, said he has been expanding shelf space to add wines from Nk’Mip Cellars in Osoyoos and Domaine de Chaberton in Langley.

The tasting room ethic also extends to pricing. Romand said he has special relationships with the wineries to keep prices near what wineries charge in their tasting rooms, with a 5 percent discount on case purchases.

Okanagan Estate is open daily, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with wine and cheese tastings from 2 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday.

3669 W. Fourth Ave., 604-730-1341, www.estatewineshop.com F I R E F LY F I N E W I N E S A N D A L E S

A large wine shop with a neighborhood feel in the Mount Pleasant region, Firefly offers a large selection

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of wine, particularly from British Columbia, organized by country of origin and by style of wine and with shelves of staff recommendations and organic wines. Tastings from wineries are scheduled regularly, and a tasting room is available for events.

Several bottles also are made available for tasting at a automated tasting station. Firefly also carries beer and spirits.

2857 Cambie St., 604-875-3325, www.fireflyfinewinesandales.com SUTTON PLACE WINE MERCHANT

Located on the campus of the Sutton Place Hotel, Sutton Place Wine Merchant packs a lot into a cozy shop in downtown’s West End. It features a diverse offering of B.C. and New and Old World wines, stemware and other accessories, a tasting room with a regular schedule of tastings, updated monthly on its website and a wine club.

855 Burrard St., 604-642-2947, www.suttonplacewinemerchant.com VITI WINE & LAGER STORE

Housed within the historic building that includes the Moda hotel, Uva Wine Bar and Cibo Trattoria, Viti offers more than 550 wines and 350 beers. Beer and spirit tastings are offered from 5 to 7 p.m., Fridays.

Wine tastings are offered 4 to 7 p.m., Saturdays.

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900 Seymour St., 604-683-3806, www.vitiwinelagers.com VILLAGE VQA WINES

Offers a huge selection of wines, all from British Columbia. Wineryspecific tastings are scheduled at each shop, with the schedule posted two to three months in advance on the website. Stemware and other accessories also are available.

Suzanna DeSouza prepares for weekend wine tasters at Pacific Breeze Winery.

1811 W. First Ave., 604-732-8827 3536 W. 41st Ave., 604-269-9433 3050 Edgemont Blvd., North Vancouver, 604-985-9463, www.villagevqawines.com E V E RY T H I N G W I N E

Located in North Vancouver, Everything Wine offers an extensive collection of wines, organized by wine region and style, including several shelves of B.C. wines, a room of rare and sought-after wines (How about a Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2006 for $2,000?), and a scheduled tastings and other events.

Everything Wine also offers a selection of stemware and wine-related products.

998 Marine Drive, 604-929-7277 B R O A D WAY I N T E R N AT I O N A L WINE SHOP

Open since 1986 in the Kistalano neighborhood, Broadway offers a diverse selection of B.C. and Old and New World wines and wine accessories, including Languiole corkscrews and Champagne sabers if you forget the corkscrew.

2752 W. Broadway, 604-734-8543, www.broadwaywineshop.ca L I B E RT Y W I N E M E R C H A N T S

Among its five locations in the greater Vancouver area, Liberty offers more than 5,000 wines from around the globe, including a selection of organic wines. It schedules fundraising tasting events throughout the year and offers classes in wine appreciation. Cigars are available the Robson and Point Grey shops.

1289 Robson St., West End, 604-633-1922

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1660 Johnston Street, Granville Island, 604-602-1120 4583 W. 10th Avenue, Point Grey, 604-224-8050 M-39 Park Royal S., West Vancouver, 604-925-3663 560-333 Brooksbank Ave., North Vancouver, 604-988-2424 libertywinemerchants.com MARQUIS WINE CELLARS

A large selection of wines from B.C. and Old and New Worlds.

Tastings are offered after 2 p.m.

Fridays and are scheduled one to two months in advance, such as a recent tasting of Burgundies in December. Stemware and accessories are available.

1034 Davie Street, 604-684-0445, www.marquis-wines.com

RESTAUR ANTS IN TERMS OF RESTAURANTS AND cuisine, Vancouver takes full advantage of its location, gathering the freshest seafood from British Columbia waters, meats and produce from farmers, some within miles (sorry, kilometers) of down-

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town, as well as wines from the Okanagan and the Old and New World, all of it married through the creativity of diverse cultures with thousands of years of culinary experience.

Three Vancouver restaurants from the same business family, and introduced through each restaurant’s wine director, offer a good example of the diversity and delight possible from those ingredients.

B L U E WAT E R C A F E + R AW B A R

“I think the renaissance started about eight years ago. In the last decade, we’ve definitely seen a surge,” said Andrea Vescovi, wine director for Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar. “Restaurants are finding their niches, and it’s an incredible mixture of East and West.”

Blue Water, in the Yaletown area of downtown, celebrates wild and sustainable seafood with a West Coast focus provided by executive chef Frank Pabst and at its raw bar by sushi and sashimi master Yoshi Tabo.

Foodies who sit at the restaurant’s bar can watch TV, though not one

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vancouver tuned to hockey or football games.

The closed-circuit cameras cut from views of the kitchen and the raw bar, where you might watch a B.C. Tasting for Two assembled: a Dungeness crab and shrimp cake, a Qualicum bay scallop ceviche, albacore tuna tartare and a smoked sockeye salmon terrine.

The restaurant and its staff have a long list of awards and recognitions from the likes of Wine Spectator, Vancouver Magazine and AAA. And Vescovi, who came to Blue Water in 2001 and who can trace his love of wine back to a conversation with a sommelier and a 1985 bottle of Pinot Noir, won Sommelier of the Year at the 2009 Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival.

You get a sense for the importance placed on wine at Blue Water just from a peek at its wine room, a private dining room whose four walls display a portion of the restaurant’s wine collection.

Assembling a wine list that complements Pabst’s and Tabo’s plates is Vescovi’s happy task.

“There has to a harmony with the food,” he said. Finding a bottle of wine that stands on its own is one thing. “But the wine has to shine with the food.”

More and more, those wines are coming from British Columbia, Vescovi said. “I’m a lot more confident in B.C. wines. I think the initial reaction of many was that they were kind of green,” he said. “But I’ve definitely seen a progression in quality. Winemakers are tapping into what B.C. wines can be.”

“I would be asked about a particular wine, and I didn’t like not knowing the answer,” Knowlton said.

Knowlton’s wine education includes formal training and through his sommelier and maitre’d experience at Banff and Vancouver restaurants, including at Vancouver’s venerable Le Crocodile.

He’s been at West for half of the restaurant’s 10 years and enjoys matching wine to West’s “cuttingedge cuisine” of regional and con-

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temporary plates from executive chef David Gunawan, such as venison from nearby Nicola Valley, served with port and fig sausage and an espresso-scented potato puree.

Like Blue Water, West has been praised by Wine Spectator, Vancouver Magazine and by the Mobil Travel Guide and Zagut. A temperature-controlled wall of wine displays the restaurant’s collection.

And in addition to the dining room, two chef ’s tables offer diners the

A beet and goat cheese salad at Brix Restaurant and Wine Bar.

1095 Hamilton St., 604-688-8078, www.bluewatercafe.net WEST

Owen Knowlton, wine director for West in Vancouver’s Fairview neighborhood, agrees with Vescovi that Vancouver “is definitely a culinary city.”

Knowlton first developed his passion for wine while working at a resort restaurant in Banff, Alberta.

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vancouver closest thing to a seat in the kitchen.

Now that he has some answers, Knowlton revels in talking wine with his guests.

“Fifty percent want encouragement, confirmation about their choice,” he said, while others appreciate his recommendations and often are open to trying something new, including a B.C. wine.

Pinot Noirs from Oregon and British Columbia are among the more popular requests, Knowlton said, and it’s only natural to match West Coast wines with the restaurant’s West Coast emphasis.

Among his favorite parts of the job, Knowlton said, is working with Gunawan and others in the kitchen on the restaurant’s winemaker’s dinners to develop a menu that pairs with a particular wine, which involves a lot of tasting among dishes and wine.

“It’s fun to see that cause and effect” between food and wine, he said.

2881 Granville St., 604-738-8938, www.westrestaurant.com CINCIN

A seagull in Vancouver Harbor flies off with a starfish for breakfast.

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Sarah McCauley, wine director for CinCin, admits a “big love for Italy,” which is convenient because of CinCin’s contemporary menu of Italian and Mediterranean cuisine.

A Robson Street institution, CinCin celebrated its 20th anniversary this summer. Its sister restaurants, West and Blue Water, recently marked 10 years.

McCauley’s goal in building CinCin’s wine list is clear as she looks for the best from each wine region.

“I look for wines that are extremely food friendly. When I buy wine, I look for something that speaks of a time and place,” said McCauley, a formally trained sommelier who first worked at West, starting in 2002.

As bustling a thoroughfare as Robson is, it only takes a walk upstairs to CinCin to arrive at that time and place. The street noise falls

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to Old World-inspired art and architecture. Anchoring the dining room is an elegant marble bar that, along with wines and spirits, displays a collection of grappa. And as with Blue Water, a wine room offers private dining.

CinCin chef de cuisine Todd Howard’s kitchen, which includes a wood-fire oven, offers a extensive menu that includes “pizzettes,” pastas and risottos, cheese selections from B.C. and Europe, “dolci” from chef patissier Thierry Busset and “secondi” courses such as coniglio saltimbocca: saddle of rabbit with chanterelle mushrooms, ricotta gnocchi, heirloom carrot puree and baby leeks.

Finding a wine to recommend, whether Old World or New, with each dish is something that takes trial and error, McCauley said, “matching the weight of the dish with the wine and its acidity.”

It’s work that involves a lot of tasting of Howard’s dishes and CinCin’s wines.

“I know. Terrible, isn’t it?”

McCauley said.

1154 Robson Street, 604-688-7339, www.cincin.net

MORE WINE-FOCUSED RESTAUR ANTS LE CROCODILE

For 26 years, a Vancouver institution inspired by the Strasbourg, France, restaurant Au Crocodile. A predominately French wine list but with a number of Okanagan and other New World wines.

100-909 Burrard Street. 604-669-4298, lecrocodilerestaurant.com B R I X R E S TA U R A N T A N D W I N E B A R

Canadian cuisine from local ingredients and a wine list that includes 60 wines by the glass. A covered and heated courtyard patio provides plenty of romance.

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The Light Shed sculpture by Liz Magor is based on the gray freight shed built on the Vancouver City Wharf in Coal Harbour about a century ago.

The half-scale aluminium version in Harbour Green Park recalls the simple wooden buildings of an earlier era.

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vancouver A dolphin earns a fishy treat showing off its high flying talent for tourists at the Vancouver Aquarium.

845 Avison Way, 604-6593474, www.vanaqua.org

1138 Homer Street, 604-915-9463, www.brixvancouver.com O ’ D O U L’ S R E S TA U R A N T A N D B A R

Open for more than 40 years, O’Doul’s celebrates West Coast cuisine and jazz with weekend performers. For each plate on the menu, diners will find a wine recommendation, encouraging a wine choice, and a 3-ounce pour if you wish, with each course. The Okanagan, as well as other Northwest wine regions, are well-represented on the wine list selected by sommelier Calvin DesChene.

1300 Robson Street, 604-661-1400, www.odoulsrestaurant.com BACCHUS

The Wedgewood Hotel and Spa’s restaurant serves modern French cuisine from local ingredients and a wine list that includes the West Coast, France, Italy, South Africa and Australia.

845 Hornby Street, 604-608-5319, www.wedgewoodhotel.com/files_2/dining.php LUMIERE

Lumiere recently took secondplace in the Gold Medal Plates culinary competition, a fundraiser for Canada’s Olympic Own the Podium program. Chef Dale Mackay’s black cod with smoked tomato, corn kernals, shredded kale and mushrooms was paired with a 2009 Riesling from Tantalus Vineyards in Kelowna, B.C. 2551 W. Broadway, 604-739-8185, www.lumiere.ca C R E S TA U R A N T

First-place in the Gold Medal Plates contest went to C chef Rob Clark’s terrine of rabbit with spot prawns and picked chanterelles, paired with a 2009 Viognier from Black Hills Estate Winery in Oliver, B.C. 2-1600 Howe Street, 604-681-1164, www.crestaurant.com CRU

Celebrated by Zagat as one of its World’s Top Restaurants of 2010 and 38

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by Vancouver Magazine’s Restaurant Awards for Best Small Plates, such as a Syrah-braised beef short rib served with macaroni and cheese. Wine list features wines from across the globe and B.C. with 35 wines by the glass.

1459 W. Broadway, 604-677-4111, www.cru.ca CHARM MODERN THAI AND BAR

Thai cuisine with a Western influence and a wine list that includes several B.C. wineries.

1269 Hamilton Street, 604-688-9339, www.charmmodernthai.com

restaurant and The Opus Bar.

W E D G E W O O D H O T E L A N D S PA

A family-run boutique hotel and spa with displays of flowers and fine antiques and 83 rooms. The Wedgewood Spa offers massage body scrubs, wraps, facials, manicures and pedicures. Its fitness facilities features a eucalyptus steam room. The Bacchus Restaurant and Piano Lounge earned its Four Diamond rating in 2008 from the CAA/AAA.

3763 W. 10th Ave., 604-224-7211, www.pairbistro.ca

HOTELS THE LISTEL HOTEL

Known for its art collection housed within 119 guest rooms and 10 suites, which showcases Northwest Coast art on the Museum Floors through a partnership with the University of British Columbia’s Museum of Anthropology, and contemporary art on its Gallery Floors.

It’s also home to O’Doul’s Restaurant and Bar, which features live jazz and annually receives an “Outstanding B.C. Wine List Award” from Wine Press Northwest.

1300 Robson St., 604-684-8461, www.thelistelhotel.com T H E S Y LV I A H O T E L

Overlooking English Bay and steps away from Stanley Park’s paved waterfront trail, The vine-covered Sylvia Hotel was built in 1912 as an apartment building, converted to a hotel in the 1960s, and was designated a heritage building in 1975. The hotel offers 120 rooms and suites and the Sylvia Restaurant and Lounge.

1154 Gilford St., 604-681-9321, www.sylviahotel.com

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322 Davie St., 604-642-6787, www.opushotel.com/vancouver.html BLUE HORIZON

Blue Horizon’s 31 floors in the city’s first modern high-rise offer 214 corner guest rooms and suites, most with views of Vancouver’s surrounding beauty. Dining is available at Inlet’s Bistro and Lounge.

1225 Robson St., 604-688-1411, www.bluehorizonhotel.com

845 Hornby St., 604-689-7777, www.wedgewoodhotel.com

SHANGRI-LA HOTEL

PA I R B I S T R O

Menu is West Coast regional from locally sourced ingredients with an all-B.C. wine list.

F E AT U R E

SUTTON PLACE HOTEL

A 199-room luxury hotel occupies the first 15 floors of Vancouver’s tallest building. The door is contemporary Asian. Many rooms have private balconies and views of Vancouver. Spa treatments are available at Chi, and fine dining at Market and the Lobby Lounge with an outdoor art gallery curated by the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Sutton Place offers 350 guest rooms and 46 executive and grand bedroom suites with European charm. Northwest cuisine is offered its Fleuri Restaurant with a Sunday Jazz Brunch with live music, while the Gerard Lounge offers English club atmosphere. Fine wines are available at the Sutton Place Wine Merchant.

1128 W. Georgia S., 604-689-1120, www.shangri-la.com/en/property/vancouver/shangrila

845 Burrard St., 604-682-5511, www.vancouver.suttonplace.com MODA HOTEL

Located in the heart of the downtown Arts and Entertainment district and kitty-corner from Vancouver’s Orpheum Theatre and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Moda offers 67 contemporary hotel rooms in a 1908 heritage building that in its renovation retained its mosaic tile floors and 80-year-old hardwood flooring. For pet lovers, the hotel has designated rooms for pets under 75 pounds. The building also is home to Uva Wine Bar, Cibo Trattoria, Viti Wine and Lager Store and the Red Card Sports Bar and Eatery.

900 Seymour St., 604-683-4251, www.modahotel.ca OPUS

The Opus offers 96 luxury guestrooms with spa bathrooms in the Yaletown neighborhood. Dining is available at One Hundred Days

FA I R M O N T H O T E L VA N C O U V E R

Built as the Hotel Vancouver by the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific railways, the hotel opened in 1939 and was visited by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth I in its first year. The Fairmont was renovated in the mid-’90s, and is identifiable by its green-patina roof and castlelike appearance. The 556-room hotel includes a health club, the Absolute Spa and dining and afternoon tea at 900 West Lounge and Griffins Restaurant.

900 West Georgia St., 604-684-3131, www.fairmont.com/hotelvancouver ı JON BAUER is Wine Press Northwest’s editor-at-

large. The Northwest native has a quarter-centur y in the newspaper business and lives in Mount Vernon, Wash.

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

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WINE COUNTRY: WILLAMETTE VALLEY

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This tractor driver has some fun keeping out of the sun with a hat of grape leaves during the harvest at Canoe Ridge Estate, near Paterson, Wash.

C

hallenging. Confounding.

Exciting. Heart-wrenching.

Heart-breaking. Insane. And

wow!

Wine descriptors they are not.

Rather, they are terms used by wine42

makers and vineyard managers to explain the range of emotions during the growing, harvest and fermentation of a worrisome yet still rewarding 2010 vintage.

After a dreary spring and mild

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summer, some Northwest winemakers seem ready to party like it’s 1999 — a vintage that produced remarkable and age-worthy wines.

A majority of producers might even call it a princely vintage, but it

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Harvest 2010 A test of chemistry and patience

BY ANDY PERDUE AND ERIC DEGERMAN PHOTOGRAPHS BY J A C K I E J O H N S T O N

took a remarkable stretch of nearly perfect weather in September and October to get the late-ripening grapes to the finish line.

Tonnage is estimated to be down about 20 percent across the board in

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our region for a variety of reasons, and it all stems from a wet spring and cool summer.

Delays in harvest and slow-toripen fruit brought moldy grapes, bird predation and high-acid wines.

Calamities were few, though, and some areas — particularly Idaho — fared better than most. And unlike California, “We don’t have any disasters,” said winemaker Rob Griffin of Barnard Griffin in Richland, Wash.

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harvest A harvester reaches through the vines to snip off a cluster of grapes at Canoe Ridge Estate, near Paterson, Wash.

Chad Johnson of Dusted Valley Vintners in Walla Walla quipped, “Wow, the harvest that almost got canceled. Thank god we had a lot of beautiful weather at the end. Maybe I’ll take global warming rather than climate change.”

Here is a region-by-region look at the Pacific Northwest’s 2010 vintage.

WASHINGTON THOSE WITH THE TOOLS, SKILL and experience seem poised to deal best with the juice now in their cellars. And don’t expect to see alcoholic and flabby wines birthed from 2010.

“I’ve been longing for a year like this,” said Gary Figgins of famed Leonetti Cellar in Walla Walla. “It smacks of the old days.”

Griffin said, “I know we’re going to be trying winemaking techniques that usually stay in the textbooks.

It’s going to be one of the more challenging vintages, but it also will ultimately be one of the more rewarding.”

In some ways, 2010 reminds 44

Griffin of 1999 as he began to bring in fruit on Sept. 22, about two weeks later than recent vintages.

“Certainly, the overt comparison is legitimate,” Griffin said. “The season was similar in heat unit accumulation. (Washington) made good wines that year, but we do that almost every year.”

And yet, it’s also akin ‘77 — his first harvest in Washington — because of the late start and late ripening.

“It’s going to challenge a winemaker’s skill, and it’s already done that to growers,” Griffin said.

Growers who recognized the issues early, dropped fruit, sprayed for rot and adjusted were those who pleased their clients.

Renowned viticulturalist Dick Boushey runs his eponymous vineyard in the Yakima Valley and also consults on Red Mountain for Col Solare and Fidelitas. His first commercial harvest was 1983, but 2010 reminds him of 1985.

“It was cold and miserable like this year, and we didn’t get the heat units,” Boushey said, “but back then we didn’t have a clue of how to deal

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with something like this.”

In the Horse Heaven Hills, Jarrod Boyle of Alexandria Nicole Cellars and Destiny Ridge Vineyard near Paterson, noted, “It was a blessing in that the growing season was gradual.

It wasn’t all of a sudden, so it gave guys a chance to thin.”

Thinning comes at a cost, though, especially when it’s Cabernet Sauvignon.

“We were down easily 25 percent,” Boyle said. “The whites were great as far as tonnage, but for Cab, we were shooting for 4 tons (per acre) and ended up with 3 tons per acre.

That all equates to dollars.”

Dusted Valley reported a reduction of 20 percent from its estate parcels in the Walla Walla Valley.

“We started three weeks to a month late, but we’re really happy with what we got,” Johnson said.

Wade Wolfe of Thurston Wolfe Winery in Prosser said the cool temperatures and slow ripening put some Yakima Valley vineyards as much as 18 days behind schedule.

He made Grenache his first pick around Sept. 28.

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harvest Harvest ended Nov. 4 at Destiny Ridge when Barbera, Mourvèdre and Petit Verdot got plucked from the vines.

Mainstream varieties — Gewürztraminer, Merlot and Syrah — came in at their traditional times.

Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc were significantly late.

And up until the end, Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling, arguably Washington’s hallmark varieties, were in jeopardy.

“An exciting vintage!” Covey Run winemaker Kate Michaud said with a big smile. “Besides it being super, super late, confounding is what I would say.”

Boushey pointed out, “I had Merlot picking ahead of the whites, and I’ve never seen that.”

In fact, Chardonnay and Riesling were still being picked for dry wines on Nov. 20, Boushey reported.

Even grape chemistry came as a surprise. Two warm weeks in September jump-started sugars in red varieties and Riesling. Then a rainstorm led to the spread of the mold in grape clusters, and chemicals were sprayed to battle it.

“I’d never seen it explode like that,” Boushey said. “We’ve been spoiled in Washington. We can put on three sprays and think we’re covered. In other parts of the world, they apply four to six sprays. I know I should have put on one more. I know next year everyone will be spraying.”

Meanwhile, fresh in the minds of everyone was the prior year’s killing freeze of Oct. 10. A similar event before Halloween would have meant disaster.

Patience also was needed in the winery. The late and condensed harvest created more than the usual level of chaos on crush pads. Those sharing equipment and facilities worked on tighter-than-ever schedules as bins of freshly picked grapes stacked up waiting for fermenters to open.

“This is not one I want to repeat

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again,” Boushey said. “A lot of white grapes didn’t get picked because of the rot. You need to go through by hand rather than machines in that case, and that will hurt the bigger guys.”

Those who selected the best bunches will be rewarded with outstanding whites, particularly Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, while Syrah and Merlot should shine above the Cabs, Griffin said.

“Merlot is particularly good this year,” he said. Cabernet is a little problematic. The wines will be a little bit sterner and harder.”

And considering the glut of bottled wine on the market, some wondered if Mother Nature did wineries a favor in 2010 by presenting them a smaller crop and a vintage that in many cases will need extra time in the bottle — which isn’t usually what the consumer is accustomed to.

“The wines will be more like the ‘99 vintage, which aged wonderfully,” Boushey said, “so the wineries

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maybe should hang onto these wines an extra year before releasing them.”

OREGON FOR MANY IN THE WILLAMETTE Valley and beyond, 2010 will go down as one for the birds.

“It was just insane, especially in the Yamhill area,” said Luisa Ponzi of Ponzi Vineyards in Beaverton. “I saw as much as 50 percent damage because of the birds. It was just heartbreaking to see that in a day and a half they would ravage a vineyard. I remember going out to some vineyards, and the surrounding trees would be vibrating with so many birds.”

A poor season for wild blackberries drove more birds than usual into vineyards looking for nourishment, and the late-arriving harvest throughout Oregon synced up with hungry birds headed south on their migration path.

Torii Mor Winery in the Dundee

Grapes are handpicked and loaded into bins at Canoe Ridge Estate, near Paterson, Wash.

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harvest dark color, wonderful flavors and texturally it’s beautiful,” she said.

“Potentially, it could be a really beautiful vintage.”

That came much to the delight of Sam Tannahill, whose A to Z Wineworks is the largest producer in Oregon.

“Late can often translate to great,” he told his colleagues at the Oregon Wine Board. “All signs are pointing to the potential for great wines with balance, elegance and finesse.”

When it came to historical perspective for the 2010 vintage, Luisa Ponzi turned to her legendary father, Dick, who is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the winery in founded.

“There’s nothing to really compare it to because of the birds, the botrytis and the lateness, but he said maybe ‘85,” she said. “Obviously I don’t remember it, but ‘85 was a fantastic vintage. It was the first vintage

by Ponzi Vineyards that was recognized by the national press, so he really liked that one!”

Grapes tumble out of a bin on their way to the sorting line at Forgeron Cellars in Walla Walla.

Hills reported a crop loss of 25 percent, attributing most of it to birds.

In the Umpqua Valley, Pat Spangler of Spangler Vineyards in Roseburg dubbed it “the worst bird problem since 2004.”

Until the birds swooped in, botrytis was the key concern in the Willamette Valley. And there were blocks that failed to overcome the cool start to the growing season.

“Some vineyards never got to complete ripeness,” Ponzi said.

Ponzi Vineyards began to bring in fruit Oct. 8, two weeks later than normal, and finished up Nov. 5.

It was a more concentrated harvest at Torii Mor for Jacques Tardy, who serves as both winemaker and vineyard manager.

“Fast and furious,” Tardy described it. “We didn’t start picking until Oct. 16 and by the 22nd, 90 percent of the fruit was in.”

For the Ponzi family, Pinot Gris 46

came first, followed by Pinot Noir and then Chardonnay toward the end of October. Normally, the Dijon clone Chardonnay would be among the early ripeners.

“I’m still scratching my head over that,” Ponzi said.

Merlot was the first thing through Spangler’s door, and Oct. 6 was the latest he’d ever begun crushing.

Strangely, 2010 started out like a lamb as January and February tracked among the warmest on record. Then, April on through June brought cool temperatures. Greg Jones, a climatologist at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, noted that June through early October temperatures were near normal, if not slightly cooler, with fewer heat spikes.

All the turmoil made for lower expectations of Pinot Noir, but Ponzi is pleased with what she has.

“In the barrel, it’s got the beautiful

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BRITISH COLUMBIA GORDON AND WALTER GEHRINGER in Oliver are thankful Mother Nature gave them the option of when to bring in their last grapes. And they chose to end harvest Oct. 30 with the varieties that always need the extended hang time on their vines that overlook the Golden Mile — Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

“They are the challenging ones,” Walter said. “Everything else was brilliant.”

During the summer, though, wineries throughout the province hoarded bags of a chemical compound to help them adjust for high acidity if the grapes didn’t get ripe enough.

“Everybody in the industry ordered calcium carbonate out their ears,” Gehringer said. “But the last two weeks of September and all of

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harvest October were absolutely great, which helped out immeasurably and surprisingly. So I’m sitting on a mountain of calcium carbonate, which is a good thing.”

Tonnage for the Okanagan Valley likely will be off by about 20 percent, Gehringer predicted.

“You always hear some horror stories about a few new guys — greenhorns who don’t do any thinning or are working with a new variety,” he said, “but we’ve not really seen a bad vintage in this valley.”

On Vancouver Island, harvest for Venturi-Schulze Vineyards began three to four weeks later than in 2009, which was a hot year. This vintage demanded more effort than any in the winery’s 23-year history.

“As always, those with better sites had more success, but everyone here will refer to 2010 as ‘The year from hell,’ ” Marilyn Venturi said. “All growers I have spoken with report that botrytis hit hard and spread quickly at the end of the season.

Some vineyards reported that they lost 100 percent of their crop.

Wildlife problems were extreme this year, from wasps to birds and bears.”

Late-ripening varieties “simply ran out of season,” she said, pointing to temperatures that all year ran close to 5 degrees cooler than normal.

“The challenging season prompted many to try their hand at sparkling wine and there will be an interesting variety of rosés, I hear,” she added.

Christmas came early for some winemakers, though.

On Nov. 22, an arctic blast sent temperatures to 12 degrees Fahrenheit, allowing for an early harvest for ice wine. When Tinhorn Creek Vineyards in Oliver picked its frozen Kerner berries, it was the province’s second earliest on record.

The earliest was Nov. 5, 2003.

By law, the temperature must drop to 17 Fahrenheit (minus 8 Celsius) or below for grapes to be bottled as ice wine.

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F E AT U R E

IDAHO THIS YEAR MARKED GREG KOENIG’S 16th harvest in Idaho, but the Caldwell winemaker and grower has nothing to compare it to.

“In August, you could have asked any of us and we would have told you a pretty dire story,” Koenig said. “We were so far behind, but we had a phenomenal September and October.

“Now, we’re just shaking our heads and looking forward to tasting the wines,” he continued. “It was looking like one of the worst vintages, and now it’s one of the top three in terms of quality. There is a bit more acidity, which is what I’ve been asking for, so the wines are going to have nice balance.”

Melanie Krause from Cinder noted, “We harvested about two to three weeks late on each variety but with good ripeness and flavors. Since we ended harvest with no frost and little rain in November, we were able to bring in our Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvèdre in good shape.”

The final variety for Koenig was Sangiovese, which came in Nov. 11.

“We don’t really have a couple of weeks (of hang time) to play with, but this year we did,” he said. “It was sunny, and it hadn’t frozen.”

About 1,600 acres of vines are planted in the Gem State, most of them in the Snake River Valley. And while some new parcels came into production this year, the tonnage may weigh out similar to 2009 for Idaho’s 43 wineries.

Koenig makes wine for four of them — his own, Bitner, 3 Horse Ranch and Williamson. Each one produces estate fruit, and the combination of a cool spring and mild summer prompted Koenig to encourage those vineyards to prune. That led to a crop reduction of 15 percent.

“I’d rather have two good barrels of wine than four mediocre barrels, especially coming off a string of six or seven ripe vintages” he said. “In our own vineyard, we pruned Merlot to less than one ton per acre in anticipa-

Winemaker Marie-Eve Gilla picks a leaf out from some grapes on the sorting line at Forgeron Cellars in Walla Walla.

tion of the impossibility of ripening.

It turns out that we picked two weeks before we really needed to.”

He’s thrilled with juice from young plantings of Petit Verdot and Petite Sirah. And there was just enough botrytis in some Riesling for him to create about 30 cases of trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) for the Williamsons.

“It’s surprising we didn’t have more cellar rot because of the rainy spring, but it’s so arid here that it blows out and dries the next day,” Koenig said. ı AN D Y PE R D U E and ERIC DEGERMAN are the editors 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 WineCountr yCreations.com.

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WINE COUNTRY: PROSSER

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TA S T I N G R E S U LT S W I N E R AT I N G S

FINDING THE BEST OF THE BEST IN THE GREAT NORTHWEST

11 Annual Platinum Judging th

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B

etween a robust red and a delectable dessert wine, our 11th annual Platinum Judging had something to please every palate.

In our largest competition yet — 538 wines — our quest to honor the best of the best in the Great Northwest successfully highlighted 75 wines with a Platinum rating. Ten of those wines were unanimously voted Platinum by our judges, giving them the title of Double Platinum.

At the top of the list were Thurston Wolfe’s 2007 The Teacher Cab and Gehringer Brothers’ 2009 Riesling Icewine. Both are small-production bottlings, but the entire list of Platinums will supply you with plenty of wines from which to choose.

Here are a few story lines that stood out for me in this year’s judging: ıϧGehringer Brothers, a moderate-sized winery in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, brought home five Platinum awards.

That’s an astonishing level of greatness. ıϧJoieFarm’s 2008 Noble Blend finished No. 2 a year ago. The 2009 version won another Platinum this year. ıϧVin du Lac’s streak of consecu-

Northwest.

All wines earned gold medals or the equivalent to get into our judging. Thus, the lowest medal they could earn was a gold. Here’s how wines are rated in our competition:

Double Gold

Superb wines that rise above. They should be highly sought after.

Best of the Best

These are the top-rated wines in the judging.

They should be considered extremely collectible and highly coveted. This year, the one wine that earned this award is also a Double Platinums.

Gold

Double Platinum

Any wine that is $15 and under.

The judges unanimously decided these were Platinums. Again, these should be considered highly coveted.

used as guidelines. Prices are in U.S. dollars

Platinum

unless otherwise noted as CDN which is

Great wines, among the best in the Great

Canadian dollars.

Our judges confirmed the gold medals they earned elsewhere. They should not be overlooked.

Best Buy

tive Platinums for Cabernet Franc ended at five years. But the winery in Lake Chelan did win Platinums for Syrah and Merlot. ıϧZerba Cellars, La Frenz Winery and Kiona Vineyards Winery each won three Platinums this year. ıϧIn our first Platinum Judging 11 years ago, a Cabernet Sauvignon from Kiona was the only Platinum.

This year, Kiona won again for Cab. ıϧDomaine Ste. Michelle’s Brut, with 191,540 cases, was the largestproduction wine to win a Platinum this year. ıϧSixteen Platinums cost $15 or less, qualifying them as “Best Buys.”

Our judges spent three days tasting wines single-blind. They were: Parks Redwine of Atlanta, Ga., owner of the Northwest Wine Summit; Dan Berger of Santa Rosa, Calif., a wine writer; Jay Drysdale of Enotecca Wineries & Resorts in Oliver, B.C.; Vanessa Bailey, a soil microbiologist and member of Wine Press Northwest’s tasting panel; Kate Michaud, Covey Run Winery’s winemaker; Christopher Sagadin, wine steward for Yoke’s Fresh Market in West Richland, Wash.; Thomas Henick-Kling, director of viticulture and enology for Washington State University; Ken Robertson, a columnist for Wine Press Northwest; and

➤ F O R M O R E P L AT I N U M R E S U LT S ➤ W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M / W I N T E R 1 0

Prices are suggested retail and should be

Paul Sinclair, longtime member of Wine Press Northwest’s tasting panel. Also joining us as non-voting judges were Kori Voorhees, primary writer for Wine Peeps wine blog; and John DiBari, a wine lover who lives in Yakima, Wash.

Bob Woehler, Wine Press Northwest tasting editor, served as chief of judges. Andy Perdue and Eric Degerman moderated the judging, and Hank Sauer ran the backroom. The competition was held Nov. 12-14 at the Clover Island Inn in Kennewick, Wash.

Wines are eligible to enter the Platinum Judging if they win gold medals or the equivalent in any of about 35 competitions we monitor throughout the year. Wine Press Northwest editors and tasting panelists participate in many of these competitions, so we are able to verify the quality of each. During the Platinum, wines are judged by category (variety or style) and are tasted blind, meaning the judges do not know who the producer is. To avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest, winemakers who participate as judges are not served their own wines.

Here are the results:

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BEST OF THE BEST

poached pears and candied lemon zest. The 24.5% residual sugar is backed with astonishing acidity and a clean finish. Won gold at the Indy International Wine Competition. (200 cases, 10.3% alc.)

Thurston Wolfe $22 2007 The Teacher Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington Stan Clarke did a lot of great things in his life. He was a winemaker, a writer and a friend to many. Most importantly, he was a teacher. He also was Wade Wolfe’s best friend, so the owner/winemaker of Thurston Wolfe chose to honor him when Clarke passed away in 2007. This Cabernet Sauvignon blends grapes from Destiny Ridge and McKinley Springs vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills. It opens with exotic aromas of violets, expressive blue fruit, black currants and chocolate, followed by silky flavors of classic cassis, perfect oak integration and beautiful balance of fruit, acidity and tannin. This wine is officially sold out but probably can be found at a few wine merchants or on wine lists. Won gold at the San Francisco International Wine Competition and Seattle Wine Awards. (265 cases, 14.5% alc.)

DOUBLE PLATINUM Best buy!

Buried Cane $15 2007 Syrah, Washington This brand for Middleton Family Wines in Hoquiam, Wash., is a superb value, especially considering the quality. The wines are made in Prosser by Brian Rudin, who has crafted a Syrah with complex aromas of boysenberries, black cherries and a hint of forest floor. It’s a restrained wine on the palate, with supple flavors of blueberries, marionberries, pomegranates and a hint of crushed mint leaf in the farewell. Won double gold at the Seattle Wine Awards. (818 cases, 14.2% alc.)

Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery $50 CDN 2009 Signature Riesling Icewine, Okanagan Valley Walter and Gordon Gehringer have been crafting superb ice wines since 1991. This Riesling ice wine from estate grapes is one of three styles the brothers produce each year. The grapes were harvested Dec. 8, and it was the second time the grapes had frozen (the first during the Oct. 10 cold snap). The resulting wine opens with penetrating aromas of exotic spiced apples with traces of lime and grapefruit, followed by flavors of baked apples,

Pacific Rim Winemakers $16 2008 White Flowers Sparkling Riesling, Columbia Valley This Randall Grahm-owned operation in the shadow of Washington’s Red Mountain continues its laser focus on Riesling with this superb bubbly. Winemaker Nicolas Quillé and his crew have created a beautiful and instantly popular sparkler that opens with luscious aromas of orange blossoms, candied peaches and freshly cut apples. On the palate, this reveals superb bubble texture with fresh fruit flavors and true varietal

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characters. One judge deemed it “a charming breakfast wine.” Won gold at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. (4,200 cases, 11.5% alc.)

Tsillan Cellars $20 2008 Estate Riesling, Lake Chelan Bob Jankelson has created one of the Northwest’s finest wine-andfood destinations on the south shore of Lake Chelan, and he is quickly proving that Riesling can reach its zenith in this emerging wine region. This wine from estate grapes opens with aromas of minerality, faint herbs and beautifully distinctive pure cane sugar. On the palate, it is a clean, sleek wine whose acidity is in perfect harmony with its 1.75% residual sugar. Won gold at the West Coast Wine Competition and Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition. (384 cases, 12.5% alc.)

Best buy!

Airfield Estates $12 2009 Riesling, Yakima Valley Winemaker Marcus Miller is a rising star in the Washington wine universe, and this remarkable Riesling further solidifies this fact. He uses grapes from his family’s vineyard to craft a wine with plenty of wow. it opens with aromas of peaches, ripe apples and even hints of strawberries, followed by harmonious flavors of crisp apples and Asian pears. Bright acidity beautifully balances the 2.3% residual sugar. Won gold at the Seattle Wine Awards. (385 cases, 14.1% alc.)

Kiona Vineyards Winery $25 2008 Ice Wine, Red Mountain Winemaker Scott Williams makes one of the Northwest’s finest ice wines annually, and this succulent treat from

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estate Chenin Blanc solidifies just how consistently great this wine is. It is perhaps ironic that one of Washington’s warmest viticultural regions also supplies a great ice wine, but a block of Williams’ vineyard tends to freeze every year, providing the marble-hard grapes needed to craft this wine. It opens with beautiful and complex aromas of orchard blossoms, followed by flavors of fresh-picked apples, ripe pears and hints of jasmine. Near-perfect acidity backs up the 28.6% residual sugar. Won double gold at the Seattle Wine Awards and gold at the San Francisco International Wine Competition, International Eastern Wine Competition, Northwest Wine Summit and Washington State Wine Competition (1,200 cases, 9.6% alc.)

Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards $26 2009 Reserve Grüner Veltliner, Umpqua Valley This variety, best known in the Danube region of Austria, is gaining notoriety in the United States, thanks to the hard work of owner/winemaker Stephen Reustle, who was among the first to grow the white variety. This is a superb wine with aromas of lemon zest and steely minerality. Its elegant shyness gives way to beautiful viscosity with touches of lemon and even a hint of lychee. Won chairman’s award and unanimous gold at the Riverside International Wine Competition. (233 cases, 13.4% alc.)

Best buy!

Barnard Griffin $12 2009 Rosé of Sangiovese, Columbia Valley Owner/winemaker Rob Griffin has had this rosé dialed in for a number of years, yet he continues to

find ways to make it even better as he works closely with grape grower Maury Balcom. This opens with aromas of pure strawberries with hints of grass, followed by flavors bursting with red fruit and a viscous midpalate. Fine-grained tannins and refreshing acidity lead to a memorable finish. It’s a great wine for barbecue — or just about anything.

Won gold at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, San Diego International Wine Competition and Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition. (1,700 cases, 12.4% alc.)

Maryhill Winery $18 2007 Sangiovese, Columbia Valley Our 2009 Washington Winery of the Year used grapes from four vineyards, with the largest amount coming from the nearby Gunkel Vineyard (40%). It’s a beautiful red that shows just how delicious a Washington Sangiovese can be. It opens with aromas of Rainier cherries and Canby raspberries, followed by succulent flavors of racy red currants, cranberries and cherries. It shows ample oak that never gets in the way of all the fruit. Won gold at the Indy International Wine Competition. (1,410 cases, 13.2% alc.)

PLATINUM Cassini Cellars $34 CDN 2008 Collector's Series Syrah, Okanagan Valley Adrian Capeneata is off to a remarkable start with his young winery along the famed Golden Mile between Osoyoos and Oliver, B.C..

Capeneata purchased a lavender farm in 2006, planted vines and built a winery. This wine, from

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his first vintage, is superb, with aromas of menthol, Aussie black licorice, violets and even something that reminded us of Oreo cookies. On the palate, it reveals flavors of boysenberries, Graham crackers and chocolate. It’s a big wine with ample acidity and tannins to back up all the fruit. Won gold at the All Canadian Wine Championships.

(396 cases, 14.8% alc.)

Best buy!

Domaine de Chaberton Estate Winery $15 CDN 2008 Gewürztraminer, Okanagan Valley This longtime winery in the Fraser Valley (just a few minutes from the U.S. border) is crafting increasingly delicious and superior wines. This aromatic white uses grapes from the Interior and opens with classic aromas of cloves, grapefruit and lychee. On the palate, it reveals flavors of grapefruit, allspice, and candied ginger. Surprisingly bright acidity backs up all the delicate flavors, making it a perfect match with dark turkey or even a mild curry. Won gold at the All Canadian Wine Championships. (1,040 cases, 13.4% alc.)

Dunham Cellars $74 2006 Lewis Vineyard Syrah, Columbia Valley Winemaker Eric Dunham has shown his mastery of Syrah for as long as he has made the red wine, and grapes from Lewis Vineyard fit his style like a comfortable pair of jeans. In fact, the four Platinums that Dunham has won over the years have been for Syrah. This glorious red is complex from first whiff, thanks to aromas of just-picked blackberries, violets and cola. On the palate, it provides flavors of juicy blackberries, marionberries and pomeranates, all sprinkled with a touch of cocoa powder. Won

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gold at the Seattle Wine Awards. (453 cases, 14.4% alc.)

Pentage Wines $18 CDN 2009 Gewürztraminer, Okanagan Valley Owner Paul Gardner continues to show his ability to craft wines at a high level of quality with each vintage at his winery near Penticton, B.C. This Gewürztraminer from estate grapes overlooking Skaha Lake opens with classic aromas of lychee, rosewater and clove, followed by luscious flavors of pink grapefruit, lemon zest and blood orange, all backed with bright acidity. This is a classic example of Gewürztraminer that won gold at the All Canadian Wine Championships. (370 cases, 13% alc.)

Walter Dacon Wines $42 2007 C'est Syrah Magnifique, Yakima Valley Since his first commercial crush in 2003, Lloyd Anderson has focused on crafting some of the Northwest’s finest Syrah from his winery in tiny Shelton, Wash. This luscious example comes from four vineyards, with the majority from Boushey, Elephant Mountain and End of the Road Ranch. It opens with exotic aromas of cinnamon bark, cedar shavings, molasses and maple syrup, followed by luscious flavors of black olives, dark fruit and even a hint of cream soda, all backed with solid acidity to a lengthy finish. Won gold at the Seattle Wine Awards.

(240 cases, 14.8% alc.)

Abacela Vineyards & Winery $18 2008 Albariño, Umpqua Valley Owner Earl Jones was among the first in the Northwest to grow and make wine from this racy Spanish white grape, and he remains one of the best. Albariño is known for its steely acidity and bright purity of fruit, and this is an impressive example — as

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good as any from Galacia, remarked one of our judges. Its aromas reveal minerality and citrus, while the palate gives way to flavors of lime, tropical fruit and crisp apple. A pairing with crab dip will be heavenly. Won gold at the Riverside International Wine Competition. (1,148 cases, 13.6% alc.)

CedarCreek Estate Winery $18 CDN 2009 Riesling, Okanagan Valley Tom DiBello, who spent a decade helping to shape this Kelowna, B.C., winery has departed, and this release is one of his last wines. It is superb, earning our highest praise. It opens with aromas of blossoms, sweet spices and clean, bright citrus notes, followed by gorgeous flavors of orchard fruit backed with stunning, mouth-watering acidity. It’s beautifully balanced through the memorable finish. Earned gold at the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition. (1,093 cases, 13.7% alc.)

Domaine de Chaberton Estate Winery $16 CDN 2008 Siegerrebe, Fraser Valley Siegerrebe, a white Austrian grape, is fairly rare in the New World, but a few stellar examples can be found in the Puget Sound and Lower Mainland. This is a textbook example, with aromas of kiwi, muskmelon and floral notes. On the palate are flavors of grapefruit and honeydew melon. It’s 1.7% residual sugar is expertly backed with bright acidity, allowing a long and brilliant finish. Won gold at the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition. (520 cases, 12.5% alc.)

Hollywood Hill Vineyards $34 2008 Malbec, Wahluke Slope Steve and Becky Snyder’s vineyard and winery are just up the street from Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville, Wash.,

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and theirs is the largest commercial vineyard in the area. The grapes for this wine came from the Doc Stewart Vineyard on the warm Wahluke Slope. It’s a superb example of Malbec, with black and blue fruit aromas and succulent flavors of marionberries, blackberries and exotic spices. It’s a big wine to enjoy now or cellar for the long haul. Won double gold at the Seattle Wine Awards. (50 cases, 13.5% alc.)

La Frenz Winery $20 CDN NV Tawny, Okanagan Valley Jeff Martin is crafting some of British Columbia’s finest wines across the board. His career in his native Australia, California and B.C. has helped shape his winemaking style. Port-style wines are a bit of a rarity in the Northwest, and Martin’s tawny style made from Pinot Noir is a consistently great wine (in fact, it won a Platinum two years ago). This gorgeous example unveils aromas and flavors of raisins and chocolate, and the well-integrated alcohol is absolutely key to its success. Won gold at the Northwest Wine Summit. (250 cases, 18.5% alc.)

Vin du Lac of Chelan $28 2007 Barrel Select Syrah, Columbia Valley Owner/winemaker Larry Lehmbecker has now won a Platinum in each of the last six years, a remarkable feat — one that provides further evidence Vin du Lac was well deserved in earning our Northwest Winery of the Year award in 2010. This Syrah opens with aromas of baked blackberry cobbler, freshly brewed coffee and a hint of moist earth, followed by layered and complex flavors of sweet chocolate, blueberries and black olives. Won gold at the Pacific Rim Wine Competition. (400 cases, 14.7% alc.)

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Barnard Griffin $17 2008 Syrah, Columbia Valley Owner/winemaker Rob Griffin’s talents and success are unmatched in the past three decades in Washington, and his mastery with Syrah has been well known since he began making it in 1999. This classic and affordable version is no different. It opens with aromas of licorice, hibiscus, marionberry and bittersweet chocolate, followed by rich, supple flavors of blueberries, sweet spices, dark chocolate and plump blackberries. It’s an easy-drinking red with just enough tannin to back up all the fruit. Won gold at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. (3,000 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Best buy!

Buried Cane $13 2007 Riesling, Washington This slightly older Riesling is remarkable in its quality as well as its value. Buried Cane is part of Middleton Family Wines in Hoquiam, Wash., whose flagship winery is Cadaretta in Walla Walla. This gorgeous white wine opens with aromas of slate, fresh apple and lime zest, followed by a palate that is highlighted by its bright entry, elegant midpalate and luscious finish.

The 1.2% residual sugar is expertly backed with solid acidity. Won gold at the Seattle Wine Awards. (2,553 cases, 13.4% alc.)

Chateau Ste. Michelle $24 2008 Eroica Riesling, Columbia Valley Perhaps America’s most famous Riesling, this is the wine that kicked the Riesling revolution in gear a decade ago, and it remains one of the Northwest’s finest — and most awarded. It is more subtle than flashy, revealing lean aromas of minerals and limes, followed by dramatic flavors of dried peaches, minerals and a dozen other lay-

ers of complexity through the lengthy finish. Won best white wine at the Monterey Wine Competition and International Eastern Wine Competition, double gold at the Seattle Wine Awards and gold at the Riverside International Wine Competition, San Diego International Wine Competition and Long Beach Grand Cru. (24,000 cases, 11.5% alc.)

Best buy!

Domaine Ste. Michelle $12 NV Brut, Columbia Valley Winemaker Rick Casqueiro continues to astonish us year in and year out with his uncommonly great bubblies at remarkably fair prices. Thanks to Casqueiro’s wines, everyone can afford to drink sparkling wine all the time without excuse. The Brut is a mediumdry bubbly that is a classic. It reveals aromas of grapefruit, apple and minerality, followed by flavors of pear and even a hint of peach on the farewell. Won gold at the Long Beach Grand Cru, Monterey Wine Competition and Critics Challenge International Wine Competition. (191,540 cases, 11.5% alc.)

Hogue Cellars $16 2008 Genesis Riesling, Columbia Valley Co Dinn oversees winemaking at this Prosser, Wash., winery, one of the largest in the Northwest. Riesling has always been a bit of a specialty at Hogue, and the quality of this mid-tier wine is superb. It opens with distinctive aromas of peach and apple, followed by flavors that include freshly cut apples and a hint of clove on the end. Ample acidity expertly backs up the 1.9% residual sugar. Won gold at the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition, San Diego International Wine Competition and Seattle Wine Awards. (7,100

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cases, 12.6% alc.)

Zerba Cellars $38 2007 Petit Verdot, Walla Walla Valley Petit Verdot, perhaps the least known of the five classic red Bordeaux grapes, is rarely made into a singlevarietal wine. And when it is, Petit Verdot is not often made into a wine this great. Winemaker Doug Nierman is proving his considerable talents with many reds, and this is another superb example. This is a luscious wine whose grapes came from the estate Cockburn Vineyard as well as the famed Les Collines. It is beautifully balanced wine with rich, deep fruit. Won gold at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. (128 cases, 15.1% alc.) àMaurice Cellars $35 2006 Tsutakawa, Columbia Valley The Schafer family operates this small, high-end winery in Walla Walla, Wash., whose name honors the founder’s father. This Cab-based blend uses the five classic red Bordeaux varieties, and the results are stunning. The enchanting aromas of white pepper, cedar and black fruit jam leads to flavors of black currants and blackberries backed with bright acidity and smooth tannins. Won double gold at the Seattle Wine Awards. (342 cases, 14.4% alc.)

Coyote Canyon Winery $18 2009 Coyote Canyon Vineyard Albariño, Horse Heaven Hills In our Fall issue, this wine finished No. 1 in our judging of Iberian Peninsula varieties, and it continues to shine in the Platinum. The grapes come from the Andrews family’s estate vineyard in Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills. The melding of bright, ripe, delicious fruit melds with 2.1% residual sugar, making it a style of Albariño that makes a superb introduction of the variety to consumers who likely haven’t tried it before. Rated

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Outstanding by Wine Press Northwest and earned gold at the Seattle Wine Awards. (164 cases, 13.9% alc.)

Best buy!

Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery $15 CDN 2009 Private Reserve Riesling, Okanagan Valley This winery just south of Oliver, B.C., makes Rieslings that are ultra sweet and bone dry. This is on the dry end of the scale at 0.72% residual sugar, and its mouth-watering acidity allows the ripe fruit to shine. This opens with aromas of mineral, apple, lychee, white peach and dried pineapple, followed by lusciously tart lime, starfruit and apple. It’s a complete wine that will pair with Asian cuisine or seafood. Won gold at the Indy International Wine Competition. (1,000 cases, 13% alc.)

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flavors of chocolate, rasperry and a hint of roses.

Fine-grained tannins are well in check. Won gold at the Oregon Wine Awards. (325 cases, 14.5% alc.)

Best buy!

Hyatt Vineyards $10 2006 Merlot, Rattlesnake Hills Hyatt Vineyards has been making its customers happy with this variety’s quality and price for the better part of two decades, and this offering is one of the Zillah, Wash., winery’s finest efforts to date. It opens with complex aromas of minerality and black currant, and a subtle — dare we say sensual — complexity on the palate slowly reveals flavors of blue and black fruit and underlying chocolate. Won gold at the Washington State Wine Competition. (2,753 cases, 13.9% alc.)

Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery $50 CDN 2009 Minus 9 Ehrenfelser Icewine, Okanagan Valley One of the more unusual grapes in the Northwest is a great variety for making ice wine.

Created in Germany more than 90 years ago, it’s a cross of Riesling and Sylvaner and is somewhat prevalent in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley.

This superb dessert wine offers aromas of lychee, apricot jam and candy corn, followed by flavors of poached pear backed with shiny acidity on the finish. Won gold at the Indy International Wine Competition. (120 cases, 11.1% alc.)

Inniskillin Okanagan Vineyards $53 CDN 2007 Riesling Icewine, Okanagan Valley Hungarian-born Sandor Mayor is closing in on his third decade at this winery along British Columbia’s famed Golden Mile, so making world-class ice wines is pretty much second nature for him. This wine reminded us more of a trockenbeerenauslese than an ice wine in style, with its aromas and flavors of golden raisins and angel food cake. Regardless, it is a fabulous wine loaded with flavor and backed with solid acidity. Won gold at the All Canadian Wine Championships. 600 cases, 9.5% alc.)

Griffin Creek $30 2007 Merlot, Rogue Valley This Willamette Valley Vineyards label focuses on Rogue Valley fruit, and this wine might transport you to the Subcontinent in the nose, thanks to its aromas of exotic spices that layer into notes of cooked raspberry and cherry cola.

These give way to an elegant palate that expresses

Best buy!

Intrigue Wines $15 CDN 2009 Nine, Okanagan Valley Roger Wong has crafted superb wines in the Okanagan Valley for many years, and his newest project is this winery in the Lake Country region north of Kelowna. This wine, named after the vintage during which it was

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made, is a blend of Riesling and Gewürztraminer, with a bit of Semillon. It’s a luscious wine with aromas of pink grapefruit, minerality and grassiness, followed by flavors of oranges, lemon oil and a hint of refreshing sweetness. It’s perfect as a summer quencher. Won gold at the Indy International Wine Competition. (215 cases, 12.9% alc.)

King Estate $25 2008 Domaine Pinot Gris, Oregon It should come as little surprise that Oregon’s most famous winery — and one that has carried the message of Oregon Pinot Gris to the nation — also crafts one of its best. Certainly, this was the finest in our judging.

This is a complete white wine with ripe aromas and flavors of fresh orchard fruit, minerals and a exotic spiciness. It provides underlying notes of honey without being sweet. A versatile wine to pair with shellfish, seafood and chicken dishes. Won gold at the Oregon Wine Awards. (7,800 cases, 13% alc.)

La Frenz Winery $22 CDN 2009 Rattlesnake Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Okanagan Valley Owner/winemaker Jeff Martin shows his versatility with this white variety that, frankly, gets overlooked in the Pacific Northwest.

The grapes for this wine come from the acclaimed Naramata Bench on the eastern shore of southern Okanagan Lake. The wine opens with aromas of grass, melon and a whiff of smoke, followed by luscious flavors of gooseberry and yellow grapefruit.

It’s a rich, creamy wine that reminds us of an upperend Sancerre. Won gold at the All Canadian Wine Championships, Northwest Wine Summit. (1,050 cases, 13% alc.)

Melrose Vineyards $18 2008 Viognier, Umpqua Valley This vineyard and

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winery was launched in 1996 by Wayne and Deedy Parker, and it produces some of Southern Oregon’s most distinctive wines. We tend to gravitate toward its Rhône varieties, having previously given its Syrah a Platinum. This luscious Viognier opens with aromas of quince, Mandarin orange and a hint of honey, followed by flavors of grapefruit and more Mandarin orange on the palate. It’s a bright and refreshing wine that won gold at the Grand Harvest Awards.

(348 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery $20 CDN 2006 Family Reserve Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley The Gidda family began growing wine grapes in the Okanagan Valley in the late 1960s and opened its winery in the late 1990s. This Pinot Noir provides a glimpse into the potential of the Okanagan Valley for the most finicky of red wine grapes. This opens with aromas of spiced cherries and cranberries, followed by flavors of horehound and racy red fruit.

It’s beautifully textured and hits all the right points on the palate. Won gold at the All Canadian Wine Championships. (1,500 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Quady North $35 2008 Cabernet Franc, Applegate Valley Longtime wine lovers will recognize this famous name for its California dessert wines. Herb Quady ventured north to Oregon to make his own way in the world and is crafting some superb wines in his own right. This Cab Franc from the tiny Applegate Valley appellation opens with aromas of red and black cherries layered with sublime spices. On the palate, this is loaded with complexity, starting with flavors of Bing and Rainier cherries and hints of mint and tobacco leaf. Won best in show at the World of Wine competition. (180 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Stella Fino Winery $21 2006 Barbera, Columbia Valley This Walla Walla Valley winery is named for owner/winemaker Matt Steiner’s grandmother, and the wines focus on Italian varieties. The grapes for this Barbera come from Lonesome Spring Vineyard near Red Mountain, and the wine reveals grace and harmony. It opens with expressive aromas of sweet red fruit, followed by flavors of Bing cherries and blueberries, all backed with lively texture through the beautifully balanced finish. Won gold at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. (80 cases, 14.1% alc.)

Watermill Winery $28 2007 Cabernet Franc, Walla Walla Valley Our reigning Oregon Winery to Watch continues to craft wines of great quality and grace. This Cab Franc uses grapes from McClellan Vineyard. It opens with aromas of of sweet oak and pretty notes of ripe red fruit, followed by flavors of blueberry tea, Bing cherries and hints of huckleberries. The polished palate leads to a long, smooth finish. Won gold at the Seattle Wine Awards and Oregon Wine Awards. (98 cases, 14.2% alc.)

Whidbey Island Winery $25 2006 Syrah, Yakima Valley Greg and Elizabeth Osenbach planted their vineyard near Langley, Wash., in 1986 and opened their winery six years later. In addition to estate cool-climate varieties, they also bring in grapes from the Yakima Valley.

This Syrah reveals how fascinating the variety can be from a cooler area of the Columbia Valley, offering aromas of ripe fruit, sweet spices and a hint of classic earthiness, followed by a palate filled with elegant blueberries and blackberries. It’s all backed with gentle tannins and just-right acidity. Won gold

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at the Seattle Wine Awards. (290 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Zerba Cellars $30 2007 Sangiovese, Columbia Valley Using grapes from Cockburn and Willard vineyards in the Walla Walla and Yakima valleys, winemaker Doug Nierman has crafted a luscious Sangiovese that uses a touch of Syrah (9%) and Viognier (5%), adding intriguing complexity. It opens with sweet aromas of cherries, toffee and mocha, followed by flavors of rich cherries, roasted pine nuts, shaved chocolate and forest floor. Its balance is superb, and the finish is gorgeous. Won gold at the Indy International Wine Competition. (145 cases, 14.7% alc.)

Brian Carter Cellars $50 2005 Solesce, Columbia Valley After years of making wine for others, Brian Carter emerged with his own brand a half-decade ago, and his focus on superb blends is helping to set him apart. This is a classic Bordeaux-style blend that leads with Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. It opens with aromas of black tea, black cherries, a hint of slate and a touch of clove, followed by complex, juicy flavors of Saskatoon berries, black currants and a espresso.

Won gold at the Washington State Wine Competition. (343 cases, 14.6% alc.)

Best buy!

Duck Pond Cellars $12 2005 Merlot, Wahluke Slope The Fries family owns large wineries and vineyards in Oregon and Washington. In this case, the Oregon winery is using its Washington fruit. This superb and affordable wine offers aromas of chocolate, NECCO wafer and inviting berries, followed by deep flavors that coat the palate with cherries and chocolate. Won gold at

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the Washington State Wine Competition. (12,761 cases, 14.5% alc.)

Best buy!

Jones of Washington $14 2009 Estate Vineyards Rosé of Syrah, Columbia Valley Jack Jones has planted three significant vineyards since 1997 and launched his family winery just a few years ago. The quality coming from this Quincy, Wash., winery has been superb since the beginning, and this delicious rosé is a great example. It opens with lovely aromas of fresh dark berry, followed by a harmonious palate loaded with flavors of strawberries, raspberries and plums.

Just a touch of sweetness rounds out this complete wine. Won double gold at the Washington State Wine Competition and gold at the Northwest Wine Summit. (484 cases, 12.2% alc.)

Best buy!

Kiona Vineyards Winery $12 2004 Cab-Merlot, Washington One of the oldest wines in this competition, this Bordeaux-style blend also is one of the best. It reveals delicious aromas of dusty blueberries, a touch of crushed leaf and even something that reminds us of a fresh-out-of-theoven oatmeal cookie. Well-integrated tannins give way to flavors of cherries, vanilla, black licorice and cola. Won best in class at the Pacific Rim Wine Competition. (5,000 cases, 13.5% alc.)

La Frenz Winery $18 CDN 2009 Rattlesnake Vineyard Alexandria, Okanagan Valley Considered one of the world’s oldest grape varieties, Muscat of Alexandria plays a minor role in the world of viticulture, so this is a rare treat indeed. Its restrained aromas don’t knock you over with its hints of lychee and cotton candy,

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but the lemon oil, mango and dried pineapple flavors will win you over. This would be luscious with fresh crabcakes and roasted red pepper aioli. Won gold at the All Canadian Wine Championships and Northwest Wine Summit. (650 cases, 12% alc.)

Best buy!

Mount Baker Vineyards $13 2009 Proprietor's Limited Release Riesling, Yakima Valley This winery north of Bellingham is so close to the Canadian border, you nearly need to learn the metric system to visit. And it has crafted a beautiful Riesling that opens with bright aromas of apple blossoms and lychee, followed by delicious flavors of apples and white peaches. Won gold at the Northwest Wine Summit. (260 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Portrait Cellars $32 2005 Merlot, Red Mountain This family operation on Washington’s Red Mountain is owned and operated by Ed and Eve Shaw. Ed grows the grapes, and Eve creates the stunning artwork that adorns each bottle (and for which the winery is named). This superb Merlot opens with aromas of boysenberries, oak and a dusting of cocoa powder, followed by flavors of pomegranates, black cherries and bittersweet chocolate. It’s a powerful wine that reflects its roots. Won gold at the Washington State Wine Competition. (125 cases, 14.9% alc.)

Troon Vineyard $60 2008 Reserve Zinfandel, Applegate Valley The Northwest will never threaten California’s dominance with Zinfandel, but this wine will undoubtedly turn the heads of serious Zin aficionados. It opens with aromas of black fruit and elegant floral notes, followed by flavors that start a bit grapy but resolve into blackberries, plum jam, sweet spice and even

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tomato paste. It has a lively texture through the lengthy finish. Won gold at the Oregon Wine Awards. (172 cases, 16.1% alc.)

Vin du Lac of Chelan $35 2007 Barrel Select Merlot, Columbia Valley Owner/winemaker Larry Lehmbecker blended Merlot grapes from three distinct areas in Washington: Snipes Mountain, the Frenchman Hills and Lake Chelan. The result is a complex red wine with aromas of anise, peppermint, dark berry and vanilla, followed by luscious flavors of black cherry, blueberry, plum and mint, all backed with just-right tannins. Won gold at the Northwest Wine Summit.

(376 cases, 14.7% alc.)

Best buy!

Willamette Valley Vineyards $12 2008 Riesling, Willamette Valley One of Oregon’s largest Riesling producers is consistently crafting one of its best. It opens with beautiful aromas of peaches and apples, followed by delicious flavors of orchard fruit with a dash of lime zest in the finish. Winemaker Forrest Klaffke left a sweet 4.3% residual sugar but expertly balanced it with acidity.

Won best in class at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and gold at the Oregon Wine Awards. (20,414 cases, 10% alc.)

Airfield Estates $16 2008 Bombshell Red, Yakima Valley This Syrahbased blend (with a big dose of Merlot, along with five other grapes) is as delicious as it is affordable.

Winemaker Marcus Miller has crafted an elegant and harmonious red with aromas of plums and blackberries and flavors of jammy red fruit with a smooth, luscious finish. Won gold at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. (2,142 cases, 14.4% alc.)

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Arrowleaf Cellars $16 CDN 2009 Snow Tropics Vidal, Okanagan Valley Using grapes from his estate Suncrest Vineyard, winemaker Manuel Zuppiger is a master with this rare white wine grape. This bursts with aromas of jasmine and candy corn, followed by flavors of lemon oil, lime zest and even a touch of quince in the finish. It’s sweet at 7.8%, but its zingy acidity expertly backs up all the sugar and flavor. Won double gold at the All Canadian Wine Championships and gold at the Northwest Wine Summit. (670 cases, 12% alc.)

Arrowleaf Cellars $20 CDN 2008 Special Select Late Harvest Vidal, Okanagan Valley Vidal, a hybrid variety created in the 1930s in France, is a perfect grape for the central Okanagan Valley because it ripens fully in cooler regions and retains acidity. This sweet (14.3% residual sugar) wine provides aromas of apricots and citrus, followed by refreshing and balanced flavors of ripe orchard fruit. Won best dessert wine at the Northwest Wine Summit. (303 cases, 10% alc.)

Chateau Ste. Michelle $38 2006 Ethos Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley The Ethos tier is the equivalent of a reserve, and it’s winemaker Bob Bertheau’s most important wines. This is his fourth release of the Ethos Cabernet Sauvignon since arriving at Washington’s flagship winery in 2003, and he is really dialing in his fruit sources and style. It’s a superb Cab with aromas of black fruit and underlying herbal notes. Interestingly, the tiny amount (2%) of Petit Verdot brings everything into focus on the palate, with flavors of elegant dark fruit, sweet vanilla oak and even a hint of hoisin sauce. Won

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best in class at the Indy International Wine Competition and golds at the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition, Monterey Wine Competition and Seattle Wine Awards. (2,300 cases, 14.2% alc.)

a purity of fruit, including peaches, apples and even a hint of grapefruit. Earned gold at the Riverside International Wine Competition and Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition. (1,210 cases, 13.2% alc.)

Best buy!

Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery $12 CDN 2009 Desert Sun, Okanagan Valley This luscious and affordable white wine blends the rare Auxerrois grape with Riesling to produce a delicious drink that opens with intriguing aromas of ginger, baking spice and apple. On the palate, this shows off flavors of lychee and pink grapfruit. It’s slightly off-dry, but the ample acidity backs up the sweetness, allowing the fruit to sing. Won double gold at the Indy International Wine Competition and gold at the Northwest Wine Summit and All Canadian Wine Championships. (1,000 cases, 12% alc.)

Milbrandt Vineyards $55 2006 Northridge Sentinel, Wahluke Slope The most prominent geological feature to the west of the Wahluke Slope is Sentinel Gap, through which the Columbia River flows. This Cab-based blend uses grapes from the Milbrandts’ Northridge Vineyard, and it’s a beauty. It opens with aromas of blueberry, graphite, rose petals and chocolate, followed by seamless flavors of cherry, red currant and even orange zest. It’s a smooth wine from front to back.

Won gold at the Seattle Wine Awards. (189 cases, 14.3% alc.)

Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery $16 CDN 2009 Dry Rock Sauvignon Blanc, Okanagan Valley The Gehringers’ estate Dry Rock Vineyard was planted in 1997 and produces grapes more typical to France than Germany. This luscious Sauvignon Blanc is a shining example, with aromas of citrus, grassiness and gooseberry, followed by bright flavors of lemon, lime and sweet herbs. Won gold at the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition.

(400 cases, 13.4% alc.)

JoieFarm $23 CDN 2009 Un-Oaked Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley Our reigning British Columbia Winery of the Year earned the only Platinum in the Chardonnay category for this version fermented and aged in stainless steel. It opens with aromas of citrus, minerals, quince and apricot, followed by flavors that revealed

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Township 7 Vineyads & Winery $25 CDN 2007 Syrah, Okanagan Valley One of the few wineries in the province with tasting rooms in the Okanagan Valley and Lower Mainland, Township 7 is a pioneer in many ways. This superb Syrah reveals aromas of blackberries and spicy red fruit, followed by bold, rich flavors of blackberries, pomegranates, black pepper and cranberries. It’s a beautifully balanced, fruit-driven wine. Won gold at the Northwest Wine Summit. (425 cases, 13.6% alc.)

Waters Winery $30 2008 Interlude, Columbia Valley This blend of Merlot, Cab and Petit Verdot takes advantage of grapes from such top vineyards as Cold Creek, Canoe Ridge and Seven Hills to create a captivating wine. It opens with aromas of espresso and ripe berries, followed by rich flavors of marionberries and blueberries. It’s already a superb wine, and it will further reveal greatness with a bit of patience in

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the cellar. Won gold at the Seattle Wine Awards.

(606 cases, 14.5% alc.)

Willamette Valley Vineyards $40 2007 Hannah Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley In the northern Willamette Valley, the vineyard for this wine is adjacent to Tualatin Estate and has produced fruit crafted into a superb Pinot Noir.

It reveals aromas of sage, lavender and cherry, followed by accessible flavors of rhubarb, black truffle and a hint of cranberry. The fine tannins provide a velvety grip on the palate, giving way to a superb and memorable finish. Won gold at the Oregon Wine Awards. (104 cases, 13% alc.)

Zerba Cellars $45 2007 Tempranillo, Walla Walla Valley Winemaker Doug Nierman shows his versatility by crafting a superior wine from the rarely planted Tempranillo grape. It’s an evocative wine that shows off distinctive aromas of fresh cinnamon bark and ripe dark berries, followed by rich flavors of marionberries and plums, all backed with rich, resolved tannins.

Earned an Outstanding from Wine Press Northwest. (116 cases, 14.4% alc.)

Cana’s Feast Winery $25 2008 Counoise, Columbia Valley Cana’s Feast, formerly known as Cuneo Cellars, is in the heart of Oregon wine country but brings in a lot of its grapes from the Washington side of the Columbia River. This red Rhône variety is rare enough in its native France — and almost impossible to find in the Northwest.

Yet this version is nearly perfect in every way, providing aromas of black pepper, tea, tar and red fruit, followed by elegant flavors of cranberries and raspberries, all backed by gentle tannins. Won gold at the Oregon Wine Awards. (132 cases, 14.9% alc.)

Kiona Vineyards Winery $35 2004 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain The Williams family pioneered grape

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growing and winemaking on Red Mountain, back when most of the hill in the eastern Yakima Valley was covered with sagebrush. This superb Cabernet Sauvignon is a testament to the decades of hard work John Williams and his son Scott have put in. It opens with aromas of crushed strawberries, light pepper, mint and chocolate, followed by rich flavors of bright cherries and strawberries. It’s all backed with modest tannins. Won double gold at the Seattle Wine Awards and gold at the Grand Harvest Awards. (400 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Northstar Winery $50 2006 Merlot, Walla Walla Valley David “Merf ” Merfeld came from the Midwest to Washington to become a craft brewer but caught the winemaking bug instead. This wine is from his second vintage as head winemaker for Ste. Michelle’s Merlot-focused winery, and it is gorgeous, with aromas of violets, forest floor and black cherries. On the palate, graceful flavors of blueberries, cherries and chocolate meld with fine-grained tannins and a touch of toast in the finish.

Awarded gold and Judges Choice at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and gold at the Critics Challenge International Wine Competition and Seattle Wine Awards. (1,200 cases, 14.4% alc.)

Olsen Estates $45 2007 Heritage Syrah, Yakima Valley This Syrah from estate fruit is named “Heritage” to honor the Olsen family’s 100th anniversary of farming in the Yakima Valley. It is harmonious from the beginning with classic aromas of red and black fruit and hints of pipe tobacco. On the palate, it shows off flavors of blackberries, plums and a whisper of something that reminded us of blood oranges. Won gold at the Seattle Wine Awards. (120 cases, 14.8% alc.)

Walla Walla Vintners $24 2008 Sangiovese, Columbia Valley Owners Myles Anderson and Gordy Venneri have been crafting this red Italian variety to perfection for a decade now,

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and this is one of their finest efforts to date. This uses grapes from Dwelley, Desert View and Kiona vineyards, and includes a touch of Malbec and Syrah for complexity. It opens with classic cherry aromas, followed by flavors of cranberries, raspberries and bright cherries that provid a Chianti-like lilt to the wine. Earned double gold at the Seattle Wine Awards. Seattle Wine Awards. (845 cases, 14.2% alc.)

JoieFarm $24 CDN 2009 Noble Blend, Okanagan Valley A year ago, the 2008 version of this Alsatian-inspired white blend was the No. 2 wine of this competition, and this version is no slouch, following up with a second consecutive Platinum award. It is a blend of six aromatic grapes, led by Gewürztraminer, and it reveals fragrant aromas of lanolin and rosewater. On the palate, it provides flavors of lychee, white nectarines and blossoms.

Won best white wine at the Riverside International Wine Competition. (2,290 cases, 12.5% alc.)

Silkscarf Winery $22 CDN 2009 Riesling Muscat, Okanagan Valley This small winery in Summerland, B.C., uses mostly Riesling with a splash of Muscat to craft a superb white blend. It opens with fleshy aromas of Mandarin orange and melon, followed by flavors that are an honest expression of the purity of the grapes used. We’d love to drink this with Polish sausage. Won double gold at the All Canadian Wine Championships and gold at the Northwest Wine Summit. (650 cases, 12% alc.)

Spangler Vineyards $24 2008 Cabernet Franc, Southern Oregon Pat and Loree Spangler took over the defunct La Garza Cellars in Oregon’s Umpqua Valley in 2004 and have turned their now-eponymous operation into one of the state’s finest producers. This Cab Franc is a classic, opening with aromas of red fruit and underlying sweet herbs, followed by clean, lean, complex fla-

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vors of blueberry tea and Rainier cherries. Light tannins add a bit of background music to this harmonious wine. Won gold at the Oregon Wine Awards.

(393 cases, 13.9% alc.)

Best buy!

Waterbrook Winery $13 2008 Mélange Blanc, Columbia Valley For years,

FACTS P L AT I N U M S T H R O U G H T H E Y E A R S

In the first 11 years of this competition, the following wineries have won the most Platinum medals: ıϧJackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate: 25 ıϧGehringer Brothers Estate Winery: 19 ıϧBarnard Griffin: 16 ıϧChateau Ste. Michelle: 11 ıϧVin du Lac of Chelan: 9 ıϧWild Goose Vineyards: 9 ıϧZerba Cellars: 8 ıϧThree Rivers Winery: 8 P L AT I N U M J U D G I N G

BY THE NUMBERS ıϧThe

11th annual Platinum

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this Walla Walla winery’s Mélange red blend has been a huge hit, and now winemaker John Freeman has crafted an equally delicious white equivalent. It’s a blend of seven grapes, led by Riesling, and that makes it an intriguing wine. It opens with aromas of melon and cotton candy, followed by flavors of banana and buttered toast. Won double gold at the

Seattle Wine Awards. (4,500 cases, 12.2% alc.)

Judging was the largest yet with 538 entries. The inaugural Platinum Judging had 125 entries.

Platinum; 213 (39.59%) earned Double Gold; 200 (37.17%) earned Gold; and 50 (9.29%) were not awarded medals.

ıϧThirty appellations from Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Idaho were represented in the competition. ıϧThe

538 wines judged represented 2,461,540 cases of production. ıϧThe

average price was $26.81.

ıϧThe

average alcohol was 13.68%. The high was 19%; the low was 6.5%. ıϧOf

the 538 wines judged: 10 (1.85%) earned unanimous Double Platinum; 65 (12.08%) earned

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AN D Y PE R D U E is editor-in-chief of Wine Press

Northwest.

JACKIE JOHNSTON , a freelance photojournalist, is a

regular contributor and the page designer for Wine Press Northwest. Her website is WineCountryCreations.com.

ıϧThe

largest category was red blends with 72 entries. The largest category of a single variety was Syrah with 61 entries.

WHERE ARE THE REST OF THE WINES?

This article reviews wines that earned Double Platinum and Platinum.

All wines that received Double Gold and Gold ratings are listed on Wine Press Northwest’s website: WINEPRESSNW.COM/WINTER10

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

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Blue Cheese Cake paired with 8th Generation Vineyard’s 2009 Chardonnay Frizzanté.

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M AT C H M A K E R S WINE 8th Generation Vineyard $20 CDN 2009 Chardonnay Frizzanté, Okanagan Valley — 274 cases produced, 12.8% alcohol

Local Lounge • Grille Concept of new destination in Okanagan Valley defines ‘Local’

BY ERIC DEGERMAN

SUMMERLAND, B.C.

W

PHOTOGRAPHS BY J. KEVIN DUNN

—

hat is it to be a locavore?

A group of San Francisco Bay Area women coined the term chosen by the New Oxford American Dictionary as its 2007 Word of the Year.

And it certainly applies to one of most famous families in the British Columbia wine industry, who last year launched a restaurant along the shores of Okanagan Lake to celebrate the local food movement.

Welcome to Local Lounge • Grille, where patrons are encouraged to “eat local, drink local and be local.”

“We’ve taken the 100-mile diet one step further, and on our wine list, we’ve got the 100-kilometer wine diet,” beams ChristaLee McWatters-Bond, who owns and operates the property with husband, Cameron Bond, and her father — Harry McWatters.

Their approach made it an easy choice for Wine Press Northwest as Local earned our Best British Columbia Wine List award for 2010.

And it appears as if Local will be successfully defending that crown for years to come, especially with executive chef Paul Cecconi in the kitchen.

“When Cam and Christa-Lee approached me about this new venture, I was blown away by what we were planning to do,” Cecconi said.

“I told them, ‘We have to do this, and this is what I’ve been waiting for.’ ” How committed is Cecconi (pronounced See-cone-ee) to the concept? He moved his wife, Holly, and their two young children from Kelowna into a Summerland house just down the block from Local, sold one of the family vehicles, and his ski boat rarely gets dry.

“I told my friends and family this is my dream come true,” he said.

“My two passions are cooking and water skiing. This summer, I skied every morning, and then I walked to work.”

For the affable McWattersBond, marrying wine with business sums up much of her life — past and present.

“My family started Sumac Ridge Estate Winery, and that’s where I grew up, literally. Child labor was alive and well in our household,” she said with a chuckle. “I made my first wine when I was 9.”

Business led her to Vancouver for short time before she returned to the winery’s headquarters in Summerland. She left Sumac Ridge and its parent company — Vincor Canada

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hen the Schales decided to create a sparkling wine styled after Prosecco bottlings from Italy, they couldn’t find anyone else in the Northwest attempting it.

“We were wondering why,” said Stefanie Schales, who co-owns and operates 8th Generation Vineyard in Summerland, British Columbia. “It is such a popular wine in Europe to drink with friends before you go out — especially among younger people.”

Her husband, Bernd Schales, 38, is an eighth-generation winemaker from Germany, reaching back 1783. Stefanie’s forefathers have roots in the wine industry dating to 1691, spanning 10 generations.

They arrived in the Okanagan Valley in 2003 and established 8th Generation in Okanagan Falls with plantings of Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Gris and Riesling.

Three years ago, the Schales acquired Adora Estate in Summerland and planted an acre of Dunkelfelder, a German red.

But it’s the Chardonnay frizzanté that has created the biggest buzz at this 3,000-case winery. It is a delightful drink made to enjoy sooner rather than later, and they chose crown cap over cork. In terms of bubbles, it’s a semi-sparkler, similar to prosecco. And the method is neither charmat nor Champenoise as there’s no secondary fermentation.

“The goal is to have tiny bubbles and a little mousse,” she said. “We just keep the C02 from the first fermentation and infuse it before bottling, so it’s a mixing of styles.”

The subtle effervescence does not dominate the delicate residual sugar (1.4%). And it’s all about the fresh orchard fruit so easy to find in the Okanagan Valley, hinting at apricot, peach and Gala apple. There’s no oak, and the bubbles transition to a slightly creamy midpalate before yielding to a clean finish of Juicy Fruit flavors.

The Schales sold it out within a month.

“We will produce a couple of them next year — a white and a rosé style — at about 300 cases each,” she said. “In 2009, we played it safe. In 2010, we are confident it will work.”

W

8th Generation Vineyard, 6807 Highway 97, Summerland, B.C., V0H 1Z9, 250494-1783, 8thgenerationvineyard.com.

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M AT C H M A K E R S RECIPES sliced ⁄4 pound Royal Gala apples, peeled, cored, sliced canola oil 3 ⁄4 cup sugar 1 cup water

Blue Cheese Cake Serves 8

14 12 1 1⁄2 3 ⁄4 4 1 1 1 ⁄4

ounces mild blue cheese ounces cream cheese cups white sugar cup milk eggs cup sour cream tablespoon vanilla cup flour Carmelized Apple, Pear and Roasted Pumpkin Coulis (see recipe below) Toasted Walnut-Brioche Streusel (see recipe below)

1. Cream the cheeses, add sugar and mix 1 minute.

2. Blend in the vanilla and the milk.

3. Blend in eggs one at a time, just enough to incorporate.

4. Mix in sour cream and flour.

5. Pour batter into a parchment paper lined spring-form pan.

6. Bake in oven at 250° F for about two hours.

7. Serve piece of cheesecake with a spoonful of coulis and a dusting of streusel.

Caramelized Apple, Pear and Roasted Pumpkin Coulis Makes 4 cups

2 pounds pumpkin, peeled, de-seeded, cubed 1 ⁄4 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 1⁄2 pounds Bartlett pears, peeled, cored,

— just after the Winter Olympics for the launch of Local.

“After 30 years of selling wine, to be the purchaser is interesting,” she said. “You get to see how other wineries do their business and see that last step of how they sell and follow through.”

To get on her list, the wine must be from the province and bear the Vintners Quality Alliance label. That still leaves her plenty to choose from.

“I think we’ve got one of the larger lists with over 160 wines,” she said. “If my husband had his way, I’d stop buying now, but every month I 66

3

1. Toss pumpkin cubes in butter and roast on a tray in a 425° F oven for 30 minutes.

2. Caramelize sliced pears and apples in a hot pan with a touch of canola oil.

3. Add roasted pumpkin cubes to the pears and apples over medium heat.

4. Add sugar and water.

5. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.

6. Purée in a blender.

7. Cool and keep in the fridge.

Toasted Walnut-Brioche Streusel Makes 2 cups

4 slices brioche bread 1 ⁄4 cup butter 1 ⁄2 cup walnuts, lightly toasted 1. Blend brioche in food processor until it resembles fine crumbs.

2. Add butter to saute pan and bring to medium heat.

3. Add walnuts and brioche. Cook until golden brown.

4. Cool down mixture.

go, ‘We’ve got to put THIS on our list, too, because it’s so great.’ It makes it hard when putting the list together because there are so many fantastic wines that pair so well with the cuisine and ingredients of the region.”

Anyone who looks at the wine list gets a feel for how much they are in wine country.

“We list how far from the restaurant each winery is,” McWattersBond said. “For instance, Sumac Ridge is just up the hill. It’s 4 kilometers away. And all of our wines are from within 100 kilometers of the restaurant.”

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Cecconi’s pantry mirrors the same theme. Even the coffee is roasted in Summerland at The Beanery.

“In Vancouver, you have a few farmers who come into the loading docks, but you didn’t have the opportunity to drive an hour where all the farming communities are,” he said. “Here, we are living among the farmers and producers. A couple members of my staff live on orchards and help plant and bring product into the restaurant, so it is picked that morning and used that night. The team goes to the markets in Penticton and comes back all excited about the products they found and the new producer they met. It’s a great lifestyle.”

Remarkably, Cecconi, 35, has been living the life of a chef for 22 years.

“I started early,” he said with a smile. “I grew up in Vancouver and hit the restaurant scene at the age of 13 in a local Mexican restaurant.

That exposed me to the kitchen, and basically I’ve never turned back.”

After college, Cecconi spent eight years with the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts group, which took him from Vancouver to Sydney, Australia, where he worked at the host hotel during the 2000 Summer Olympics.

He was on the verge of transferring to the West Indies. His fifth and final interview was Sept. 10, 2001.

“The next day, the e-mail came out, and all transfers were put on hold,” Cecconi said. “At that point, I decided I was coming home.”

Rather than return to Vancouver, he looked to the Okanagan Valley.

He spent seven “great” years as chef at The Harvest Golf Club in Kelowna until the Bonds came calling.

“We’ve known Paul for years and have done winemaker dinners with him,” McWatters-Bond said. “We’ve never met a chef who is so passionate about food, has a passion for the ingredients and serves as a mentor for his team.”

While the food and the wine list are indigenous, they’ve imported a

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M AT C H M A K E R S metropolitan vibe to Local. The décor creates a hip and swanky ambiance with its leather furniture in solid colors. In the background, there’s the hum of urban digital soundtracks via Vancouver-based Music Direction Inc. It’s well-distanced from what the property was less than two years ago.

“It was originally built as a pub in 1986 and closed many times,” McWatters-Bond said. “The owners designed it so that it could become a house if it needed to be, which is why there are so many levels — a living room, the kitchen and bedroom. When we took it over, it had been closed for 17 months.”

They transformed it into a 65-seat restaurant downstairs with 65 more seats in the lounge, which is sunken from main entrance. Ideally, you would occupy one of the 120 spots on the patio to enjoy reflections off Okanagan Lake and views of the Naramata Bench. Out front, the parking lot is surrounded by the Summerland Waterfront Resort

Executive chef Paul Cecconi

Hotel and Spa. Then again, you could leave the car at home and moor a boat at the dock in the back. When you shove off, be mindful of the wildlife sanctu-

ary a stone’s throw up the beach.

“We’re in the middle of wine country and a great four-star resort that sandwiches us on both sides of our building,” McWatters-Bond said.

RECIPES Pacific Halibut, Chorizo and Winter Squash with Curry, Red Curry-Coconut Broth and Smoked Apple Chutney Serves 6

1 1⁄2 pounds Pacific halibut, diced into 2-inch pieces 2 tablespoons grape seed oil 1 1⁄2 pounds chorizo, medium diced Red Curry-Coconut Broth (see recipe below) 1 1⁄2 pounds winter squash, diced into 2-inch pieces and roasted Jasmine or short-grained rice Smoked Apple Chutney (see recipe below) 1. Sear halibut in very hot pan in grape seed oil until golden, and then set aside.

2. Saute chorizo sausage in same pan for 2 minutes.

3. Add red curry broth and begin to simmer.

4. Add halibut and squash to broth and simmer until cooked.

5. Serve halibut with broth over jasmine or short-grain rice.

6. Top with smoked apple chutney.

4. Add chicken stock and coconut milk and cook for 20 minutes.

5. Add cilantro, puree and pass through a sieve. Check seasoning.

Red Curry Coconut Broth Makes 32 ounces

⁄2 1 1⁄2 1 1 4 1 1 16 64 1 1⁄2 1 ⁄4 1

onion tablespoons garlic tablespoon olive oil tablespoon red curry paste lime leaves stalk lemongrass piece of ginger root, peeled, grated ounces canned tomatoes ounces chicken stock cans coconut milk bunch of cilantro

Smoked Apple Chutney Makes 3 cups

1 red onion, diced Olive oil 1 ⁄4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon ground chile powder 6 apples, smoked and diced 1 ⁄4 cup rice vinegar 3 sprigs thyme 1.

Saute onion in olive oil until ten-

der.

Sweat onion and garlic in olive oil Add curry paste, lime leaves, lemongrass and ginger. Cook for 5 minutes.

3. Add canned tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes 1.

2.

➤ F O R M O R E PA I R I N G S ➤ W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M / PA I R I N G

2. Add sugar, chile and apple. Cook for 2 minutes.

3. Add vinegar and reduce until apples are glazed.

4. Cool down and mix in thyme.

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M AT C H M A K E R S

Christa-Lee McWatters-Bond

“It was exciting to re-energize and totally reinvent what was here. And look at the lake! We’ve got an amazing property here.”

There’s more on the horizon for the Local group. They are expanding the footprint of their liquor store in downtown Summerland to include a tasting bar and commercial kitchen for cooking classes and wine education. It also will serve as headquarters for Vintage Consulting Group — which ChristaLee and her father operate — and the consumerfocused Okanagan Wine Academy.

“We’ve got a few things on the go,” she said with a wink. “It’s really all about food and wine, and for me, unwinding is having friends over, making dinner and spending all night eating

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and drinking.”

The makings for this Match Maker with Cecconi were hyper-local as both Dirty Laundry Vineyard and 8th Generation Vineyard belong to Summerland’s Bottleneck Drive wine association.

He paired the Dirty Laundry 2009 Woo Woo Vines Gewürztraminer with a Pacific Halibut, Chorizo and Winter Squash with Red CurryCoconut Broth and Smoked Apple Chutney — a dish influenced by that Mexican restaurant in Vancouver 22 years ago.

“It’s got red Thai curry so it carries all the spice,” Cecconi said.

“There’s sweet fall squash from the valley, and the lime leaf makes it very aromatic. This Gewürz has just a bit of sweetness to deal with the spice, and it also complements the aromatics of the curry broth.”

Eight Generations Vineyards’ delightfully fun 2009 Chardonnay Frizzanté made for a special pet project at Local. Cecconi apprentices Joe Dierickse and Ryan Pennington, won a “young chef ” award this fall for creating a Blue Cheese Cake to pair with the off-dry bubbles.

The savory and fascinating cheesecake is so versatile that it could be sliced thin as an appetizer or served in a traditional portion for dessert.

“We were maybe the fifth people outside of the winery to taste that wine, and we were blown away by it,” Cecconi said. “The Okanagan really has become a destination for foodies and people who want that experience.”

Local Lounge • Grille, 12817 Lakeshore Drive South, Summerland, BC, V0H 1Z0, 250-494-8855, thelocalgroup.ca.

ı

ERIC DEGERMAN is Wine Press Northwest’s managing editor. Have a suggestion for a future Match Maker? E-mail him at edegerman@winepressnw.com.

J. KEVIN DUNN , is a photographer in Penticton, B.C. He can be reached at 250-492-6775 or via jkevindunn.com.

WINE Dirty Laundry Vineyard $18 CDN 2009 Woo Woo Vines Gewürztraminer, Okanagan Valley —1,218 cases produced, 13.5% alcohol ack in the 1800s, the Okanagan Lake beach town of Summerland was home to a Chinese laundry. At least that’s all it appeared to be from the street. On the second floor, however, was a brothel that made sure the washboard got plenty of work.

Dirty Laundry Vineyard, though, sits among pines that overlook the lake. Longtime followers of Okanagan Valley wines will remember this property as Scherzinger Vineyard Cottage Winery. Ron Watkins bought it and keenly renamed it.

“Sales increased 350 percent two years in a row after the name change,” said marketing manager Judi Skinner, who began by managing the vineyards for Watkins.

Four years ago, Alberta attorney Bob Campbell bought the winery, and his group hired talented consultant Philip Soo — former lead winemaker at Canadian giant Andres. Among his bottlings for Dirty Laundry are Naughty Chardonnay (oaked) and Not So Knotty Chardonnay (unoaked).

The Port-style refers to “a girl in every port.”

The ice wine is Hoarfrost.

“We totally have nothing but fun here,” Skinner said.

And yet, few wineries in the Northwest approach Gewürztraminer as seriously.

The references are not to specific vineyards, but instead to differing levels of residual sugar. Madam’s Vines carries a sweetness code of 1+. The Thread Bares Vines was fermented dry.

For this Match Maker, Christa-Lee McWatters-Bond and Paul Cecconi went in between to two for the Woo Woo Vines that checks in at 1 on the sweetness. And at 1,218 cases, it’s the most buxom production of Gewürz from Dirty Laundry. It brought just the right amount of sweetness to check the spicy components of chorizo, curry, ginger and chile. And the wine’s dusty apple and pear flavors didn’t overpower the umami and earthy elements of the squash.

The broth in the dish makes for great dipping with bread, while the Woo Woo Gewürz revives the palate.

B

Dirty Laundry Vineyard, 7311 Fiske St., Summerland, B.C., V0H 1Z2, 250-494-8815, dirtylaundry.ca.

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M AT C H M A K E R S Pacific Halibut, Chorizo and Winter Squash Curry with Red Curry-Coconut Broth and Smoked Apple Chutney paired with Dirty Laundry Vineyards’ 2009 Woo Woo Vines Gewürtztraminer.

➤ F O R M O R E PA I R I N G S ➤ W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M / PA I R I N G

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recent releases ABOUT RECENT RELEASES

Wine evaluation methods 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 “blind,” meaning the tasting panelists don’t know the producer. 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 ULine 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.

Reds Cabernet Sauvignon

tannin with acidity outline the notes of NECCO wafer, eucalyptus and youthful oak.

Covington Cellars 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

dial cherry, toasted cigar leaf and cedar.

Pomegranate and pie cherry share leading roles on the palate, which is framed by assertive tannins. It’s a robust Cab, ideal for an evening with a marbled steak and a cigar.

Horan Estates 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley, 122 cases, 14.1% alc., $22

Excellent. Westhill Vineyard, an 8-acre parcel in

the Frenchman Hills near Royal City, Wash., is the estate site for this small Wenatchee Valley family winery. Cherry jam, rose hip, moist earth and chocolate fill the nose. The real pleasure comes between the lips, where black currants and ripe blackberries rule. Nice midpalate acidity guides you to a finish of crushed herbs, green olive and cordial cherries.

Jones of Washington 2008 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Wahluke Slope, 3,417 cases, 14.2% alc., $17

Recommended. One of Eastern Washington’s

most successful fruit growers has diversified his business handsomely with wine grapes.

Here’s a consistent and solid Cab that’s big on Van cherries and strawberries notes, pomegranate acidity, black tea tannin and subdued barrel management.

Bunchgrass Winery

Columbia Valley, 250 cases, 13.7% alc., $35

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

Recommended. Boysenberry, dusty raspberry,

Walla Walla Valley, 72 cases, 14.3% alc., $42

stewed cherry and a sense of inkiness splash inside a juicy structure. There’s a finish of cracked green peppercorn, bittersweet chocolate and cranberry.

Magnificent Wine Co.

Delfino Vineyards

2007 The Originals Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley, 2,000 cases, 13.7% alc., $20

Excellent. After closing for a period of time, this

small winery is back from recess. It shares winemaker Bill vonMetzger with Walla Walla Vintners, and the fruit sources are similar.

Windrow (80%) and Tokar vineyard grapes spent 27 months in oak, and the results show as whiffs of clove, horehound and mincemeat blend in with poached plums and black pepper. There’s a nice mix on the palate of canned plum, sweet dark raspberry, marionberry and a kiss of sweet cherry in a structure that’s rather masculine and finishes with a tobacco leaf.

Cathedral Ridge Winery 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley, 267 cases, 14.2% alc., $32

Recommended. Penetrating tones derived from

French oak barrels create the mood for this well-structured Cab. Blueberry, cherry jam, tobacco, leather and coffee notes splash amid rhubarb acidity, chocolaty tannins and finish of red currants.

Chateau Ste. Michelle

2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Umpqua Valley, 56 cases, 13.5% alc., $30

Recommended. There’s a charming rustic Old

World approach here with cassis, orange zest, oregano and pie cherry acidity that will pair nicely with duck confit.

Domanico Cellars 2007 Le Monstre Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley, 210 cases, 14.7% alc., $21

Excellent. Jason Domanico’s expression with

Alder Ridge and Lewis Vineyard fruit, backed

by Cabernet Franc from Two Blondes, leans toward plums right off the tree, cassis and pomegranate. There are accents of cedar and malted milk balls, along with feminine hints of rose petal and violets. It’s skillfully structured with a delicious finish of black licorice and a crushed Whopper.

2007 Canoe Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Gibbons Lane Winery

Horse Heaven Hills, 7,000 cases, 14.5% alc., $28

2006 Donedei Cabernet Sauvignon

Excellent. This vintage marked the 16th year of

Columbia Valley, 400 cases, 13.5% alc., $38

life for these vines planted just downstream from sister winery Columbia Crest. They help build aromas of poached plums, stewed cherries, flint and a Rocky Road milkshake. It’s a rich delivery of black Bing cherry with boysenberry and strawberry, made more complex with mint leaf. Sturdy tannins, cassis and chocolate give it extension. Enjoy with robust meats such as venison.

Excellent. Olympia winemaker Carolyn

Chateau Ste. Michelle

Frenchman’s Gulch

2008 Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

Columbia Valley, 75,000 cases, 14.5% alc., $18

Washington, 399 cases, 14.8% alc., $25

Recommended. Blackberry shake, generous

Recommended. An expressive nose of massive

black cherry and a nice balance of chocolaty

chocolate engulfs hints of poached plum, cor-

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Lakewold creates a mood with dark plum, blackberry and pomegranate aromas that include big barrel notes of brown sugar and caramel, then comes a scrape of pencil lead.

It’s a hedonistic and thick drink of more blackberry with black cherry and black licorice, giving way to a spicy and rich finish that’s ready to drink now.

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Excellent. Sweet oak aromas bring a wealth of

plums and brambleberries. There’s a good core of fruit on the palate with red currants and orange zest, capped by sweet milk chocolate.

Page Cellars 2006 Limited Edition Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain, 98 cases, 14.4% alc., $50

Excellent. Only the choicest barrels at this

Woodinville, Wash., winery get into this program, which is built for the long haul. Black cherry, cassis, boysenberry, cinnamon, freshbrewed coffee and eucalyptus tones are embraced by a tannin structure that evolves and flexes the power of this renowned appellation.

Page Cellars 2006 Preface Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain, 450 cases, 14.2% alc., $37

Excellent. Pilot-for-hire Jim Page sources much

of the production for his boutique winery in Woodinville, Wash., from Red Mountain. In this instance, it’s 100% Cab from Shaw Vineyard, and he edited it into aromas of plums, black cherry, milk chocolate and cedar.

The smooth and giving drink is reminiscent of Bordeaux with pie cherry and lean blackberry, finished with a crack of green peppercorns.

Pend d’Oreille Winery 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Washington, 521 cases, 14.4% alc., $17

Recommended. Stephen Meyer is well into his

second decade of winemaking in Idaho’s Panhandle, and he taps into Washington for most of his red program. Dense blueberry, W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

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recent releases Van cherry and cassis tones carry along hints of warm chocolate, thyme and underlying minerality.

Pepper Bridge Winery 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley, 2,864 cases, 14.1% alc., $55

Excellent. Few winemakers excel as consistent-

ly as Jean-Francois Pellet does for owner Norm McKibben, in part because of their teamwork in their estate vineyards. Pepper Bridge and Seven Hills coalesce for a graceful nose of black cherry, currant and Graham cracker. The cherries keep coming, gathering in blackberries and leather on a juicy palate that’s constructed for maturity and serious collectors.

Southard Winery 2007 Lawrence Vineyard Whipping Boy Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley, 100 cases, 15.5% alc., $25

Outstanding! Scott Southard’s winemaking back-

ground includes Kana in Yakima, but he’s recently launched his tiny operation in nearby Selah. The focus is on bottling single varieties, and he’s latched onto Lawrence Vineyard near Othello for several, including this Cab. It shows classic aromas of black cherry, cassis, Belgian chocolate and anise, along with green olive and new shoe leather. The drink is dark and lovely with more chocolate, blackberry and blueberry. Anise and horehound add pleasing herbal components. While the tannins show assertion, its hedonism would seem to be best enjoyed in within three years.

Walla Walla Vintners

Okanagan Falls, B.C., added a new vineyard to its portfolio at the home of winemaker Hagen Kruger and his wife, Kerry. Poached plum, blackberry, pomegranate and woodruff aromas funnel into rich flavors of black cherry and blackberry pie with a bite of the seed.

Tannins are ample but not over the top, and it’s downed with a cup of coffee.

Alexana Estate Vineyard & Winery 2008 Pinot Noir Dundee Hills, 1,135 cases, 13.8% alc., $38

Excellent. Madaiah Revana has a vision for this

young operation, which he named after his daughter. This release hails from their 80-acre parcel and features showy oak with poached cherry, black raspberry, black licorice, some earthiness, a squirt of lime and a cedar frond.

The palate is deliciously restrained, backed by lively acidity and finished with Tazo Chai White Tea.

Alexana Estate Vineyard & Winery 2007 Revana Vineyard Pinot Noir Dundee Hills, 1,135 cases, 13.5% alc., $38

Outstanding! Lynn Penner-Ash’s winemaking talents show in this second vintage for Madaiah Revana, owner of the iconic Cab house in Napa that bears his name. Six clones from seven blocks make for a winning equation that begins with aromas of black cherry, blueberry and light plum, accented by milk chocolate, caramel and anise. Cherries and chocolate lead the flavors inside a skillful structure that makes it easy to imbibe.

Alexana Estate Vineyard & Winery

Walla Walla Valley, 14.3% alc., $48

2007 Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir

Excellent. The gentlemen in the famous red

Willamette Valley, 275 cases, 14.1% alc., $75

barn gathered up their prizes from Tokar (33%), Windrow (33%), Pepper Bridge (14%), Seven Hills (14%) and Frazer Bluff vineyards and produced a berry remarkable experience.

Blackberry, plum, French press coffee and leather aromas swirl into a drink that matches as the berries burst inside. The vintners suggest you serve it with leg of lamb, and their website tells you how.

Recommended. A bowl full of black cherries and raspberries brings in warm chocolate brownie notes, joined by slate and chalkboard dust.

Assertive tannins give it sturdiness. The wine’s parentage and structure will show better by decanting before dinner or stowing away in the cellar.

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley, 525 cases, 14.8% alc., $24

Outstanding! Our 2010 Oregon Winery to Watch

is looking consistently impressive with its latest releases. This is a wide-ranging bottling taking from the estate McClellan site, but also Lewis, Seven Hills West, Pepper Bridge and Kiona. It’s a nose filled by currant jam, plum, fresh-baked chocolate brownie, smoked jerky, black tea, saddle leather and nice charcoal.

Currant jam continues on to the palate where black cherry and blackberry flavors help make it a hedonistic drink. There’s a bit of chewiness to the structure and Darjeeling tea in the offing.

Wild Goose Vineyards 2008 Kerry Hill Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Okanagan Valley, 150 cases, 13.5% alc., $30 CDN

Excellent. This three-generation operation in W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

grass. It’s a blend of juicy black cherry on the palate, leading the way for a bright Rainier cherry midpalate and a long finish of Craisins and caramel.

ArborBrook Vineyards 2008 Vintner’s Select Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountains, 100 cases, 13.7% alc., $60

Outstanding! Four premier barrels of Dijon

Pinot Noir

2007 Vineyard Select Cabernet Sauvignon

Watermill Winery

WINE REVIEWS

clone 777 make this worthy of the price. It’s a merriment of 18 months in 100% new French oak barrels, which develops aromas of chocolate chip amid hints of blueberry, black cherry and forest floor. A wealth of black cherry and blueberry, along with the accompanying acidity, gush through the lips as the fruit evolves into bittersweet chocolate on the midpalate. Look for dried blueberries in the finish.

Carlton Hill Wine Co. 2007 Estate Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton District, 465 cases, 14% alc., $36

Excellent. The Polite brothers throw goofythemed croquet parties, but they craft some serious Pinot Noir. A blend of Dijon 777 and 115 clone fruit results in aromas of strawberry, light cherry, plums, rhubarb and cedar.

There’s more expression of that fruit on the palate, as cranberries add bright acidity and create a pleasing finish.

Cathedral Ridge Winery 2008 Dampier Vineyard Pinot Noir Columbia Gorge, 13.3% alc., 200 cases, $32

Excellent. At 1,100 feet elevation, high above the Columbia River in Underwood, Wash., sits the heritage of this wine. The air above the glass contains notes of cherry jam, raspberry, citrus, crushed walnut as well as the drift from a humidor. It is approachable from first sip with more raspberry, pie cherry and clove spice. Delicious acidity brightens the wine, and chocolate tannins keep you coming back.

Cathedral Ridge Winery 2008 Pinot Noir Columbia Valley, 368 cases, 13.8% alc., $26

ArborBrook Vineyards

Excellent. One of Michael Sebastini’s go-to

2008 Estate 777 Block Pinot Noir

Clone 777 produces aromas akin to sticking your nose in a red rose. There’s also a brush of lavender, backed by milk chocolate, a generous picking of dusty cherries, boysenberries, strawberries and plums. Gorgeous and pleasing is the drink of the same fruit, bright acidity and very little in the way of tannin.

vineyards is Bangsund, nearby in The Dalles, and it shows why a number of Willamette Valley houses will import Columbia Gorge grapes in lean vintages. Black cherry, cranberry, a strip of cedar, orange zest and a pinch of earth form the aromatics. There’s more finesse than intensity on the palate with cassis and pie cherries, delicious tartness, a hunk of chocolate and cherry skin tannin in the back. It screams for alder-planked salmon.

ArborBrook Vineyards

Chehalem Wines

2008 Heritage Cuvée Pinot Noir

2008 Ridgecrest Vineyards Pinot Noir

Willamette Valley, 825 cases, 13.5% alc., $35

Ribbon Ridge, 592 cases, 12.7% alc., $44

Outstanding! Winemaker Laurent Montalieu consults for this Newberg, Ore., winery, and he hits the target with this blend from the estate site in the Chehalem Mountains and Hyland Vineyard in McMinnville. A dark and rich nose of smoky black cherries, raspberry and pomegranate comes with notes of leather and

Excellent. This site was among the first in the

Chehalem Mountains, 400 cases, 13.6% alc., $45

Excellent. The Hansen family’s block of Dijon

Northwest’s smallest appellation and is the original estate vineyard (1980) in this winery’s portfolio. Aromas of Hawaiian Fruit Punch and a stroll through a Hallmark shop bring in a whiff of tobacco. The collection of strawberry, blueberry and cherry plies its way onto the

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palate with juiciness. Bright acidity and youthful tannins bode well for food and aging.

Chehalem Wines 2008 Stoller Vineyards Pinot Noir Dundee Hills, 595 cases, 13.2% alc., $44

Outstanding! The erudite Harry Peterson-Nedry and partners Bill and Cathy Stoller combine for what may be Chehalem’s top Pinot Noir from this vintage. Black cherry, strawberry, blueberry, tobacco, tar, leather and cedar aromas transition into a smooth and juicy wine.

Creamy roundness carries through the finish of showy acidity and late tannins.

Chehalem Wines 2008 3 Vineyard Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, 4,529 cases, 13.1% alc., $27

Excellent. Each year, this marks the earliest

and largest production from one of Oregon’s most respected wineries. The estate blend of Stoller (45%), Corral Creek (30%) and Ridgecrest vineyards shows off dusty cherry, vanilla, cocoa powder, tobacco leaf, saddle and sandalwood aromas. It’s an easy drink with a depth of fruit from canned pie cherries, boysenberry and Craisins. There’s a dusting of baking spices and orange zest, emboldened by warm tannins.

Illahe Vineyards 2008 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, 2,000 cases, 13.5% alc., $20

Outstanding! For those wanting a fruit-driven

Pinot Noir, take Brad Ford’s latest model for a spin. Breathe in aromas of strawberry, kiwi fruit, watermelon, dried cranberry, rhubarb and rose petal. Like turns to love in the mouth with its beautiful expression of red fruit punch as strawberry, watermelon and blueberry steer ahead. And while there’s sweet fruit, there’s no perception of sweetness, only complexity with late acidity, some reasonable amount of tannin and small pouch of fresh tobacco.

Love & Squalor 2008 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, 175 cases, 13.3% alc., $24

Excellent. Matt Berson, assistant winemaker at

Brooks, shows he paid attention during his times at J. Christopher, Patricia Green and Dr. Loosen with this blend of Temperance Hill, Winter’s Hill and Left Coast vineyards. Toasty oak leads into notes of black cherry, plums and violets with nutmeg and milk chocolate accents. There’s more smoky plum and sweet cherry pie among the flavors, backed a structure that’s easy drinking. It’s capped by cherry skin tannin.

Nk’Mip Cellars 2008 Qwam Qwmt Pinot Noir Okanagan Valley, 940 cases, 13.5% alc., $30 CDN

Outstanding! Two of winemaker Randy Picton’s

passions are golf and Pinot Noir. The Osoyoos Indian Band’s vineyards and resort afford this winemaker the opportunity to pursue both while training two young tribal members. There’s a fair bit of barrel components among plum and rhubarb aromas, showing as powdered chocolate, caramel

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and char to go along with minerality and crushed leaf. The entry is fruity though, loaded with blueberry, boysenberry and deep black cherry. A balanced structure carries it all. The tribe suggests pairing it with venison tenderloin.

Ponzi Vineyards 2008 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, 5,350 cases, 13.8% alc., $35

Excellent. Consistent excellence is what Luisa

Ponzi provides each vintage with this bottling, which saw its production cut by more than 1,200 cases from 2007. Eight sites (Aurora, Madrona, Avellana, Linda Vista, Gran Moraine, Gemini, Zena West and Alloro) combine for aromas of blueberry, poached black cherry, Ovaltine, mincemeat and a nosing of rabbit’s fur. It is easy to approach and a lighter, juicy style with strawberry, sweet plum, more blueberry and cherry. There’s raspberry acidity and balanced tannins.

Sokol Blosser Winery 2008 Estate Cuvée Pinot Noir Dundee Hills, 650 cases, 14% alc., $50

Excellent. Here marks Russ Rosner’s 10th vin-

tage as winemaker of this iconic Dundee Hills operation well known for its sustainable practices. Dusty cherry aromas bring along notes of strawberry hard candy, sandalwood, celery leaf and dried earth — an indicator of the appellation’s Jory soil. A spoonful of strawberry jam loads the round mouth feel, filled in by raspberry acidity and leather. There’s a flourish of black cherry juice, the skin and its pit at the finish. Suggested fare includes lamb, pork or a salmon.

Sokol Blosser Winery 2008 Pinot Noir Dundee Hills, 14% alc., $38

Excellent. This family operation celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2011. Darker elements seem to be at play on both ends, starting with aromas of blueberry and boysenberry, backed by dried cherry, cola, caramel corn and a scrape of citrus peel. Black cherries emerge on the silky approach of this pleasing drink, backed by racy raspberry acidity and just a bit of tannin that peek out at the finish.

Territorial Vineyards & Wine Co. 2008 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, 1,600 cases, 12.6% alc., $19

Excellent. Although it is headquarters for the Oregon Ducks, Eugene is at the southern edge of Willamette Valley Pinot Noir country.

And yet, this winery could hang estate fruit from Lane County sites Equinox, Toad Hall and Bellpine until Oct. 29. The yield is a densely colored wine with tempting aromas of Bing cherry, red currant, cranberry, saddle leather, green olive and milk chocolate. It’s imminently drinkable now, featuring plums, black olives, cranberry acidity and chocolate nuances.

Territorial Vineyards & Wine Co. 2008 Stone’s Throw Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, 275 cases, 13.4% alc., $29

Outstanding! It’s winemaker John Jarboe’s call whether to produce this reserve line only when deserving, and 2008 is shaping up to be a vintage that backs up his choice.

Understandably, the aromatics share some common threads to the regular production with raspberry, cherry, saddle leather and green olive accents. However, the addition of blackberry jam sends this beyond, a component making it easy drinking. Lingering acidity and black olive flavors bring more food applications into play, while the milk chocolate tannin structure gives it nice assertion in the farewell.

Van Duzer Vineyards 2007 Estate Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, 7,500 cases, 13.5% alc., $30

Excellent. Jim Kakacek no longer is making the

wine at this Dallas, Ore., estate, but he left their largest production of Pinot Noir in good shape. The gathering Dijon clones (48%), Pommard (26%), Wadenswil (23%) and littletouted Mariafeld (3%) ushered out shy aromas of light raspberry, cassis, dusty Rainier cherry, violets, saddle leather and fawn’s fur.

There’s a marriage of chocolate and plums in the flavors, joined by rich black cherries, to make for an approachable drink. A late topping of acidity and a near absence of tannin provide pleasure.

Van Duzer Vineyards 2007 Dijon Blocks Pinot Noir

Stoller Vineyards

Willamette Valley, 300 cases, 13.5% alc., $45

2006 Cathy’s Estate Vineyard Reserve Pinot Noir

Recommended. A spicy French oak program of 16

Dundee Hills, 147 cases, 14.5% alc., $100

Excellent. Perhaps no other winery and vine-

yard in the Northwest defines its sense of place and treats the environment with more respect than Stoller. This annual bottling pays tribute to matriarch Cathy Stoller, and these Pommard clone berries all were harvested Oct. 8 from the estate’s oldest block (2.5 acres). There’s quite an array of aromatics, starting with wild strawberry, cranberry, moist earth, sage, turmeric powder and saddle leather. The focus turns to fruit on the palate where black cherries and plums show in a smooth and rich fashion all the way through.

Late acidity and tannin vie to an enjoyable stalemate.

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months lays the groundwork for this blend of estate fruit employing clones 828 (72%), 777 (18%) and 113 (10%). It’s chock full of black cherry, raspberry and cinnamon while getting jazzed up by hints of sassafras and tobacco within a balanced structure.

Van Duzer Vineyards 2007 Westside Blocks Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, 300 cases, 13.5% alc., $45

Recommended. These Pommard and Dijon 113 vines get 200 more degree-days in the Westside Bowl block than other parts of the vineyard because of its western aspect. That factors into this collection of black cherry, blueberry and mint details, which are framed by brown sugar notes from 50% new French oak.

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recent releases It’s an easy drink with tannins that gather traction.

Willamette Valley Vineyards 2008 Oregon Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, 12,190 cases, 13% alc., $28

Outstanding! Jim Bernau founded his winery in

1983, so this vintage marked the 25th anniversary. His co-owners — some 4,500 of them — must be proud, so let’s hope each of them didn’t buy three cases of this.

Otherwise, we’d be out of luck. Winemaker Forrest Klaffke deployed showy oak behind the strawberry fruit leather aromas, creating for hints of maple nut ice cream, chocolate, forest floor and cherry wood. It’s juicy and smooth with Bing cherry to join the strawberry.

Acidity, alcohol and tannins are in accord, and a crack of green peppercorns adds a dimension for food.

Yamhill Valley Vineyards 2008 Estate Pinot Noir McMinnville, 3,794 cases, 13.8% alc., $20

Recommended. There’s a steady stream of blue-

berries, raspberries, cherries and a slice of watermelon outside and in, which makes for memories of fruit punch. Cherry, mint tar and leather show in the midpalate before cranberry and white strawberry create a succulent finish.

Yamhill Valley Vineyards 2008 Reserve Pinot Noir 25th Anniversary Edition McMinnville, 1,520 cases, 13.9% alc., $30

Recommended. Blocks first planted between

1983 and 1988 — cropped down to 1.9 tons per acre — form the backbone of this offering.

Fascinating and enticing aromas feature strawberry, smoky black cherry, orange zest, sage, chalkboard dust and a hint of mouton.

There’s nice richness on the palate from notes of canned plums, Dr Pepper and black cherry, creating a lingering fruit finish above the tannin structure.

Merlot Barnard Griffin 2008 Ciel du Cheval Merlot

Chateau Faire Le Pont

Red Sky Winery

2007 Merlot

2007 Merlot

Wahluke Slope, 150 cases, 13.5% alc., $22

Washington, 98 cases, 14.5% alc., $28

Excellent. One of the hidden treasures of this

Excellent. Carol Parsons’ second vintage as

showpiece winery in Wenatchee, Wash., is the basement barrel room. Fanciers of oak will most enjoy this wine most. Chocolate-covered cherries aromas and flavors are married in an easy structure on the palate with nicely integrated tannins.

lead winemaker shows nicely with this crop from Conner Lee Vineyard near Othello.

Aromas hint at strawberry, blueberry, black licorice, chalkboard dust and horehound.

Inside, it hits on all cylinders, humming with soft cherries and more berries within a balanced structure.

Chateau Ste. Michelle 2008 Indian Wells Merlot

Stag’s Hollow

Columbia Valley, 42,600 cases, 14.5% alc., $18

2007 SHV Merlot

Recommended. Most of these grapes came from

Okanagan Valley, 238 cases, 14.2% alc., $25 CDN

the Wahluke Slope, which also serves as the home to this line’s namesake vineyard along Highway 24 near Mattawa. Smooth plum, cherry and blueberry tones ring throughout, as does the barrel program that adds hints of brownies, crushed walnut and coffee. The dose of Syrah (18%) peeks out with bits of bacon.

Outstanding! Dwight Sick relishes working with Rhône varieties, but he’s got a deft touch with this Bordeaux variety. The nose of cinnamon toast, cocoa powder, sour cherry candy and menthol will charm fanciers of elegant oak.

The production evolves into a fantastic fruit profile, leading with silky black cherry flavors and wild blueberry as acidity overtakes the slow-moving tannins.

Claar Cellars 2007 White Bluffs Merlot

Three Rivers Winery

Columbia Valley, 120 cases, 13.8% alc., $17

Excellent. Cherry cola, cherry tomato, chocolate

chip and oregano aromas transition into a drink that is smooth as silk. Cordial cherry, loganberry acidity, licorice and crushed leaf notes add to the food-friendly structure.

David Hill Vineyards & Winery 2007 Reserve Merlot Recommended. Cordial cherry, dried currant,

Ovaltine and cedar tones help make for a bold and mouth-filling drink that finishes with anise and bittersweet chocolate.

Domanico Cellars 2007 Le Flirt Merlot Columbia Valley, 90 cases, 14.5% alc., $21

Excellent. Snipes Canyon forms the backbone

of this drink from Ballard, Wash., winemaker Jason Domanico, and his release is highlighted by supremely ripe black cherry and plump boysenberry. There are hints of cranberry, chocolate, vanilla bean, coffee and tar, tied together with lingering yet managed tannins.

Maryhill Winery

Excellent. Rob Griffin has been a regular cus-

2007 Proprietor’s Reserve Merlot

tomer of vineyard owner Jim Holmes, and here’s the latest reason for their relationship. There’s a constant penetration of fruit from beginning to end, starting with dusty blueberry, dark cherry, black currant and spicy plum. In between it all are flecks of slate, a scrape of vanilla bean, a puff of cocoa powder and a fresh package of Twizzler Cherry Red Nibs.

Columbia Valley, 256 cases, 14.6% alc., $25

Excellent. Nearby estate Gunkel Vineyard and

Bailey Vineyard in The Dalles supply nearly all of the fruit for a rich reward from 24 months in barrel. Oak dominates the aromas of dried cherry, malted milk balls and caramel, but there’s a cherry bomb explosion in the mouth. Blueberry and boysenberry acidity chime in while the tannins are edgy but not annoying. Enjoy with a rib eye.

2008 Merlot

Market Vineyards

Columbia Valley, 99 cases, 14.2% alc., $26

2007 Benchmark Merlot

Recommended. High-toned red fruit, led by cas-

Columbia Valley, 225 cases, 14.6% alc., $35

sis and cranberry, gathers in notes of crushed leaf, pencil lead and flannel. Berry acidity and sturdy tannins should give allow this to improve in 2-3 years.

Recommended. A new operation in Kennewick, Wash., jumps out with a dense drink of boysenberry, black cherry, chocolate, caramel and cedar that’s tightly bound by tannins.

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2008 Merlot Columbia Valley, 1,423 cases, 14.6% alc., $19

Recommended. Dark blueberry, black cherry,

chocolate and pencil shaving aromas continue into a palate that’s dominated by rich black cherries and tannins that build through the moderate finish.

Two Vintners

Rogue Valley, 302 cases, 14.6% alc., $30

Red Mountain, 182 cases, 14.4% alc., $35

Cathedral Ridge Winery

WINE REVIEWS

2007 Merlot Walla Walla Valley, 78 cases, 14.2% alc., $29

Excellent. Big blueberry and boysenberry aro-

mas don’t get lost among bold barrel tones of chocolate and tar, but the same fruit is focused like a laser on the palate. It’s smooth with bittersweet chocolaty tannins as the midpalate evolves into a bright finish of Van cherries.

Westport Winery 2009 Mermaid’s Merlot Washington, 152 cases, 12% alc., $23

Recommended. Perhaps no winery in the

Northwest turns around its reds more quickly than this young family operation in Aberdeen, Wash. As one would expect, there’s not much oak influence but plenty of cherry pie filling, raspberry, cranberry and watermelon notes.

It’s spiced up by cinnamon and bright acidity that overshadows the tannin.

Wild Goose Vineyards 2008 Reserve Merlot Okanagan Valley, 250 cases, 14.8% alc., $25 CDN

Outstanding! Our 2009 Pacific Northwest Winery of the Year earned its award on the back of its stunning white program. Now winemaker Hagen Kruger can point to growing success with red Bordeaux varieties. Deep black cherry aromas gather in scents of blueberry, leather, tea and sagebrush. Those cherries sink into an easy drinking palate with lots of entry points, velvety tannins, bright acidity and a finish of tarragon and a Lindt 70% Cocoa bar.

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Syrah Abacela 2007 Estate Syrah Umpqua Valley, 325 cases, 14.2% alc., $32

Outstanding! He’s become famous for Iberian varieties, yet owner Earl Jones also was ahead of the curve in Oregon with his work with this Rhône variety. This take from his Fault Line Vineyards leads with purple fruit, rather than black and comes with a remarkable twist of Red Vines licorice. Boysenberry and dark raspberry bounce with brightness, and bittersweet chocolate notes carry just a bit of grip.

Bunchgrass Winery 2007 Syrah Columbia Valley, 260 cases, 14.6% alc., $28

Excellent. While the bottle is devoted to highly

regarded Lewis Vineyard near Sunnyside in the Yakima Valley, you won’t find the designation on the front. Regardless, the Walla Walla winery launched by educators has bottled it with aromas of blackberry, blueberry, dried lavender, vanilla, cocoa powder and cedar.

The drink is of rich boysenberry syrup and sweet plums, and while there’s nice acidity, the tannins actually lift the wine to another level.

Bunchgrass Winery 2007 Syrah Walla Walla Valley, 49 cases, 14.5% alc., $32

Recommended. This lot from Morrison Lane

Vineyard underwent a nearly identical barrel program as the Lewis Vineyard bottling — 23 months in French oak, but a bit more in fresh barrels (30%). Blueberry, boysenberry and cedar strip aromas include beguiling herbal tones of sagebrush and mint. The drink is of juicy black fruit, blueberry syrup, a sip of Tia Maria and a dusting of white pepper. There’s some warmth and late grip at the back end.

Cathedral Ridge Winery 2007 Syrah Columbia Valley, 242 cases, 14.5% alc., $32

Recommended. Boysenberry jam, rose hip, san-

dalwood, cinnamon, cedar and pepper flake aromas latch onto the palate with lively cranberry acidity and a bevy of tannins. It’s built for the long haul but can also be enjoyed now with venison or duck.

Chateau Faire Le Pont 2007 Syrah Wahluke Slope, 240 cases, 13.9% alc., $25

Excellent. Wenatchee winemaker Doug Brazil

long has been going downstream on the Columbia River to Mattawa, Wash., for his succulent Syrah. It’s sizzling in the nose with bacon fat and blackberry, backed by strawberry, cedar and whiff of menthol. Juicy blackberries and strawberries ply their way onto the palate with a smooth backing of milk chocolate. Accents of cherries and lively acidity will help this pair nicely with ribs or pork.

Clearwater Canyon Cellars 2008 Umiker Vineyard Syrah Idaho, 50 cases, 14.3% alc., $25

Outstanding! Coco Gardner-Umiker graduated

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from the University of Idaho and returned home to the Lewiston area near the Clearwater River where she’s making wine — including this tiny lot from their young plantings. Boysenberry, blue SweeTart candy, cedar, bergamot and leather fill the nose.

Inside, it’s akin to berry picking with blackberry, blueberry and marionberry flavors and acidity to match. A dusting of earth, a pinch of mint and integrated tannins make for a long and spicy end.

Davenport Cellars 2007 Syrah Columbia Valley, 98 cases, 15.1% alc., $20

Excellent. Jeff Jirka and his tiny operation in

Woodinville, Wash., take a blueberry and strawberry jam angle at Syrah via grapes from Kiona (Red Mountain) and long-lived Rosebud on the Wahluke Slope. A hint of blue SweeTart in the midpalate, some smokiness and its sturdy tannin structure will serve it well alongside braised short ribs.

Del Rio Vineyards 2008 Syrah Rogue Valley, 460 cases, 14.6% alc., $35

Excellent. Many drive past one of Oregon’s

most respected vineyards without knowing it as they buzz through Gold Hill on Interstate 5.

Rob Wallace grows much of the high-end Syrah crafted in the state, and this is shows a lot of typicity with plum, mincemeat, black licorice and allspice aromas and flavors.

There’s some heft of tannin and pleasing boysenberry in the finish.

Five H Winery 2008 Seven Hills Vineyard Syrah Walla Walla Valley, 203 cases, 14.5% alc., $20

Excellent. Doyle Hinman launched Hinman

Vineyards — now Silvan Ridge — in Eugene, Ore., more than 30 years ago. Recently, he created a new project with his wife and three offspring. You can do the math. Their second vintage of Syrah shows blueberry, watermelon, chocolate, sandalwood and allspice aromas. There’s blackberry and more blueberry on the palate in a medium structure that’s juicy. Creamy cherry, licorice, chocolate and mint appear in the finish of a drink doesn’t let up.

blueberry, rose petal and fine-grained sandpaper. The drink carries huge amounts of blackcap raspberry, blackberry jam and more chocolate. It’s beautifully plush, and the hedonistic level of alcohol would have it as a drinknow candidate.

Koenig Vineyards 2006 Ameila Cuvée Reserve Syrah Snake River Valley, 72 cases, 14.1% alc., $50

Outstanding! Greg Koenig takes considerable pride and care in this annual release because it’s named for his daughter. The top berries go into new French oak, and his talents turned them into scents of blackberries with Wheaties, some caramel and a sniff of gunmetal. It bursts with density from those supple blackberries and Kristine Bono black licorice chews. Coffee with a caramel-flavored creamer gives you the sense of the finish.

Jones of Washington 2008 Estate Syrah Wahluke Slope, 534 cases, 14% alc., $17

Excellent. Blackberry, black cherry, cola,

NECCO wafer, juniper and lime zest aromas set the stage for more black fruit flavors.

Acidity akin to boysenberries makes this a welcome alternative to many other Syrahs on the market, and the nose of anise, tobacco leaf and creeping tannin will be enjoyed with pork ribs.

Maryhill Winery 2006 Proprietor’s Reserve Syrah Columbia Valley, 630 cases, 13.8% alc., $25

Recommended. Chukar Cherry, red raspberry

and boysenberry accents include cola, milk chocolate, RyKrisp cracker, soy sauce and peppermint for a hedonistic Syrah with some late tannin.

Masquerade Wine Co. 2007 Burgess Vineyard Syrah Columbia Valley, 304 cases, 13.9% alc., $23

Recommended. This Red Mountain winery’s

showy barrel program makes for a hedonistic package of dense chocolate with smoky bacon, cherry and a delicious spectrum of brambleberry fruit. The structure allows for acidity to shine over the tannin.

Frenchman’s Gulch Winery

Olsen Estates

2007 Syrah

2008 Edythe Mae Vineyard Estate Syrah

Washington, 275 cases, 15.3% alc., $25

Yakima Valley, 191 cases, 14.2% alc., $38

Recommended. There aren’t commercial vines near Sun Valley yet, so this Idaho winery calls in grapes from Washington. What’s sent out is filled with blackberry jam, elderberry, white strawberry and bittersweet chocolate. Its sense of earth, gaminess and rich acidity will serve it well alongside strongly flavored meats.

Outstanding! Extra importance was placed on this project, a tribute to the grandmother of vineyard manager Leif Olsen. There’s deep blueberry, blackberry, smoked meat, leather and gunmetal aromas. Opulence waits as the expressive drink delivers more brambleberries with Chukar Cherry, licorice, coffee and leather tones.

Horan Estates Winery

Southard Winery

2006 CWM Syrah

2007 Lawrence Vineyard Syrah

Columbia Valley, 219 cases, 15.5% alc., $22

Columbia Valley, 130 cases, 14.5% alc., $25

Outstanding! The McDougalls sink extra pride

Recommended. This site along the Frenchman

each year into this bottling of estate fruit — an annual tribute to their late son Corey Wayne.

There’s a big observance of smoky bacon and mocha aromas, joined quickly by blackberry,

Hills near Othello, Wash., laid the foundation for notes of smoky blueberry, dark raspberry, boysenberry, Ghirardelli chocolate chip and horehound. Its lingering food-friendly acidity

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WINE REVIEWS

Best Buys: Red wines Outstanding, Excellent or Recommended wines that retail at $15 and under.

Blue Pirate

Ridge Crest

Snoqualmie Vineyards

2008 Pinot Noir

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

2008 Naked Cabernet Sauvignon

Oregon, 11,565 cases, 13.5% alc., $13

Columbia Valley, 282 cases, 13.8% alc., $10

Columbia Valley, 1,500 cases, 13.5% alc., $12

Recommended. A tribute to the bluebirds that

Outstanding! The second label for Claar

pilfered filberts around this historic Dundee, Ore., warehouse years ago, this Precept Brand offering is one of the few Pinot Noirs you’ll find in this category. It’s buzzing with racy red fruit notes, saddle leather and forest floor, then finishes with orange zest.

Cellars in Zillah, Wash., continues to provide high quality at a bargain price. Its rich and inviting nose features black cherry, blackberry and mocha notes along with hints of a snapped pencil. There’s no bait-and-switch on the palate, which shows integration of tannin and a bit of celery leaf for food-pairing possibilities.

Chateau Lorane NV D’Vine Red Oregon, 277 cases, 14% alc., $14

Ridge Crest

Recommended. This boutique operation in

2007 Merlot

Lorane, Ore., does well with its off-dry blend of two French hybrids — Baco Noir and Maréchal Foch. It makes for a slightly syrupy drink of black cherries and stewed plums with just a tug of tannin.

Chateau Ste. Michelle 2007 Syrah Columbia Valley, 30,000 cases, 13.5% alc., $13

Outstanding! Sometimes we forget that the big, expensive chateau in Woodinville has grown because wine of this quality is crafted on a large scale at an affordable price. Here’s a refresher course, exemplified in this oak lover’s Syrah that’s busty, beveled and black.

Aromas leap out with ripe black cherry, blackberry jam, Dr Pepper, mocha and a hint of gaminess. There are no edges on the palate, which pays out more blackberry, smoked meat, vanilla bean, plum and a hint of citrus.

Serve with salted meats and pungent cheese.

David Hill Vineyards & Winery

Recommended. Joy Andersen uses only

organically grown grapes for this line, and the price leaves green in your pocket. Hints of Rainier cherry, blueberry, crushed juniper berry, cocoa powder and tobacco leaf filter out. The entry of strawberry, pomegranate and pie cherry give it high acidity, and there are sturdy tannins to match.

Snoqualmie Vineyards

Columbia Valley, 180 cases, 13.9% alc., $10

2008 Naked Merlot

Excellent. A Northwest wine having spent two

Columbia Valley, 7,000 cases, 13.5% alc., $12

years in French oak rarely is found at this price point. However, we’ve come to expect such from this portion of Claar Cellars’ operation. Blueberry and cherry aromas pick up gingerbread spice and chocolaty Graham cracker tones. Cherry and cassis offer lots of acidity to the sturdy drink, and there’s some French vanilla coming out of the back.

Recommended. Bing cherry, ripe plum, lime peel and cedar shavings back inviting oak aromas. There’s an almost creamy entry of the same soft fruit on the palate, followed by a sense of graphite, a dusting of cocoa powder and fine-grained tannins.

San Juan Vineyards

Yakima Valley, 1,500 cases, 13.9% alc., $12

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

Excellent. Here’s a delightful version of this underappreciated Bordeaux variety at a rarely seen price point. Devotees will embrace its great leafy aromas, which gather up cassis, cranberry, coffee, milk chocolate and cedar. There’s a fistful of Bing cherry and raspberry with lots of acidity and just a pinch of oregano, making for fit for flank steak or meatloaf.

Yakima Valley, 427 cases, 14.5% alc., $15

Excellent. Kestrel View Estates fruit, picked Oct. 24 in Prosser, Wash., gave island winemaker Chris Primus the building blocks for a drink gushing with cherries and chocolate.

Adding to the complexity in the nose are hints of coffee beans, cigar leaf and cedar.

There’s spiciness to the drink from cassis, then a farewell of devil’s food cake.

Willow Crest Winery 2007 Estate Cabernet Franc

Willow Crest Winery

NV Farmhouse Red

San Juan Vineyards

2007 Estate Merlot

Washington/Oregon, 1,280 cases, 13% alc., $10

2007 Merlot

Yakima Valley, 1,000 cases, 13.7% alc., $12

Recommended. Named after the 1883 farm-

Yakima Valley, 399 cases, 14.5% alc., $12

house on the estate, this is created as an everyday food-friendly wine, and the lightly structured blend dominated by high-acid Rhône varieties answers the call on both counts. Grenache (44%), Counoise (16%), Mourvèdre (16%) and Tempranillo make for a drink of Bing cherry, black currant and cranberry. Notes of crushed leaf, coffee, moist earth and meat juice give it many entry points for food pairings.

Recommended. This small winery near Friday Harbor, Wash., has a reputation for producing value-minded bottlings, and here’s a solid expression of Merlot now grown in Washington. A nice cherry greeting in the nose includes a pinch of thyme and a visit into the humidor. Next is a rich drink of cherries, black currant jam and Craisin acidity. The finish features chocolate and hazelnuts, and there’s some heft from tannin.

Maryhill Winery

Excellent. The Prosser winery has been pro-

ducing quality wines from the start back in 1995. This example of Merlot shows off black cherry, boysenberry and cola aromas, backed by mocha, caramel and a hint of bubblegum. Envision a swig of cherry cola, chased by boysenberry acidity and lingering marionberry in the finish. Its abundant acidity will be best appreciated served with a marinated lamb chop.

Willow Crest Winery

2007 Merlot

Six Prong

2006 Syrah

Columbia Valley, 1,835 cases, 14.1% alc., $15

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

Yakima Valley, 1,000 cases, 13.9% alc., $12

Excellent. Smoked cassis, blueberries and

Horse Heaven Hills, 635 cases, 14.5% alc., $13

raspberry aromas stay ahead of fascinating scents of teriyaki, Westbrae Unsweetened Ketchup and horsehair. There’s a sweet entry of blueberry and black cherry with an Old World feel to the midpalate when remarkable acidity from pomegranate kicks in. Frontal tannins and black olive in the finish will make this a pleasure to pair with fatty meats.

Excellent. Alder Ridge Vineyard near Paterson

Outstanding! David Minick sells most of the fruit from the family’s 180-acre vineyard, but it’s obvious he keeps some of the best for his label. It’s not a smoky, oaky and jammy Syrah. Instead, it shows more restraint with boysenberry and marionberry notes, balanced by lengthy pie cherry acidity and diminished tannin — adding up to a great dinner wine.

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was first planted in 1996, and here’s a good view from it that’s easy to get at because of the screwcap. A big whiff of smoky and spicy oak leads to cassis, blueberry and boysenberry. Black cherry, black currant and sweet boysenberry flavors stay just ahead of the brassy tannins.

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makes for a refreshing change of pace to rival Syrahs.

Thurston Wolfe 2008 Burgess Vineyard Syrah Washington, 150 cases, 13.8% alc., $20

Excellent. This 100-acre property north of Pasco has been a favorite of Wade Wolfe for years. It doesn’t take much imagination to gather up the array of aromas that includes blueberry, boysenberry, cotton candy, clover, cigar leaf, tar and smoked meat. Blueberry returns as the lead flavor, but there’s strawberry jam and additional boysenberry. While not a fat, hedonistic Syrah, it provides a very mellow mouth feel with nice acidity and mincemeat in the finish.

Cabernet Franc Covington Cellars 2007 Cabernet Franc Columbia Valley, 170 cases, 14.2% alc., $35

Outstanding! The Lawsons live in the town of Covington, Wash., and joined the fray in Woodinville, but Morgan Lee’s talents are

helping them stand out. He created a marvelous fruit profile of boysenberry, plump blueberry, plum and huckleberry but still leaves an opening for the herbaceous side of Cab Franc to appear with hints of green peppercorn and pizza sauce. Lively acidity makes this a wake-up wine because there’s so much going on, yet it’s not overwhelming — just dang good.

Page Cellars 2008 Red Z Cabernet Franc Red Mountain, 152 cases, 14.2% alc., $25

Excellent. At one time, this wine served as a tribute to a group of musicians, but circumstance prompted Woodinville, Wash., winemaker Jim Page to change the name from Red Zeppelin. It hasn’t altered his passion for one of the minor Bordeaux varieties. He stays true the herbal nature of the grape, starting with aromas of marionberry, crushed mint leaf, purple blackberry, citrus and sarsaparilla.

Black cherry streams through to the palate and into more mint, moist earth and pleasing grip. Cigar leaf and green peppercorn spice up the finish.

Red Sky Winery 2007 Cabernet Franc Washington, 70 cases, 14.5% alc., $25

Excellent. Thankfully, this boutique Woodinville, Wash., winery allows the grape to speak, and it’s easy to interpret. Cassis, crushed leaf, chalkboard dust and piquant aromas of ground cinnamon open the door to matching flavors. It’s lightly structured with cranberry, pie cherry and cherry tomato, accented by more leafiness, slight tannin and capped by a Hershey’s Kiss. Enjoy with lighter fare such as flank steak and a green bean casserole.

San Juan Vineyards 2008 Cabernet Franc Horse Heaven Hills, 212 cases, 14.1% alc., $23

Recommended. This island winery couldn’t go much farther for fruit and stay in the state, but the effort is worth the ferry toll. Black cherry, black licorice, bittersweet chocolate, black coffee, blackberry and black truffle earthiness make for a deep, dark and bold offering that shows off lots of barrel. Serve with well-marbled beef or duck breast.

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recent releases Malbec

WINE REVIEWS

Parejas Cellars

Claar Cellars

2008 Two Coyote Vineyard Malbec

2007 White Bluffs Sangiovese

Barnard Griffin

Yakima Valley, 130 cases, 13.9% alc., $20

Columbia Valley, 120 cases, 13.3% alc., $17

2008 Malbec

Excellent. Mark Wysling turned Phil Cline’s fruit

Excellent. Raspberry, pie cherry, vanilla, leather

Columbia Valley, 232 cases, 13.4% alc., $35

into an intense and barrel-influenced offering that begins with aromas of chocolate-covered graham cracker, backed by boysenberry, blueberry and smoked cherries. The profile features more lively blueberries and red currants with nice acidity and long tannins that gather tension. Look for a finish akin to a chocolate fudge sundae with a cherry on top.

and cedar aromas don’t belie the juicy flavors.

They are layered with blackberry and mocha, then cinched up with racy cranberry acidity and dusty tannins.

Outstanding! Lovely weight on the palate seems

to be a character of the best efforts in the Northwest with this Bordeaux variety, and owner Rob Griffin provides that from Freepons Vineyard and Lonesome Spring Ranch. There’s a density to the aromas with boysenberry, mulberry, black licorice, cured meat and pine. On the palate comes a sweet and oh-so-smooth approach of Bing cherry, marionberry jam and mocha. The oak, acidity, tannin and fruit strike a balance as steady as Lady Justice.

Bunchgrass Winery 2008 Malbec Walla Walla Valley, 76 cases, 14.3% alc., $32

Excellent. A production from Frazier Bluff

Vineyard unleashes a stream of purple fruit aromas and sweet flavors, predominately plum, boysenberry and dark raspberry. The nose includes complexity from lilac, slate and mocha, and there’s a slurp of that coffee on the palate. It’s a smooth drink that finishes with a savory element of cured meat.

Chateau Faire Le Pont

2007 Estate Sangiovese Wahluke Slope, 262 cases, 14.3% alc., $19

Recommended. Soft cherries and cranberry high-

Watermill Winery 2008 Estate Malbec Walla Walla Valley, 190 cases, 14.6% alc., $28

Excellent. Among the reasons this variety has begun to take off and threatens to overtake Syrah in importance in the marketplace are the density on the palate and brighter acidity.

Andrew Brown’s work from the McClellan and Watermill estate vineyards captures the deep and dense aromas of plum, blackberry and black cherry, along with a Hershey Kiss, espresso bean and bacon. They bridge onto the palate with an inkiness that gathers more chocolate and cherry with boysenberry acidity. Tannins slowly build as anticipation is fulfilled.

light the fruit profile, which splashes around in notes of vanilla nut caramels, steak sauce, Earl Grey tea and food-friendly tartness.

San Juan Vineyards 2008 Sangiovese Yakima Valley, 175 cases, 14.2% alc., $23

Excellent. Spicy oak leads the aromas of

stewed black cherry, Milk Duds, coffee, leather and cedar. Blackberries take center stage on the palate that is back by more barrel char and held up by nice balance of acid level and tannin structure.

Zinfandel/Primitivo Pend d’Oreille Winery

Sangiovese

2008 Coyote Canyon Vineyard Primitivo Washington, 149 cases, 15.2% alc., $28

2007 Malbec

Cana’s Feast Winery

Horse Heaven Hills, 90 cases, 13.8% alc., $40

2007 Ciel du Cheval Sangiovese Grosso

Outstanding! Steve Elerding’s Six Prong planting

Columbia Valley, 240 cases, 15% alc., $45

in Alderdale afforded Wenatchee winemaker Doug Brazil a treasure trove. You won’t need a map to find something to like as the aromatics lead you down a trail to boysenberry, bell pepper, cigarette tobacco, dark toast and cocoa powder. There’s a persistent delivery on the palate of blackberry, blueberry and marionberry, surrounded by lingering acidity, smooth tannins and anise.

Excellent. This vintage marked Patrick Taylor’s first as lead winemaker at this Carlton, Ore., operation devoted to Italian-themed wines.

Clonal selection for this offering off the famed Red Mountain vineyard is that of Brunello di Montelcino wines. It creates a steady theme of ripe strawberry, spicy cherry, leaf tobacco and powdered cinnamon inside an elegant structure.

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

Jones of Washington

Excellent. Stephen Meyer in Sandpoint, Idaho,

taps into one of Washington’s largest vineyards for one of the more balanced examples from this grape. Aromas open with pleasing barrel notes that allow for expressions of sweetened cranberries, cherries rolled in sugar and a pinch of cracked black pepper.

Those cherries carry onto the palate in a straightforward fashion, along with raspberry, more pepper and a pinch of horehound.

There’s little tannin, which makes this great to serve to those new to red wine as well as

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recent releases fruit punch style. Ripe raspberries add great acidity, and Red Vines licorice adds to its appeal.

Olsen Estates

Washington, 535 cases, 15.5% alc., $18

Del Rio Vineyards

Excellent. Wade Wolfe assisted the Watts broth-

2008 Reserve Petite Sirah

Outstanding! The Olsens took the crop load down to 2 tons per acre, and the concentration lived in 100% new French oak for 19 months. And yet, it’s ebullient and youthful with aromatics of blueberry, black cherry and plum with hints of bubble gum and a draw of cafe mocha. It’s tasty, textured and exotic between the lips with jammy brambleberry, plum and strawberry dipped in chocolate.

There’s balance of tannin and juicy acidity, then a finish of ginger root.

enjoyable with barbecued ribs.

Thurston Wolfe 2008 Howling Wolfe Zinfandel

ers with their 1994 planting of Zephyr Ridge in the Horse Heaven Hills, and he’s been helping to spread the success of that vineyard with his Zinfandel. It’s a sweet, spicy and complex glass that screams early with aromas of black cherry, Swisher Sweet cigar, Bloody Mary mix and dark toast. Big flavors of strawberry and cherries swirl into a bold structure of sinewy tannin, sweet chocolate and Red Hots candy.

Two Vintners 2008 Stone Tree Vineyard Zinfandel

Rogue Valley, 302 cases, 13.9% alc., $48

Excellent. Not a lot of P.S. is grown in the

Northwest, but this picturesque vineyard north of Medford gets the heat units for Francois Durif’s discovery of the Syrah/Peloursin cross.

This pricy bottle presents intense aromas of blueberry soda, cola, tobacco and a bag of potpourri. The inky drink is akin to a blueberry shake, joined by boysenberry, Bing cherry and a Raisinette. A bit of citrusy acid holds its own vs. the grape’s inherent bold — not over the top — tannin structure.

Wahluke Slope, 220 cases, 15% alc., $25

Jones of Washington

Excellent. Tedd Wildman’s site at the base of the Saddle Mountains gets plenty of heat to ripen this Italian variety, and young winemaker Morgan Lee stayed true to the grape. Dark strawberry, black licorice, cracked pepper, toast and chocolate aromas lead to a hedonistic drink of sugared plums baked on parchment paper, backed by boysenberry and raspberry. There’s a hint of drip coffee on the midpalate, and the mouth-coating finish is akin to piece of Dove’s Dark Chocolate Promises.

2008 Estate Petite Sirah

Other reds Alexandria Nicole Cellars 2008 Destiny Ridge Vineyard Counoise Horse Heaven Hills, 87 cases, 14.3% alc., $32

Excellent. Owner/winemaker Jarrod Boyle’s first

bottling of this Rhône variety is diminutive but remarkably expressive. Blueberry jam, red currant, strawberry and citrus aromas receive enhancement from barrels that impart hints of caramel corn and a Mountain Bar. The approach to the palate is generous and easy with deep black currants, more blueberries and some boysenberry acidity, which overtakes the managed tannins.

Cana’s Feast Winery 2007 Ciel du Cheval Nebbiolo Columbia Valley, 290 cases, 15.3% alc., $30

Excellent. Harvest of this crop on Washington’s

Red Mountain came Oct. 9, a week before Sangiovese came off. The timing seems about right, as there’s a wealth of boysenberry and raspberry tones that bring the robust acidity inherent in this Italian grape. Cherry and plum flavors are chased by bold tannins that stretch the finish and bode well for the cellar. In the meantime, suggested fare includes pork bellies or polenta with a wild mushroom ragu.

Delfino Vineyards 2008 Tempranillo Umpqua Valley, 125 cases, 14.1% alc., $26

Excellent. There’s quite a young history with this Spanish variety in the Umpqua Valley, and the Delfinos add another piece of evidence that Abacela’s Earl Jones knew this grape would excel in southern Oregon. Theirs is a youthful and quaffable interpretation, showing cherry extract and blueberries in a

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Wahluke Slope, 119 cases, 14.3% alc., $25

Recommended. Rich blackberries, marionberry

and black Van cherries are gently carried through with chocolate. And while the alcohol is in check — despite the addition of Syrah (25%) — P.S. lovers would expect the tannins to be more assertive.

Maryhill Winery 2006 Proprietor’s Reserve Barbera Columbia Valley, 884 cases, 14.7% alc., $20

Outstanding! In 2002, the Leutholds won a California competition with their Zinfandel, and here’s another Italian variety off the estate Gunkel Vineyard that looks golden.

Rich oak aromas gather in ripe red fruit and red licorice, and there are Van cherry, strawberry and plum notes on the palate.

Raspberry acidity and good grip give it length, making it reminiscent of expensive offerings from Italy.

Northwest Cellars 2007 Carménère Horse Heaven Hills, 44 cases, 14.1% alc., $28

Outstanding! Fruit from Dick Beightol’s Phinney Hill Vineyard continues to raise the profile of lesser-known Bordeaux varieties Carménère and Malbec. This bottling exemplifies the leafy qualities of this grape, starting in the nose that’s backed by red currant, elderberry, green bell pepper and a sneeze of black pepper.

The drink is both bold and delicate with black raspberry, Van cherry and more elderberry, augmented by barrel time that shows off coffee, vanilla bean and bittersweet chocolate.

Hints of moist earth, thyme, tobacco and more pepper bode well for homemade meatloaf.

Olsen Estates 2008 Petit Verdot Yakima Valley, 221 cases, 14.4% alc., $38

Outstanding! Vineyard manager Leif Olsen put the fruit into the hands of soft-spoken winemaker Kyle Johnson, and the result speaks volumes. Density begins in the bouquet of blackberry, cracked black pepper, lavender and tobacco. Blackberry juice, plums and black currant jam swarm the tongue alongside Belgian chocolate. Its decadence shouts down the tannin profile.

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2008 Vineyard Select Grenache Yakima Valley, 48 cases, 15.4% alc., $38

Watermill Winery 2007 Estate Petit Verdot Walla Walla Valley, 96 cases, 14.7% alc., $28

Outstanding! Our reigning Oregon Winery of Watch has not let us down as this MiltonFreewater family operation continues to roll out one remarkable wine after another. Here, Andrew Brown shows the potential and power of this normally blender of Bordeaux with big aromas of boysenberry and dried strawberry with Nutella spread, tanned leather and black licorice. There’s a follow-up of the boysenberry between the lips, then a scrape of vanilla bean. Its stylish structure shows balance of tannins with lengthy acidity, capped by cherries coated in milk chocolate.

Red blends Alexandria Nicole Cellars 2008 Destiny Ridge Vineyard Members Only Horse Heaven Hills, 152 cases, 14.6% alc., $42

Excellent. A Tri-City scientist won the annual blending contest this Prosser, Wash., winery stages for wine club member. Her winning formula of Rhône varieties reads similar to an equation — Mourvèdre (40%), Syrah (34%), Grenache (14%), Counoise (10%) and Viognier. The Syrah and Viognier (2%) were co-fermented, creating that bacon fat/smoked meat component that wafts just behind the jar of blackberry jam and basket of boysenberries and raspberries. Blueberry acidity spruces up the midpalate, and it hangs in the finish like a Kobe Bryant jumper.

J. Bookwalter 2008 Antithesis Columbia Valley, 205 cases, 14.9% alc., $45

Outstanding! John Bookwalter’s vision and winemaking talents have turned the family winery in Richland, Wash., into a Northwest hot spot. It all starts with the wine, though, and this blend of Cabernet Franc (45%), Merlot (45%) and Cabernet Sauvignon from Ciel du Cheval and Conner-Lee speaks volumes. Cracking it open pulls out aromas of blueberry, blackberry, coffee, milk chocolate and a puff a smoke. The smooth drink is filled with more jammy berries, smoky chocolate and coffee grounds. There’s a binding of solid tannins and a theme of opulence.

J. Bookwalter 2007 Connor-Lee Vineyard Conflict Columbia Valley, 702 cases, 14.9% alc., $50

Excellent. The Bookwalters’ association with W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

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recent releases this site on Radar Hill near Othello, Wash., goes back a few editions, and the massive fruit structure in this Merlot-led blend is one that others should copy. It opens with raspberry, strawberry fruit leather, chocolate, sarsaparilla, Swisher Sweets cigars and gunmetal.

Strawberry and boysenberry is the theme in the mouth, backed by chocolate, lingering raspberry juiciness and fresh mint in the finish.

J. Bookwalter 2007 Protagonist Red Mountain, 1,938 cases, 14.9% alc., $50

Excellent. Ciel du Cheval and Klipsun Vineyard

combined forces in this blend of Merlot (69%), Cabernet Sauvignon (13%), Cabernet Franc (13%), Syrah (3%) and Petit Verdot. The results are smoky cherries and rich chocolate, accented by lively red currants, saddle leather and pink peppercorns.

Brian Carter Cellars 2006 Byzance

Elerding Vineyard, Merlot (23%) comes from Clifton, and the Cab Franc is off Mike Wade’s River Bend. A dense nose features black cherry, cinnamon, coffee, chocolate and green peppercorns. On the palate, it’s meritorious with blackberry, juicy black cherries, a splash of coffee and chocolaty tannins.

Chateau Faire Le Pont 2007 Provence Columbia Valley, 260 cases, 13.7% alc., $35

Excellent. This Wenatchee, Wash., winery gathered up Syrah (45%) and Mourvèdre (24%) from the Milbrandts’ Clifton Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope, and blended in Grenache (31%) from Elerding’s Desert Vineyard in the Yakima Valley for a stylish Rhône blend. The results are fascinating, starting with aromas of talus slope, dusty cherries, cocoa powder and black pepper.

Boysenberry and dried cranberry lead the flavor profile, backed by subtle tannins, black pepper and lemon zest.

Chateau Faire Le Pont

Recommended. The tribute to the Southern Rhône

2007 Tre Amore

Valley gathers in Grenache (61%), Syrah (21%) and Mourvèdre, and the aromas hint at strawberry, watermelon, stewed cherry and chocolate. Flavors of maraschino cherry and a Butterfinger bar make for a rewarding entry that follows with hints of Special K cereal with dried strawberry, cranberry and lingering acidity.

Washington, 290 cases, 13.8% alc., $39

2006 Le Coursier Columbia Valley, 960 cases, 13.5% alc., $25

Recommended. Five Bordeaux varieties from five

vineyards by one of the Northwest’s veteran winemakers come across in an Old World style with notes of cedar behind high-toned red fruit of raspberry, currants, pie cherries and cranberry with acidity and medium tannins to match.

Chateau Faire Le Pont 2007 Confluence Washington, 300 cases, 13.7% alc., $43

Outstanding! If Doug Brazil wanted to join The Meritage Association, this meets the criteria.

It’s all Bordeaux varieties; it’s his highestpriced wine; and, in our estimation, his best effort. The Cabernet Sauvignon (46%), Malbec (8%) and Petit Verdot (7%) hails from

of red fruit flavors, backed by coffee and more black pepper.

Covington Cellars 2007 Prima Miscela Columbia Valley, 320 cases, 13.9% alc. $35

Outstanding! Purdue-trained Morgan Lee went from Columbia Crest intern to lead winemaker at this young Woodinville, Wash., winery. He flashes his blending abilities in a Super Tuscan-styled blend of Sangiovese (60%) Cabernet Sauvignon (20%) and Cabernet Franc. Look for expressive oak, black cherries and blueberries, then comes complexity of sweet heirloom tomatoes and Italian herbs.

It’s finished with chocolate and more cherries.

Ample acidity, guarded alcohol and finegrained tannins make this sturdy enough for flatbreads and bruschetta or worthy of the cellars.

Davenport Cellars 2007 Continuity Columbia Valley, 198 cases, 14.8% alc., $24

Columbia Valley, 940 cases, 14.2% alc., $30

Brian Carter Cellars

WINE REVIEWS

Outstanding! Here marks the Davenports’ first

component of Sangiovese (27%) does not get overshadowed by the Cabernet Sauvignon (52%) or Merlot (21%). Red fruit aromas get a lift from cinnamon bark, vanilla, cedar and menthol. Smooth black currant flavors hint at the Bordeaux varieties, then juicy Rainer cherries and red currants bring bracing acidity. Bittersweet chocolate and some tension from tannin round out the structure, which can be fully appreciated paired with tomato-based foods or rich meats.

commercial vintage, and while they own property on Red Mountain, they relied on Kiona Vineyards fruit to create this remarkable blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (39%), Merlot (39%), Cabernet Franc (7%) and Petit Verdot. Flawless aromatics show fruit at its peak with hints of dusty cherry, blackberry, boysenberry and raspberry, while 100% French oak adds exotic tones of cloves and chocolate. There’s continuity on the palate in a supremely rich way. Acidity refreshes and allows the boysenberry and chocolate flavors to hang in the finish, alongside licorice and coffee.

Convergence Zone Cellars

Davenport Cellars

2008 Storm Front

2007 R.H.D.

Columbia Valley, 140 cases, 13.5% alc., $24

Columbia Valley, 282 cases, 14.8% alc., $24

Excellent. Scott Greenberg just opened his win-

Recommended. Merlot (60%) from Kiona on Red

Excellent. Styled after a Super Tuscan, the

ery in Woodinville’s Warehouse District, and this impressive debut accounts for most of the production from his inaugural vintage. The blend of Merlot (60%) and Cabernet Sauvignon comes from Vinagium (Red Mountain), Crawford (Yakima Valley) and Olmstead vineyards, and the greeting begins with aromas of raspberry, chokecherry, citrus, cracked black pepper, crushed mint and chalkboard dust. There’s a beautiful balance

Mountain and Walla Walla’s Seven Hills and Pepper Bridge makes for an approachable drink that targets tones of black cherry, marionberry, blueberry and cedar shavings, while the structure highlights acidity over tannin.

Domanico Cellars 2006 Le Monstre Horse Heaven Hills, 210 cases, 14.9% alc., $21

Excellent. This boutique operation in the Seattle

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

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

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neighborhood of Ballard took an early liking to the Horse Heaven Hills, and this Cabernet Sauvignon (87%) off Alder Ridge shows richness from the start with whiffs of black cherry, cassis and tar. It’s that and more on the palate with blackberry jam in the midpalate, loads of acidity and oak toast in the finish.

The opulence should make it enjoyable with a prized cigar.

Domanico Cellars 2007 Mesa Rojo Columbia Valley, 280 cases, 14.5% alc., $21

Recommended. Alder Ridge in the Horse Heaven

Hills factored heavily into this Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (45%), Cabernet Franc (35%), Merlot (9%), Petit Verdot (7%) and Malbec. Dense aromas of boysenberry syrup and macerated cherries are joined by smoky cedar and menthol. It’s smooth and juicy with sweet blackberry and more boysenberry flavors intertwined with a structure of acidity rather than tannin.

Dowsett Family Winery 2008 Devotion Columbia Valley, 200 cases, 14.4% alc., $30

Recommended. This blend of Syrah (41%) in

Walla Walla, Red Mountain Mourvèdre (30%) and Grenache off the Horse Heaven Hills shows dusty raspberry, pomegranate and strawberry fruit leather components, backed by cordial cherries, rose hips, pink peppercorns and crushed almonds.

Suggested pairings include lamb or herbed poultry.

Fiasco Winery 2007 Super Tuscan Applegate Valley, 100 cases, 13.5% alc., $40

Recommended. The light nose of raspberry,

macerated cherry, leather and rose petal doesn’t do justice to this Sangiovese (80%) out of Jacksonville Vineyards in southern Oregon. There’s real smoothness on the palate of Rainier cherries, creamy caramel and acidity that leaps ahead of tannin offered by the Cabernet Sauvignon (20%). Enjoy it with homemade spaghetti and meatballs, bratwurst or an offering of smoked meats.

Frenchman’s Gulch 2007 Ketchum Cuvée Washington, 334 cases, 14.3% alc., $20

Excellent. Steve “Mac” McCarthy consistently excels with this blend that continues to lead with Merlot (57%) from the Walla Walla Valley’s Dwelley Vineyard, backed by Cabernet Sauvignon (41%) from Phinny Hill in the Horse Heaven Hills and a bit of Cabernet Franc. Cinnamon bark, dark raspberry, blueberry, currant, chocolate and leather with a whiff of smoky oak fill the nose.

Smooth black cherries and red currants are met by great balance on the palate as acidity and subtle mint notes linger.

Horan Estates Winery 2006 HVH Columbia Valley, 99 cases, 14.9% alc., $22

Outstanding! Frenchman Hills fruit in its sixth

leaf makes this blend of Merlot (76%),

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Cabernet Sauvignon (19%) and Syrah a joy to pour and an easy sell at the McDougalls’ new tasting room in Cashmere, Wash.

Aromas feature black cherry, vanilla bean, smoky leather, green peppercorns, eucalyptus, black olives, chocolate and orange peel.

Bing cherries and a hunk of chocolate push their way to the palate. Juicy pomegranate and boysenberry acidity offer great tartness for food pairings. The farewell is one of crushed walnut, black tea tannin and black olive.

Jones of Washington 2007 Lewis & Clark Barrel Select Red Columbia Valley, 202 cases, 13.9% alc., $25

Recommended. The Jones family established

this site near Red Mountain in 2000, and it showcases the vineyard with a Super Tuscan-style of Sangiovese (80%), Cabernet Sauvignon (15%) and Syrah. Its dense nose gives off aromas of plum, black cherry, pomegranate, coffee, licorice and pencil lead.

Pomegranate and boysenberry make for a steady stream of acidity on the palate, which is finished by spicy cherry, black licorice and chalky tannins.

Liberty Lake Wine Cellars 2007 Heritage Reserve

assertive tannins.

Plaza Winery 2007 Jove Columbia Valley, 133 cases, 13.8% alc., $22

Recommended. Bryan Eglet creates this as a

tribute to Sangiovese, which in Italian means “blood of Jove.” It’s a boisterous drink of boysenberry and blueberry that’s big on acidity and includes hints of an Almond Joy bar.

Pondera Winery 2007 Consensio Columbia Valley, 98 cases, 14.6% alc., $33

Outstanding! Shane Howard devotes much of the small production at the family winery in Woodinville to red blends, and he’s achieving remarkable balance with them. This took Cabernet Sauvignon (57%), Merlot (27%), Cabernet Franc (8%) and Malbec from Stillwater Creek, Conner Lee, Wallula and Dineen vineyards, and they produced intoxicating aromas of rich black cherry, boysenberry, crushed walnut, milk chocolate and French press coffee with heavy cream. It’s a drink of finesse with plump and ripe boysenberry and blueberry. There’s lingering acidity, and the tannins merely add traction before yielding to a farewell of marionberry.

Red Mountain, 46 cases, 14.3% alc., $28

Pondera Winery

Excellent. The growth of wineries continues

2007 Cuvée

near the Interstate 90 corridor between Spokane, Wash., and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (50%) and Syrah offers another tasty reason to pull over. Aromas of smoked meat show off the Syrah, which gets support from black licorice, joined by rich tomato paste, chalkboard dust and green peppercorn. There’s a dense serving of black cherries and more meatiness on the palate with coffee and nice chalkiness, making this an ideal drink for braised short ribs.

Mission Hill Family Estate 2007 Compendium Okanagan Valley, 498 cases, 14% alc., $40 CDN

Excellent. Here marks the second vintage of

this Kelowna, B.C., winery’s high-end expression with Bordeaux varieties. The collection of Cabernet Sauvignon (50%), Cabernet Franc (24%), Merlot (21%) and Petit Verdot from near the U.S. border has aromas of blackberry, raspberry and lingonberry alongside lavender, coffee, vanilla, cedar and tapenade. Its palate is oaky and built to last with black currant and chocolate-covered blackberry on the entry, replaced by earth and leather. There’s raspberry in the finish and remarkable smoothness for such a big wine.

Mission Hill Family Estate 2007 Quatrain Okanagan Valley, 488 cases, 14% alc., $45 CDN

Recommended. This high-end blend of four varieties — Merlot (42%), Syrah (24%), Cabernet Franc (19%) and Cabernet Sauvignon — is named for the Latin word meaning “four.” It’s another wine built for cellaring, featuring thick blackberry, black cherry, boysenberry, coffee, teriyaki and cedar notes that are backed by

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Columbia Valley, 150 cases, 14.8% alc., $19

Recommended. Here’s the entry-level offering at

this small family winery in Woodinville, which dedicates itself to blends of Bordeaux varieties. This Merlot-focused creation brings out fresh-picked blueberries, chocolate-covered cherries and Graham cracker aromas, backed by zippy flavors of boysenberry and pomegranate, capped by a dash of Dr Pepper.

Pondera Winery 2007 Melvado Columbia Valley, 125 cases, 14.8% alc., $23

Outstanding! A confluence of Cabernet Sauvignon (40%), Merlot (34%), Cabernet Franc (24%) and Malbec created a He-Man of a wine, robust from head to toe. Cassis, dried blueberry, crushed almond, tar and cherry wood tones gain strength on the palate.

Bittersweet chocolate and blackberries, with a bite of the seed, make for a bold finish.

Pondera Winery 2007 Sericus Columbia Valley, 100 cases, 14.5% alc., $30

Outstanding! The Howard family names its top-

tier Merlot-based blend after the Latin word for silk, and this production from Stillwater Creek, Wallula, Nine Canyon, Conner Lee and Dineen vineyards allows for it to live up to the name. It’s woven with cassis and cherry cobbler notes and backed by chocolate. Delicious acidity and textured tannins make this a pleasure to drink, but it also will earn its place alongside duck confit.

Red Sky Winery 2007 Sunrise Washington, 98 cases, 14.5% alc., $20

Excellent. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (75%) W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

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recent releases and Merlot disarms you with aromas of blueberry, black cherry, black currant, pencil lead, orange pekoe tea and gunmetal. It’s much more generous on the palate with amazing bold fruit flavors of blackberry and boysenberry, then a trickle of huckleberry comes in for the finish. Stem to stern, it’s very pleasing with the oak integrated and the alcohol in check.

Saviah Cellars 2008 The Jack Columbia Valley, 5,700 cases, 14.1% alc., $18

Outstanding! Montana native Richard Funk

played this into a royal flush. He gathered up Merlot (88%) from Pepper Bridge, Milbrandt and Stone Ridge, Cabernet Sauvignon (4%) off McClelland, Syrah (2%) via Lewis in the Yakima Valley and Petit Verdot from Stillwater Creek, and let them ride in American oak. The enticing nose displays hints of boysenberry, plums, blueberry, cherry, spiced apple, coffee and tobacco leaf. Long and evolving flavors are expressed as plums and boysenberry, and then are joined by blackberry. Underneath there’s a progression of cherries to chocolate to Aussie black licorice along with a late arrival of nice chalkiness. It’s priced to be a glass pour, and savvy sommeliers will offer it as such.

Three Rivers Winery 2006 Svelte Columbia Valley, 168 cases, 14.4% alc., $65

Recommended. This established Walla Walla

winery has rolled out a newly designed label and a new high-end blend that takes an impressively different angle, leading with Petit Verdot (57%) and filled out by Cabernet Sauvignon (29%), Tempranillo (7%) and Malbec. The plummy nose includes deep black cherry, boysenberry, blueberry, Nutella spread and chai notes. Generous blackberry pours into the palate, which is backfilled by pomegranate, cherry-skin tannins and blueberry in the finish.

Thurston Wolfe 2008 Doctor Wolfe’s Family Red

dient tannins, yet good tartness.

Watermill Winery 2007 Estate Midnight Red Walla Walla Valley, 245 cases, 14.8% alc., $30

Outstanding! Among the vineyards that the

Brown family oversees is McClellan Estate, and son/winemaker Andrew Brown fits together a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (10%), Malbec (10%), Petit Verdot (10%) and Cabernet Franc. It starts with blackberry, black cherry and plum aromas before toasted barrels impart coffee, vanilla and caramel. More plummy and chocolaty richness is in store between the lips with boysenberry and pencil lead on the midpalate. It’s finished with blackberries and currant jam. Its tannins will mesh with a big char-grilled T-bone.

WINE REVIEWS

Wahluke Slope, and the production shows a tasty balance of orchard fruit and time well spent in barrel. Golden Delicious apple and pear aromas include notes of vanilla, toffee and lemon zest. It’s juicy with flavors of apricot and sweet pineapple, backed by lingering acidity and wrapped up by a piece of Werther’s Original.

David Hill Vineyard & Winery 2008 Estate Unoaked Chardonnay Willamette Valley, 303 cases, 13% alc., $16

Recommended. Pear and Rainier apples domi-

nate the aromas and flavors, which pick up complexity with signs of surlie aging from mashed banana and butterscotch. A nice burst of pineapple acidity leads into a trail of vanilla ice cream.

Jones of Washington

Westport Winery 2009 Jetty Cat Red

2009 Estate Chardonnay

Washington, 365 cases, 12% alc., $25

Wahluke Slope, 749 cases, 13.8% alc., $17

Outstanding! Young winemaker Dana Roberts continues to produce top-notch bottles of wine underneath some of the most eclectic labels in the Northwest. This features a black cat and a fishbowl, and it’s easy to reel in descriptors from this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Franc. Fresh boysenberry and plum aromas are joined by brown sugar, allspice and mint tea. It’s a deliciously delicate drink with accessible flavors of plums and more boysenberry in a rich style with low alcohol. The tannins are virtually declawed.

Excellent. Proven young winemaker Victor

Palencia approaches this bottling by touching upon several factors. It starts in a showy barrel program with toasty aromas that lead to sandalwood, starfruit, Jonagold apples and lemon zest. The wood carries over into a full structure on the palate as butterscotch, baked apple pie and cinnamon fill the mouth. The residual sugar is 1.3%, but lemon juice makes for a zesty midpalate before a slice of cantaloupe shows in the finish.

Westport Winery

PACIFIC NORTHWEST

2009 Skookumchuk

Wine Club

Washington, 384 cases, 13% alc., $19

Recommended. Those looking for a Northwest

version of “California Kool-Aid” — aka white Zinfandel — will find favor with this bizarre blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Muscat. Be prepared for a sweet pour from the punch bowl (6.5% residual sugar), yet there’s just enough lingering acidity to balance.

Washington, 875 cases, 14.5% alc., $16

Excellent. Wade Wolfe earned his PhD in grape

genetics, but the Prosser, Wash., winemaker continues to make an art form of blending.

Here, Primitivo (34%), Lemberger (30%), Syrah (22%), Petite Sirah (10%) and Cabernet Sauvignon are built for everyday enjoyment, chocked full of blackberry and blueberry tones. A creamy and jammy texture includes a splash of coffee. Just enough tannin shows up in time for supper, and beef is what’s for dinner.

Two Vintners 2007 Lola Columbia Valley, 220 cases, 14.1% alc., $25

Excellent. A bit of moonlighting by Covington Cellars winemaker Morgan Lee has given birth to another tiny brand in Woodinville, Wash. Named after his black Lab, this blend is an even split of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah that shows pleasing qualities of both.

There’s blackberry and blueberry (Syrah) with black cherry (Cab), accented by pinches of spearmint and warm oak. It’s plush with obeW I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

Whites

Two Bottles

Chardonnay

Northwest Wine delivered monthly,

of select

Chateau Ste. Michelle 2008 Canoe Ridge Estate Chardonnay Horse Heaven Hills, 8,700 cases, 14.5% alc., $22

Excellent. This carries a heftier oak profile — and bigger price — than Bob Bertheau’s Columbia Valley offering, but the barrel notes (50% new French) are restrained on the palate. Aromas open with buttered popcorn, grilled pineapple, apricot and lemon yogurt, and there’s a nice follow-through on the palate. It’s seated comfortably in the mouth, backed by apples and lemon pith in the finish. Suggested fare includes crab cakes or pork.

Chateau Ste. Michelle 2008 Indian Wells Chardonnay Columbia Valley, 50,000 cases, 13.5% alc., $18

Excellent. The bulk of this crop comes from the

accompanied by our

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Mission Hill Family Estate 2008 Perpetua Chardonnay Okanagan Valley, 949 cases, 13.5% alc., $35 CDN

Recommended. Osoyoos Vineyard Estate near

the U.S. border is dedicated to this reserve project that uses Loire clone 809 and Dijon clones 76 and 96. The oak program is limited to 25% of the lot, which allows for lots of tropical fruit aromas and flavors that hint at mango, pineapple and banana. Butterscotch and vanilla appear in the finish that carries light acidity.

forces of nature and viticulture in estate vineyards of Corral Creek and Stoller create a spellbinder that opens with aromas of a grape Popsicle, orange blossom, lavender, jasmine and green tea with honey. Flavors pour in with a fruit cocktailish blend of Mandarin orange, peach and apricot, backed by a sprig of fresh mint and more jasmine. The structure is slaty, dry (0.45% residual sugar) and akin to peach pit.

Elk Cove Vineyards 2009 Estate Riesling

Olsen Estates

Willamette Valley, 996 cases, 12% alc., $19

2008 Estate Chardonnay

Excellent. Want a barometer for the quality of

Yakima Valley, 400 cases, 14.4% alc., $25

this vintage? The Campbells tripled the production of their 34-year-old block from 2008 to 2009. They also shifted the scope to a dry, steely style, going after Granny Smith apple, lime, river rock and lingering acidity. Enjoy with sablefish prepared with butter and light herbs.

Outstanding! Prosser winemaker Kyle Johnson

shows a deft touch with French oak here, making for a well-rounded package with wide appeal. There’s not a lot of evidence of the 16 months in barrel within the aromas that abound with pear, apple and lemon with just a trail of smoke. Orchard fruit on the entry sets the table for a tasty experience, leading to butterscotch on the midpalate. Lemony acidity, grapefruit and a dab of almond paste cap it.

Sawtooth Estate Winery 2008 Reserve Chardonnay Snake River Valley, 300 cases, 14.4% alc., $16

Excellent. Estate fruit and showy French oak

make for whiffs of apricot, French vanilla ice cream, honey, butterscotch and sliced orange.

There’s a lot of weight on the palate from creamy banana and butterscotch, backed by a structure of continued orange and sweet lemon.

A hint of candy corn in the back end makes it a fun offering, and it is the rare Sawtooth bottle to bank on cork.

Stoller Vineyards 2008 Estate Chardonnay Dundee Hills, 725 cases, 13.5% alc., $28

Excellent. As a result of the cool and late vintage, these Dijon clusters all were taken Oct. 16 and Melissa Burr went on to create a Chardonnay accented — not overwhelmed — by oak. White peach, Golden Delicious apple, dried mango, pineapple, brioche and baked lemon meringue pie are presented in a fruity yet dry style.

Three Rivers Winery 2009 Chardonnay Columbia Valley, 3,356 cases, 14% alc., $18

Recommended. This easy drinker from Walla

Walla winemaker Holly Turner will appeal to the masses on many levels. There’s Golden Delicious apple, lemon chiffon pie and apple fritter aromas. Flavors feature sweetened pears and crushed bananas in a cocktail style.

Riesling Chehalem Wines 2009 Reserve Dry Riesling Willamette Valley, 669 cases, 13.9% alc., $21

Excellent. Harry Peterson-Nedry, one of the vet-

erans in the Willamette Valley, prides himself on thoughtful Riesling. This vintage, the

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Love & Squalor 2009 Riesling Willamette Valley, 185 cases, 11.4% alc., $18

Recommended. Roza peaches, dusty golden delicious apples and pineapple aromas funnel into an expressive and juicy assortment of Elberta peach and Honeycrisp apple flavors.

Madrone Mountain Vineyard 2009 Starthistle Cuvée Willamette Valley, 305 cases, 10.7% alc., $24

pear. It’s a zippy drink with Asian pear crispness, Gala apple, a hard nectarine and Lemonhead candy.

Pacific Rim Winery 2008 Wallula Vineyard Biodynamic Riesling Columbia Valley, 750 cases, 12.4% alc., $32

Recommended. Perhaps no Northwest vineyard

offers a view more majestic than this one just upstream from McNary Dam on the Columbia River. The drink floats in with tropical aromas and flavors, accented by honeydew melon, jasmine, pear and slate. Its dryness also levels off at 1.4% residual sugar, and that’s balanced with a finish of Rose’s Lime Juice.

Pinot Gris ArborBrook Vineyard 2009 Croft Vineyard Pinot Gris Willamette Valley, 502 cases, 14.5% alc., $18

Recommended. This site in Polk County deliv-

ers a wine stuffed with starfruit, apricot and pear. It’s packed with lemony tartness and steeling acidity, then capped by dried pineapple.

Chateau Lorane 2007 Pinot Gris Oregon, 14.1% alc., $16

Excellent. This off-dry offering from near Eugene is drooping with orchard tones of pear and peach, backed by sweet pineapples and cleansing lemony acidity, capped by apricot juice slurped off the pit.

Excellent. This tiny operation in the hills near Jacksonville, Ore., specializes in dessert styles, but this Riesling is not. Don Mixon went to Vitae Springs Vineyard in Salem for a slightly off-dry interpretation of Riesling from 35-year-old vines. Clusters with 30% botrytis allow for a perfumy nose of blood orange, Rainier cherry, grapefruit, pears, fresh-cut celery and lanolin. It makes for a pleasant drink of apples, pears, pineapple and grapefruit with a touch of lime and petrol. The sweetness is far from cloying at 1.8% residual sugar.

Recommended. Aromas of Mandarin orange, apple butter, coconut, mint and pink bubblegum wind around to flavors of classic starfruit, honeydew melon, yellow grapefruit, more coconut and a pinch of cinnamon.

Mission Hill Family Estate

Outstanding! This operation in Southern Oregon

2009 Martin’s Lane Riesling Okanagan Valley, 400 cases, 13% alc., $30 CDN

Recommended. Anthony von Mandl named this vineyard on Mission Hill Road after his late father, and the new project is a melding of minds by von Mandl’s winemaker John Simes and German vintner Fritz Hasselbach, whose home is in the Rheinhessen. The result is a deliciously fruity yet soft expression showing notes of peach, orange, tutti fruity, pineapple and Lemonhead candy.

Pacific Rim Winery 2008 Solstice Vineyard Riesling Yakima Valley, 220 cases, 13.8% alc., $32

Excellent. Planted in 1972, Solstice one of the

oldest vineyards in the state, and its elevation of 950 feet serves it well for preserving acidity — even in the warmest of vintages. The approach with this wine is low sugar (1.4%), and one gets the sense of that in the nose of petrol, muskmelon, gooseberry, nectarine and

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Chehalem Wines 2009 Three Vineyard Pinot Gris Willamette Valley, 2,670 cases, 14.9% alc., $17

Del Rio Vineyards 2009 Estate Reserve Pinot Gris Rogue Valley, 201 cases, 13.7% alc., $26

has long been known for its vineyards, but Jean-Michel Jussiaume continues to earn respect for the wines he makes here. It’s an oak-free product that flows with fruit, starting with mouthwatering aromas of pineapple, tree-ripened Bartlett pear, canned peach, vanilla cream and minerality. There’s more pear and peach tones with fresh lemonade flavors that provide remarkable lip-smacking dryness.

Elk Cove Vineyards 2009 Pinot Gris Willamette Valley, 18,430 cases, 13.5% alc., $19

Excellent. One judge simply described this as “a

damn nice Pinot Gris.” And that was without realizing the scale of its production. Indeed, second-generation winemaker Adam Campbell credits an abundant vintage, but he’s too modest. Starfruit, grapefruit, peach, apricot, Bosc pear and bread dough aromas funnel into pure fruit flavors. It’s clean, crisp and dry, with a dusting of minerality at the end.

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recent releases Westport Winery 2009 Fleur de Lis Pinot Gris Washington, 135 cases, 11% alc., $20

Recommended. Fans of the New Orleans Saints

are familiar with the French symbol of the “flower of lily,” the namesake for this dry, unoaked wine, which features peaches, golden delicious apples, the second-cut of pineapple and an orange segment.

Wild Goose Vineyards 2009 Mystic River Vineyards Pinot Gris Okanagan Valley, 200 cases, 13% alc., $23 CDN

Excellent. A fascinating nose of tangerine, apri-

cot, peach fuzz and Corn Pops turns into a rewarding and dry drink of Asian pear, dried apricot and tangy orange juice with honeydew melon in the finish.

Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc Davenport Cellars 2009 Barrel Fermented Semillon Columbia Valley, 56 cases, 15.4% alc., $19

Recommended. Expressive fruit from Dionysus

Vineyard along the Columbia River and 100% new French oak barrels exudes hints of brown toast, fresh fig, sweet tangerine and Meyer lemon.

Red Sky Winery 2008 Semillon Washington, 114 cases, 14.5% alc., $18

Recommended. This screwcap offering features

fresh fig, cantaloupe, ginger and pumpkin spice within a zesty lemony structure.

Stag’s Hollow

it a remarkable amount of acidity for this Rhône variety.

Southard Winery 2008 Elephant Mountain Vineyard Viognier Columbia Valley, 130 cases, 13.5% alc., $20

Recommended. Jonagold apple, hints of Orange

Crush soda and vanilla mix with starfruit, gooseberry and mashed banana for a drink that’s not shy of acidity.

Other whites Barnard Griffin

2009 Conner-Lee Vineyard Couplet

Columbia Valley, 112 cases, 13.3% alc., $25

Recommended. In this instance, BG’s “first dance”

Excellent. John Bookwalter was hoping to get

Dowsett Family Winery

J. Bookwalter

2009 Celilo Vineyard Gewürztraminer

2009 Tercet

Columbia Gorge, 105 cases, 14% alc., $22

Columbia Valley, 431 cases, 14% alc., $18

Excellent. Walla Walla winemaker Chris

Excellent. The Bookwalter Estate vineyard makes up most of this blending of Rhône varieties Roussanne (42%), Marsanne (31%) and Viognier. No oak gets in the way, starting with the nose of pineapple, Golden Delicious apple, tangerine, lemon zest and white pillow mint. The Viognier pops in on the tongue mimicking Circus Peanut flavors, joined by starfruit. Surlie aging imparts enjoyable creaminess in the mouth, and the finish features firm banana and Gala apple.

Dowsett readily credits viticulturist Rick Ensminger for the care given to this prized block since 1984. Perfumy aromas of lychee, orange sherbet, rosewater and alyssum include a spring of dill. Classic grapefruit flavors gush across the palate, joined by peach nectar, homemade applesauce and citrus peel with barely a hint of sweetness (0.7%).

Elk Cove Vineyards

Excellent. Two vineyards in Osoyoos —

2009 Pinot Blanc

Balwant and Heritage — produced the grapes for this seriously dry drink. Tangerine, Granny Smith apple, lemon, starfruit and grassiness make up the nose. Lemons and lemongrass lead the flavors, which gain complexity with a creamy midpalate and toasty finish, a sign of the 9% that was barrel aged on the lees. The tart apples and acidity give it nice staying power and will go nicely with mussels or crab.

Willamette Valley, 1,930 cases, 13.5% alc., $19

2009 Viognier Okanagan Valley, 440 cases, 14.2% alc., $30 CDN

Recommended. A big rub of orange oil comes

with aromas of pink grapefruit and gooseberry with grassiness and lime. There’s more of the same on the palate with Orange Creamsicle creaminess that makes for a pleasing mouth feel and a bit of warmth in the finish.

Chateau Lorane 2007 Viognier Oregon, 14.2% alc., $16

Recommended. Orange marmalade, tangerine

and toasted Nilla Wafer accents throughout add to its appeal. At the finish, there’s a flourish of pineapple and yellow grapefruit, giving W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

Columbia Valley, 802 cases, 14% alc., $20

with this Rhône variety from Gunkel Vineyard comes off akin to an oak-influenced Pinot Gris as the aromas of starfruit, lemon, fresh linen, vanilla cream wafer and butterscotch. On the palate, it’s fruit-focused with yellow grapefruit, pineapple, peach and apricot, followed by hints of beeswax, green tea, Beemans gum and a finish of lemon pulp. Enjoy with an chicken enchilada and tomatillo salsa or clam chowder.

Okanagan Valley, 1,700 cases, 12.9% alc., $19 CDN

Black Hills Estate Winery

annually view this as their favorite white from ANC. One could argue this is his best yet.

The estate blend of Roussanne (48%), Marsanne (37%) and Viognier screams with aromas of blood orange, lemon custard, apple and marshmallow. On the palate, you appreciate the restrained use of oak, which shows as a sliver of almond, but it undresses taste buds with passion fruit, apricot, pineapple, tutti frutti and jasmine flavors. There’s a lovely kiss of residual sugar, then a bit of spritzy blood orange acidity makes it pleasing.

J. Bookwalter

2009 Roussanne

2009 Sauvignon Blanc

Viognier

WINE REVIEWS

Excellent. Few other wineries in Oregon

approach this variety with as much dedication.

Elk Cove’s annual target of 3 tons per acre yields aromas of Golden Delicious apple, jasmine, orange blossom, lemon peel, chalkboard dust and a dab of petroleum jelly. It’s a smooth delivery of more apple, lemon chiffon and pineapple with orange pith, almond and fennel in the farewell.

Watermill Winery 2009 Muscat Canelli

more hangtime with this Chardonnay (60%) and Viognier (40%), but the Oct. 10 freeze put a halt to that. Still, this is a showy drink that opens with aromas of tangerine, orange Creamsicle, lemonade, gooseberry and Juicy Fruit gum. There’s a satiny quality to the palate with banana and ambrosia salad, finished by nectarine and a waxy Gala apple.

Davenport Cellars 2009 Snowflake Columbia Valley, 105 cases, 14.3% alc., $16

Recommended. Sagemoor Farms’ Bacchus and

Dionysus blocks combined on the Sauvignon Blanc (75%) and Semillon, and there’s an Old World theme to its brisk, dry and quenching style that’s not for everyone. Yellow grapefruit, gooseberry, pineapple juice cocktail and pleasing herbal characteristics make this a prime candidate for creamy dishes of chicken or poultry.

Columbia Valley, 60 cases, 13.9% alc., $16

Parejas Cellars

Excellent. It’s the first time Andrew Brown has

2008 Tres Blancos

made Muscat for the family business in Milton-Freewater, Ore., and he’s a quick learner with this production from Echo West Vineyard near the Umatilla River. Amazing aromatics include tangerine, lemon, lychee, passion fruit and honeysuckle. He did it dry and half in barrel as it focuses attention on the citrus profile.

White blends

Yakima Valley, 200 cases, 13% alc., $16

Excellent. Mark Wysling gathers up Roussanne

(50%) and Marsanne (25%) off Ciel du Cheval and Grenache Blanc from Boushey for a fruitfilled offering. The array includes notes of Asian pear, Gala apple, cantaloupe and pineapple with citrus accents. Creamed banana adds to the mouth feel, spruced up with squirts of orange and lime, then finished with watermelon rind.

Alexandria Nicole Cellars

Saviah Cellars

2009 Destiny Ridge Vineyard Shepherds Mark

2009 Star Meadows

Horse Heaven Hills, 471 cases, 13.7% alc., $20

Columbia Valley, 225 cases, 14.1% alc., $20

Outstanding! Many devotees of the Boyles

Recommended. This blend of Sauvignon Blanc

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(53%) and Semillon from Rosebud Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope produces aromas of yellow rose petal along with peaches, lemon and banana peel. Seven months of life in neutral French oak makes for a subtle palate of white peach, apricot and lemon yogurt.

Stag’s Hollow 2009 Con-Fusion Okanagan Valley, 800 cases, 13.2% alc., $17 CDN

Recommended. A wide-ranging blend of

Gewürztraminer (63%), Sauvignon Blanc (13%), Riesling (9%), Pinot Gris (6%), Viognier (2%) and Muscat creates tones of Golden Delicious apple, white peach and jicama. There’s ample acidity, which shows in the delicious feel of Orange Julius in the finish.

What little sugar is left (1%) gets whisked dry by citrusy acidity.

Patterson Cellars 2009 Rosé Washington, 204 cases, 13.5% alc., $15

Excellent. A saignée of Cabernet Franc and Syrah, it’s an enchanting presentation with an array of strawberry, cranberry and blood orange aromas. Intense cherry and strawberry flavors create depth on the off-dry structure with refreshing acidity and candy cane in the finish. Don’t forget the “Tear to Remember” perforated pull tab on back of each bottle.

Sparkling wine Domaine Ste. Michelle NV Blanc de Blancs

Thurston Wolfe

Columbia Valley, 32,640 cases, 11.5% alc., $12

2009 PGV Washington, 1,902 cases, 13.5% alc., $16

Excellent. Wade Wolfe’s regionally iconic

blend of Pinot Gris (60%) and Viognier (40%) annually earns a spot on Anthony’s Restaurant wine lists, first for its almost trademark nose of Orange Creamsicle and ambrosia salad. Apricots, pear and apple join in on the slightly creamy palate with a citrusy sweetness to matches well with fish tacos.

Township 7 Vineyards & Winery

Outstanding! Rick “Bubbleman” Casqueiro presents this in a classic style, opening with scents of yeast and lemon, backed by pineapple and melon. The vivacious entry embraces more lemon and yeast as flavors, with dried pineapple and sweet Gala apple accents.

Since the base is Chardonnay, and the residual sugar is just 1.05%, Casqueiro suggests offering a glass of extremely small bubbles instead the next time you serve Chard. It’s good for more than pennant-clinching celebrations.

2009 7 Blanc

Domaine Ste. Michelle

Okanagan Valley, 695 cases, 12.5% alc., $19 CDN

NV Blanc de Noirs

Excellent. Naramata Bench winemaker Bradley

Columbia Valley, 20,081 cases, 11% alc. $12

Cooper has produced a red Platinum winner two years running, and here’s a nicely balanced little white cocktail number from benchland bunches of Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer and Muscat. The long list of nasal influences includes white peach, lemon/lime, Red Delicious apple, apricot and pear, and they get welcomed by herbal notes of celery and catnip. It’s quite tasty with flavors of Sprite, Granny Smith apple, pear and pineapple, then comes a last swirl of celery stock. Enjoy on the deck with a cheese plate or a curry dish.

Outstanding! It means “white from red” in French, using Pinot Noir as the source. Pretty in pink describes this annual release from Chateau Ste. Michelle’s sparkling wine house in Paterson, Wash. Underneath the great mousse are effusive aromas of strawberry and pear, a twist of lemon, rose hips and hints of Walkers Shortbread cookie. Inside, there’s raspberry, cranberry and white strawberry with yellow grapefruit acidity. The dosage rates just 1.15% residual sugar, and the clean finish is reminiscent of a Muscadet, which calls for oysters or pasta with a roux.

Rosés Delfino Vineyards 2009 Zinfandel Rosé Umpqua Valley, 50 cases, 10.7% alc., $16

Recommended. Cherry, fresh-cut watermelon,

strawberry and raspberry come through with some sweetness at 3% residual sugar.

However, acidity akin to grapefruit and lemon tightens up the midpalate just a bit, and cantaloupe in the finish rounds it out.

Maryhill Winery 2009 Rosé of Sangiovese

Domaine Ste. Michelle NV Extra Dry Columbia Valley, 51,919 cases, 11.5% alc. $12

Excellent. Since the phaseout of the frizzanté,

this is the most off-dry (2.3% residual sugar) bottle in the DSM lineup. Soon after the cage is off emerge aromas lemon, orange, almond, toffee and linen on a clothesline. Fuji apple and sugared lemon lead the clean and crisp flavors, trailed by starfruit and yellow grapefruit juice and pith. Enjoy as an aperitif, in celebration, paired with spicy Asian fare or with a fresh bag of popcorn.

Columbia Valley, 1,371 cases, 13.7% alc., $9

Masquerade Wine Co.

Excellent. Some of the Northwest’s nicest rosés

2007 Effervescing Elephant Sparkling Wine

come from this high-acid, food-friendly Italian variety, and this rates among them. First, there are whiffs of white strawberry, rhubarb, plum, blood orange, pomegranate and Lincoln rose. Inside, it’s all fruit, hinting at smooth strawberry, juicy Rainier cherry and peach.

Recommended. The Kimmerlys send 10% of these sales to fund the Asian Elephant Art & Conservation Project in New York City. Hence, the name. It’s a serious wine made from Pinot Noir (40%), Pinot Meunier (30%) and

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Columbia Valley, 325 cases, 12.5% alc., $35

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Chardonnay that leads with aromas of yeast and baked bread, followed by dried papaya, mango, cantaloupe, vanilla and apple box.

The palate shows more melon, baked apple, toasted almonds and flán, with delicious grapefruit pith bitterness to balance the residual sugar (1%). Serve with ling cod topped with capers and a squeeze of lemon.

Westport Winery 2009 Going Coastal Sparkling Gewürztraminer Washington, 204 cases, 11% alc., $35

Outstanding! Sometimes, the Roberts family must feel as though they are going nuts with the huge assortment they offer visitors to their Aberdeen, Wash., winery. The number is around 30, and counting… and their attempt at bubbles from this German variety is stunning. Great mousse throws off aromas of Asian pear, lychee and Meyer lemon. Strong flavors follow with grapefruit, banana, passion fruit and anise. The residual sugar (3%) comes in check.

Dessert wines ArborBrook Vineyards 2007 Klipsun Vineyard Sydney Semillon Red Mountain, 270 cases, 12% alc., $38

Excellent. It’s rare, although not uncommon,

to see one of Washington’s most famous vineyards featured by a Willamette Valley winery, and the Hansens gave this late harvest its due. Picked at 36 brix on Nov. 28, this Sauterne-style wine spent 18 months in French oak to create aromas leading with butterscotch, honeysuckle, apricot, pineapple and sweet lemon tea. The drink is dripping with apricot, dried fig, pineapple, more honey and butterscotch. There is a lot of sweetness but mouth-watering acidity and a bit of variety-specific bitterness provide balance.

Olsen Estates 2008 Golden Berry Select Riesling Yakima Valley, 120 cases, 7.1% alc. $55

Excellent. The berries measured a whopping 67 brix at harvest, and they saw a long fermentation of 127 days to get to this remarkable point. The nose of apricot, pineapple, honey, beeswax, lime and filbert only hints at the sweetness inside. On the palate, it drizzles deliciously across the tongue with intense apricot, pineapple and maple syrup qualities.

A spoonful of Bananas Foster makes this your dessert for two pleasure seekers.

Fortified wines Maryhill Winery 2007 Vintage Port Columbia Valley, 848 cases, 18.4% alc., $25

Recommended. An estate gathering of Tinta Cao (30%), Touriga Nacional (30%), Souzao (30%) and Tempranillo — all Portuguese varieties — paves the way for aromas of golden raisin, Madagascar bourbon vanilla extract, almond, caramel and cherry cough syrup. Vanilla and almond extract ply their way onto the palate with raisins and Hoisin sauce as orange peel trails. The sweetness checks in at 6%.

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WINE REVIEWS

Best Buys: White wines Outstanding, Excellent or Recommended wines that retail at $15 and under.

Abiqua Wind Vineyard 2009 Caleb Knorr Pinot Gris Willamette Valley, 260 cases, 13.8% alc., $15

Excellent. Pete Buffington’s fruit-forward

approach here begins with aromas of peach, orange cream soda, tangerine oil, marzipan and butterscotch. Bright and lively is the palate with more tangerine and Mandarin orange flavors. There’s some peach and Gala apple in the midpalate before citrusy acidity and orange pith whisk it dry.

Abiqua Wind Vineyard 2009 Chloe’s Breeze Müller-Thurgau Willamette Valley, 315 cases, 11.5% alc., $12

Outstanding! A wonderfully delicate balance is achieved by this Silverton, Ore., winery, but it annually creates some of the Northwest’s best examples of this variety. It’s a nose full of poached apple with nutmeg, spicy orange, rosewater and a Bounce sheet. Pleasing and mouth-filling sweetness are in store with that poached apple, peach and lychee. Mint and flint add complexity amid a backing of citrus acidity. Enjoy it young, chilled or with Sunday brunch.

Abiqua Wind Vineyard 2009 Collier’s Early Muscat Willamette Valley, 130 cases, 12% alc., $12

Excellent. The Buffingtons continue to send us delicious editions of this variety, which they bottle as a tribute to a grandson. A beautifully exotic nose carries passion fruit, honeysuckle, jasmine and lemon/lime. There’s a carryover of the passion fruit and jasmine on the tongue, joined by papaya, mango and peach. It brings more lip-smacking acidity than one normally associates with this variety, giving balance to the residual sugar (3.7%). Serve with fresh fruit salad, a spice cake topped by whipped cream or peach cobbler.

Abiqua Wind Vineyard Gloria Anne Gewürztraminer Willamette Valley, 135 cases, 12% alc., $12

Recommended. Nice delicacy shows here with

segmented grapefruit, lychee and peeled pear tones to go with an easy level of sweetness (1.3% residual sugar).

Apex Cellars 2009 Ascent Chardonnay

includes hints of yellow rose and slate, and there’s tangy grapefruit with lemon joining in on the palate. Drop in a pinch of tarragon and serve alongside barbecued oysters on the half shell.

slate and poached pineapple. Suggested fare includes crab and Asian dishes with cilantro.

Chateau Ste. Michelle 2009 Horse Heaven Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc

Bandit

Horse Heaven Hills, 60,000 cases, 13.5% alc., $10

2009 Riesling

Outstanding! Wendy Stuckey, an Aussie,

Washington, 3,500 cases, 12.5% alc., $8

Recommended. A California outfit experimenting

with the handy TetraPak juice box used Washington juice for a worthy and relatively dry effort. There are classic petrol notes behind the Golden Delicious apple, Bartlett pear and lemon tones with reasonable acidity.

Part of the marketing shtick is that “one truck load of empty Bandit cartons equals 26 truckloads of empty glass.”

Chateau Ste. Michelle

heads up the white program at the chateau, yet this flashes a bit of Kiwi style in its greeting of subtle gooseberry and grassy dill aromas There’s a whiff of barrel smoke over the tropical hints of orange and banana. The palate screams with lime and grapefruit from start to finish, interrupted at the midpalate by creamy banana from the 22% of the lot that’s barrel fermented on the lees. Serve up a bowl of mussels and bring bread for the broth.

2009 Chardonnay

Chateau Ste. Michelle

Columbia Valley, 420,000 cases, 13.5% alc., $13

2009 Pinot Gris

Outstanding! Hints of oak, lots of tropical fruit

Columbia Valley, 58,000 cases, 13.5% alc., $13

and bright acidity are the hallmarks of many great examples of Chardonnay. Bob Bertheau and Wendy Stuckey achieve all of the above — and then some — with this release that’s aged on the lees for six months and brightened up with some stainless-steel juice (10%). Toasted pine nuts, marshmallow, banana, lemon, grapefruit peel, pear, vanilla and a dab of butter help describe the aromas. Pineapple, light banana and Golden Delicious apple flavors swirl with lovely brightness, keyed by citrusy acidity. Oak notes are tucked off to the side, making this suitable to serve with seafood, shellfish and poultry dishes accented by herbs.

Recommended. Night-time harvesting retains

Chateau Ste. Michelle

natural acidity and the inclusion of Viognier (6%) helped make for a sassy drink of starfruit, pear, peach, green banana and pear, backed by some grassiness, minerality and citrus pith. Pair with poached halibut.

Chateau Ste. Michelle 2009 Sauvignon Blanc Columbia Valley, 99,000 cases, 13.5% alc., $10

Recommended. Widely available, it’s a solid intro-

duction to the variety without any extremes, showing off lime, starfruit, Granny Smith apple and yellow grapefruit accents. Hints of kitchen herbs will lend it easily to seafood dishes that call for rosemary or chives.

2009 Cold Creek Vineyard Riesling

Claar Cellars

Columbia Valley, 3,600 cases, 12% alc., $15

2009 White Bluffs Sauvignon Blanc

Excellent. The late Walter Clore scouted out

this site, which looks out across the Columbia River near the south end of the Wahluke Slope. While it grabs headlines for its big reds, it continues to hold its own for Riesling.

Lime, green apple, grapefruit and peach aromas are joined by slate. Lime and minerality guide the flavors, too, backed by more orchard fruit, great acidity and capped with sweet peach as the residual sugar checks in at 2%.

Columbia Valley, 106 cases, 13.3% alc., $13

Excellent. The well-established family site over-

looking the Columbia River near Pasco, Wash., continues to make for a refreshing Sauvignon Blanc that leaves behind grassiness and tomcat notes of other styles. Its slightly greenish tint contains succulent aromas of lime and crisp pear with slate and Thompson seedless grapes. The crisp drink zeroes in on lime juice and lime zest, backed by orange flavors and green banana. Pair with briny oysters.

Columbia Valley, 4,100 cases, 13.9% alc., $11

Chateau Ste. Michelle

Recommended. A program of 20% new oak

2009 Gewürztraminer

Illahe Vineyard

serves as a background discussion for this straightforward glass with applesauce, pear, banana, coconut and slate. A finish of lemon juice frames the whole picture.

Columbia Valley, 86,000 cases, 12% alc., $10

2009 Pinot Gris

Excellent. A few dabs of Bob Bertheau’s

Willamette Valley, 600 cases, 12.5% alc., $14

prized Muscat Canelli (4%) and Riesling (2%) behind the ear give this quaffer some showy accessories to wear before dinner.

However, sugared Texas pink grapefruit gets most of the face time here. Lychee, ambrosia salad and peach tones twist in the background, along with talcum powder,

Recommended. Glenn Creek Vineyard and

Apex Cellars 2009 Ascent Sauvignon Blanc Columbia Valley, 1,600 cases, 13% alc., $11

Excellent. The nose of orange and gooseberry W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

Illahe’s estate vines combine for a sweet trip through orchards of Golden Delicious apple and Bartlett pear. Joining the slightly off-dry discussion (0.9% residual sugar) are hints of muskmelon, jasmine, dried apricot and sweet tea with lemon

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Best Buys: White wines Outstanding, Excellent or Recommended wines that retail at $15 and under.

Illahe Vineyard Willamette Valley, 900 cases, 12.5% alc., $15

tones of Asian pear and Roza peach with a pinch of clove. Acidity from gooseberry, crabapple and lemon carry the structure into a finish of orange pith. Enjoy with shrimp cocktail.

Excellent. Three non-estate vineyards — Chemeketa (Salem), Goschie

Maryhill Winery

2009 Viognier

(Silverton) and Plagmann (Albany) — are blended together for a tasty, unoaked Viognier that shows off just a bit (1.2%) of residual sugar.

The nose is reminiscent of a fresh orange Creamsicle and a stick of Juicy Fruit gum with hints of apricot, peach and pear. It’s peachy on the palate, joined by creamy orange and honeysuckle, finished with ample acidity.

Jones of Washington 2009 Estate Pinot Gris Columbia Valley, 372 cases, 12.3% alc., $14

Excellent. Two Gun Vineyard near Quincy, Wash., gave winemaker

Victor Palencia the ammo for a tasty uncomplicated drink with alluring aromas of light pear, orange taffy, candied ginger and pillow mints.

There’s lots of white peach, candy corn and baking spice on the palate, which is off-dry at 1.7% residual sugar.

Latah Creek Wine Cellars 2008 Conner-Lee Vineyard Chardonnay Washington, 828 cases, 12% alc., $12

Outstanding! California transplant Mike Conway helped start Hogue

Cellars in 1982, so he’s spent nearly 30 years developing relationships with growers. He’s long-settled on this Othello, Wash., site, which allowed him and daughter Natalie to capture aromas of pineapple, orange, lemon, almond extract, apple blossom and cotton candy.

The pineapple pours on through in deliciously sweet fashion, supported by tangelo and grapefruit acidity.

Latah Creek Wine Cellars 2009 Moscato d’Latah Washington, 392 cases, 6% alc., $15

Excellent. Spokane’s Conway family maintains its longtime relationship with Phil Church Vineyards — among the largest, oldest and highestelevation sites in the Yakima Valley — and continues to offer one of the Northwest’s most delicious expressions of Muscat Canelli. It’s the ideal brunch drink not only for its expressive notes of fruit salad, rosewater, lychee and guava, but also with its low alcohol. A bit of spritz on the entry makes it fun and helps to balance the residual sugar (10%.)

Latah Creek Wine Cellars 2008 Pinot Gris Washington, 455 cases, 12% alc., $11

Recommended. There’s no wood off the tee here, allowing for delicate

notes of peach, lemons and starfruit to glide toward the brightness of grapefruit juiciness and gooseberry tartness. Enjoy with raw oysters and a friend.

Latah Creek Wine Cellars 2009 Riesling Washington, 1,170 cases, 10.5% alc., $9

Excellent. Mike Conway blazed the trail for the Spokane wine industry

more than two decades ago with affordable and dependable releases such as this. It’s a cup of fruit cocktail that brings along lychee, jasmine, apricot and green apple. Delicious blood orange acidity caps it to balance the residual sugar (2.5%).

2008 Proprietor’s Reserve Chardonnay Columbia Valley, 1,074 cases, 14.2% alc., $15

Excellent. The final blend came in as an even split of Tudor Hills Vineyard in Grandview, Wash., and McDuffee Vineyard in The Dalles, and the reserve effort is well done. Orange Creamsicle, sweet lemon and Granny Smith apple aromas are joined by smoked pineapple. There’s a nice balance of oak to the palate, and it shows as baked pie crust with apples, backed by more lemons and pineapple. Butterscotch and enjoyable spiciness arrive in the farewell.

Maryhill Winery 2008 Gewürztraminer Columbia Valley, 1,701 cases, 11% alc., $9

Recommended. Intoxicating aromas of pink grapefruit, orange blossom,

dried mango and rose petal evolve into a delightfully dry approach of yellow grapefruit, gooseberry and fresh lemonade, a remarkable result factoring in the residual sugar (3.5%).

Maryhill Winery 2009 Pinot Gris Columbia Valley, 5,296 cases, 14.2% alc., $11

Excellent. New Zealand winemaker Richard Batchelor arrived just in

time to put his thumbprint on this vintage, and his approach here seems to be one for the masses. Filling the nose are hints of canned pear, gooseberry and starfruit. There are more fruit cocktail flavors on the palate with pear, tangerine, honeydew melon and lychee.

Minerality adds complexity, and ample acidity tightens up the package.

Maryhill Winery 2009 Dry Riesling Columbia Valley, 1,028 cases, 12.5% alc., $9

Outstanding! There are a number of brilliant dry versions of this German grape from this vintage, partially stemming from the freakish killing freeze of Oct. 10. The opening here is of Uncola, jasmine, lychee and green banana aromas. On the palate, it is deliciously austere with lemon and unsweetened grapefruit, minerality and gooseberry tartness. At the end, there’s a remarkable hint of macadamia-flavored ice cream. Enjoy with a green salad.

Northwest Cellars 2009 Pinot Gris Columbia Valley, 204 cases, 13.5% alc., $15

Excellent. Kirkland, Wash., entrepreneur Bob Delf consistently puts quality wine into his business that was first known for its customlabel operation. Now, he’s doing single-vineyard wines at affordable prices, including this fresh and fruity approach off Goose Ridge — the largest wine grape site in the state. Fuji apple, cling peach, lemon and banana aromas lead to crisp flavors of lemons and limes, backed by more peach for a rich finish.

Pacific Rim Winery 2009 Riesling

Lost River Winery

Columbia Valley, 17,500 cases, 11.7% alc., $10

2008 Rainshadow

Outstanding! Blood orange, apricot and tangerine aromas are matched

Columbia Valley, 553 cases, 13.5% alc., $15

Recommended. A reference to the Methow Valley’s proximity to the North

Cascades, this blend of Sauvignon Blanc (60%) and Semillon carries

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on the delicious palate. Passion fruit, Ruby Red grapefruit and orange peel create a wealth of acidity, which strikes a delicious balance with the residual sugar (2.3%).

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Best Buys: White wines Outstanding, Excellent or Recommended wines that retail at $15 and under.

Pacific Rim Winery Columbia Valley, 16,600 cases, 10.7% alc., $14

McIntosh apples and citrus tones make it alluring, as does the price. Enjoy with grilled brats.

Outstanding! While not the largest product by

Six Prong

2009 Organic Riesling

this West Richland, Wash., house, it may be the tastiest of its lineup. It hints at Peach Melba in the aromas, which include dried mango, pineapple, Granny Smith apple and candy corn. Inside, there’s a delicious core of tropical fruit, supported by jasmine green tea, a pinch of anise and a lingering finish of lime.

Despite the residual sugar (3.7%), it’s rather food-friendly, and its partners could include shrimp salad or grilled peaches with prosciutto.

lemon in the finish. Enjoy with Kung Pao chicken or sweet and sour spareribs.

Territorial Vineyards & Wine Co. 2009 Pinot Gris

2008 Chardonnay

Willamette Valley, 700 cases, 13.4% alc., $15

Columbia Valley, 2,500 cases, 13.5% alc., $11

Excellent. When your business is centered near the University of Oregon, you’d best be sustainable when you can. Alan Mitchell’s fruit is certified, and his winemaker keeps it pure with this bottling of Asian pear, pineapple, lime and starfruit accents. There’s some roundness to the structure and a compelling note of Fee Brothers Cherry Bitters in the finish.

Excellent. The addition of Pinot Gris (10%) and

Sauvignon Blanc (2%) adds nice lift to this tasty and refreshing Chardonnay. Aromatics feature pineapple, Gala apple, lemon and a hint of oak. The drink is a bit akin to pineapple syrup because there’s a touch of viscosity and Werther’s Original candy in the midpalate, but lemony citrus tightens it up.

Waterbrook Winery

Pacific Rim Winery

Snoqualmie Vineyards

2009 Sweet Riesling

2009 Naked Chardonnay

Columbia Valley, 14,500 cases, 13.8% alc., $11

Columbia Valley, 60,000 cases, 9% alc., $10

Columbia Valley, 9,500 cases, 13.5% alc., $12

Excellent. Partial barrel fermentation, partial

Excellent. One of the largest productions of

Recommended. Golden Delicious apple, lemon

new oak and a splash of Viognier (2%) explain part of the appeal from this result of six vineyards. Oak influences begin early with toffee and Spanish almond aromas swirling around lemon and tanned leather. Lemon and almond follow through onto the palate, joined by pineapple, toasted bread and fresh fennel.

Late tartness gives it lift.

Riesling in the Northwest, there’s not a lot of preparation in the nose for the pending sweetness (6.5% residual sugar). It’s dried pineapple, lime, spicy peach, jasmine, beeswax and rose petal among the aromas. There’s limeade, candy corn, jasmine and petrol accents in the finish.

2008 Chardonnay

meringue pie, honey and jicama aromas lead into a dry approach from cantaloupe, lemon and pineapple rind flavors. There’s a hint of quinine in the finish. Its austere nature should be a nice fit for a bowl of homemade chicken soup.

Snoqualmie Vineyards

Sawtooth Estate Winery

2009 Naked Gewürztraminer

Waterbrook Winery

2008 Chardonnay

Columbia Valley, 2,600 cases, 12% alc., $10

2009 Sauvignon Blanc

Snake River Valley, 2,690 cases, 14.4% alc., $10

Excellent. Joy Andersen excels with off-dry

Columbia Valley, 1,039 cases, 13% alc., $11

Outstanding! Bill Murray moved from Napa to

whites, and here’s a case in point. Aromas sing out with yellow grapefruit, canned pear, lemon yogurt, apricot, white peach and a bit of lychee. They play out on the palate, too, in a charming, easy-drinking style with a fair bit of residual sugar (2.5%), but grapefruit pith adds complexity and balance.

Excellent. With its screwcap packaging and

Snoqualmie Vineyard

Willamette Valley Vineyards

2009 Naked Riesling

2009 Pinot Gris

Columbia Valley, 20,000 cases, 12% alc., $10

Willamette Valley, 29,280 cases, 12.5% alc., $15

Excellent. Next year marks Joy Andersen’s

Recommended. A trip down the fruit aisle brings

30th anniversary with Ste. Michelle and her 20th as Snoqualmie’s winemaker. Her success with this variety is one reason she’s been tenured. Despite a vintage that came to a screeching halt on Oct. 10, she pulled out slices of Honeycrisp apple with hints at honey, beeswax, mustard seed and petrol. Lots of lime juice serves to balance its off-dry approach (2.8% residual sugar).

in papaya, dried apricot and peach notes in the nose before there’s the unwrapping a piece of bubble gum. The payoff is realized with more of the same, including yellow grapefruit, kiwi fruit, slate and lemon pith in the finish.

take over winemaking for founder Brad Pintler, and the Californian finished this in fine fashion. Eight months in neutral oak allow for butterscotch, hominy, and Spanish almond aromas to mix with banana and pineapple.

The butterscotch and oak components complement the creamy entry of tropical fruit flavors, which are held up with excellent citrus and capped by a slice of pear. Here’s a Chard that’s good with food or on its own as an aperitif.

Sawtooth Estate Winery 2009 Pinot Gris Snake River Valley, 621 cases, 13.6% alc., $13

Excellent. Expansive and picturesque Skyline Vineyard grew the berries that distinctively hint at fresh-picked pear and apples, along with Rainier cherries, apricot blossom, orange cream, tangerine and peach. The addition of Muscat (16%) also coaxes more fruit flavors as there’s Orange Julius, tangerine and peach sliced into a pleasing mouth feel. Sweetness does hang a bit until some hints of citrus pith arrive.

Sawtooth Winery 2007 Viognier Snake River Valley, 450 cases, 14.6% alc., $11

Excellent. One of Idaho’s largest and oldest operations maintains its tradition of holding onto its Viognier and still sends it out under screwcap. Oak, facial powder, fresh-peeled

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

healthy boost of gooseberry, it’s styled a bit like a New Zealander. Aromas include lime and lemon with dried apricot and a rub of dill.

On the attack, it’s more of a quaffer, frontloaded with lime sherbet, a stick of Wrigley’s spearmint gum, melon and Kiwi fruit.

Willamette Valley Vineyards 2009 Riesling Oregon, 24,000 cases, 10% alc., $12

Sweet Cheeks Winery

Outstanding! When the Riesling Rendezvous

2009 Pinot Gris Willamette Valley, 2,950 cases, 13.5% alc., $15

Excellent. This load of estate fruit makes up

about a third of the entire production for this winery near Eugene in Crow, Ore., and Australia native Mark Nicholl delivers the goods. Aromas hold up a Gala apple of judging quality, backed by orange, grapefruit, jasmine and lemon peel. There’s a near match on the palate and no disappointment as the sweetness is balanced with a fresh squeeze

visits Washington, Jim Bernau’s winery and others in Oregon love to show the rest of the world they belong at the table, too. A showy nose of apple blossom, alyssum and anise gathers in pear, nectarine, apple and pineapple. Those are matched on the rich and juicy palate as lemony acidity and honey give it extension. On the International Riesling Foundation sugar scale, this (4.4%) checks in at medium sweet. Try with upside-down cake using fresh pineapple.

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BY BOB WOEHLER

An education in Sangiovese

M

yles Anderson’s contribution to the Walla Walla wine industry goes far beyond this wine region.

Known chiefly outside Walla Walla as co-creator of Walla Walla Vintners, he’s better known to those in the wine industry as helping launch Walla Walla as a wine area with worldwide acclaim.

Anderson, created not only one of the best wineries in Walla Walla, but also a wine college curriculum that’s the envy of the entire Pacific Northwest.

The Walla Walla Community College Enology and Viticulture program is Anderson’s baby, and it continues to draw national interest.

It all started about 25 years ago when Anderson, like many other Walla Walla wine pioneers, began making homemade wine with friends. His group included Gordy Venneri, a local accountant. When Anderson and Venneri started making homemade wines, they dreamed of one day having their own commercial winery.

Their friendship extended into a partnership 16 years ago with Walla Walla Vintners on a hillside out on Mill Creek Road surrounded mostly by wheat fields and the picturesque Blue Mountains.

Today, their property includes an estate vineyard, with views of neighboring vines as the region has matured into one of the most interesting and prized grape-growing areas of the valley.

In the back of Anderson’s teacher mind was a wine education platform at Walla Walla Community College. But being the founder of the community college’s wine school, educating future winemakers and vineyard managers, was probably not part of his plans when he earned his degree in elementary education. Anderson went on to earn a doctorate in counseling psychology and used both those skills to convince Walla Walla Community College officials to launch a sorely needed enology and viticulture program that also includes College Cellars, which turns out student-made wine for sale.

“I believe that it is safe to say that the Walla Walla Community College program for Enology and Viticulture would have never happened without Myles Anderson,” said Rick Small of Woodward Canyon. “He was the driving force behind its beginning and, from my perspective, is the glue that holds it together. Myles still makes nearly every wine advisory committee meeting and always sits on any interview team for the program.

Since it launched, more than 1,700 students have taken the course including, many current Walla Walla winemakers.

“The Walla Walla Enology and Viticulture program is likely the finest of its type certainly in the Pacific Northwest, yet is 90

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resilient, flexible and relevant because of Myles’ energy and support,” Small said.

Though he is now semi-retired from teaching, Anderson never turns down an opportunity to educate others. Last summer, Anderson and Venneri invited wine writers to their winery to learn about aging Washington Sangiovese. Bill vonMetzger, a Walla Walla Community College grad, of course, is now the winemaker.

The following comments are a mixture of theirs, mine and my fellow tasters.

1999 Sangiovese, Columbia Valley: Smoky, black olives and chocolate highlight this wine with a bit of leafy characteristics. It still has some staying power and a sweet vanilla edge.

2000 Sangiovese, Columbia Valley: A spicy, delightful offering cloves, allspice and cinnamon. The cranberry and strawberry components are inviting.

2001 Sangiovese, Columbia Valley: Still very smooth and a Super Tuscan feel with 28% Cabernet Sauvignon. Leather aromas with ripe berry flavors.

2002 Sangiovese, Columbia Valley: Very berry, probably because of 20% Syrah. A tasty, fruit-driven wine with a spicy midpalate.

2003 Sangiovese, Columbia Valley: Leather, currants and violets come to mind in a wine that has 13% Syrah and 5% Malbec to kick it up a notch.

2004 Sangiovese, Columbia Valley: Very tasty with a strawberryrhubarb palate. A great finish with black olives and capers, just right for a gourmet pizza.

2005 Sangiovese, Columbia Valley: A rich mouth feel starting with chocolate and finishing with cherries. Great acid balance to match tomato-based Italian fare.

2006 Sangiovese, Columbia Valley: Berries galore! Smooth and tasty, a great food wine. “It cries out for veal,” say the winemakers.

2007 Sangiovese, Columbia Valley: A black cherry and fresh leather nose gets you interested while a rich cherry chocolate combo leads you on. Delicious with bruschetta topped with black loves and sautéd mushrooms.

2008 Sangiovese, Columbia Valley, $28: The only one still available for sale. Think rich brownies with a vanilla/coconut nose and mouth-filling strawberry flavors. Match with a classic Italian pizza.

BOB WOEHLER is Wine Press Northwest’s tasting editor. He has been writing about Northwest wine since 1976.

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