Pinot Noir is the variety that propelled Oregon onto the worldwide wine stage and is still what many people think of when it comes to Oregon wine. Over 12,000 acres of vineyards in Oregon are planted to Pinot Noir and production of Pinot Noir is over three times the next leading variety, Pinot Gris. Nevertheless, Oregon wine is far from a one-trick pony.

During my recent media tour to explore Oregon wine country, I had the opportunity to try many different Oregon wines. Beyond Pinot Noir, which they continue to do well, I was particularly impressed with the quality of sparkling wines and Chardonnay that Oregon is producing.

Given that Oregon, and particularly the Willamette Valley, is predominately a cool climate growing area that has proven to grow Pinot Noir well, it is no surprise that Chardonnay is showing signs of greatness there as well. The leading white variety in the world’s leading Pinot Noir growing region of Burgundy, France, is none other than Chardonnay. The two varieties seem to go hand in hand. You may be wondering then why we haven’t seen more Chardonnay out of Oregon in the past, with many wineries instead focusing on Pinot Gris as their leading white variety. Well, according to Rollin Soles, founder/winemaker of Argyle Winery in Dundee, Oregon, the problem was that initially the wrong Chardonnay clone was planted in Oregon. After years of trial and error and experimentation, a number of those vines have been pulled out and a Chardonnay clone better suited for Oregon’s terroir has been planted. As a result, better Chardonnay wines are finally making an impact in the marketplace.

Two Chardonnay wines that I especially enjoyed during my trip were the 2009 Cameron Abbey Ridge Chardonnay [Quality: 4.5, QPR: 4, Price: $55] and the 2008 Ponzi Reserve Chardonnay [Quality: 4, QPR: 4, Price: $30].

Likewise, Oregon’s Willamette Valley has a similar climate and latitude to Champagne, France, and the two grape varieties most often used to produce sparkling wines are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Therefore, it only stands to reason that Oregon has the potential to produce some outstanding sparkling wines as well.

Both Rollin Soles of Argyle and Buzz Kawders of Domaine Meriwether are bullish on sparkling wines. Sparkling wine is very food-friendly so they see it as being particularly appealing to foodies. And, in general, younger generations are more celebratory and don’t need a special occasion to drink sparkling wine. Both of those facts bode well for the future of sparkling wine in Oregon.

“The Prosecco drinker of today will be the Willamette Valley sparkling wine drinker of tomorrow.” –Rollin Soles, founder/winemaker, Argyle Winery

From a viticultural perspective, sparkling wine producers can give an early snapshot of what to expect in any harvest because they pick their grapes earlier than still wine producers. And Soles believes that his experience making sparkling wines has made him a better winemaker and made him more attentive to how he blends still wines.

I had a number of excellent sparkling wines during my trip, but a couple of particular note were the 2001 Argyle Extended Tirage Brut [Quality: 4.5, QPR: 5, Price: $60] and the 2000 Domaine Meriwether Prestige Cuvee Brut Rosé [Quality: 4, QPR: 5, Price: $40].

If you haven’t had the opportunity, I highly encourage you to seek out Oregon sparkling wine and Oregon Chardonnay. As I’ve mentioned previously, May is Oregon wine month so this is a great time to try some new-to-you Oregon wines.

Cheers!

Oregon Wine: Beyond Pinot Noir was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Prior to my recent media tour to explore Oregon wine country, I had limited experience with aged Oregon Pinot Noir. While I knew that many wines from Burgundy age well, I wasn’t sure whether the same could be said for Pinot in Oregon. During the tour, we had the opportunity to taste several “older” Pinots from the 1985, 1998, and 1999 vintages, and they are aging quite gracefully.

“The 1985 vintage was when Oregon really came onto the national scene and was recognized.” –Luisa Ponzi, Ponzi Vineyards

“1985 is my all-time favorite vintage.” –Susan Sokol Blosser, Sokol Blosser Winery

We tasted the 1985 Amity Winemaker’s Reserve Pinot Noir. According to Myron Redford, president and former winemaker of Amity Vineyards, it was made from 14-year-old vines that were planted in 1971. This wine displays beautiful earth, strawberry, and raspberry notes, and is drinking quite well. We also tasted the 1998 Amity Winemaker’s Reserve Pinot Noir. It, too, is a beautiful wine and is surprisingly fresh for a 14-year-old wine.

Many veterans of the Oregon wine industry consider 1999 to be the next great vintage in Oregon after 1985. We tasted the 1999 Sokol Blosser Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, and I can see why they hold the 1999 vintage in such high regard. Winemaker Russ Rosner of Sokol Blosser calls this a 20-year wine.

Pinot Noir is a fragile grape and very difficult to grow. It requires an incredible amount of “hand work” in the vineyard. It goes all over the place as the vine grows. A thin-skinned grape, Pinot Noir growers have to battle mildew and botrytis. However, when grown successfully in cooler climates like Oregon, Pinot Noir can produce special wines that age very well.

As I’ve mentioned previously, I’ve historically been somewhat of a skeptic when it comes to Oregon wine, particularly of their beloved Pinot Noir. However, this tour allowed me to see Pinot Noir in a new light. I was thrilled to be able to experience some truly wonderful Pinot and to appreciate its age worthiness.

If you live in the Pacific Northwest and either already love Oregon wine or would like to learn more about it, I encourage you to consider attending Unwine’d, Celebrate Oregon Wine in Portland on Sunday, April 29th. The event will have about 100 Oregon wineries pouring their wines, a dozen restaurants serving small bites, and will serve as the kickoff for Oregon Wine Month in May. We hope to see you there.

Cheers!

Oregon Wine: Pinot Noir is still the Queen, and She Ages Gracefully was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Recently, I had the opportunity to spend three days in Oregon wine country on a media tour hosted by the Oregon Wine Board. We had the pleasure to meet winemakers, visit vineyards, dine at local restaurants, and stay in luxurious accommodations. While I had visited Oregon and written about Oregon wines on a number of occasions, it was a great opportunity to immerse myself in all things Oregon wine and get to know so many key players in the Oregon wine industry. For details about the media tour itself, check out this article by Karl Klooster in the Yamhill Valley News-Register.

As regular readers know, I’ve historically been somewhat of a skeptic when it comes to Oregon wine. Too often, I had found their wines, predominately their beloved Pinot Noir, to be overhyped and overpriced. However, I am happy to report that this visit allowed me to experience some truly wonderful Pinot as well as appreciate the exceptional people, beautiful scenery, and diversity of wines in Oregon wine country.

I’d like to share with you several key takeaways from the visit:

• Pinot Noir is still the Queen, and She Ages Gracefully – Pinot Noir is the variety that propelled Oregon onto the worldwide wine stage and is still what many people think of when it comes to Oregon wine. We had the opportunity to taste several “older” Pinots from the 1985, 1998, and 1999 vintages, and they are aging quite gracefully.
• Beyond Pinot Noir – Sometimes thought of as a one-trick pony, Oregon wine is much more than just Pinot Noir. If you haven’t had the opportunity, I highly encourage you to seek out Oregon sparkling wine and Oregon Chardonnay.
• Outside the Willamette Valley – For many, Oregon wine is synonymous with the Willamette Valley. However, there are exciting things happening elsewhere in the state, including the Columbia Gorge and Southern Oregon. And, I would be remiss without mentioning that a number of the best Walla Walla Valley vineyards are actually on the Oregon side of the AVA.
• A Leader in Sustainable Viticulture – Oregon has long been committed to sustainable winegrowing and earth-friendly practices. A significant number of the state’s vineyards are certified sustainable, organic, or biodynamic. And now, Oregon Certified Sustainable Wine (OCSW) has been launched as a unifying platform to make identifying those wines easy for consumers.

Also, I would like to give a special mention to two outstanding venues that I highly recommend should your travels take you to Oregon wine country: Nora’s Table in Hood River (amazing food and an Oregon-focused wine list) and The Allison Inn & Spa in Newberg (luxurious accommodations and impeccable customer service).

In their efforts to more actively promote their wine industry, the Oregon Wine Board is putting on a large-scale event in Portland the last weekend of April called Unwine’d, Celebrate Oregon Wine. The concept is similar to Seattle’s annual Taste Washington event. We are making plans to attend Unwine’d, and I encourage those of you who live in the Pacific Northwest to consider attending as well. They expect about 100 Oregon wineries to be pouring their wines, and a dozen different restaurants will serve small bites. This event serves as a kickoff for Oregon Wine Month in May.

Expect to see more coverage of Oregon wines here on Wine Peeps in the future.

Cheers!

Oregon Wine: Getting to Know Our Neighbors to the South was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Today, I’m going to expand my wine bucket list to include special wine regions around the world that we’ve not yet visited but want very much to visit. We’ve been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to not only visit all of the major U.S. wine regions multiple times, but also take trips to the Bordeaux region of France, all of the major wine regions of Australia, the Marlborough region of New Zealand, all of the major wine areas of South Africa, and both the British Columbia and Niagara-on-the-Lake regions of Canada.

Now, our goal is to visit the following wine regions that have a special interest for us:

• Northern and Southern Rhône in France
• Champagne region of France
• Tuscany and Piedmont areas of Italy
• Douro Valley and the Port lodges of Portugal
• Argentina and Chile in South America
• Rioja region of Spain
• Mosel region of Germany

Hopefully, we can work our way through this wine travel bucket list over the next ten years, and then start working on our next list. If you believe that there’s a wine region that we should definitely add to our current list, please let me know (and if you’d like to sponsor a trip to your favorite area we just might be able to move it up the list). As we make some of these bucket list trips, we’ll report on our travels and recommend to you the ones that meet or exceed our expectations.

Cheers!

(Photo by Megan Mallen)

My Wine Bucket List—Expanded was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

While Sineann is located in Newberg, Oregon, in the heart of Pinot Noir country, and Rosback got his start with that grape, his portfolio of wines includes much more than Pinot. Almost all of his wines are single-vineyard designated from vineyards in Oregon, Washington, California, and even New Zealand. Sineann’s Sauvignon Blanc is closed with a screwcap while all of the other wines are sealed with glass closures.

We had the pleasure to visit Sineann during a recent visit to Oregon’s Willamette Valley. I highly encourage you to do the same the next time you are in the area. We tasted a total of 17 wines. Our favorites were the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Baby Poux from Champoux Vineyards in Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills and the 2008 The Precious Late Harvest Gewurztraminer from the Columbia Gorge. Both are outstanding. Sineann also makes another dessert wine that I would love to try called Sweet Sydney, named for one of Rosback’s daughters. Sydney just happens to be the name of our daughter, too. Sweet Sydney is a limited production Zinfandel icewine, and, unfortunately for us, was all sold out when we visited. As you will see from my notes and ratings below, Sineann produces a number of wines worth checking out if you see them on the shelf at your local wine shop or on a restaurant wine list.

Our favorites:

2009 Sineann Cabernet Sauvignon Baby Poux Vineyard (Columbia Valley): Deep, dark purplish red in color. Nice nose with blackberry, black cherry, chocolate, and coffee aromas. Big black fruits, chocolate, and espresso bean comes through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with big yet smooth tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $42; Available elsewhere, $36 to $62

2008 Sineann The Precious Late Harvest Gewurztraminer (Columbia Gorge): Light amber brown color. Extremely aromatic with honey, caramel, prune, and dried apricot on both the nose and palate. Very sweet and sticky, medium to full-bodied with good acidity, and a long, yummy white peach finish. Residual Sugar: 43%
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $24 [375ml]; Available elsewhere, $23 to $25

Here’s a breakdown of the rest of the wines that we tasted during our visit:

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
2008 Sineann Cabernet Sauvignon Sugarloaf Mountain, California, $42, QPR: 5
2007 Sineann Pinot Noir Lachini, Willamette Valley, $36, QPR: 4
2009 Sineann Old Vine Zinfandel, Columbia Valley, $39, QPR: 4
2009 Sineann Petit Verdot, Champoux Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $48, QPR: 2

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2009 Sineann Abondante Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 4
2008 Sineann Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $30, QPR: 4
2007 Sineann Pinot Noir Schindler, Willamette Valley, $36, QPR: 4
2009 Sineann Merlot Champoux, Columbia Valley, $36, QPR: 3
2010 Sineann Pinot Noir Resonance, Yamhill-Carlton, $42, QPR: 3
2010 Sineann Pinot Noir Yates Conwill, Yamhill-Carlton, $42, QPR: 3
2010 Sineann Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand, $20, QPR: 2

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
2009 Sineann Cross-Check Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 4
2009 Sineann CJ Port Zinfandel, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 3
2009 Sineann Pinot Noir, Oregon, $30, QPR: 3
2010 Sineann Gewurztraminer Resonance, Willamette Valley, $18, QPR: 2

Sineann’s Peter Rosback…a Jack of Many Vineyards was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

On a recent visit to Walla Walla, we had the pleasure to sit down with Rick and taste through five of Woodward Canyon’s current releases. As we sat in their beautiful reserve house, Rick shared some of the history and philosophy behind the winery. It was Rick’s good friend Gary Figgins of Leonetti Cellar who encouraged him to get into wine in the first place back in the mid-70’s. In 1976, Rick planted the first of 41 acres of the Woodward Canyon Estate Vineyard.

With his farming background, it is no wonder that Rick places such importance on Woodward Canyon’s vineyard sources. The hiring of winemaker Kevin Mott in 2003 has allowed Rick to focus his attention on the vineyards. In addition to their estate vineyard, Woodward Canyon is a partner in Champoux Vineyards with Paul and Judy Champoux and three other wineries, Andrew Will, Powers, and Quilceda Creek. They also source fruit from other top vineyards in the state including Sagemoor Vineyards, DuBrul Vineyard, and Celilo Vineyard, to name a few.

“I want people to buy our wines because they are drinkable, go well with food, and are age-able.” –Rick Small, Owner/Director of Production

Rick and Darcey drink wine with food. Therefore, they strive to produce wines that are balanced and food-friendly. In fact, when we were tasting the 2009 Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Rick could not stop raving about how well it pairs with Darcey’s Dungeness crab cakes. (Mmmm…makes me hungry just thinking about that pairing.)

The Woodward Canyon “Artist Series” Cabernet Sauvignon is their “standard bearer” for Cab, and each vintage features a different work of art on the label. The featured artists are predominantly from the Pacific Northwest. Woodward Canyon has every original art piece from every “Artist Series” label since 1992.

Of the current releases we tasted, my favorite is the 2008 “Old Vines” Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cabernet Sauvignon for this wine typically comes from two of the oldest Cab blocks in Washington State, 1972 plantings from Champoux and Sagemoor Vineyards. This particular vintage also contains a small percentage of Petit Verdot from Woodward Canyon Estate Vineyard.

We have visited with Rick and Darcey at events and tasted some of their previous vintages. I have interviewed Darcey for our Women of Washington Wine series and Rick for articles about Champoux Vineyards and Sagemoor Vineyards. Whether on the phone or in person, Rick’s enthusiasm and passion for wine, Woodward Canyon Winery, the Walla Walla Valley, and the Washington State wine industry is evident.

Since the very beginning, Rick and Darcey have maintained a cellar library. They hold back a small amount of each wine they make for their library. In the early days, Rick recalls the bank not understanding why he purposely was not selling all of the wine he made. He tried to explain that it was important for research purposes, not to mention sentimental reasons, to have wines from each vintage that could be used for age-ability studies, vintage comparisons, and so forth. This foresight recently proved quite valuable when they began making wines from the 2010 vintage, which was a cool vintage. Rick and winemaker Kevin Mott went into the Woodward Canyon library and pulled out bottles from other cool vintages. They tasted through them to learn what to do and what to expect and made some adjustments as a result.

Woodward Canyon is located in Lowden, Washington, just 13 miles west of Walla Walla. If your travels take you to the Walla Walla Valley, I highly encourage you to visit Woodward Canyon. Their tasting room is in a restored 1870’s farmhouse, and the production facility is in the old Small family farm shops. Private, sit-down tastings of their reserve wines are available in the Reserve House adjacent to the tasting room.

2008 Woodward Canyon “Old Vines” Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington State): 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. Deep, dark red. Gorgeous nose with black cherry, black currant, leather, cinnamon, and nutmeg aromas. Luscious black fruit, mocha, and spice come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and medium to high, silky tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity, and a long, rich finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $79; Available elsewhere, $73 to $80

2010 Woodward Canyon Washington State Chardonnay (Washington State): 100% Chardonnay. Medium, golden yellow. Very aromatic with pear, apple, nectarine, and vanilla on the nose. More pear, nectarine, and vanilla as well as mineral notes come through on the palate. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a rich, creamy mouthfeel. Well-balanced with a long, lingering finish. One of the best Washington Chardonnays I’ve ever tasted.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $44; Available elsewhere, $41 to $44

2008 Woodward Canyon “Artist Series” Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington State): 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, and 4% Syrah. Deep, dark red. Nice nose with black cherry, blackberry, and chocolate aromas. Black cherry, mocha, and a hint of spice come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and silky tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $49; Available elsewhere, $32 to $50

2009 Woodward Canyon Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 7% Syrah, 4% Petit Verdot, and 4% Mourvedre. Deep, dark red. Nice nose with black cherry, black currant, tobacco, earth, and mineral aromas. Flavors of black cherry, mocha, and tobacco. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium, drying tannins, and a long, very dry finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $44

2009 Woodward Canyon Estate Sauvignon Blanc (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Light, straw yellow. Very aromatic with pear, melon, and white peach on the nose and palate. Light-bodied with crisp acidity and a long, rich finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $26; Available elsewhere, $25

Spotlight On: Woodward Canyon Winery was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

We had the pleasure of visiting Rasa Vineyards and tasting through their inaugural releases shortly after they moved into their new facility last fall. We were blown away by the quality of their wines then. In fact, their 2007 Principia Reserve Syrah was our Wine Peeps’ pick for Best Washington Wine of 2010. On a recent visit to Walla Walla, we made it a point to visit again so that we could taste their new releases. There are no signs of a sophomore slump here. In fact, if it is possible, we were even more impressed with the overall quality of their lineup of wines this time.

We tasted eight of their wines, five from their primary Rasa label and three from their new second label, PB Wines. The PB Wines are made in an identical manner and get the same treatment as the Rasa wines but are just offered at a lower price point.

Their 2008 Creative Impulse, a Cab/Merlot blend from DuBrul Vineyard, which will be released this fall, especially impressed us. It truly is a “Wow!” wine. We also thought that their 2008 QED and 2009 Vox Populi Mourvedre were outstanding.

Rasa Vineyards offers their wines through their mailing list first. They are also distributed in 17 states. If you have not had a chance to try one of their wines, I encourage you to keep your eyes out for them on the shelf at your local wine shop or go ahead and put your name on their mailing list. Only open by appointment, Rasa Vineyards is definitely a must-visit if you are in the Walla Walla area.

For a more detailed write-up about Rasa Vineyards, the Naravane brothers, and their winemaking philosophy, please refer back to my Spotlight On: Rasa Vineyards post.

2008 Rasa Vineyards Creative Impulse (DuBrul Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): 69% Cabernet Sauvignon and 31% Merlot. Deep, dark purplish red. Outstanding nose with gorgeous aromas of black cherry, black currant, leather, smoke, licorice, and earth. Black cherry, black currant, leather, pencil lead, earth, and smoke come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and silky, smooth tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a finish that goes on forever. An absolutely amazing wine. Wow!
Quality: 5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $95 [to be released Fall 2011]

2008 Rasa Vineyards QED (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 83% Syrah, 10% Grenache, 5% Mourvedre, and 2% Viognier. Deep, dark purplish red. Beautiful bouquet with aromas of blackberry, black cherry, licorice, and a hint of game and earth. More black fruit, licorice, and game, as well as vanilla cream come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, silky tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a very long, smooth finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $50

2009 Rasa Vineyards Vox Populi Mourvedre (Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Mourvedre. Deep, dark purple. Gorgeous nose with black fruit, smoked meat, game, white pepper, and floral notes on both the nose and palate. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity and medium, coarse tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $45

2008 Rasa Vineyards Principia Reserve Syrah (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 100% Syrah. Deep, dark beautiful purple in color. Nice nose with aromas of black and blue fruit, earth, game, black pepper, and spice. Black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, earth, spice, and black pepper come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and high, drying tannins. Well-balanced with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $85 [to be released Fall 2011]

2010 Rasa Vineyards The Lyricist Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Light, greenish straw yellow. Very aromatic with white peach, pear, orange peel, mineral notes, and hint of pineapple on both the nose and palate. Medium sweet and medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with good mouthfeel and a long, refreshing finish. Residual Sugar: 4.89%
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $30

2010 PB Wines Heritage Pinot Gris (Kilian Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): Medium greenish yellow. Aromatic with pear, lemon, lime, tropical fruit, and mineral notes on both the nose and palate. Dry and light-bodied with crisp acidity and good mouthfeel. Well-balanced with a long, refreshing finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $18

2008 PB Wines Yakima Valley Syrah (Yakima Valley, Washington): 100% Syrah. Dark, deep purple. Nice nose with aromas of black cherry, blackberry, spice, pepper, and a hint of chocolate. More blackberry, black cherry, pepper, and smoke come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and fruit-forward with lively acidity, smooth tannins, and a long finish. Showing nicely with some bottle age.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $29

2010 PB Wines Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Light, greenish straw yellow in color. Nice nose with aromas of white peach, tropical fruit, and honeysuckle. White peach, mango, and floral notes come through on the palate. Off-dry and light-bodied with crisp acidity and a long, refreshing finish. Residual Sugar: 2.3%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $16

Rasa Vineyards Continues to Wow Us was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

In addition to my continued wine writing here at Wine Peeps and for other wine publications, I am pleased to announce that I am now the Wine Consultant for Shuttle Express. Shuttle Express has been offering wine tours since 2008, but my task is to help improve and expand the wine tour program.

As a champion of Washington wine, I look forward to helping more people Experience Washington Wine! While we plan to expand our offerings to other areas in the future, today our wine tours focus on Woodinville Wine Country. Woodinville is a must-visit destination in Washington wine country. Home of the state’s oldest, largest, and most well-known wineries, Chateau Ste. Michelle and Columbia Winery, the Woodinville area is also home to over 90 wineries and tasting rooms, with new ones opening all of the time. Woodinville now boasts the second largest concentration of Washington wineries after Walla Walla and is located just 17 miles northeast of Seattle. In addition to the many wineries that are actually located in Woodinville, many wineries located in other parts of the state have opened tasting rooms there which now makes Woodinville Wine Country representative of the entire Washington wine industry.

Whether you live in Seattle and are looking for a fun outing or are entertaining out-of-town guests or clients, or you are visiting the Seattle area for vacation or work or to take an Alaskan cruise, we hope you will consider booking a tour to truly Experience Washington Wine with Shuttle Express. Arrange a private tour anytime or enjoy our Saturday public tour to Woodinville. And, rest assured, you will not be touring wine country in an airport shuttle van. Rather, you will be able to relax and enjoy the ride in one of our luxury vehicles, which includes limos, limo vans, and limo coaches with “U” shaped seating, among others.

While we are proud of our current wine tour offerings, we welcome your suggestions and ideas as we expand our wine tour program. What would you like to see offered on the tours? What days and times would you like to see tours available? Which wineries would you like to see as stops on the tours?

For you winery owners and tasting room managers, if you are interested in having your winery be a stop on one of our tours, please let me know. We look forward to partnering with you to make our tours beneficial for all parties involved, wineries, guests, and Shuttle Express.

If you have ideas, questions, or would like further information about the Experience Washington Wine with Shuttle Express tour program, please leave a comment or contact me directly: kori at winepeeps dot com.

For more frequent updates about Shuttle Express, please “like” us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Cheers!

Experience Washington Wine with Shuttle Express was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

The app is sortable by wine trails in the Walla Walla area, by specific winery names, by appointment-only wineries, by pet-friendly wineries, by wineries with picnicking areas, and by handicap accessible wineries. When you select a winery, the app provides tasting room hours, tasting fees (if any), contact information, a map with the address, mileage from your home and directions, and photos.

There is also a “Beyond the Tasting Rooms” filter where you can find information on other things to see and do in the Walla Walla area. And if this isn’t enough, there are filters for restaurants, lodging, gift shops, and even wedding venues. I’m sure that I haven’t yet discovered everything that this app will do, so go to Steve’s Journal on the WineTrailsNW website to find out more.

Be sure to come back and let me know how much better your next trip to Walla Walla is with this handy-dandy app.

Happy WineTrails!

Full Disclosure: We received a promo code to demo this app.

Wine Tech: WineTrails of Walla Walla iPhone/iPad App was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.