For those of you who live in the Seattle area, be sure to mark your calendar for the St. Nicholas Day Open House in Woodinville the weekend of December 3rd and 4th. Thirty-seven (37) Woodinville wineries are participating and will be offering a festive assortment of special wine tastings, holiday bites, and gift giving ideas as part of this annual event.

Two-day passes are $55, and Sunday-only tickets are available for $40. All ticket holders will receive a booklet of participating wineries and a commemorative glass. Advanced purchase is required as tickets are limited and are sure to sell out. Tickets are available online only from Woodinville Wine Country.

New for this year’s event, Shuttle Express will be offering safe and convenient transportation for guests to participating wineries. The St. Nick’s Shuttle will run 11am-4pm both days. Guests can park in a master parking lot, hop on the St. Nick’s Shuttle, and then hop off and back on as often as they would like. The shuttle service will cover all participating wineries, and guests will not have to wait more than 15 minutes at any stop. Also, Shuttle Express will offer secured, staffed wine purchase storage for St. Nick’s Shuttle guests who purchase wine during the day.

St. Nick’s Shuttle tickets are only $10 per person for a 2-day pass (same price even if you only plan to use it one day) and may be purchased online in advance or as a “walk up” during the event.

Participating wineries include:
Airfield Estates Winery, Anton Ville Winery, Apex at Alder Ridge, Brian Carter Cellars, Challenger Ridge, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Winery, Convergence Zone Cellars, Covey Run, Covington Cellars, Davenport Cellars, Des Voigne Cellars, DiStefano Winery, Domaine Ste. Michelle, Elevation Cellars, Goose Ridge Estate Winery Tasting Room, Hollywood Hill Vineyards, Isenhower Cellars, J. Bookwalter Tasting Studio, Kestrel Vintners, Matthews Estate, Michael Florentino Cellars, Northwest Totem Cellars, Otis Kenyon Wine Tasting Room, Page Cellars, Patit Creek Cellars, Patterson Cellars, Piccola Wines, Pondera Winery, Red Sky Winery, Silver Lake Winery,  Tefft Cellars, Tempest Sol Winery, Two Vintners, William Church Winery, Woodinville Wine Cellars and XSV Wines.

I hope to see you at St. Nick’s in December. It is a great opportunity to enjoy good wine, food, and entertainment as well as stock up on your favorite wines for the holidays and get that special something for family, friends, or co-workers.

Cheers!

Full disclosure: I am the Wine Consultant for Shuttle Express.

‘Tis the Season for St. Nick’s in Woodinville Wine Country was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

We found that all but one of the wines were drinking very well, and we believe that many of them have a number of good years still ahead of them. Although this was not a serious, take-copious-tasting-notes event, each attendee was asked to turn in the sack numbers of their three favorites so that we could get a composite favorites list. With this group of wines, which were very good, it was a difficult task.

After unveiling the sacked bottles, the consensus favorite of the group as well as Kori and my personal favorite turned out to be the one Washington Syrah in the lineup, the 2005 Sequel Syrah made, interestingly enough, by the famous Australian winemaker John Duval. However, only one person in the group correctly identified it as the Washington wine. Other favorites included the 2005 Peter Lehmann Barossa Shiraz [a terrific value year after year at less than $15 retail] and the 2005 John Duval Entity Shiraz [yes, the same John Duval].

While the two bookend wines were not tasted blind, they received considerable praise from a number of the attendees. The 1998 Dutschke was still very good at age thirteen, and the 2005 Fielding Hills was also drinking very well, although we wouldn’t give it quite a 5-star rating today.

All in all, it was another wonderful evening with great friends and spectacular wine. We’re looking forward to doing it again.

Cheers!

Digging into the Cellar Party IV: 2005 Australian Shiraz (mostly) was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Winemakers Bob Bertheau and Ernst Loosen work together every step of the way to produce world-class Riesling from Washington State grapes. The partnership launched in 1999, and the 2010 vintage, the current release, is Eroica’s 12th vintage. Eroica is named for Beethoven’s Third Symphony.

We have found Eroica to be consistently excellent from vintage to vintage. Recently, I had the pleasure to attend an Eroica tasting and lunch with Bob Bertheau and Ernst Loosen at Wild Ginger in Seattle. It is obvious that these two gentlemen work very well together.

Riesling is one of the most versatile grape varieties. It can be made in many different styles from bone dry to very sweet, reflect the regional character of where it is grown, and is extremely food-friendly. And, it is probably the most age worthy of all white wine varieties. At the tasting at Wild Ginger, we tasted three vintages of the off-dry Eroica Riesling (2005, 2007, and 2010) and two vintages of the very sweet Eroica Single Berry Select Riesling (2001 and 2007). All five wines were excellent, but the 2001 Single Berry Select was absolutely phenomenal. The Single Berry Select is made in the traditional German Trockenbeerenauslese style and is one of the few TBAs produced in North America.

2005 Eroica Riesling [Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen] (Columbia Valley, Washington): Golden yellow. Nice nose with honey, pear, white peach, and peach blossom aromas. Pear, white peach, minerality, forest floor, and a hint of honey come through on the palate. Slightly off-dry and light to medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with a long finish. Residual Sugar: 1.6%
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail: $20

2007 Eroica Riesling [Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen] (Columbia Valley, Washington): Golden straw yellow. Gorgeous nose with lime, white peach, and minerally aromas. Orange peel, lime, and minerality come through on the palate. Slightly off-dry and light to medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with a long, refreshing finish. Residual Sugar: 2.15% [Note: In 2012, it will be re-released for on-premise sales.]
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail: $20

2010 Eroica Riesling [Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen] (Columbia Valley, Washington): Medium straw yellow with golden tinges. Gorgeous nose with white peach, lime, and floral aromas. Lots of lime, orange peel, and minerality on the palate. Slightly off-dry and light to medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with a long, refreshing finish. Residual Sugar: 1.64%
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail: $20

2001 Eroica Single Berry Select Riesling [Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen] (Horse Heaven Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): Deep, dark amber in color. Gorgeous nose with honey, butterscotch, and dried apricot aromas and flavors. Very sweet and medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced and extremely smooth with a long, lingering finish. Wow! Amazing! Residual Sugar: 38.7% [Note: In 2012, about 1,000 bottles will be re-released.]
Quality: 5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail: $200 [375ml]

2007 Eroica Single Berry Select Riesling [Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen] (Horse Heaven Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): Golden, orange amber color. Nice nose with honey, dried apricot, and a hint of pineapple aromas. Honey, dried apricot, and orange peel come through on the palate. Very sweet and medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with a long, smooth finish. A rare treat! Residual Sugar: 37%
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail: $200 [375ml]

Eroica: The Standard-Bearer for Washington Riesling [Wow! Alert] was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Several years later, Antinori and Ted Baseler, President and CEO of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, decided to build a winery solely dedicated to this project. In 2005, they purchased 40 acres on Red Mountain to build a winery building and plant an estate vineyard. Construction of the winery was completed in time for the harvest of 2006. The 2006 vintage was the first vintage produced at Col Solare’s state-of-the-art facility, which officially opened in April 2007. In addition, Col Solare planted a 28-acre estate vineyard on the property in 2007. Col Solare produces between 10,000 to 11,000 cases per year of its flagship wine.

“Twenty years from now, we would like to be using all estate fruit from Red Mountain.” –Marcus Notaro, winemaker

Like the partnership, the Col Solare facility itself reflects a mix of Old World and New World. The winery sits high on Red Mountain with an Old World bell tower visible from far away. Inside, though, it boasts a modern cellar and a contemporary, New World décor in the tasting room. The fan-shaped estate vineyard emanates out from the winery building like rays of sunshine, which are illustrated in the Col Solare logo.

Now, residents and visitors of the west side of Washington State can get a taste of Col Solare at their new Bottega (Italian for “shop”) located within Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville. Last Wednesday, I attended a tasting with winemaker Marcus Notaro followed by the Grand Opening event. The Bottega is tastefully done and designed to provide guests with a sneak preview of how the tasting room on Red Mountain looks and feels.

The Bottega officially opened to the public on Thursday, September 15th. It will be open by appointment seven days a week. Each 45-minute appointment will include an overview of the Col Solare story and a tasting of three vintages of their flagship Bordeaux-style blend. The Bottega is a beautiful space in which to sample the excellent wines of Col Solare. If you are in Woodinville, I encourage you to visit the Col Solare Bottega. And if you are able, a trip to the winery on Red Mountain is well worth your time as well.

Current Release:

2007 Col Solare Red Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Deep, dark purple. Gorgeous nose with aromas and flavors of black cherry, blackberry, vanilla, and spice. Full-bodied yet elegant with smooth tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $75

Future Releases:

2008 Col Solare Red Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Syrah. Deep, dark purple. Gorgeous nose with cocoa, black cherry, and pencil lead aromas. Cocoa, espresso, black cherry, and blackcurrant come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and silky tannins. Well-balanced with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: N/A
Where to buy: To be released Fall 2011

2009 Col Solare Red Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Malbec. Deep, dark purple in color. Aromatic with earth, chalk, black fruit, and floral notes on the nose. Blackcurrant, cocoa, pencil lead, and earth come through on the palate. Big and bold. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and silky tannins. Well-balanced with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: N/A
Where to buy: To be released Fall 2012

Col Solare Bottega: A Taste of Red Mountain in Woodinville was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

The three-day event included a Picnic and Barrel Auction, winemaker dinners, the Covey Run 5K and 10K Run/Walk, and The Wine Gala. Dad (John) and I attended the Picnic and Barrel Auction on the grounds of Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville. This was the second year that we have had the pleasure to attend, and it truly is an outstanding event for a great cause.

The highlight of the Picnic is the Barrel Auction itself in which bidders have the chance to win future, limited-release wines from twenty-five participating wineries. All attendees have the opportunity to taste wines from those participating wineries to determine whether or not they want to bid. While we did not taste them all, our favorites of the ones we did taste were the 2010 Sparkman Cellars Darkness Syrah, the 2008 Adams Bench Red Willow Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2007 Boudreaux Cellars Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, and the 2009 Woodward Canyon Estate Reserve. The picnic also featured a silent auction and picnic games including a Restaurant Balloon Pop, Wheel of Wine, Wine Pull, and Ring Toss.

In addition to outstanding wines, Picnic attendees were also served wonderful food prepared by the talented chefs from Tulalip Resort Casino. I was very impressed with the food last year so I made sure to make the rounds at the food tents this year. Once again, their culinary creations were amazing.

If you weren’t able to attend this year’s Auction, I encourage you to go ahead make plans to attend in 2012. It truly is a great weekend for both Washington wine and charity.

Auction of Washington Wines: Another Smashing Success was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Each winemaker and their partner will be given a box of products selected by Barking Frog’s Executive Chef Bobby Moore from which to create an appetizer and an entrée in 60 minutes. A panel of celebrity foodie judges will sample the competitors’ dishes and select a winner each week based on presentation, flavor, and creativity.

The 2011 Iron Vintner Challenge schedule:

• June 8, 5:30–7pm; Preliminary Round 1: Chris Sparkman vs. Chris Gorman, $35 per person
• June 15, 5:30–7pm; Preliminary Round 2: Chris Upchurch vs. John Bigelow, $35 per person
• June 22, 5:30–7pm; Championship: Winner of Round 1 vs. Winner of Round 2, $35 per person
• June 29, 7pm; Championship Dinner at Barking Frog: All participating winemakers attend, $135 per person

For additional information or to make a reservation, visit the Willows Lodge website. I will be in the “Twitter pit” for the Preliminary Round on June 15th. If you are unable to attend, be sure to follow my tweets @winepeeps.

Vintage Walla Walla (June 16-17)
Vintage Walla Walla is an annual event in Walla Walla, Washington, featuring winemaker dinners, a Vintage Pour, and a Summer BBQ. In addition, attendees will also be able to watch five local winemakers compete in the VIKING Master of the Grill competition and enjoy the music of the Dusty 45s, Seattle’s rockabilly, swing, and jump blues band. A portion of the proceeds benefits Seattle Children’s Uncompensated Care Fund in collaboration with the Auction of Washington Wines.

Vintage Walla Walla schedule:

• June 16, 6-10pm; Private Winemaker Dinners, various locations, $100 per person
• June 17, 5-6pm; Vintage Tasting at Waters Winery, $65 per person for tasting and BBQ
• June 17, 6-10pm; Summer BBQ at Waters Winery, $50 per person for BBQ only

For additional information, visit the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance website.

Entwine Grand Auction (October 15)
The Entwine Grand Auction brings together the best of the Walla Walla Valley’s wine, food, and art at the Marcus Whitman Hotel in Walla Walla, Washington. The evening kicks off with a silent auction and small bites, followed by a multi-course dinner featuring ingredients from local growers and producers. Some of the featured items in the auction will be unique barrel art. Seven Northwest artists were commissioned to create interpreted works of art from vintage wine barrels.

Recently, the barrel art was on display in Woodinville, and I had the pleasure to attend a media event to get a sneak peek. The barrel art is now on display at wineries in Walla Walla where it will remain until the Entwine Grand Auction in October. Be sure to check it out!

There are many great bottles of wine and wine experiences on the list of auction items as well as a few other non-wine auction lots that sound intriguing like NASCAR Racing Experience for 2, Fighter Pilot for a Day, and a 10-day Holland America Cruise.

For additional information, visit the Entwine Auction website.

I hope you are able to attend one (or all) of these upcoming events. They offer great opportunities to enjoy good wine, food, and entertainment.

Cheers!

Upcoming Events: Iron Vintner, Vintage Walla Walla, and Entwine Auction was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

The festivities kicked off on Friday with the Washington Wine Restaurant Awards, picked up steam on Saturday with Education Day, and launched into overdrive on Sunday when the doors opened for the Grand Tasting.

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 Maureen “Mo” Shaw of Ray’s Café in Seattle. 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 Canlis Restaurant in Seattle.

Education Day

Education Day featured eight 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. I attended the Common Ground seminar featuring Seven Hills Vineyard as well as one discussing Washington’s Singular Style.

Common Ground: A Seven Hills Vineyard Investigation
Shayn Bjornholm MS, the Education Director for the Washington Wine Commission, led this seminar focused on the Walla Walla Valley’s famed Seven Hills Vineyard. The panel featured Marty Clubb of L’Ecole Nº41, Jean-Francois Pellet of Pepper Bridge Winery, Drew Hendricks MS of Pappas Brothers, and Blake Gray of The Gray Market Report. Each panelist spoke about their thoughts regarding Seven Hills Vineyard, which was named one of the “Top Ten Vineyards in the World” by Wine & Spirits Magazine in 2004, and then Shayn Bjornholm led us through a tasting of wines from L’Ecole Nº41, Leonetti Cellar, and Pepper Bridge Winery. The common threads from winemaker comments about Seven Hills Vineyard were texture, tannin structure, vibrancy, and black fruits, especially black plums.

IN SEARCH OF: Washington’s Singular Style
Bruce Schoenfeld of Travel + Leisure Magazine moderated a stellar panel, which included Bob Betz MW of Betz Family Winery, Shayn Bjornholm MS, Sandy Block MW of Legal Seafoods, and Drew Hendricks MS. After tasting wines from Chablis in France, Ribera del Duero in Spain, and Barolo in Italy, which are very synonymous with a singular style from their region of origin, the panel then took the seminar attendees through a tasting of Washington wines and a discussion of whether or not Washington State has, or should have, a singular style. While no definitive conclusions were made, I will offer up three quotes from Bob Betz that I found particularly interesting:

Washington wine is “Old World structure and New World fruit”.

“Washington Syrah is what America should be drinking.”

“Consumers have a 2-point system (not a 100-point), Yum or Yuck.”

Grand Tasting

The Grand Tasting is the showcase event of Taste Washington. This year’s event featured over 200 wineries pouring their wines and over 50 restaurants serving small bites. With more than 700 wineries now open in the state of Washington, this event offers attendees the opportunity to try a large number of them in one place at one time. Considering the time and gas money you save not having to crisscross the state visiting tasting rooms and making appointments, the $125 for VIP tickets or $75 for general admission tickets is money well spent. Now, don’t get me wrong, once you attend an event like this and discover some favorite new wines and wineries, you will definitely want to make plans to travel to the wineries to visit and taste again. There is nothing like spending a long weekend in Washington wine country.

One of the best aspects of Taste Washington is that often you will find either the winemaker and/or winery owner pouring that winery’s wines. In addition to visiting with a number of people whose wines we have enjoyed in the past, we had the opportunity to try some wines from wineries whose wines we had not previously tasted. Our most exciting discovery was JB Neufeld Winery. Located in Yakima, Washington, JB Neufeld Winery is owned by Justin and Brooke Neufeld. While the JB Neufeld wines were new to us, we have long been fans of Gilbert Cellars for whom Justin is also the winemaker. A quick glance at the breakdown of wines we tasted at the Grand Tasting below shows that Justin’s wines also deliver serious bang-for-your-buck with the first three QPR: 5 wines being two wines from Gilbert Cellars and one from JB Neufeld.

My favorite wine from the Grand Tasting was the 2009 Betz Family Winery La Côte Patriarche Syrah, which will be released in the fall. The fruit for this wine comes from the 1986 Syrah block at Red Willow Vineyard, the oldest Syrah planting in the State of Washington. The name of this wine, which translates as “the founder’s slope”, is a nod to Red Willow owner/grower, Mike Sauer, and former Columbia Winery winemaker, David Lake, who planted those original Syrah vines.

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that we tasted during the Grand Tasting. Under each Quality heading, the wine name and region are 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)
2009 Betz Family Winery La Côte Patriarche Syrah, Yakima Valley, $55, QPR: 4

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
2007 Gilbert Cellars Allobroges Red Rhone-style Blend, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 5
2007 Gilbert Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope, $28, QPR: 5
2008 JB Neufeld Artz Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $32, QPR: 5
2007 Dunham Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon XIII, Columbia Valley, $45, QPR: 5
2010 Nefarious Cellars Estate Viognier, Lake Chelan, $18, QPR: 4
2010 William Church Winery Viognier, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 4
2008 William Church Winery “2 Spires” Syrah/Cab Blend, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 4
2008 Hollywood Hill Vineyards Syrah, Rattlesnake Hills, $32, QPR: 4
2007 Laurelhurst Cellars Boushey Vineyard Syrah, Yakima Valley, $32, QPR: 4
2007 Adams Bench Reckoning Red Blend, Columbia Valley, $34, QPR: 4
2008 Hollywood Hill DIst83 Red Rhone-style Blend, Horse Heaven Hills, $34, QPR: 4
2008 L’Ecole Nº41 Estate Merlot, Walla Walla Valley, $37, QPR: 4
2010 Côte Bonneville Cabernet Franc Rosé, Yakima Valley, $30, QPR: 3
2007 Gilbert Cellars Petit Verdot, Wahluke Slope, $36, QPR: 3
2008 Nefarious Cellars Rocky Mother Syrah, Columbia Valley, $42, QPR: 3
2006 Côte Bonneville Carriage House Red Blend, Yakima Valley, $50, QPR: 2
2008 Andrew Will Sorella Red Blend, Horse Heaven Hills, $70, QPR: 1

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
NV Treveri Cellars Blanc de Blanc Brut, Columbia Valley, $14, QPR: 5
2008 Gilbert Cellars Left Bank Red Blend, Wahluke Slope, $20, QPR: 4
2008 William Church Winery Bishop’s Blend Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 4
2008 Dunham Cellars Lewis Vineyard Riesling, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 4
2007 Bridge Press Cellars Merlot, Walla Walla Valley, $30, QPR: 4
2008 JB Neufeld DuBrul Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Yakima Valley, $32, QPR: 4
2007 Laurelhurst Cellars Laurus Nobilis Red Blend, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 3
2009 Hollywood Hill Vineyards Pinot Noir, Puget Sound, $38, QPR: 3
2008 Nefarious Cellars Malbec, Snipes Mountain, $28, QPR: 2
2008 Adams Bench Reckoning Red Blend, Columbia Valley, $39, QPR: 2
2008 Cooper Wine Company Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $60, QPR: 2
2008 Cooper Wine Company L’inizio Red Blend, Red Mountain, $45, QPR: 1
2008 Andrew Will Two Blondes Vineyard Red Blend, Yakima Valley, $56, QPR: 1

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
2009 Covey Run Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley, $6, QPR: 5
NV Treveri Cellars Blanc de Blanc Extra Sec, Columbia Valley, $15, QPR: 5
NV Treveri Cellars Blanc de Blanc Demi-Sec, Columbia Valley, $17, QPR: 5
2007 Bridge Press Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $40, QPR: 3
2008 Laurelhurst Cellars Merlot, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 2
2009 Andrew Will Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 2
2008 Laurelhurst Cellars Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 2
2009 Icicle Ridge Winery Sangiovese, Washington State, $85, QPR: 1

Taste Washington 2011: Highlights from Washington Wine’s Signature Event was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

It’s easy to enter. Just fill out an entry form and write a brief essay on why you are a Washington Wine Super Fan. The editors of Wine Press Northwest will judge the essays and announce a winner next week. The winner of this contest will get to attend The Seminars on Saturday, March 26th, and receive VIP access to the Grand Tasting on Sunday, March 27th.

For more information about Taste Washington, be sure to refer back to my Taste Washington 2011 Preview.

Good luck!

Are You a Washington Wine Super Fan? Win VIP Access to Taste Washington was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

If you love Washington wine, want to learn more about Washington wine, or are just looking for a fun event to attend, the upcoming Taste Washington in Seattle is just the event for you. Hosted by the Washington Wine Commission, Taste Washington is the ultimate carnival for wine and food lovers and the perfect way to cap off Washington Wine Month. Of the 700+ wineries in the state, over 220 of them are expected to be on hand pouring their wines at the Grand Tasting on Sunday, March 27th, at the Qwest Field Event Center. There will also be a vineyard area in which you can taste wines that several different wineries have produced from a single source. In addition, approximately 75 of the best Seattle-area restaurants will be serving small bites. And to round out the carnival-like atmosphere, there will also be fun and games, cooking demonstrations, a live jazz band, and much, much more. The Grand Tasting begins with a two-hour VIP tasting from 2-4pm, followed by three hours of general admission from 4-7pm. It is a huge event and can be overwhelming if you are not prepared. You will be wise to plan a strategy ahead of time. Be sure to refer back to my post from last year with tips for making the most of Taste Washington.

If a smaller, more intimate gathering is more your speed or you want to further your knowledge of wine and Washington wine in particular, The Seminars on Saturday, March 26th, might be of interest to you. Held at the Bell Harbor International Conference Center, eight seminars will be offered on a variety of topics. These seminars afford 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.

The “Common Ground” seminars the past two years were such a hit that they are offering another one this year which will focus on Seven Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley. A couple of other seminars that sound very interesting are “A Sort of Homecoming: Food and Wine Pairing with Michael Mina” (help Chef Mina decide which Washington wines go best with his world-class dishes) and “In Search Of: Washington’s Singular Style” (explore whether Washington has or needs a singular style of wine which can’t be made anywhere else).

Recently, I attended the Taste Washington TweetUp hosted by the Washington Wine Commission at Soul Wine, Pike & Western’s new wine shop at South Lake Union, which featured wines that will be poured at the Grand Tasting (see my notes below). The total cost to buy a bottle of each of the ten wines I tasted would set you back $316, but you can purchase a ticket to Taste Washington for $75 and taste these wines as well as many more.

We’ll be there both days and hope that those of you who live in the greater Seattle area will plan to attend as well. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the Taste Washington website.

Here are the wines I tasted during the Taste Washington TweetUp, listed in the order I tasted them, with my Twitter-style notes as well as Quality and QPR ratings:

2007 Northstar Winery Merlot (Columbia Valley, Washington): Nice black fruit, very smooth.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested retail price: $40

2007 Fall Line Winery Cabernet Sauvignon (Yakima Valley, Washington): Fruit sourced from Artz and Boushey Vineyards. Great fruit, big, bold, yet smooth tannins.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested retail price: $25

2007 Fall Line Winery Artz Vineyard Red Wine (Red Mountain, Washington): 39% Cabernet Franc, 36% Merlot, and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. Black fruits, vegetal notes, long finish, a little rough on the back end.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested retail price: $25

2008 Dusted Valley Vintners Stained Tooth Syrah (Columbia Valley, Washington): Appropriately named, dark fruit, hint of leather and spice.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested retail price: $24

2005 Tranche Slice of Pape (Columbia Valley, Washington): A blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault. Very Rhone-like as you might expect. Good fruit and earthy notes.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested retail price: $35

2008 Gramercy Cellars Lagniappe Syrah (Columbia Valley, Washington): Fruit-forward, herbal notes, classic Syrah.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested retail price: $40

2008 Chinook Cabernet Franc (Yakima Valley, Washington): Nice fruit. Some vegetal, earthy, and barnyard notes as well.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested retail price: $22

2009 Maison Bleue Winery Jaja Red (Yakima Valley, Washington): 50% Grenache, 50% Syrah. Gorgeous nose, red and black fruits, licorice, leather.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested retail price: $20

2009 Maison Bleue La Montagnette Grenache (Upland Vineyard, Snipes Mountain, Washington): Gorgeous, extremely food-friendly, good complexity, black fruits, plum, smoked meat, very smooth.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested retail price: $35

2009 Maison Bleue Graviere GSM (Upland Vineyard, Snipes Mountain, Washington): 25% Grenache, 50% Syrah, and 25% Mourvedre. Another winner from Jon Martinez. Black fruits, nutmeg, spice, licorice, very smooth.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested retail price: $40

To try these wines for yourself, make plans to attend Taste Washington later this month.

Taste Washington 2011 Preview was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

What we found was that all of the wines were drinking very well, and we estimate that many of them could easily go another 7 to 10 years. Although this was not a serious, take-copious-tasting-notes event, each attendee was asked to turn in the sack numbers of their three favorites so that we could get a composite favorites list. With this group of wines, which were all very good, it was a difficult task.

After unveiling the sacked bottles, the consensus favorite of the group turned out to be the 2006 SYZYGY Syrah from the Walla Walla Valley. Other group favorites were the 2006 Ross Andrew Boushey Vineyard Syrah, the 2006 Fielding Hills Riverbend Vineyard Syrah, and the 2006 Watermill Walla Walla Valley Syrah. Other favorites of Kori and mine were the 2006 Long Shadows Sequel Syrah and the 2006 Alma Terra Coeo Syrah.

While the two bookend wines were not tasted blind, they received considerable praise from a number of the attendees; although, it was clear that the Charles Smith Royal City Syrah would not have received a perfect score of 100 points from this group. In fact, the O*S Dineen Vineyard Syrah received just as much praise, if not more, than the Royal City.

All in all, it was another super party with great friends and spectacular wine. We’re looking forward to doing it again.

Cheers!

Digging into the Cellar Party III: 2006 Washington Syrah was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.