Recently, we had the opportunity to taste some of Cedergreen’s current releases in a blind samples tasting. We were especially impressed with the 2007 Thuja Red Wine, which is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. We also really enjoyed the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2009 Old Vine Chenin Blanc. Chenin Blanc is a sentimental favorite of mine because it was one of the first varieties that I fell in love with when I first got into wine. Very few wineries in Washington State produce a Chenin Blanc so I look forward to the release of Cedergreen’s Old Vine Chenin each year.

If you have not had any Cedergreen wines, I encourage you to give them a try if you see them on the shelf at your local wine shop. You’ll recognize them by the distinctive red square on their labels.

2007 Cedergreen Thuja Red Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep ruby red. Nice nose with aromas of blackberry, black cherry, and pencil shavings. Red and black fruits as well as cinnamon come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity and medium to high 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: Received as sample, suggested retail $25

2007 Cedergreen Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep, dark red in color. Very aromatic with oak and black fruits on the nose. Blackberry, black cherry, and spice dominate the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $29

2009 Cedergreen Old Vine Chenin Blanc (Columbia Valley, Washington): Very light straw yellow, almost white. Very aromatic with lemon, tropical, and mineral notes on the nose. Lemon drops, lime, and a hint of melon come through on the palate. Dry and light-bodied with crisp 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

2009 Cedergreen Sauvignon Blanc (Columbia Valley, Washington): Very light straw yellow, almost white. Nose is a bit tight at first, and then some floral aromas and faint citrus notes come through. Citrus fruit and honeysuckle dominate the palate. Dry and light-bodied with lively acidity and a medium to long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $14

2007 Cedergreen Merlot (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep red in color. Aromatic with oak, smoke, and beef jerky on the nose. Black plum, beef jerky, and smoke come through 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: Received as sample, suggested retail $36; Available elsewhere, $36

Current Releases from Cedergreen Cellars was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Due to its close proximity to Seattle, we have visited Woodinville several times in the last month or so. We focused our visits predominately on wineries whose current Woodinville tasting rooms we had not previously visited; although, in many cases, we have tasted their wines at one time or another. In addition to these visits, we also recently had an extended visit and interview with Rod and Leslie Balsley at William Church Winery and attended the Woodinville Wine Country “Taste for the Trade” event in Seattle. We capped off our most recent visit to Woodinville as guests of Chateau Ste. Michelle for a fabulous Harry Connick, Jr. concert that was a part of their Summer Concert Series.

If you haven’t made a Woodinville wine tasting trip yet, I highly encourage you to do so whether you live in Seattle and are looking for a fun afternoon outing or you are vacationing in the area. (Click here for our updated .pdf list of Woodinville wineries/tasting rooms including website, address, phone, and hours.)

Obviously with over 90 wineries and tasting rooms in Woodinville today, it is impossible to visit them all in an afternoon or even a long weekend. However, there are several areas with concentrations of wineries/tasting rooms within Woodinville that makes it easy to focus your visits on different areas. You may want to visit the warehouse district one day, the Hollywood Schoolhouse area another day, and the stand-alones (Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia, Novelty Hill/Januik, etc.) another day. No matter where in Woodinville you are going, if you do not like crowds and would rather avoid the limos carrying bachelorette partygoers, you might want to visit on a day other than Saturday.

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that we tasted during our recent visits to Woodinville. 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)
2008 Hollywood Hill Vineyards Mourvedre, Horse Heaven Hills, $34, QPR: 5
2008 Obelisco Estate Electrum Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $60, QPR: 5
2007 Mark Ryan Lonely Heart Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $75, QPR: 5
2008 Gorman Winery The Evil Twin Syrah/Cab, Red Mountain, $60, QPR: 4
2007 Gorman Winery The Albatross Cab/Petit Verdot, Red Mountain, $80, QPR: 3

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
2006 Robert Ramsay Syrah, Horse Heaven Hills, $20, QPR: 5
2008 Alexandria Nicole Quarry Butte (Cab-based blend), Horse Heaven Hills, $20, QPR: 5
2009 Gorman Winery Late Harvest Chenin Blanc, Columbia Valley, $25 [375ml], QPR: 5
2008 Obelisco Estate Tejen Merlot, Red Mountain, $30, QPR: 5
2006 Ross Andrew Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 5
2007 Robert Ramsay Upland Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Snipes Mountain, $38, QPR: 5
2007 Gorman Winery The Bully Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $42, QPR: 5
2007 Ross Andrew Boushey Vineyard Syrah, Yakima Valley, $28, QPR: 4
2006 Chatter Creek Clifton Hill Syrah, Wahluke Slope, $28, QPR: 4
2007 Pepper Bridge Merlot, Walla Walla Valley, $50, QPR: 4
2008 Alexandria Nicole Malbec, Horse Heaven Hills, $38, QPR: 3
2008 JM Cellars Longevity (Bordeaux-style blend), Columbia Valley, $38, QPR: 3
2007 Baer Winery Arctos (Cab-based blend), Columbia Valley, $41, QPR: 3
2008 Gorman Winery The Pixie Syrah, Red Mountain, $42, QPR: 3
2007 Robert Ramsay Mourvedre, Horse Heaven Hills, $42, QPR: 3
2008 Mark Ryan Wild Eyed Syrah, Red Mountain, $45, QPR: 3
2008 Mark Ryan Viognier, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 2
2008 Mark Ryan Crazy Mary Mourvedre, Red Mountain, $45, QPR: 2

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2008 Alexandria Nicole Steel Horse Sauvignon Blanc, Horse Heaven Hills, $14, QPR: 4
2009 Baer Winery Shard (unoaked Chardonnay), Columbia Valley, $21, QPR: 4
2008 Tempest Sol Syrah, Yakima Valley, $21, QPR: 4
2006 Chatter Creek Lonesome Spring Ranch Syrah, Yakima Valley, $22, QPR: 4
2008 Alexandria Nicole Gravity Merlot, Horse Heaven Hills, $24, QPR: 4
2007 Alexandria Nicole Jet Black Syrah, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 4
2008 JM Cellars Merlot, Red Mountain, $35, QPR: 4
2009 Flying Dreams Little Red Rosé, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: 3
2008 Gecko Malbec, Wahluke Slope, $20, QPR: 3
2008 Mark Ryan Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 3
2007 Amavi Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $28, QPR: 3
2008 Obelisco Estate Tejen Syrah, Red Mountain, $30, QPR: 3
2008 Obelisco Estate Tejen Red Blend, Red Mountain, $30, QPR: 3
2008 Mark Ryan The Dissident Red, Columbia Valley, $32, QPR: 3
2007 Pepper Bridge Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $55, QPR: 3
2006 Pepper Bridge Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $55, QPR: 3
2009 Alexandria Nicole Crawford Viognier, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 2
2009 Alexandria Nicole Shepherds Mark (Rouss/Marsanne/Viog), Horse Heaven Hills, $20, QPR: 2
2007 Michael Florentino Tempranillo, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 2
2008 Obelisco Estate Tejen Malbec, Red Mountain, $30, QPR: 2
2008 Hollywood Hill Vineyards Grenache, Horse Heaven Hills, $30, QPR: 2
2007 Baer Winery Ursa (Merlot-based blend), Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 2
2009 Gorman Winery The Big Sissy Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 2
2006 JM Cellars Columbia Valley Cuvee (Bordeaux-style blend), Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 2
2007 Robert Ramsay Boushey Vineyards Syrah, Yakima Valley, $38, QPR: 2
2007 Alexandria Nicole Duck Press Red, Horse Heaven Hills, $38, QPR: 2
2008 Alexandria Nicole Members Only (Rhone-style blend), Horse Heaven Hills, $42, QPR: 1
2007 JM Cellars Nietos (Red blend), Columbia Valley, $55, QPR: 1

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
2008 Tempest Sol Rosé (Merlot), Columbia Valley, $15, QPR: 4
2007 Gecko Sangiovese, Columbia Valley, $17, QPR: 4
2008 Mark Ryan The Vincent Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 4
2007 Amavi Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $28, QPR: 4
2009 Convergence Zone Riesling, Yakima Valley, $15, QPR: 3
2003 JM Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $22, QPR: 3
2008 Tempest Sol Dusk (Merlot/Syrah), Yakima Valley, $24, QPR: 3
2006 Ross Andrew Syrah-Cabernet Blend, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 3
2009 Gecko Cellars Rosé, Columbia Valley, $15, QPR: 2
2009 Ross Andrew Celilo Vineyard Pinot Gris, Columbia Gorge, $18, QPR: 2
2007 Chatter Creek Viognier, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: 2
2008 Chatter Creek Grenache, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: 2
2008 Chatter Creek Orange Muscat, Lonesome Spring Ranch, Yakima Valley, $18, QPR: 2
2008 Gorman Winery Zachary’s Ladder Red Blend, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 2
2009 Flying Dreams Coquette Sauvignon Blanc, Spring Creek Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 1
2009 JM Cellars Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 1

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
2008 Ross Andrew Meadow (Pinot Blanc basically), Willamette Valley (OR), $16, QPR: NR
2009 Tempest Sol Riesling, Yakima Valley, $17, QPR: NR
2007 Michael Florentino Merlot, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: NR
2009 Lion’s Oak Sauvignon Blanc, Red Mountain, $20, QPR: NR

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

Last week, the Loire Valley Wine Bureau hosted a trade tasting of Loire Valley wines in Seattle. It was a great opportunity for Dad (John) and I to explore Loire Valley wines further. While over 100 different wines were being poured from all over the Loire Valley and made from many different grape varieties, we decided to focus our tasting on Cabernet Franc and dry Chenin Blanc.

In the Loire Valley, “Cabernet” means Cabernet Franc. It was the Loire’s first red grape variety, and it thrives there. Known for its earth, spice, and red fruit characteristics, Cabernet Franc is the red grape variety used to produce wines in Chinon, Bourgueil, Saumur, Saumur-Champigny, and Anjou, among others.

Chenin Blanc is a white grape variety native to the Loire Valley. It is able to adapt to different microclimates and therefore is produced in a wide variety of styles, from dry to sweet to sparkling. Chenin Blanc is the primary white variety in appellations such as Vouvray, Anjou, Chinon, and Saumur.

Of the wines we tasted, one Cabernet Franc and one Chenin Blanc stood out above the rest. We thought that the 2006 Domaine Jo Pithon Anjou (Cabernet Franc) and the 2009 Pierre Chainier Clos de Nouys Vouvray Sec (Chenin Blanc) were excellent. As far as value goes, the wines of Cave des Vignerons de Saumur delivered serious bang for the buck. If you have not had any or many wines from the Loire Valley, I encourage you to seek out one of these wines to help expand your palate. These wines are quite distinctive and really express the unique terroir of the Loire Valley.

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that we tasted at the Loire Valley Wines event. Under each Quality heading, the wine name, grape variety, and region within the Loire Valley 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)
2006 Domaine Jo Pithon Anjou (Cabernet Franc), Anjou, $24.99, QPR: 4
2009 Pierre Chainier Clos de Nouys Vouvray Sec (Chenin Blanc), Vouvray, $21.99, QPR: 3

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2009 Cave des Vignerons de Saumur Lieu-Dit Les Vignoles Saumur-Champigny (Cabernet Franc), Saumur-Champigny, $12.99, QPR: 5
2005 Chateau de Targe Saumur-Champigny (Cabernet Franc), Saumur-Champigny, $18.99, QPR: 4
2005 Domaine Baudry-Dutour Perriere Vieilles Vignes Chinon (Cabernet Franc), Chinon, $22, QPR: 4
2008 Laurent Kraft Vouvray Sec (Chenin Blanc), Vouvray, $16, QPR: 3
2004 Couly Dutheil Clos De L’Echo Chinon (Cabernet Franc), Chinon, $34.99, QPR: 2

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
2009 Cave des Vignerons de Saumur Les Pouches Saumur (Cabernet Franc), Saumur, $9.99, QPR: 5
2009 Cave des Vignerons de Saumur Lieu-Dit Les Epinats Saumur (Cabernet Franc), Saumur, $9.99, QPR: 5
2009 Cave des Vignerons de Saumur Lieu-Dit Beauregard Bourgueil (Cabernet Franc), Bourgueil, $10.99, QPR: 5
2009 Cave des Vignerons de Saumur Le Haut Vignot Anjou (Chenin Blanc), Anjou, $8.99, QPR: 4
2009 Cave des Vignerons de Saumur Lieu-Dit Les Epinats Saumur (Chenin Blanc), Saumur, $9.99, QPR: 4
2007 Domaine de Quarres Metis Anjou-Villages (Cabernet Franc), Anjou-Villages, $17, QPR: 4
2007 Remy Pannier Chinon (Cabernet Franc), Chinon, $19, QPR: 3
2004 Wilfrid Rousse Vieilles Vignes Chinon (Cabernet Franc), Chinon, $20, QPR: 3
2007 Domaine Filliatreau Grande Vignolle Saumur-Champigny (Cabernet Franc), Saumur-Champigny, $20, QPR: 3
2009 Couly Dutheil Les Chanteaux Chinon (Chenin Blanc), Chinon, $26.99, QPR: 1

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
2009 Cave des Vignerons de Saumur Les Pouches Saumur (Chenin Blanc), Saumur, $9.99, QPR: NR
2005 Domaine des Baumard Logis de la Giraudiere Anjou (Cabernet Franc), Anjou, $17, QPR: NR
2009 Pierre Gauthier Jour De Soif Bourgueil (Cabernet Franc), Bourgueil, $19.99, QPR: NR
2007 Couly Dutheil Barronie Madaleine Chinon (Cabernet Franc), Chinon, $22.99, QPR: NR

Loire Valley Wines: Diverse, yet Distinctive was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

As a judge for the WBC-or-BUST contest, I was invited to join the group of winners for a few of their pre-conference stops: a Woodinville Grand Tasting at Willows Lodge, Brunch and Unique AVA Wine Tasting at Cave B in Quincy, and the Walla Walla Vintners Pizza & Wine Social. These stops allowed me to visit with many winemakers and taste numerous wines before the conference was officially underway.

Things really kicked into high gear on Friday with the official start of the conference. We enjoyed a taco truck tasting for lunch followed by a keynote address by wine writer Steve Heimoff of Wine Enthusiast and SteveHeimoff.com on the future of wine writing. He made several points that really resonated with me: 1) Know who you are, find your voice, and then stretch it. 2) Transparency is key. Bloggers are forcing print critics to be more transparent. 3) To develop and expand your palate, it is important to read a lot, taste a lot, and write a lot. Alan Kropf of Mutineer Magazine then presented the 2010 Wine Blog Awards. Congratulations to all of the winners!

A portion of each day was devoted to breakout sessions on a variety of topics. I won’t bore you with the details, but we found most of the sessions very interesting and informative. We hope to incorporate some of the suggestions and ideas we formulated during these sessions to make Wine Peeps even better. The thread that ran through all of the sessions was the importance of remembering that we are all wine writers, no matter whether our platform is a blog, a newspaper, a magazine, or a book. And once again, there was an emphasis on social networking and interacting with our readers. (So if you aren’t already, please follow/like us on Twitter and Facebook.)

This year, we had two Live Wine Blogging segments (White Wines on Friday and Red Wines on Saturday) which featured wines poured for us by the winemakers themselves in a fast and furious “speed dating”-like format.

Ste. Michelle Wine Estates hosted dinner on Friday evening. Doug Gore, Senior Vice President of Winemaking and Vineyard Operations, introduced a number of their winemakers who were on hand pouring their wines. The highlight of the evening was when Domaine Ste. Michelle sparkling winemaker, Rick Casqueiro, demonstrated how to open a bottle of sparking wine with a saber. After dinner, we visited a number of tasting rooms in downtown Walla Walla who opened for an after-hours walkabout.

We got up bright and early the next morning for a fascinating presentation on the terroirs of the Walla Walla Valley by geologist Kevin Pogue. His talk was a perfect start to a day spent visiting vineyards and wineries in the Walla Walla Valley. We divided into groups of 15 and boarded buses, not knowing where we were headed until we got there. Our bus enjoyed visits to Cougar Hills Vineyard, a Syrah tasting and panel presentation at Skylite Cellars that also featured wines by Smasne Cellars and Riverhaven Cellars, and lunch at Pepper Bridge Winery.

The Washington Wine Commission hosted a grand tasting of Washington wines followed by a family-style dinner on Saturday evening with a Washington winemaker sitting at each table. Lettie Teague, wine columnist for The Wall Street Journal and author of Educating Peter, gave the keynote address on finding your voice.

One of my favorite sessions of the weekend was also the last, a Food and Wine Pairing seminar and lunch with chef Jeffrey Saad, the runner up on season 5 of The Next Food Network Star. The conference officially ended just after lunch on Sunday.

While I enjoyed all of the keynotes, sessions, events, and tastings, the best part of the conference was getting to meet so many of our fellow wine bloggers in person and see some friends we had made at previous conferences.

Many thanks to Allan Wright of Zephyr Wine Adventures and Joel Vincent of the OpenWine Consortium for organizing this wonderful conference and to all of the sponsors for your support in making it a reality.

We stayed in Walla Walla for a couple of extra days in order to visit a few more wineries. In the coming weeks, I will be posting in more detail about some of the conference topics and wineries we visited.

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that we tasted before, during, and after the Wine Bloggers Conference, except those that we already rated during the Live Wine Blogging segments (White Wines on Friday and Red Wines on Saturday). 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 Fielding Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope, $38, QPR: 5
2007 Betz Père de Famille Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $60, QPR: 5
2006 Boudreaux Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington State, $100, QPR: 5
2008 Betz La Côte Patriarche Syrah, Red Willow Vineyard, Yakima Valley, $55, QPR: 4

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
2008 Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen Eroica Riesling, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: 5
2006 Rulo Syrah, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 5
2008 Walla Walla Vintners Sangiovese, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 5
2009 Hollywood Hill Vineyards Chardonnay, Puget Sound, $24, QPR: 5
2007 Gilbert Cellars Estate Syrah, Wahluke Slope, $24, QPR: 5
2007 Glencorrie Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 5
2007 Rulo Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills, $40, QPR: 5
2009 Sparkman Cellars Pearl Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley, $19, QPR: 4
2009 Syncline Grüner Veltliner, Underwood Mountain Vineyard, Columbia Gorge, $20, QPR: 4
2009 Dowsett Family Winery Gewurztraminer, Celilo Vineyard, Columbia Gorge, $20, QPR: 4
2007 Camaraderie Tempranillo, Yakima Valley, $25, QPR: 4
2008 Nefarious Rx-4 Red Wine (Rhone-style blend), Columbia Valley, $27, QPR: 4
2007 Barrister Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $27, QPR: 4
2005 Skylite Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $32, QPR: 4
2008 Dusted Valley Big Bad MOFO! Petite Sirah, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 4
2006 Rulo Silo Reserve Syrah, Wahluke Slope, $35, QPR: 4
2006 Columbia Crest Walter Clore Private Reserve Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $36, QPR: 4
2005 Otis Kenyon Reserve Merlot, Seven Hills Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley, $40, QPR: 4
2007 Pepper Bridge Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $55, QPR: 4
2008 William Church Malbec, Gamache Vineyards, Columbia Valley, $32, QPR: 3
2008 Hollywood Hill Vineyards Malbec, Wahluke Slope, $34, QPR: 3
2006 Cave B Cuvée de Soleil (Bordeaux-style red blend), Columbia Valley, $40, QPR: 3
2008 Buty Merlot and Cabernet Franc, Conner Lee & Champoux Vineyards, Columbia Valley, $40, QPR: 3
2007 Sparkman Cellars Ruby Leigh (Merlot-based blend), Columbia Valley, $42, QPR: 3
2007 Andrew Will Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Red Bordeaux Blend, Red Mountain, $45, QPR: 3
2006 Glencorrie Cuvée Marquis (Bordeaux-style blend), Columbia Valley, $45, QPR: 3
2007 Skylite Reserve (Malbec-based blend), Columbia Valley, $47, QPR: 3
2006 Alma Terra Syrah, Ciel du Cheval Vineyard, Red Mountain, $54, QPR: 2
2007 Buty Rediviva of the Stones (Syrah/Cab), Walla Walla Valley, $55, QPR: 2
2007 Pepper Bridge Winery Pepper Bridge Vineyard Red Wine, Walla Walla Valley, $55, QPR: 2
2006 Col Solare (Cabernet-based blend), Columbia Valley, $75, QPR: 1

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2009 Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling, Columbia Valley, $9, QPR: 5
NV Domaine Ste. Michelle Blanc de Noirs, Columbia Valley, $12, QPR: 5
2006 Kiona Estate Lemberger, Red Mountain, $12, QPR: 5
2009 Nefarious Riesling, Stone’s Throw Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: 4
NV Barrister Rough Justice (Red blend), Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 4
2008 Rulo Sundance Chardonnay, Wahluke Slope, $20, QPR: 4
NV Hard Row to Hoe Pinot Noir, Lake Chelan, $25, QPR: 4
2007 Walla Walla Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $35, QPR: 4
2006 Glencorrie Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 4
2006 Glencorrie Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $40, QPR: 4
2007 Glencorrie Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $40, QPR: 4
2006 Rulo Cabernet Sauvignon, Klipsun Vineyard, Red Mountain, $40, QPR: 4
2008 Cedergreen Old Vine Chenin Blanc, Columbia Valley, $17, QPR: 3
2009 Cedergreen Old Vine Chenin Blanc, Columbia Valley, $17, QPR: 3
2009 Tildio Viognier, Lake Chelan, $18, QPR: 3
2008 Cougar Crest Grenache Rosé, Walla Walla Valley, $18, QPR: 3
2008 Rulo Viognier, Walla Walla Valley, $18, QPR: 3
2008 Walla Walla Vintners Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 3
2007 Dowsett Family Winery Devotion (Rhone-style red blend), Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 3
2006 Skylite Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 3
2007 Skylite Cellars Syrah, Minnick Vineyard, Yakima Valley, $28, QPR: 3
2007 Hollywood Hill Vineyards Syrah, Red Mountain, $32, QPR: 3
2007 SYZYGY Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $33, QPR: 3
2007 Sinclair Estate Syrah, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 3
2008 Buty Conner Lee Vineyard Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 3
2007 Woodward Canyon “Artist Series” Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington State, $49, QPR: 3
2007 Cooper Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $50, QPR: 3
2009 Amavi Semillon, Walla Walla Valley, $20, QPR: 2
2009 William Church Viognier, Conner Lee Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $21, QPR: 2
2009 Doyenne Rosé (Rhone-style blend), Yakima Valley, $23, QPR: 2
2009 Hollywood Hill Vineyards Roussanne, Horse Heaven Hills, $24, QPR: 2
2007 Camaraderie Malbec, Crawford Vineyard, Yakima Valley, $25, QPR: 2
2008 CAVU Malbec, Columbia Winery, $30, QPR: 2
2007 Cougar Crest Cabernet Franc, Walla Walla Valley, $36, QPR: 2
2007 Doyenne Syrah, Yakima Valley, $39, QPR: 2
2007 Pepper Bridge Winery Merlot, Walla Walla Valley, $50, QPR: 2
2007 Sparkman Cellars Stella Mae (Cabernet-based blend), Columbia Valley, $42, QPR: 1
2007 Sinclair Estate Vixen (Rhone-style red blend), Columbia Valley, $45, QPR: 1
2005 SYZYGY Saros (Tempranillo/Malbec/Cab), Columbia Valley, $45, QPR: 1
2007 Glencorrie Cuvée Marquis (Bordeaux-style blend), Columbia Valley, $45, QPR: 1
2007 Spring Valley Vineyard Frederick Cabernet Blend, Walla Walla Valley, $50, QPR: 1
2006 Alma Terra Syrah, Minnick Vineyard, Yakima Valley, $54, QPR: 1
2006 Pepper Bridge Winery Pepper Bridge Vineyard Red Wine, Walla Walla Valley, $55, QPR: 1
2007 Pepper Bridge Winery Seven Hills Vineyard Red Wine, Walla Walla Valley, $55, QPR: 1

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
2007 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Merlot, Columbia Valley, $13, QPR: 5
2007 DaMa Cowgirl Cab, Columbia Valley, $21, QPR: 5
2007 Rulo Syrca Red Wine (Syrah/Cab), Columbia Valley, $15, QPR: 4
2009 DaMa Rosé (Mourvedre/Syrah), Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: 4
2008 DaMa Syrah, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: 4
2007 Gilbert Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope, $28, QPR: 4
2007 Riverhaven Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, River Rock Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley, $34, QPR: 3
2006 SYZYGY Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $36, QPR: 3
2009 Shameless Hussy [Hard Row to Hoe] Sangiovese Dry Rosé, Lake Chelan, $15, QPR: 2
2009 Rulo Combine (Sauvignon Blanc/Muscat Ottonel), Evergreen Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $15, QPR: 2
2009 Rulo Rosé (Syrah/Cab), Walla Walla Valley, $15, QPR: 2
2007 Cedergreen Old Vine Chenin Blanc, Columbia Valley, $17, QPR: 2
2009 Cave B Saignée Rosé, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: 2
2007 Tildio Merlot, Columbia Valley, $27, QPR: 2
2007 Des Voigne Cellars The Duke Red Wine (Zinfandel blend), Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 2
2007 Riverhaven Estate Syrah, River Rock Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley, $28, QPR: 2
2007 Glencorrie Merlot, Stillwater Creek Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 2
2009 Davenport Cellars Semillon, Columbia Valley, $19, QPR: 1
2007 Cougar Crest Viognier, Walla Walla Valley, $20, QPR: 1
2008 Tru Rosé (Syrah/Chard/Riesling), Washington State, $21, QPR: 1
2008 CAVU Barbera, Horse Heaven Hills, $30, QPR: 1
2008 Hollywood Hill Vineyards Cabernet Franc, Rattlesnake Hills, $32, QPR: 1
2007 Dusted Valley Malbec, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 1
2007 Camaraderie Elegance (Bordeaux-style red blend), Meek Family Vineyard, Yakima Valley, $35, QPR: 1
2007 Smasne Cellars Block 3 Syrah, Lawrence Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 1

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
2007 Sweet Valley Double Barrel Red, Walla Walla Valley, $20, QPR: NR
2008 Rulo Birch Creek Chardonnay, Walla Walla Valley, $20, QPR: NR
2009 DaMa Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $21, QPR: NR
NV Tru Blanc de Blancs, Washington State, $40, QPR: NR
2007 Sinclair Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $45, QPR: NR

Quality: 2 stars (out of 5)
2007 Tru Gewurztraminer, Celilo Vineyard, Columbia Gorge, $21, QPR: NR

Highlights and Wine Tastings from the 2010 Wine Bloggers Conference was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

At first, Kevin focused exclusively on white wines but has since added red wines to his portfolio. I think that was a great decision. Dad (John) and I first met Kevin at the Cabernet Classic last fall. Recently, we tasted some of Cedergreen’s current releases in a blind samples tasting. We thought that the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon was excellent. We had tasted it at the Cab Classic, and it has only gotten better with additional time in the bottle. We also really enjoyed the 2008 Old Vine Chenin Blanc. I have a soft spot for Chenin Blanc, as it was one of the first varieties that I fell in love with when I first got into wine. Unfortunately, it is not a regular part of the portfolio for many wineries so I am always thrilled to find wineries that do produce it.

If you have not had any Cedergreen wines, I encourage you to give them a try if you see them on the shelf at your local wine shop. You’ll recognize them by the distinctive red square on their labels.

2006 Cedergreen Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): Medium-deep red and very aromatic. Vegetal and mint aromas on the nose; coffee, tobacco, and black fruits on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $29

2008 Cedergreen Old Vine Chenin Blanc (Columbia Valley, Washington): Very light straw yellow, almost white. Very aromatic with vanilla, guava, and papaya on the nose; melon and lemon zest on the palate. Dry and light-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with a long 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, $18

2006 Cedergreen Thuja Red Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Medium red in color. Perfume aromas lead to flavors of black fruits, coffee, and mint. Medium to full-bodied and crisp with medium, dry tannins and a long, slightly bitter finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $25; Available elsewhere, $21

2006 Cedergreen Merlot (Columbia Valley, Washington): Medium-deep red. Moderately aromatic with oak and red fruits on both the nose and palate. Medium-bodied and crisp with medium, dry tannins and a long, slightly bitter finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $36

Cedergreen Cellars: An Integration of New World Styles was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Consistent with Grahm’s commitment to sustainability, Pacific Rim is a certified Organic producer by the Washington State Department of Agriculture and produced the first and only Demeter certified Biodynamic wine in Washington State.

Pacific Rim is not shy about its dedication to Riesling. The winery’s website address is www.RieslingRules.com. They are not only committed to producing exceptional Riesling but also to educating wine consumers about the variety. A section of their website, called Crush Pad, claims to be “the ultimate Riesling resource.” They have written a book called Riesling Rules (surprise!) that is available online (a free hard copy available upon request). With its Fourth Edition due out this spring, Riesling Rules covers just about everything you could possibly want to know about the variety.

Annual production at Pacific Rim is 140,000 cases with about 90 percent being Riesling. Producing a total of fifteen wines, Pacific Rim makes ten different Rieslings which run the spectrum from dry to sweet to organic to sparkling and just about everything in between. Recently, we had the opportunity to taste a number of Pacific Rim’s current releases in a blind samples tasting. We were able to try eight of their fifteen wines, including six different Rieslings. Given their quality, value, and availability, I encourage you to pick up any of these wines if you see them on the shelf at your local wine shop.

Rieslings:

2008 Pacific Rim Sweet Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale, greenish yellow. Very aromatic with apricots and honey on the nose; honey, dried apricots, white peach, and pineapple on the palate. Medium sweet and medium-bodied with lively acidity. Well-balanced with a long finish. Residual Sugar: 8.4%
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

2009 Pacific Rim Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale, greenish yellow. Very aromatic with candied peaches, honey, and fruitcake aromas. White peach, pear, and tropical flavors show through on the palate. Off-dry, medium-bodied, and crisp. Well-balanced with a long finish. Residual Sugar: 2.3%
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

2009 Pacific Rim Organic Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale, greenish yellow. Nose is a bit tight at first but then pear and floral aromas come through. Flavors of pear and hibiscus. Off-dry and medium-bodied with lively acidity. Well-balanced with a long finish. Residual Sugar: 3.6%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $14

2007 Pacific Rim Vin de Glaciere Riesling (Selenium Vineyard, Columbia Valley, Washington): Sweet dessert wine made from post-harvest frozen Riesling grapes. Medium goldenrod yellow. Aromas of cotton candy and honey; flavors of pears, apricots, and honey. Very sweet, medium-bodied, lively acidity, and a long finish. Residual Sugar: 16%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $14 [375ml]

2007 Pacific Rim Dry Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Medium yellow-gold. Aromas and flavors of grass, pears, green apples, and citrus fruits. Dry, light to medium-bodied with crisp, almost tart, acidity and a long finish. Residual Sugar: 0.8%
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $10

2007 Pacific Rim Wallula Vineyard Biodynamic Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Golden yellow in color. Honey, minerality, and petrol on both the nose and palate along with hints of apple and citrus. Dry, medium-bodied, and crisp with a long, slightly bitter finish. Residual Sugar: 0.7%
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $20

Other wines:

2007 Pacific Rim Chenin Blanc (Columbia Valley, Washington): Very light greenish yellow. Aromatic with apple, pear, and floral aromas on the nose. Lemon, lime, and grapefruit show through on the palate. Slightly off-dry and light-bodied with tart acidity. Crisp and refreshing with a long finish. Residual Sugar: 1.2%
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

2008 Pacific Rim Gewurztraminer (83% Washington, 17% Oregon): Medium-deep gold in color and very aromatic. Dried apricot and spice come through on the nose; pear, apricots, and melon on the palate. Off-dry and light to medium-bodied with lively acidity. Well-balanced with a long finish. 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

Riesling Rules at Pacific Rim was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

The festivities kicked off on Friday with the Washington Wine Restaurant Awards, picked up steam on Saturday with Education Day, and launched into overdrive on Sunday when the doors opened at 2pm for the Grand Tasting.

The Grand Tasting is the showcase event of Taste Washington. This year’s event featured over 200 wineries pouring their wines and over 60 restaurants serving small bites. With more than 650 wineries now open in the state of Washington, this event offers attendees the opportunity to try a large number of them in one place at one time. Considering the time and gas money you save not having to crisscross the state visiting tasting rooms and making appointments, the $125 for VIP tickets or $75 for general admission tickets is money well spent. Now, don’t get me wrong, once you attend an event like this and discover some favorite new wines and wineries, you will definitely want to make plans to travel to the wineries to visit and taste again. There is nothing like spending a long weekend in Washington wine country.

With 200+ wineries pouring close to 1,000 wines, it is impossible to taste all of them. Therefore, we always try to put together a “plan of attack” before the event. This year we decided to focus on new wineries or wineries that were new to us. As I mentioned on Wednesday, we had the opportunity to get a head start and taste some wines during the trade tasting at the Restaurant Awards on Friday and a few more during the seminars on Saturday. Those wines along with the ones we tasted at the Grand Tasting on Sunday totaled 116 different wines. As you’ll see from the complete breakdown of wines below, of those 116 wines, we rated 22 of them as 4-star quality or higher and 19 of them have a QPR rating of 5 bangs for your buck. As we’ve said over and over: Washington State is producing outstanding wines that deliver the most bang for your buck.

Of the wineries whose wines I had not tasted prior to this weekend, the most exciting discoveries were Tranche Cellars, a relatively new winery in Walla Walla affiliated with Corliss Estates, and Steppe Cellars, a winery located in Sunnyside that opened in 2005. One of the best aspects of Taste Washington is that often you will find either the winemaker and/or winery owner pouring that winery’s wines. We enjoyed the opportunity to visit with some of the winemakers/winery owners whose wines we have enjoyed in the past including Bob Betz of Betz Family Winery, Dean and Heather Neff of Nefarious Cellars, Mike and Karen Wade of Fielding Hills, Rich Funk of Saviah Cellars, Hugh and Kathy Shiels of Cote Bonneville, and Tim and Erica Blue of Adams Bench as well as meet a few who we had not had the chance to meet previously including Alex Golitzin of Quilceda Creek, Denise Slattery and Steve Michener of Trio Vintners, and Kay Simon of Chinook Wines.

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that we tasted during the Taste Washington weekend. 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: 5 stars (out of 5)
2006 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $150, QPR: 5
1999 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $200, QPR: 5

Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
2007 Fielding Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope, $38, QPR: 5
2006 Quilceda Creek Galitzine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $98, QPR: 5
2005 Quilceda Creek Galitzine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $110, QPR: 5
2007 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $125, QPR: 5
2005 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $175, QPR: 4

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
2008 McKinley Springs Chenin Blanc, Horse Heaven Hills, $12, QPR: 5
2007 Owen Roe Sharecropper’s Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $14, QPR: 5
2007 Steppe Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 5
2005 Tranche Cellars Barbera, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 5
2007 Adams Bench “V” Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $42, QPR: 5
2007 Castillo de Feliciana Tempranillo, Wahluke Slope, $28, QPR: 4
2006 Bunnell Family Syrah, Horse Heaven Hills, $38, QPR: 4
2007 Saviah Cellars Malbec, Walla Walla Valley, $30, QPR: 3
2007 Fidelitas Malbec, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 3
2007 JM Cellars Boushey Vineyard Syrah, Yakima Valley, $40, QPR: 3
2007 Quilceda Creek Galitzine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $98, QPR: 3
2006 Cote Bonneville Carriage House Red Wine, DuBrul Vineyard, Yakima Valley, $50, QPR: 2
2007 Andrew Will Champoux Red Wine, Horse Heaven Hills, $55, QPR: 2
2007 Andrew Will Ciel du Cheval Red Wine, Red Mountain, $55, QPR: 2
2005 Cote Bonneville DuBrul Vineyard Red Wine, Yakima Valley, $120, QPR: 1

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2007 Buried Cane Riesling, Washington State, $12, QPR: 5
2007 Columbia Crest H3 Merlot, Horse Heaven Hills, $14, QPR: 5
NV The Surveyor Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $14, QPR: 5
2007 Boomtown Syrah, Columbia Valley, $15, QPR: 5
2008 Alexander Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, California, $17, QPR: 5
2005 Eagle Haven Sangiovese, Yakima Valley, $20, QPR: 5
2007 Mercer Estates Off Dry Riesling, Yakima Valley, $15, QPR: 4
2007 8 Bit Vintners Player 1 Red Blend, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: 4
2007 Plaza Winery Royalty Red, Red Mountain, $18, QPR: 4
2007 Soos Creek Commander Comet Syrah, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 4
2007 Davenport Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 4
2007 Chinook Cabernet Franc, Yakima Valley, $22, QPR: 4
2007 Sojen Cellars Red Bordeaux Blend, Columbia Valley, $22, QPR: 4
2007 Davenport Cellars R.H.D. Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 4
2007 Davenport Cellars Continuity Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 4
2007 Southard Syrah, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 4
2007 Tildio Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $30, QPR: 4
2004 Tranche Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 4
2009 Trio Vintners Tres Rose Rosé, Yakima Valley, $15, QPR: 3
2008 Mercer Estates Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley, $15, QPR: 3
2007 Wines of Substance Malbec, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 3
2007 Memaloose Cabernet Franc, Columbia Gorge, $25, QPR: 3
2006 Steppe Cellars Artemisia Red Bordeaux Blend, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 3
2006 Walla Faces Red Bordeaux Blend, Walla Walla Valley, $30, QPR: 3
2007 Bunnell Family “a pic” Red Rhone Blend, Stonetree Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, $32, QPR: 3
2007 Bunchgrass Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $32, QPR: 3
2007 Cadaretta Syrah, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 3
2007 Nefarious Malbec, Upland Vineyard, Snipes Mountain, $28, QPR: 2
2008 Isenhower Cellars Snapdragon Roussanne/Viognier, Red Mountain, $19, QPR: 2
2007 Adams Bench “Reckoning” Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $34, QPR: 2
2007 Gramercy Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $38, QPR: 2
2007 Bunnell Family Boushey-McPherson Syrah, Yakima Valley, $43, QPR: 2
2006 aMaurice Cellars Malbec, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 1
2007 Sparkman Cellars The Darkness Syrah, Yakima Valley, $50, QPR: 1

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
NV Seeing Red Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $10, QPR: 5
2007 Powers Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $12, QPR: 5
2007 Buried Cane Chardonnay, Washington State, $12, QPR: 4
2008 Cimicky Trumps Shiraz, Barossa Valley, Australia, $17, QPR: 4
2007 Corvus Cellars Ruckus Red Blend, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: 4
2008 Sojen Cellars Syrah, Yakima Valley, $18, QPR: 4
2007 Ott & Murphy Syrah, Horse Heaven Hills, $18, QPR: 4
2007 Castillo de Feliciana Miercoles Red Wine, Walla Walla Valley, $19, QPR: 4
2007 Mercer Estates Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 4
2007 Southard Whipping Boy Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 4
2007 Palouse Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, Rattlesnake Hills, $29, QPR: 4
2007 Dopf & Irion Riesling, Alsace, France, $16, QPR: 3
2006 Seia Syrah, Horse Heaven Hills, $20, QPR: 3
2006 Powers Reserve Syrah, Cougar Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, $20, QPR: 3
2007 Eagle Haven Syrah, Yakima Valley, $20, QPR: 3
2008 Naches Heights Syrah, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 3
2007 Plaza Winery Super Tuscan Sangiovese, Horse Heaven Hills, $22, QPR: 3
2007 Memaloose Mistral Ranch Red Wine, Columbia Gorge, $23, QPR: 3
2006 Walla Faces Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $25, QPR: 3
2006 CAVU Cellars Horizon Red, Walla Walla Valley, $26, QPR: 3
2007 Glencorrie Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 3
2006 Walla Faces Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $35, QPR: 3
2006 Corvus Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $39, QPR: 3
2007 Glencorrie Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $40, QPR: 3
2008 Domaine Alary Grange Daniel Roussanne, Vins de Pays, France, $15, QPR: 2
2006 Domaine de la Berangeraie Cahors, France, $18, QPR: 2
2006 Ksana Malbec, Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina, $18, QPR: 2
2007 Pacific Rim Wallula Biodynamic Riesling, Horse Heaven Hills, $18, QPR: 2
2008 El Corazon First Crush Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $26, QPR: 2
2007 Ott & Murphy Mystique Red, Columbia Valley, $27, QPR: 2
2006 Agate Field Cabernet Franc, Yakima Valley, $28, QPR: 2
2007 Glencorrie Merlot, Stillwater Creek Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 2
2007 Madsen Family Cabernet Franc, Washington State, $28, QPR: 2
2007 Seia Syrah, Wahluke Slope, $30, QPR: 2
2007 Bunchgrass Syrah, Columbia Valley, $32, QPR: 2
2006 McKinley Springs Malbec, Horse Heaven Hills, $20, QPR: 1
2008 CAVU Cellars Barbera Alder Ridge, Horse Heaven Hills, $30, QPR: 1
2008 El Corazon Tigers Blood Carmenere, Walla Walla Valley, $32, QPR: 1
2005 Portrait Cellars Merlot, Red Mountain, $32, QPR: 1
2007 Dusted Valley Malbec, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 1
2007 Gramercy Cellars Tempranillo, Walla Walla Valley, $40, QPR: 1
2008 Maison Bleue Liberte Syrah, Yakima Valley, $40, QPR: 1
2007 Andrew Will Two Blondes Red Wine, Yakima Valley, $48, QPR: 1
2007 Obelisco Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $59, QPR: 1

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
2007 Buried Cane Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington State, $13, QPR: NR
2008 Memaloose Estate Barbera, Columbia Gorge, $20, QPR: NR
2006 Fontaine Estates Dry Sangiovese, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: NR
2008 El Corazon Supernova Malbec, Rattlesnake Hills, $21, QPR: NR
2006 Two Mountain Winery Merlot, Yakima Valley, $22, QPR: NR
2005 Severino Cellars Syrah, Yakima Valley, $25, QPR: NR
2006 Madsen Family Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $30, QPR: NR
2007 Irlandes Reserve Syrah, Columbia Valley, $34, QPR: NR

Quality: 2 stars (out of 5)
2008 Simply Seductively Smooth Red Syrah, Columbia Valley, $10, QPR: NR
2005 Christian Mouiex Merlot, Bordeaux, France, $15, QPR: NR
2005 Illusion Apparition Red Bordeaux Blend, Columbia Valley, $16, QPR: NR
2007 Snowgrass Roaring Creek Red, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: NR
2007 Eliseo Silva Syrah, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: NR
2005 Agate Field Syrah, Yakima Valley, $25, QPR: NR
2007 Irlandes Reserve Merlot, Columbia Valley, $36, QPR: NR
2007 Swiftwater Proprietary Red Bordeaux Blend, Columbia Valley, $50, QPR: NR

Taste Washington 2010: The Complete Recap 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.

To be honest, I may not have ever visited if it were not for co-owner/winemaker Greg Lipsker of Barrister Winery. After reading posts about other wine country trips we’ve taken, Greg contacted me last year to encourage us to consider visiting Spokane and even offered to put together a tasting of Spokane area wineries at his facility.

We were finally able to find time to journey to Spokane and took Greg up on his offer to coordinate a tasting. I was pleased that eleven of Spokane’s 14 wineries participated in the tasting hosted by Barrister Winery. And in most cases, the owner or winemaker was on hand to pour the wines and talk to us. It really was an excellent opportunity to get an overview of what Spokane wineries have to offer. I was impressed by the sense of community among the wineries and the fact that they work together to promote their area.

While these wineries are located in Spokane, it is important to remember that they are getting their grapes from the same places as the wineries in the rest of the state. If you’ll notice the region listed for each wine in the list below, they include Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley, Yakima Valley, Red Mountain, and other AVAs throughout the state of Washington. These are the same AVAs you’ll see listed on the bottles of wineries located in Walla Walla, Yakima, and Woodinville.

Without further ado, here’s a little information about each winery whose wines we tasted. [Please note: Other than the wines that the wineries poured for us to taste, we paid all of our own expenses for this trip.]

Barrister Winery was founded in 2001 by two attorney/winemakers, Greg Lipsker and Michael White. Barrister is located in a 100 year-old brick building in the historic Davenport Arts District downtown. They currently produce about 3,200 cases per year and are on their way to 4,200 cases. Of the nine of their wines that we tasted, we rated four of them as 4-star quality or better. Their 2007 Cabernet Franc which will be released in July was one of the top three wines that we tasted all day.

Liberty Lake Wine Cellars is a community winery founded in 2005 by Doug and Shelly Smith. Located in the town of Liberty Lake just 17 miles east of Spokane near the Idaho state line, Liberty Lake Wine Cellars produces 500 cases per year and plans to stay at that level. They opened to the public in June 2008 and are now releasing their second vintage, specializing in single vineyard red wines from Red Mountain and the Walla Walla Valley. Our favorite of their wines was the Cab Franc-based 2006 Second Generation Red Wine which has an incredible aroma.

Nodland Cellars, founded by owner/winemakers Tim and Tracy Nodland, produces one red (400 cases) and one white (30-35 cases) wine each year. Their 2005 Bebop white wine is sold out so Tracy was only pouring their 2005 Private Blend red wine. Tim and Tracy started making wine at home in 1999 and opened Nodland Cellars in 2005. Their distinctive jazz band label was designed by Florida-based artist Tim Rogerson.

Vintage Hill Cellars is a small batch production winery owned by winemaker Cody George and Brian Murray. Founded in 2006, Vintage Hill produces 1,300 cases per year and hopes to ramp up production to 2,000-2,500 cases. They generally offer eight different wines each year, six of which are currently available.

Lone Canary Winery, founded by winemaker Mike Scott and vineyardists Steve and Jeanne Schaub in 2003, produces a Sauvignon Blanc, a Cuvee Rose, and red wines featuring Italian and Bordeaux varietals. Their annual production is just over 4,000 cases. Their 2005 DuBrul Vineyard Reserve (66% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon) was one of the top three wines that we tasted. Its aromas and flavors of chocolate-covered raspberries are captivating.

Mountain Dome Winery, located on 84 acres just outside of town in the foothills of Mt. Spokane, is the only dedicated independent sparkling wine producer in the state of Washington. Winemaker Erik Manz produces 3,500 cases per year using Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes in the methode champenoise or traditional method. Mountain Dome was founded in 1984 by Erik’s parents, Michael and Patricia Manz. If you are like me and have a weakness for bubbly, you’ll want to seek out Mountain Dome. Not only are their wines of high quality but all four sparkling wines we tasted have a QPR of 5 bangs for your buck. Our favorite was the NV Cuvee Forte which is truly an elegant sparkling wine and one of the top three wines that we tasted.

Robert Karl Cellars, founded in 1999 by winemaker Joseph Gunselman and his wife Rebecca, produces 2,500 cases per year using fruit exclusively from the Horse Heaven Hills. Their winery and tasting room are located in an old fire station built in 1912 in the Historic Warehouse District. Robert Karl offers six wines each year, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Claret, Sauvignon Blanc, and a dry Cabernet Franc Rose.

Townshend Cellar, located north of Spokane in Colbert, WA, was founded in 1998 by owner/winemaker Don Townshend. An engineer by background and trade, Don got hooked on the wine business after doing an engineering job for Preston Premium Wines. He makes over twenty different wines and produces about 16,000 cases per year. Townshend Cellar offers great value; all nine of their wines that we tasted had a QPR of 4 or 5 bangs for your buck. Our favorites were the T3 Red Wine and the 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon.

Latah Creek Winery, owned by Mike and Ellena Conway, has been in business 27 years and produces about 17,000 cases per year. Our favorite of their wines was the 2006 Petit Verdot Winemaker’s Reserve Red. Petit Verdot is used more often as a blending grape rather than a stand-alone varietal, but this wine is big, bold, and very good. Latah Creek remains a family owned and operated winery with the Conway’s daughter Natalie serving as assistant winemaker since 2005.

Arbor Crest Wine Cellars was founded in 1982 and produces about 20,000 cases per year. Owned by the Mielke family, Arbor Crest boasts a beautiful setting with a scenic overlook of Spokane and the surrounding area.

Grande Ronde Cellars was started by Dave Westfall, John Mueller, David Page and Michael Manz in 1997. Michael Manz of Mountain Dome oversaw the winemaking until he passed away in 2006. Now his brother, John Mueller, guides production of Grande Ronde’s 1,000 cases per year operation. Our favorite of their wines was the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon from Seven Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley.

In addition to the eleven wineries that participated in the tasting at Barrister, we also tried to visit Caterina Winery. Despite all of their literature and even the hours posted on their door indicating that they are open daily from 12-5pm, they were closed when we arrived at 2:15pm. It was a disappointing ending to an otherwise fabulous weekend in Spokane’s undiscovered wine country.

In coming weeks, we will be doing some “Spotlight On” posts to feature Spokane wineries that we believe are doing some exciting things.

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that we tasted in Spokane. 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 Barrister Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $27, QPR: 5
NV Mountain Dome Cuvee Forte (sparkling), Washington State, $32, QPR: 5
2005 Lone Canary DuBrul Vineyard Reserve, Yakima Valley, $34.95, QPR: 5

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
NV Lone Canary Bird House Red, Columbia Valley, $14.95, QPR: 5
2001 Townshend Late Harvest Chenin Blanc, Yakima Valley, $18 [375ml], QPR: 5
NV Townshend T3 Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $19.95, QPR: 5
2004 Mountain Dome Brut (sparkling), Washington State, $22, QPR: 5
2003 Grande Ronde Cabernet Sauvignon Seven Hills Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley, $27, QPR: 5
2001 Townshend Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $27.95, QPR: 5
2005 Barrister Cabernet Sauvignon Bacchus Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $32, QPR: 5
2005 Barrister Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $32, QPR: 5
2003 Townshend Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 4
2006 Barrister Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $27, QPR: 4
2006 Latah Creek Petit Verdot Winemaker’s Reserve Red, Washington State, $29.99, QPR: 3

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
NV Townshend Red Table Wine, Columbia Valley, $10.95, QPR: 5
2007 Townshend Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $10.95, QPR: 5
NV Mountain Dome Brut (sparkling), Washington State, $14, QPR: 5
2007 Lone Canary Sangiovese, Wahluke Slope, $17.95, QPR: 5
NV Mountain Dome Brut Rose (sparkling), Washington State, $22, QPR: 5
2007 Lone Canary Barbera, Wahluke Slope, $17.95, QPR: 4
2006 Liberty Lake Second Generation Red Wine, Red Mountain, $18.50, QPR: 4
2005 Townshend Syrah, Columbia Valley, $19.95, QPR: 4
NV Barrister Rough Justice Red Blend, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 4
2005 Grande Ronde Cellar Red, Walla Walla Valley, $20, QPR: 4
2006 Robert Karl Claret, Horse Heaven Hills, $20, QPR: 4
2002 Townshend Merlot, Columbia Valley, $23, QPR: 4
2005 Barrister Merlot, Red Mountain, $25, QPR: 4
2006 Vintage Hill Merlot, Washington State, $25, QPR: 4
2003 Grande Ronde Merlot Seven Hills Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley, $27, QPR: 4
2005 Robert Karl Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills, $30, QPR: 4
2007 Vintage Hill Sauvignon Blanc, Wahluke Slope, $15, QPR: 3
2006 Barrister Syrah Morrison Lane Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley, $28, QPR: 3
2006 Liberty Lake Syrah, Red Mountain, $28, QPR: 3
2007 Robert Karl Syrah, Horse Heaven Hills, $30, QPR: 3
2005 Nodland Private Blend Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 2

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
2006 Arbor Crest Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 5
NV Townshend White Table Wine, Columbia Valley, $10.95, QPR: 4
2007 Latah Creek Chardonnay, Washington State, $11.99, QPR: 4
2005 Liberty Lake Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $22, QPR: 4
2006 Liberty Lake Merlot, Red Mountain, $22, QPR: 3
2005 Arbor Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Klipsun Vineyard, Red Mountain, $32, QPR: 3
2008 Robert Karl Sauvignon Blanc, Horse Heaven Hills, $15, QPR: 2
2006 Barrister Merlot Dwelley Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley, $25, QPR: 2
2008 Barrister Sauvignon Blanc Klipsun Vineyard, Red Mountain, $19, QPR: 1

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
2007 Latah Creek Riesling, Washington State, $8.99, QPR: NR
NV Latah Creek Huckleberry d’ Latah, Washington State, $9.99, QPR: NR
2005 Latah Creek Natalie’s Nectar Sweet Syrah, Washington State, $14.99, QPR: NR
2008 Robert Karl Cabernet Franc Rose, Horse Heaven Hills, $15, QPR: NR
2006 Arbor Crest Merlot, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: NR
NV Latah Creek Vinosity Red Blend, Washington State, $19.99, QPR: NR

Quality: 2 stars (out of 5)
2006 Arbor Crest Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: NR

Spokane, Washington: Undiscovered Wine Country was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

1. While Texas is producing quite a few good wines, we were disappointed not to find at least one great wine on this trip.
2. Becker, Driftwood Estate, and Texas Hills remain our three favorite wineries from this trip, although Pillar Bluff had maybe the single best wine and Fall Creek had some good value (high QPR) wines.
3. Several factors seem to me to be keeping Texas from moving into the elite class of wine producing areas:
   • Pierce’s Disease is wrecking havoc in many Texas vineyards.
   • Erratic weather in the form of late freezes, hail, and even floods are causing producers to have smaller than normal crops in too many years for Texas to be able to produce the string of good vintages that is necessary to establish coveted terroir.
   • Because of the weather issues mentioned above, too many Texas producers are selling wines made from California, Washington, New Mexico, and even Australia grapes.
   • It is difficult to find Texas wines outside of Texas, and almost every Texas winery seems to have a different interpretation of wine shipping laws.
4. Despite the caveats mentioned above, I will stick with the conclusion I reached after last year’s visit to several Texas High Plains wineries that Texas is doing the best job of the states outside of the big four of California, Washington, Oregon, and New York.

Here’s a breakdown of all of the wines that we have tasted on this trip made with Texas grapes. Under each Quality heading, the wine name 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)
2006 Driftwood Estate Syrah, $18, QPR: 5
2006 Pillar Bluff Boar Doe Red Wine, $21.55, QPR: 5
2007 Becker Vintage Port, $21.95, QPR: 5
2005 Lost Creek Buddy’s Select (Cab/Merlot/Shiraz), $22.95, QPR: 5
2007 Texas Hills KICK BUTT Cab, $25, QPR: 5
NV Dry Comal Creek 1096 Port (Black Spanish estate grapes), $75, QPR: 2

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2008 Fall Creek Chenin Blanc, $6.99, QPR: 5
NV Fall Creek White Riesling, $8.99, QPR: 5
2005 Sister Creek Merlot, $15.25, QPR: 5
2005 Texas Hills KICK BUTT Cab, $17.50, QPR: 5
2006 Driftwood Estate Super Texan (88% Sangiovese, 12% Merlot), $18, QPR: 5
2006 Driftwood Estate Lone Star Cab, $18, QPR: 5
2006 Texas Hills Port Rubino, $19.95, QPR: 5
NV Pillar Bluff Ruby Port, $20.61, QPR: 5
2002 Alamosa Texas Port (Grenache), $24, QPR: 5
2006 Becker Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, $24.95, QPR: 5
2007 Becker Chenin Blanc, $12.95, QPR: 4
2007 Becker Claret, $16.95, QPR: 4
2007 Becker Prairie Rotie, $16.95, QPR: 4
NV Flat Creek Buckin’ Horse Red, $17.95, QPR: 4
2007 Texas Hills Syrah, $19.95, QPR: 4
2004 Lost Creek Buddy’s Blend (Cab/Merlot/Shiraz), $20.95, QPR: 4
2007 Woodrose Zinfandel, Willmuth Vineyards, $21.95, QPR: 4
2007 Mandola Estate Zinfandel, $24, QPR: 4
NV Grape Creek Port, $29.95, QPR: 4
NV Flat Creek Mistella (fortified Muscat Canelli), $34.95, QPR: 4
2005 Texas Hills Orange Moscato, $17.50, QPR: 3
NV Flat Creek Buckin’ Horse White Viognier, $17.95, QPR: 3
2007Grape Creek Cabernet/Syrah, $26.95, QPR: 3
2005 Torre di Pietra Claret, $27.95, QPR: 3
NV Torre di Pietra Tango Port (Primitivo), $49.95, QPR: 3
2007 Pedernales Stonewall Viognier, $18.00, QPR: 2
NV Torre di Pietra Rosa Flamenco, $18.95, QPR: 2
2001 Alamosa El Guapo Grande Tempranillo, $28, QPR: 2
2006 Alamosa Palette Red Rhone Blend, $30, QPR: 2
2008 Dry Comal Creek Black Spanish (estate grapes), $30.99, QPR: 2
2006 Alamosa Scissortail (Marsanne/Viognier/Roussanne), $26, QPR: 1
2007 Pedernales Cellars Family Reserve, $49.00, QPR: 1

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
2007 Spicewood Sweet Bluebonnet Flush (89% Merlot, 11% Cab), $9.99, QPR: 5
NV Fall Creek Granite Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, $9.99, QPR: 5
NV Fall Creek Merlot, $11.99, QPR: 5
2004 Texas Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, $14.95, QPR: 5
2002 McReynolds Wines Cabernet Sauvignon, $15, QPR: 5
2007 Texas Legato Cabernet Sauvignon, $17.95, QPR: 5
NV Alamosa Texas Port (Sangiovese), $18, QPR: 5
2007 Fall Creek Mission Sauvignon Blanc, $9.99, QPR: 4
2005 Texas Hills Syrah, $13.95, QPR: 4
2006 Driftwood Estate Longhorn Red, $18, QPR: 4
NV Fredericksburg Bach Burgundy, $18.95, QPR: 4
2007 Texas Legato Family Reunion Red Wine, $19.95, QPR: 4
2006 Flat Creek Super Texan (Sangiovese/Cab/Merlot), $19.95, QPR: 4
2007 Pedernales Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, $25.00, QPR: 4
2006 Stone House Scheming Beagle Port (Norton), $26.95, QPR: 4
NV Flat Creek Ruby Port, $29.95, QPR: 4
2007 Fall Creek Viognier, $12.99, QPR: 3
2008 Becker Viognier, $14.95, QPR: 3
NV Fall Creek Muscat Canelli, $14.99, QPR: 3
2007 Pillar Bluff Chardonnay, $18.74, QPR: 3
NV Torre di Pietra Texas Dirty Girl, $18.95, QPR: 3
2007 Grape Creek Merlot, $19.95, QPR: 3
2005 Alamosa Syrah Tio Pancho Ranch, $20, QPR: 3
2006 McReynolds Wines Merlot, $20, QPR: 3
2005 Messina Hof Private Reserve Cabernet Franc, $22, QPR: 3
2006 Messina Hof Private Reserve Tex-Zin, $22, QPR: 3
2007 Mandola Estate SPINO’-Montepulciano, $26, QPR: 3
2008 Alamosa Amigo White High Valley Vineyard, $15, QPR: 2
2008 Flat Creek Muscato D’ Arancia, $16.95, QPR: 2
2005 Lost Creek Blanc du Bois, $17.50, QPR: 2
2007 Mandola Estate Canto Felice, $18, QPR: 2
2005 Fredericksburg Merlot, $24.95, QPR: 2
2006 Woodrose Merlot, Hendericks Vineyards, $24.95, QPR: 2
NV Torre di Pietra Porto Blanco, $49.95, QPR: 2
2004 Alamosa El Guapo Tempranillo, $18, QPR: 1
NV Torre di Pietra Red Flirt (Cab/Syrah), $18.95, QPR: 1
2008 Driftwood Estate Cuve Blanc, $20, QPR: 1
2007 Torre di Pietra Texas Chenin Blanc, $21.95, QPR: 1
2008 Torre di Pietra Blanc du Bois, $21.95, QPR: 1
2008 Woodrose Texas Rain (Rose), Tanglewood Vineyards, $21.95, QPR: 1
2007 Alamosa Scissortail (Marsanne/Roussanne/Viognier), $22, QPR: 1
2006 Stone House Claros (Norton), $23.95, QPR: 1
2006 Torre di Pietra Mataro (Mourvedre), $24.95, QPR: 1
2007 TORO di Tejas (Tempranillo), $25, QPR: 1
2003 Fredericksburg Texitage, $34.50, QPR: 1

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
NV Comfort Cellars Jalapeno Wine, $9.95, QPR: NR
NV Fall Creek Ed’s Smooth Red, $9.99, QPR: NR
2007 Fall Creek Mission Cabernet Sauvignon, $9.99, QPR: NR
2007 Spicewood Cabernet Claret, $9.99, QPR: NR
2007 Pillar Bluff Founder’s Red, $13.12, QPR: NR
2007 Spicewood Estate Chardonnay, $13.99, QPR: NR
2007 Texas Hills Pinot Grigio, $14.95, QPR: NR
2005 McReynolds Wines Chardonnay, $15, QPR: NR
2002 McReynolds Wines Merlot, $15, QPR: NR
2008 Pedernales Cellars Garnacha Rose, $15.00, QPR: NR
2007 Flat Creek Muscato Blanco, $16.95, QPR: NR
2008 Grape Creek Cuvee Blanc, $16.95, QPR: NR
2006 Mandola Estate Viognier, $18, QPR: NR
NV Torre di Pietra Classico, $18.95, QPR: NR
2005 Lost Creek Chardonnay (no oak), $19.95, QPR: NR
2004 Fredericksburg Rose of Cab, $19.95, QPR: NR
2007 Texas Legato Malbec, $19.95, QPR: NR
NV Texas Legato Sojourn Port, $19.95, QPR: NR
2008 Pedernales Cellars Vino Blanco, $20.00, QPR: NR
2005 Messina Hof Private Reflections (60% Cab Franc), $22, QPR: NR
2008 Woodrose Blanc du Bois, Tanglewood Vineyards, $23.95, QPR: NR
2007 Mandola Estate Dolcetto, $26, QPR: NR
2007 Woodrose Cabernet Sauvignon-Syrah, $26.95, QPR: NR
2007 Pedernales Cellars Tempranillo, $29.00, QPR: NR
2005 Torre di Pietra Sangiovese, $29.95, QPR: NR
2002 Comfort Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, $29.95, QPR: NR
2005 Torre di Pietra Touriga Nacional, $39.95, QPR: NR

Quality: 2 stars (out of 5)
2004 McReynolds Wines Merlot (76% Merlot, 24% Sangiovese), $10, QPR: NR
NV Comfort Cellars Chenin Blanc, $12.95, QPR: NR
2004 Cinque Vino Rosso, $12.95, QPR: NR
NV Comfort Cellars Orange Chardonnay, $14.95, QPR: NR
2008 Pillar Bluff Chenin Blanc, $14.99, QPR: NR
2007 Texas Legato Merlot, $15.95, QPR: NR
NV Fredericksburg Corderillas, $15.95, QPR: NR
2004 Alamosa Texaxaia (Sangiovese/Syrah/Tempranillo), $16, QPR: NR
2007 Grape Creek Viognier, $16.95, QPR: NR
2002 Comfort Cellars Pinot Noir, $18.95, QPR: NR
2005 Torre di Pietra Carignane, $18.95, QPR: NR
NV Fredericksburg F & N, $18.95, QPR: NR
2007 Texas Hills Rousanne, $19.95, QPR: NR
NV Comfort Cellars Sweet Rojo (Muscat/Merlot), $19.95, QPR: NR
2008 Texas Legato Sweet Peggy Sue White, $19.95, QPR: NR
2005 Messina Hof Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, $22, QPR: NR
2007 Mandola Estate Sangiovese, $24, QPR: NR

Texas Wine Country 2009, Part Two and Recap was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.