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.

Many a great bottle of wine has begun with grapes from Red Willow Vineyard. In winemaker circles, the vineyard is synonymous with grower Mike Sauer, whose elbow grease and vision have contributed mightily to the high demand for his quality grapes.

Sauer has diligently labored over this piece of land for 40 years.  Still, he gives away all the credit for the vineyard’s success. “The soil gives an elegant and concentrated element to the wine with a lot of structure that ages very well,” he suggests. He and his family own Red Willow Vineyard, which sits in the northwest corner of the Yakima Valley appellation on the fourth-generation family farm established by Mike Sauer’s grandfather-in-law in the 1920’s.

Red Willow was named for an ancient, dried up creek bed canyon that descends from Ahtanum Ridge and passes through part of the vineyard. Characterized by its rocky, steep hillsides, the vineyard boasts a complexity and diversity of soils, which allows many different grape varieties to flourish.

“I love hillside fruit because the angle to the sun gives the vines more exposure,” says master winemaker Bob Betz, commenting on Red Willow’s terrain. “Hillside slopes also tend to be more protected in winter. In as much as air drains off a slope, cold air drains off a slope the way water would.”

Betz uses Red Willow grapes in his blends, and in fact, he is releasing a dense and silky Syrah this fall [2009] made from 100% Red Willow grapes, called La Côte Patriarche. Asked what makes Red Willow distinctive, Betz replies, “Red Willow is a combination of a very special site, a very smart grower, and a high work ethic. To me, that is the essence of Red Willow. Mike (Sauer) knows his site, his craft, his culture and provides us with uncompromised fruit.”

Monsignor Chapel

The iconic Monsignor Chapel sits atop Red Willow’s highest hill, built with native stones from the farm. Sauer constructed the monument in memory of his close family friend, the priest who had baptized all of his children. “I was inspired by a chapel I saw in the Rhône region of France,” says Sauer. Seen from miles around, the Monsignor Chapel gives the vineyard a distinct identity that is depicted on certain wine labels and corks.

The Mother of Washington Syrah

The very first Syrah vineyard block planted in Washington was at Red Willow in 1986, making it the mother of Washington Syrah. In fact, it is estimated that 80 percent of all Syrah plantings in Washington can be traced back to cuttings from this vineyard. While Sauer has grown over 20 different varieties at Red Willow over the past 35 years, he believes Syrah is what Washington grows best.

Jonathan Sauer, Mike’s son, recalls the story about how after the first Syrah block was planted there was a celebration on the hillside with bottles of Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie from the northern Rhône Valley in France where Syrah originated. After enjoying the wine, they dug holes and buried the empty bottles to let the ground know what was expected of it. It was a symbolic gesture and the vineyard has lived up to those expectations quite well.

Early Roots

While their first vines were planted in 1971, the defining year for Red Willow was 1973 when Mike Sauer was introduced to Dr. Walter Clore, the esteemed Washington State University (WSU) viticulturist. Their relationship led to many cooperative efforts with the WSU Prosser Experiment Station. They installed a weather station and experimented with numerous grape varieties. Red Willow’s first vineyard block of Cabernet Sauvignon was planted in 1973 and is still going strong, making it one of the oldest Cabernet Sauvignon blocks in the state.

Dating back to 1978, Red Willow Vineyard has had a longstanding relationship with Associated Vintners, later known as Columbia Winery. David Lake, Columbia’s winemaker for many years, was particularly fond of the vineyard and was the first to produce a Red Willow vineyard designated wine.

Popular Demand

Columbia Winery still buys a large portion of Red Willow’s annual harvest. In recent years the vineyard’s characteristic fruit has been sought out by a growing number of other notable Washington producers such as Betz, DeLille, Long Shadows, Owen Roe, Adams Bench, Mark Ryan, Kana, Efeste and Andrew Rich.

Winemaker Bob Betz remarks, “It’s a really wonderful series of notes that Red Willow brings to the party; the flavors tend to be dense and concentrated and rich. Especially the older vines.  We get some Cab that was planted in 1973 and some Syrah that was planted in 1986. I find it a great tool to bring to our blends.”

The Sauer family also owns a second vineyard on the family farm, Les Vignes de Marcoux, named after Mike Sauer’s mother’s maiden name. Less than a mile west of Red Willow, the soils are much less variable than the steep vineyards of Red Willow. Ten wineries, including Betz, Owen Roe, and Adams Bench will vineyard designate this year [2009] using either Red Willow or Les Vignes de Marcoux grapes.

Plowing Forward

In 2008, the Sauer’s planted the last suitable vineyard ground at Red Willow to a block of Cabernet Franc, giving them 140 total planted acres of wine grapes. In spite of the current economic recession, Red Willow continues to plow ahead and do what they do best. “We have seen a lot of caution and sensitivity in pricing but very little pullback (from winemakers),” says Mike Sauer. “Of course, at the vineyard level, these grapes will translate to wine sold two or three or four years from now.”

Sauer is in the process of bringing more energy-efficient farming practices to Red Willow. Not one to rest on past accolades, he is driven by his vision to someday see the vineyards “become authentically green through practices that are sustainable.”

After a lifetime of farming Red Willow, Mike Sauer tirelessly plows forward with the help of his family.

He has huge respect for the vintners that he works with, and believes in a spirit of cooperation. Sauer eloquently sums up the harmonious team effort that exists between growers and winemakers, “It’s the work of many people that comes together in a single vintage, and that vintage eventually becomes a cherished moment of that year.”

Plowing Ahead: Tracing Red Willow Vineyard’s roots to the birthplace of Washington Syrah was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Mon, 12 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 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.

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.

The Steinbeck family has been farming in the heart of California’s Central Coast since 1884. Howie and Bev Steinbeck, fourth generation Paso Robles natives, founded Steinbeck Vineyards in 1982. The family grows thirteen different grape varieties on 500 acres. Their daughter, Cindy Steinbeck Newkirk, and her husband Tim moved back home in 1997 to join the family business. Tim gave up a career as an air traffic controller, and Cindy had been a youth minister. After working with Cindy’s parents to grow the vineyard business, Cindy and Tim decided it was time to do something that could be “theirs” and would honor the heritage of the family’s vineyard. They founded Steinbeck Winery in 2006. Only 1 percent of their fruit annually goes into their wine program while they continue to sell 99 percent. Cindy and Tim’s son, Ryan Newkirk, and his wife Caitlin have also returned to the vineyard to pursue Ryan’s dream of working side-by-side with his grandfather. The Steinbeck’s are in the process of transitioning the vineyard management from Howie to Ryan.

Cindy has a background in education with a Masters in History and Theology. She loves people and teaching and developing the Crash Courses was her idea. About six years ago, she crafted a business model that would bring people onto the ranch and give them an experience in the vineyard. Formerly known as The Wine Yard at Steinbeck Vineyards, the Crash Courses feature six different modules on a variety of topics, with each session lasting one to one and a half hours. Participants board a vintage jeep that takes them through the vineyards and to the Steinbeck schoolhouse for their class. Each module concludes with a complimentary wine tasting at the Steinbeck Winery tasting room.

Crash Course module topics:

1. Sustainable Wine Growing—vineyard practices, planting a vineyard, and conservation efforts
2. Home Tours and the History of the Paso Robles Region—tour historic ranch homes, learn the history of agriculture and wine growing in Paso Robles
3. Economics of Vineyards and Wine—economics of planting vineyards and growing grapes, selling wine, building toward the future
4. Taste of Steinbeck—offered in September and October, taste ripe fruit in the vineyard, learn ripeness factors and the logistics of picking
5. Farm Equipment and Modern Mechanization—equipment used in farming wine grapes, mechanization versus hand work
6. My Father’s Vineyard: The Wisdom of the Vine—Scriptural perspective on life in the vineyard

On my trip to Paso Robles in March, I had the pleasure to visit Steinbeck Vineyards and Winery and meet Cindy Newkirk. We got to take a ride through the vineyards in one of the vintage jeeps that is used for the Crash Courses, a 1975 Jeep 715 from Camp Pendleton. If our brief peek into the Crash Courses was any indication, I think that wine enthusiasts of all levels would enjoy them. I am not aware of another wine education opportunity like this but would like to see more wineries around the country offering similar agri-tourism experiences.

Paso Robles: Crash Courses at Steinbeck Vineyards was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Wed, 26 May 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

During my recent trip to explore Paso Robles wine country, I had the pleasure to visit Dusi Vineyard. Regular readers know that I love vineyards. The Texas farm girl in me loves to see where the grapes come from that go into the wine that I drink. And I love meeting the people. Let’s face it; growers are farmers, just good-natured, down to earth, hardworking folks. There is no glitz and glamour in the vineyards. It’s up before dawn, riding a tractor through the rows, working with your hands, and being “on call” to do whatever is necessary when the grapes say it’s time for pruning or harvest.

Our hosts for the visit were Dante’s grandson Matt and his wife Alli. Today, Matt’s father, Mike, manages the vineyard, but Dante is still very much involved. In fact, Dante was hard at work on his tractor while we were touring and tasting. The Dusi’s are a very private family so it is not surprising that Dante preferred to have his grandson meet with us while he went about his business.

“The first rule of Dusi Vineyard is that we don’t talk about Dusi Vineyard. The second rule of Dusi Vineyard is that we don’t talk about Dusi Vineyard.” –Matt Dusi, paraphrasing a line from the movie Fight Club, to explain the humbleness that has been passed down from his grandfather Dante

The 85-acre Dusi Vineyard operation truly is a family affair. On any given day, four generations can be found in the vineyard from Dante all the way down to his 2 year-old great-grandson Parker who was running around when we were there. During harvest, everyone in the family, even those with outside jobs, pitches in daily to make sure all the grapes get picked at the right time and delivered in perfect condition.

“It’s a family endeavor, passed on from generation to generation. My son Parker is 2 years old now. In ten years, he’ll be driving a tractor in the same dirt, next to the same vines, and complaining the same way that my grandfather (Dante) complained when his dad (Sylvester) made him go drive the tractor in the same place.” –Matt Dusi

Four wineries that produce a vineyard-designate Zinfandel from Dusi Vineyard were on hand to pour their wines and share their thoughts about the vineyard, including J. Dusi Wines, Turley Wine Cellars, Grey Wolf Cellars, and Four Vines Winery.

J. Dusi Wines
Janell Dusi, Dante’s granddaughter, is the winemaker for J. Dusi Wines. We did not have the chance to meet Janell because she was out of town but the family wanted to pour her wines since she makes them to honor her grandfather. In fact, her wines list the vineyard as Dante Dusi Vineyard as a tribute to him. J. Dusi wines feature a blue swoop on the bottles. They call the color “Dusi blue” in honor of grandpa Dante. The story goes that Dante paints everything this same color blue: his truck, his tools, and anything he finds that he wants to claim as his own (including tools left behind by other family members).

Turley Wine Cellars
Turley has made Zinfandel their own signature varietal and specialize in vineyard-designates. Since their very first vintage in 1993, their goal has been to source from great vineyards and bottle each one separately. They make around 23 Zinfandels, 21 of which are vineyard-designates. Many of their customers buy Zinfandels from different regions and then compare them. They have found that many people prefer their Paso Robles Zinfandels even though they have been making Zinfandels from other regions for longer. The 2008 Turley Dusi Vineyard Zinfandel was my favorite wine of the entire trip.

“Dusi is definitely the most aromatic of all of the Zinfandels that we do. That makes it a real attention-grabber.” –Malani Anderson, Turley Wine Cellars

Grey Wolf Cellars
Winemaker Joe Barton of Grey Wolf Cellars spoke very highly of Dusi Vineyard. He noted the balance, length, and mouthfeel that characterize Dusi Vineyard Zins.

“Over the years, they’ve established their reputation and there are very few vineyards in Paso who have established a reputation like they have. I think a lot of us are trying to source new vineyards and find new spots to do that, but Dusi has really set the benchmark so far.” –Winemaker Joe Barton, Grey Wolf Cellars

Four Vines Winery
Winemaker Christian Tietje noted that Dusi Vineyard produces fruit with dense concentration and wild spice. He also spoke about the concept of single vineyard-designates in general saying that every grower wants their vineyard to be a single vineyard because they can get more money for it, and every winemaker wants to produce single vineyard wines because they can get more money for it. However, the key is having a really unique single vineyard.

“My definition for a single vineyard is: If you add to it, will it actually take away from what it is? Is it so specific and so unique and so outrageous above the rest that it’s worthy of that? It’s an honor to put Dusi on the label. It’s one of the best things here in Paso Robles. It is truly the benchmark. It’s the standard for West Side Zin and definitive to Paso Robles.” –Winemaker Christian Tietje, Four Vines Winery

Early on, the Dusi family implemented the farming practices of head pruned vines and no irrigation, dry farming in their calcareous soils. Those traditions are carried on to this day. The vineyard remains in very good condition and continues to generate a living and a lifestyle for the whole Dusi family. It hasn’t always been easy though. Through hard work, adaptability, and ingenuity, Dusi Vineyard managed to survive both the Depression and Prohibition, and today is one of the most hallowed Zinfandel vineyards in the State of California. I think that Sylvester and Caterina would be proud.

Paso Robles: Dusi Vineyard was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Recently, I had the opportunity to spend three days in Paso Robles wine country on a media tour hosted by the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. We had the pleasure to meet winemakers, visit vineyards, dine at local restaurants, and stay in luxurious accommodations. Paso Robles, a quaint town of 30,000 people, is a wonderful wine country destination and served as an excellent home base as we toured the surrounding areas. Within walking distance of our hotel, Hotel Cheval, were many tasting rooms, restaurants, boutique shops, and a lovely park. For those of you who are more familiar with Washington wine country, Paso Robles reminds me a lot of Walla Walla. It is about the same size and offers numerous wine and food options.

I tasted a total of 65 wines on this trip, a representative sampling of what is coming out of the Paso Robles AVA. Sixty out of that 65 are wines that I would recommend. Suffice it to say, the wineries in Paso Robles are producing some high quality wines, and best of all, doing it with a smile on their face. Everyone we met genuinely seemed to love where they live and what they do.

Three things stood out as the common threads running through Paso Robles wine country:

• Community – There really is a close sense of community. The wineries, restaurants, and hotels seem to work together to offer a wonderful wine country experience for their visitors. And many of the winemakers and vineyard owners are good friends with each other, often helping each other out and simply shaking hands to seal deals.
• Local – The people of Paso Robles are passionate about where they live and what the land provides. The restaurateurs encourage their patrons to support local wineries while the winemakers recommend local restaurants. And many chefs take it even further by buying their produce at local farmers markets or growing it themselves.
• Sustainable – The word I heard used most frequently by winemakers and vineyard owners was sustainable. They are strong proponents of sustainable viticulture and strive to be good stewards of the land.

In the coming weeks, I will be writing more about the people and places that I encountered in Paso Robles. And if you are planning a trip there anytime soon (which I highly recommend), feel free to ask me any questions about the area in the comments below or via our Contact Us form. I’m happy to help if I can.

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that I tasted while visiting Paso Robles. 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)
2008 Turley Dusi Vineyard Zinfandel, Paso Robles, $60, QPR: 3

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
2007 kukkula Sisu (red Rhone blend), $24, QPR: 4
2006 Edward Sellers Syrah Selectionnée, Paso Robles, $32, QPR: 4
2007 Zenaida Cellars Zephyr (Syrah/Zin/Viognier), Paso Robles, $32, QPR: 4
2007 Four Vines Dusi Vineyard Zinfandel, Paso Robles, $35, QPR: 4
2006 Windward “Monopole” Pinot Noir, Paso Robles, $36, QPR: 4
2009 Villicana Viognier, Paso Robles, $23, QPR: 3
2007 Tablas Creek Rosé, Paso Robles, $27, QPR: 3
2007 Four Vines “Loco” Tempranillo, Paso Robles, $40, QPR: 3
2006 Terry Hoage “The Pick” Grenache Cuvee, Paso Robles, $42, QPR: 3
2006 Edward Sellers Cuvee des Cinq (red Rhone blend), Paso Robles, $42, QPR: 3
2007 Austin Hope Grenache, Paso Robles, $42, QPR: 3
2007 Justin Savant (Syrah blend), Paso Robles, $45, QPR: 3
2009 L’Aventure Estate Rosé, Paso Robles, $35, QPR: 2
2008 L’Aventure Estate Roussanne, Paso Robles, $35, QPR: 2
2007 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel (red Rhone blend), Paso Robles, $50, QPR: 2
2006 J. Lohr Cuvee St. E. (Bordeaux blend), Paso Robles, $50, QPR: 2
2005 L’Aventure Estate Cuvee (Syrah/Cab/PV), Paso Robles, $85, QPR: 1

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2007 J. Lohr Los Osos Merlot, Paso Robles, $15, QPR: 5
2007 Kiamie Late Harvest Zinfandel, Paso Robles, $18 [375ml], QPR: 5
2007 Wild Horse Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, $20, QPR: 5
2007 Victor Hugo Petite Sirah, Paso Robles, $22, QPR: 4
2008 Villicana Zinfandel, Paso Robles, $26, QPR: 4
2007 Vina Robles Jardine Petite Sirah, Paso Robles, $26, QPR: 4
2008 Justin Sauvignon Blanc, Paso Robles, $15, QPR: 3
2009 Villicana Estate Vin Rosé, Paso Robles, $18, QPR: 3
2007 kukkula Lothario (Zin/Rhone blend), Paso Robles, $28, QPR: 3
2007 Villicana Estate Syrah, Paso Robles, $28, QPR: 3
2007 Adelaida Cellars Version (red Rhone blend), Paso Robles, $32, QPR: 3
2007 Grey Wolf Dusi Vineyard Zinfandel, Paso Robles, $36, QPR: 3
2008 Eberle Cotes du Robles Blanc (white Rhone blend), Paso Robles, $20, QPR: 2
2007 J. Dusi Zinfandel Port Dusi Vineyard, Paso Robles, $28 [375ml], QPR: 2
2007 Hearst Ranch “Lone Tree” Cabernet Franc, Paso Robles, $35, QPR: 2
2006 Kiamie Kuvee (Cab/Syrah/Merlot/Zin), Paso Robles, $38, QPR: 2
2007 Four Vines Anarchy (Zin/Rhone blend), Paso Robles, $40, QPR: 2
2006 Windward Gold “Barrel Select” Pinot Noir, $60, QPR: 2
2007 Lone Madrone “Points West White” Roussanne, Paso Robles, $28, QPR: 1
2008 Terry Hoage “The Gap” Cuvee Blanc (white Rhone blend), Paso Robles, $32, QPR: 1
2008 J. Dusi Carignane Dusi Vineyard, Paso Robles, $38, QPR: 1
2008 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc (white Rhone blend), Paso Robles, $40, QPR: 1
2007 Villa Creek Damas Noir Mourvedre, Paso Robles, $40, QPR: 1
2006 Steinbeck The Crash (Cab blend), Paso Robles, $42, QPR: 1
2007 Alta Colina “Ann’s Block” Petite Sirah, Paso Robles, $48, QPR: 1
2006 Terry Hoage “5 Blocks” Syrah Cuvee, Paso Robles, $50, QPR: 1
2001 L’Aventure Estate Cuvee (Cab/PV/Syrah), Paso Robles, $85, QPR: 1

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
2007 J. Lohr South Ridge Syrah, Paso Robles, $15, QPR: 4
2008 Ancient Peaks Sauvignon Blanc, Paso Robles, $12, QPR: 3
2008 Clayhouse Wines Sauvignon Blanc, Paso Robles, $14, QPR: 3
2007 Ortman Family Sangiovese, Paso Robles, $22, QPR: 3
2008 Anglim Winery Rosé, Paso Robles, $15, QPR: 2
2008 Hearst Ranch “Glacier Ridge” Chardonnay, Santa Lucia Highlands, $25, QPR: 2
2009 Eberle Viognier, Paso Robles, $21, QPR: 1
2007 Kenneth Volk Roussanne, Paso Robles, $24, QPR: 1
2007 Steinbeck Viognier, Paso Robles, $29, QPR: 1
2008 J. Dusi Zinfandel Dusi Vineyard, Paso Robles, $32, QPR: 1
2007 Peachy Canyon Snow Zinfandel, Paso Robles, $36, QPR: 1
2008 Denner Vineyards Grenache, Paso Robles, $42, QPR: 1
2005 Halter Ranch Ancestor Estate Reserve (Bordeaux blend), Paso Robles, $44, QPR: 1
2007 Hope Family Treana Red (Cab/Syrah), Paso Robles, $50, QPR: 1
2007 Hearst Ranch “The Point” Special Reserve (Cab blend), Paso Robles, $70, QPR: 1

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
2008 Robert Hall Rosé de Robles, Paso Robles, $15, QPR: NR
2007 Ancient Peaks Zinfandel, Paso Robles, $16, QPR: NR
2008 Niner Wine Estates Sauvignon Blanc, Paso Robles, $17, QPR: NR
2008 Thacher Vineyards Viognier, Paso Robles, $25, QPR: NR
2008 J. Dusi Syrah Caterina’s Hill Dusi Vineyard, Paso Robles, $38, QPR: NR

Paso Robles: California’s Emerging Wine Region was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Wed, 07 Apr 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Today, I want to focus on the Restaurant Awards and Education Day. While they are attended by fewer people than the Grand Tasting, they are no less important. In fact, these two events afford attendees the rare opportunity to learn a ton about Washington wines and mingle with the people that make the Washington wine industry tick. The Restaurant Awards are not open to the public, but Education Day certainly is. If you have not attended any of the Taste Washington seminars in the past, you should make it a point to do so next year. For the most part, they are well worth the time and money.

Washington Wine Restaurant Awards

The purpose of the Washington Wine Restaurant Awards is to honor restaurants, sommeliers, and individuals that help promote Washington wines in restaurants. Judges evaluate restaurants on a variety of criteria, including wine list, service and staffing, promotions and overall wine philosophy. The Walter Clore Honorarium, given to an individual who has demonstrated dedication to the advancement of the Washington wine industry, was awarded to Doug Zellars of the Washington Athletic Club. The Washington Wine Restaurant of the Year is the most prestigious award, given to the restaurant that has promoted Washington wines above and beyond all others. This year’s winner was Sun Mountain Lodge in Winthrop, Washington. To commemorate the honor, Sun Mountain Lodge received a beautiful custom-blown glass sculpture designed by Seattle-based glass artist Jesse Kelly.

In addition to the awards ceremony, about 50 Washington wineries were pouring for a Washington Wine Trade Tasting which allowed us to get a head start on the wineries we wanted to taste at the Grand Tasting on Sunday.

Education Day

Education Day featured seven seminars on a variety of topics. The seminars give attendees the opportunity to taste, discuss, meet, and learn from some of the biggest names in the Washington wine industry as well as a few notable guests from outside of Washington State. In order to cover more, the Wine Peeps team split up and attended different seminars. I attended the Common Ground seminar featuring Boushey Vineyard as well as The Value Challenge. Dad (John) attended The Legend of Quilceda Creek and Mighty Malbec. Colby roamed from seminar to seminar taking pictures.

Common Ground – Boushey Vineyard
Bob Betz MW of Betz Family Winery led this seminar focused on Yakima Valley’s famed Boushey Vineyard. Dick Boushey, owner/grower of Boushey Vineyard sat alongside Joshua Greene of Wine & Spirits magazine, geologist and Whitman College professor Dr. Kevin Pogue, and Sara Schneider of Sunset magazine on the panel. Each panelist spoke about their thoughts regarding Boushey Vineyard and then Bob Betz led us through a tasting of seven Boushey Vineyard Syrahs, which included a barrel sample and a couple of not-yet-released wines, so that attendees could get a sense of the wines’ “Boushey-ness”. There were also a number of winemakers who use Boushey fruit in the audience who Bob called upon to speak about the vineyard. The common thread from winemaker comments about Boushey Vineyard was pigment, concentration, texture, vitality, and vibrancy. Marie-Eve Gilla of Forgeron Cellars summed it up well when she spoke about the fruit she gets from Boushey Vineyard, “It is very precise, beautiful from beginning to end.”

The Value Challenge
Sara Schneider of Sunset magazine moderated the panel which included Andrea Immer-Robinson MS, Emily Wines MS, Tom Wark of Fermentation, and Juan Munoz-Oca of Columbia Crest. Since we here at Wine Peeps are focused on being “Your Link to Great QPR Wines from Washington State and Beyond,” I had high hopes for this seminar. What could be better than tasting through five flights of wines in a “Washington vs. The World” challenge featuring wines in the $10 to $20 range? When the attendees tasted the wines, we did not know which ones were from Washington and which were from elsewhere. The Washington wines did extremely well. In my opinion, the Washington wines won four of the matchups and tied in one of them. Not bad considering the competition included wines from France, Australia, and California. Unfortunately though, after we tasted through the flights of wines, the seminar got a bit off track with the moderator and some of the panelists recommending non-Washington wines as great values. While I agree that there are also great values outside of Washington State, there are many great values in Washington, and I encourage those of you who live in Washington to search out the values in Washington wines first before venturing elsewhere. If you’re not sure where to start your search, you may peruse previous posts in our Featured Categories: Washington State Wine and Five-Bangs For Your Buck Wines, ask us a question in the comments section below, or send us your question via our Contact Us form.

The Legend of Quilceda Creek (Attended by John)
Bruce Schoenfeld of Travel + Leisure moderated a panel including Quilceda Creek Vintners founder Alex Golitzin, Andrea Immer-Robinson MS, and Heather John of Bon Appétit. Quilceda Creek is generally considered Washington State’s premier winery and is one of the most highly acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignon producers in the world. Their flagship wine, the Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, has received three 100-point ratings from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. This seminar afforded attendees the rare opportunity to taste some of Quilceda Creek’s highly sought-after wines including the 1999, 2005, 2006, and 2007 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignons as well as the 2005, 2006, and 2007 Galitzine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons. It was great to be able to hear the Quilceda Creek story directly from founder Alex Golitzin, a very humble guy given the success he has had. Bonded in 1978, Quilceda Creek started out buying their grapes from Otis Vineyard. Today they only source from vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills and Red Mountain, several of which they own outright or have an ownership-interest.

Mighty Malbec (Attended by John)
Seattle magazine recognized Malbec as the state’s Best Emerging Variety in their 2009 Best of Washington Wine Awards. Moderator Jake Kosseff of Seattle magazine led a panel including Dr. Thomas Henick-Kling of Washington State University, Christopher Miller of Spago Beverly Hills, Anna Schafer of àMaurice Cellars, and Sean Sullivan of Washington Wine Report in a discussion about this emerging variety. While none of the panelists offered any information about Malbec that I didn’t already know, we were able to taste five Washington State Malbecs as well as one Malbec from France and one from Argentina. The Washington Malbecs stacked up very well; in my opinion, four of the five Washington Malbecs were the best four out of all seven wines. This was not a surprise as we Wine Peeps have been saying for some time that Malbec is a variety to watch here in Washington and have even encouraged some growers to plant Malbec. In general, Malbec is not as tannic as Cabernet Sauvignon but is spicier than Merlot and goes well with a number of different foods. One of the original five Bordeaux varieties, Malbec is somewhat unique in that its distinctive character is evident early so it does not require the aging of other big red varieties. If you are looking for a good place to start in exploring Washington Malbec for yourself, refer back to our Washington Malbec Extravaganza from last fall.

Remember to come back on Friday for a complete recap of the Grand Tasting and a breakdown of all the wines that we tasted throughout the weekend.

Taste Washington 2010: Restaurant Awards and Education Day was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Last Friday evening, we had the pleasure to taste six single vineyard red blends from Washington State in our monthly wine tasting dinner. It was another fabulous evening of good wines, the company of wonderful friends, and Mom’s excellent food.

Not only did four of the six wines receive a Quality rating of 4 stars or higher (out of 5), but the top three also received a QPR rating of 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5). Even though these wines are not inexpensive, they are well worth the money.

All six wines paired well with Mom’s dinner of tomato basil soup, candied walnut gorgonzola salad, prime rib, braised kale, cilantro lime mashed sweet potatoes, and topped off with a German chocolate dessert with whipped cream and shaved chocolate.

The consensus favorite was the 2005 Côte Bonneville Carriage House Red Wine. Côte Bonneville, located near Sunnyside, Washington, is the estate winery for DuBrul Vineyard. Both the winery and the vineyard are owned by Hugh and Kathy Shiels. The Shiels planted their first wine grapes in 1992 and started their own winery in 2001 after their last child left home. They are running a first class operation: amazing fruit, amazing wines, and amazing people. [To read more about DuBrul Vineyard, check out my article in the current Spring 2010 issue of Washington Tasting Room Magazine.]

I would encourage you to try any of these wines, especially with a meal, to get a sense of how Washington wines can stack up against the world’s best such as French Bordeaux.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2005 Côte Bonneville Carriage House Red Wine (DuBrul Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc. Deep, dark purplish red and very aromatic. Black fruits, spice, oak, and a hint of bacon come through on the nose; more black fruits and spice on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with medium to high, drying tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long, lingering finish. Great from the first sip right on through the meal.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $50; Available elsewhere, $45 to $65

2006 Soos Creek Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Red Wine (Ciel du Cheval, Red Mountain, Washington): 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot. Dark purplish red and very aromatic. Aromas and flavors of juicy red fruits and black cherry along with nicely integrated oak. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long finish. Really shines with food.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $27; Available elsewhere, $25

2006 Sheridan Vineyard Mystique (Sheridan Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc. Dark, dense red in color and very aromatic. Aromas and flavors of black fruits, smoked meat, leather, and tobacco. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high, drying tannins, and a long finish. Big and bold when sipped by itself, yet tannins soften and almost seem a bit sweet with food.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $23; Available elsewhere, $30

2006 L’Ecole Nº 41 Apogee (Pepper Bridge Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 8% Malbec, 4% Cabernet Franc. Deep purple and very aromatic. Oak and vanilla dominate the nose with dark fruits and earth showing through as well. Loads of oak on the palate along with blackberry, black cherry, and spice. Medium to full-bodied and lively with very drying tannins and a long finish. Well-balanced and gets better with food.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $50; Available elsewhere, $38 to $53

2006 Cadence Camerata (Cara Mia Vineyard, Red Mountain, Washington): 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc. Deep, dark purple in color. Aromatic with cinnamon, vanilla, and a hint of coconut coming through on the nose. Cinnamon and black fruits show through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, drying tannins and a long finish. A little heat is present on the back end but improves with food.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: McCarthy & Schiering (Seattle, Washington), $55; Available elsewhere, $53 to $63

2005 Grand Rêve Collaboration Series I Red Wine (Ciel du Cheval Vineyard, Red Mountain, Washington): 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 13% Petit Verdot, 12% Merlot. Winemaker Ben Smith of Cadence Winery. Deep, dark purplish red with black licorice, black cherry, and leather aromas along with hints of spice and cloves. More black fruits, spice, and coffee come through on the palate. Full-bodied with high, drying tannins and a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $55; Available elsewhere, $55

Wine Tasting Dinner: Washington Single Vineyard Red Blends was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.