2012 Kennedy Shah Merlot

The Woodhouse Wine Estates is a boutique winery located in Woodinville, Washington. Owners Bijal and Sinead Shah founded Woodhouse Wine Estates in 2004 along with Bijal’s uncle Tom Campbell. Winemaker Jean Claude Beck comes from several generations of French winemakers and has worked at various wineries in California and Washington. Woodhouse produces three tiers of Washington wines: Marketplace, Reserve, and Wine Club Exclusive.

Recently, we had the opportunity to taste their 2012 Kennedy Shah Merlot in a blind samples tasting. In addition to being a very good wine, it also delivers serious bang for your buck. It is named after Bijal and Sinead’s daughter and is one of the staples in their Marketplace tier of wines.

The Woodhouse Wine Estates Tasting Room is open daily. If you find yourself in Woodinville, I encourage you to visit.

2012 Kennedy Shah Merlot (Columbia Valley, Washington): 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. Deep, dark purplish red in color. Aromatic with red cherry, plum, and a touch of evergreen on the nose. Cherry, licorice, and vegetal notes come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $14; Available elsewhere, $16

2012 Kennedy Shah Merlot was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won’t break your budget and is widely available? If so, you might want to check out the 2014 Ponzi Pinot Gris from the Willamette Valley in Oregon.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$20
• Must be widely available

Ponzi Vineyards, located in Sherwood, Oregon, has been one of Oregon’s most consistent Pinot Gris producers for over 30 years. Dick and Nancy Ponzi founded Ponzi Vineyards in 1970. They first produced Pinot Noir in 1974. Then, the Ponzi family began planting Pinot Gris, a varietal virtually unknown in the United States at the time in 1978. In 2012, sisters Luisa and Maria Ponzi took the reins from their parents as the winery’s owners and operators.

“This inviting nose has floral notes of meadow flowers, chamomile and rose hip entangled with brighter aromatics of tangerine, lychee, sweet mint and hints of vanilla and lemon cream throughout. The lively mouth and vibrant acidity are wrapped around hints of quince, kumquat, starfruit and orange zest balanced by a touch of sweetness.” –Winemaker Luisa Ponzi

2014 Ponzi Pinot Gris (Willamette Valley, Oregon): Pale straw yellow in color. Aromatic with lemon and floral notes on the nose. Citrus fruit, melon, and a touch of minerality come through on the palate. Dry and light-bodied with lively acidity and a long, refreshing finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $17; Available elsewhere, $17

A Wine for Tonight: 2014 Ponzi Pinot Gris was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

No matter where you live in the United States, you are probably familiar with the wines of Chateau Ste. Michelle, particularly their Columbia Valley line. While those wines enjoy national distribution, Chateau Ste. Michelle also produces a number of other reserve and limited release wines that are not as widely available.

We recently had the opportunity to taste a number of the current releases from Chateau Ste. Michelle, in a blind samples tasting. The seven wines featured here, five whites and two reds, are all very good and, most importantly, deliver serious bang for your buck. Six of these wines received a QPR rating of 4 or 5. When it comes to good quality at an excellent value, the Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley line is hard to beat.

And, for those of you who generally stay away from white wines in the middle of winter when it is cold and/or wet, I encourage you to “let it go”. Especially when paired with the right foods, these wines can be enjoyed year-round.

2013 Chateau Ste. Michelle Horse Heaven Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (Horse Heaven Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Pale straw yellow. Aromatic with citrus, particularly orange, and floral notes on both the nose and palate. Dry and light-bodied with racy acidity and a long, refreshing finish. Food pairing suggestions: mussels, halibut, chicken, goat cheese.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $15; Available elsewhere, $11 to $19

2013 Chateau Ste. Michelle Harvest Select Sweet Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Riesling. Pale to medium, greenish straw yellow. Nice nose with apricot, peach, and a touch of honey aromas and flavors. Medium-sweet and medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish. Food pairing suggestions: fresh fruit, crab, Asian dishes, mild cheeses. Residual Sugar: 4.3%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $10; Available elsewhere, $7 to $12

2013 Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Riesling. Pale, greenish straw yellow. Very aromatic with apple, apricot, and melon on both the nose and palate. Off-dry and light-bodied with lively acidity and a medium to long finish. Food pairing suggestions: fresh fruit, crab, mild cheeses, chicken. Residual Sugar: 2.01%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $10; Available elsewhere, $7 to $12

2012 Chateau Ste. Michelle Merlot (Columbia Valley, Washington): 92% Merlot, 3% Syrah, and 5% blenders (Malbec, Grenache, Mourvedre and Petit Verdot). Deep, dark purplish red in color. Nice nose with black plum, black cherry, leather, and smoky aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with lively acidity, smooth tannins, and a long finish. Food pairing suggestions: beef, lamb, grilled salmon, hearty pastas.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $15; Available elsewhere, $12 to $19

2012 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 4% Syrah, 2% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot, and 2% Mourvedre. Deep, dark purplish red. Beautiful nose with red and black fruit aromas and flavors as well as a touch of eucalyptus. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, silky tannins, and a long, smooth finish. Food pairing suggestions: beef, hearty pastas, dark chocolate, blue cheese.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $15; Available elsewhere, $12 to $16

2013 Chateau Ste. Michelle Gewurztraminer (Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Gewurztraminer. Pale yellow in color. Aromatic with floral notes as well as green apple and citrus on both the nose and palate. Medium-sweet and light-bodied with lively acidity and a medium to long finish. Food pairing suggestions: crab, Asian dishes, chicken. Residual Sugar: 1.7%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $10; Available elsewhere, $8 to $12

2013 Eroica Riesling [Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen] (Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Riesling. Pale, greenish straw yellow. Beautiful nose with white peach and honeysuckle aromas. Granny Smith apple and floral notes come through on the palate. Off-dry and light to medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long, refreshing finish. Food pairing suggestions: Asian dishes, Indian curries, crab, scallops. Residual Sugar: 1.55%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $20; Available elsewhere, $14 to $26

Chateau Ste. Michelle Delivers Serious Bang for Your Buck was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

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.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$20
• Must be widely available

Rodney Strong founded Rodney Strong Vineyards, located in Healdsburg, California, in 1959. Current owner Tom Klein and the Klein family purchased the winery in 1989. Head winemaker Rick Sayre has been with the winery since 1979. Rodney Strong sustainably farms thirteen estate vineyards in Sonoma County.

Rodney Strong consistently offers a lineup of good quality wines that deliver serious bang for your buck in their Sonoma County line, which is available nationally.

“A deep, saturated color leads to lifted aromas of blackberry, cocoa and herby black-currant, which is followed by a rich, layered mouthfeel, loaded with juicy black cherry, cedar, and crème de cassis. This wine is also elegantly structured with fresh acidity and ripe, mature tannins. Enjoy this vibrant Cabernet Sauvignon now and over the next several years.” –Winemaker Rick Sayre

2011 Rodney Strong Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma County, California): Deep, dark red in color. Aromatic with red and black fruit, leather, and a touch of black pepper on both the nose and palate. Medium-bodied with lively acidity, smooth tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $20; Available elsewhere, $12 to $20

A Wine for Tonight: 2011 Rodney Strong Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Since we visited New Zealand in 2005, we have followed Kim Crawford Wines closely. Recently, we had the opportunity to taste their 2013 Sauvignon Blanc in a blind samples tasting. It is outstanding and delivers serious bang for your buck.

Regular readers know that we are big fans of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, the country’s flagship wine. And Kim Crawford Wines makes one of our favorite New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. It’s crisp acidity and refreshing grapefruit flavors are especially pleasing to our palates. The most amazing thing about Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc is its remarkable consistency from vintage to vintage. And, speaking of vintage, the 2013 vintage has been hailed as New Zealand’s “Vintage of a Lifetime.”

Constellation New Zealand’s Chief Winemaker, Darryl Woolley, who has over 30 years of experience making wine in the Marlborough region called the 2013 growing season “exemplary”. In addition to being New Zealand’s driest growing season in about 70 years, the 2013 vintage also benefitted from the sunniest first three months of the year since 1930.

“We’ve had a perfect mix of warm, but not hot, days and cool nights. Rain fell at the right part of the growing cycle and, more importantly, did not fall during the critical period leading up to harvest. This resulted in a medium sized crop of exceptionally high quality grapes.” –Darryl Woolley, Constellation New Zealand’s Chief Winemaker

Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc is widely available in the United States and is an excellent choice for the warm spring and summer months.

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: Received as sample, suggested retail $17.99; Available elsewhere, $11 to $19

New Zealand’s 2013 Vintage hailed as “Vintage of a Lifetime”: 2013 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.