Wine Peeps » Shiraz/Syrah

Wine Tasting Dinner: 2008 Washington Syrah

Kori — Wed, 09 May 2012 14:00:23 +0000

Washington Syrah compares favorably with the best in the world. Washington Syrah generally falls somewhere in between the jammy Shiraz of Australia and the more austere Syrah of the northern Rhone. It generally has good acidity and tannins. The common denominators of our favorite Syrahs from Washington have been deep, dark purple color and luscious black fruits, with hints of green bell peppers, black pepper, and spice.

Last Friday, we featured Washington Syrah from the 2008 vintage in our wine tasting dinner. All six wines paired perfectly with Mom’s dinner of tomato basil soup, candied walnut gorgonzola salad, grilled beef tenderloin steaks, braised kale, rosemary roasted sweet potatoes, and topped off with a German chocolate dessert with whipped cream and shaved chocolate. Four of the six wines received a Quality rating of 4.5 stars (out of 5), and three wines 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.

The 2008 Betz Family Winery La Côte Patriarche Syrah came out on top in this stellar lineup. Bob Betz is one of the most well respected winemakers in the State of Washington. He is one of only 297 Masters of Wine in the world. As a winemaker, Bob strives for purity, elegance, and balance in his wines, and he certainly hits the mark with this wine. The fruit for La Côte Patriarche comes from the 1986 Syrah block at Red Willow Vineyard, the oldest Syrah planting in Washington State. The name of this wine, which translates as “the founder’s slope”, is a nod to Red Willow owner/grower, Mike Sauer, and former Columbia Winery winemaker, David Lake, who planted those original Syrah vines.

Really, you can’t go wrong with any of these wines. Washington State produces fabulous Syrah, and the winemakers who made these six wines are among the state’s best.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2008 Betz Family Winery La Côte Patriarche Syrah (Red Willow Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): 100% Syrah. Beautiful, inky purple-black. Gorgeous nose with smoked meat, black fruit, licorice, and spice aromas. Luscious black fruit, smoked meat, and black pepper come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity and high, dry tannins. Well-balanced with great 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, $55; Available elsewhere, $69 to $100

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, floral notes, and a hint of game and earth. More black fruit as well as black pepper and a touch of cinnamon 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; Available elsewhere, $40 to $90

2008 DeLille Doyenne Signature Syrah (Yakima Valley, Washington): 98% Syrah and 2% Viognier. Deep, dark purplish red. Aromatic with cinnamon and game on the nose. Black pepper, cinnamon, black cherry, and blackberry come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and high, dry tannins. Well-balanced with a very long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $39; Available elsewhere, $38 to $47

2008 Grand Rêve Collaboration Series III (Ciel du Cheval Vineyard, Red Mountain, Washington): 100% Syrah. Winemaker Mark McNeilly of Mark Ryan Winery. Deep, dark purplish red. Nice nose with red and black fruit and spice aromas. Black cherry, Red Vines, and spice come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity and high, dry tannins. Well-balanced with a very long finish. The 2008 Collaboration Series III is the last wine to carry the Grand Rêve label; the winery has since been renamed Force Majeure.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $50; Available elsewhere, $50 to $69

2008 Fielding Hills Syrah (Riverbend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): 94% Syrah, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Deep, dark red. Aromatic with black plum, clove, violets, and dill on the nose. Black plum, blackberry, clove, and a hint of black pepper come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with a very long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $38; Available elsewhere, $38 to $40

2008 K Vintners Morrison Lane Syrah (Morrison Lane Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 100% Syrah. Deep, dark purplish red. Smoked meat and earth come through on the nose; blackberry, black plum, game, and earth on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $41; Available elsewhere, $53 to $80

Wine Tasting Dinner: 2008 Washington Syrah was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Maison Bleue Winery: Jon Martinez’s Star Continues to Rise

Kori — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:00:45 +0000

Maison Bleue, founded by owner/winemaker Jon Martinez in 2008, is located in Prosser, Washington. Martinez changed careers to venture into winemaking, giving up a successful dental practice. He has become a bona fide winemaking star and his Maison Bleue wines have been the buzz of the Washington wine industry the past couple of years. Maison Bleue focuses primarily on Rhône varieties with annual production currently over 2,600 cases and increasing to 4,500 cases over the next two years.

Jon Martinez sources fruit from some of the best vineyards in the state, including the famed Boushey Vineyards. He is committed to expressing the distinctive traits of each vineyard site through his winemaking.

Recently, we had the opportunity to taste several Maison Bleue wines in a blind samples tasting. While we thought all three were very good, we especially enjoyed the two white wines, the 2010 Notre Vie Viognier and the 2010 Petite Joie Marsanne. With warmer weather on its way, these are both excellent whites to try this spring and summer.

Open by appointment only, the Maison Bleue tasting room is located in The Winemaker’s Loft in Prosser. If you are in the area, I highly encourage you to make arrangements to visit. Maison Bleue produces a number of wines worth checking out if you see them on the shelf at your local wine shop or on a restaurant wine list.

2010 Maison Bleue Notre Vie Viognier (Arthur’s Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): Pale straw yellow. Aromatic with floral notes and lemon on the nose. More lemon and floral notes come through on the palate as well as lime and a hint of grapefruit. Dry and medium-bodied with tart acidity. Well-balanced with a long, lingering finish. Crisp and refreshing.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $25; Available elsewhere, $23 to $26

2010 Maison Bleue Petite Joie Marsanne (Boushey Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): Pale to medium yellow. Nice nose with floral and petrol aromas. Lemon zest and floral notes come through on the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with a very long finish. One of the best Marsannes I’ve ever had.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $35; Available elsewhere, $28 to $37

2009 Maison Bleue Liberté Syrah (Boushey Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): Deep, dark purplish red. Aromatic with cherry and floral notes on the nose. Big Red soda, strawberry, and cedar come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $45; Available elsewhere, $40 to $44

Maison Bleue Winery: Jon Martinez’s Star Continues to Rise was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

New Releases from Fielding Hills, 2009 Vintage

Kori — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 14:00:02 +0000

Fielding Hills Winery, a small, family-owned winery in Wenatchee, is one of the top wineries in Washington State. Owner/winemaker Mike Wade and his wife Karen are longtime apple and cherry growers who have turned a middle portion of their orchard near Mattawa into a vineyard. Their RiverBend Vineyard, planted in 1998, is in the Wahluke Slope AVA and is their sole source of grapes. Strictly red wine producers, Fielding Hills increased their production from 850 cases to about 1400 cases with the 2009 vintage. We have tasted their wines from their inaugural vintage in 2000 through their soon-to-be-released 2009 vintage and continue to be impressed. They are so consistent; it is not a question of whether their wines will be good but where they will fall on the quality spectrum between “very good” and “Wow!” In fact, we recognized Mike Wade as Best Winemaker in our Wine Peeps’ Best of 2009 in Washington Wine Country.

Recently, we had the opportunity to taste all five new releases from Fielding Hills, which will be released this Saturday, March 17th, in a blind samples tasting. All five of these new releases are quite impressive. The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2009 Syrah received 4.5 stars (out of 5), and the 2009 Merlot, 2009 Tribute, and 2009 Cabernet Franc received 4 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.

2009 Fielding Hills Cabernet Sauvignon (RiverBend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Syrah, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Merlot. Dark purplish red. Gorgeous nose with aromas of black fruit, rainforest, and floral notes. More black fruits and rainforest as well as spice come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and high, dry tannins. Big, bold, and very complex. 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

2009 Fielding Hills Syrah (RiverBend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): 94% Syrah, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Dark purple. Beautiful aromas of black cherry, blackberry, fresh vegetables, and nasturtiums come through on the nose while black fruits, spice, and molasses dominate the palate. Medium to full-bodied with good 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, suggested retail $38

2009 Fielding Hills Merlot (RiverBend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): 94% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Syrah. Deep, dark red. Aromatic with blackberry, black plum, nutmeg, and licorice on both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced 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 $36

2009 Fielding Hills Tribute Red Wine (RiverBend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): 31% Cabernet Franc, 30% Syrah, 20% Merlot, and 19% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark red. Nose is a bit tight at first and then cocoa and oak aromas come through. Luscious black cherry, plum, and blackberry coat the palate along with cocoa and a touch of smoke. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced 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 $32

2009 Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc (RiverBend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): 90% Cabernet Franc, 5% Syrah, 3% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, dark red. Aromatic with black cherry, raspberry, and cinnamon on the nose. Black cherry, cherry cola, and spice come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity, and medium to high, drying tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $30

New Releases from Fielding Hills, 2009 Vintage was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

A Wine for Tonight: 2008 Plantagenet Hazard Hill Shiraz

Kori — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 15:00:04 +0000

Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won’t break your budget and is widely available? Many of our readers have said this is something they would like, so here is this week’s selection, the 2008 Plantagenet Hazard Hill Shiraz from Western Australia.

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

Plantagenet Wines was the first winery established in Western Australia’s Great Southern region. The Great Southern region is characterized by a cool, continental climate and granite-laden soils. Founded in 1968 by English immigrant Tony Smith, Plantagenet is named after the local Shire of Plantagenet. Smith’s initial plantings included Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Later, Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Chardonnay were planted as well.

“A savory dusty aroma of liquorice and cocoa powder with ripe prune/plumy fruit aromas reflecting the very warm vintage. A lush, plump, soft and supple wine that seeps across the palate, with fleshy fruit notes of prunes and stewed cherries, and a dash of spice finishing with structured silky fine tannins and a soft warm finish.” –Plantagenet Wines

2008 Plantagenet Hazard Hill Shiraz (Western Australia, Australia): Medium deep red. Nose is a bit tight at first, then oak and black fruit comes through. Black pepper, spice, black fruit, and a hint of leather on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $13; Available elsewhere, $8 to $16

A Wine for Tonight: 2008 Plantagenet Hazard Hill Shiraz was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Kerloo Cellars: The Call of the Cranes

Kori — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 15:00:15 +0000

Ryan and Renee Crane own Kerloo Cellars, located in Walla Walla, Washington. Ryan and Renee relocated from Seattle to Walla Walla to pursue their winemaking dream. Shortly after moving to Walla Walla, Ryan earned an AAAS in Enology and Viticulture. He gained experience working crush under Marie-Eve Gilla at Forgeron Cellars and then served as assistant winemaker at Va Piano for three years before focusing his efforts solely on building Kerloo. His experience and contacts in the industry have helped him secure some prized vineyard sources and to hit the ground running with his own winery. Incidentally, Kerloo is the call of the crane.

Recently, we had the opportunity to taste Kerloo’s current releases from the 2009 vintage, the 2009 Walla Walla Valley Syrah, the 2009 Les Collines Syrah, and the 2009 Tempranillo, in a blind samples tasting. All three wines are very good, but the Walla Walla Valley Syrah really stood out. It is an outstanding wine.

Kerloo Cellars is definitely a winery to watch. If you are in the Walla Walla area, you should definitely visit the Kerloo tasting room. And even if you aren’t able to visit, be sure to try some Kerloo wines.

2009 Kerloo Cellars Walla Walla Valley Syrah (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 98% Syrah and 2% Viognier. Dark purple in color. Gorgeous nose with black fruit, black pepper, and a hint of bell pepper aromas. Blackberry, black cherry, black pepper, spice, and cocoa come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with a long, smooth 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 $34

2009 Kerloo Cellars Tempranillo (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep purplish red. Aromatic with black fruit and barnyard notes on the nose. More black fruit, caramel, and earth come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with medium to high, drying tannins. Well-balanced with a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $34; Available elsewhere, $34

2009 Kerloo Cellars Les Collines Syrah (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): Dark purple in color. Aromatic with plum, blackberry, black pepper, and spice on both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a medium to long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $34; Available elsewhere, $34

Kerloo Cellars: The Call of the Cranes was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Challenging Wine Pairing: Beef Lettuce Wraps

LaGayle — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:00:48 +0000

Recently, I came across a recipe for beef lettuce wraps with wowee sauce. This sounded delicious and seemed like a great prospect for one of our challenging wine pairings. Seasoned ground beef topped with shredded carrots and sliced water chestnuts garnished with wowee sauce was fabulous wrapped in the Boston lettuce leaves. Wowee sauce is a blend of crushed pineapple, orange marmalade, and soy sauce. Additional sauce was served for individual preference. We rounded out the meal with Szechwan green beans and fried rice. The meal tasted wonderful and looked great on the plate as well.

Since we were eating beef, we decided to try two different varieties of red wine to see which paired the best. We enjoyed the 2009 Owen Roe Ex Umbris Syrah and the 2008 Watermill Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Both wines were very good; however, the consensus favorite both before dinner and paired with the meal was the Syrah.

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

Bon Appétit!

2009 Owen Roe Ex Umbris Syrah (Columbia Valley): Deep, dark purple. Aromatic with dark black licorice, black fruits, spice, and a touch of oak on the nose. Very vibrant fruit, blackberry, black cherry, black plum, licorice, spice, and a hint of leather come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity, and medium to high, silky 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: Winery, $24; Available elsewhere, $22 to $33

2008 Watermill Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Walla Walla Valley): Dark, dense red. Nose is a bit tight at first, and then oak and earth aromas come through. Very jammy on the palate with loads of blackcurrant and black cherry. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high tannins and a long, viscous finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery $29.75; Available elsewhere, $37

Challenging Wine Pairing: Beef Lettuce Wraps was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

A Wine for Tonight: 2008 d’Arenberg The Stump Jump Shiraz

Kori — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:00:58 +0000

Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won’t break your budget and is widely available? Many of our readers have said this is something they would like, so here is this week’s selection, the 2008 d’Arenberg The Stump Jump Shiraz from the McLaren Vale region of South Australia.

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

Established in 1912 by Joseph Osborn in the McLaren Vale region of South Australia, the d’Arenberg estate has grown to 345 acres. Today, fourth-generation winemaker Chester Osborn leads d’Arenberg. The name “Stump Jump” refers to the South Australian invention, the Stump Jump plough. The plough became a popular piece of machinery for ploughing fields because of its ability to ride over stumps and roots, which saves valuable time and resources by not stopping the draught horse.

“Inviting fresh plum aromas leap out of the glass with raspberry and pretty pot-pourri notes providing more complexity. The palate is juicy and spicy with an abundance of red fruits that are fresh and vibrant. Licorice and rose petals come through on the mid palate and an under-lying earthy complexity is evident all the way through. The tannins are powdery and subtle on this juicy ready to drink red.” –d’Arenberg

2008 d’Arenberg The Stump Jump Shiraz (McLaren Vale, South Australia): Deep, dark purple. Very jammy with black cherry and spice on the nose; blackberry, black cherry, licorice, and a hint of black pepper on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $12; Available elsewhere, $9 to $14

A Wine for Tonight: 2008 d’Arenberg The Stump Jump Shiraz was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

A Wine for Tonight: 2008 Plantagenet Omrah Shiraz

Kori — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:00:34 +0000

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

“Plush blueberry and plum with just a hint of characteristically regional pepper and spice notes. Subtle oak characters impart a sweet, vanilla chocolate note. The bouquet will evolve with time in the bottle providing further complexity.” –Plantagenet Wines

2008 Plantagenet Omrah Shiraz (Great Southern, Australia): Deep, dark purple in color. Aromatic with black fruit, oak, and a touch of earth on the nose. Fruit-forward with blackberry, black cherry, and a hint of smoke 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 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $13; Available elsewhere, $17

A Wine for Tonight: 2008 Plantagenet Omrah Shiraz was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Owen Roe Winery: David O’ Reilly Took His Dream Solo

Kori — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:00:13 +0000

After founding Sineann with Peter Rosback in 1994, winemaker David O’Reilly took his dream solo when he started Owen Roe Winery, named for Irish patriot Owen Roe O’Neil, in 1999. Located in St. Paul, Oregon, Owen Roe produces wines from both Oregon and Washington fruit. O’Reilly sources his fruit from small vineyard sites in Oregon and Washington in an effort to showcase the best expression of each variety. Annual production for the Owen Roe wines is 30,000 cases. The Corvidae line, marketed predominantly in the Seattle area, adds another 10,000-20,000 cases to the total. And the Sharecropper’s line shares profits with the growers whose fruit is used.

Owen Roe works primarily with smaller vineyards in the Willamette Valley in Oregon and the Yakima Valley in Washington State. Both of these areas have cooler climates that yield fruit with low pH and excellent acidity. All of the grapes used by Owen Roe are hand harvested, handled with minimal processing, small-lot fermented, and aged in French Oak barrels.

We had the pleasure to visit Owen Roe during a recent visit to Oregon’s Willamette Valley. I highly encourage you to do the same the next time you are in the area; but plan ahead, they are open by appointment only. We tasted nine wines, and our favorite was the 2009 Ex Umbris Syrah. It is outstanding. As you will see from my notes and ratings below, Owen Roe produces a number of wines worth checking out if you see them on the shelf at your local wine shop or on a restaurant wine list.

2009 Owen Roe Ex Umbris Syrah (Columbia Valley): Deep, dark purple. Nice nose with dark black licorice and black fruit aromas. Very vibrant fruit, blackberry, black cherry, licorice, and herbal notes come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity, and medium to high, silky tannins. Well-balanced with good mouthfeel and a long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $24; Available elsewhere, $22 to $33

2010 Owen Roe Sinister Hand Red Wine (Columbia Valley): 71% Grenache, 24% Syrah, and 5% Mourvedre. Deep purple. Aromatic with strawberry, red cherry, game, and spice on the nose. Black cherry, game, spice, and a hint of coffee come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity, smooth tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $24; Available elsewhere, $20 to $30

2009 Owen Roe Yakima Valley Red Wine (Yakima Valley, Washington): 59% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc, and 17% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, purplish red. Nice nose with blackberry, black cherry, thick jam, and liqueur aromas. Black cherry, blackberry, licorice, spice, and a hint of earth come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and smooth tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $42; Available elsewhere, $35 to $50

2008 Owen Roe Rosa Mystica Cabernet Franc (Yakima Valley, Washington): Deep, garnet red. Beautiful nose with black fruit, earth, herbal, and vegetal aromas. Flavors of black cherry, black plum, bell pepper, white pepper, and earth. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, and dry yet smooth tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $42; Available elsewhere, $33 to $47

2008 Owen Roe Ex Umbris Syrah (Columbia Valley): Deep, dark purple. Gorgeous nose with blackberry, black plum, and spice rack aromas. Deep, rich black fruit, espresso bean, and mocha come through on the palate Full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, drying tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $24; Available elsewhere, $22 to $29

2010 Owen Roe Abbot’s Table Red Wine (Columbia Valley): 48% Sangiovese, 15% Blaufrankisch, 14% Zinfandel, 14% Malbec, 7% Syrah, and 2% Merlot. Deep purple. Nice nose with red and black fruit. Jammy with ripe fruit, blueberry, plum, and cherry on the palate. Medium-bodied with lively acidity, smooth tannins, and a long finish. An approachable table wine.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $23; Available elsewhere, $17 to $27

2010 Owen Roe Chardonnay (Columbia Valley): Light straw yellow. Nice nose with apple, pear, and a touch of vanilla aromas and flavors. Dry and light to medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long, refreshing finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $21

2009 Owen Roe Slide Mountain Cabernet Franc (Yakima Valley, Washington): Deep, dark purplish red. Gorgeous nose with meat, game, and blackberry aromas. Black cherry, game, and a touch of vegetal notes come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high, drying tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $72; Available elsewhere, $57 to $72

2009 Owen Roe Durant Vineyard Pinot Noir (Durant Vineyard, Dundee Hills, Oregon): Medium rusty red. Aromas of cherry, berry, herbs, and a hint of earth on the nose; cherry, strawberry, herbs, and earth on the palate. Medium-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long, slightly rough, finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $42

Owen Roe Winery: David O’ Reilly Took His Dream Solo was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Australian Shiraz Blends for Your Cellar or for the Holidays

Kori — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:00:53 +0000

As I’ve said before, in 2005, we took the trip of a lifetime to Australia. We fell in love with the country, the people, and the wine. While Australia is quite versatile in the number and quality of wines it can successfully produce, it is best known for Shiraz. When you visit Australia, you quickly realize that the wine industry there is actually older than in the United States when you see winery cornerstones dated from the 1840’s and 1850’s. In fact, Australia has some of the oldest continuously producing vineyards in the world, some over 100 years old. In addition to producing a large amount of varietal Shiraz, Australia also produces many Shiraz-based blends.

After we posted about our Digging into the Cellar Party featuring Australian Shiraz from the 2005 vintage, we received a shipment of current releases of Australian Shiraz and Australian Shiraz blends to restock our cellar. Rather than holding onto them for a while, we put them into one of our regular blind samples tastings to see how the current vintages are showing.

Both the 2008 Penley Estate Condor Shiraz Cabernet and the 2009 Kilikanoon Killerman’s Run Shiraz Grenache are great wines; however, the Penley Estate Condor was our clear favorite. In addition to being wines of high quality, these Australian Shiraz blends also deliver outstanding value. Either of these wines would be great choices to put in your own cellar or to enjoy during the holidays.

2008 Penley Estate Condor Shiraz Cabernet (Coonawarra, Australia): 80% Shiraz and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark purple in color. Nice nose with beautiful blackberry, black cherry, and spice aromas. Jammy black fruits, spice, and game come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with a smooth, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $20; Available elsewhere, $15 to $18

2009 Kilikanoon Killerman’s Run Shiraz Grenache (South Australia, Australia): 65% Shiraz and 35% Grenache. Deep purplish red. Nice nose with black fruits, licorice, and spice aromas. Blackberry, black cherry, spice, and black pepper come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long, slightly hot, finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $20; Available elsewhere, $16 to $28

Australian Shiraz Blends for Your Cellar or for the Holidays was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.