While my ratings did not factor into the final decision of the other judges, I tasted all of the wines along with them, made my own notes, and observed the process for the Platinum Judging. I was very impressed by the organization and integrity of the competition.

The Winter issue of Wine Press Northwest should be on shelves now. For results of the Platinum Judging, pick up a copy today. Also, with this issue, Wine Press Northwest is launching a new column reserved for bloggers, which will rotate to different bloggers around the Northwest. I am honored to be the inaugural blogger columnist. Be sure to check out my article on the value of blind tasting.

Wine Press Northwest Platinum Judging 2010 was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

This workshop, moderated by Stuart Pigott, featured two wines from nine different producers, one from a fairly recent vintage and a comparable wine from an older vintage. Representatives from the featured wineries were on hand to discuss their wines as well as the ageability of Riesling in general.

Right off the bat, Stuart noted that the workshop was deliberately not called “mature” Riesling. Mature is an elastic term, so he more accurately referred to all wines as “maturing” no matter whether they are young or old. Wines, just like people, are always in the process of maturing.

The wines we tasted ranged from a 7-year span between vintages to a 62-year span. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to taste two Rieslings older than me, a 1973 and a 1946. Both wines showed remarkably well considering their age. I was especially impressed by the 1973, which was still quite crisp and bright.

“Young wines are full of so-called primary aromas, also some fermentation aromas, but very much weighted on the fruit and floral and all the youthful stuff. Then, of course, there are the wines which have lost that character and moved into a completely different phase of development with the so-called tertiary aromas, the ones which develop through the influence of oxygen on all of the substances in the wine.” –Stuart Pigott

According to Frederick Frank of Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, wines that have higher natural acidity and lower pH seem to have a good formula for aging gracefully.

During the workshop, a lively discussion ensued involving the use of the words “petrol” or “kerosene” to describe Rieslings as they age. The winemakers would rather people not use those words, which can have a negative connotation. They prefer those aromas that come with age to be described as smokiness. With that said, as you will see from my notes below, I still get petrol aromas in some Rieslings, particularly ones with a bit of age.

Rieslings, like all wines, change as they age. They tend to become sleeker and drier in taste. After tasting a wide range of Rieslings of different ages, it is clear to me that you either like older wines or you don’t. When you are trying to decide when to drink a wine, it is important to know if you prefer wines young or with some age. It really comes down to personal preference. One way to determine your personal sweet spot is to buy a case of wine and drink it over time, taking notes on how the wine tastes, how it changes, and how you like it.

“You have to decide if you like this aged character or not. With Riesling, you have the general aging characteristics of wine plus this special way that the aromatics change.” –Stuart Pigott

Unfortunately, I can’t remember who said this, but I think it sums up the question of when to drink wines quite well:

“You never know what tomorrow will bring. I prefer to drink great wine today, even if it’s really too young, rather than never.”

We tasted two wines from each producer, one from a fairly recent vintage and a comparable wine from an older vintage. Here are my rough notes and Quality ratings on the wines, in the order we tasted them:

Cave Spring Cellars (Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada)
2008 Riesling Dry: tight nose, tart acidity, lime peel. Quality: 3 stars
2000 Riesling Dry: more golden, petrol, creamy, still fairly bright and crisp. Quality: 3.5 stars

Dr. Konstantin Frank (Finger Lakes, New York)
2008 Dry Riesling: floral, citrus, crisp acidity, cooler year. Quality: 3 stars
1995 Dry Riesling: more golden, creamy, petrol, pudding, warmer, drier year. Quality: 3.5 stars

Josef Leitz (Rheingau, Germany)
2008 Rudesheimer Berg Rottland Riesling Alte Reben Trocken: citrus, lime, minerality, crisp acidity, good complexity, well-balanced. Quality: 4.5 stars
2001 Rudesheimer Berg Rottland Riesling Spatlese Trocken: toast, diesel, hint of wet cork. Quality: 3.5 stars

Domane Wachau (Wachau, Austria)
2009 Riesling Smaragd Achleiten: fruity, ripe, crisp, refreshing. Quality: 4 stars
1993 Riesling Smaragd Achleiten: floral, toasted nuts, creamy yet still crisp, smoky, flinty. Quality: 3.5 stars

Domaine Pfister (Alsace, France)
2007 Riesling Engelberg Grand Cru: lime, lemon, crisp, bright, fresh. Quality: 3.5 stars
1985 Riesling Reserve Engelberg: very different, tastes better than it smells, some bottles were thought to be corked, they now use Vino-Lok closures. Quality: 3 stars

Koehler-Ruprecht (Pfalz, Germany)
2008 Riesling Auslese Trocken Kallstadter Saumagen “R”: tight nose, citrus, floral, good acidity, hint of minerality. Quality: 3 stars
1998 Riesling Auslese Trocken Kallstadter Saumagen “R”: herbal notes, flinty character, good complexity, aging nicely. Quality: 4 stars

Schloss Gobelsburg (Kamptal, Austria)
2008 Zobinger Heiligenstein Riesling: fresh, dried apricots, white peach, crisp. Quality: 3.5 stars
1973 Zobinger Heiligenstein Riesling: smoke, hint of bacon, crisp, amazingly bright, citrus, flint, very impressed with this 37 year old wine. Quality: 4 stars

Van Volxem (Saar, Germany)
2008 Riesling Wiltinger Gottesfuss: floral, pear, crisp, great texture. Quality: 3.5 stars
2000 Riesling Wiltinger Gottesfuss: petrol, smoke, peach, lime, very crisp and refreshing, slight effervescence, would love to have this with food. Quality: 4.5 stars

Staatsweingut Kloster Eberbach (Rheingau, Germany)
2008 Riesling Erstes Gewachs Rudesheimer Berg Schlossberg: fresh, refreshing, crisp, citrus. Quality: 3.5 stars
1946 Riesling “Cabinet” Rudesheimer Berg Schlossberg: petrol, smoke, crisp, tart, yet also creamy, dried apricot, 64 years old – wow. Quality: 4 stars

Riesling Rendezvous: Ageability of Riesling was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

While Riesling is enjoying a resurgence of sorts (currently, Riesling is the fastest growing wine in the U.S. market), many consumers still mistakenly dismiss it as being cheap and sweet. In reality, Riesling is one of the most versatile grape varieties. It can be made in many different styles from bone dry to very sweet, reflects the regional character of where it is grown, and is extremely food-friendly. And, it is probably the most age worthy of all white wine varieties.

As a result of discussions that took place at the first Riesling Rendezvous in 2007, the International Riesling Foundation was formed to help consumers better appreciate the many virtues of Riesling. One of their first orders of business was to develop a system to help consumers know what to expect in a particular bottle of Riesling. The IRF created a Riesling Taste Profile which producers may use on their back labels and other merchandising materials. It now appears on over 12 million bottles in the U.S. market. The IRF’s three-year goal is for the Riesling Taste Profile to be the standard for wineries, retailers, and restaurants in the U.S. and other markets where allowed.

Riesling wines will be recognized and demanded internationally as the world’s most noble wines due to their diversity of styles, regional character, consistent quality, and compatibility with food. –Vision of the International Riesling Foundation

I attended all three days of the Riesling Rendezvous, which included a Grand Tasting, blind tastings, and workshops. It was wonderful to have so many producers and enthusiasts from all around the world together for a total Riesling immersion. It was the first time that I had ever focused on a single variety for three straight days. One of my favorite sessions was the Ageability of Riesling workshop, which made a strong case for the age worthiness of Riesling. Look for a future post about that workshop.

A quick look at the breakdown of wines I tasted below indicates the highest quality Rieslings are being produced in Germany and the Alsace region of France and some of the best values (highest QPRs) are coming from Germany and Washington State. Interestingly, this conclusion is consistent with the conclusion of a recent trade survey.

German and Alsatian Rieslings rated highest in quality, Germany high in value (along with Washington). –Trade Survey Conclusion by Wine Opinions

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that I tasted during the Riesling Rendezvous, except those tasted during the Ageability of Riesling workshop that will be included in a future post. Under each Quality heading, the wine name and region will be listed along with price (when provided) and QPR rating. Wines in bold type received a QPR rating of 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5).

Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
2008 Dr. Loosen Riesling Spatlese Urziger Wurzgarten, Mosel, Germany, $30, QPR: 4
2009 Donnhoff Riesling Spatlese Niederhauser Hermannshohle, Nahe Valley, Germany $37.75, QPR: 4
2008 Hugel et Fils Hugel Riesling, Alsace, France, $NA, QPR: NA

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
2009 Donnhoff Riesling Kabinett Oberhauser Leistenberg, Nahe Valley, Germany $15.10, QPR: 5
2009 Efeste Evergreen Riesling, Columbia Valley, Washington, $16, QPR: 5
2009 Glenora Riesling, Finger Lakes, New York, $16, QPR: 5
2008 Donnhoff Riesling Grosses Gewachs Niederhauser Hermannshohle, Nahe Valley, Germany, $17.60, QPR: 5
2008 Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen Eroica Riesling, Columbia Valley, Washington, $18, QPR: 5
2009 Dr. Loosen Riesling Kabinett “Blue Slate”, Mosel, Germany, $20, QPR: 4
2009 Viento Dry Riesling Columbia Gorge Vineyard, Columbia Gorge, Oregon, $20, QPR: 4
2007 Viento Riesling Select Harvest Columbia Gorge Vineyard, Columbia Gorge, Oregon, $20, QPR: 4
2008 Selbach-Oster Riesling Kabinett Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Mosel, Germany, $24, QPR: 4
2008 Domaine Ostertag Riesling Vignoble d’E, Alsace, France, $25, QPR: 4
2009 Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge Vineyard Riesling, Frankland River, Western Australia, $27, QPR: 4
2009 Jim Barry Wines The Florita Riesling, Clare Valley, Australia, $29, QPR: 3
2009 Van Volxem Spatlese Pierpointe St. Urbans Hof, Mosel, Germany, $35, QPR: 3
2009 Josef Leitz Rudesheimer Berg Schlossberg Riesling Trocken Alte Reben, Rheingau, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA
2009 Domane Wachau Riesling Smaragd Singerriedel, Wachau, Austria, $NA, QPR: NA
2009 Villa Maria Reserve Dry Riesling, Marlborough, New Zealand, $NA, QPR: NA
2009 Forrest Wines The Valleys Dry Riesling, Wairau Valley, New Zealand, $NA, QPR: NA
2005 Lucien Albrecht Riesling Grand Cru Clos Schild, Alsace, France, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Lucien Albrecht Riesling Cuvee Henri, Alsace, France, $NA, QPR: NA
2005 Vins Schoenheitz Riesling Linsenberg, Alsace, France, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Loimer Riesling Steinmassl, Kamptal, Austria, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Becker Steinhauser Auslese Brauneberger Sonnenuhr, Mosel, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Triple Entente Cuckoo’s Nest Riesling, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan, $NA, QPR: NA
2000 Black Star Farms A Capella Riesling Ice Wine, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan, $NA, QPR: NA
2009 Framingham Wines Classic Riesling, Marlborough, New Zealand, $NA, QPR: NA
2007 Egon Muller-Scharzhof Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett, Saar Valley, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA
2009 Gysler Riesling Kabinett, Rheinhessen, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2009 Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling, Columbia Valley, Washington, $9, QPR: 5
2008 Chateau Grand Traverse Dry Riesling, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan, $12.49, QPR: 5
2008 Viento Riesling Columbia Gorge Vineyard, Columbia Gorge, Oregon, $16, QPR: 4
2008 Efeste Evergreen Riesling, Columbia Valley, Washington, $16, QPR: 4
2008 Chateau Grand Traverse Whole Cluster Riesling, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan, $16, QPR: 4
2009 Josef Leitz Dragonstone Riesling, Rheingau, Germany, $18, QPR: 4
2009 Van Volxem Rotschiefer Riesling Kabinett, Mosel, Germany, $20, QPR: 4
2009 Domane Wachau Riesling Federspiel Terrassen, Wachau, Austria, $20, QPR: 4
2008 Hugel et Fils Riesling Classic, Alsace, France, $20, QPR: 4
2009 Loimer Riesling Kamptal, Kamptal, Austria, $20, QPR: 4
2009 Jim Barry Wines The Lodge Hill Riesling, Clare Valley, Australia, $20, QPR: 4
2009 Frankland Estate Poison Hill Vineyard Riesling, Frankland River, Western Australia, $20, QPR: 4
2009 Domane Wachau Riesling Smaragd Terrassen, Wachau, Austria, $25, QPR: 3
2009 Frankland Estate Cooladerra Vineyard Riesling, Frankland River, Western Australia, $30, QPR: 2
2008 Fox Run Vineyards Reserve Riesling Seneca Lake, Finger Lakes, New York, $30, QPR: 2
2006 Dr. Von Basserman-Jordan Riesling Spatlese Deidesheimer Leinhohle, Pfalz, Germany, $30, QPR: 2
2008 Domaine Ostertag Fronholz Riesling, Alsace, France, $40, QPR: 1
2005 Jim Barry Wines The Florita Riesling, Clare Valley, Australia, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Brundlmayer Riesling Zobinger Heiligenstein, Kamptal, Austria, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Clemens Busch Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Marienberg “Falkenlay”, Mosel, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Henry of Pelham Speck Family Reserve Riesling, Short Hills Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Pierre Sparr Riesling, Alsace, France, $NA, QPR: NA
2009 Helfrich Winery Noble Tier Riesling, Alsace, France, $NA, QPR: NA
2007 Trimbach Riesling, Alsace, France, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Kuentz-Bas Riesling Tradition, Alsace, France, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 Loimer Riesling Steinmassl, Kamptal, Austria, $NA, QPR: NA
2007 St. Urbans-Hof Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Spatlese, Saar Valley, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Robert Weil Kiedrich Grafenberg Riesling Spatlese, Rheingau, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Bowers Harbor Vineyards Block II Riesling, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan, $NA, QPR: NA
2009 Tesch Riesling Trocken “Unplugged”, Nahe Valley, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Clemens Busch Pundericher Marienburg Riesling “Fahrlay” Grosses Gewachs, Mosel, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Schafer-Frolich Bockenauer Felseneck Riesling Spatlese, Nahe Valley, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA
2007 Ansgar-Clusserath Drohn Hofberger Riesling Auslese, Mosel, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
2008 14 Hands Riesling, Washington State, $10, QPR: 4
2008 Dr. Konstantin Frank Dry Riesling, Finger Lakes, New York, $15, QPR: 3
2008 Dr. Konstantin Frank Riesling Semi-Dry, Finger Lakes, New York, $15, QPR: 3
2008 Black Star Farms Arcturos Dry Riesling, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan, $16.50, QPR: 3
2008 Robert Weil Riesling Trocken Kiedrich Grafenberg Erstes Gewachs, Rheingau, Germany, $18, QPR: 2
2008 Left Foot Charley 7th Hill Riesling, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan, $18, QPR: 2
2008 Chehalem Reserve Dry Riesling, Willamette Valley, Oregon, $21, QPR: 2
2007 Anthony Road Martini-Reinhardt Selection Riesling, Finger Lakes, New York, $22, QPR: 1
2007 Domaine Ostertag Fronholz Riesling, Alsace, France, $NA, QPR: NA
2009 Arthur Metz Riesling, Alsace, France, $NA, QPR: NA
2009 Espenhof Riesling Trocken “S” Muschelkalk, Rheinhessen, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Rainer Schnaitmann Uhlbacher Riesling Trocken, Wurttemberg, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Schneider Ellerstadter Kirschenstuck Riesling Trocken, Pfalz, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Garage Winery Riesling Feinherb “Wild Thing”, Rheingau, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
2008 Chateau Grand Traverse Dry Riesling, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan, $14, QPR: NR
2008 Chateau Grand Traverse Lot 49 Riesling, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan, $22, QPR: NR
2004 Hugel et Fils Riesling Jubilee, Alsace, France, $NA, QPR: NR
2004 Leon Beyer Riesling Ecaillers, Alsace, France, $NA, QPR: NR
2006 Cave Spring Riesling CSV, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada, $NA, QPR: NR
2009 2 Lads Winery Riesling, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan, $NA, QPR: NA
2009 Gysler Riesling Trocken “S” Rotliegendes, Rheinhessen, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA

Riesling Rendezvous: Producers and Enthusiasts from Around the World Celebrate and Promote this Noble Grape was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining

I first came across the writings of Rex-Johnson in Wine Press Northwest, where she writes a food and wine pairing column. I’ve passed on several of her columns to LaGayle, our Wine Peeps food and cooking expert, and she has been impressed as well. I’ve also read about a Texas connection, I believe it was her father-in-law, and that always wins points with me.

While I was familiar with most of the wineries she mentions in the book, I really liked the way she organized them geographically and found many winemakers who are also great cooks or who have a related restaurant on their property with a great chef. Rex-Johnson and her husband, Spencer, did over two years of research seeking out the best winemaker-cooks, chefs and restaurants, bed and breakfast inns and other neat places in the Pacific Northwest that combine good food and good wine.

The photos by Jackie Johnston really bring the stories to life and make it a great coffee table book for anyone interested in the Northwest lifestyle. I really like this book, and I believe that you will, too. My mouth begins to water when I think about some of my favorites from the book, such as Canlis classic prawns with off-dry Riesling, flank steak roulade with Syrah, pesto-glazed halibut with Sauvignon Blanc, buckwheat-honey pancakes and ice wine peaches, and the list goes on and on.

If this isn’t enough, there are also some great personal stories about Northwest winemakers. My favorite was about how Bob Betz went from managing a Spaghetti Factory restaurant (I guess that’s why he’s such a good home cook) to becoming a Master of Wine and owning his own Betz Family Winery. I could tell you more, but just go out and buy the book for yourself.

Have you already read Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining? If so, please leave a comment and let us know what you thought of it.

Book Review: Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining by Braiden Rex-Johnson was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

LaGayle and I stayed over an extra day after Kori and her family left  to celebrate our 41st wedding anniversary, and as you might expect, we also found time to visit three more Okanagan Valley wineries, La Stella Winery, Le Vieux Pin, and Nk’Mip Cellars. It was only fitting that our favorite of the three was La Stella, since my mother’s first name was Stella.

La Stella and Le Vieux are small boutique wineries under common ownership, while Nk’Mip is a larger winery which is a partnership between the Osoyoos Indians and Vincor. In addition to the winery, Nk’Mip has a complete entertainment complex including a resort, restaurant, and desert cultural center.

As with the first part of this trip, we were impressed with the friendliness and professionalism of the folks in the tasting rooms. Each of these three wineries provided a take-home tasting sheet with their wine information on it and provided water and crackers to cleanse your palate.

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that we tasted. Under each Quality heading, the wine name and region will be listed along with price and QPR rating. Wines in bold type received a QPR rating of 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5).

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
2008 La Stella Lastellina Merlot Rosato, Okanagan Valley, $25, QPR: 5
2008 La Stella Leggierro Unoaked Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley, $25, QPR: 5
2008 Nk’Mip QwAM QwMT Riesling Icewine, Okanagan Valley, $60, QPR: 3
2006 La Stella Maestoso Merlot, Okanagan Valley, $85, QPR: 2

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2006 Nk’Mip QwAM QwMT Cabernet Sauvignon, Okanagan Valley, $29.99, QPR: 5
2006 Le Vieux Pin Emoi Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, $35, QPR: 4
2006 La Stella Allegreto Merlot, Okanagan Valley, $38, QPR: 3
2006 Le Vieux Pin Epoque Merlot, Okanagan Valley, $38, QPR: 3
2006 Le Vieux Pin Apogee Merlot, Okanagan Valley, $65, QPR: 1

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
2007 Nk’Mip QwAM QwMT Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, $24.99, QPR: 3
2007 Nk’Mip Winemaker’s Series Pinot Blanc, Okanagan Valley, $16.99, QPR: 2
2008 La Stella Vivace Pinot Grigio, Okanagan Valley, $25, QPR: 1
2006 Nk’Mip QwAM QwMT Syrah, Okanagan Valley, $34.99, QPR: 1
2006 Le Vieux Pin Perigee Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, $45, QPR: 1

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
2008 Nk’Mip Winemaker’s Series Riesling Okanagan Valley, $17.99, QPR: NR
2007 Nk’Mip QwAM QwMT Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley, $24.99, QPR: NR
2006 Nk’Mip QwAM QwMT Meritage, Okanagan Valley, $29.99, QPR: NR

More from Canadian Wine Country was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

On this particular trip, we spent our time in the South Okanagan around the towns of Osoyoos, Oliver, Penticton, and Naramata. We visited a total of nine wineries and tasted 69 wines. Many of the area wineries boast gorgeous settings overlooking one of three lakes, Osoyoos Lake, Skaha Lake, and Okanagan Lake. For overall wine quality, our best stops were at Inniskillin and Jackson-Triggs. Both Inniskillin and Jackson-Triggs are owned by Vincor Canada, a division of Constellation Brands.

Inniskillin Okanagan was acquired in 1996 by Inniskillin Niagara. Except for the same ownership, Inniskillin Okanagan and Inniskillin Niagara are run as separate entities with their own winemakers and own vineyards. Inniskillin Okanagan uses all B.C. grown grapes and produces about 25,000 cases per year. They make good wines across the board but are particularly well-known for their icewines.

Jackson-Triggs is arguably Canada’s most celebrated winery. Founded in the 1980s by Allan Jackson and Don Triggs, Jackson-Triggs produces between 100,000 and 120,000 cases per year. We would easily recommend all nine of their wines that we tasted but were particularly impressed with their icewines and Shirazes.

The countryside is beautiful, the locals are extremely nice folks, and all nine wineries we visited had well-equipped tasting rooms. Every winery provided a take-home tasting sheet with their wine information on it, most provided water and crackers to cleanse your palate, and a few even provided personal spit cups in addition to dump buckets. In addition to the tasting room amenities, the region itself is very visitor-friendly with excellent wine route signage that points travelers to the local wineries.

The only downside is that many of the wineries in the Okanagan Valley do not export their wines to the United States. Obviously, you can buy the wine when you visit and bring it home with you (you’ll have to pay some taxes depending on how much you bring back), but you won’t be able to go down the street to your local wine shop and pick up a bottle of your favorite Okanagan Valley wine on a regular basis.

For those of you who live in the Pacific Northwest or are planning to visit, make time to venture north to visit wineries in the Okanagan Valley. You’ll be glad you did.

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that we tasted in the Okanagan Valley. Under each Quality heading, the wine name and region will be listed along with price and QPR rating. Wines in bold type received a QPR rating of 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5).

Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
2007 Jackson-Triggs Grand Reserve Riesling Icewine, Okanagan Valley, $60 [375ml], QPR: 4
2007 Inniskillin Tempranillo Icewine Discovery Series, Okanagan Valley, $99.99 [375ml], QPR: 2

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
2006 Township 7 Merlot, Okanagan Valley, $24.99, QPR: 5
2006 Jackson-Triggs Grand Reserve Shiraz, Okanagan Valley, $25.99, QPR: 5
2005 Hester Creek Reserve Merlot, Okanagan Valley, $25.99, QPR: 5
2006 Mistral Cabernet Sauvignon, Okanagan Valley, $29.90, QPR: 5
2006 Lang Vineyards Riesling Farm Reserve, Okanagan Valley, $19.90, QPR: 4
2006 Inniskillin Malbec Discovery Series, Okanagan Valley, $24.99, QPR: 4
2006 Hester Creek Reserve Cabernet Franc, Okanagan Valley, $25.99, QPR: 4
2006 Jackson-Triggs SunRock Vineyard Shiraz, Okanagan Valley, $35, QPR: 4
2008 Gehringer Brothers Minus 9 Ehrenfelser Icewine, Okanagan Valley, $46.99 [375ml], QPR: 4
2007 Inniskillin Vidal Icewine, Okanagan Valley, $52.99 [375ml], QPR: 3
2006 Jackson-Triggs Proprietors’ Reserve Riesling Icewine, Okanagan Valley, $52.99 [375ml], QPR: 3

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2006 Tinhorn Creek Merlot, Okanagan Valley, $18.99, QPR: 5
2007 Tinhorn Creek Kerner Icewine, Okanagan Valley, $24.99 [375ml], QPR: 5
2006 Township 7 Cabernet Sauvignon, Okanagan Valley, $25.99, QPR: 5
2007 Tinhorn Creek Cabernet Franc, Okanagan Valley, $17.99, QPR: 4
2006 Jackson-Triggs Proprietors’ Reserve Shiraz, Okanagan Valley, $19.99, QPR: 4
2006 Township 7 Syrah, Okanagan Valley, $24.99, QPR: 4
2005 Hester Creek Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Okanagan Valley, $34.99, QPR: 4
2008 Hester Creek Late Harvest Pinot Blanc, Okanagan Valley, $14.99, QPR: 3
2008 Jackson-Triggs Proprietors’ Reserve Rosé, Okanagan Valley, $14.99, QPR: 3
2007 Jackson-Triggs Proprietors’ Reserve Viognier, Okanagan Valley, $15.99, QPR: 3
2008 Hester Creek Semillon Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley, $15.99, QPR: 3
2008 Gehringer Brothers Dry Rock Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Okanagan Valley, $15.99, QPR: 3
2006 Inniskillin Chenin Blanc Discovery Series, Okanagan Valley, $16.99, QPR: 3
2007 Lang Vineyards Grand Pinot White, British Columbia, $18.90, QPR: 3
2006 Inniskillin Meritage Single Vineyard Series Dark Horse Estate Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, $24.99, QPR: 3
2007 Gehringer Brothers Riesling Icewine, Okanagan Valley, $46.99 [375ml], QPR: 3
2005 Mistral Grand Reserve, Okanagan Valley, $39.90, QPR: 2
2007 Mistral Gamay Icewine, Similkameen Valley, $54.90 [375ml], QPR: 2

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
2007 Gehringer Brothers Late Harvest Riesling, Okanagan Valley, $17.99, QPR: 5
2007 Hester Creek Chardonnay, British Columbia, $13.99, QPR: 4
2007 Gehringer Brothers Dry Rock Vineyard Merlot, Okanagan Valley, $14.99, QPR: 4
2007 Gehringer Brothers Dry Rock Vineyard Cabernet Merlot, Okanagan Valley, $14.99, QPR: 4
2007 Hester Creek Merlot, Okanagan Valley, $16.99, QPR: 4
2006 Lang Vineyards Grand Pinot Red, Okanagan Valley, $19.90, QPR: 4
2008 Gehringer Brothers Optimum Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, $20.99, QPR: 4
2006 Inniskillin Cabernet Sauvignon Single Vineyard Series Dark Horse Estate Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, $24.99, QPR: 4
2007 Jackson-Triggs Proprietors’ Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, Okanagan Valley, $13.99, QPR: 3
2008 Gehringer Brothers Private Reserve Pinot Gris, Okanagan Valley, $14.99, QPR: 3
2008 Tinhorn Creek Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley, $17.99, QPR: 3
2007 Jackson-Triggs Grand Reserve White Meritage, Okanagan Valley, $21.99, QPR: 3
2008 Gehringer Brothers Cabernet Franc Icewine, Okanagan Valley, $47.99 [375ml], QPR: 3
2007 Township 7 Rosé, British Columbia, $15.99, QPR: 2
2008 Hester Creek Pinot Gris, Okanagan Valley, $16.99, QPR: 2
2006 Mistral Cabernet Franc, British Columbia, $26.90, QPR: 2
2004 Mistral Merlot, Okanagan Valley, $29.90, QPR: 2
2007 Burrowing Owl Merlot, Okanagan Valley, $30, QPR: 2
2008 Lang Vineyards Marechal Foch, Okanagan Valley, $17.90, QPR: 1
2008 Hester Creek Trebbiano, Okanagan Valley, $18.99, QPR: 1
2007 Township 7 Sauvignon Blanc, Okanagan Valley, $18.99, QPR: 1
2007 Township 7 Gewurztraminer, Okanagan Valley, $18.99, QPR: 1
2006 Lang Vineyards Late Harvest Gewurztraminer, Okanagan Valley, $19.90, QPR: 1

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
2008 Gehringer Brothers Dry Riesling, Okanagan Valley, $13.99, QPR: NR
2008 Gehringer Brothers Auxerrois, Okanagan Valley, $13.99, QPR: NR
2007 Hester Creek Cabernet Merlot, Okanagan Valley, $15.99, QPR: NR
2008 Tinhorn Creek Pinot Gris, Okanagan Valley, $16.50, QPR: NR
2008 Tinhorn Creek Gewurztraminer, Okanagan Valley, $16.50, QPR: NR
2007 Gehringer Brothers Late Harvest Cabernet Franc, Okanagan Valley, $16.99, QPR: NR
2007 Mistral Viognier, British Columbia, $17.90, QPR: NR
2008 Township 7 Unoaked Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley, $17.99, QPR: NR
2006 Tinhorn Creek Cabernet Merlot, Okanagan Valley, $17.99, QPR: NR
2007 Lang Vineyards Gewurztraminer, British Columbia, $18.90, QPR: NR
2008 Burrowing Owl Pinot Gris, Okanagan Valley, $20, QPR: NR
2006 Lang Vineyards Signature Series Pinot Blanc, Okanagan Valley, $22.90, QPR: NR
2007 Inniskillin Marsanne Roussanne Discovery Series, Okanagan Valley, $24.99, QPR: NR
2007 Burrowing Owl Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley, $25, QPR: NR

Quality: 2 stars (out of 5)
2007 Tinhorn Creek Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, $18.99, QPR: NR

Canadian Wine Country: A Weekend in the Okanagan Valley was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

We found visiting Australian cellar doors (wine tasting rooms) to be one of the great wine experiences in the world. First, there are virtually no tasting fees (at least as of 2005 when we were last there). The hosts are knowledgeable and extremely friendly. Rather than limiting you to three small tastes for a $5 or $10 fee, the Australians want you to taste all ten or 15 wines they have on display and are almost offended if you don’t. And they don’t hide the “good” stuff. We had free tastings of $70-$80 bottles of excellent wine. [I realize that Liquor Control Board laws in many states in the U.S. do not permit this same level of hospitality.]

“…I found in Australia a soulmate. And I sometimes feel as though purely by chance we’ve both been beating the same path to the same destination at the same time. Good wine; enjoyable approachable wine available to all, affordable by all. Sometimes seeking to provide the greatest pleasure for the greatest number and achieving it. Sometimes saying ‘We’re not frightened, we can equal those old-timers from Europe.’ But more often saying ‘We’re Australian, we don’t try to copy anyone. Take us for what we are and enjoy it.’” –Oz Clarke, Oz Clarke’s Australian Wine Companion

In North America, we have found the wineries and tasting rooms in Washington State and the Okanagan Valley of Canada to be the closest to Australia in their friendly attitude toward consumers.

In contrast, we have visited a number of regions that are very well-known for their wines but, for the most part, the people seem to fall short in their customer service skills. While I would recommend that any wine lover take a trip to France if the opportunity arises because of its rich wine history, many chateaus in France are not open to the public and some of those that are act like they are doing you a favor to let you taste their wines.

Napa tends to be over-crowded and charge high tasting fees. We even found some people at the tasting rooms in Napa who looked down their noses at us and their other guests while charging us all to taste their third label. [If you go wine tasting in California, we recommend that you visit Sonoma instead where we have found the wines to be just as good yet the people are much friendlier.] And finally, the most disappointing in all of our wine trips was the reception we got (or should I say didn’t get) in Oregon. Really, what do they have to be snooty about?

Now, in which of those environments do you feel an obligation to buy? For me, the easy answer is Australia. Even though I am not able to visit Australia frequently, the positive experience that we had there, not to mention the fact that they produce outstanding wines at reasonable prices, makes me want to buy their wines and encourage you to do so also.

What have been your experiences, great and not so great, as you have visited wine regions throughout the world? Please leave a comment and share your thoughts with us.

Australia really wants your business was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

“You only have so many bottles in your life, never drink a bad one.” –Len Evans

Wine prices are not inherently linked to quality and pleasure. As we’ve said in the About page, we’ve tried wines in and from almost every major wine-producing area in the world. We’ve had blind tastings and wine tasting dinners to compare what we thought were our favorites from each region and each varietal.

My conclusion: A high price does not necessarily make a great wine. In fact, the least expensive wine has actually been the consensus favorite more often than the most expensive wine in our tastings. That is why we started this blog with the post, You can’t taste the label. Here are some examples of wineries I have found that produce great wines at reasonable prices:

United States
Washington:
Columbia Crest
Domaine Ste. Michelle (sparkling)
California:
Pedroncelli
Rosenblum
Sebastiani
Villa Mt. Eden

Australia
Jacob’s Creek Reserve
Penfolds (Koonunga Hill Range)
Peter Lehmann
St Hallett
Thorn-Clarke
Wynns Coonawarra Estate

Canada
Jackson-Triggs

Chile
Concha y Toro

France
Chateau Branda
Chateau Potensac
Chateau Thieuley
Guigal

Italy
Gabbiano
Michele Chiarlo

New Zealand
Kim Crawford
Nobilo
Matua Valley
Saint Clair

South Africa
Fairview

Spain
Las Rocas de San Alejandro

We’ll make specific vintage and varietal recommendations from many of these wineries in coming weeks and months as well as identify other great value producers from around the world as time goes on.

You can buy great value wines for under $20 (some under $10). was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.