We first met Sean Gilbert, one of the founders of Gilbert Cellars, in 2008 at a tasting at Esquin Wine Merchants in Seattle. Sean was the driving force behind getting the Gilbert family into the wine business. We have been impressed with their wines since that first tasting and have followed their subsequent releases closely.

Recently, we had the opportunity to enjoy vertical tastings of three Gilbert Cellars’ wines, their Syrah, Allobroges (a Rhone-style red blend), and Cabernet Sauvignon. We had tasted each of these wines upon release but were glad to have the opportunity to taste each vintage that Gilbert Cellars has produced side by side. While our tastings are usually blind, we decided not to taste these blind. We simply wanted to enjoy the wines and taste them in a logical order. We tasted each vertical separately, and Mom (LaGayle) prepared a meal to pair with each variety/style. In each tasting, we started with the oldest wine and worked our way to the youngest.

Overall, we were very impressed with the quality of their wines across the board in these vertical tastings. While their first vintages are holding up well, I believe that their wines are getting better with each vintage. Head winemaker Justin Neufeld joined Gilbert Cellars in 2007, and he seems to have taken their wines to the next level.

Gilbert Cellars has a fabulous tasting room in downtown Yakima that opened in 2008. In addition to offering tastings, they offer their wines for purchase by the bottle or the glass as well as lighter fare to enjoy in their beautifully appointed wine bar and lounge atmosphere. They also offer live music on some nights. It is a popular spot in Yakima, for tourists and locals alike. If you are in Yakima, be sure to stop by the Gilbert Cellars tasting room to sample their wines or to enjoy a glass with a friend. And regardless of whether you are able to visit or not, be sure to try some Gilbert wines.

SYRAH

2005 Gilbert Cellars Syrah (Wahluke Slope, Washington): Dark, dense purple, almost black. Aromatic with strawberry, blackberry, leather, earth, and cinnamon on the nose. Black plum, leather, licorice, and blueberry come through on the palate. Full-bodied and lively with medium to high tannins and a long finish. Drink now.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, winery release $26

2006 Gilbert Cellars Syrah (Wahluke Slope, Washington): Deep, dark purple. Nice nose with eucalyptus, black plum, black pepper, and cinnamon aromas. Blackberry, black plum, cinnamon, and earth on the palate. 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, winery release $26

2007 Gilbert Cellars Estate Syrah (Doc Stewart Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): Deep, dark purple. Aromatic with black fruit, earth, and mint on the nose. Fruit-forward with black cherry, blackberry, black plum, and cinnamon on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp 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, winery release $24

2008 Gilbert Cellars Syrah (Doc Stewart Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): Deep, dark purple. Gorgeous nose with aromas of black plum, cinnamon, game, and hay. Black plum, blackberry, cinnamon, game, and earth come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, winery release $24

ALLOBROGES

2006 Gilbert Cellars Allobroges (Columbia Valley, Washington): 60% Syrah, 22% Grenache, and 18% Mourvedre. Deep, dark purple. Aromatic with smoke, black cherry, and red cherry on the nose. More smoke, black and red cherry, and a hint of beef jerky come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and smooth with medium tannins and a medium to long finish. Drink now.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, winery release $24

2007 Gilbert Cellars Allobroges (Columbia Valley, Washington): 55% Syrah, 31% Mourvedre, and 14% Grenache. Deep purplish red. Nice nose with black and red cherry and spice aromas. Black and red cherry, spice, and a hint of cocoa come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, winery release $20

2008 Gilbert Cellars Allobroges (Columbia Valley, Washington): 62% Syrah, 23% Mourvedre, and 15% Grenache. Deep, dark purple. Aromatic with Red Vines and floral notes on the nose. More Red Vines and floral notes as well as black and red cherry come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, winery release $22

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

2005 Gilbert Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (Wahluke Slope, Washington): Deep, dark garnet red. Nice nose with chocolate, black cherry, and game aromas. Black cherry, licorice, and coffee on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and smooth with medium tannins and a medium to long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, winery release $26

2006 Gilbert Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (Wahluke Slope, Washington): Deep red. Black cherry and spice on the nose; black cherry, spice, and black plum on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high 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, winery release $26

2007 Gilbert Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (Wahluke Slope, Washington): Deep, dark purplish red. Very aromatic with black cherry, blackberry, and floral notes on the nose. Black cherry, blackberry, pencil lead, and licorice come through on the palate. Full-bodied and lively with high, dry tannins. Well-balanced and good complexity with a very long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, winery release $28

2008 Gilbert Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (Wahluke Slope, Washington): Deep, dark purplish red. Aromatic with black cherry, spice, and floral notes on the nose. Jammy red and black fruits and beef jerky come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and smooth with medium to high, dry 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, winery release $28

Gilbert Cellars: Through a Vertical Lens was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Since we live in Washington State and often drink wines from Washington State, most of our tasting group themes are purposefully non-Washington wines so that we can continue to hone our knowledge of the entire world of wine and maintain well-rounded palates. This month, however, we made an exception for a very special tasting of Washington wines.

Dad (John) generously provided wines from his personal collection so that we could do a Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon vertical tasting of twelve wines from the 1997 through the 2008 vintage.

Alex Golitzin and his wife Jeannette founded Quilceda Creek, located in Snohomish, Washington, in 1978. Generally considered the premier winery in Washington State, Quilceda Creek remains a small, family-owned and operated winery that is dedicated exclusively to the production of world-class Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon. Paul Golitzin joined his parents in the winery in 1992 and was named head winemaker in 2000.

Quilceda Creek is no stranger to high accolades for their wines. Their flagship wine, the Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that we explored in this tasting, has received four 100-point ratings from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate for the 2002, 2003, 2005, and 2007 vintages.

Quilceda Creek sources their grapes from vineyards throughout the Columbia Valley. The vineyard sources for the wines in this tasting are included in the tasting notes below. As you will see, the two constants in every vintage were Champoux and Klipsun with the majority of the fruit coming from Block 1 at Champoux Vineyards. Quilceda Creek became a partner in Champoux Vineyards in 1997 along with Paul and Judy Champoux and three other winery partners, Andrew Will, Powers, and Woodward Canyon.

While our tastings are usually blind, we decided not to taste these blind. We simply wanted to enjoy the wines and taste them in a logical order. We started with the oldest and worked our way to the youngest.

All of the wines were excellent, and some absolutely “wow-ed” us! It was remarkable how fresh the wines were, especially the 1998 vintage, which is 13 years old. The consensus favorite of the evening was the 2003 vintage. Other stars of the tasting were the 1998, 2005, 2007, and 2008 vintages. While the 2008, their current release, is still a young wine, it is already drinking extremely well and shows great potential to only improve with some age. I look forward to trying it again in a few years, if I have the opportunity.

Wines from Quilceda Creek can be hard to come by. Their wines are only offered to members of their private mailing list, which is currently full. The winery is open one weekend each year when mailing list customers can pick up their pre-purchased wines.

From oldest to youngest:

1997 Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 9% Merlot. Vineyards: Champoux, Klipsun, Ciel du Cheval, and Tapteil. Deep ruby red. Aromatic with black currant, licorice, earth, and herbal notes on the nose. More black currant, licorice, and earth, as well as dry forest floor come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and smooth with medium, dry tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of five)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Winery Release: $54

1998 Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc. Vineyards: Champoux, Klipsun, and Tapteil. Dark red garnet. Gorgeous nose with black currant, black cherry, and smoke aromas. Black cherry, smoked meat, and licorice flavors on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and smooth with medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with good mouthfeel and a long, lingering finish. Drinking beautifully right now.
Quality: 5 stars (out of five)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Winery Release: $62

1999 Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Merlot. Vineyards: Champoux, Ciel du Cheval, Klipsun, and Tapteil. Deep, dark red. Nice nose with black fruit, earth, and vegetal aromas. Black currant, black cherry, earth, and slight vegetal notes come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of five)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Winery Release: $75

2000 Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 97.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2.5% Cabernet Franc. Vineyards: Champoux, Ciel du Cheval, Klipsun, and Tapteil. Unfortunately, this particular bottle was corked; therefore, it was not rated.
Quality: NR (not rated)
QPR:  N/A
Winery Release: $70

2001 Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc. Vineyards: Champoux, Ciel du Cheval, Klipsun, and Tapteil. Dark purplish red. Aromatic with bright black fruit, especially blackberry and black cherry, and cinnamon on the nose. Blackberry, spice, and a hint of black pepper come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium, dry tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Winery Release: $85

2002 Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc. Vineyards: Champoux, Ciel du Cheval, Klipsun, and Tapteil. Deep, dark purplish red. Nice nose with black cherry, cloves, and earthy aromas. Black cherry, black plum, spice box, and chocolate come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, dry tannins. Well-balanced and good complexity with a long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Winery Release: $85

2003 Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Merlot. Vineyards: Champoux, Ciel du Cheval, Klipsun, and Tapteil. Deep, dark purplish red. Very aromatic with black cherry, earth, and smoke on the nose. Black cherry, black currant, licorice, and chocolate come through on the palate. Full-bodied and lively with medium to high, dry tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with good complexity and a long, lingering finish. Wow!
Quality: 5 stars (out of five)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Winery Release: $95

2004 Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Vineyards: Champoux, Tapteil, and Klipsun. Deep, dark red. Nice nose with black cherry, black currant, and licorice aromas that lead to flavors of black fruit, earth, licorice, and a hint of spice. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Winery Release: $100

2005 Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Merlot. Vineyards: Champoux, Klipsun, and Tapteil. Deep, dark purplish red. Nice nose with aromas of blackberry, black cherry, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Fruit-forward with fresh black fruit, spice rack, licorice, and a hint of earth on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity and high, dry tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a very long, silky finish. Wow!
Quality: 5 stars (out of five)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Winery Release: $115

2006 Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Merlot. Vineyards: Champoux, Klipsun, and Tapteil. Dark red. Aromatic with black fruit and spice on the nose. Black currant, black cherry, spice, black pepper, and a hint of espresso come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity and high, dry tannins. Well-balanced with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Winery Release: $125

2007 Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Merlot. Vineyards: Champoux, Klipsun, and Tapteil. Deep, dark red. Aromatic with black cherry, floral, and vegetal notes on the nose. Black cherry, blackberry, game, and a hint of earth come through on the palate. Full-bodied and lively with medium to high, dry tannins. Well-balanced with a very long finish. Still young; should open up even more with time.
Quality: 5 stars (out of five)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Winery Release: $125

2008 Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot. Vineyards: Champoux, Klipsun, and Tapteil. Dark purple. Nice nose with black cherry and earthy aromas. Black cherry, earth, licorice, spice box, and espresso come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, dry tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long, lingering finish. Very young but headed for greatness. Wow!
Quality: 5 stars (out of five)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Winery Release: $130

Tasting Group: Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Vertical, 1997-2008 was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

We had the pleasure of visiting Rasa Vineyards and tasting through their inaugural releases shortly after they moved into their new facility last fall. We were blown away by the quality of their wines then. In fact, their 2007 Principia Reserve Syrah was our Wine Peeps’ pick for Best Washington Wine of 2010. On a recent visit to Walla Walla, we made it a point to visit again so that we could taste their new releases. There are no signs of a sophomore slump here. In fact, if it is possible, we were even more impressed with the overall quality of their lineup of wines this time.

We tasted eight of their wines, five from their primary Rasa label and three from their new second label, PB Wines. The PB Wines are made in an identical manner and get the same treatment as the Rasa wines but are just offered at a lower price point.

Their 2008 Creative Impulse, a Cab/Merlot blend from DuBrul Vineyard, which will be released this fall, especially impressed us. It truly is a “Wow!” wine. We also thought that their 2008 QED and 2009 Vox Populi Mourvedre were outstanding.

Rasa Vineyards offers their wines through their mailing list first. They are also distributed in 17 states. If you have not had a chance to try one of their wines, I encourage you to keep your eyes out for them on the shelf at your local wine shop or go ahead and put your name on their mailing list. Only open by appointment, Rasa Vineyards is definitely a must-visit if you are in the Walla Walla area.

For a more detailed write-up about Rasa Vineyards, the Naravane brothers, and their winemaking philosophy, please refer back to my Spotlight On: Rasa Vineyards post.

2008 Rasa Vineyards Creative Impulse (DuBrul Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): 69% Cabernet Sauvignon and 31% Merlot. Deep, dark purplish red. Outstanding nose with gorgeous aromas of black cherry, black currant, leather, smoke, licorice, and earth. Black cherry, black currant, leather, pencil lead, earth, and smoke come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and silky, smooth tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a finish that goes on forever. An absolutely amazing wine. Wow!
Quality: 5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $95 [to be released Fall 2011]

2008 Rasa Vineyards QED (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 83% Syrah, 10% Grenache, 5% Mourvedre, and 2% Viognier. Deep, dark purplish red. Beautiful bouquet with aromas of blackberry, black cherry, licorice, and a hint of game and earth. More black fruit, licorice, and game, as well as vanilla cream come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, silky tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a very long, smooth finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $50

2009 Rasa Vineyards Vox Populi Mourvedre (Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Mourvedre. Deep, dark purple. Gorgeous nose with black fruit, smoked meat, game, white pepper, and floral notes on both the nose and palate. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity and medium, coarse tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $45

2008 Rasa Vineyards Principia Reserve Syrah (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 100% Syrah. Deep, dark beautiful purple in color. Nice nose with aromas of black and blue fruit, earth, game, black pepper, and spice. Black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, earth, spice, and black pepper come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and high, drying tannins. Well-balanced with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $85 [to be released Fall 2011]

2010 Rasa Vineyards The Lyricist Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Light, greenish straw yellow. Very aromatic with white peach, pear, orange peel, mineral notes, and hint of pineapple on both the nose and palate. Medium sweet and medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with good mouthfeel and a long, refreshing finish. Residual Sugar: 4.89%
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $30

2010 PB Wines Heritage Pinot Gris (Kilian Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): Medium greenish yellow. Aromatic with pear, lemon, lime, tropical fruit, and mineral notes on both the nose and palate. Dry and light-bodied with crisp acidity and good mouthfeel. Well-balanced with a long, refreshing finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $18

2008 PB Wines Yakima Valley Syrah (Yakima Valley, Washington): 100% Syrah. Dark, deep purple. Nice nose with aromas of black cherry, blackberry, spice, pepper, and a hint of chocolate. More blackberry, black cherry, pepper, and smoke come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and fruit-forward with lively acidity, smooth tannins, and a long finish. Showing nicely with some bottle age.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $29

2010 PB Wines Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Light, greenish straw yellow in color. Nice nose with aromas of white peach, tropical fruit, and honeysuckle. White peach, mango, and floral notes come through on the palate. Off-dry and light-bodied with crisp acidity and a long, refreshing finish. Residual Sugar: 2.3%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $16

Rasa Vineyards Continues to Wow Us was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Well-known as a blending grape and often used in Bordeaux and Bordeaux-style blends, Cabernet Franc also has attracted a cult-like following for its single varietal wines. It has a similar flavor profile to Cabernet Sauvignon but generally has less tannin, is lighter in color, and tends to be more peppery and vegetal. The Loire Valley of France is known for its Cabernet Franc-based wines including those of Chinon and Bourgueil. In recent years, more wineries in the United States are producing single varietal Cabernet Franc. The weather in the state of Washington seems to be well-suited for Cabernet Franc. In 2008, Seattle Magazine selected Cabernet Franc as the Best Emerging Varietal in their Best of Washington Wine Awards.

“Traditionally known as a blending grape, Cabernet Franc, when grown in Washington—where long warm days allow it to ripen fully—approaches perfection when made into single varietal wines.” –Seattle Magazine

Last Friday, we featured Washington Cabernet Franc in our monthly wine tasting dinner. All six wines paired perfectly with Mom’s dinner of tomato basil soup, candied walnut gorgonzola salad, roasted pork tenderloin, multicolored potatoes with parsley butter, haricot verts (French green beans) with garlic and sliced almonds, and almond raspberry bars for dessert.

The overwhelming consensus favorite was the 2008 Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc. Once again, we were “wow-ed” by this wine. It is the best Cabernet Franc I’ve ever had. This was the second time I gave it a Quality rating of 5 stars (out of 5), both times in a blind tasting. It continues to amaze me the quality that Mike Wade of Fielding Hills is able to achieve across varietals and across vintages. If you have not yet tried any Fielding Hills wines, you definitely need to seek them out.

While the Fielding Hills stood out in this group, the 2007 Gilbert Cellars Cabernet Franc and the 2007 Watermill Winery Estate Cabernet Franc (technically, Watermill is an Oregon winery, but it is located just across the state line from Washington in the Walla Walla Valley AVA) also showed extremely well. And, in fact, we would recommend all six of these wines.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2008 Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc (Riverbend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): Deep, dark red in color. Gorgeous nose with red and black fruit, floral, herbal, cinnamon, and a hint of bell pepper aromas. Luscious red and black fruits, black cherry, spice box, herbal notes, and a hint of earth come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity and medium to high, drying tannins. Extremely well-balanced and smooth with good complexity and a very long, lingering finish. Still the best Cabernet Franc I’ve ever had. Wow!
Quality: 5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $30; Available elsewhere, $33

2007 Gilbert Cellars Cabernet Franc (Wahluke Slope, Washington): Deep, ruby red. Very aromatic with red fruits and floral notes on the nose. Red fruits, spice, floral notes, and a hint of vegetal flavors come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Wine World (Seattle, Washington), $32; Available elsewhere, $31 to $32

2007 Watermill Winery Estate Cabernet Franc (Walla Walla Valley, Oregon): Deep, dark red. Nice nose with vegetal, bell pepper, red fruit, spice, and Red Vine aromas. More vegetal notes, red fruit, and spice on the palate. Medium-bodied with lively acidity and medium, drying tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $24; Available elsewhere, $24 to $28

2008 Owen Roe Rosa Mystica Cabernet Franc (Yakima Valley, Washington): Deep, garnet red in color. Aromatic with earthy, vegetal, and barnyard aromas. More barnyard and vegetal notes on the palate as well as red fruits. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Wine World (Seattle, Washington), $44; Available elsewhere, $33 to $47

2008 Willow Crest Cabernet Franc (Minick Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): Medium to deep, ruby red. Nose is a bit tight at first and then Red Vines come through. Flavors of red fruits, spice, and herbal notes. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $11; Available elsewhere, $13

2008 Barrister Cabernet Franc (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep, dark ruby red. Jammy red fruits and oak dominate both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with 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: Wine World (Seattle, Washington), $26; Available elsewhere, $23 to $33

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

In 2008, their 2005 Syrah “wow-ed” us and was the first Washington wine that we gave a 5-star (out of 5) Quality rating. Recently, we had the opportunity to taste all five new releases from Fielding Hills in a blind samples tasting. Fielding Hills has done it again; we were “wow-ed” by their 2008 Cabernet Franc. Regular readers will realize that this fact is quite remarkable because we have not always been big fans of varietal Cabernet Franc. This particular wine, however, is wonderful and a great representation of what quality Cabernet Franc can be. Dad (John) and Mom (LaGayle) were especially excited with how this wine showed in the blind samples tasting because they helped to bottle it in May. They thought it was an excellent wine when they tasted it at bottling, but it has definitely improved with some bottle age and should continue to improve for a few years.

While the 2008 Cabernet Franc is the best Cab Franc I’ve ever had, the four other new releases from Fielding Hills are also quite impressive. The 2008 Merlot and 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon received 4.5 stars (out of 5), the 2008 Syrah received 4 stars (out of 5), and the Tribute Red Wine received 3.5 stars (out of 5).

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

Tasting notes for the five 2008 Fielding Hills wines, in my personal order of preference:

2008 Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc (Riverbend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): Deep, dark red in color. Gorgeous nose with black fruit, floral, herbal, and a hint of bell pepper aromas. Luscious red and black fruits, black cherry, herbal notes, and a hint of earth come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity and drying tannins. Extremely well-balanced and smooth with good complexity and a very long, lingering finish. The best Cabernet Franc I’ve ever had. Wow!
Quality: 5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $30

2008 Fielding Hills Merlot (Riverbend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): Deep, dark red. Gorgeous nose with black cherry and plum aromas. More black cherry, plum, as well as leather, and cocoa come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with good, crisp acidity and smooth tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $36

2008 Fielding Hills Cabernet Sauvignon (Riverbend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): Deep, dark, inky purplish red in color. Gorgeous nose with black fruit and spice rack aromas. Black cherry, blackberry, blackcurrant, spice, pencil lead, and a hint of tobacco come through on the palate. Full-bodied and fruit-forward with crisp acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $42

2008 Fielding Hills Syrah (Riverbend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): Deep, dark, inky purple in color. Very aromatic with blackberry, cinnamon, clove, and violets on the nose. Blackberry, black plums, spice, and a hint of black pepper come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a very long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $38

2008 Fielding Hills Tribute Red Wine (Riverbend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): Deep, dark purple. Very aromatic with ripe red and black fruits on the nose; black cherry, blackberry, and licorice on the palate. Medium to full-bodied, fruit-forward, lively acidity, medium to high 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 $32

New Releases from Fielding Hills, 2008 Vintage [Wow! Alert] was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Originally from India, the brothers turned to an uncle for help in naming their winery. When they explained to him their idea of producing terroir-driven wines, he suggested Rasa, which basically means “terroir” in Sanskrit. He said that it means “essence” and is often used figuratively in regards to soil and fruit; and in slang, it also means “juice.” They felt that it was a nice way to encapsulate the story of what they are trying to create, was a good tie-back to India, and is a relatively simple word for people to say.

Both Pinto and Billo have engineering and mathematical backgrounds and worked in the computer industry. Bitten by the wine bug around 1990, they began tasting 500 to 600 wines a year and talking about starting a winery together someday. Billo received his BS in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science from MIT and his MS in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University. He worked in the computer industry for about 15 years, much of that time travelling as a consultant. He soon realized that he did not want to do that for another 30 years and applied to the Viticulture and Enology program at UC Davis in 2006. He graduated in June of 2008 and moved to Walla Walla full-time in September of that year. Pinto, meanwhile, still lives in New Jersey where the brothers grew up. He received his BE in Computer Science/Electrical Engineering and MS in Electrical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology and runs his own computer networking company. Eventually, Pinto hopes to move to Walla Walla, but for the time being, he will continue to live in New Jersey in order to supplement their income until the winery becomes self-sustaining. Having him on the east coast has also opened doors for them in the New York and New Jersey markets which has proved quite beneficial.

Even though Pinto and Billo come from very technical backgrounds, they both felt the pull to express their artistic side through the winery. Pinto loves to write poetry and screenplays, and Billo loves music and plays classical piano.

“Our conservative Indian parents love the fact that we are throwing that out [our engineering and technical backgrounds] to make wine.” –Pinto Naravane, co-owner/managing partner, Rasa Vineyards

When the brothers decided that the time was right to pursue their dream of starting a winery and Billo started school at UC Davis, they put a lot of time into developing a business plan and deciding where they wanted to locate their winery. In addition to Walla Walla, they considered Paso Robles, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, and Oregon. When they visited Walla Walla, it reminded them of Napa and Sonoma in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s.

“We saw a real parallel to where Walla Walla and eastern Washington are and where Sonoma and Napa were. So we thought it was a great opportunity for us to come here and make great, world-class wines.” –Pinto Naravane, co-owner/managing partner, Rasa Vineyards

“We came here to Walla Walla where the industry is still forming with the intent to be one of the leaders longer term.” –Billo Naravane, co-owner/winemaker, Rasa Vineyards

As for official titles, Pinto is the managing partner and Billo is the winemaker. However, it is very evident that the brothers collaborate on everything. Even though Pinto lives in New Jersey, he travels to Walla Walla frequently. He is there for all of the blending trials and throughout harvest.

Speaking of blending trials, they taste everything blind over the course of three to four days. Then they go through and compare notes to determine the percentages that work best. Given our belief in blind tasting, I was particularly struck to learn that they taste that way too.

“We are huge fans of blind tasting. That’s really the only way to taste wine.” –Billo Naravane, co-owner/winemaker, Rasa Vineyards

On September 1st, Rasa Vineyards moved into its new facility south of downtown Walla Walla near the Washington/Oregon state line. Located on Powerline Road, their gorgeous winery is the former home of Hence Cellars. Prior to moving into their own building, Rasa had been making their wines at Artifex, Walla Walla’s custom crush facility. While Artifex has served them well, Pinto and Billo were anxious to find a place that they could call their own that would give them space to not only produce their wines but also have a tasting room and a place for events. By the end of September, they hope to be completely moved in and will be open by appointment only until harvest is done. After Fall Release Weekend in November, they plan to begin having regular tasting room hours.

We had the pleasure of visiting Rasa Vineyards in their new facility just three days after they got the keys. Pinto and Billo gave us on a tour of their new digs and tasted us through their wines. During our visit, they shared with us some of their winemaking philosophies.

They avoid pumps whenever possible, do very gentle punch downs, and are careful to manage the extraction level of their wines. While their wines have a considerable amount of tannins, they strive for a very silky feel. Their wines are built to age for 10 to 20 years.

“The key to producing wines that will age is to establish the balance young. Wines never gain balance with age. It is important to get that balance in terms of fruit, tannins, acidity, and alcohol just right in the beginning. One of our philosophies is that whenever that balance point is reached, no matter where it is in that cycle, we press off and immediately go to barrel.” –Billo Naravane, co-owner/winemaker, Rasa Vineyards

In stark contrast to their technical backgrounds, Billo and Pinto make their wines in as non-interventionist a manner as possible. They do not tinker with it. Billo’s knowledge of organic chemistry and microbiology only comes into play if something seems off-kilter. They also employ a minimalist oak program. Usually their Syrahs only get 18-25% new French oak. Even their Cabernet Sauvignon (which is still in barrel and set to be bottled in January) has only seen about 60-65% new oak. They have experimented with some American oak barrels but about 98% of the barrels they use are French.

“We are not huge fans of oak, honestly. You go through all this trouble to get these complex grapes, and get the flavors right on the grapes in the vineyard, and then it doesn’t make any sense to us to come in here, crush it, and put it into barrels in 100% new oak, and just mask all of those flavors that we worked so hard to get in the first place.” –Billo Naravane, co-owner/winemaker, Rasa Vineyards

Currently, their fruit sources include vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley and the Columbia Valley such as Les Collines, Seven Hills, Sagemoor, and Minick. They do have plans to plant their own estate vineyard “in the rocks” near Milton-Freewater, Oregon. They have purchased 28 acres near Seven Hills Vineyard that are currently planted to apples and cherries. They have cleared nine acres and put in a drip irrigation system. Their hope is to have the funds to plant at least some of those nine acres in March.

“Stylistically, our palates are much more aligned with France than California or Australia. We like those wines, but we are huge Rhone fanatics and Bordeaux fanatics. We love Cote Rotie and Hermitage, more terroir-driven wines rather than over-the-top fruit type wines.” –Billo Naravane, co-owner/winemaker, Rasa Vineyards

We tasted through seven of their wines, five from their primary Rasa label and two from their new second label, PB Wines. The PB Wines are made in an identical manner and get the same treatment as the Rasa wines but are just offered at a lower price point.

We were absolutely blown away by their 2007 Principia Reserve Syrah. It truly is a “Wow!” wine. At $85, it sports a hefty price tag but is worth every penny. We also thought that their 2007 QED and 2008 Vox Populi Mourvedre were outstanding.

The names of their wines are a nod to their scientific and mathematical backgrounds. QED stands for “quod erat demonstrandum”.

“When we started the winery, our friends said, ‘We know you know a lot about wine, but can you make great wine?’ So we decided to call this QED and say, ‘The proof is in the bottle.’” –Pinto Naravane, co-owner/managing partner, Rasa Vineyards

For their reserve line of wines, they decided to celebrate something profound in human history instead of calling them Winemaker’s Reserve or Artist Series or something that has been done by many other wineries. Their first reserve wine, Principia, is based on Sir Isaac Newton’s seminal work on the laws of mechanics and universal gravitation.

The Mourvedre that goes into their Vox Populi was originally sourced to be a blending grape in the QED. However, when some of their winemaker friends tasted barrel samples of it, they commented on how remarkable it was. Even some collectors who tasted it offered to buy it in futures and asked them to bottle at least some of it by itself. Therefore, Vox Populi or “voice of the people” was born.

Rasa Vineyards offers their wines through their mailing list first. They are also distributed in 17 states. If you have not had a chance to try one of their wines, I encourage you to keep your eyes out for them on the shelf at your local wine shop or go ahead and put your name on their mailing list. If their first releases are any indication, this winery is headed for superstar status. And if you are in the Walla Walla area, Rasa Vineyards is definitely a must-visit.

2007 Rasa Vineyards Principia Reserve Syrah (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 100% Syrah. Deep, dark purple in color. Gorgeous nose with a lot going on aromatically. Blackberry, black plum, clove, pepper, smoke, and pencil lead fill both the nose and palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and high yet silky tannins. Well-balanced with a long, lingering finish. This wine hits it out of the park. Wow!
Quality: 5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $85

2007 Rasa Vineyards QED (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 94% Syrah, 3% Grenache, and 3% Mourvedre. Deep, dark purplish red. Gorgeous nose with aromas of red and black fruits, game, and spice. Smoked meats, game, black fruits, and cinnamon come through on the palate. Full-bodied and crisp with high tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $50

2008 Rasa Vineyards Vox Populi Mourvedre (Minick Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): 100% Mourvedre. Dark, ruby purple. Very aromatic with red and black fruits, smoked meats, game, and white pepper on both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins and a long finish. Big yet smooth and well-balanced.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $45

2008 Rasa Vineyards QED (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 83% Syrah, 10% Grenache, 5% Mourvedre, and 2% Viognier. Deep, dark purplish red in color. Beautiful bouquet with red and black fruits and floral notes. Blackberry, black cherry, and spice dominate the palate. Full-bodied and crisp with medium to high tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $50 [to be released in November]

2009 Rasa Vineyards The Composer Riesling (Sagemoor Vineyards, Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale, straw yellow in color. Nice nose with aromas of white peach and apricot that lead to flavors of apple, pear, and peach. Light to medium-bodied and lively with a long finish. Residual Sugar: 1.56%
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $30

2008 PB Wines Red Mountain Kiona Vineyards (Red Mountain, Washington): 66.7% Syrah, 33.3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark, purplish red. Aromatic with earth and dark fruits on the nose; black cherry, pepper, and chocolate on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and crisp with medium to high, silky tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $29

2008 PB Wines Yakima Valley Syrah (Yakima Valley, Washington): Dark, deep purple. Aromas of black fruits, spice, pepper, and a hint of chocolate. Blackberry, black cherry, and spice come through on the palate. Medium-bodied and fruit-forward 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: Winery, $29

Spotlight On: Rasa Vineyards [Wow! Alert] was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

We arrived in Walla Walla, on Thursday afternoon, checked into our hotel, and then crossed the state line into Oregon for happy hour at Tero Estates. We sat outside in Windrow Vineyard and enjoyed the wines of Tero Estates and Flying Trout and visiting with Doug and Jan Roskelley and Ashley Trout.

On Friday morning, we headed back into Oregon for a visit to Seven Hills Vineyard. Managing partner Norm McKibben gave us a tour of the vineyard as well as the entire SeVein Vineyards project. We rounded out the day with visits to Plumb Cellars, Rotie Cellars, and Locati Cellars.

Saturday brought visits to Reynvaan Family Vineyards, Rasa Vineyards, and Adamant Cellars before rushing back to the hotel to watch my Washington Huskies play BYU in their opening game of football season. However, given their disappointing performance, it would have been more enjoyable to visit a few more wineries instead. After the ballgame, Dad (John) and I walked down to Vintage Cellars, a wine bar located in downtown Walla Walla, and tried a few more local wines by the glass. Vintage Cellars is a must-visit when you are in Walla Walla. Nicole Rivinius, the wine buyer for Vintage Cellars and also the Sales & Marketing Director for Rotie Cellars, was a great host. She stocks an excellent selection of Washington wines. So if you don’t have time to visit all of the individual wineries and tasting rooms in Walla Walla, Vintage Cellars is a great place to try and even buy some additional local wines. They also offer live music on most Monday and Saturday nights.

We only visited two wineries on Sunday, Trio Vintners and Tertulia Cellars, in order to enjoy a day of rest and watch more football on television. On Monday, we crossed the Oregon state line once again and visited Watermill Winery in Milton-Freewater. Then we headed for the Walla Walla airport area and visited the rest of the “incubator wineries” including Lodmell Cellars, CAVU Cellars, and Kontos Cellars.

On this trip, we toured one vineyard, visited 14 wineries, and tasted 63 wines. A quick look at the list of wines below will show that the standout wineries for us were Rasa Vineyards, Rotie Cellars, and Watermill Winery. In fact, we discovered another “Wow!” wine, the 2007 Rasa Vineyards Principia Reserve Syrah. It was a pleasure to meet so many wonderful people along the way. In the coming weeks, I will be writing in more detail about some of the wines and wineries that we encountered.

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that we tasted while visiting the Walla Walla 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: 5 stars (out of 5)
2007 Rasa Vineyards Principia Reserve Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $85, QPR: 5

Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
2007 Watermill Merlot, Walla Walla Valley, $24, QPR: 5
2008 Rotie Cellars Southern Blend (GSM), Horse Heaven Hills, $35, QPR: 5
2007 Rasa Vineyards QED (Syrah/Gren/Mourv), Walla Walla Valley, $50, QPR: 5
2008 Rasa Vineyards Vox Populi (Mourvedre), Minick Vineyard, Yakima Valley, $45, QPR: 4

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
2006 Plumb Cellars Damn Straight Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 5
2007 Watermill Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $24, QPR: 5
2007 Trio Vintners Sangiovese Riserva, Yakima Valley, $26, QPR: 5
2007 Trio Vintners Zinfandel, Wahluke Slope, $26, QPR: 5
2006 Kontos Cellars Merlot, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 5
2005 Lodmell Estate Merlot, Columbia Valley, $33, QPR: 5
2006 Tertulia Cellars Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills, $34, QPR: 5
2007 Kontos Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Pepper Bridge Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley, $36, QPR: 5
2007 Watermill Estate Malbec, Walla Walla Valley, $28, QPR: 4
2008 Watermill Estate Malbec, Walla Walla Valley, $28, QPR: 4
2008 PB Wines [Rasa] Red Mountain Kiona Vineyards (Syrah/Cab), Red Mountain, $29, QPR: 4
2007 Watermill Praying Mantis Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $30, QPR: 4
2008 CAVU Cellars Barbera, Horse Heaven Hills, $30, QPR: 4
2008 Rotie Cellars Northern Blend (Syrah/Viognier), Washington State, $35, QPR: 4
2009 Kontos Cellars Gossamer White (Chard/Viog/Rouss), Columbia Valley, $22, QPR: 3
2007 Tertulia Cellars Phinny Hill Carmenere, Horse Heaven Hills, $35, QPR: 3
2008 Tertulia Cellars Les Collines Tempranillo, Walla Walla Valley, $35, QPR: 3
2008 Reynvaan Unnamed Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $40, QPR: 3
2008 Rasa Vineyards QED (Syrah/Gren/Mourv/Viog), Walla Walla Valley, $50, QPR: 3
2008 Reynvaan The Contender Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $55, QPR: 2

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2008 Plumb Cellars Estate Sangiovese Walla Walla Valley, $12, QPR: 5
2008 Watermill Late Harvest Gewurztraminer, Walla Walla Valley, $14 (375ml), QPR: 5
2007 Plumb Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 4
2006 Lodmell Sublime (Cab/Merlot), Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 4
2006 Flying Trout Sangiovese, Stillwater Creek Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $33, QPR: 4
2009 Trio Vintners Tres Rose (Mourv/Gren), Yakima Valley, $15, QPR: 3
2008 Watermill Viognier, Columbia Valley, $16, QPR: 3
2008 Rotie Cellars VdP (Syrah/Mourvedre), Washington State, $25, QPR: 3
2007 Locati Innovation (Barbera/Cab/Sangio), Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 3
2006 CAVU Cellars Horizon Red Wine, Walla Walla Valley, $26, QPR: 3
2006 Kontos Cellars Alatus (Cab/Cab Franc/Merlot), Columbia Valley, $27, QPR: 3
2007 Adamant Cellars Nalin Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $27, QPR: 3
2007 Watermill Estate Petit Verdot, Walla Walla Valley, $28, QPR: 3
2007 Watermill Estate Cabernet Franc, Walla Walla Valley, $28, QPR: 3
2008 PB Wines [Rasa] Yakima Valley Syrah, Yakima Valley, $29, QPR: 3
2007 Tertulia Cellars Les Collines Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $30, QPR: 3
2008 CAVU Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 2
2007 Trio Vintners Tempranillo, Walla Walla Valley, $26, QPR: 2
2006 Trio Vintners Mourvedre, Yakima Valley, $26, QPR: 2
2008 CAVU Cellars Malbec, Columbia Valley, $30, QPR: 2
2007 Kontos Cellars Petit Verdot, Columbia Valley, $32, QPR: 2
2008 Flying Trout The Brook Blend (Cab/Malbec/Petit Verdot), Horse Heaven Hills, $33, QPR: 2
2008 Reynvaan In the Rocks Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $45, QPR: 2
2008 Rotie Cellars Southern White (Viognier/Roussanne), Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 1
2007 Tertulia Cellars Columbia Valley Malbec, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 1
2007 Tero Estates Windrow (Cab/Merlot/Cab Franc/Malbec), Windrow Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley, $45, QPR: 1

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
2008 Lodmell Estate Saignee (Rosé of Merlot/Cab), Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: 2
2009 Plumb Cellars Estate Viognier, Walla Walla Valley, $18, QPR: 2
2006 Plumb Cellars Birch Creek Vineyard Merlot, Walla Walla Valley, $20, QPR: 2
2006 Lodmell Syrah, Alder Ridge Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 2
2007 Locati Sangiovese, Rosebud Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $30, QPR: 2
2008 Tertulia Cellars Lonesome Springs Ranch Viognier, Yakima Valley, $19, QPR: 1
2009 Adamant Cellars Bijoux (Sauv Blanc/Sem), Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 1
2008 Tertulia Cellars Lonesome Springs Ranch Grenache, Yakima Valley, $25, QPR: 1
2006 Locati Barbera, Lonesome Springs Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley, $26, QPR: 1
2009 Rasa Vineyards The Composer Riesling, Sagemoor Vineyards, Columbia Valley, $30, QPR: 1

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
2008 Locati Pinot Grigio, Rosebud Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $16, QPR: NR
2008 Lodmell Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: NR

Weekend in the Walla Walla Valley AVA: A Tale of Two States was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

The consensus favorite was the 2005 Quilceda Creek Galitzine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. With seven out of eight first place votes, it dominated the field and earned a rare 5 stars (out of 5) quality rating. It is always thrilling to discover a “Wow!” wine. Quilceda Creek, located in Snohomish, Washington, was founded in 1978 by the Golitzin family. Generally considered the premier winery in Washington State, Quilceda Creek remains a small, family-owned and operated winery. Quilceda Creek is no stranger to high accolades for their wines. Their flagship wine, the Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, has received three 100-point ratings from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate for the 2002, 2003, and 2005 vintages. In 2001, they purchased and planted their own Galitzine Vineyard on Red Mountain. The 2004 Quilceda Creek Galitzine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon was the first release from this vineyard.

Not only did four of these six wines receive a Quality rating of 4 stars or higher (out of 5), but the top four also received a QPR rating of 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5). Even though these wines are not inexpensive, they are well worth the money. I would encourage you to try any of these wines, especially with a meal, to decide for yourself how Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon compares to other world-renowned Cabs.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2005 Quilceda Creek Galitzine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Galitzine Vineyard, Red Mountain, Washington): Deep, dark, dense red and extremely aromatic. A gorgeous nose of black cherry, vanilla, and blackberry leads to black fruit, pencil lead, and earth on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with amazing complexity and a long, lingering finish. Excellent from the first sip but really opened up with the meal. Already a “Wow!” wine but should get even better with more bottle age.
Quality: 5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $98; Available elsewhere, $110 to $225

2005 Boudreaux Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington State): Dark red in color. Black fruits and spice come through on both the nose and the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, drying tannins. Well-balanced and complex with a long finish. Improves with food.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $44; Available elsewhere, $45 to $54

2006 Fielding Hills Cabernet Sauvignon (Riverbend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): Dark red with a beautiful bouquet. Black cherry, black currant, and vanilla aromas lead to more black fruit and vanilla flavors. Medium to full-bodied and lively with soft, smooth tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $38; Available elsewhere, $40

2006 Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep ruby red. Nose is a bit tight at first with some black fruit aromas coming through the longer its open. Fruit-forward with black fruits, oak, and spice on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $27; Available elsewhere, $28 to $40

2006 Gramercy Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep, dark ruby red and aromatic. Caramel, crème brulee, and vegetal aromas lead to vegetal and black fruit flavors. Medium to full-bodied and lively with smooth tannins and a long 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), $45; Available elsewhere, $37 to $50

2005 Dunham Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon XI (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep, dark ruby red. Very fruit-forward with a lot of black and red fruits on both the nose and palate along with a hint of cinnamon. Medium to full-bodied and crisp with medium to high tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $45; Available elsewhere, $43

Wine Tasting Dinner: Washington Cabernet Sauvignon [Wow! Alert] 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.

For this year’s Open That Bottle Night, Dad (John) graciously went deep into his cellar and pulled out a wine on his bucket list that he has been holding onto for years. We enjoyed a bottle of 1982 Chateau Mouton Rothschild with Mom’s fabulous, Julie & Julia-inspired meal of Beef Bourguignon, roasted garlic mashed sweet potatoes, and green beans with tomatoes. Wow! The wine, the food, the pairing, and the evening spent with family were truly amazing…just what OTBN is all about.

Chateau Mouton Rothschild is one of the famous First Growths of Bordeaux, the only one elevated to that status after the original 1855 classification. After years and years of lobbying by owner Baron Philippe de Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild was promoted to First Growth (or Premier Cru) status in 1973.

Located in the village of Pauillac in the Médoc region of Bordeaux, France, Chateau Mouton Rothschild was originally known as Chateau Brane-Mouton until Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild bought and renamed it in 1853. No one else in the family took a real interest in the Chateau until 1922 when Baron Philippe decided to devote his life’s work to it. Today, Chateau Mouton Rothschild is owned by his daughter Baroness Philippine and her children and continues to be regarded as one of the world’s finest wines.

1982 Chateau Mouton Rothschild (Pauillac, Médoc, Bordeaux, France): Very dark, garnet brick in color. Lovely nose of prunes, licorice, smoke, and bell peppers. Gorgeous black fruits come through at first, amazingly vibrant fruit considering its age. Lots of layers to this wine. Licorice, prunes, spice, cinnamon, and smoked game also on the palate. Full-bodied with good acidity and medium to high, drying tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with stunning complexity and a lengthy finish. Decanted 2 hours prior to serving, and remarkably, got even better during the hour it was open with dinner.
Quality: 5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Hart Davis Hart (Chicago, Illinois), $475; Available elsewhere, $740 to $2550

You might be wondering how a $475 wine can have a QPR rating of 4 bangs for your buck. Please keep in mind that a high “bang for your buck” does not always mean a low price. It means that the wine has a good price compared to wines of similar quality within the same varietal or category (i.e. this wine’s QPR is calculated in comparison to other Bordeaux wines). For a more complete explanation of our ratings system, visit Wine Ratings.

If you missed this year’s OTBN, go ahead and open your special bottle anyway. Or you can join us for next year’s OTBN on Saturday, February 26, 2011 (always the last Saturday in February).

What did you open for Open That Bottle Night this year?

Open That Bottle Night: 1982 Chateau Mouton Rothschild was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.