Founded in 2000, Buty Winery produces six wines, two whites and four reds. In addition, they also produce an alter ego line of wines called the BEAST. While my daughter loves Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, I am personally partial to this Buty and the BEAST. The BEAST line is used to present new varietals, new vineyards, and showcase wines outside of the regular Buty portfolio. Buty produces 3,000 cases per year, and the BEAST contributes another 1,800 cases per year.

Buty focuses on several proprietary blends. Caleb makes an excellent white Bordeaux-style blend called Semillon, Sauvignon & Muscadelle. His flagship red wines are two Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah blends, the Columbia Rediviva (usually Cab-heavy) from the Horse Heaven Hills and the Rediviva of the Stones (usually Syrah-heavy) from the Walla Walla Valley. The goal is for both Rediviva wines to source fruit from their estate vineyards, Phinny Hill in the Horse Heaven Hills and Rockgarden Estate in the Walla Walla Valley. In fact, the 2006 Columbia Rediviva, the current vintage, which is exceptional, is the first to come entirely from Phinny Hill fruit. For those of you who are familiar with the top vineyards in the state, Phinny Hill is located close to Champoux Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills and Rockgarden is located in the prized “rocks” region just across the Oregon state line in the Walla Walla Valley.

Chris Dowsett has served as co-winemaker for Buty for a year. In addition to his duties at Buty, Chris also has his own Dowsett Family Winery. Founded in 2007, Dowsett’s production is 300 total cases per year, about 100 cases of Gewurztraminer and 200 cases of a Rhone-style red blend called Devotion. Chris gained valuable winemaking experience at Canoe Ridge, Latitude 46, and at Artifex, a custom crush facility in Walla Walla, before joining Caleb at Buty.

Chris is especially passionate about his dry Gewurztraminer that he sources from Celilo Vineyard in the Columbia Gorge. Celilo Vineyard is the premier white wine grape vineyard in Washington State, and Chris believes it is the perfect site for growing Gewurztraminer. The admiration is mutual as Celilo’s vineyard manager, Rick Ensminger, mentioned Chris often when we visited Celilo in May. Chris has always loved Gewurztraminer and the way it complements so many everyday foods.

We had the pleasure to visit with Caleb Foster and Chris Dowsett when we were in Walla Walla recently for the Wine Bloggers Conference. Both gentlemen are extremely talented winemakers and very nice guys. I highly encourage you to visit Buty the next time you visit Walla Walla and be sure to call ahead and see if you can talk Chris into pouring his Dowsett wines for you as well.

Spotlight On: Buty Winery and Dowsett Family Winery was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Jason thought that participation was down due to the lagging economy, conflicting events like Riesling Rendezvous, and Syrah simply not selling as well as in the past. Cheryl blamed the lower participation on wineries cutting back on travel and donor budgets, and distributors not looking for more labels to carry in their portfolio. “It’s just a tough market right now,” said Cheryl.

Jon Martinez of Maison Bleue even recruited Washington winegrowing legend Dick Boushey to pour at his booth. It was a great marketing idea, and it worked. Maison Bleue had a good crowd the whole afternoon.

This was the third year in a row that I attended the Rhone Rangers trade/media tasting here in Seattle. The Rhone Rangers are a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting American Rhone varietal wines. To be members, wineries must produce wines from one or more of the 22 varietals that are native to the Rhone Valley in France. Twenty-nine Rhone Ranger member wineries from Washington, California, Oregon, and Idaho participated in this tasting, down from over forty a year ago.

The good news is that for wine consumers, there is great opportunity. The wines continue to get better while the prices are the same or lower. There were a higher percentage of 4 star (out of 5) wines or better, and there were a higher percentage of great QPR wines (5 bangs for your buck) than I’d found the previous two years at this event. There were no real “new” discoveries this year, but a number of excellent new vintages from familiar producers. From a quality standpoint, my two personal favorites were the 2007 Columbia Winery Red Willow Syrah [QPR: 5, as well] and the 2008 Maison Bleue “Liberte” Boushey Syrah. From a QPR standpoint, I continue to be impressed with what Cline Cellars produces at price points we all can afford.

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that I tasted at the Rhone Rangers event; I focused on red wines this year. Under each Quality heading, the wine name and region will be listed along with price and QPR rating. Wines in bold type received a QPR rating of 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5).

Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
2007 Columbia Winery Red Willow Syrah, Yakima Valley, $30, QPR: 5

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
2008 Cline “Cashmere” Red Blend, California, $14, QPR: 5
2007 Cline “Cool Climate” Syrah, Sonoma County, $14, QPR: 5
2006 Snoqualmie Reserve Syrah, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 5
2008 Tablas Creek “Cote de Tablas” Red Blend, Paso Robles, $25, QPR: 4
2008 Justin Syrah, Paso Robles, $26, QPR: 4
2007 Chateau Ste. Michelle “Boreal” Red Blend, Columbia Valley, $30, QPR: 4
2007 Sarah’s Vineyard “Cote de Madone” Red Blend, Santa Clara Valley, $32, QPR: 4
2008 Maison Bleue “Liberte” Syrah, Boushey Vineyard, Yakima Valley, $39, QPR: 3
2006 Domaine Serene Roadblock Reserve Syrah, Oregon, $40, QPR: 3

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2007 Clayhouse Estate Syrah, Paso Robles, $15, QPR: 5
2006 Columbia Crest Reserve Syrah, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 4
2008 Maison Bleue “La Roque” Syrah, Horse Heaven Hills, $25, QPR: 4
2007 Chateau Ste. Michelle “Ethos” Syrah, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 3
2007 Chateau Ste. Michelle “Austral” Red Blend, Columbia Valley, $30, QPR: 3
2006 Tablas Creek Syrah, Paso Robles, $35, QPR: 3
2006 Fess Parker “Big Easy” Syrah, Santa Barbara County, $35, QPR: 3
2008 Treana Syrah, Hope Family Vineyard, Paso Robles, $42, QPR: 2
2008 Justin “Savant” Red Blend, Paso Robles, $45, QPR: 1
2006 Pride Mountain Syrah, Sonoma, $60, QPR: 1

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
2007 Four Vines Phoenix Syrah, Paso Robles, $20, QPR: 3
2006 Eberle Syrah, Steinbeck Vineyard, Paso Robles, $21, QPR: 3
2006 Curtis Syrah, Crossroads Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley, $32, QPR: 2
2008 Qupe “Sonnie’s” Syrah, Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard, Edna Valley, $35, QPR: 1
2007 Stage Left Syrah “The Scenic Route”, Del Rio Vineyard, Oregon, $38, QPR: 1
2006 Vina Robles “Syree” Syrah, Paso Robles, $39, QPR: 1
2007 Four Vines “The Peasant” Red Blend, Paso Robles, $40, QPR: 1
2007 Epiphany Syrah, Stagecoach Vineyard, Napa Valley, $40, QPR: 1
2006 Fess Parker Syrah, Rodney’s Vineyard, Santa Barbara County, $45, QPR: 1
2008 Pride Mountain Syrah, Sonoma, $60, QPR: 1

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
2007 Calcareous Vineyard Syrah, Paso Robles, $34, QPR: NR

Rhone Rangers’ Struggles Provide Great Opportunity for Wine Consumers was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Fri, 16 Jul 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

Buried Cane is the value brand for Middleton Family Wines. The Middletons, a multi-generation Washington timber family, also own Cadaretta Winery in Walla Walla, which is where Buried Cane is produced. Buried Cane wines are named after a time-honored practice used to protect grape vines from frigid winter temperatures in which low-growing vine canes are buried and then unearthed after winter freezes pass.

“The inaugural release of Buried Cane Syrah has dark cherry and blackberry spice aromas that open into earthy complexities, with slight cured meat notes. Flavors of cherry and spice lead to silky tannins and a lingering finish. This balanced wine is a great match with grilled meats and Northwest salmon.” –Buried Cane

2007 Buried Cane Syrah (Washington State): 80% Syrah, 8% Mourvedre, 5% Counoise, 4% Grenache, 3% Sangiovese. Deep, dark purplish red. Aromatic with black fruits, oak, and some vegetal notes on the nose. Black fruits and black pepper come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied, fruit-forward 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: Received as sample, suggested retail $12; Available elsewhere, $11-$12

A Wine for Tonight: 2007 Buried Cane Syrah was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that we tasted before, during, and after the Wine Bloggers Conference, except those that we already rated during the Live Wine Blogging segments (White Wines on Friday and Red Wines on Saturday). Under each Quality heading, the wine name and region will be listed along with price and QPR rating. Wines in bold type received a QPR rating of 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5).

Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
2007 Fielding Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope, $38, QPR: 5
2007 Betz Père de Famille Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $60, QPR: 5
2006 Boudreaux Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington State, $100, QPR: 5
2008 Betz La Côte Patriarche Syrah, Red Willow Vineyard, Yakima Valley, $55, QPR: 4

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

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

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

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

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

Highlights and Wine Tastings from the 2010 Wine Bloggers Conference was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

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.

5:05pm
2007 Sequel Syrah [Long Shadows] (Columbia Valley, Washington): Always a favorite. Made by John Duval from Australia. Black fruits, smoke, chocolate, lots of layers. Well-balanced.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $55

5:11pm
2008 Solena Estate Pinot Noir (Hyland Vineyard, McMinnville, Willamette Valley, Oregon): Luscious red fruits, strawberry, raspberry, spice. Smooth, crisp. Well-balanced.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $50

5:17pm
2007 Concannon Conservancy Petite Sirah (Livermore Valley, California): Inky purple. Blackberry, black plum, baker’s chocolate. Big yet smooth.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $15

5:22pm
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5:26pm
2006 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley, California): 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec. Black fruits, oak. Drying tannins. Long, lingering finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $52

5:32pm
2007 Maryhill Zinfandel (Columbia Valley, Washington): Black cherries, raspberry, pepper, hint of cocoa. Fruit-forward, jammy. Long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $15

5:37pm
2007 Dry Creek Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley, California): Gorgeous nose, good fruit. Red and black fruits, black pepper, spice. Drying tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $28

5:42pm
2006 Hogue Cellars Genesis Merlot (Columbia Valley, Washington): Black plums, spice box. Medium to full-bodied, medium tannins. Long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $16

5:47pm
2006 Buty Columbia Rediviva (Phinny Hill Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Syrah. Black fruits, smoked meats,  black pepper. Extremely well-balanced, smooth, velvety tannins, long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $48

5:52pm
2007 Boomtown [Dusted Valley] Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): Black plum, blackberry. Medium, dry tannins. Long finish. A great weeknight wine.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $15

5:57pm
2007 Gordon Brothers Merlot (Columbia Valley, Washington): 93% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Syrah. Black fruits, cinnamon, hint of earth. Medium-bodied and smooth.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $20

6:02pm
2005 Nicholas Cole Cellars Camille Red Wine (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 45% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Franc, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Petit Verdot. A lot of bacon on the nose. Black fruits, smoke, bacon. Big and bold. High, drying tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $35

6:06pm
This concludes the Live Wine Blogging – Red Wines segment.

Cheers!

Live Wine Blogging from WBC in Walla Walla – Red Wines was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Sun, 27 Jun 2010 00:00 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

Corvidae Wine Company, located in Sunnyside, Washington, is a relatively new label in the Owen Roe Winery portfolio. All of the wines are produced with Oregon and Washington fruit and retail for under $20. In Latin, Corvidae is the name for the family of birds that includes the crow, raven, jay, and magpie, birds that can often be found in Eastern Washington vineyards. Each of the Corvidae wines feature a bird and literary quote on the label. This line of wines is yet another excellent offering from winemaker David O’Reilly.

“Dark and brooding, indulgently lush, this deep purple juice is the Syrah enthusiasts answer to everyday drinking. Lenore captivates with her spice, seductive jammy fruit and a supple texture. A delicious drink now wine that’s a steal for the price.” –Corvidae Wine Company

2007 Corvidae Lenore Syrah (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep, dark purple. Oak and dark fruits come through on the nose; more dark fruits and spice on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish. A good weeknight wine.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $13; Available elsewhere, $13 to $17

A Wine for Tonight: 2007 Corvidae Lenore Syrah was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Since rosés have a limited window of availability, we decided to change up our normal routine a bit in order to taste a few more wines. It was a gorgeous early summer evening, so we tasted through eleven Washington Rosés outside on the deck. Each person was asked to take one pour of each wine, taste it, and then give a preliminary 1-11 ranking in order of preference. We then tallied up the scores in order to determine the six “finalists” that would move on to the dinner portion of the tasting.

Rosé is French for “pink” and is used to describe wines of that color. Rosés are generally made from red grapes; however, unlike typical red wine production, the skins are removed from the juice after only a couple of days. This limited skin contact gives rosé its light pink color and is the reason that rosés are lighter-bodied than most red wines. Rosés can run the gamut from dry to sweet. Too many people think pink wines are all sweet. Not so. For me, the dry rosés are more serious and interesting.

This tasting was a lot of fun. Not only were the wines perfect for the weather, but they paired very well with Mom’s dinner of tomato basil soup, arugula, peach, and tomato salad, grilled pork tenderloins, steamed red potatoes with yellow bell pepper, lemon seasoned fresh green beans, and meringue shells with ice cream, garnished with whipped topping and mixed fresh berries.

The consensus favorite was the 2009 Barnard Griffin Rosé of Sangiovese. It is one of the most well-known and widely available Washington State rosés. I look forward to its release each year. My personal favorite of the night was the 2008 Lullaby Rosé. I had it for the first time a couple of weeks ago during the #WARose tasting with Paul Gregutt. French-born Virginie Bourgue is a talented winemaker who recently left her position as head winemaker for Cadaretta to focus full-time on her own Lullaby Winery. The 2009 Milbrandt Traditions Rosé and the 2007 Columbia Crest Two Vines Vineyard 10 Rosé were also excellent. And, the best news is that all eleven wines retail for $18 or less with four of them receiving a QPR rating of 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5).

When the sun is shining and you’re looking for a refreshing beverage to enjoy on the deck, don’t forget to give rosé wine a shot.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings with dinner:

2009 Barnard Griffin Rosé of Sangiovese (Columbia Valley, Washington): Medium pink in color. Very aromatic. A lot of red fruits up front on both the nose and palate, especially strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, and watermelon. Dry and light to medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced and very refreshing with a long finish. A great sipper on a hot summer day and gets even better with food.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle, WA), $11; Available elsewhere, $9 to $13

2009 Milbrandt Traditions Rosé (Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Syrah. Light pink and very aromatic. Aromas and flavors of watermelon and raspberry. Dry and light-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish. Very refreshing.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Whole Foods (Seattle, WA), $12

2007 Columbia Crest Two Vines Vineyard 10 Rosé (Washington State): 95% Syrah, 5% Viognier. Medium, hot pink in color. Aromatic with cherries, strawberries, and a hint of vanilla on the nose; more cherries come through on the palate. Slightly off-dry, light to medium-bodied, lively acidity, and a long finish. Residual Sugar: 1%
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, WA), $6; Available elsewhere, $7 to $9

2008 Lullaby Rosé (Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Grenache. Very faint copper in color, could easily be mistaken for a white wine instead of a rosé wine. Aromatic with fresh, floral notes. More floral notes, strawberry, melon, and herbs come through on the palate. Dry, light-bodied and crisp with a long finish. Well-balanced and very refreshing with good complexity. A Provence-style rosé. Reminds me of a rosé sparkling wine without the bubbles. Excellent by itself and very food-friendly. My personal favorite of the evening.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: McCarthy & Schiering (Seattle, WA), $18 [500ml]; Available elsewhere, $15

2009 Charles & Charles Rosé (Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Syrah. Pale, pinkish salmon. Aromatic with watermelon rind and ripe red berries on the nose; watermelon, berries, peach, and a hint of pepper and spice on the palate. Dry, light to medium-bodied and crisp with a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Central Market (Shoreline, WA), $10; Available elsewhere, $9 to $13

2009 Waters Rosé (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 75% Syrah, 25% Viognier. Pale to medium, pinkish salmon in color. Gorgeous nose with vibrant fruit, red berry, melon, and floral aromas. Cranberry, melon, and strawberry on the palate. Dry, light to medium-bodied and crisp with a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $18

The rest:

2007 Working Girl Wines [Olympic Cellars] Rosé the Riveter (Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Lemberger. Off-dry.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, WA), $10.50; Available elsewhere, $9

2009 Dusted Valley Ramblin’ Rosé (Columbia Valley, Washington): 52.4% Mourvedre, 29% Counoise, 16% Syrah, 2% Viognier. Dry.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $18; Available elsewhere, $16

NV Townshend Pink Table Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): Sweet.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, WA), $5.50

2009 Syncline Rosé (Columbia Valley, Washington): 37% Cinsault, 35% Counoise, 12% Grenache, 11% Mourvedre, 5% Carignan. Dry.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $16; Available elsewhere, $14 to $16

2007 Eliseo Silva [Tagaris] La Rosa de Syrah (Columbia Valley, Washington): 92% Syrah, 8% Riesling. Residual Sugar: 3.5%
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, WA), $10; Available elsewhere, $9

Wine Tasting Dinner: Washington Rosé Extravaganza was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Recently, we had the opportunity to taste twelve wines from Alexandria Nicole Cellars in a blind samples tasting. We were very impressed with the overall quality of all of these wines and would recommend all twelve. Three of the twelve received an excellent Quality rating of 4 stars (out of five): the 2007 Alderdale Cabernet Sauvignon, the soon-to-be-released 2007 A2 Cabernet Sauvignon, and the 2007 Quarry Butte.

I also had the pleasure to meet Jarrod at a recent tasting at El Gaucho in Seattle. Jarrod makes the Mackay Duck Press Red for Mackay Restaurants, which includes El Gaucho. We had the Duck Press Red in one of our private tastings earlier this year and thought it was excellent, too.

While Alexandria Nicole Cellars is not a brand-new winery and we had previously visited their tasting room in Prosser, I must admit that I consider them to be an exciting new discovery for us. We have enjoyed some of their wines in the past, but the overall quality of their portfolio as evidenced in our recent tastings is impressive. Some wineries hang their hats on one or two wines that they submit to reviewers and hope that good scores on those wines will result in sales of their other wines. For Alexandria Nicole to submit twelve samples for review shows the confidence that they have in their products. And that confidence is justified. Not only are these wines of high quality, but also four of the twelve received a QPR rating of 5 bangs for your buck (out of five).

2007 Alexandria Nicole Alderdale Cabernet Sauvignon (Destiny Ridge Vineyards, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): Medium-deep, ruby red. Aromas of earth and black licorice. Flavors of black fruits, blackcurrants, licorice, spice, and a hint of earth. Full-bodied and crisp with smooth tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity, 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 $35; Available elsewhere, $32

2007 Alexandria Nicole A2 Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep, purplish red. Very pleasant nose with spice rack aromas, particularly vanilla and cinnamon. Black fruits and spice come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and crisp with medium tannins. Good mouthfeel, texture, and complexity. A lot of layers. 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 $24 [will be released next week]

2007 Alexandria Nicole Quarry Butte (Destiny Ridge Vineyards, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Malbec, and 3% Syrah. Deep, ruby red. Very aromatic with jammy red fruits and cherry Jolly Rancher aromas leading to black fruits and spice on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and crisp with medium to high tannins. 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 $20; Available elsewhere, $17 to $20

2008 Alexandria Nicole Shepherds Mark White (Destiny Ridge Vineyards, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): 65% Roussanne, 24% Marsanne, 11% Viognier. Pale, greenish yellow. Aromatic with apple, pear, and floral notes on the nose; apple, pear, lemon, and lime on the palate. Dry and light-bodied with crisp acidity 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 $20; Available elsewhere, $18

2007 Alexandria Nicole Block 17 Syrah (Destiny Ridge Vineyards, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): Dark, inky purple. Very aromatic with dried black fruit, floral, and almost port-like aromas. Black fruits and chocolate on the palate. Full-bodied and crisp with high tannins. Well-balanced with 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 $42

2009 Alexandria Nicole Marsanne (Destiny Ridge Vineyards, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): Light, greenish yellow. Pleasant nose with floral, peach blossom, peach, and apple aromas. Apples come through on the palate. Medium-bodied and crisp with a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $28

2009 Alexandria Nicole Roussanne (Destiny Ridge Vineyards, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): 98% Roussanne, 2% Marsanne. Pale, straw yellow. Aromatic with apples and floral notes on the nose; loads of apples and a bit of minerality on the palate. Medium-bodied and lively with a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $28

2007 Alexandria Nicole Destiny (Destiny Ridge Vineyards, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot, 3% Carmenere, and 3% Malbec. Deep red in color. Pine needles, perfume, and floral aromas come through on the nose; red fruits, spice, and Red Vines candy on the palate. Medium-bodied and crisp with medium tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $45

2008 Alexandria Nicole Late Harvest Riesling (Destiny Ridge Vineyards, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): Pale, greenish yellow. Honey and dried apricot aromas and flavors. Sweet, medium-bodied, and crisp acidity with a long finish. Residual Sugar: 3.75%
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $16; Available elsewhere, $16

2009 Alexandria Nicole Pinot Gris (Columbia Valley, Washington): Very light, almost watery, greenish yellow. Gorgeous floral nose with magnolia blossom aromas. More floral, citrus, and white peach on the palate. Light-bodied and lively with a long, slightly bitter, finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $14

2008 Alexandria Nicole Crawford Viognier (Columbia Valley, Washington): Light, straw yellow in color. Fairly tight nose with faint floral aromas and a hint of minerality. Citrus flavors, particularly lemon and lime, come through on the palate as well as some metallic notes. Light to medium-bodied and lively with a medium finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $20; Available elsewhere, $19 to $20

2007 Alexandria Nicole Tempranillo (Destiny Ridge Vineyards, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): Deep, purplish red. Moderate aromas of earth and black plums lead to black fruit and earth on the palate. Medium-bodied and lively with medium tannins and a long finish. Good up front but a bit hollow on the mid-palate.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $55

Alexandria Nicole Cellars: An Exciting Discovery was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Tue, 08 Jun 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Many thanks to Josh Wade of Drink Nectar for hosting, Washington Tasting Room Magazine and the Washington Wine Commission for sponsoring, and all of you who participated. The event was a success!

“There were almost 400 people tweeting about #WAWine last night. 1850 Tweets. Possibly 2000 people at various events. #success” –Host Josh Wade (@nectarwine)

We hosted a small gathering of friends for the event. We provided some of the wines from our own cellar and each couple also brought a bottle to share. We enjoyed ten bottles of Washington wine. Those ten wines covered seven varieties, five AVAs, and a variety of price points. It was a good representation of the breadth and depth of Washington wine.

To kick off the evening, we toasted Washington wine with a sparkling wine which was predominately Chardonnay, then moved to still white wine for a Riesling, and then had eight red wines including Cabernet Franc, a Sangiovese blend, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah.

The ten Washington wines we tasted, in my personal order of preference:

2005 Chateau Rollat “Rollat” Cabernet Sauvignon (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc. Deep, dark red. Stunning nose with black fruit, oak, cedar, and pencil lead aromas. Blackcurrant, black plum, earth, and a touch of chocolate come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high tannins. Well-balanced and complex with a long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Costco (Seattle, Washington), $30.99; Available elsewhere, $32 to $40

2006 Saviah Cellars Laurella (Columbia Valley, Washington): 51% Sangiovese, 33% Cabernet Franc, 16% Merlot. Dark, inky, purplish red. Beautiful bouquet with black and red fruits on the nose; more red and black fruits, sour cherry, and spice on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and crisp with medium to high tannins. Good mouthfeel, well-balanced, and a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of five)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $35

2008 Nefarious Stone’s Throw Vineyard Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Estate grown fruit. Pale gold in color. Dried apricots come through on the nose; Granny Smith apples and white peach on the palate. Off dry, medium-bodied, long finish. Very crisp, smooth, and well-balanced. A great sipper and also excellent with food.
Quality: 4 stars (out of five)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $18

2007 Hollywood Hill Vineyards Rattlesnake Hills Syrah (Rattlesnake Hills, Washington): Dark, purplish red. Very aromatic with black fruits, pepper, spice, and smoked meats on the nose; black fruits, beef jerky, spice, and black pepper on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and crisp with medium to high tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with good complexity and a very long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of five)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $32

2005 Camaraderie Cabernet Franc (Washington State): Deep, ruby red in color. Black fruit, spice, and vegetal aromas. Flavors of black fruits and spice with pronounced green pepper on the finish. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Central Market (Seattle, Washington), $19.99; Available elsewhere, $20 to $22

NV Domaine Ste. Michelle Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale, greenish straw yellow. Very aromatic with citrus and grassy notes. More citrus fruits, lemon zest, and some minerality come through on the palate. Dry, medium-bodied and crisp with small, fairly fast bubbles, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Albertsons (Seattle, Washington), $9.99; Available elsewhere, $8 to $11

2007 Substance Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): Dark, ruby red. Nice nose with black fruit aromas. More black fruits and a hint of leather on the palate. Medium-bodied and lively with sweet tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of five)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $20; Available elsewhere, $20 to $22

2005 McKinley Springs Syrah (Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): Dark, purplish red. Moderately aromatic with mocha, ripe fruit, and vegetal aromas. Black fruit flavors. Medium-bodied and lively with medium tannins and a medium finish. A weeknight wine.
Quality: 3 stars (out of five)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $13.49; Available elsewhere, $14 to $16

2007 Animale Petite Sirah (Yakima Valley, Washington): Dark, inky purple. Stinky feet and Kool-Aid on the nose; red and black fruits up front but flavors trail off on mid-palate. Medium-bodied and lively with soft tannins and a medium finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of five)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $22.29; Available elsewhere, $26

2007 Kamari Cabernet Franc (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep, purplish red. Bacon, smoke, and oak on the nose; good fruit up front but fades off. Medium-bodied and lively with medium tannins and a long finish. Very different than most Cabernet Francs. Over-oaked and plain.
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $25.29

WAWine World Tasting Event: Oh, What a Night! was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.