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Wine Tasting Dinner: Sauvignon Blanc from Around the World

Kori — Wed, 01 Oct 2014 14:00:08 +0000

Sauvignon Blanc has been one of our favorite white varieties for years. We have a soft spot for Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region of New Zealand, which was solidified on our trip to the region in 2005. Ever since, we have made it a point to try Sauvignon Blanc from other countries/regions when we have the chance. We decided to put two of our New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc favorites up against four others, two from Washington State and two from France, in one of our wine tasting dinners. Last Friday was a beautiful late September day here in Seattle, perfect to enjoy crisp, refreshing white wines before our cooler fall weather arrives.

All of the wines paired well with Mom’s (LaGayle) dinner of tomato basil soup, ensalada mixta, chicken tapenade, grilled garlic basil polenta cakes, roasted asparagus with balsamic browned butter, and topped off by orange sherbet with strawberries drizzled with simple syrup and ground black pepper for dessert.

The consensus favorite of the evening was the 2013 Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. In the 1940’s, Nikola Nobilo emigrated from Croatia and planted some of the first commercial grapevines in New Zealand. He was one of the pioneers responsible for the worldwide popularity of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

The other two wines in this tasting that deserve extra attention because of their high quality and excellent value are the 2013 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand and the 2012 Efeste Feral Sauvignon Blanc from Washington State. These top three wines are outstanding and are great choices to enjoy on your deck on a warm evening or to complement lighter fare such as chicken or fish any time of the year.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2013 Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand): Pale, straw yellow. Beautiful nose with grapefruit and lime aromas. More grapefruit and lime as well as vegetal notes come through on the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with a very long, refreshing finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Total Wine & More (Seattle, Washington), $8; Available elsewhere, $8 to $13

2013 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand): Pale, greenish straw yellow. Very aromatic with grapefruit, lime, and fresh cut grass on the nose. More grapefruit, lime, and a touch of pineapple come through on the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with racy acidity. Well-balanced and refreshing with an extremely long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Total Wine & More (Seattle, Washington), $12; Available elsewhere, $10 to $14

2012 Efeste Feral Sauvignon Blanc (Evergreen Vineyard, Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale, greenish straw yellow. Gorgeous nose with lime, grapefruit, pear, and a touch of minerality. More citrus notes come through on the palate. Dry and light to medium-bodied with tart acidity. Well-balanced with a very long, lingering finish. Very crisp and refreshing.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Total Wine & More (Seattle, Washington), $20; Available elsewhere, $19 to $21

2013 Chateau Montet Bordeaux Blanc (Bordeaux, France): Pale, straw yellow. Nose is a bit tight at first, then pear and apple aromas come through. More pear, apple, and a touch of citrus come through on the palate. Dry and light-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Total Wine & More (Seattle, Washington), $10

2012 Woodinville Wine Cellars Sauvignon Blanc (Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale, straw yellow. Aromatic with apple, pear, lime, and a touch of minerality on both the nose and palate. Dry and medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Total Wine & More (Seattle, Washington), $15; Available elsewhere, $15 to $17

2012 Gilles Blanchet Pouilly Fume (Loire, France): Pale, straw yellow. Moderately aromatic with apple notes on the nose. More apple as well as pear and a touch of flint comes through on the palate. Dry and light-bodied with lively acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Total Wine & More (Seattle, Washington), $18

Wine Tasting Dinner: Sauvignon Blanc from Around the World was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Wine Tasting Dinner: 2007 Washington Syrah Revisited

Kori — Wed, 21 May 2014 14:00:00 +0000

Washington Syrah compares favorably with the best in the world. Washington Syrah generally falls somewhere in between the jammy Shiraz of Australia and the more austere Syrah of the northern Rhone. It generally has good acidity and tannins. The common denominators of our favorite Syrahs from Washington have been deep, dark purple color and luscious black fruits, with hints of green bell peppers, black pepper, and spice.

The 2007 vintage was one of the best vintages in the history of Washington State. We featured 2007 Washington Syrah in a couple of our wine tasting dinners several years ago when those wines were recently released. Now that wines from the 2007 vintage have some bottle age on them, we decided to revisit some of those Washington Syrahs in our wine tasting dinner last Friday. It was another fabulous evening of great wines, the company of wonderful friends, and LaGayle’s (Mom’s) excellent food. All six wines paired extremely well with our dinner of tomato basil soup, ensalada mixta salad, grilled beef tenderloin steak, Swiss chard with caramelized onions, roasted rosemary tri-colored potatoes, and topped off with eclair cake garnished with whipped topping and raspberries for dessert.

Wines from Grand Rêve Vintners (now known as Force Majeure Vineyards), Rasa Vineyards, and Kerloo Cellars came out on top in this stellar lineup. Really, you can’t go wrong with any of these wines. Washington State produces fabulous Syrah, and the winemakers who made these six wines are among the state’s best. At seven years old, these wines are all drinking beautifully and should have a number of good years left.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2007 Grand Rêve Collaboration Series III (Ciel du Cheval Vineyard, Red Mountain, Washington): 100% Syrah. Winemaker Mark McNeilly of Mark Ryan Winery. Dark, dense red. Very aromatic with earth, herbs, blackberry, and licorice on the nose. Red and black fruit, licorice, and earth come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a very long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $45; Available elsewhere, $60 to $95

2007 Rasa Vineyards Principia Reserve Syrah (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 100% Syrah. Dark, dense red. Gorgeous nose with a lot going on aromatically. Blackberry, black plum, clove, pepper, smoked meat, and pencil lead fill both the nose and palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and high yet silky tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $85

2007 Kerloo Cellars Les Collines Syrah (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): Deep, dark red. Beautiful nose with aromas of blackberry, black cherry, and spice. More blackberry and black cherry as well as leather and smoked meat come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a very long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Winery, $29

2007 Fielding Hills Syrah (Riverbend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): Dark, dense purple. Very aromatic with blackberry, black cherry, mocha, and floral notes on both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a very long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $40; Available elsewhere, $38 to $42

2007 Corliss Estates Syrah (Columbia Valley, Washington): Dark, dense purple. Nice nose with earth and black fruit aromas. More earth and black fruit as well as smoked meat come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity and high tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $55; Available elsewhere, $60

2007 Sequel Syrah [Long Shadows] (Columbia Valley, Washington): Dark, dense purple. Nose is a bit tight at first, then black fruit and smoky aromas come through. Black fruit, black pepper, and spice dominate the palate. Medium to full-bodied and crisp with medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $45; Available elsewhere, $44

Wine Tasting Dinner: 2007 Washington Syrah Revisited was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Wine Tasting Dinner: 2007 Washington Cabernet Sauvignon Revisited

Kori — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 14:00:58 +0000

Washington State Cabernet Sauvignons are among the best in the world, and they are much better values (higher QPR) than most Cabs in other wine regions of the world. And, the 2007 vintage was one of the best vintages in the history of Washington State. We featured 2007 Washington Cabernet Sauvignon in one of our wine tasting dinners several years ago when those wines were recently released. Now that wines from the 2007 vintage have some bottle age on them, we decided to revisit some of those Washington Cabs in our wine tasting dinner last Friday. It was another fabulous evening of great wines, the company of wonderful friends, and LaGayle’s (Mom’s) excellent food. All six wines paired extremely well with our dinner of tomato basil soup, mixed green salad, prime rib with beef glacé, braised kale, rosemary roasted red potatoes, and German chocolate dessert with whipped topping garnished with dark chocolate.

The consensus favorite was the 2007 Corliss Estates Cabernet Sauvignon. Michael and Lauri Corliss bought the building in downtown Walla Walla in 1999 that is now home to Corliss Estates and started the winery in 2000. Their first wines were released in 2008 from the 2003 vintage. Great attention to detail goes into the production of their wines. Corliss believes in extended barrel and bottle aging.

Even though Corliss finished in the top spot, Quilceda Creek, Leonetti, and Fielding Hills were hot on its heels. All four of those wines were outstanding. In fact, my personal favorites were Quilceda Creek and Fielding Hills. And, five out of the six wines in the tasting received a QPR rating of 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5). Even though these wines are not inexpensive, they are well worth the money. I would encourage you to try any of these wines, especially with a meal, to decide for yourself how Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon compares to other world-renowned Cabs.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2007 Corliss Estates Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot. Deep, dark garnet red in color. Nice nose with leather and black fruit aromas. Gorgeous blackberry, black cherry, leather, and spice come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and medium to high, smooth tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $75; Available elsewhere, $55 to $75

2007 Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Merlot. Deep, dark red. Very aromatic with black cherry, leather, and floral notes on the nose. Black cherry, blackberry, leather, spice, game, and a hint of earth come through on the palate. Full-bodied and lively with high, dry tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a very long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $125; Available elsewhere, $190 to $400

2007 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 4% Carmenere, and 3%Malbec. Deep, dark red in color. Aromatic with red and black fruit, spice, and a touch of earth on both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, and smooth tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $90; Available elsewhere, $85 to $110

2007 Fielding Hills Cabernet Sauvignon (Riverbend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Syrah, 3% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc. Deep, dark purplish red. Gorgeous nose with black fruit, licorice, and spice rack aromas. Blackcurrant, black cherry, licorice, smoked meat and a hint of tobacco come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $38

2007 Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3.8% Merlot, and 0.2% Cabernet Franc. Deep, dark red. Aromatic with herbs, spice, and black fruit aromas. Fruit-forward with black plum, blackberry, and herbs on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $40; Available elsewhere, $36 to $55

2007 Woodward Canyon Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington State): 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, dark garnet red. Nose is a bit tight at first and then earth, black fruit, and grape Jolly Rancher come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, and medium tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $70; Available elsewhere, $70 to $85

Wine Tasting Dinner: 2007 Washington Cabernet Sauvignon Revisited was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Digging into the Cellar for an Amazing Wine Pairing Dinner

Kori — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 15:00:43 +0000

There are as many different types of wine parties as there are wines. Through the years, we have hosted numerous wine parties. Regular readers are familiar with our regular Wine Tasting Dinners and have probably read about our Digging into the Cellar Parties, Tasting Groups, and Open That Bottle Nights. Recently, we had the opportunity […]

Digging into the Cellar for an Amazing Wine Pairing Dinner was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Wine Tasting Dinner: 2012 Rosé from Around the World

Kori — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 14:00:25 +0000

Summer is the time of year when we turn our attention to rosé wines. In fact, many wineries only make small quantities of rosé wines to be released during the summer months. Rosé is French for “pink” and is used to describe wines of that color. Rosés are generally made from red grapes; however, unlike typical red wine production, the skins are removed from the juice after only a couple of days. This limited skin contact gives rosé its light pink color and is the reason that rosés are lighter-bodied than most red wines. Rosés can run the gamut from dry to sweet. Too many people think pink wines are all sweet. Not so. For me, the dry rosés are more serious and interesting.

Trying to hold on to the last bit of summer here in Seattle, we featured six rosé wines from around the world at our wine tasting dinner last Friday. It was another fabulous evening of good wine, the company of wonderful friends, and excellent food. Our good friend and next-door neighbor, Eric, served as the guest chef for the evening and made his wonderful paella. The wines paired extremely well with our entire meal which included bacon wrapped dates stuffed with Serrano pepper and cream cheese spread with pepper jelly on crackers for appetizers, ensalada mixta and the paella for the main dish, and fresh strawberries garnished with simple syrup and black pepper served with a scoop of orange sherbet for dessert.

The consensus favorite was the 2012 Domaine Saint Aix Rosé. This wine is produced in the Provence region of France but is easy to find across the United States, especially this time of year. It is great as a sipper and gets even better with food.

When the sun is shining and you’re looking for a refreshing beverage to enjoy on the deck or in the backyard, don’t forget to give rosé wine a shot. In addition to the paella we had at this dinner, two other foods that pair very well with rosé are grilled salmon and hot dogs.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2012 Domaine Saint Aix Rosé (Provence, France): Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah. Very pale salmon color. Beautiful nose with floral and citrus aromas. Citrus fruit, watermelon, and a touch of spice come through on the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with a very long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $15; Available elsewhere, $15 to $17

2012 Viu Manent Estate Collection Reserva Malbec Rosé (Colchagua Valley, Chile): 94% Malbec and 6% Syrah. Pale to medium pink. Aromatic with strawberry, watermelon, and citrus peel on the nose. More strawberry, cherry, and floral notes come through on the palate. Dry and light to medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $7; Available elsewhere, $7 to $11

2012 Boekenhoutskloof The Wolftrap Rosé (Western Cape, South Africa): 51% Syrah, 28% Cinsault, and 21% Grenache. Medium pink. Aromatic with strawberry, cherry, and spice on both the nose and palate. Off-dry and medium-bodied with lively acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $10; Available elsewhere, $9 to $12

2012 La Vieille Ferme Ventoux Rosé (Rhone Valley, France): Cinsault, Grenache, and Syrah. Medium pink. Nice nose with strawberry and floral aromas. Cherry and strawberry come through on the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long, refreshing finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $9; Available elsewhere, $6 to $10

2012 Chateau La Mascaronne Quat’saisons Rosé (Provence, France): Grenache, Cinsault, and Mourvedre. Very pale salmon color. Aromatic with citrus and floral aromas. Meyer lemon, watermelon, and pink grapefruit come through on the palate. Dry and light to medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $15; Available elsewhere, $13 to $21

2012 Robert Ramsay Rosé (Columbia Valley, Washington): 45% Grenache, 45% Cinsault, and 10% Viognier. Pale to medium salmon color. Nice nose with orange peel and strawberry aromas. Strawberry and citrus fruit comes through on the palate. Dry and light to medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $18

Wine Tasting Dinner: 2012 Rosé from Around the World was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Wine Tasting Dinner: 2009 Washington Syrah

Kori — Wed, 22 May 2013 14:00:21 +0000

Washington Syrah compares favorably with the best in the world. Washington Syrah generally falls somewhere in between the jammy Shiraz of Australia and the more austere Syrah of the northern Rhone. It generally has good acidity and tannins. Last Friday, we featured Washington Syrah from the 2009 vintage in our wine tasting dinner. All six wines paired perfectly with Mom’s dinner of tomato basil soup, mixed green salad with blue cheese, pecans, toasted walnuts, and dried cranberries tossed with a green onion, honey, Tabasco vinaigrette dressing, grilled beef tenderloin steaks, rosemary roasted sweet potatoes, asparagus with curry butter, and topped off with a German chocolate dessert topped with whipped cream and shaved chocolate. Four of the six wines received a Quality rating of 4 stars (out of 5).

The 2009 Long Shadows Sequel Syrah came out on top in this outstanding lineup. Founded by Washington wine pioneer Allen Shoup, Long Shadows Vintners is a collection of ultra-premium wineries comprised of internationally acclaimed winemakers from the major wine regions of the world. Each winemaker is a partner in a unique winery dedicated to producing a single Columbia Valley wine representing a “best of type” that reflects the winemaker’s signature style. Sequel is a Syrah made by John Duval, one of the most famous winemakers in Australia and around the world. He is best known for his work with Penfolds Grange, Australia’s most famous wine, and now owns his own John Duval Wines.

Really, you can’t go wrong with any of these wines. Washington State produces fabulous Syrah, and the winemakers who made these six wines are among the state’s best.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2009 Long Shadows Sequel Syrah (Columbia Valley, Washington): 99% Syrah and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark, dense purple. Gorgeous nose with spice, game, earth, and black fruit aromas. Blackberry, black pepper, game, herbs, and spice come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and high yet smooth tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a very long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Winery, $50; Available elsewhere, $42 to $55

2009 Force Majeure Collaboration Series III (Ciel du Cheval Vineyard, Red Mountain, Washington): 100% Syrah. Winemaker Mark McNeilly of Mark Ryan Winery. Deep, dark purple. Nice nose with black fruit and cinnamon aromas. Black fruit, black pepper, cinnamon, and a touch of earth come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and high tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a very long finish. Force Majeure winery was previously named Grand Rêve.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $55; Available elsewhere, $55 to $56

2009 Rasa Vineyards QED (Columbia Valley, Washington): 71% Syrah, 14% Grenache, 12% Mourvedre, and 3% Viognier. Deep, dark ruby red. Aromatic with black cherry, cinnamon, and a touch of smoke on the nose. Black cherry, spice, black pepper, and some oak come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, silky tannins. Well-balanced with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $50

2009 Betz Family Winery La Côte Patriarche Syrah (Red Willow Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): 100% Syrah. Deep, dark purplish red. Aromatic with black fruit and smoked meat on the nose. Black cherry, blackberry, game, and a hint of earth come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, smooth tannins. Well-balanced with a very long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $55

2009 Fielding Hills Syrah (RiverBend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): 94% Syrah, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Deep, dark purplish red. Nice nose with red and black fruit and vanilla aromas. Red and black fruit, vanilla, and cherry cola come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a very long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $38; Available elsewhere, $38 to $46

2009 Maison Bleue Liberté Syrah (Boushey Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): 100% Syrah. Deep ruby red. Aromatic with cherry, spice, and vanilla on the nose. Very jammy with Big Red soda, strawberry, and a touch of cedar on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $42; Available elsewhere, $40 to $44

Wine Tasting Dinner: 2009 Washington Syrah was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Wine Tasting Dinner: Red Willow Vineyard Red Wines

Kori — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:00:58 +0000

Red Willow Vineyard is one of the top vineyards in Washington State. Located in the northwest corner of the Yakima Valley near Wapato, Washington, Red Willow is a fourth-generation family farm, owned and operated by Mike Sauer and his family. Red Willow has one of the oldest Cabernet Sauvignon blocks in the state, planted in 1973, and the first Syrah block in the state, planted in 1986. The iconic Monsignor Chapel sits atop Red Willow and gives the vineyard a distinct identity.

Red Willow Vineyard has had a longstanding relationship with Columbia Winery, formerly known as Associated Vintners, which dates back to 1978. For almost 30 years, Columbia Winery sourced Red Willow fruit almost exclusively. However, in 2005, Columbia started giving up some of their blocks, which allowed other notable Washington producers the opportunity to source this prized fruit. While Columbia is still one of their largest customers, this diversification is allowing the true potential and value of the vineyard to be realized. In recent years, we have been closely watching the releases of Red Willow wines from some of our favorite wineries including Betz Family Winery, Owen Roe, Adams Bench, and Fall Line, as well as newer wineries like Avennia and Eight Bells. While Red Willow’s place in the history of the Washington wine industry is already well established, it is exciting to see the Red Willow name on more bottles through these new partnerships.

Last Friday evening, we featured red wines from Red Willow Vineyard in our wine tasting dinner. To experience the breadth of wines from this world-class vineyard, we tasted one red blend, two Cabernet Sauvignons, and three Syrahs. All six wines paired beautifully with our dinner of tomato basil soup, mixed green salad with candied walnuts, dried cranberries, and gorgonzola cheese tossed with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing, roasted beef tenderloin with a beef demi-glace, braised kale, pan roasted fingerling potatoes seasoned with herbs de Provence, and German chocolate dessert.

The consensus favorite of the evening was the 2009 Adams Bench Red Willow Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, followed closely by the 2010 Mark Ryan Lost Soul Syrah. For more information about Red Willow Vineyard, you might enjoy reading an article that I wrote for the Fall 2009 issue of Washington Tasting Room magazine.

Red Blend:

2009 Fall Line Winery Red Willow Vineyard Red Blend (Yakima Valley, Washington): 64% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 15% Cabernet Franc. Deep, dark red. Gorgeous nose with black plum, black cherry, licorice, smoke, and clove aromas. Red and black fruit, smoke, spice, and dark chocolate come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity and chewy tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $30; Available elsewhere, $30

Cabernet Sauvignon:

2009 Adams Bench Red Willow Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Red Willow Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark, dense purple. Gorgeous nose with blackcurrant, blackberry, leather, and molasses aromas. Blackberry jam, leather, and a touch of tobacco come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and high, dry tannins. Big and bold yet well-balanced and smooth with a luscious mouthfeel and a very long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $60

2009 Owen Roe 1973 Block Red Willow Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Red Willow Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): Dark purple in color. Red fruit and leather come through on both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $72; Available elsewhere, $60 to $75

Syrah:

2010 Mark Ryan Lost Soul Syrah (Red Willow Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): Dark purple. Beautiful nose with blackberry, black cherry, and smoked meat aromas. More smoked meat, bacon, black fruit, and warm spices come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity, and medium to high, dry tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a very long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle Washington), $45; Available elsewhere, $44

2010 Owen Roe Chapel Block Syrah (Red Willow Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): Deep, dark purplish red. Aromatic with red and black fruit and cinnamon on both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and sweet tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $55; Available elsewhere, $35 to $62

2010 Betz Family Winery La Côte Patriarche Syrah (Red Willow Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): Deep, dark purplish red. Distinct nose with earth, black fruit, and brine. Earth, black fruit, spice, and black pepper come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high, dry tannins, and a very long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $55

Wine Tasting Dinner: Red Willow Vineyard Red Wines was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc Vertical Tasting [Wow! Alert]

Kori — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 15:00:14 +0000

For those of you who are not familiar with a vertical tasting, it is a tasting in which you taste different vintages of the same wine from the same winery. We were first “wow”-ed by Fielding Hills in the summer of 2008. Since then, we have visited the winery, tasted all of their new releases, and even helped them with bottling. Previously, we have had the pleasure to enjoy vertical tastings of their Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot that have demonstrated the remarkable consistency that Fielding Hills has been able to produce since their very first vintage. We were thrilled when we were able to get our hands on all eight vintages of Cabernet Franc that they have produced, from the 2003 vintage to the current 2010 vintage, for another vertical tasting.

Fielding Hills Winery, a small, family-owned winery in Wenatchee, is one of the top wineries in Washington State. Owner/winemaker Mike Wade and his wife Karen are longtime apple and cherry growers who have turned a middle portion of their orchard near Mattawa into a vineyard. The grapes for all nine of these wines were sourced from the Wade’s Riverbend Vineyard, planted in 1998, in the Wahluke Slope AVA. However, the 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003 vintages are labeled as Columbia Valley because Wahluke Slope was not established as an official AVA until 2006. Strictly red wine producers, Fielding Hills’ current production is about 1400 cases.

Recently, the four Wine Peeps and our good friends, Mark and Jill and Doug and Amee, sat down to dinner to enjoy this vertical tasting. While most of our tastings are blind, we decided not to taste these blind. We simply wanted to enjoy the wines and taste them in a logical order. We started with the oldest and worked our way to the youngest before we ate any food to try to get a good baseline for evaluation. [Unfortunately, the bottle of the 2007 vintage that we had during the dinner was corked, and we did not have a second bottle on hand. A few days later, we were able to get our hands on another bottle, which, thankfully, was good. So my tasting notes below for the 2007 vintage are for that bottle and not the one we had during the dinner.]

This tasting was fabulous! Once again, we were amazed at the consistency of quality in these wines. They paired extremely well with Mom’s dinner of tomato basil soup, mixed green salad with apples, caramelized leeks and maple Dijon dressing, roasted pork tenderloin with southwestern and peppercorn seasonings, baked mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and non-fried ice cream garnished with fresh raspberries and drizzled with chocolate raspberry balsamic vinegar for dessert.

You can’t go wrong with any of these wines. In fact, all eight wines were very good and received a Quality Rating of at least 3.5 stars (out of 5). We thought that six out of the eight were excellent and rated them as 4 stars (out of 5) or higher. Once again, we were “wow”-ed by the 2008 vintage and gave it a rare 5 stars (out of 5). It remains the best Cab Franc I’ve ever had. The oldest vintages are still holding up well, but Mike really seems to be hitting his stride with the last three vintages.

If you are ever in the Wenatchee area, Fielding Hills is a stop you do not want to miss. I encourage you to give Mike and Karen a call to make an appointment to visit the winery. And regardless of whether you are able to visit or not, try to get your hands on a bottle or two of Fielding Hills wine and enjoy.

From oldest to youngest:

2003 Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc (Riverbend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): Deep garnet in color. Aromatic with red fruit, prune, herbs, and licorice on the nose. Red cherry and vegetal notes come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long, slightly bitter, finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Winery Release: $28

2004 Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc (Riverbend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): Deep, dark garnet. Nice nose with red fruit and cinnamon aromas. More cinnamon as well as red and black cherry comes through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of five)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Winery Release: $28

2005 Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc (Riverbend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): Deep, dark red. Nice nose with red fruit, caramel, and floral aromas. Red and black fruit, spice, and floral notes come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of five)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Winery Release: $30

2006 Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc (Riverbend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): Deep red in color. Aromatic with red fruit and floral aromas on the nose. Fruit-forward with bright red fruit, floral notes, and a touch of spice on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of five)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Winery Release: $30

2007 Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc (Riverbend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): 88% Cabernet Franc, 6% Syrah, 4% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, dark garnet red. Aromatic with black cherry and cinnamon on the nose. Fruit-forward with black cherry and spice on the palate as well. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long, slightly bitter, finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Winery Release: $30

2008 Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc (Riverbend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): 88% Cabernet Franc, 6% Syrah, 4% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, dark red in color. Gorgeous nose with red and black fruit, spice, floral, and a touch of bell pepper aromas. Luscious black cherry, spice box, and herbal notes come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and high, dry tannins. Extremely well-balanced and smooth with good complexity and a very long, lingering finish. Still the best Cabernet Franc I’ve ever had. Wow!
Quality: 5 stars (out of five)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Winery Release: $30

2009 Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc (Riverbend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): 90% Cabernet Franc, 5% Syrah, 3% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, dark red. Nice nose with black cherry, raspberry, and spice aromas. Black cherry, spice, and a touch of black pepper come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a very long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Winery Release: $30

2010 Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc (Riverbend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): 85% Cabernet Franc, 5% Syrah, 5% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, dark red in color. Beautiful nose with red and black fruit, cinnamon, and clove aromas. Black cherry, cinnamon, and clove come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity, and high, dry tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Winery Release: $30

Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc Vertical Tasting [Wow! Alert] was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc Vertical Tasting [Wow! Alert]

Kori — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 15:00:14 +0000

From oldest to youngest:

Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc Vertical Tasting [Wow! Alert] was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Wine Tasting Dinner: Tawny Port

Kori — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 15:00:43 +0000

Port comes from the Douro Valley in northern Portugal. While there are port-style wines made around the world, strict use of the term Port is reserved for fortified wines produced in Portugal. Most Port producers in Portugal now label their wines as “Porto” and the bottles bear a neck label with the Instituto do Vinho do Porto Garantia, which is a seal of guarantee. Port is a sweet fortified wine produced by adding grape spirit during fermentation, which stops fermentation and retains considerable sugar. Residual sugar in the finished wine typically ranges from 8 to 12 percent. Port is typically a blend of grape varieties, vineyards, and vintages. Tawny Port is aged in wood. Those that spend an extended amount of time aging in barrel or cask can be labeled in multiples of 10 years.

Last Friday evening, we explored Tawny Port in our wine tasting dinner. It was another fabulous evening of great wines, the company of wonderful friends, and LaGayle’s (Mom’s) excellent food. Since Port has a higher alcohol level than still wine, it is often consumed as an after-dinner drink or with dessert rather than with a meal. So for this tasting dinner, we changed up our format a bit. We tasted through each of the Ports before dinner for evaluation purposes. Then we enjoyed two wonderful Washington wines from Red Willow Vineyard with dinner. The 2009 Adams Bench Red Willow Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2009 Betz Family Winery La Côte Patriarche Syrah paired beautifully with our dinner of tomato basil soup, candied walnut Gorgonzola salad, prime rib, creamy potato casserole, and roasted asparagus with balsamic browned butter. After dinner, we revisited the Ports and enjoyed them with chocolate truffles for dessert.

The consensus favorite was the Cockburn’s 20 Year Old Tawny Porto, followed closely by the Niepoort 10 Year Old Tawny Porto. When it comes to Port or any fortified wine, a little can go a long way. Thankfully, that higher alcohol level also means that it lasts longer even after the bottle has been opened. While a still wine will only stay fresh for a couple of days, Port can easily last a week and often much longer after opening. Port is a lovely after-dinner or “nightcap” beverage, especially during these cold winter months.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

Cockburn’s 20 Year Old Tawny Porto (Douro Valley, Portugal): Medium amber brown. Aromatic with honey and caramel on the nose. A hint of toast comes through on the palate as well. Medium sweet and medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and good viscosity. Well-balanced with a very long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Total Wine & More (Bellevue, Washington), $33; Available elsewhere, $28 to $60

Niepoort 10 Year Old Tawny Porto (Douro Valley, Portugal): Medium amber brown with ruby hues. Gorgeous nose with butterscotch and nutty aromas. Butterscotch, caramel, and nuts come through on the palate. Medium sweet and medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Wine World (Seattle, Washington), $50; Available elsewhere, $25 to $53

Kopke 10 Year Old Tawny Porto (Douro Valley, Portugal): Medium amber brown with ruby hues. Aromatic with caramel and butterscotch on both the nose and palate. Medium sweet and medium-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Wine World (Seattle, Washington), $30; Available elsewhere, $15 to $42

Quinta de Ventozelo 10 Year Old Tawny Porto (Douro Valley, Portugal): Medium amber brown with ruby hues. Nice nose with prune and raisin aromas. More prune and raisin as well as caramel come through on the palate. Medium sweet and medium-bodied with soft tannins and a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Total Wine & More (Bellevue, Washington), $22; Available elsewhere, $16 to $40

Offley Tawny Porto (Douro Valley, Portugal): Medium ruby red. Nose is a bit tight at first, then prune and raisin aromas and flavors come through. Medium sweet and medium to full-bodied with medium tannins and a smooth, but slightly hot, finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Total Wine & More (Bellevue, Washington), $12; Available elsewhere, $9 to $14

Taylor Fladgate 20 Year Old Tawny Porto (Douro Valley, Portugal): Medium amber brown. Aromatic with butterscotch and nuts on the nose and palate. Medium sweet and medium-bodied with medium, soft tannins and a medium to long, smooth finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Total Wine & More (Bellevue, Washington), $40; Available elsewhere, $36 to $49

Wine Tasting Dinner: Tawny Port was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.