WPNW Summer 2014

Pinot Gris Reviews | Destination McMinnville | Hike, Wine & Dine

72 Hours on the Olympic Peninsula

A wine lovers guide to the Olympic Peninsula

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WINE PRESS

Vol. 17, No. 2

Summer 2014

NORTHWEST Feat u res

D e partme nts

14 72 Hours on the Olympic Peninsula

6 Wine Knows

Escape for a long weekend of great wine, incredible scenery and unique food and lodging.

24 White wine finish: It’s not all talk 28 Pinot Gris Tasting Results

The perfect wine for Northwest summers. Find out who makes the best in the Northwest.

44 Hike, Wine and Dine

Red Mountain wineries team with hiking group to create a unique wine experience.

Washington finally earns California’s respect.

8 A Distant Perspective Pinot Gris earning some respect.

10 Swirl, Sniff & Sip Better wine through chemistry.

12 Nom de Vine: Stories Behind Wine Names Moth Love, AniChe Cellars.

40 Northwest Wine Events 62 Grapes of Roth Size matters…

50 Destination McMinnville

Pinot Noir as diverse as the terroir.

54 Match Makers

Wild Ginger at The Bravern (Bellevue, Wash.), the benchmark for Pan-Asian cuisine with Pacific Northwest wines.

Cover Story 72 Hours on the Olympic Peninsula On the cover: Olympic Cellars Winery, located in a historic Clallam County barn on Highway 101 in Port Angeles, with a view of the Olympic Mountains On this page: Moss-draped Western Big Leaf Maple in the Hoh rainforest, Olympic National Park Cover and Index Photos by Eric Neurath, Eric Neurath Photography 4

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Wine Press Northwest is for those with an interest in wine — from the novice to the veteran. We focus on Washington, Oregon and Idaho’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.

Editor and Publisher: Gregg McConnell 509-582-1443 gmcconnell@winepressnw.com Contributor: Eric Degerman Contributor: Jade Helm Contributor: Andy Perdue Tasting panel: Gregg McConnell, Jessia Munnell, Ken Robertson, Dave Seaver, Heather Unwin, Mike Radar, Frank Roth Master facilitator: Hank Sauer Graphic designer: Misty Baker Columnists: Jon Bauer, Dan Berger, Ken Robertson, Coke Roth, Andy Perdue Contributing photographers: Charity Lynne Burggraaf, Charity Lynne Photography Jade Helm, TastingPour.com Eric Neurath, Eric Neurath Photography Bob Brawdy, Tri-City Herald In memoriam: Bob Woehler Advertising sales: Carol Perkins, 509-582-1438 E-mail: cperkins@winepressnw.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 www.winepressnw.com.

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.

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the wine knows

BY ANDY PERDUE

Washington finally earns California’s respect

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bout 15 years ago, I began traveling to California a few times per year to judge in wine competitions.

Back then, when I was introduced as a Washington wine writer, people would smile at me like I had a learning disability. Then they would pat me on the head and say, “Oh, you’re from Washington? It’s so cute how you guys think you can make wine up there.”

That’s an exaggeration — but only slightly.

Even with the success of such wineries as Leonetti Cellar, Woodward Canyon, L’Ecole No. 41 and Quilceda Creek, there was little respect for Washington wine. Even as the numbers in Washington grew — acreage, wineries, scores — the industry was given little consideration from California.

I was recently told a story by a Washington winery owner who went to University of California-Davis to take some winemaking classes. On the first day, the instructor said fine wine could not be made in Washington.

As this attitude persisted, it also helped drive the Washington wine industry forward, if only to stick it to the naysayers from the south.

These days, the temperament is much different. I still head to California a few times per year to judge, but now when I see my friends from Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles, Temecula and all points in between, their demeanor has radically changed.

“What’s going on in Washington?” they want to know. “What’s new in Walla Walla?

Who’s buying property on Red Mountain?

How many tasting rooms does Woodinville have now? What should I be drinking?”

It’s not mere idle curiosity. And it’s not exactly fear. It is a thirst to know what’s happening in the next great American wine region. It is out of respect for what has been accomplished.

What has happened in the past 15 years to put Washington in good standing with some of the best wine regions in the world? Plenty.

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• The first true shot across the bow was Quilceda Creek’s 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon earning a perfect 100-point score with Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. Prior to that, only 15 American wines had earned perfect scores from the venerable newsletter. Then it happened again, then a third time, and then a fourth. Only five wines worldwide had ever earned consecutive 100-point scores. How many have received four in six years? Maybe only one.

• In 2009, Wine Spectator — the planet’s largest and most important wine publication — shocked the wine world when it named Columbia Crest’s 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon as its wine of the year. Columbia Crest! A $25 wine from Washington was better than the tens of thousands of wines the periodical tasted that year.

These were the two seminal moments.

Some shook their heads, while others paid attention to the fact that something was going on in Washington.

The outside world has long nibbled around the edges in Washington, making occasional investments. In 2001, Constellation bought into the Northwest by purchasing Columbia Winery and Covey Run (along with Idaho’s Ste. Chapelle). The New York-based wine giant later acquired Hogue Cellars, along with several British Columbia wineries. In 2008, Ascentia Wine Estates in Healdsburg, Calif., bought Columbia, Covey Run and Ste. Chapelle. By 2012, Ascentia was imploding and sold Columbia and Covey to Gallo.

And now the floodgates are beginning to open from California.

• In 2007, the owners of Pine Ridge Vineyards in Napa Valley’s Stags Leap District (which also owns Archery Summit in Oregon), bought land adjacent to Champoux Vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills and planted Double Canyon Vineyard. Its first Cabernet Sauvignon from that site was released last year.

• In 2008, Foley Wine Group from California bought Three Rivers Winery in Walla Walla.

• A little over a year ago, Cakebread Cellars of Napa Valley announced it would launch Mullan Road, a brand using Walla Walla Valley grapes.

• Last fall, Duckhorn Vineyards in Napa Valley announced it was launching Canvasback, a brand using grapes from Red Mountain. In November, the CEO of Duckhorn came to Washington to buy land at an auction. He — and every other bidder there — lost out when the owner of the Vancouver Canucks hockey club bought all the land.

But Duckhorn got its piece of Red Mountain a month later, when it purchased 20 acres of prime land high on Red Mountain.

Foley. Gallo. Cakebread. Duckhorn. Pine Ridge. Big names in California wine — all now a part of the Washington wine landscape. They are among the first, but they will not be last.

On a weekly basis, I hear rumors about more California wineries sniffing around the Columbia Valley. Why? Because Washington has proven itself, especially with Cabernet Sauvignon.

And land here is relatively inexpensive.

Even $50,000 an acre for undeveloped Red Mountain land that has grown only sagebrush (and maybe marijuana) is a bargain compared with what has been paid for Napa’s precious soil.

Washington is now an important part of the discussion. It has earned respect. It is finally a player.

Andy Perdue is editor & publisher of Great Northwest

Wine and wine columnist for The Seattle Times. Go to www.greatnorthwestwine.com.

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a distant perspective

BY DAN BERGER

Pinot Gris earning some respect

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joke making the rounds of wine makers a decade ago wasn’t so funny: There was a blind tasting between Pinot Gris and Perrier water. And Perrier won.

The distinct implication was that Pinot Gris had less flavor than water. (As far as I know, no one hearing the joke said that Pinot Gris had one important thing going for it: in many cases it was cheaper than Perrier.)

So here we are a decade later and people are still buying Pinot Gris. For a grape variety that most wine makers privately disparage, this is a success story that might be parallel to Kim Kardashian: no talent yet still successful.

It’s easy to see why Pinot Gris can be successful without much distinctiveness. One key reason is that Pinot Gris is following in the footsteps of another spotlighted star, Chardonnay. Neither grape has an awful lot of flavor and yet some 20% of all the wine sold in America today is called Chardonnay (operative word: “called”) and yet both still sell.

Both wines have their supporters, and at the lower end of the price spectrum, what we have done to both grapes makes them as successful as they are.

With Chardonnay, the over-oaked lipsticked pig versions attract buyers based on a soft texture in which acid is deficient. For Pinot Gris, any success is based on the same sort of softness and a lack of acid that makes many a $7 wine buyer swoon.

And like Chardonnay, Pinot Gris can also make a sublime wine that commands a higher price, and which calls for a far more sophisticated palate to understand. And unlike the cheaper versions of each grape, sugar has little to do with the reason they are sought out.

Chardonnay does have one major advantage over PG: At its best, the stuff can be downright phenomenal. Anyone who has ever had truly great white Burgundy would tell you there is utterly no connection between it and a $2.49 bottle of Two-and-ahalf-buck Charles.

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And I have had some Pinot Grigios that were made from grapes grown in cooler regions that were so astounding as to defy the fact that a supposedly lowly grape was involved, let alone was the only contributor.

What is true about Pinot Gris is that it is so successful that a lot of it is planted in warmer places where it cannot possibly make a great wine. At best, Pinot Gris – similar to its persnickety cousin, Pinot Noir – makes a sublime wine when it is planted in a cool (or better yet cold) region and then is treated most carefully to protect its vital aromatics.

I once heard the author of a successful wine primer refer to Pinot Gris as an ordinary, not-very-aromatic grape. She was dead wrong. Sure, in a warm climate, the grape lacks much distinction. But in cool climates, Pinot Gris’s natural terpenes – wildly floral aromatic properties – are available for freeing up. This is an aromatic grape.

But to make it into a wine that has such qualities, it takes some special tactics, such as the use of certain terpene-sensitive yeasts, a cooler fermentation, and other tactics that lead to a more “spice-based” aroma.

Terpenes are exotic and give some of the top cooler-climate PGs an aroma more like tropical fruit (pineapple, mango, guava, citrus blossoms). And in some cases, the wild aroma of Pinot Gris from cold climates can even mimic cold-climate Sauvignon Blanc with its thiol-based aromas. (Some people think of thiols as the opposites of terpenes.)

However, this propensity of cool-climate PG to display a wildly tropical aroma can be undermined by an aberrant warm vintage or by a wine maker who is insensitive to how to capture the fleeting aromatics.

Then we come to closures. The best way to taste a great and aromatic PG is early in its life, and preferably from a screw-capped bottle. Bottles with corks, and notably those that are bottled in clear glass bottles, can display less of the aromatics than do screwcapped wines since the caps preserve the

fermentation esters longer and keep the wines fresher, at least soon after bottling.

So we reach the point where Pinot Gris is a fresh, delightful, and early-consuming white wine that seems to decline in the bottle as it ages. And that is true for many lower-priced wines.

But what has become clear to me in the last few years – and should be better reported – is that when Pinot Gris is made from cool climate grapes that are not left on the vine excessively, the wildly spiced aroma of the resulting wine is only the first of its two lives.

Pinot Gris isn’t always very good with bottle age, but we have seen in the last few cooler vintages (2011 was a classic one to watch) that it can take on another form of charm with a bit of time in the bottle.

A bit like other white wines that age nicely for a few years (Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling), Pinot Gris can grow secondary and tertiary aromas and gain measurably in the texture department – as long as the initial acidity was good.

So although it’s easy to disparage Pinot Gris, there are a number of nice things about it. And in the Pacific Northwest (especially Oregon), where vintages often accommodate making a nice wine from it, there is no reason to resurrect the decade-old joke.

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

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swirl, sniff & sip

BY KEN ROBERTSON

Better wine through chemistry

W

hile leading a tour group through the Walla Walla area recently, I was asked a simple question: Do winemakers add some of those fruit flavors you’ve been talking about to their wines?

For this woman, who’s rather new to the idea of evaluating the aromas and flavors in wine, it was a perfectly logical question. And of course, it has a fairly simple answer: No, it’s not allowed, unless the wine is labeled accordingly. The amazing wine grape can produce all those aromas and flavors naturally.

But her question set me to thinking about the many things that commonly are used to help produce the white, rosé and red wines we all enjoy. The combination of perfectly ripened grapes and a skilled winemaker are requisites to make fine wine. But the end product, with all its flavors, aromas and gorgeously clear colors, is a testament to better living through chemistry.

So, what does happen in the winery that the average consumer might not know about?

Let’s start with the chemical almost everyone has heard about — sulfur. Many associate it wrongly with “red wine headache,” even though white wines generally contain a bit more than reds. Sulfites and other sulfur compounds are used routinely in the winemaking process to stabilize and clarify wine, but very little ends up in it. In fact, there’s less sulfur in your wine than in dried fruit.

Wine typically has about 150 parts per million (ppm) of sulfites, compared with 1,000 ppm for dried fruit.

Since 1987, U.S. winemakers have been required to label their wines if they contain more than 10 ppm of sulfites. Europe didn’t require similar labeling rules until 2005, leading to another common myth — that European wines are lower in sulfites. Sulfites are a concern, because about 1 percent of all people have sulfite allergies, which can be severe for some, and among asthma sufferers, the rate is perhaps 10 times that high.

Other chemicals also are used to stabilize wine, including dimethyl dicarbonate, which often is used in dealcoholized wine.

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The wine headache issue leads to something else used in wine that can cause headaches for those who love sparkling wines — yeast. In sparkling wines, and in some white wines that are left on the lees to age for extended periods, the dead yeast can add autolytic compounds that give some people a “Champagne headache.”

Alas, without yeast to convert the sugar in grapes into alcohol, there would be no wine.

In addition, yeast adds flavors and aromas and is carefully chosen for those abilities.

Tannin appears in wine both naturally and also is added by oak aging. Grape seeds, skin and stems contain it naturally. And these tannins especially stand out in red wine because reds are crushed more thoroughly to extract red color from the grapes, which also squeezes the grape seeds harder.

Fining and clarifying agents also affect a wine’s flavors and aromas, not by adding to the wine, but by subtracting from it. Egg whites, copper sulfate, isinglass, Bentonite, casein and gelatin are among agents commonly used to remove suspended solids that make wine cloudy. Too much clarifying, however, can leave a wine sparkling clear but with noticeably reduced aromatics and flavors.

It’s also common to add sugar to wine and often necessary when grapes don’t ripen to the point needed to provide the desired alcohol levels. The purpose is not to add sweetness. Chaptalization is controversial and banned in some areas, such as California, but allowed in others, including the Northwest.

The philosophy of those who agree chaptalization makes sense (usually winemakers in cooler climates) is that sugar does not add aromatics or flavors, so what’s the harm?

Which leads us to adjusting acidity, or pH, in wine. Boosting acidity is frowned on by some, and done badly, it can produce a disjointed, out of balance wine. In the Northwest, wines seldom lack acidity, but at times winemakers will temper it, usually with calcium carbonate, alias chalk, especially in the coolest of growing areas.

Which leads to a closing thought about wine additives. Even water sometimes is add-

ed to the winemaker’s arsenal, usually when a too-hot harvest season results in high-alcohol wines that need a little toning down.

Wine words: Spritz Spring and summer every year are the debut season for the previous fall’s crop of white wines. That means it’s time to dust off our wine word for this column, spritz. Anyone who’s been sipping wine and paying attention has likely encountered those little bubbles that form in a glass of wine as the wine comes into contact with the room-temperature glass and begins to warm up after spending several months in roughly 55-degree storage awaiting its release to the wine-buying public. In many cases, a tiny bit of fermentation continues once a wine is bottled and the bubbles are an indicator of that.

A little bit can enhance a wine, adding a zesty nip of acidity as the carbon dioxide bubbles emerge, which augments the wine’s complexity and helps its finish linger a bit longer. At a recent tasting with Wine Press Northwest’s judging panel, several members commented that a 2013 Pinot Gris being evaluated showed off the lovely aspects that a bit of spritz can add. But like many things in life and in wine, too much can be a problem.

Continued fermentation can push the corks right back out of the bottles, creating a major mess and ruining the wine. In addition, the continuing fermentation can add undesirable odors and flavors, especially a burnt-match smell that indicates the presence of sulfur compounds.

Ken Robertson has been sipping Northwest wines and writing about them since 1976.

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nom de vine

Nom de vine: Stories behind wine names

Moth Love, AniChe Cellars

“Lusa turned to Crys, her eyes shining. “That was a luna.”

Crys shrugged. “So?” “So? So what? You want it should sing, too?”

—Barbara Kingsolver, “The Prodigal Summer”

By Jon Bauer

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f, reading through the list of winning wines in the recent second annual Great Northwest Wine Competition, you came across a double-gold red blend from Columbia Gorge winery AniChe Cellars called Moth Love, you likely raised an eyebrow.

That is, unless you’re a fan of Barbara Kingsolver and have read “Prodigal Summer,” her tale of three women and their fateful loves.

“Our wines are all named after literary characters in novels,” explained AniChe winemaker Rachael Horn. “There’s something in the wine that reminds me of a particular character.”

Moth Love, a GSM blend of Syrah,

••• AniChe Cellars

www.anichecellars.com 71 Little Buck Creek Road, Underwood, WA 98651 360-624-6531

Grenache and Mourvèdre from the Elephant Mountain Vineyard in Washington’s Rattlesnake Hills, recalled for Horn the character of Lusa in “Prodigal Summer.”

Lusa, “an entomologist, falls for a farmer, but she gets more out of the relationship than he does. They’re ill-fitted. It’s not a good match. But there’s a chemical attraction there, a draw of nature,” Horn said.

Lusa is particularly interested in luna moths.

“The males are gorgeous, but they live their entire lives to find a mate,” she said.

And like the luna moth, once the farmer fulfills his duty, he dies.

Horn found that same earthy chemical attraction in her GSM blend and named it Moth Love.

The literary naming convention started serendipitously. As happens for more than a few winemakers looking for a name, the 12

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inspiration started as Horn and friends and co-workers were tasting a new wine and talking about what to call it.

The wine, a blend predominantly of Syrah with a little Viognier, “was judicious and balanced, not a lot of mystery, very high-brow,” Horn said.

“And very male. My wines have gender,” she said.

And someone in the group said it reminded them of Atticus Finch, the small-town lawyer in Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

The idea has carried on with all of AniChe’s wines. Sirius from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels. Be Holden for Holden Caulfield in J.D. Salinger’s “Catcher in the Rye.” Goat Boy for John Barth’s “Giles Goat-Boy.” And Three Witches for the weird sisters in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” among others.

The names carry on through successive vintages. Though percentages can change, the basic blend of grapes is the same, she said, so each wine’s character stays true to its name.

Horn calls herself a failed writer. But that’s harsh. And premature. At worst, she’s an interrupted writer.

Horn said she was trying to write the great American novel when she shelved the effort to make wine. She went through Washington State University’s enology program and started AniChe in 2009 with her husband, Todd Mera, who runs the cellar and is referred to as CFO, chief forklift operator. The two met

while working in a wine restaurant.

Horn recently returned to writing to pen a mystery, “The Tainted Finish,” set appropriately in the wine industry, in which winemaker Clarence Blackwell dies an untimely death. Horn is finishing the final chapter and hopes to self-publish the book this fall.

Naming AniChe’s wines after literary characters has prompted great conversations with wine lovers. More than a few people have said they’ve gone back to the classics that her wines refer to.

“It’s fun watching people trying to remember their AP English from high school,” Horn said. Just as with great novels, “the wine speaks to us,” she said.

Jon Bauer is Wine Press Northwest’s Salish Sea correspondent. The longtime newspaperman lives near La Conner, Wash.

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Oly m p i c P en i n s u l a // By Andy Perdue Photography by Eric Neurath

Point Wilson Lighthouse and Mount Baker viewed from Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend 14

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ou won’t find many grapes, but you will find a lot to love while wine touring the scenic Olympic Peninsula.

The northwestern corner of Washington is best known for majestic mountains, wondrous waterways and amazing forests and streams. It is one of the most beautiful regions anywhere, and now it is wine country, too.

If you are looking to spend a long weekend tasting wine around the peninsula, you are in luck because it naturally lends itself to three days of touring.

We will start in the southern peninsula around the town of Shelton, move up to the Kitsap Peninsula, then head north to the communities that border the Strait of Juan de Fuca. You can, of course, do this in any order you wish.

Historic Manresa Castle in Port Townsend, Victorian era hotel, restaurant and venue for weddings, conferences and more WINEPRESSN W .C O M

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olympic peninsula

Day 1: Southern Olympic Peninsula For the southern Olympic Peninsula part of this tour, we start in the town of Shelton, which is northwest of Olympia on Highway 101.

Wineries — Walter Dacon Wines. Lloyd and Ann Anderson’s winery near Shelton specializes in Syrah and also produces a highly regarded Pinot Gris called Skookum White. 50 S.E. Skookum Inlet Road, Shelton. 360-426-5913.

— Hoodsport Winery. Launched in 1978, Hoodsport is one of Washington’s oldest wineries. It primarily uses grapes from east of the Cascades, but it also produces a wine using a rare grape called Island Belle, grown on Stretch Island near Belfair. 23501 Highway 101, Hoodsport. 360-877-9894.

— Mosquito Fleet Winery. Brian Petersen and Scott Griffin run this winery in Belfair whose name pays homage to the fleet of ferryboats that plied the waters of Puget Sound for more than a century. Their grapes come

from top vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills, Red Mountain and the Walla Walla Valley. 21 N.E. Old Belfair Highway, Belfair.

360-710-0855.

— Westport Winery. Head about an hour west from Shelton to the coast to arrive at the indomitable Westport Winery. Since launching in 2007, this coastal winery has built a tasting room that features more than 30 wines, a restaurant, bakery, dog park, sculpture garden, themed gardens and more.

1 S. Arbor Road, Aberdeen, 360-648-2224.

Where to eat The southern Olympic Peninsula is not necessarily a big tourism destination, so dining choices are a bit limited. However, you will not have any difficulty finding several places to eat. Here are a few choices: — Olympic Bakery & Deli. This is a good place for coffee, pastries and sandwiches, perfect for breakfast or a lunch break. 519 E. Pickering Road, Shelton.

— Sunset Beach Grocery & Deli. Look-

Don & Vickie Corson, owners and vintners of Camaraderie Cellars Winery in Port Angeles, seated amidst their wonderful patio areas surrounding the tasting room

ing for a good lunch stop? This mainstay is famous for its gyros and Philly cheesesteaks.

17151 E. Highway 106, Belfair.

— Casper’s Pizza. This family restaurant produces some of the best pizza around and is a great stop for lunch or dinner while on your wine-tasting tour. 23730 Highway 3, Belfair.

— Restaurant at Alderbrook. Perhaps the best dining in the southern Olympic Peninsula, Alderbrook offers fine dining in a beautiful setting. 7101 Highway 106, Union.

Where to stay While there are many options to stay in Shelton, Belfair and other communities of the southern Olympic Peninsula, for a great experience, there is one choice: Alderbrook Resort & Spa. It is at the southern end of Hood Canal in the town of Union. In addition to the gorgeous surroundings and beautifully apportioned rooms, Alderbrook also offers a fabulous spa, and the nearby Alderbrook Golf Course provides 18 holes of championship golf.

Other activities Looking for something to do that doesn’t involve wine? Try golfing at Alderbrook or Gold Mountain Golf Course, hiking in the Hoh rainforest or deep-sea fishing in Westport.

Day 2: Kitsap Peninsula The Kitsap Peninsula is northeast of Shelton and Belfair, separated from the Olympic Peninsula by Hood Canal. It includes such cities as Bremerton, Silverdale, Poulsbo and Bainbridge Island.

Wineries The wineries of the Kitsap Peninsula are clustered on Bainbridge Island, which is a convenient 30-minute ferry ride from downtown Seattle. That makes this part of the tour the most convenient for wine lovers on the east side of Puget Sound. Here are some of the wineries you will want to consider visiting: — Amelia Wynn. Owner Paul Bianchi is crafting superb wines using grapes from the Columbia Valley, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Syrah and Chardonnay.

450 Winslow Way E., Bainbridge Island.

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FEATURE

Silverwater Cafe in Port Townsend serves up a Lavender Pepper Ahi from the lunch menu, a delectable sashimi grade ahi tuna rubbed with lavender pepper, seared rare with baby organic field greens with an apricot curry dressing

Port Angeles-based Harbinger Winery owner/vintner Sarah Gagnon pours a glass of her Rapture: Cabernet Franc WINEPRESSN W .C O M

Eleven Winery owner/vintner Matt Albee stands atop a stack of wine barrels in his Bainbridge Island Winery S u m m e r 2 0 1 4 • Win e Pre s s N o r thwest

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— Eleven Winery. Owner and winemaker Matt Albee focuses on grapes from the Yakima Valley and is crafting highly rated examples of Petit Verdot, Syrah and Roussanne. 7671 N.E. Day Road, Bainbridge Island. Eleven also has a tasting room at 287 E. Winslow Way and in Poulsbo at 18827 Front St. 206-780-0905.

— Bainbridge Vineyards. The region’s oldest winery has new ownership. It began in 1977 and has always focused on locally grown grapes — that’s right — including such varieties as Pinot Noir, Müller-Thurgau and Siegerrebe. 8989 E. Day Road, Bainbridge Island. 206-842-9463.

— Perennial Vintners. Mike Lempriere has been around the wine industry for decades, putting together the first website dedicated to Washington wines and their history.

In 2005, Mike launched his winery, which

focuses on local grapes. 8840 N.E. Lovgreen Road, Bainbridge Island. 206-780-2146.

— Eagle Harbor Wine Co. Hugh Remash launched this winery in 2005, and he focuses on grapes from east of the Cascades. 9445 N.E. Business Park Lane, Bainbridge Island.

206-227-4310.

— Rolling Bay Winery. Owner Alphonse de Klerk crafts wines using grapes from Snipes Mountain in the Yakima Valley.

10314 Beach Crest Drive, Bainbridge Island, 206-419-3355.

Where to eat You’ll find plenty of places to eat on the Kitsap Peninsula. Here are a few choices: — Hitchcock. Using locally grown ingredients, this restaurant is a favorite for locals and visitors alike. 133 E. Winslow Way, Bainbridge Island, 206-201-3789.

— Harbour Public House. Great beer and pub grub in a fantastic atmosphere. Be sure to try the fish & chips. 231 S.W. Parfitt Way, Bainbridge Island, 206-842-0969.

— Silver City Restaurant & Brewery.

Head to the town of Silverdale for this brewery and restaurant that is famed for its beer, pizza and seafood. 2799 N.W. Myhre Road, Silverdale. 360-698-5879.

Where to stay Bainbridge Island is loaded with B&Bs, and you’ll find plenty of motel choices in Bremerton, Silverdale and Poulsbo. Here are two options to consider.

— Bainbridge Island Beach Cottage. This vacation rental offers stunning views from the 100-foot beachfront location. Suitable for up to three people. 206-999-9655.

Art galleries, shops, cafes and hotels are included in the eclectic mix of businesses located on Port Townsend’s Water Street 18

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— Poulsbo Inn & Suites. A short walk from quaint downtown Poulsbo, the Poulsbo Inn & Suites provides a nice lodging location for the end of a day of wine touring. 18680 Highway 305, Poulsbo.

Other activities There is plenty to do on the Kitsap Peninsula. Enjoy a stroll on the beach at Point No Point in Hansville, tour the USS Turner Joy in Bremerton or shop downtown Poulsbo.

Day 3: Northern Olympic Peninsula Cross the Hood Canal floating bridge from the Kitsap Peninsula to get back onto the Olympic Peninsula and begin exploring the northwestern corner of the continental United States.

The Victorian town of Port Townsend is on the Quimper Peninsula.

From there, you can head west to sunny Sequim, which is in a rain shadow and gets only about 18 inches of rain per year. From there, you’ll continue on Highway 101 to Port Angeles, which is the biggest town on the peninsula and is across the Strait of Juan de Fuca from Victoria, British Columbia.

The deck at Bainbridge Island’s Harbor Public House overlooks Eagle Harbor

Signage for Port Townsend’s Silverwater Cafe and Mezzaluna Lounge, in the heart of the historic Victorian district downtown WINEPRESSN W .C O M

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Totem by the clubhouse at the Cedars at Dungeness golf course, a fine year-round 18-hole course is Sequim, owned by the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe 20

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olympic peninsula Wineries Several wineries have found homes on the Olympic Peninsula. Here is a sampling of what you’ll find.

— Marrowstone Vineyards. Based on Marrowstone Island southeast of Port Townsend, this is a working winery and vineyard producing wines using local and regional grapes. 423 Meade Road, Nordland, 360-385-5239.

— FairWinds Winery. Owner Micheal Cavett has been running this small winery for more than a decade in the outskirts of Port Townsend. He is one of the few wineries still crafting Lemberger, and he also makes Cab, Merlot, Gewürztraminer and a delicious dessert wine called Port O’Call. 1984 W. Hastings Ave., Port Townsend, 360-385-6899.

— Wind Rose Cellars. In downtown Sequim, winemaker David Volmut has created one of this town’s hot spots, with a winery,

wine bar, food and jazz club. The wines are primarily Italian varieties. 143 W. Washington St., Sequim, 360-681-0690.

— Olympic Cellars. This winery on Highway 101 near Port Angeles started in 1979 as Neuharth Winery. It is housed in a century-old barn. 255410 Highway 101, Port Angeles, 360-452-0160.

— Camaraderie Cellars. Along a tree-lined road south of Port Angeles, Camaraderie is owned and operated by Don and Vicki Corson. They craft some of the finest wines anywhere, using grapes from top Columbia Valley vineyards. They have built a beautiful winery in a gorgeous and secluded location, a perfect place to relax and enjoy wine and nature. 334 Benson Road, Port Angeles, 360-417-3564.

— Harbinger Winery. While she was winemaker at Olympic Cellars, Sara Gagnon survived a plane crash in Olympic National

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Park. She decided to live life to the fullest and launch Harbinger, the northwestern-most winery in the continental United States. She crafts more than a dozen wines and also has beer on tap at her winery. 2358 W. Highway 101, Port Angeles, 360-452-4262.

Cideries Ciders are becoming a big deal in the Northwest, and if you’re interested in trying some, check out Alpenfire and Eaglemount in Port Townsend and Finnriver in Chimacum.

Where to eat Port Townsend, Sequim and Port Angeles all offer many dining choices. Here are three to consider: — Bella Italia. Long before “Twilight” was written, Bella Italia was a favorite restaurant in Port Angeles. It has since been featured in the novel and movie, perhaps coincidentally

Driftwood on the beach at the Dungeness Spit, part of the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge in Sequim. This is the world’s longest natural sand spit at over 5 miles, with the New Dungeness Light Station located at the end

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because its name matches the heroine’s. 118 E. First St., Port Angeles, 360-457-5442.

— Silverwater Café. Open since 1989, Silverwater is near the waterfront in Port Townsend. It features Mediterranean- and Asian-inspired cuisine with a Northwest twist. 237 Taylor St., Port Townsend, 360385-6448.

— Alder Wood Bistro. This is more than just another restaurant. It’s a destination for foodies who care about local, organic, woodfired cuisine. And it offers a terrific wine, cider and beer list. 139 W. Alder St., Sequim, 360-683-4321.

Where to stay Port Townsend is a haven for B&Bs, and Sequim and Port Angeles offer many types of lodging, regardless of budget. Here are three places to consider.

— Manresa Castle. This century-old castle in Port Townsend is one of the top places to stay anywhere in Western Washington. It also serves delicious food, so it’s a great restau-

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rant option, too. 651 Cleveland St., Port Townsend, 360-385-5750.

— Bishop Victorian Hotel. Near the waterfront in Port Townsend, the Bishop offers Old World excellence. 714 Washington St., Port Townsend, 360-385-6122.

— Lake Crescent Lodge. Keep heading west on Highway 101 to beautiful Lake Crescent and its historic lodge, built in 1937. It is in Olympic National Park and authorized by the National Park Service. 416 Lake Crescent Road, Port Angeles, 360-928-3211.

Looking for an unusual adventure? Sara Gagnon, owner of Harbinger Winery, also owns Adventures Through Kayaking, and you can go kayaking, rafting or mountain biking with her or her partner, Tammi. It’s next to the winery on Highway 101. Call 360-417-3015. e

Andy Perdue is editor & publisher of Great Northwest

Wine and wine columnist for The Seattle Times. Go to www.greatnorthwestwine.com.

ERIC NEURATH is a professional commercial photographer

located in Port Angeles, Wash. See more of his work at ericneurathphotography.com

Other activities The northern Olympic Peninsula has no shortage of things to do. You can explore downtown Port Townsend, head to Fort Worden State Park near Port Townsend (where the film “An Officer and a Gentleman” was filmed), hike the Dungeness Spit near Port Angeles, golf the many courses in and around Sequim or head to Hurricane Ridge south of Port Angeles for hiking.

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wine country: PUGET SOUND & WESTERN WASHINGTON

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White wine finish: It’s not all talk

By Rachel Webber

B

ringing science to conventional wisdom, a recently published study from Washington State University reveals how different flavors “finish,” or linger, on the palate after taking a sip of wine.

“A longer finish is associated with a higher quality wine, but what the finish is, of course, makes a huge difference,” said sensory scientist Carolyn Ross. The study, which is one of the first to look at how different flavor components finish when standing alone or interacting with other compounds in white wines, all started with a question from one of Ross’ students in a wine and food sensory science class.

“We were talking about flavor finish and which compounds finish later or earlier,” Ross explained. “I said, well, anecdotally, fruity flavors finish earlier while others, like steak or oak, finish later.”

In a recent article in the journal Food Quality and Preference, Ross writes how her team trained panelists to identify and measure fruity, floral, mushroom, and oaky (or coconut) compounds in wines. They found that, indeed, fruity flavor perception disappears from the palate earlier than oaky, floral, and earth flavors perception.

They chose the fruity, floral, mushroom, and oaky compounds to reflect the diversity of the wine aroma wheel.

“There can be hundreds of different flavor compounds in wine,” said former graduate student and co-author, Emily Goodstein referring to the intricate relationship between taste, aroma, and flavor.

“We wanted to ask: What finishes longer?

Are these assumptions really supported? Can we back it up with some sensory data?”

Goldstein and Ross trained a panel of volunteers to actually measure the intensity and finish of flavor compounds commonly found in white wines using a time intensity method. Ross drew an analogy between the time intensity of wine with that of chewing gum: the longer you chew, the fewer flavors you perceive in the gum. Although much more complex, wine is similar in that its

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flavor changes and diminishes over the time it is in your mouth.

Oak (coconut), in particular has a longer finish than fruity and floral, said Ross.

That finish and flavor not only affect the wine drinking experience, they affect economics and the amount that a consumer is willing to pay for a bottle of wine.

“There’s been research that says if it’s more oaky people will spend more money on it, but this isn’t exactly the case.” She refers to a study from Jill McCluskey in the WSU School of Economic Sciences on people’s willingness to pay for America’s most popular wine, chardonnay.

In this case, participants were willing to pay about 5% less for a full oaked bottle of Chardonnay relative to the unoaked Chardonnay. They were also willing to pay less for the medium oaked (70% oak treatment) relative to the unoaked Chardonnay, but the difference was not statistically significant, said McCluskey.

“The novice consumers’ negative response to full-oak treatment is interesting because full oaked Chardonnay commands the highest retail price in the market,” she said. “Typically oaked Chardonnays are more expensive because they are more costly to produce and take a certain amount of expertise to perfect the incorporation of

oak into the wine. Many reserve Chardonnay wines receive high levels of oak treatment and have a premium price compared to the vintners’ other Chardonnays. Novice consumers may not be able to appreciate an oaked Chardonnay. Although this study suggests a mildly negative response to oak, more experienced consumers may respond differently.”

Read more about the willingness to pay for Washington Chardonnays study at http://intl-ajae.oxfordjournals.org/content/94/2/556.full or the latest article on wine finish from Ross’ WSU Sensory Lab team at http://www.sciencedirect.com/ science/article/pii/S0950329314000330, which will be in print September 2014.

Rachel Webber is a content strategist connecting meaningful research, discovery, and people at Washington State University with the greater community. She writes features, news releases, and marketing material for student and academic programs, alumni engagement, and to highlight scientific research. She manages three digital college publications Voice of the Vine, On Solid Ground, and Green Times. She also writes for ReConnect, the WSU alumni magazine and publishes CAHNRS News for the WSU College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences every other week.

She can be reached at rcwebber@wsu.edu

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P i n o t G r is:

Crisp white wine is Pacifi C Northwest perfect

By Andy Perdue P Hotos by Bob Brawdy

P

erhaps the perfect white wine for a Pacific Northwest summer is Pinot Gris.

The grape often associated with France and Italy grows extremely well throughout the Northwest, and it pairs perfectly with our region’s cuisine, particularly seafood.

“When it comes to pairing Pinot Gris, my favorite is grilled salmon,” said Adam Campbell, who makes the best Pinot Gris in the Pacific Northwest.

Campbell, second-generation winemaker 28

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for Elk Cove Vineyards in Oregon’s YamhillCarlton American Viticultural Area, has been crafting great Pinot Gris for years, and it consistently earns top ratings regardless of vintage. Campbell said his secret is treating Pinot Gris with importance.

“It’s not just our default white variety,” he said. “It’s made intentionally. We love Pinot Gris, and it just happens to be the best white wine for our climate.”

Campbell produces all of his Pinot Gris from about 100 acres of estate grapes. Even

though Pinot Gris is Oregon’s No. 1 white grape, he is concerned about keeping a steady supply available. In fact, he has planted about 40 additional acres in the past couple of years so he can bump up his production a bit. Even with 17,000 cases each year, Campbell runs out of Pinot Gris by November or December, leaving some of his best restaurant accounts high and dry during their busiest time of the year.

Pinot Gris has been Oregon’s favorite white wine since it overtook Chardonnay in 2000.

Today, Oregon wineries crush three times as much Pinot Gris as Chardonnay. In Washington, the crisp white wine has grown to the state’s No. 3 grape, surpassing Sauvignon Blanc and Gewürztraminer years ago but still light years behind Chardonnay and Riesling.

The story of Oregon and Washington Pinot Gris is a tale of two styles of farming.

In the cool Willamette Valley, grape growers WINEPRESSNW.COM

pinot gris

WINE RATINGS All rated wines are tasted blind then placed in the following categories: Outstanding These wines have superior characteristics and should be highly sought after.

Excellent Top-notch wines with particularly high qualities.

Recommended Delicious, well-made wines with true varietal characteristics.

Best Buy! A wine that is $15 or under.

Prices are suggested retail.

are happy to get 3 tons of Pinot Gris per acre planted. Meanwhile, in the warm, arid conditions of Washington’s Columbia Valley, it’s not unusual to see 6 tons per acre.

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This shows up in the price of the grapes, too, with Oregon Pinot Gris costing upward of $1,500 per ton, while Washington winemakers are able to buy it for just $800. This is one reason Oregon Pinot Gris can cost $6 to $8 more per bottle.

None of this concerns Campbell.

“We have to focus on what we do best and not focus on competing with other areas,” he said. “Getting lower yields is kind of an advantage because we’re getting more interesting flavors” — something he refers to as “cool-climate freshness.”

Regardless of which side of the Columbia River your Pinot Gris originates, it will pair beautifully with seafood (think halibut or salmon), shellfish (oysters, scallops and clams), as well as white meats such as chicken or pork.

Northwest Pinot Gris can show off flavors that range from the crisp — pear and apple

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— to the ripe — pineapple, lychee and mango. The hallmark is its acidity: crisp, bracing and mouthwatering.

We conducted a blind tasting of 81 Pinot Gris from Oregon, Washington and Idaho, most of which were from the 2012 and 2013 vintages. Our judges for this judging were Heather Unwin, executive director of the Red Mountain AVA Alliance; Jessica Munnell, winemaker for Mercer Estates in Prosser, Wash.; Gregg McConnell, editor and publisher of Wine Press Northwest magazine; Ken Robertson, columnist for Wine Press Northwest; and Mike Rader, a longtime consumer and accomplished wine judge. The competition was conducted by Great Northwest Wine on behalf of Wine Press Northwest magazine.

Here are the results:

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Outstanding Elk Cove Vineyards $19 2013 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley Second-generation winemaker Adam Campbell is the master of Pinot Gris, as he consistently earns top scores vintage after vintage. This is no exception, earning the top spot in our judging.

It opens with aromas of apple, pear and a touch of pineapple, followed by hints of jasmine and mint tea. The palate is bursting with flavors of orchard fruit and minerality, all backed with crisp, mouthwatering acidity. A stunning wine. (17,000 cases, 13% alc.)

Best Buy! Lost River Winery $15 2013 Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley This Winthrop, Wash., winery with a Seattle tasting room has jumped up on our radar in the past couple of years with one superb wine after another. Here is another great example. Winemaker John Morgan used grapes from the Horse Heaven Hills and Yakima Valley and came up 30

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with a wine with aromas of lavender, peach, white blossom and Meyer lemon. On the palate, it delivers flavors of fresh pear, apple and a hint of sweet herbs, all backed with terrific acidity. (750 cases, 13.2% alc.)

Best Buy! Maryhill Winery $12 2013 Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley In a little over a decade, Maryhill has developed into one of Washington’s brightest stars. Winemaker Richard Batchelor captured bright, refreshing fruit in this young white wine. It opens with notes of Asian pear, apple and minerality, followed by flavors of lemon, honeysuckle and white peach.

Said one judge: “This is a benchmark example of Pinot Gris.” (5,370 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Mt. Hood Winery $19 2013 Pinot Gris, Columbia Gorge Longtime Oregon winemaker Rich Cushman is crafting gorgeous wines for this Hood River winery. It offers aromas of green tea, jasmine, minerality and pear, followed by flavors of apple, lemon-lime, white peach and honeysuckle. It’s a

rich, round wine with beautiful balance and lush fruit. (300 cases, 12.7% alc.)

Left Coast Cellars $18 2013 The Orchards Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley This winery west of Salem, Ore., produced one of our favorite rosés last summer and has repeated the feat this year with Pinot Gris. Winemaker Joe Wright used estate grapes to craft a wine with aromas of minerality, crushed herbs and pears, followed by flavors of apple, Asian pear and pineapple. It’s all backed with bright, bursting acidity.

(1,883 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Walter Dacon Wines $19 2013 Skookum White, Columbia Valley Olympic Peninsula winemaker Lloyd Anderson went to Frenchman Hills Vineyard in the Columbia Basin for his Pinot Gris, and it is delicious, exuding aromas of Golden Delicious apple, Asian pear and a touch of pineapple, followed by bright flavors of apple, pear, lychee and jasmine. (550 cases, 13.1% alc.)

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Archery Summit $24 2012 Vireton Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley One of Oregon’s most renowned Pinot Noir producers also crafts a delicious Pinot Gris. This winery in the Dundee Hills has put together a luscious white with aromas of lime zest, sweet herbs and minerality, followed by flavors of lemon-lime and white peach. It’s all backed with crisp acidity that gives this an impressive finish.

(2,480 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Omero Cellars $23 2013 Pinot Gris, Ribbon Ridge Sarah Cabot crafts wine in the Pacific Northwest’s smallest American Viticultural Area, a small slice of land in the northern Willamette Valley called Ribbon Ridge that is sandwiched between the Chehalem Mountains and Yamhill-Carlton. This alluring white opens with aromas of Golden Delicious apple, crushed herb and lavender, followed by austere, even tingly flavors of mint, jasmine and minerality. (425 cases, 12% alc.)

Best Buy! Cardwell Hill Cellars $15 2013 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley Owners Dan and Nancy Chapel produce small amounts of wine at their boutique operation northwest of Corvallis, Ore., and this superb Pinot Gris is one of their finest white wines to date.

It reveals gorgeous aromas of tropical fruit, apple and minerality, followed by flavors of white peach and a squeeze of fresh lime. It’s all backed with bright acidity that leads to a long and elegant finish. (445 cases, 13% alc.)

Chehalem Wines $29 2012 Ridgecrest Vineyards Estate Pinot Gris, Ribbon Ridge The father-daughter team of Harry and Wynne Peterson-Nedry lead one of Oregon’s best wineries, using grapes from Ribbon Ridge, Chehalem Mountains and the Dundee Hills. This is a vibrant white wine with aromas of rosemary, green apple and Asian pear, followed by vibrant flavors of pear, lemon-lime and apple. It’s a bright, balanced wine with racy acidity and beautiful elegance in the finish. (172 cases, 15.2% alc.)

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Best Buy! Jones of Washington $13 2013 Pinot Gris, Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley Leave it to young winemaker Victor Palencia to rise to the top of nearly every blind tasting we conduct. He is well known for his crisp white wines from Washington’s youngest AVA, and this luscious Pinot Gris delivers. It reveals gorgeous aromas of pear, apple, minerality and lavender, followed by refreshing flavors of rosewater, pear and cantaloupe. It is a beautifully crafted wine.

(1,901 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Best Buy! Latah Creek Wine Cellars $11 2013 Pinot Gris, Yakima Valley Longtime Spokane winemaker Mike Conway now works with daughter Natalie ConwayBarnes on Latah Creek’s wines, and this is one of their finest collaborations so far. It opens with aromas of crisp apple, Asian pear and minerality, followed by flavors of white peach, lychee and Granny Smith apple. A bit of sweetness balances S u m m e r 2 0 1 4 • Win e Pre s s N o r thwest

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the bright acidity for a wine with a long, pleasant finish. (3,365 cases, 12% alc.)

Territorial Vineyards $16 2013 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley Based in Eugene, Ore., Territorial is a longtime winery that has produced suave Pinot Noirs for years. This Pinot Gris is a lush, rich white wine with aromas of roses, apple and tropical fruit, followed by delicious flavors of white peach, orange and honeysuckle. It is not too austere and beautifully made. (350 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Chehalem Wines $22 2013 Three Vineyard Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley Winemaker Wynne Peterson-Nedry used grapes from three estate vineyards: Ridgecrest, Corral Creek and Stoller. It’s a gorgeous white with aromas of rosewater, white flower petals and honeycrisp apple. Flavors of lime and stone fruit are wonderfully balanced with crisp, bright acidity, giving way to a long, memorable finish. (1,900 cases, 11.9% alc.)

Best Buy! Vino La Monarcha $15 2013 Pinot Grigio, Columbia Valley Victor Palencia, winemaker for Jones of Washington, launched his own brand last fall with a Walla Walla tasting room. This is one of his new wines, and it is superb. It opens with aromas of rosewater, lychee and tropical fruit. On the palate, it is a complex wine with classic flavors of pear and apple, along with plush tropical notes, all backed with bright acidity. (102 cases, 12.3% alc.)

Best Buy! Duck Pond Cellars $12 2013 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley This longtime Dundee Hills winery (which also owns Desert Wind Winery in the Yakima Valley) excels at crafting delicious and fairly priced wines.

This Pinot Gris is one of its best efforts, thanks to aromas of Asian pear, white peach and minerality, followed by flavors of pear, Golden Delicious apple and an alluring dusty quality, all backed with just a kiss of sweetness. (9,200 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Best Buy! Bateaux Cellars $15 2013 Pinot Gris, Yakima Valley This tiny producer near the southwest Washington town of Toledo (south of Chehalis) has put together a beautiful Pinot Gris using grapes from Airfield in the Yakima Valley north of Prosser. It opens with aromas of minerality, white flowers and pear, followed by rich, vibrant flavors of melon, ripe pear and sweet herbal notes, all backed with a bit of spritz. (80 cases, 12.5% alc.)

Coeur de Terre Vineyard $18 2013 Pinot Gris, McMinnville Winemaker Scott Neal used grapes from 30-yearold vines in the hilly McMinnville AVA on the 32

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western edge of the Willamette Valley. Aromas of green apple and sweet herbs give way to flavors of luscious pear, apple, grapefruit and pineapple. It’s a bright, fun wine. (500 cases, 12.8% alc.)

Tsillan Cellars $19 2012 Estate Pinot Grigio, Lake Chelan Based on the south shore of Lake Chelan in North Central Washington, Tsillan Cellars is one of the most beautiful wineries in the Pacific Northwest — and it is crafting delicious wines. Winemaker Shane Collins used estate grapes for this white wine with aromas of crushed herbs, pear and starfruit, followed by flavors of honeydew melon, ripe peach and Meyer lemon on the finish. It’s a complete wine with an incredible finish. (542 cases, 13.4% alc.)

Excellent Tsillan Cellars $19 2013 Estate Pinot Grigio, Lake Chelan Bob Jankelson built Tsillan Cellars with an Italian theme (and even has an Italian restaurant on site), so many of his wines also have Italian names, such as this Pinot Grigio. It is a beautiful wine with aromas of jasmine, minerality and lemon-lime, followed by bright, delicious flavors of white peach, lychee and lime, all backed with great acidity. (425 cases, 13.6% alc.)

Pete’s Mountain Vineyard $25 2013 Ceille’s Block Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley Mike and Kristy Thayer own this vineyard just 20 minutes from Portland and produce Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir from the site. This is a gorgeous example of Oregon Pinot Gris, with harmonious aromas of mint, lavender, pear and peach, followed by elegant flavors of rosewater, rose petals and crisp fruit. (313 cases, 13.3% alc.)

Brooks Wines $20 2013 Estate Pinot Gris, Eola-Amity Hills Using estate grapes from the Eola-Amity Hills not far from the capital city of Salem, winemaker Chris Williams has crafted a bright, delicious Pinot Gris with aromas of fresh apple, starfruit, lychee and minerality, followed by elegant flavors of white peach, sweet lime and honeysuckle. (95 cases, 12.3% alc.)

Best Buy! Kyra Wines $15 2013 Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley Columbia Basin winemaker Kyra Baerlocher used grapes from famed Evergreen Vineyard in the Ancient Lakes region of the Columbia Valley for this refreshing white wine. It offers aromas of white lavender, sweet herbs, crisp apple and lime, followed by flavors of white peach, starfruit and honeysuckle. It’s all backed with startling and distinctive mouthwatering acidity. It’s a fun, racy wine. (280 cases, 13% alc.)

Best Buy! Alexandria Nicole Cellars $14 2013 A Squared Pinot Gris, Horse Heaven Hills Using estate grapes from Destiny Ridge Vineyard, owner/winemaker Jarrod Boyle crafted a delicious warm-climate Pinot Gris that reveals aromas of crushed herb, bright apple and even a hint of strawberry, followed by beautiful flavors of lemon, starfruit and crisp apple. (465 cases, 13.4% alc.)

Best Buy! Mercer Estates Winery $15 2013 Pinot Gris, Yakima Valley Veteran Washington winemaker Jessica Munnell holds the reins at this Prosser, Wash., winery and has crafted a deliciously bright and crisp Pinot Gris using Yakima Valley fruit. It offers aromas of apple, pear and clove, followed by clean, bright flavors of fresh orchard fruit. It’s all backed with refreshing acidity. (5,433 cases, 13.3% alc.)

Best Buy! Gecko Cellars $15 2013 Pinot Grigio, Yakima Valley Gecko Wine Co. in Woodinville, which also owns Michael Florentino Cellars, produces nicely priced wines under this label. This Pinot Gris offers aromas of jasmine, lavender and pear, followed by ripe, rich flavors of apple and peach, all backed with just a hint of sweetness. (112 cases, 14% alc.)

Spindrift Cellars $16 2013 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley This small producer west of Corvallis, Ore., has been around for about a decade, and owner/winemaker Matthew Compton has crafted a classic Oregon Pinot Gris with aromas of sweet herbs and crisp apple, followed by flavors of Asian pear, white peach and bright minerality, all backed with refreshing acidity. (670 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Winter’s Hill Estate $17 2012 Pinot Gris, Dundee Hills Winter’s Hill is in the heart of the northern Willamette Valley, and winemaker Delphine Gladhart has put together a luscious Pinot Gris using estate grapes. It offers aromas and flavors of ripe Golden Delicious apple, crisp Asian pear and a hint of sweet herbs. It’s all backed with bright, mouthwatering acidity. (760 cases, 14.5% alc.)

Best Buy! Carlton Cellars $14 2013 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley Dave Grooters, owner and winemaker for this high-quality winery in downtown Carlton, Ore., created a Pinot Gris with aromas and flavors of lavender, mineral, pear and Honeycrisp apple.

It’s a delicious wine to pair with everything from salmon to scallops. (520 cases, 13.1% alc.)

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pinot gris

One Wines $25 2013 Destiny Ridge Vineyards One White Wine, Horse Heaven Hills One Wines, based in downtown Chelan, Wash., worked with Jarrod Boyle of Destiny Ridge Vineyard to produce this splendid Pinot Gris. It offers aromas and flavors of apple, lavender and Asian pear, all backed with bright, refreshing acidity.

(181 cases, 13.4% alc.)

Best Buy! Wild Haven $9 2012 Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley Wild Haven is a label for Precept Wine in Seattle.

This is a delicious wine at a terrific price. It provides aromas and flavors of crisp stone fruit, lime, apple, Asian pear and minerality. It’s priced for everyday enjoyment with shellfish, pork or chicken. (500 cases, 13% alc.)

Raptor Ridge Winery $20 2013 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley Owner/winemaker Scott Shull blended grapes from four vineyards to craft this luscious Pinot Gris. It opens with aromas of green apple, green tea and minerality, followed by delicious flavors of apple, pear and starfruit. (1,900 cases, 12.5% alc.)

Ankeny Vineyard $22 2013 Estate Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley Joe Olexa arrived at his vineyard near Salem in 1980 and began planting grapes within two years.

Three decades later, he’s still going strong. This mouthwatering white offers aromas and flavors of white blossom, apple and green tea, all backed with bright, luscious acidity. (600 cases, 13% alc.)

Seven of Hearts $18 2013 Pinot Gris, Oregon Byron Dooley runs this winery on Main Street in downtown Carlton — the wine capital of Oregon.

It opens with aromas of dried herbs and Granny Smith apple, followed by flavors of crisp orchard fruit and sweet herbs. (349 cases, 13.7% alc.)

Pinot Gris by the numbers

Here are some interesting statistics about this judging: e Percentage of “Outstanding” wines: 23.4 e Percentage of “Excellent” wwines: 48.1 e Percentage of “Recommended” wines: 22.2 e Average price: $17 e Average alcohol: 14.33% e Total cases represented: 111,053 e AVAs represented: 18 e Wines by AVA: Willamette Valley (22), Columbia Valley (15), Yakima Valley (10), Oregon (5), Dundee Hills (4), Lake Chelan (4), Horse Heaven Hills (3), Ribbon Ridge (2), Wahluke Slope (2), Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley (1), Columbia Gorge (1), Eola-Amity Hills (1), McMinnville (1), Naches Heights (1), Snipes Mountain (1), Umpqua Valley (1), Walla Walla Valley (1), Washington (1).

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Chateau Lorane $20 2012 Pinot Gris, Oregon Linde and Sharon Kester run this longtime Oregon winery south of Eugene, and they have crafted a luscious Pinot Gris that is loaded with aromas and flavors of fresh-cut apple, minerality, ripe tropical fruit and sweet herbs, all backed with ample acidity. (217 cases, 13.3% alc.)

Torii Mor Winery $18 2013 Pinot Gris, Oregon French winemaker Jacques Tardy has been crafting wine in Oregon for many years. This classic Pinot Gris uses grapes from the Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley and Rogue Valley. It reveals aromas and flavors of Honeycrisp apple, lavender, pear and lime. (440 cases, 13.2% alc.)

Wapato Point Cellars $22 2012 Pinot Grigio, Lake Chelan Based on the north shore of Lake Chelan, Wapato Point is in the town of Manson and also features The Winemaker’s Grill, a white-linen restaurant.

This bright and luscious Pinot Gris from estate grapes exudes aromas and flavors of lime, lavender, peach and sweet herbs. (280 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Best Buy! Willow Crest $12 2012 Pinot Gris, Yakima Valley This longtime Yakima Valley winery is owned by Precept Wine in Seattle and is enjoying a higher profile as a result. Willow Crest excels with white wines, and this Pinot Gris is no exception, thanks to aromas of minerality, apple and oyster shells, followed by crisp flavors of apple and Asian pear.

(5,000 cases, 13% alc.)

Best Buy! B. Lovely $9 2012 Pinot Grigio, Washington This label for Precept Wine in Seattle is cleverly packaged with honey bees as a theme. It’s an off-dry (3% residual sugar) Pinot Gris that is a pleasant sipper, with aromas and flavors of rosewater, lychee and fruit cocktail notes. It’s a terrific

TASTING RESULTS

brunch wine to enjoy with a crab melt. (1,700 cases, 13% alc.)

Best Buy! Firesteed Cellars $13 2012 Pinot Gris, Oregon Now more than 20 years old, Firesteed started out as a “virtual winery” that eventually found a home in the Willamette Valley when it purchased Flynn Vineyards not far from Salem. This is a gorgeous and complex Pinot Gris with aromas and flavors of lavender sorbet, rose petals, Asian pear and a hint of orange. (13,580 cases, 13.7% alc.)

Best Buy! J. Albin Winery $10 2013 Lorelle The Benches Pinot Grigio, Horse Heaven Hills This winery in the northern Willamette Valley reached into Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills for the grapes to make this refreshing Pinot Gris.

It offers aromas and flavors of white flowers, a hint of strawberry and bright lemon. (3,000 cases, 12.5% alc.)

St. Innocent Winery $26 2012 Vitae Springs Vineyard Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley Mark Vlossak founded St. Innocent a quartercentury ago and continues to distinguish himself with a broad range of single-vineyard wines that put the spotlight on Oregon’s terroir. This provides aromas and flavors of tropical fruit and ripe apple, all backed with crisp acidity. (542 cases, 13.9% alc.)

Best Buy! Waterbrook Winery $12 2013 Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley Waterbrook is one of Walla Walla’s original wineries, and it continues to be one of its largest.

This is a delicious and focused Pinot Gris with aromas and flavors of apple and pear, backed with crisp, luscious, mouthwatering acidity. (805 cases, 12.8% alc.)

Benton-Lane Winery $17 2012 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley Based in the southern Willamette Valley just north of Eugene, this longtime Oregon winery is known for high quality. This tasty Pinot Gris is rich in aromas and flavors of crisp apple, pear, starfruit and a hint of lemon. (4,204 cases, 14% alc.)

Best Buy! Silvan Ridge Winery $15 2012 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley Based near Eugene, this longtime Oregon winery crafts delicious and affordable wines — and this Pinot Gris is no exception. It provides aromas and flavors of fresh-cut apple, clove, pineapple and white peach, all backed with refreshing acidity.

(1,500 cases, 13.5% alc.)

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pinot gris

Spoiled Dog Winery $16 2013 Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley In fact, there appears to be two spoiled dogs at this Whidbey Island winery northwest of Seattle, and their humans, Jack and Karen Krug, run the winery. This tasty Pinot Gris shows off aromas and flavors of green tea, lime zest, pear and apple, all backed with bright, zesty acidity. (108 cases, 13.7% alc.)

Seven of Hearts $18 2012 Pinot Gris, Oregon Owner/winemaker Byron Dooley used grapes from the Oregon side of the Columbia Valley as well as a vineyard in Yamhill-Carlton, not far from his winery in downtown Carlton. It shows off aromas and flavors of white flowers, Golden Delicious apple, ripe pear and minerality, all backed with rich, luscious acidity. (336 cases, 14.5% alc.)

Locati Cellars $18 2013 Pinot Grigio, Walla Walla Valley This Walla Walla Valley winery has produced a tasty Pinot Gris with aromas of apple and white peach, followed by austere flavors of white tea and minerality, all backed with bright acidity. (70 cases, 13.1% alc.)

Waitsburg Cellars $17 2012 The Aromatics Old Vine Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley Winemaker Ron Bunnell oversees this project that is a collaboration between Precept Wine in Seattle and Waitsburg, Wash., wine luminary Paul Gregutt. This offers aromas and flavors of lavender, dusty gravel, crushed herbs, luscious Golden Delicious and papaya. (210 cases, 13% alc.)

Best Buy! Wind Rose Cellars $15 2013 Pinot Grigio, Yakima Valley Based in the Olympic Peninsula town of Sequim, this winery operates one of the hot spots in downtown Sequim. And the patrons love sipping Pinot Gris while enjoying live jazz. This tasty example hints at butter, crushed herb and lemon zest on the nose, giving way to flavors of Honeycrisp apple and ripe pear. It’s all backed with acidity that carries the wine to a memorable finish. (175 cases, 13.4% alc.)

Montinore Estate $16 2013 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley This longtime winery near Forest Grove, Ore., has crafted a luscious Pinot Noir with aromas and flavors of papaya, peach, mango and pineapple, all backed with bright, citrusy acidity. (6,200 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Westport Winery $25 2011 Airfield Estates Fleur de Lis Pinot Gris, Yakima Valley This Washington coast winery brings in grapes from Airfield, a vineyard north of the Yakima Valley town of Prosser. The wine reveals aromas and flavors of pear, mango, minerality, sweet herbs and green apple, all backed by bracing acidity. (77 cases, 11% alc.)

Best Buy! Apolloni Vineyards $15 2012 Pinot Grigio, Willamette Valley Alfredo Apolloni is one of the few Oregon winemakers to use “Grigio” on a label (though he also makes a “Pinot Gris” too). This example hints at lychee and mango before diving into aromas and flavors of Granny Smith apple, fresh-cut hay and Asian pear. (197 cases, 13.7% alc.)

Best Buy! Open Road Wine Co. $14 2012 Pinot Gris, Wahluke Slope Owner George Papanikolaou brought in grapes from Rosebud, one of the Wahluke Slope’s oldest vineyards. The result is a wine with aromas and flavors of white pepper, lime, minerality and crisp, bright apple. (80 cases, 12% alc.)

Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards $21 2013 Cana Bloc Estate Pinot Gris, Umpqua Valley Owner/winemaker Steve Reustle has made his reputation with such varieties as Tempranillo and Grüner-Veltliner, but he also crafts some of Oregon’s more mainstream varieties. This is a gorgeous example of Southern Oregon Pinot Gris, with aromas and flavors of dusty minerality, sweet herbs, Asian pear and a hint of tropical fruit. (205 cases, 13.9% alc.)

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Gard Vintners $22 2011 Lawrence Vineyard Grand Klasse Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley The Lawrence family has been working its land on Washington’s Royal Slope for a half-century and now operates a vineyard that is gaining a great reputation with winemakers. It also has its own label, which is based not far away in Ellensburg.

This luscious Pinot Gris is a perfect seafood wine, offering aromas and flavors of white peach, jasmine blossoms, watermelon and crisp apple. (268 cases, 14.3% alc.)

Emerson Vineyards $20 2013 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley The Johns family runs this small operation in the central Willamette Valley town of Monmouth.

Their beautiful Pinot Gris shows off aromas and flavors of crisp apple, rich pear, sweet spices and crisp, bright and perfectly balanced acidity. (150 cases, 12.8% alc.)

Best Buy! Walnut City WineWorks $15 2013 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley Based in McMinnville, Ore., Walnut City crafts delicious and affordable Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. This is classic Oregon Pinot Gris with aromas of crisp apple, lavender and minerality, followed by flavors of lemon, lime and apple.

(1,150 cases, 12.3% alc.)

ArborBrook Vineyards $25 2013 Guadalupe Vineyard Pinot Gris, Dundee Hills Guadalupe was planted in the late 1980s and is a favorite vineyard that sits at the crossroads between the Dundee Hills and Yamhill-Carlton in the northern Willamette Valley. This Pinot Gris reveals aromas and flavors of jasmine, white tea, melon and sweet herbs, all backed with refreshing acidity. (325 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Recommended

Best Buy! Naches Heights Vineyard $14 2012 Pinot Gris, Naches Heights Phil Cline grows grapes in one of the smallest and coolest AVAs in Washington, a region near the city of Yakima. This exudes aromas and flavors of orange, lime zest, apple and Asian pear, along with a touch of mint. (550 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Apolloni Vineyards $19 2012 Pinot Gris L Cuvee, Willamette Valley This is a bigger style of Pinot Gris that was aged sur lie for six months. This gives it rich flavors of butter, baked apple and poached pear, all backed with solid acidity. (157 cases, 13.6% alc.)

Castillo de Feliciana Vineyard and Winery $16 2013 Vino Verano Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley Walla Walla Valley winemaker Christopher Castillo used grapes from Airport Ranch in the Yakima Valley for this pretty Pinot Gris that offers aromas and flavors of white flowers, peach and apple. (390 cases, 13.9% alc.)

Michael Florentino Cellars $16 2013 Pinot Grigio, Snipes Mountain This Woodinville winery uses grapes from Snipes Mountain, an upthrust in the middle of the Yakima Valley. The resulting wine shows off aromas and flavors of minerality, jasmine and green tea, all backed with bracing acidity. (90 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Wind Rose Cellars $20 2012 Lavender Fields Forever Pinot Grigio, Yakima Valley Lee Oskar of the ‘70s rock-funk band War painted the label for this tasty Pinot Gris that features aromas and flavors of baked apple, ripe pear and a rich mouth feel. Oskar spends a fair bit of time at this Olympic Peninsula winery. (50 cases, 13.2% alc.)

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pinot gris

ArborBrook Vineyards $20 2013 Croft Vineyard Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley Based in the Chehalem Mountains near the Willamette Valley town of Newberg, ArborBrook produces small lots of high-quality wines. This offers aromas and flavors of green apple, Asian pear, fresh-cut herbs and minerality. (425 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Best Buy! Nine Hats $12 2013 Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley Nine Hats is a label for Long Shadows Vintners in Walla Walla, Wash. Pinot Gris provides enchanting aromas and flavors of crisp apple, pear and lavender, backed by mouthwatering acidity.

(2,100 cases, 14.1% alc.)

Torii Mor Winery $24 2012 Olson Estate Vineyard Pinot Gris, Dundee Hills Torii Mor is high in the Dundee Hills of Oregon, and winemaker Jacques Tardy has produced a delicious wine with gorgeous jasmine, pink lavender, ripe pear and fresh apple aromas and flavors.

(50 cases, 14.5% alc.)

Aubichon Cellars $28 2012 Vista Hills Pinot Gris, Dundee Hills This Pinot Gris received oak treatment, but that doesn’t get in the way of the rich fruit flavors, including melon, apple, lime zest and green tea. It’s a complex wine with good length and brightness.

(114 cases, 14.4% alc.)

Best Buy! Gard Vintners $14 2012 Lawrence Vineyards Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley Using estate grapes from Washington’s Royal Slope, winemaker Aryn Morell has put together a refreshing white with aromas and flavors of crushed sweet herbs, white flowers and delicious white peach. (275 cases, 14.2% alc.)

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Martinez & Martinez $16 2013 Tudor Hills Vineyard Pinot Grigio, Yakima Valley This Prosser, Wash., winery brought in grapes from the nearby town of Grandview for this tasty Pinot Gris that offers aromas and flavors of pear, clove, pineapple and apple, all backed with bright acidity. (350 cases, 12.2% alc.)

Best Buy! San Juan Vineyards $14 2013 Pinot Gris, Yakima Valley Winemaker Chris Primus used grapes from Crawford Vineyard near Prosser for this gorgeous white wine that shows off aromas and flavors of honeydew melon and crisp melon, all backed with mouthwatering acidity. (214 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Best Buy! J. Albin Winery $15 2012 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley This Hillsboro, Ore,., winery has crafted a luscious Pinot Gris with aromas and flavors of white pepper, crushed herb, fresh-cut apple and minerality. It’s all backed with crisp acidity. (400 cases, 12.5% alc.)

TASTING RESULTS

Best Buy! Claar Cellars $15 2012 White Bluffs Pinot Grigio, Columbia Valley This longtime Columbia Basin winery has vineyards overlooking the Columbia River. Their Pinot Gris offers aromas and flavors of tangerine, ripe apple, mango and sweet herbs that give way to a memorable finish. (273 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Locati Cellars $16 2013 Pinot Grigio, Wahluke Slope This is one of two Pinot Gris produced by this Walla Walla Valley winery. It shows off austere aromas and flavors of apple juice and lemon, followed by ample acidity. (203 cases, 11.4% alc.)

e

Andy Perdue is a wine journalist, author and interna-

tional judge. Find out more at www.greatnorthwestwine. com.

Vin du Lac $22 2011 Lehm Pinot Gris, Lake Chelan Based on the north shore of Lake Chelan, Vin du Lac is one of the oldest producers in the region.

This uses estate fruit and offers aromas and flavors of green tea, jasmine and lemon zest, all backed with bright acidity. (306 cases, 13.6% alc.)

Vin du Lac $19 2011 Grisant! Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley This tasty Pinot Gris offers aromas of minerality, mint and green tea, followed by luscious flavors of apple and Asian pear. (1,640 cases, 13.5% alc.)

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WINE COUNTRY: WALLA WALLA VALLEY

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wine country: WALLA WALLA VALLEY

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No r t hw e st Wine Events June 19-21 Celebrate Walla Walla Valley Wine, Walla Walla, Wash. Join more than 60 Walla Walla Valley winemakers as well as those from Paso Robles, Sonoma and Australia in exploring Syrah. Go to celebratewallawalla.squarespace.com.

July 10 Wine Rocks, Seattle. This seventh annual gathering of nearly 30 Northwest winemakers, brewers and musicians meets on Pier 66 to support local charities. Go to winerocksseattle.com.

12 Bastille Bash, Seattle. The Madison Valley neighborhood and more than a dozen Washington wineries will toast this French celebration for the third year. Go to madisonvalley.org.

12 Ohme Wine & Food Gala, Wenatchee, Wash. Ohme Gardens celebrates its 85th anniversary with more than a dozen area chefs and wineries. Go to wenatcheewines.com.

12 Mt. Rainier Wine Festival, Crystal Mountain, Wash.

The lawn at the Alpine Inn plays host to food, live jazz and more than 20 Northwest wineries. Go to crystalhotels.com.

19 Wine Tasting at the Zoo, Seattle. More than 30 regional wineries gather at Woodland Park Zoo’s North Meadow to help raise conservation funds. Go to zoo.org.

17-19 Sun Valley Wine Auction, Sun Valley, Idaho. The Sun Valley Center for the Arts stages its 33rd annual charity wine auction. Go to sunvalleycenter.org.

18-20 Kirkland Uncorked, Kirkland, Wash. City officials stage the event in Kirkland Marina Park featuring wineries with food-and-wine pairing workshops. Go to kirklanduncorked.com or call 206-633-0422.

19 Horse Heaven Hills Wine Growers Trail Drive, Alderdale, Wash. The ninth annual tour visits seven wineries and ends with a barbecue at Crow Butte Park on the Columbia River.

Go to horseheavenhillswinegrowers.org or call 509-894-4528.

25-27 International Pinot Noir Celebration, McMinnville, Ore. Global Pinotphiles return to Linfield College for its 28th year. Call 800-775-4762 or go to ipnc.org.

August

19-23 Southern Oregon World of Wine Festival, Jacksonville, Ore. This 12th annual celebration has grown to 60 wineries. Go to worldofwinefestival.com.

21-24 Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival, Vancouver, Wash. This 17th annual event at Esther Short Park features regional wineries, area restaurants and several top-name recording artists. Go to vancouverwinejazz.com or call 360-906-0441.

22-24 Sunnyslope Food and Wine Trail, Caldwell, Idaho. Wine industry members celebrate harvest, with the signature event at Ste. Chapelle. Go to sunnyslopewinetrail.org.

23 North Central Washington Wine Awards, Wenatchee, Wash. Top wines from the fourth annual competition staged by Foothills magazine will receive their awards at Town Toyota Center. Call 509-664-7149 or go to ncwwineawards.com.

30 Wine in the Pines, Cle Elum, Wash. Swiftwater Cellars celebrates Northwest wines with celebrity chefs and live music for a seventh year. Go to swiftwatercellars.com.

30-31 Sunriver Sunfest Wine Festival, Sunriver, Ore. More than a dozen wineries pour at the Pacific Northwest’s original year-round resort. Go to sunriversunfest.com.

September 13 Carlton Crush Harvest Festival, Carlton, Ore. This family-style event staged by Ken Wright Cellars features local wines, live music and fun competitions in Upper Park. Go to carltoncrush.com.

14 Gold Medal Wine Experience. Taste more than 150 of the top entries from the Seattle Wine Awards and Oregon Wine Awards. Meet the winemakers and enjoy a buffet with chocolates. Go to SeattleWineAwards.com.

18-21 Feast Portland. Travel Oregon and Bon Apetit gather chefs and regional wineries for more than 40 events to support No Kid Hungry for a third straight year. Go to feastportland.com.

18-21 Sun Valley Harvest Festival, Sun Valley, Idaho.

The fifth year of this event features food and wine from Idaho, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates and other Northwest producers as well as outdoor activities. Go to sunvalleyharvestfestival.com.

9 Prosser Wine and Food Fair, Prosser, Wash. More than 30 wineries help celebrate the 33rd anniversary of the event, which is at the new Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center. Call 800-408-1517 or go to prosserchamber.org.

9 Kitsap Wine Festival, Bremerton, Wash.

Harborside Fountain Park is the stage for this sixth annual event. Go to kitsapwinefestival.com.

14-16 Auction of Washington Wines, Woodinville, Wash. The Washington Wine Commission’s 27th annual benefit is headquartered at Chateau Ste. Michelle. Call 206-326-5747 or go to auctionofwashingtonwines.org.

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It a l ia n- Vari e t al t a s tin g room ope n s i n Wal la Walla

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alla Walla, Wash. - In early May Gino Cuneo Cellars opened the first all Italian-style retail tasting room in downtown Walla Walla at 2 East Rose Street.

Gino Cuneo Cellars is solely focused on Italian varietals such as: Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Barbara and the unique cool drying fruit process that produce Amorone-Style and Ripasso wines.

On ginocuneocelllars.com “Ripasso” style wine is described as wine that employs the Venetian technique of blending wine made from both slowly dried (appassimento) fruit and non-dried fruit. They represent a kind of middle ground between regular red wines and Amarone. Ripasso wines have a very strong following in Italy and are well accepted in the U.S., recognized for their unique complexity and richness of texture and flavor.

“We spent quite a few months looking for just the right location to showcase our wines.

The historic Pantorium Building is an outstanding site for us. Located on the corner of 2nd and Rose St., this building gives us great exposure at the entrance to the wine tasting experience of Walla Walla,” said Gino Cuneo, general manager and winemaker.

In addition to the opening of a new tasting room, Gino Cuneo Cellars is celebrating its Italian heritage and dedication to Italian style wines by rebranding the Tre Nova brand of wines to be “g. Cuneo” As Gino explains, “Our rebrand is about celebrating the old while highlighting innovation and the new and exciting aspects of g.

Cuneo wines. It’s important that our g. Cuneo rebrand match our new tasting room home – and vice versa. I particularly like the way our Interior Designer, Robin Pecka, incorporated the modern open space with the original wood, brick and plaster elements. These ‘old and new’ elements reflect the Old World-New World approach to the making of our Italian style wines. I can’t think of a better place in the New World to have people taste our wines than the warm and wonderful small town of Walla Walla, WA.” About Gino Cuneo Cellars A Pacific Northwest winemaker since 1989, Gino Cuneo has been a pioneer in exploring how Italian red varietals express themselves in the warm climate regions of Eastern Washington and Oregon. In 1993 he founded Cuneo Cellars and in 1994 Gino made his first Italian varietal wine: Nebbiolo. For the past 15 years, Gino has been focused on bringing expressive Italian-Style wines to the U.S. market.

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FEATURE

red mountain

Hike, Wine Dine

&

// By Eric Degerman

Jim Holmes, vineyard owner and avid hiker is leading an effort to expand hiking trails and the unique wine experience of Hike, Wine and Dine in the Red Mountain AVA and Tri-Cities region.

P hoto by Bob Brawdy, T ri - C ity Herald.

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red mountain

B

ENTON CITY, Wash. — Ciel du Cheval Vineyard contributes to some of the best wines ever made in Washington, and owner Jim Holmes wants outdoors enthusiasts to get a bird’s eye view of his famous neighborhood by hiking Red Mountain.

“I think we’ll bring in folks for an allaround tourism experience,” Holmes said.

“They’ll take this hike and look down on the vines and then drink the wines from those vineyards. We can create a really exciting experience, different from that of any other wine region.”

The top of Red Mountain is around 1,400 feet in elevation, and the proposed trailhead would be at about 900 feet, making for an elevation gain of 500 feet. Estimates for the length of the trail range from 3 ½ to 5 miles in length, and it won’t start as a loop hike. However, there are plans for spur trails leading to tasting rooms at wineries such as Hedges Family Estate, Tapteil Vineyard Winery and Col Solare, co-owned by Ste. Michelle Wine Estates and Italian icon Marchesi Antinori.

“The trail is not all that easy, but it’s not going to wear anybody out,” said Holmes, who religiously hikes nearby Badger Mountain. “We’re hoping to find some ways down so people won’t have to do the whole 3½ miles.”

Holmes has been farming his famous vines along Sunset Road for four decades, but he doesn’t stand to benefit from such a trail nearly as much as many of his neighbors because he doesn’t operate a tasting room. That doesn’t seem to matter to him.

“It was Jim who actually went to work and knew how to get this started,” said Heather Unwin, executive director of the Red Mountain American Viticultural Area Alliance.

“He’s the poster child for getting out and being active, and we have to schedule our meetings around his athletic pursuits.”

Sharon Grant, co-founder and past president of Friends of Badger Mountain, a nonprofit preservation group in the Tri-Cities, said, “This is almost a spiritual quest for Jim. It’s something that deep in his heart and soul he cares about.”

Hiking trails along the state’s smallest AVA long have been a part of the Red Mountain AVA Master Site Plan, formalized in 2007 and updated in 2012. However, ownership on Red Mountain is a checkerboard WINEPRESSN W .C O M

of entities such as the Bonneville Power Administration, Bureau of Land Management, Department of Natural Resources and the Kennewick Irrigation District. There are vineyards with clear ownership, some with foreign ownership and many operated under long-term leases.

But the question of where the trail would start has been the roadblock. That may have been resolved by Holmes.

Hikers would drive up between vineyards on Antinori Road, and the tentative trailhead and parking area would be across from Col Solare on a 1-acre parcel belonging to Dick Shaw and business partner Paul Kaltinick, who together own Quintessence Vineyards.

Shaw said they’ve been working with Holmes on details surrounding the proposed trail.

“Jim’s the expert on this, and he convinced us that it would be a good thing for the community,” Shaw said. “I do think this is a good thing, and the trail across Badger is very popular.”

Quintessence Vineyards has rapidly gained a following among top winemakers and consumers for its Cabernet Sauvignon. They also are vineyard partners in Obelisco Estate with Doug Long.

“This is a special area, and we’re looking forward to having more people who want to see our country,” Shaw said. “The more people see it, the more they will want to buy

FEATURE

Red Mountain wine. We just opened a new tasting bar in Walla Walla, so after people visit Prosser, we’d like for them to stop by Red Mountain and see the vineyards on their way to Walla Walla.”

Ryan Pennington, a Ste. Michelle Wine Estates spokesman, said, “We are certainly supportive of the idea and the routing as it’s been proposed. Anything that brings people to Red Mountain is a great thing, whether it’s for the nature or taking in the views or wine tasting. The more people who visit the region, the more they will have an appreciation for the wine aspect.”

The prospect of marketing a Red Mountain hiking trail has piqued the interest of the Tri-Cities Visitor and Convention Bureau.

“What the Tri-Cities has to offer is a wine and culinary adventure that can’t be found anywhere else,” said Kris Watkins, president and CEO of the TCVCB, and member of the master site plan advisory team. “Miles of scenic trails combined with world-class wine provides visitors with an authentic experience.”

A Red Mountain hiking trail would be an alternative to spending five hours riding in a cart on a golf course while the spouse is wine touring, supporters said. The Tri-Cities is home to a thriving hiking community, thanks in large part to Friends of Badger Mountain.

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WINE COUNTRY: Central Washington & Prosser

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red mountain “The folks at Red Mountain are going to stand out because of the concept of connecting recreation with wine tasting,” Grant said.

“Any young people you talk to, they get it right away. People want to do more than just wine taste. They want to get outdoors, too.

“Besides, every community has golf, and a lot of communities have wineries,” Grant added. “You might have to pay to rent golf clubs, but as long you have a pair of hiking shoes, you can get out. You could even bicycle Antinori Road and then hike.”

Appealing to the millennial generation is something the Red Mountain site plan counts on. The report, created with the Benton County Commission, projects that by 2025 there will be 233,000 wine-oriented visitors and 815,500 winery visits each year on Red Mountain. Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville reported about 300,000 visitors in 2010 — making it one of the state’s top tourist attractions.

“This is going to be a very discreet trail and will appeal to people who want to be outdoors and get a sense of what the Ice Age floods did on Red Mountain,” Unwin said.

“People will get a deeper appreciation for why this land is special.”

Years ago, there were hopes the state would develop a hiking trail on Red Mountain, but funding cuts dashed any plans. And there are several big steps ahead before this latest effort is realized.

“We don’t have a mayor of Red Mountain, so we have to collaborate, and if you want quality, quality takes time,” Unwin said.

“People seem to accept that.”

Holmes, however, might be the mayor protem, and his council on the trail project includes Larry Pearson of Tapteil, Tom Hedges of Hedges Family Estate and Sarah Goedhart, Hedges’ winemaking daughter and co-owner of Ambassador Wines of Washington.

“It’s taken Jim, who is a substantial part of Red Mountain and such a respected voice, to keep this going within the AVA,” Pearson said. “Jim has been the one to keep his finger on it and keep pushing it along and made the overtures to Dick Shaw. Otherwise, you

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just have groups from the outside who keep pushing but have no physical connection other than saying, ‘I wish we could hike there.’ ” Holmes said, “Putting a trail on private land is very, very difficult.”

Wineries in the Tri-Cities have been friends with Grant and the hiking community for years. Kiona Vineyards, across from Ciel du Cheval, has played host to the Friends of Badger Mountain annual meeting for the past three years. Before that, it was Goose Ridge Vineyards, which has plantings at the base of Badger Mountain. And Grant brings foot traffic to tasting rooms with a series of events she calls “Hike Wine Dine.”

“There are people who all seem to be in agreement and want this trail,” Grant said.

“How long will it take? It would be great if we could say by the end of 2015 we might be able to start building a trail.”

Negotiations with all the landowners are tentative, but there are other questions surrounding the trail, which won’t open to motorized vehicles.

“How is it going to be administered? Who will maintain it and deal with the litter?”

Unwin said. “The stakeholders deserve to have all those things clearly outlined before they give their blessing.”

Next comes the route planning, followed by fundraising for the parking area and trail construction by The Friends of Badger Mountain.

“If it wasn’t for Friends of Badger Mountain, it would be a lot further off,” Unwin said. “They do have the expertise, a proven track record and they have the data that helps answer an awful lot of questions. And they’ve got this big vision.”

The Friends of Badger Mountain was formed in 2003 by a group of hikers to preserve habitat in the Tri-Cities. In the past decade, they’ve raised more than $750,000 to acquire 647 acres on Badger Mountain, then ceded the property to Benton County.

They created a network of four trails and recently began to build a fifth — all on Badger Mountain.

FEATURE

“Their big dream is called the Ridges to Rivers Trail, a set of hiking trails from Badger to Red with Candy Mountain in between,” Holmes said. “So Red Mountain is embedded in that dream. There’s a lot of people in support of it, and it’s generated a lot of local enthusiasm.”

And Holmes’ role extends beyond the negotiations with his neighbors on Red Mountain. The former nuclear engineer also helps Friends of Badger Mountain by making presentations to service organizations and businesses in the Columbia Valley.

“I’ve spoken to about 10 different groups,” Holmes said. “I managed a pretty large resource group at Hanford, and you had to do a lot of explaining yourself to people. I got trained in it, so it’s no big deal at all.”

Besides, sharing the history of growing grapes on Red Mountain and experiencing the outdoors goes a long way in defining Holmes’ life. He figures he made 100 trips up Badger Mountain in 2012.

“Hiking is great exercise,” Holmes said.

“I’m an old guy — 77 — but I still get around quite a bit. I spend a lot of time skiing and farming, so I stay pretty active.”

For more information on Hike, Wine, Dine events contact Sharon Grant-Ghan at sharon@friendsofbadger.org or check the website: friendsofbadger.org e

Eric Degerman is the president and CEO of Great North-

west Wine, a news and information company. Learn more about wine at www.greatnorthwestwine.com.

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WINE COUNTRY: TRI-CITIES & RED MOUNTAIN

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FEATURE

mcminnville

Destination McMinnville Story and Photography By JADE HELM, DWS, CSW

“

This can’t be Pinot Noir. I’ve had Pinot Noir from Dundee Hills.” This is what Wayne Bailey often hears when people taste his Youngberg Hill Vineyards Pinot Noir from McMinnville, Oregon. It is true; there are distinct differences in Pinot Noir among the Oregon growing regions. In McMinnville, as in the most elite villages of Burgundy, those terroir-driven differences may occur within a few yards. Soil differences are visible in the vineyard and the result is an exciting tasting experience.

McMinnville is home to the International Pinot Noir Celebration. This spectacular three-day event draws producers and lovers of Pinot Noir from all over the world.

This town takes her wine seriously. The fine folks of McMinnville, however, treat their tasting room guests as old friends. Family livelihoods are made in these hills, and many owners live on their vineyard property.

“Once you’ve seen the view, you will not want to leave,” claims Bailey. At Youngberg Hill, covered decks surround the tasting room offering a panoramic view of the western portion of the Willamette Valley from Mount Hood to the Coastal Range. Vineyard blocks are named for Bailey’s daughters. The Jordan Block Pinot Noir, from a higher elevation and cooler site, is characterized by dark fruits, earthy flavors, and higher acids and tannins. The Natasha

Intricate stone-work greets visitors to Maysara Winery (above).

Vineyard views abound in McMinnvile.

Learn about the diverse terroir at Wrigley Vineyards from owner, vineyard manager and winemaker John Wrigley.

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mcminnville Block Pinot Noir is grown in a marine sedimentary soil that holds more moisture. Vines develop a larger canopy which results in white and black pepper notes in the wine.

Scott Neal, of Coeur de Terre Vineyards, points out that most McMinnville wineries highlight their estate grown fruit. Scott and Lisa Neal, along with their two children share their home with the vines.

Caring for this land is important to them and they use organic practices to create wines that represent a time and place. Renelle’s Block Pinot Noir, named for Scott’s mother, is their only wine that consistently expresses blue fruit. Lisa attributes this to the clay soils. Abby’s Block and Tallulah’s Run, named for their daughters, further express the differences in their terroir. Abby’s Block has flavors of dark fruit, earth and spice. Tallulah’s Run leans more to pretty red and black fruits with a silky texture. Visitors may be surprised to find estate grown Syrah, red and rosé, at Coeur de Terre.

Yamhill Valley Vineyards may be filled with guests from nearby Portland, from the east coast, or day trippers enroute to the Oregon coast. Tasting Room Manager, Linda Arnold, welcomes all as she visits around the room and gives everyone special attention. Knowledgable and fun, Arnold makes the wine tasting experience feel like a party. The tasting room is furnished with antiques and fantastic pieces made from wine barrels. In addition to vineyard views, exterior features include a back deck filled with the sound of songbirds and a fish pond in front. This is the oldest vineyard in the AVA; the first vintage was 1983.

Yamhill Valley Vineyards offers a wide range of price points and varieties; from a $15 Pinot Gris to their $60 Tall Poppy. Tall Poppy is a special Pinot Noir produced only in exceptional years. Celebrating their 31st anniversary, Yamhill Valley Vineyards has only made Tall Poppy eight times. Luckily 2012 produced a Tall Poppy which will be released soon.

Maysara Winery’s tasting room, barrel room, and winery are beautifully housed in a building constructed from stone and timber from the property.

The interior walls are covered with reclaimed wine barrel staves. One area, excellent for a reception, has a unique parquet floor of barrel ends cut into octagons. Tasting room walls are stone and stepping into the space feels like entering a European cellar carved from a cave. Everything owners Moe and Flora Momtazi built makes for a beautiful experience.

Some of the most interesting wines of the McMinnville AVA are not found on retail shelves.

Visiting the tasting rooms allows guests to get a better understanding of the style of each winery. Wine club members often get first dibs on small productions, plus other perks and entertainment. A trip to WINEPRESSN W .C O M

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Winemaker Wayne Bailey of Youngberg Hill Vineyards and Inn greets visitors (above).

The deck at Coeur de Terre Vineyard allows visitors to relax and enjoy the vineyard view.

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FEATURE

mcminnville

Yamhill Valley Vineyards is home to McMinnville’s oldest winery (above).

Marysara Winery’s tasting room offers an old-world atmosphere.

McMinnville can help decide if any of the wine clubs are a good fit.

With only nine winery-operated tasting rooms, the determined taster could experience the entire AVA in two to three days - depending on personal stamina and spit to swallow ratios.

Afraid three days of Pinot Noir is too much of a good thing? McMinnville also offers Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Chardonnay, Syrah, and a variety of rosé.

Even the most seasoned palate can use a break. The scenery between vineyards is stunning. For a real detour from tasting, visit the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum.

Shops and galleries featuring local artisans dot Third Street in downtown McMinnville.

An eclectic array of restaurants is available or pack a picnic at Harvest Fresh Grocery and Deli. Rooftop dining at the historic McMenamins Hotel Oregon offers views of the town which is especially nice at sunset. Visitors can lodge here in the heart of downtown or choose lodging in the vineyard.

Overnight guests of the inn at Youngberg Hill Vineyards wake up to vineyard views and gourmet breakfasts.

McMinnville, Oregon is an easy 40 miles from Portland and less than an hour from the coast. Whether a destination or a stop along the way, plan to visit again and again.

How else can one experience the yet to be released 2012 Reserve Pinot Noir from Yamhill Valley Vineyards, the newly planted Grüner Veltliner from Coeur de Terre, or the everchanging taste of the vintage?

JADE HELM is the primary author of Tasting Pour, a wine

blog. Based in Oregon she is a Diplomate of the Wine and Spirits Education Trust of London and a Certified Specialist of Wine, Society of Wine Educators. Visit tastingpour.com

Upcoming Events: Art and Wine Walk, Third Saturdays, 4-8:00 p.m. Downtown McMinnville. For more information go to www. downtownmcminnvile.com.

28th Annual International Pinot Noir Celebration, July 25-27, Linfield College. For more information go to www.ipnc.org

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wine country: LAKE CHELAN & LEAVENWORTH

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MATCH MAKERS

Wild Ginger stays true to its roots

Yoders, chef celebrate 5 years at The Bravern in Bellevue Story by Eric Degerman // Photos by Charity Burggraaf

B

ELLEVUE, Wash. — Rick and Ann Yoder created the benchmark for Pan-Asian cuisine with Pacific Northwest wines in 1989 when they launched Wild Ginger in downtown Seattle.

That recipe for success continues to fit deliciously for their fans on “The Eastside” who need only drive to The Bravern in Bellevue, where Wild Ginger’s luxury brand neighbors at the tony two-tower highrise includes stores for Jimmy Choo, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Neiman Marcus.

Many Bravern residents also appreciate cooking at home, with Seattle’s iconic kitchen store Sur La Table just an elevator ride away.

Therein lines some irony. The Yoders launched Wild Ginger 25 years ago near Sur La Table’s flagship store at the Pike Place Market. Yet the origins for their dishes require extensive, hands-on research, and the Yoders’ annual travel partner is executive chef Jacky Lo, who collaborates with culinary director Nathan Uy to bring these ideas to reality in both restaurants.

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“They constantly are looking for new flavors or ways to integrate those authentic Asian flavors — from Malaysia, from Cambodia, from Thailand — into the cuisine here,” said wine director Cortney Lease. “Both are very traditional in the Asian culinary aspect. It’s where they learned to cook, and it gives them a very strong connection to the food they are producing.

And they’re always looking to bring in new dishes.”

This summer marks the 25th anniversary of the restaurant company founded by the Yoders, who met as students in the University of Washington fisheries department.

Their inspiration stemmed from frustration, a struggle to find dishes in Seattle similar to those they enjoyed while traveling in southeast Asia. Rick put himself through college while working at renowned McCormick & Schmick’s

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Fish House and Bar, so they dreamed of a concept focusing on authentic cuisine from Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar and Vietnam with Western-style service, style and wine. The list is heavy on Riesling, regional labels and bottles from around the world.

The depth to which the Yoders continue to develop their culinary program is apparent at each of their three restaurants, which includes the Triple Door adjacent to Wild Ginger in Seattle. Their longtime staff is led by Uy, who escaped from Cambodia in 1975, and Lo, a native of Hong Kong.

“In the past two years, I’ve been to Vietnam and Singapore,” Lo said. “We’re trying to find authentic recipes and see what’s going on in the other parts of the world. We bought quite a bit of fun stuff in Malaysia. A majority is being shipped to Bellevue. There are some interesting clay pots and a giant cast-iron pan that weighs 180 pounds. Once we get those in, we’ll try some new recipes.”

Each year, Lo also travels to California and Vancouver, British Columbia, and returns home to Hong Kong nearly every year for research. He will then collaborate with Uy. “Nathan, he’s the guy behind a lot of these foods,” Lo said. “We’ll look at the recipes, see what makes sense and what kinds of execution we can do when we are doing dinners for 400-500 people a night.”

Lo then takes the recipe, loads it into the computer with photographs to serve as models for presentation, and trains the staff. There’s little turnover in the kitchen, Lo said, in large part because of the Yoders.

“I’ve only been here five years, but it’s been so comfortable, it seems like I’ve been here 20 years,” Lo said with a chuckle. “Everyone is like family, and Rick and Ann treat everyone in the company like family. I have about 100 people between the three kitchens, and they love the owners so much.

When we close our restaurant to clean it three times a year, Rick is there every single time. He’s cleaning. He’s scrubbing. That type of support is why our longevity in our kitchen is so great. People that have been working here just five years, we call them, ‘new people.’ People just love to work here.”

Lease is another example. She first worked for the Yoders en route to her chemistry degree at the University of Washington. She graduated in 2005, then learned more about the wine trade while in Cambridge, England. When she returned home in 2007, and the Yoders gave Lease the cellarmaster position, and when they opened Wild Ginger at The Bravern, she was promoted to company cellarmaster. In 2010, she became wine director for the Seattle restaurants. A year later, she took over the entire portfolio.

She’s also rapidly become one of the Pacific Northwest’s most acclaimed sommeliers, and her array of offerings — including perhaps the world’s largest for Riesling — delivered the restaurant its fifth Grand Award from Wine Spectator last year. The famed Canlis is the only other restaurant in the state to receive the publication’s top honor.

“I do wax on about Riesling and can get taken away with it,” she said. “Sometimes I tell myself I just need to calm down and step back. It’s amazing to see the versatility of Riesling in Washington state. We run the gamut of styles here, and you see that all over the world, too.”

For the Match Maker assignment, Lease and Lo paired the EFESTÉ 2011 Riesling with the Siam Lettuce Cup. The protein is focused on sea bass, and Lo said he makes sure the 26,000 pounds he orders each year are sustainably harvested.

“We have a lot of people come in and ask, so we started putting pressure back on the vendor,” Lo said. “I tell them, ‘If you want to sell to us, give us all the proof — where they 56

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Gilbert Cellars $22 2011 Allobroges, Wahluke Slope

— 998 cases, 14.2% alcohol Pacific Northwest winemakers, consumers and restaurants continue to embrace blends of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, and the Spring 2014 issue of Wine Press Northwest reflected that as more than 60 GSMs were entered in our Red Rhône judging.

When it comes to identifying trends, few wineries in the region are as in tune as the vibrant young team at Gilbert Cellars in Yakima.

“I’m the oldest one, and I’m 34,” said winemaker Justin Neufeld, a minority partner in the business that’s largely family owned.

Gilbert Cellars launched its GSM program with the 2006 vintage, and Neufeld has been in charge of the blending since arriving seven years ago from Silver Lake Winery.

“There were maybe a handful of wineries in the Northwest doing Rhône blends back then, but the family had Grenache and Mourvèdre coming into production, and Sean had made several trips to France,” Neufeld said. “It’s really gotten a following, and the price point is really good, making it a glass pour at a lot of restaurants.”

The 2011 vintage finished at Syrah (47%), Grenache (35%) and Mourvèdre (18%), with the Syrah coming off the Gilbert family’s Doc Stewart Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope, while the other varieties from the estate 24 K Vineyard. The barrel program featured 75% neutral oak allows for the light- to medium-bodied structure with notes of plum, boysenberry and baking spices.

“It’s not a big wine, so it’s really approachable, and it’s very aromatic from the Grenache,” said Neufeld, who enjoys his GSM with flank steak.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Gilbert Cellars, and the five-generation farming family is celebrating with a label redesign featuring Gilbert Peak.

The highest point in the Goat Rocks Wilderness was named by William O. Douglas, famed U.S. Supreme Court Justice, as a tribute to his longtime hiking partner — Curtiss Gilbert.

The winery also plans to change the name of its GSM, starting with the 2013 vintage, Neufeld said, after historical inaccuracies were discovered regarding the presence of the Allobroges, an ancient Celtic tribe, in southern Rhône.

“It was a tough one to pronounce, too,” he said with a chuckle.

Gilbert Cellars, 5 N. Front St., Yakima, WA, 98901, 509-249-9049, gilbertcellars.com.

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Grilled American Kobe Steak Serves 4

4 cuts Kobe steak (8-10 ounces each)

1. Combine the marinade ingredients and mix well.

Marinade (Yield is 1 cup) ½ tablespoon black pepper 3 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons soy sauce ½ cup oyster sauce 1 tablespoon sesame oil 2 tablespoons rice wine

2. Mix marinade with the steaks and let sit for 3-4 hours.

3. Grill steak to desired doneness.

4. Let steaks rest for 5 minutes before slicing in a bias angle and serving.

Note: The marinade can sit in fridge for up to one week.

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Siam Lettuce Cup 3 ounces sea bass (or halibut) 1 ounce vegetable oil 4 ounces jicama, julienned small pinch Thai basil, chopped small pinch cilantro, chopped small pinch Thai chili, minced 1 tablespoon peanut, chopped 2 ounces, Siam dressing 6 leaves, butter lettuce cup 1 cucumber, sliced as garnish 1 lemon wedge 1 sprig, fresh dill 1. Pan-fry the sea bass (or halibut) until just done, then drain. Do not overcook the fish.

2. Toss fish, jicama, herbs, chili, peanuts and dressing in bowl, then mount the mixture in a cup.

Siam dressing A components 4 tablespoons vegetable oil 6 ounces shallot, sliced ½ ounce, garlic, chopped 1 chili, whole, chopped B components 4 ounces palm sugar 2 teaspoons tamarind water 3 ounces lime juice 1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce 1. Saute “A” components in wok until vegetables are soft.

2. Remove “A” ingredients from heat, then add “B” ingredients.

3. Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

4. Taste, label and refrigerate.

3. Turn the cup upside down on the plate.

4. Place lettuce cup, cucumber, lemon and dill as pictured.

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caught it, what day and how they transported it.’ We gather this, and we give it all to guests when they ask. It’s the same with salmon. We’ll have people who say, ‘I don’t think it’s a wild fish, I think it’s a farmed fish.’ Now we can prove it to you. And we do — I’ll put the invoice right in front of them.”

One of Lease’s favorite producers of Riesling is EFESTÉ, which sources from Evergreen Vineyard in the Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley near the town of Quincy.

“Evergreen is a fantastic site for Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc, and EFESTÉ pulls both from there,” she said. “I love the steely minerality in the wine. I love the fact that it has the aspects that you think it’s going to be dry — and it’s drier than the average Riesling — but it does still have just that touch of residual sugar to give it nice body and weight. I wouldn’t consider it an off-dry wine, which is why we didn’t go with a spicy dish. We wanted something that had a lot of savory and herbaceousness to bring out the savory qualities of the Riesling, which can have so much fruit, but also has so many other aspects to it.”

Red blends made from Rhône varieties have been on the rise, and the Gilbert Cellars 2011 Allobroges, made with Syrah, Mourvèdre and Grenache, made for a seamless pairing with Lo’s Grilled American Kobe Steak.

The beef comes from Snake River Farms, which began its Wagyu cattle program in 1998. The Idaho-based company, with operations in Washington, also raises Berkshire hogs for the Kurobuta pork that Wild Ginger has used for a decade, Lo said “You’ve got this pepper and this meatiness character and this inherent richness in the wine, and also texture is very important,” Lease said.

“It’s quite simple, and it works with the grilled, charred aspect and the meatiness of the Syrah and the pepper of the Mourvèdre. I thought it would be a match in heaven, and it’s something that anybody could do in their backyard.”

Wild Ginger regulars are encouraged to call in and order the Grilled American Kobe Steak a day in advance — whether it be as takeout or dine-in — because of the marinade involved, yet Lo offered up these Match Maker recipes with the idea that both could be replicated at home.

“When the press writes about us, we try to find something that’s simple with ingredients that you can get,” Lo said. “I can go with a recipe that has 46 ingredients, but no one is going to read that or make it, they’ll just come in and eat it. But for this purpose, you make this marinade, then you can keep it in the fridge, marinate steak and marinate mushrooms for the summer barbecue. It works out great.” e

••• Wild Ginger at The Bravern

wildginger.net 11020 NE 6th St., Suite 90, Bellevue, WA 98004 425-495-8889

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EFESTÉĒ $18 2011 Evergreen, Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley

— 1,059 cases, 12.1% alcohol Several wineries and growers have played significant roles in the renaissance of Riesling in the New World, and EFESTÉ’s collaboration with Evergreen Vineyard quickly became one of the leaders in Washington state.

This Woodinville winery continues to work with Block 9 within the Milbrandt brothers fascinating site near the Gorge at George Amphitheater. The hard-pan caliche soils over basalt make this vineyard farmed by Ryan Flanagan perhaps the one most coveted by Washington producers of acid-driven white wines.

Winery owners Daniel and Helen Ferrelli, Patrick Smith, and Kevin and Angela Taylor — the first letters of their last names form F-S-T — sought to source their Riesling from Evergreen starting in 2007.

EFESTÉ quickly emerged as one of the state’s cult wineries. It first worked with DeLille Cellars winemaker Chris Upchurch, who introduced them to Brennon Leighton, whose career path at Chateau Ste. Michelle included assisting Ernst Loosen with the Eroica Riesling project.

Evergreen historically has been a significant component in the awardwinning Eroica.

The 2011 vintage marked the final harvest at EFESTÉ for Leighton. He left for Charles Smith’s Chardonnay program the summer of 2012, and Peter Devison was hired from Precept Wine in time for the 2012 harvest.

Leighton took the 2011 Evergreen on Nov. 2, 10 days later than EFESTÉ’s harvest for its 2012 Riesling. The completely stainless-steel production finished at 1.15% residual sugar with florals akin to a Wenatchee Valley orchard with Granny Smith apple, pear and white peach. Flavors include tangerine, and the linear attack of the acidity — 3.08 pH and total acidity of 9.9 grams per liter — with Evergreen’s inherent dusty minerality gives the wine remarkable balance with crisp and fresh Asian cuisine.

It’s worth noting EFESTÉ also focuses on Evergreen for its popular Lola Chardonnay and its Feral Sauvignon Blanc.

EFESTÉ, 19730 144th Ave. NE, Woodinville, WA, 98072, 425398-7200, efeste.com.

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WINE COUNTRY: WILLAMETTE VALLEY, YAMHILL COUNTY & SOUTHERN OREGON

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wine country: shops & directory

Washington Olympic, Kitsap Peninsula, San Juans 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

Oregon Greater Portland Area BRENTWOOD WINE COMPANY — Internet fine wine weekly auctions. The Northwest’s largest buyer of fine wine.

Outright purchase or Consignment option where you set the price. For free appraisal, email wine list: appraisals@brentwoodwine.com (503) 638-9463 (WINE) www.brentwoodwine.com

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: mike@thecellaron10th.com

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COLUMN

grapes of roth

BY COKE ROTH

Size Matters…

T

he ubiquitous term “size matters” presents itself to us in areas where it doesn’t matter, and some where it does. You are mistaken if you think I’m going to explore the urban legend of the origin of that phrase, as tempting as that is. This is a family show…kinda. You assumed correctly, however, if you thought this column was out to promote the enjoyment of hedonic Bigass wines.

But, my wine enjoyment history reveals very consistent, documented schizophrenia; being a fan of all makes and models of wine.

So, I am again stuck admitting that I just as much fondly embrace wimpy wines. The reasons for my no-cut treatment of wine styles and flavors are as subjective as it gets, reduced to the one excuse your parents would never let you use: “because.” Please let me justify my wishy-washy opinion.

I just love drinking the bejesus outta Bigass wines, because I use them as a beverage and not necessarily with food. “Waiter, please pour me a Bigass, powerful, buttery, extracted, toasty, alcoholic Chardonnay.”

There’s nothing like those huge apple-pie, lemon custard, pineapple upside down cake mindblowers to drink. “And nothing to eat, Waiter, because I’m not buying your suggestion that a golden-giant Chardonnay would pair with halibut”... sorry. One or the other, but not together for this dude.

Let’s talk Bigass red…a wine you need to lift with your knees and not your back. You know, the fruit is so bold, it smacks thoughts of the offspring of an overripe Bing cherry mating with Godzilla. Alcohol, wood, spice, cassis, viscosity, chutzpah... almost need to hit it like a catsup bottle to get it out... I love the muscularity, chocolate, cinnamon, allspice, clove, blackberry and currant jam along with more than hints of tobacco, olive and licorice. Wines to knock back where the thing to pair with the wine is the next glass of the same. The only thing I want to chew on when I have a glass of Bigass red wine is a cigar.

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And let’s not forget our third NFL lineman in terms of overwhelming weight and flavor: sweet wines. The much maligned sticky wine is not enjoyed by enough of us under 80 years old, in my view. They are liquid dessert, therefore, the handle. The concentration of fruit, acid and sugar in the dessert whites and the chunk-o-holic chocolate density of reds are explosive components. Of course, they (whoever “they” are) say dessert wines pair with this or that. No they don’t... they go in my mouth, alone, to chew on for a while.

Limited visitors allowed.

At a party where a feeding frenzy is fullon at the wine table, label subjectivity will drain the most expensive bottle first, and the wimpy wine loses to the Bigass wine every time. But, pass the same wine around my dinner table, and I will drain the wimpy one first most every time, after I get my rightful share of the most expensive one, of course.

I’m no fool.

International travel and judging national competitions with international entries allows me to review every kind of wine on the planet where my preferred consumption protocol is ratified. Recent restauranting in Portugal and Spain has punctuated by my desire to keep wines in their place; Bigass wines to drink, wimpy wines with food.

Some of the more modestly intense wines, like sparkling wine, dry Riesling, some rosés and a few others from time to time, bridge my gap for broad food pairing better than Bigass wines, even if it is a brut rosé and a steak. For me, it is better to have the wine be the follower, rather than the leader, and playing second fiddle in my mouth beats the alternative of getting food beaten to a pulp by a thug wine. Maybe it’s my perception that a lot of the Bigass wines are a little sweet, and my brain sets dryness as a condition precedent to clicking the “really like with food” button. It isn’t like I feel sorry for the less muscular wines; they just don’t manhandle the food.

I have tried, ladies and gentlemen, to change my mind. I have listened to pontification on the subject of wine pairing for over four decades and I admit to spreading this bunk that you can find a food to go with any wine. I admit the errors of my ways and I am going wimpy on you. I am not consuming any less Bigass wines, no ma’am, I am just using them as a liquid appetizer to set the stage for some food and a counterpart wine that play nicely in the old pie hole.

And, while it can be argued that there are the times when the food calls for a sturdy wine counterpart, I suggest to you that the goal is to complement, not arrange for a Sumo wrestling match in your mouth. For me, to cast the wine in a subordinate role to food is the desired positioning and choreography.

So, this concludes another column from an old guy telling you he will drink anything…

I have a reputation to uphold, you know.

And I hope you will ride with me on my soap box by enjoying Bigass and wimpy wines in their respective places; always in moderation; frequently.

COKE ROTH is an attorney who lives in Richland, Wash. He

is an original member of Wine Press Northwest’s tasting panel. Learn more about him at cokerothlaw.com

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