Oregon ranks third in the number of wineries and fourth in wine production in the United States. In its relatively short 40-year history, the Oregon wine industry has evolved into a world-class wine region. With Oregon’s 16 AVA’s (American Viticultural Areas) found in both warm and cool climates, Oregon winemakers are able to produce wines from over 70 different grape varieties. However, Pinot Noir is the variety that propelled Oregon onto the worldwide wine stage and is still what many people think of when it comes to Oregon wine. While Oregon wine is far from a one-trick pony, Pinot Noir is still the queen. Over 12,000 acres of vineyards in Oregon are planted to Pinot Noir and production of Pinot Noir is over three times the next leading variety, Pinot Gris. As you will see in the lists below, we tasted more Pinot Noir than anything else at the event.

Unwine’d was a huge success, especially for a first-time event. By the time the doors opened to the public at 3pm, the line wrapped around the outside of the Left Bank Annex building. Once inside, attendees were treated to great wines and yummy food. Kudos to the Oregon Wine Board and Jamie Peha of Peha Promotions for a job well done!

Considering the time and gas money attendees saved not having to travel around the state visiting tasting rooms and making appointments, the $50 ticket was money well spent. Hopefully, those who attended discovered some favorite new wines and wineries and will make plans to travel to the wineries to visit and taste again. There is nothing like spending a long weekend in wine country.

Between the three days I spent in Oregon wine country on a media tour in March and attending Unwine’d last weekend, it has been a pleasure to immerse myself in all things Oregon wine and get to know so many key players in the Oregon wine industry.

With 100 wineries pouring three to five wines each, we were not able to taste wine from every winery at Unwine’d. Instead, we tried to taste wines from a good representative sample of the participating wineries. We hope you enjoy the following lists that show some of our favorite wines and wineries of those we did taste at the event.

Overall Favorite Wines (Highest Quality Ratings):
2007 Amity Winemaker’s Reserve Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $40, Quality: 4.5, QPR: 5
2009 Archery Summit Looney Vineyard Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge, $85, Quality: 4.5, QPR: 5
2009 Archery Summit Arcus Estate Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, $100, Quality: 4.5, QPR: 5

Best Wines <=$20:
2009 Cooper Mountain Chardonnay, Willamette Valley, $18, Quality: 4, QPR: 5
2010 Sokol Blosser Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, $18, Quality: 4, QPR: 4
2010 Dobbes Wine by Joe Chardonnay, Oregon, $14, Quality: 3.5, QPR: 5
2010 Montinore Estate Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $20, Quality: 3.5, QPR: 5
2010 Dobbes Wine by Joe Pinot Gris, Oregon, $14, Quality: 3.5, QPR: 4

Best Value Regardless of Price (Quality >=4 and QPR=5):
2007 Amity Winemaker’s Reserve Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $40, Quality: 4.5, QPR: 5
2009 Archery Summit Looney Vineyard Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge, $85, Quality: 4.5, QPR: 5
2009 Archery Summit Arcus Estate Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, $100, Quality: 4.5, QPR: 5
2009 Cooper Mountain Chardonnay, Willamette Valley, $18, Quality: 4, QPR: 5
2008 Argyle Brut Sparkling Wine, Willamette Valley, $27, Quality: 4, QPR: 5
2010 Montinore Estate Reserve Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $28, Quality: 4, QPR: 5
2010 Lachini Pinot Port, Willamette Valley, $28 [375ml], Quality: 4, QPR: 5
2009 Van Duzer Estate Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $30, Quality: 4, QPR: 5

Top 10 Favorite Wineries (in alphabetical order):
Adelsheim Vineyard
Amity Vineyards
Archery Summit
Argyle Winery
Lachini Vineyards
Phelps Creek Vineyards
Sokol Blosser Winery
Stoller Vineyards
Van Duzer Vineyards
Watermill Winery

If you were at Unwine’d, we’d love to hear what some of your favorites were. And if you missed the event, I encourage you to enjoy some Oregon wines during the month of May and throughout the year.

Cheers!

Unwine’d 2012: Highlights from Oregon Wine’s Big Event was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Recently, we had the opportunity to taste a number of Brian Carter wines in a blind samples tasting. While we thought all 10 wines were good and would recommend all of them, we especially enjoyed the 2006 Solesce Red Wine. Solesce is Brian Carter’s signature Bordeaux-style blend. As far as QPR goes, though, it is hard to beat the 2009 Abracadabra Red Wine and the 2009 Opulento Dessert Wine.

If you are in the Woodinville area, you should definitely visit Brian Carter’s little yellow tasting room near Purple Café in the Hollywood Schoolhouse District. And even if you aren’t able to visit, be sure to try some of their wines.

2006 Brian Carter Cellars Solesce Red Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot, and 5% Malbec. Deep, dark red. Nice nose with creosote, earth, and spice aromas. Red and black fruits, earth, and a hint of mint come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, dry tannins. Well-balanced with a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $50; Available elsewhere, $42

2009 Brian Carter Cellars Abracadabra Red Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): 19% Sangiovese, 17% Merlot, 13% Syrah, 11% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre, 9% Tempranillo, 7% Malbec, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Cinsault, and 2% Counoise. Deep, purplish red. Aromatic with bright red fruit, spice, and creosote on both the nose and palate. Medium-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $15; Available elsewhere, $15

2009 Brian Carter Cellars Opulento Dessert Wine (Yakima Valley, Washington): 60% Touriga Nacional, 37% Souzao, and 3% Tinto Cao. Dark purple. Aromatic with cherry, raspberry, chocolate, and a touch of honey on the nose and palate. Medium sweet and medium to full-bodied with medium tannins and a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $19 [375 ml]; Available elsewhere, $17 to $19

2007 Brian Carter Cellars Tuttorosso Red Wine (Yakima Valley, Washington): 71% Sangiovese, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 11% Syrah. Deep red in color. Aromatic with candied apple aromas. Red and black fruits, spice, and a touch of coffee come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp 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 $24; Available elsewhere, $25 to $30

2008 Brian Carter Cellars Byzance Red Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): 50% Grenache, 22% Syrah, 19% Mourvedre, 6% Counoise, and 3% Cinsault. Dark, purplish red. Nice nose with earth, red fruit, and compost aromas. Cherry, raspberry, and spice rack flavors on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity, medium tannins, and 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 $30; Available elsewhere, $24 to $30

2007 Brian Carter Cellars Le Coursier Red Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): 54% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Malbec, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot. Deep, dark red. Aromatic with earth and black fruit on the nose. Blackberry, black cherry, smoked meat, and earth come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and 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 $30; Available elsewhere, $25 to $29

2010 Brian Carter Cellars Oriana White Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): 46% Viognier, 37% Roussanne, and 17% Riesling. Pale, greenish straw yellow. Nice nose with fresh aromas of apricot, pear, honeysuckle, and the ocean. Orange blossoms and citrus notes come through on the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long, refreshing finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $20; Available elsewhere, $18 to $20

2007 Brian Carter Cellars Trentenaire Red Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): 56% Petit Verdot, 19% Merlot, 14% Malbec, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, dark red. Aromas of oak and candied red and black fruit. Fruit-forward with candied red fruits and spice on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $39; Available elsewhere, $33

2009 Singolo Sangiovese (Columbia Valley, Washington): Medium-deep red. Aromatic with strawberry, black cherry, and a touch of leather on the nose. More black cherry and leather come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NA
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $NA

2008 Brian Carter Cellars Corrida Red Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): 66% Tempranillo, 17% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Garnacha. Deep ruby red. Moderately aromatic with red fruit, leather, and a hint of game on both the nose and palate. Medium-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a medium to long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $30; Available elsewhere, $25 to $30

Brian Carter: A Master of Blending was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

As you probably know by now, my favorite reference book for pairing information is What to Drink with What You Eat by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page. After looking up wines that pair well with chocolate and wines that pair well with mint, I then compared the two lists and selected two wines that appear on both lists—Cabernet Sauvignon and Moscato d’Asti. When possible, we enjoy trying very different wines in these challenges. And this time, we not only had a red wine versus a white wine but also a still wine versus a dessert. Since we were featuring inexpensive cookies rather than a gourmet entrée, we chose value-priced wines. The unanimous choice for the best pairing with the Thin Mints was the Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact, all four of us believed that the Thin Mints actually enhanced the taste of this particular Cab. On the other hand, while we love Moscato d’Asti, we found it to be too sweet with the Thin Mints.

We’d love for you to share in the comments what you would have paired with these cookies. And, as always, we welcome your suggestions for challenging wine pairings for us to try in the future.

Bon Appétit!

2010 14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): Dark purplish red. Lots of oak, smoke, and burnt toast on the nose. Dark chocolate, smoke, black plum, black cherry, and a hint of coffee come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins and a medium to long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington) $10.99; Available elsewhere, $8 to $12

2010 Villa Rosa Moscato d’Asti (Moscato d’Asti DOCG, Piedmont, Italy): Pale, greenish straw yellow. Aromatic with white peach and floral notes on the nose. White peach, apricot, and a touch of honey come through on the palate. Semi-sparkling and sweet, almost syrupy. Medium-bodied with lively acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington) $11.79; Available elsewhere, $10 to $12

Challenging Wine Pairing: Girl Scout Cookies – Thin Mints was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

We decided to pair the pie with a Tawny Port and a Muscat, specifically the Taylor Fladgate 10 Year Old Tawny Porto and the 2008 Domaine de Durban Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise. Both of these wines were excellent! However, we all thought that the Tawny Port paired best with the German chocolate pie.

We’d love for you to share in the comments what you would have paired with this dessert. And, as always, we welcome your suggestions for challenging wine pairings for us to try in the future.

Bon Appétit!

Taylor Fladgate 10 Year Old Tawny Porto (Douro Valley, Portugal): Deep garnet color. Nice nose with black plum, caramel, and toffee aromas. Black plum, toffee, caramel, honey, and raisin come through on the palate. Medium sweet and medium to full-bodied. Well-balanced with good complexity and a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $28.99; Available elsewhere, $21 to $30

2008 Domaine de Durban Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise (Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise AOC, France): Pale to medium, greenish straw yellow. Very aromatic with honeysuckle, potpourri, and apricot on the nose. More apricot and floral notes come through on the palate. Sweet and medium-bodied with lively acidity. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $17.99 [375ml]; Available elsewhere, $14 to $15

Challenging Wine Pairing: German Chocolate Pie was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

While Sineann is located in Newberg, Oregon, in the heart of Pinot Noir country, and Rosback got his start with that grape, his portfolio of wines includes much more than Pinot. Almost all of his wines are single-vineyard designated from vineyards in Oregon, Washington, California, and even New Zealand. Sineann’s Sauvignon Blanc is closed with a screwcap while all of the other wines are sealed with glass closures.

We had the pleasure to visit Sineann during a recent visit to Oregon’s Willamette Valley. I highly encourage you to do the same the next time you are in the area. We tasted a total of 17 wines. Our favorites were the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Baby Poux from Champoux Vineyards in Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills and the 2008 The Precious Late Harvest Gewurztraminer from the Columbia Gorge. Both are outstanding. Sineann also makes another dessert wine that I would love to try called Sweet Sydney, named for one of Rosback’s daughters. Sydney just happens to be the name of our daughter, too. Sweet Sydney is a limited production Zinfandel icewine, and, unfortunately for us, was all sold out when we visited. As you will see from my notes and ratings below, Sineann produces a number of wines worth checking out if you see them on the shelf at your local wine shop or on a restaurant wine list.

Our favorites:

2009 Sineann Cabernet Sauvignon Baby Poux Vineyard (Columbia Valley): Deep, dark purplish red in color. Nice nose with blackberry, black cherry, chocolate, and coffee aromas. Big black fruits, chocolate, and espresso bean comes through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with big yet smooth tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $42; Available elsewhere, $36 to $62

2008 Sineann The Precious Late Harvest Gewurztraminer (Columbia Gorge): Light amber brown color. Extremely aromatic with honey, caramel, prune, and dried apricot on both the nose and palate. Very sweet and sticky, medium to full-bodied with good acidity, and a long, yummy white peach finish. Residual Sugar: 43%
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $24 [375ml]; Available elsewhere, $23 to $25

Here’s a breakdown of the rest of the wines that we tasted during our visit:

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
2008 Sineann Cabernet Sauvignon Sugarloaf Mountain, California, $42, QPR: 5
2007 Sineann Pinot Noir Lachini, Willamette Valley, $36, QPR: 4
2009 Sineann Old Vine Zinfandel, Columbia Valley, $39, QPR: 4
2009 Sineann Petit Verdot, Champoux Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $48, QPR: 2

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2009 Sineann Abondante Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 4
2008 Sineann Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $30, QPR: 4
2007 Sineann Pinot Noir Schindler, Willamette Valley, $36, QPR: 4
2009 Sineann Merlot Champoux, Columbia Valley, $36, QPR: 3
2010 Sineann Pinot Noir Resonance, Yamhill-Carlton, $42, QPR: 3
2010 Sineann Pinot Noir Yates Conwill, Yamhill-Carlton, $42, QPR: 3
2010 Sineann Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand, $20, QPR: 2

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
2009 Sineann Cross-Check Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 4
2009 Sineann CJ Port Zinfandel, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 3
2009 Sineann Pinot Noir, Oregon, $30, QPR: 3
2010 Sineann Gewurztraminer Resonance, Willamette Valley, $18, QPR: 2

Sineann’s Peter Rosback…a Jack of Many Vineyards was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

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

We recently had the opportunity to taste a number of the current releases from Chateau Ste. Michelle, across their family of wines, in a blind samples tasting. We have already featured a number of their Columbia Valley wines in our A Wine for Tonight series. Three wines that do not meet the criteria for that series because they retail for over $15 and are not as widely available, yet are worthy of your attention, are the 2008 Ethos Late Harvest White Riesling, the 2007 Ethos Reserve Syrah, and the 2008 Artist Series Meritage.

The Ethos Late Harvest Riesling is a decadent treat. This special wine was made from select Riesling grapes that were left on the vine longer in order to achieve the natural condition of Botrytis, or noble rot. Botrytis concentrates the sugars and flavors of the fruit.

Ethos means “character” in Greek, the “distinctive spirit” of a specific culture, movement or philosophy. For Chateau Ste. Michelle’s Ethos Reserve series of wines, winemaker Bob Bertheau endeavors to make limited production wines that represent the “best of the vintage.” The 2007 Ethos Reserve Syrah definitely fits that bill. It is a big, yet elegant, wine.

Chateau Ste. Michelle’s Artist Series features both artisan winemaking and fine art. The label on the 2008 vintage features the work of artist and photographer Cara Barer, who changes a common reference book into a work of sculpture and photographs the outcome. For the first time, the 2008 Artist Series blend includes all five of the Bordeaux grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot.

2008 Chateau Ste. Michelle Ethos Late Harvest White Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Golden yellow in color. Nice nose with floral, white peach, and orange peel aromas. White peach, tangerine, orange peel, and floral flavors come through on the palate. Sweet and medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with good mouthfeel and a long, refreshing finish. A delicious dessert wine. Residual Sugar: 22.8%
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $25 [375ml]; Available elsewhere, $35 to $37

2007 Chateau Ste. Michelle Ethos Reserve Syrah (Columbia Valley, Washington): Dark purplish red in color. Nice nose with espresso bean and blackberry aromas. Black fruit, espresso, and dust come through on the palate. Full-bodied and lively with medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $28; Available elsewhere, $26 to $30

2008 Chateau Ste. Michelle Artist Series Meritage Red Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 6% Malbec, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Aromatic with black fruit and oak on the nose. Black fruit, oak, leather, licorice, and a hint of chocolate come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $55

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

In 1998, Bill Gordon retired. Jeff’s daughter and son-in-law, Katie and Marc Nelson, joined the family business in 2001. While the Gordon Brothers vineyards and winery are located in eastern Washington, they opened a tasting room in Woodinville’s warehouse district in 2008.

We recently had the opportunity to taste a number of Gordon Brothers wines in a blind samples tasting. We especially enjoyed the 2008 SIX Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2009 Gewurztraminer Ice Wine, and the 2005 Tradition Red Wine. I must admit that I have found their wines to be a bit inconsistent in the past. However, if these wines are any indication, Gordon Brothers is on the way up.

2008 Gordon Brothers SIX Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep, dark purplish red. Nice nose with black fruit and floral aromas with a hint of leather. More black fruit, leather, and floral notes come through on the palate. Full-bodied with good acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $50; Available elsewhere, $42

2009 Gordon Brothers Gewurztraminer Ice Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): Medium-deep gold in color. Beautiful nose with honey and dried apricot aromas. More honey and dried apricot as well as Asian pear and caramel come through on the palate. Very sweet but not sickeningly sweet. Medium-bodied and lively with a long finish. Well-balanced with a lot going on. Residual Sugar: 38.1%
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $37 [375ml]; Available elsewhere, $36 to $42

2005 Gordon Brothers Tradition Red Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot and 8% Syrah. Deep, dark brownish red. Nice nose with red fruit and cinnamon aromas. Flavors of red fruit, cinnamon, Red Vines, red plum, and a hint of leather. Medium to full-bodied with good 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 $30; Available elsewhere, $29 to $30

2006 Gordon Brothers Syrah (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep, dark brownish red. Aromatic with black fruit, vegetal, earth, and spice aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied and lively with soft tannins and a medium to 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 $20; Available elsewhere, $16 to $17

2007 Gordon Brothers Tempranillo (Columbia Valley, Washington): 80% Tempranillo and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, dark red. Black fruits, black plum, licorice, and spice aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium, smooth tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $65

2008 Gordon Brothers Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Syrah, and 3% Merlot. Deep ruby red in color. Aromatic with black fruit, spice, and vegetal notes on the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium tannins and a medium finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $23; Available elsewhere, $18 to $23

2008 Gordon Brothers Chardonnay (Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale, golden yellow with green tinges. Aromatic with oak and butter on the nose. Apple, pear, and oak come through on the palate. Dry, medium-bodied, and lively with a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $16; Available elsewhere, $10 to $14

2007 Gordon Brothers Merlot (Columbia Valley, Washington): 93% Merlot, 5% Syrah, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. Medium-deep ruby red. Moderately aromatic with cherry, plum, and oak on the nose. Red fruits come through on the palate. Medium-bodied and lively with medium tannins and a medium finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $20; Available elsewhere, $16 to $24

Gordon Brothers Family Vineyards: Family-Owned and Estate Grown was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$15
• Must be widely available

I’ve told this story before when writing about a previous vintage of this wine, but it’s a good one so I hope you won’t mind if I tell it again. Our first experience with Nivole came by accident. We were dining at one of the premier steakhouses here in Seattle on a special occasion when the server accidentally spilled a bottle of red wine at our table, splattering everywhere, including all over my husband’s pants. After apologizing profusely to Colby, replacing the wine with a fresh bottle, offering to pay for cleaning the pants, and comping us on the meal, the manager had a bottle of Nivole sent to our table as a dessert wine. It hit the spot then and has continued to hit the spot for us since that time.

Coming from a line of seven generations of grape growers, Michele Chiarlo founded his namesake winery in 1956. Today, Mr. Chiarlo is a leading figure in the Piedmont wine industry. Michele Chiarlo is definitely a family business with Mr. Chiarlo’s sons, Alberto and Stefano, now playing key roles. Alberto directs marketing and sales while Stefano manages vineyard operations and serves as co-winemaker.

The name Nivole, which means “clouds” in the Piedmontese dialect, fits the wine’s light, elegant quality. We’ve tasted and reviewed four different vintages of Nivole, the 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2008. We’ve given each an excellent quality rating of 4 stars (out of 5). So even if you can’t find the 2008 where you live, I wouldn’t hesitate to purchase whichever vintage is available.

2008 Michele Chiarlo Nivole Moscato d’Asti (Piedmont, Italy): Pale, greenish straw yellow semi-sparkling wine. Beautiful nose with fresh, sweet aromas of honey, peach, and dried apricot. More honey, peach, and dried apricot as well as Asian pear come through on the palate. Sweet but not sickeningly sweet. Very crisp and refreshing. Well-balanced with a long finish. The perfect dessert wine (with or without any dessert).
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin (Seattle, Washington), $12.99 [375ml], Available elsewhere, $10 to $16

A Wine for Tonight: 2008 Michele Chiarlo Nivole Moscato d’Asti was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

We first visited Dusted Valley on a trip to Walla Walla in the summer of 2008 and had the pleasure to meet Chad. Their Walla Walla tasting room is located in a converted garage below Corey’s house. In 2009, they opened a second tasting room in Woodinville in the Hollywood Schoolhouse area to have a presence closer to the population base and tourists in Seattle. In addition to being a tasting room, the Dusted Valley Wine Gallery features the art of local artists. In my opinion, Dusted Valley has one of the best names for their wine club that I’ve ever heard, the Stained Tooth Society. Chad, Corey, and all of the folks at Dusted Valley value their STS members but are also able to have a bit of fun with the club giving new members Stained Tooth Society-logoed toothbrushes.

While they source their grapes from vineyards around the state of Washington, Dusted Valley is especially proud of their four estate vineyards, Sconni Block, Birch Creek, Stoney Vine, and Minnick Hills.

Recently, we had the opportunity to meet with Corey and taste through some of the current releases from Dusted Valley at their Wine Gallery in Woodinville. We also took home three of their wines to put into one of our blind samples tastings. We thought all six wines were very good but were especially impressed with the 2009 Grenache.

If you live near or are visiting either Walla Walla or Woodinville, I encourage you to make a point to stop at one of Dusted Valley’s tasting rooms. Not only are they making great wines, but also they are very friendly, welcoming folks.

2009 Dusted Valley Grenache (Columbia Valley, Washington): 91% Grenache and 9% Petite Sirah. Deep, dark ruby red. Gorgeous nose with blackberry, black cherry, spice, perfumed, and gamey aromas. Black cherry, game, strawberry, plum, and a hint of earth come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and crisp with medium, smooth tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a long finish. A great food wine.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $28; Available elsewhere, $22 to $28

2008 Dusted Valley Tall Tales Syrah (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 97% Syrah and 3% Viognier. Deep, dark purple. Very aromatic with smoked meat, earth, truffles, and pencil shavings on the nose. More smoked meat and earth as well as blackberry, black cherry, and blueberry come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, drying tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $53; Available elsewhere, $46

2008 Dusted Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Malbec. Deep, dark inky purplish red in color. Nice nose with blackcurrant, leather, oak, chocolate, and dusty aromas that lead to black fruit, licorice, leather, and smoked meat flavors. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high, drying 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 $30; Available elsewhere, $24 to $26

2009 Dusted Valley Wallywood (Columbia Valley, Washington): 63% Syrah, 30% Grenache, and 7% Mourvedre. Dark purplish red. Nice nose with earth, spice, and licorice aromas. Red cherry, spice, and Red Vines come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Winery, $42

2008 Dusted Valley Malbec (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep, dark inky purple-black in color. Nose is a bit tight at first. Black cherry, leather, and spice dominate the palate. Medium-bodied and lively with medium, drying tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Winery, $42; Available elsewhere, $34

2006 Dusted Valley Late Harvest Syrah (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): Deep, dense purple. Aromatic with raisins, prunes, meat, and savory notes on both the nose and palate. Very different dessert wine; not sweet like most Late Harvest wines. Both sweet and savory. Residual Sugar: 5.1%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Winery, $30 [375ml]

Crack that Cap with Dusted Valley Vintners was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Recently, our tasting group met and explored Tawny Port. Port comes from the Douro Valley in northern Portugal. While some producers in other countries use the name “Port” on their port-style wines, it is inappropriate to do so if it is not from Portugal. To distinguish the real Port from the imitators, most Port producers in Portugal now label their wines as “Porto” as you will see in the list of wines we tasted. Also, real Port bears a neck label with the Instituto do Vinho do Porto Garantia, which is a seal of guarantee. Port is a sweet fortified wine produced by adding grape spirit during fermentation, which stops fermentation and retains considerable sugar. Residual sugar in the finished wine typically ranges from 8 to 12 percent. Port is typically a blend of grape varieties, vineyards, and vintages. Tawny Port is aged in wood. Those that spend an extended amount of time aging in barrel or cask can be labeled in multiples of 10 years. We tasted ten bottles of Tawny Port, and the consensus favorite was the Taylor Fladgate 10 Year Tawny Porto.

Since Port has a higher alcohol level than still wine, it is often consumed as an after-dinner drink or with dessert rather than with a meal. Even though I was spitting during our tasting, I could definitely feel the higher alcohol content after trying all ten wines. When it comes to Port or any fortified wine, a little can go a long way. Thankfully, that higher alcohol level also means that it lasts longer even after the bottle has been opened. While a still wine will only stay fresh for a couple of days, Port can easily last a week and often much longer after opening.

As you’ll notice in the tasting notes below, we had duplicates of two of the wines, the Taylor Fladgate and the Otima. While the rankings were close on the Otima and we found them to be very similar, the Taylor Fladgates were very different. Even after we unveiled them and then re-tasted, we all thought that they tasted different. By looking at the bottles, the only difference was the code on the IVDP guarantee seal. While both wines were good, we preferred code “MJ” to code “ND”. Just one of the many things that keeps the world of wine interesting.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

Taylor Fladgate 10 Year Old Tawny Porto (Douro Valley, Portugal): Code “MJ”. Medium-deep amber brown with ruby red hues. Gorgeous nose with prune, caramel, and toffee aromas. Prune, toffee, chai tea, vanilla, and a slight hint of lemon come through on the palate. Off-dry and medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $30; Available elsewhere, $21 to $30

Warre’s Otima 10 Year Old Tawny Porto (Duoro Valley, Portugal): 500ml bottle. Golden, amber brown. Aromatic with vanilla and nutty aromas and flavors. A hint of coffee comes through on the palate as well. Off-dry and medium-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Pike & Western Wine Shop (Seattle, Washington), $30; Available elsewhere, $13 to $28

Warre’s Otima 10 Year Old Tawny Porto (Duoro Valley, Portugal): 500ml bottle. Golden, amber brown. Aromatic with vanilla and caramel on the nose that leads to toffee, caramel, and nutty flavors on the palate. Off-dry and medium-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Costco (Seattle, Washington), $20; Available elsewhere, $13 to $28

Fonseca Porto 10 Year Old Tawny (Duoro Valley, Portugal): Deep, ruby red with amber tones. Aromatic with dried fruits and toffee on the nose. Flavors of toffee, coffee, and dried apricots. Medium-sweet and medium-bodied with crisp acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: DeLaurenti (Seattle, Washington), $32; Available elsewhere, $22 to $35

Quinta da Prelada 20 Years Old Porto Tawny (Duoro Valley, Portugal): Medium caramel, amber brown in color. Aromatic with nutty and toffee aromas. Flavors of prune, caramel, and vanilla. Medium-sweet and medium-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $40; Available elsewhere, $48

Taylor Fladgate 10 Year Old Tawny Porto (Douro Valley, Portugal): Code “ND”. Medium-deep amber brown with ruby red hues. Nice nose with prune and vanilla aromas. Nuts, vanilla, caramel, and prunes come through on the palate. Medium-sweet and medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: McCarthy & Schiering Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $30; Available elsewhere, $21 to $30

Quarles Harris 10 Year Old Tawny Porto (Douro Valley, Portugal): Medium, amber brown. Caramel and walnut aromas lead to flavors of coffee, toffee, vanilla, and nuts. Medium-sweet and medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Trader Joe’s (Seattle, Washington), $15

Graham’s Fine Tawny Porto (Douro Valley, Portugal): Medium ruby red in color. Prunes and dried red fruits come through on the nose; prunes, caramel, and coffee on the palate. Medium-sweet and medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Wine Outlet (Seattle, Washington), $17; Available elsewhere, $12 to $18

Graham’s 10 Year Tawny Porto (Douro Valley, Portugal): Medium amber brown. Nuts, vanilla, and coffee come through on both the nose and palate. Medium-sweet and medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a medium to long finish. A bit hot on the back end.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $30; Available elsewhere, $22 to $37

Dow’s Fine Tawny Porto (Douro Valley, Portugal): Medium amber brown with ruby red hues. Prunes, caramel, and vanilla aromas and flavors. Off-dry and medium-bodied with crisp acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $14; Available elsewhere, $10 to $19

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