Recently, we had the opportunity to taste six wines from Seven Hills Winery in a blind samples tasting. These wines offer good overall quality, and we would recommend all six. Our favorite was the 2008 Riesling, an excellent expression of the variety. We also thought that the 2007 Syrah was very good.

Seven Hills Winery and tasting room are located in the historic Whitehouse-Crawford building, which also houses the Whitehouse-Crawford Restaurant. The Seven Hills tasting room is bright and nicely appointed, and the barrel room can be seen from the tasting bar through a picture window. A trip to Walla Walla should definitely include a visit to Seven Hills Winery.

2008 Seven Hills Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale, greenish yellow. Very aromatic with petrol and peach on the nose. Peach, apricot, lime, and a hint of cinnamon on the palate. Off-dry and light to medium-bodied with lively acidity. Well-balanced with good mouthfeel 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 $14; Available elsewhere, $9 to $16

2007 Seven Hills Syrah (Walla Walla Valley): Dark purple in color. Black cherry, smoked meats, and a hint of pepper on the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $22; Available elsewhere, $19 to $21

2007 Seven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon (Seven Hills Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley): Deep purple. Aromatic with molasses and black fruits on the nose; more black fruits, particularly black plums, and pencil lead on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity, medium tannins, and 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 $32

2008 Seven Hills Pinot Gris (Oregon): Pale, greenish yellow. Very aromatic. Granny Smith apple and grapefruit aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied and tart with a 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 $16; Available elsewhere, $12 to $15

2007 Seven Hills Merlot (Seven Hills Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley): Deep, purplish red. Aromatic with cherry cola and red and black fruits on both the nose and palate. Medium-bodied and lively with medium tannins and a 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 $28; Available elsewhere, $25 to $26

2005 Seven Hills Pentad Vintage Red Wine (Walla Walla Valley): 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 18% Petit Verdot, 9% Carmenere, 9% Malbec. Deep, purplish red in color. Moderately aromatic with some petrol aromas. Red fruits come through on the palate. Medium-bodied and lively with soft tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $50; Available elsewhere, $45

Seven Hills Winery: One of the Pioneers in the Walla Walla Valley was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

5:00pm
NV Pepperwood Grove Chardonnay (California): The Big Green Box. Green apple, vanilla, crisp acidity. But not much to it.
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Price: $19.99 [3L box]

5:05pm
2009 Desert Wind Viognier (Wahluke Slope, Washington): Nice nose, fresh, floral, white peach, apricot. A bit hot.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $15

5:11pm
2009 Poet’s Leap Riesling [Long Shadows] (Columbia Valley, Washington): Always a favorite. So crisp and refreshing. Great acidity. Apricot, peach, citrus. Well-balanced.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $20

5:16pm
2009 Big House White (California): 51% Malvasia Bianca, 14% Muscat Canelli, 13% Viognier, 10% Gruner Veltliner, 5% Pinot Gris, 4% White Riesling. Very fragrant nose. Disappoints on the palate.
Quality: 2 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Price: $21.99 [3L Octavin]

5:21pm
2008 Maryhill Viognier (Columbia Valley, Washington): Green apple, pear, honey. Lively acidity. Residual sugar: 1.24%.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $11.95

5:26pm
2008 Hogue Genesis Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Off-dry, crisp acidity, refreshing. Melon, citrus, tangerine. Long finish. Residual Sugar: 1.8%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $16

5:31pm
2008 Buty Semillon/Sauvignon/Muscadelle (Columbia Valley, Washington): 69% Semillon, 26% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Muscadelle. Good acidity. Floral aromas, lemon, hint of oak. Very nice. Well-balanced.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $25

5:38pm
2009 Dusted Valley Ramblin’ Rosé (Columbia Valley, Washington): 52% Mourvedre, 29% Counoise, 16% Syrah, 2% Viognier. Dry. Strawberry, raspberry, cherry. Good acidity.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $18

5:41pm
2008 DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate Blanc (Columbia Valley, Washington): 62% Sauvignon Blanc, 38% Semillon. Dry, grapefruit, vanilla, honey, tropical fruits.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $34

5:47pm
2008 Duck Pond Cellars Pinot Gris (Willamette Valley, Oregon): Dry, mineral, melon, smooth.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $15

5:47pm
2009 Banfi Centine Bianco (Toscana IGT, Italy): 40% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Grigio. Nice nose. Pear, lime, crisp acidity.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $10

5:55pm
2009 Kung Fu Girl Riesling (Evergreen Vineyard, Columbia Valley, Washington): Produced by Charles Smith Wines. Nose is a bit tight at first.  Lime, lemon, tropical fruits. Off-dry. Good acidity. Residual Sugar:  1.5%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $12

6:00pm
This concludes the Live Wine Blogging – White Wines segment. Whew! A fast-paced process but lots of fun.

Cheers!

Live Wine Blogging from WBC in Walla Walla – White Wines was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Fri, 25 Jun 2010 23:52 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

We arrived in Hood River, Oregon, on Friday afternoon, checked into our hotel, and then crossed the Hood River Bridge back into Washington for our first visit to Celilo Vineyard. Celilo Vineyard is the premier white wine grape vineyard in Washington State. Rick Ensminger, Celilo’s vineyard manager, gave us a tour of the vineyard in the pouring rain. Celilo has breathtaking views of the Columbia River and Mount Hood, but they were hard to see in the rain. We returned the next day to take pictures when the sun finally came out.

On Saturday, it was overcast but thankfully dry. We spent the day on the Oregon side of the AVA and visited four wineries: Cathedral Ridge, Phelps Creek, The Pines 1852, and Viento.

Founded in 1985 as the second winery in Hood River, Cathedral Ridge Winery was originally known as Flerchinger Vineyards. Sonoma-based winemaker Michael Sebastiani makes their wines. Today, Cathedral Ridge produces 6,000 cases per year.

The tasting room for Phelps Creek Vineyard is at the Hood River Golf Course. It is the first winery I’ve visited at a golf course, but I must say the setting works. And the wines are excellent. Rich Cushman is their Director of Winemaking. I absolutely loved the 2008 Phelps Creek Celilo Vineyard Chardonnay. Alexandrine Roy from Burgundy, France, is a contributing winemaker for Phelps Creek and crafts two wines for them each year, the “Fleur de Roy” Rosé and the Cuvée Alexandrine Pinot Noir. Phelps Creek is lucky to have Rich and Alexandrine making their wines. It is a rare occasion when I find domestic Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that I really like. Founded in 2004, Phelps Creek produces 6,000 cases per year.

At The Pines 1852 tasting room in downtown Hood River, we had the pleasure to meet Sierra Wright, daughter of founder and owner Lonnie Wright. We were able to schedule a tour of the family’s The Pines Vineyard in The Dalles for Monday. Their Old Vine Zinfandel vines are over 100 years old, one of the oldest vineyards in the Northwest. Annual production for The Pines 1852 Winery is 3,500 to 4,000 cases.

We wrapped up our day with a wonderful visit at Viento. We ran into Celilo’s vineyard manager Rick Ensminger and his wife Jody there. They were wine tasting with their friends Dennis and Becky Beeks, owners of Chukar Ridge Vineyards. After tasting through Viento’s regular lineup of wines, we had the pleasure to meet owner and winemaker Rich Cushman (yes, the same winemaker as Phelps Creek) and concluded the day tasting his ice wine barrel samples (outstanding, by the way) on the patio along with the Ensmingers and Beeks. In addition to enjoying great wines, it is always a treat to get to spend time with growers and winemakers. They are some of the most down-to-earth, genuine people you will ever meet.

On Sunday, we explored the Washington side of the Columbia Gorge AVA and visited four wineries: Syncline, Cor, Memaloose, and Domaine Pouillon.

Our first stop took us to Syncline Wine Cellars in Lyle, Washington. We had the pleasure to finally meet both James and Poppie Mantone in person. Poppie was carrying their newborn daughter in a sling while their older daughter collected rocks around the winery, and James was busy working on his tractor. All the while, both of them and their staff welcomed guests to the tasting room for one of their busiest weekends of the year. No rest for the weary. We are very appreciative that we were able to steal a few minutes of their time and had a wonderful visit about bottle closures (Syncline is a cork-free winery, using screw caps and glass closures) and farming practices. They are wonderful people and excellent winemakers.

Owner/winemaker Luke Bradford founded Cor Cellars in 2005. Cor means “heart” in Latin. Cor specializes in Bordeaux-style and Mosel-style wines.

The McCormick Family owns and operates Memaloose on their Mistral Ranch property in Lyle, Washington. McCormick Family Vineyards includes five estate vineyards, three in Washington and two in Oregon. Memaloose sources fruit from their estate vineyards and purchases about one-third of their grapes from other vineyards in the area. Annual production is about 1,200 cases per year.

Domaine Pouillon is family-owned and operated by Alexis and Juliet Pouillon. Founded in 2005, Domaine Pouillon produces approximately 1,500 cases per year.

Before returning to Seattle, we stopped at The Pines Vineyard in The Dalles on Monday morning for a tour with owner/vineyard manager Lonnie Wright. It was fascinating to get a look at century old Zinfandel vines. I have seen old vines in California but these were the oldest vines I’ve seen in the Northwest. Look for a detailed post about The Pines Vineyard in the coming weeks.

If you have not spent any time in the Columbia Gorge, I highly recommend it, for both outdoor recreation and wine tasting.

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that we tasted while visiting the Columbia Gorge AVA. Under each Quality heading, the wine name and region will be listed along with price and QPR rating. Since the Columbia Gorge AVA runs into both Washington and Oregon, I have indicated in parentheses the state(s) in which the grapes were grown. Wines in bold type received a QPR rating of 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5).

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
2008 Syncline Subduction Red, Columbia Valley (WA), $18, QPR: 5
NV Domaine Pouillon Black Dot Red Blend, Horse Heaven Hills (WA), $18.50, QPR: 5
2008 Phelps Creek Celilo Vineyard Chardonnay, Columbia Gorge (WA), $24, QPR: 5
2005 Alain Fouquet Cabernet Sauvignon [Viento], Pepper Bridge Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley (WA), $40, QPR: 5
2009 Syncline Viognier, Coyote Canyon Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills (WA), $20, QPR: 4
2007 Viento Barbera, Lonesome Spring Ranch, Columbia Valley (WA), $24, QPR: 4
2008 Syncline Mourvedre, Coyote Canyon Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills (WA), $30, QPR: 4
2008 Phelps Creek Cuvée Alexandrine Pinot Noir, Columbia Gorge (OR), $42, QPR: 4

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2005 Viento Cuvée Tuition Sangiovese, Columbia Valley (WA), $20, QPR: 5
2008 Phelps Creek “Vin Dore” Dessert Gewurztraminer, Columbia Gorge (WA), $24 [375ml], QPR: 5
2006 Viento Pinot Noir, Underwood Mountain Vineyard, Columbia Gorge (WA), $24, QPR: 5
2008 Viento Riesling, Columbia Gorge Vineyard, Columbia Gorge (OR), $16, QPR: 4
2008 Phelps Creek Unoaked Chardonnay, Columbia Gorge (WA/OR), $18, QPR: 4
2007 The Pines 1852 Tres Syrah, Columbia Gorge (WA/OR), $22, QPR: 4
2007 Domaine Pouillon Pierre (Syrah/Cab), Horse Heaven Hills (WA), $24, QPR: 4
2008 Syncline Columbia Valley Syrah, Columbia Valley (WA), $25, QPR: 4
2008 Syncline Pinot Noir, Columbia Gorge (WA), $28, QPR: 4
2007 The Pines 1852 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Gorge (OR), $30, QPR: 4
2008 Phelps Creek Oak Ridge Vineyard Gewurztraminer, Columbia Gorge (WA), $17, QPR: 3
2008 The Pines 1852 Pinot Gris, Columbia Gorge (WA), $18, QPR: 3
2009 Alba Cor Pinot Gris/Gewurztraminer, Celilo Vineyard, Columbia Gorge (WA), $18, QPR: 3
2008 Memaloose Idiot’s Grace Cabernet Franc, Columbia Gorge (OR), $25, QPR: 3
2008 Syncline McKinley Springs Syrah, McKinley Springs Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills (WA), $30, QPR: 3
2008 The Pines 1852 Old Vine Zinfandel, Columbia Valley (OR), $38, QPR: 3
2006 Cathedral Ridge Cabernet Reserve, Columbia Valley (OR), $44, QPR: 3
2009 Phelps Creek “Fleur de Roy” Rosé of Pinot Noir, Columbia Gorge (OR), $20, QPR: 2
2008 Syncline Roussanne, Horse Heaven Hills (WA), $22, QPR: 2
2008 Cathedral Ridge Reserve Chardonnay, Columbia Valley (OR), $36, QPR: 2
2006 Cathedral Ridge Syrah Reserve, Columbia Valley (OR), $44, QPR: 2
2007 Cathedral Ridge Rock Star Red (Cab/Syrah), Columbia Valley (OR), $44, QPR: 1

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
2007 The Pines 1852 Big Red (Cab/Mer/Syrah/Zin/Grenache), Columbia Valley (OR), $20, QPR: 4
2007 Cor Cabernet Sauvignon, McKinley Springs Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills (WA), $25, QPR: 4
2005 Viento Nocturne Dessert Wine (Touriga), Lonesome Spring Ranch, Columbia Valley (WA), $36 [375ml], QPR: 4
2007 Cathedral Ridge Bordheauxd Red (Syrah/Cab/Merlot), Columbia Valley (OR), $26, QPR: 3
2008 Phelps Creek Pinot Noir, Columbia Gorge (WA/OR), $29, QPR: 3
2009 Syncline Rosé, Columbia Valley (WA), $16, QPR: 2
2008 Memaloose Trevitt’s White (Viognier/Chardonnay), Columbia Valley (WA), $17, QPR: 2
2008 Domaine Pouillon Deux (Chardonnay/Viognier), Columbia Valley (WA), $18.25, QPR: 2
2007 Cathedral Ridge Syrah, Columbia Valley (OR), $32, QPR: 2
2008 Memaloose Barbera, Columbia Gorge (OR), $20, QPR: 1
2009 Viento Grüner Veltliner, Underwood Mountain Vineyard, Columbia Gorge (WA), $20, QPR: 1
2007 Cathedral Ridge Zinfandel Reserve, Columbia Valley (OR), $38, QPR: 1
2007 Phelps Creek Estate Reserve Pinot Noir, Columbia Gorge (OR), $42, QPR: 1
2006 Cathedral Ridge Pinot Noir Reserve, Columbia Valley (OR), $52, QPR: 1

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
2008 Cor Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia View Vineyard, Columbia Gorge (OR), $10, QPR: NR
2008 Domaine Pouillon Blanc du Moulin (Roussanne/Viognier), Horse Heaven Hills (WA), $17, QPR: NR
2008 The Pines 1852 Viognier, Columbia Valley (OR), $18, QPR: NR
2008 Cor Momentum Red Blend, Horse Heaven Hills (WA), $18, QPR: NR
2007 Cor Cabernet Franc, Alder Ridge Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills (WA), $22, QPR: NR

Columbia Gorge AVA: One of Washington and Oregon’s Best Kept Secrets was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Wed, 02 Jun 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

My family and I love Asian food, so I decided to prepare a chicken stir-fry with rice and egg rolls. All items were easily prepared and quite delicious. Another thing about a stir-fry is that it’s very healthy with many choices of vegetables that can be utilized along with the meat. Our stir-fry included chicken breast, broccoli, carrots, snap peas, onion, celery, and bell peppers.

Again, I referred to my favorite book, What to Drink with What You Eat, by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page and decided to try an off-dry Riesling and a Pinot Grigio. This challenge gave us the perfect opportunity to try the 2009 Kung Fu Girl Riesling by Charles Smith Wines, which is a favorite of many here in Washington State, and the 2008 Gabbiano Pinot Grigio, whose Chianti we have enjoyed in the past. Both wines were very enjoyable; however, the Kung Fu Girl Riesling was the unanimous choice with and without food.

We have a lot of fun with these challenging wine pairings so I encourage you to try your own challenging pairings at home. Also, we would love for you to suggest challenging wine pairing meals for us to try in the future.

Bon Appétit!

2009 Kung Fu Girl Riesling (Evergreen Vineyard, Columbia Valley, Washington): Produced by Charles Smith Wines. Very pale, straw yellow. Nose is a bit tight at first, then some minerality comes through. Citrus fruits, particularly lime and lemon, and tropical fruits explode on the palate. Off-dry and medium-bodied. Well-balanced and crisp with a long finish. Excellent by itself and paired perfectly with the stir-fry. Residual Sugar: 1.41%
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $12.49; Available elsewhere, $11 to $17

2008 Gabbiano Pinot Grigio (Delle Venezie IGT, Italy): Pale, golden yellow. Moderate pear aromas lead to flavors of pear, apple, and melon. Dry, medium-bodied, and lively with a medium finish. A decent wine but a bit plain.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $8.99; Available elsewhere, $7.50 to $10

Challenging Wine Pairing: Chicken Stir-Fry was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Tue, 25 May 2010 14:00 UTC. 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 on Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:00 UTC. 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

Regular readers might remember that the Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc is one of our (and especially Mom’s) favorite go-to white wines. Well, Nobilo makes more than just Sauvignon Blanc. Their Pinot Grigio is excellent as well.

In the 1940’s, Nikola Nobilo emigrated from Croatia and planted some of the first commercial grapevines in New Zealand. He was one of the pioneers responsible for the worldwide popularity of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. All of the wines in the Nobilo Regional Collection are made to be fresh, fruit-forward, and consumed early.

“Light straw in color with brilliant clarity. A perfumed bouquet of orange blossom and pear is overlaid with enticing spicy notes. Elegant and refreshing, the Nobilo Regional Collection Pinot Grigio has been crafted in an off dry style. Showing excellent weight and balance this wine has a creamy texture complemented by gentle acidity. Flavors of ripe apple, melon and pear linger on the palate in a smooth, generous finish.” –Winemaker’s notes

2008 Nobilo Regional Collection Pinot Grigio (East Coast, New Zealand): Medium yellow-gold in color. Honeysuckle aromas give way to flavors of lemon-lime, melon, and pear. Medium-bodied and smooth. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, WA), $11.49; Available elsewhere, $10 to $15

A Wine for Tonight: 2008 Nobilo Regional Collection Pinot Grigio was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Thu, 01 Apr 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

The day was beautiful, which is not always the case at this time of year in Seattle, so I decided to take advantage of the great weather and cook outside on the grill. As I began planning the menu and thinking about those garlic flavored pork chops, I decided to plan around a somewhat Italian-seasoned meal. The menu included salad made with hearts of romaine, garlic seasoned grilled pork chops, roasted garlic zucchini and tomatoes, and pesto spaetzle. Now, the spaetzle is a German egg noodle, but it was seasoned with pesto so I thought, “Why not?”

Again, I referred to my favorite book, What to Drink with What You Eat, by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page and decided to try a Pinot Grigio and a Zinfandel. I headed to a local wine shop with the intention of buying an Italian Pinot Grigio to go with our Italian-themed meal and a Washington State Zinfandel since we love to feature Washington State wines. I ended up selecting the 2008 Tiefenbrunner Pinot Grigio and the 2008 The Pines 1852 Old Vine Zinfandel, which it turns out is actually an Oregon wine.

When I arrived at the shop, I asked the shopkeeper for directions to the Washington Zinfandel section, and once I was there I found the The Pines Old Vine Zinfandel. I specifically asked about it being in the Washington section since the label indicated it was an Oregon winery.  I was told that the winery is in Oregon, but that the vineyard is in Washington in the Columbia Valley. Upon returning home and doing some research, I discovered that the vineyard is located in the Columbia Valley of Oregon. So, we had an Oregon Zinfandel rather than one from Washington. Disappointing to not get what I was expecting, but the wine does come with a good story and even an Italian connection. The Pines Vineyard is one of the oldest in the Northwest and was planted by an Italian stone mason in the late 1800’s.

While we enjoyed both wines, the unanimous choice as to which paired best with the pork chops was the Zinfandel; although, we all agreed that, on its own, we preferred the Pinot Grigio.

Bon Appétit!

2008 Tiefenbrunner Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie IGT (Alto Adige, Italy): Greenish straw yellow in color. Pears and hay come through on the nose; more pears on the palate. Medium-bodied and crisp with a long finish. A slight fizz on the back end. A refreshing sipper.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle), $13.99; Available elsewhere, $10 to $18

2008 The Pines 1852 Old Vine Zinfandel (The Pines Vineyard, Columbia Valley, Oregon): Deep ruby red in color. Aromas of butter, buttered popcorn, oak, and cinnamon lead to flavors of red fruits and cocoa. Good fruit but not overly fruity. Medium-bodied and lively with medium, very drying tannins and a long finish. A bit of heat on the back end.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle), $38.99; Available elsewhere, $39

Challenging Wine Pairing: Grilled Pork Chops was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:00 UTC. 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

Each year since its 2005 launch, FishEye Winery has been named a Rising Star with Adam’s Beverage Dynamics and also a HOT BRAND by Market Watch. We were first introduced to FishEye during the Live Wine Blogging segment of last summer’s Wine Bloggers Conference. I was pleasantly surprised by this FishEye Pinot Grigio. It is very crisp and refreshing.

“FishEye is the type of wine that works well for a summer barbecue or as an everyday wine for the house. It’s a fun, quality wine that delivers intense flavor at a great price, making it an excellent choice for the everyday or casual wine drinker.” –Winemaker Jim McDonald

2008 FishEye Pinot Grigio (California): Apple, pear, melon. Very crisp, fresh. Amazing value for a summer (or wishing it was summer) sipper.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $7; Available elsewhere, $5 to $9

A Wine for Tonight: 2008 FishEye Pinot Grigio was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Columbia Crest, located in Paterson, Washington, has been one of our favorite sources of value wines for many years and was previously featured in our Making your wine buying simple, enjoyable, and easy on the pocketbook post. Time after time in the blind tastings at our monthly wine tasting dinners, a Columbia Crest wine has finished at or near the top in the consensus rankings while invariably being one of the lowest priced wines in the tasting. For those of us who live in Washington State, it is nice to have such a consistent, affordable producer in our own backyard.

Head winemaker, Ray Einberger, took the reins in 2002 from Doug Gore who had been the winemaker since Columbia Crest was founded in 1983. Under Gore and Einberger’s leadership, the Columbia Crest winemaking team has produced more 90+ scoring bottles of wine than any other winery in the world.

We recently had the opportunity to taste seven current releases from Columbia Crest in a samples tasting, four from the Two Vines line and three from the Grand Estates line. Once again, Columbia Crest delivers consistently good wines and excellent value. We would recommend six of the seven wines, and five out of seven received a QPR rating of 5 bangs for your buck. There are many good options here to enjoy with your mid-week dinners.

2008 Columbia Crest Two Vines Vineyard 10 White Wine (Washington State): Pale yellow with green tinges. Citrus aromas, especially grapefruit, come through on the nose; lots of lime, grapefruit, and white peach on the palate. Medium-bodied with lively acidity and a long finish. A smooth, refreshing sipper.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $8; Widely available

2008 Columbia Crest Two Vines Riesling (Washington State): Pale yellow with green tinges. Beautiful peach and dried apricot aromas lead to apricot, peak, and floral flavors. Off-dry, light-bodied, and lively with a long finish. Would be good with food as well.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $8; Widely available

2008 Columbia Crest Two Vines Gewurztraminer (Washington State): Pale, greenish yellow. Dried apricots and pear on the nose; pear and white peach on the palate. Off-dry and crisp with 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 $8; Widely available

2007 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep, dark purple. Black fruits and oak on the nose, slightly medicinal. More black fruits and spice come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with medium tannins and a long finish. Smooth but plain.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $11; Widely available

2007 Columbia Crest Two Vines Vineyard 10 Red Wine (Washington State): Deep purplish red. Very aromatic with blackberry and oak notes. Jammy with lots of blackberry on the palate. Medium-bodied and smooth with medium tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $8; Widely available

2008 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Pinot Grigio (Columbia Valley, Washington): Straw-yellow. Nose is a bit tight at first, but with time, floral aromas come through. Floral and citrus flavors. Light-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 $11; Widely available

2008 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Chardonnay (Columbia Valley, Washington): Straw-yellow and watery. Buttered popcorn aromas. Plain and boring with a bitter, unpleasant finish. Disappointing.
Quality: 2 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $11; Widely available

Current Releases from Columbia Crest (Two Vines and Grand Estates) was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:00 UTC. 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

Last month, we featured Washington State Pinot Gris in our wine tasting dinner. The wines paired wonderfully with Mom’s dinner of tomato basil soup, mixed green salad, chicken tapenade, orzo pasta with parmesan and basil, roasted Italian vegetables, and tiramisu for dessert. This 2008 Chateau Ste. Michelle Pinot Gris was one of the top three wines in the tasting that clearly stood above the rest.

I’m one who focuses on the wine first and the food second, but this pairing was outstanding and truly grabbed my attention. However, as well as the 2008 Chateau Ste. Michelle Pinot Gris paired with the food in the tasting dinner, I think that it would be an excellent, economical choice to pair with your Thanksgiving turkey and dressing next week. So why not go and pick up a couple of bottles, one for tonight and one to take to your Thanksgiving feast next week.

“Falling somewhere between the lighter Italian Pinot Grigio style and the richer, rounder Pinot Gris style from Alsace, our Columbia Valley Pinot Gris offers fresh aromas and flavors of pear, fig, and a hint of spice. A touch of Viognier contributes texture and an attractive floral character….” –Bob Bertheau, Head Winemaker, Chateau Ste. Michelle

2008 Chateau Ste. Michelle Pinot Gris (Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale, straw yellow. Tinny and metallic on the nose; citrus and floral notes come through on the palate. Light-bodied and crisp with 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, WA), $9; Widely available elsewhere, $9 to $15

A Wine for Tonight: 2008 Chateau Ste. Michelle Pinot Gris was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.