While Riesling is enjoying a resurgence of sorts (currently, Riesling is the fastest growing wine in the U.S. market), many consumers still mistakenly dismiss it as being cheap and sweet. In reality, Riesling is one of the most versatile grape varieties. It can be made in many different styles from bone dry to very sweet, reflects 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.

As a result of discussions that took place at the first Riesling Rendezvous in 2007, the International Riesling Foundation was formed to help consumers better appreciate the many virtues of Riesling. One of their first orders of business was to develop a system to help consumers know what to expect in a particular bottle of Riesling. The IRF created a Riesling Taste Profile which producers may use on their back labels and other merchandising materials. It now appears on over 12 million bottles in the U.S. market. The IRF’s three-year goal is for the Riesling Taste Profile to be the standard for wineries, retailers, and restaurants in the U.S. and other markets where allowed.

Riesling wines will be recognized and demanded internationally as the world’s most noble wines due to their diversity of styles, regional character, consistent quality, and compatibility with food. –Vision of the International Riesling Foundation

I attended all three days of the Riesling Rendezvous, which included a Grand Tasting, blind tastings, and workshops. It was wonderful to have so many producers and enthusiasts from all around the world together for a total Riesling immersion. It was the first time that I had ever focused on a single variety for three straight days. One of my favorite sessions was the Ageability of Riesling workshop, which made a strong case for the age worthiness of Riesling. Look for a future post about that workshop.

A quick look at the breakdown of wines I tasted below indicates the highest quality Rieslings are being produced in Germany and the Alsace region of France and some of the best values (highest QPRs) are coming from Germany and Washington State. Interestingly, this conclusion is consistent with the conclusion of a recent trade survey.

German and Alsatian Rieslings rated highest in quality, Germany high in value (along with Washington). –Trade Survey Conclusion by Wine Opinions

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that I tasted during the Riesling Rendezvous, except those tasted during the Ageability of Riesling workshop that will be included in a future post. Under each Quality heading, the wine name and region will be listed along with price (when provided) 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 Dr. Loosen Riesling Spatlese Urziger Wurzgarten, Mosel, Germany, $30, QPR: 4
2009 Donnhoff Riesling Spatlese Niederhauser Hermannshohle, Nahe Valley, Germany $37.75, QPR: 4
2008 Hugel et Fils Hugel Riesling, Alsace, France, $NA, QPR: NA

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
2009 Donnhoff Riesling Kabinett Oberhauser Leistenberg, Nahe Valley, Germany $15.10, QPR: 5
2009 Efeste Evergreen Riesling, Columbia Valley, Washington, $16, QPR: 5
2009 Glenora Riesling, Finger Lakes, New York, $16, QPR: 5
2008 Donnhoff Riesling Grosses Gewachs Niederhauser Hermannshohle, Nahe Valley, Germany, $17.60, QPR: 5
2008 Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen Eroica Riesling, Columbia Valley, Washington, $18, QPR: 5
2009 Dr. Loosen Riesling Kabinett “Blue Slate”, Mosel, Germany, $20, QPR: 4
2009 Viento Dry Riesling Columbia Gorge Vineyard, Columbia Gorge, Oregon, $20, QPR: 4
2007 Viento Riesling Select Harvest Columbia Gorge Vineyard, Columbia Gorge, Oregon, $20, QPR: 4
2008 Selbach-Oster Riesling Kabinett Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Mosel, Germany, $24, QPR: 4
2008 Domaine Ostertag Riesling Vignoble d’E, Alsace, France, $25, QPR: 4
2009 Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge Vineyard Riesling, Frankland River, Western Australia, $27, QPR: 4
2009 Jim Barry Wines The Florita Riesling, Clare Valley, Australia, $29, QPR: 3
2009 Van Volxem Spatlese Pierpointe St. Urbans Hof, Mosel, Germany, $35, QPR: 3
2009 Josef Leitz Rudesheimer Berg Schlossberg Riesling Trocken Alte Reben, Rheingau, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA
2009 Domane Wachau Riesling Smaragd Singerriedel, Wachau, Austria, $NA, QPR: NA
2009 Villa Maria Reserve Dry Riesling, Marlborough, New Zealand, $NA, QPR: NA
2009 Forrest Wines The Valleys Dry Riesling, Wairau Valley, New Zealand, $NA, QPR: NA
2005 Lucien Albrecht Riesling Grand Cru Clos Schild, Alsace, France, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Lucien Albrecht Riesling Cuvee Henri, Alsace, France, $NA, QPR: NA
2005 Vins Schoenheitz Riesling Linsenberg, Alsace, France, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Loimer Riesling Steinmassl, Kamptal, Austria, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Becker Steinhauser Auslese Brauneberger Sonnenuhr, Mosel, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Triple Entente Cuckoo’s Nest Riesling, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan, $NA, QPR: NA
2000 Black Star Farms A Capella Riesling Ice Wine, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan, $NA, QPR: NA
2009 Framingham Wines Classic Riesling, Marlborough, New Zealand, $NA, QPR: NA
2007 Egon Muller-Scharzhof Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett, Saar Valley, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA
2009 Gysler Riesling Kabinett, Rheinhessen, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2009 Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling, Columbia Valley, Washington, $9, QPR: 5
2008 Chateau Grand Traverse Dry Riesling, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan, $12.49, QPR: 5
2008 Viento Riesling Columbia Gorge Vineyard, Columbia Gorge, Oregon, $16, QPR: 4
2008 Efeste Evergreen Riesling, Columbia Valley, Washington, $16, QPR: 4
2008 Chateau Grand Traverse Whole Cluster Riesling, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan, $16, QPR: 4
2009 Josef Leitz Dragonstone Riesling, Rheingau, Germany, $18, QPR: 4
2009 Van Volxem Rotschiefer Riesling Kabinett, Mosel, Germany, $20, QPR: 4
2009 Domane Wachau Riesling Federspiel Terrassen, Wachau, Austria, $20, QPR: 4
2008 Hugel et Fils Riesling Classic, Alsace, France, $20, QPR: 4
2009 Loimer Riesling Kamptal, Kamptal, Austria, $20, QPR: 4
2009 Jim Barry Wines The Lodge Hill Riesling, Clare Valley, Australia, $20, QPR: 4
2009 Frankland Estate Poison Hill Vineyard Riesling, Frankland River, Western Australia, $20, QPR: 4
2009 Domane Wachau Riesling Smaragd Terrassen, Wachau, Austria, $25, QPR: 3
2009 Frankland Estate Cooladerra Vineyard Riesling, Frankland River, Western Australia, $30, QPR: 2
2008 Fox Run Vineyards Reserve Riesling Seneca Lake, Finger Lakes, New York, $30, QPR: 2
2006 Dr. Von Basserman-Jordan Riesling Spatlese Deidesheimer Leinhohle, Pfalz, Germany, $30, QPR: 2
2008 Domaine Ostertag Fronholz Riesling, Alsace, France, $40, QPR: 1
2005 Jim Barry Wines The Florita Riesling, Clare Valley, Australia, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Brundlmayer Riesling Zobinger Heiligenstein, Kamptal, Austria, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Clemens Busch Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Marienberg “Falkenlay”, Mosel, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Henry of Pelham Speck Family Reserve Riesling, Short Hills Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Pierre Sparr Riesling, Alsace, France, $NA, QPR: NA
2009 Helfrich Winery Noble Tier Riesling, Alsace, France, $NA, QPR: NA
2007 Trimbach Riesling, Alsace, France, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Kuentz-Bas Riesling Tradition, Alsace, France, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 Loimer Riesling Steinmassl, Kamptal, Austria, $NA, QPR: NA
2007 St. Urbans-Hof Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Spatlese, Saar Valley, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Robert Weil Kiedrich Grafenberg Riesling Spatlese, Rheingau, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Bowers Harbor Vineyards Block II Riesling, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan, $NA, QPR: NA
2009 Tesch Riesling Trocken “Unplugged”, Nahe Valley, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Clemens Busch Pundericher Marienburg Riesling “Fahrlay” Grosses Gewachs, Mosel, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Schafer-Frolich Bockenauer Felseneck Riesling Spatlese, Nahe Valley, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA
2007 Ansgar-Clusserath Drohn Hofberger Riesling Auslese, Mosel, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
2008 14 Hands Riesling, Washington State, $10, QPR: 4
2008 Dr. Konstantin Frank Dry Riesling, Finger Lakes, New York, $15, QPR: 3
2008 Dr. Konstantin Frank Riesling Semi-Dry, Finger Lakes, New York, $15, QPR: 3
2008 Black Star Farms Arcturos Dry Riesling, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan, $16.50, QPR: 3
2008 Robert Weil Riesling Trocken Kiedrich Grafenberg Erstes Gewachs, Rheingau, Germany, $18, QPR: 2
2008 Left Foot Charley 7th Hill Riesling, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan, $18, QPR: 2
2008 Chehalem Reserve Dry Riesling, Willamette Valley, Oregon, $21, QPR: 2
2007 Anthony Road Martini-Reinhardt Selection Riesling, Finger Lakes, New York, $22, QPR: 1
2007 Domaine Ostertag Fronholz Riesling, Alsace, France, $NA, QPR: NA
2009 Arthur Metz Riesling, Alsace, France, $NA, QPR: NA
2009 Espenhof Riesling Trocken “S” Muschelkalk, Rheinhessen, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Rainer Schnaitmann Uhlbacher Riesling Trocken, Wurttemberg, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Schneider Ellerstadter Kirschenstuck Riesling Trocken, Pfalz, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA
2008 Garage Winery Riesling Feinherb “Wild Thing”, Rheingau, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
2008 Chateau Grand Traverse Dry Riesling, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan, $14, QPR: NR
2008 Chateau Grand Traverse Lot 49 Riesling, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan, $22, QPR: NR
2004 Hugel et Fils Riesling Jubilee, Alsace, France, $NA, QPR: NR
2004 Leon Beyer Riesling Ecaillers, Alsace, France, $NA, QPR: NR
2006 Cave Spring Riesling CSV, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada, $NA, QPR: NR
2009 2 Lads Winery Riesling, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan, $NA, QPR: NA
2009 Gysler Riesling Trocken “S” Rotliegendes, Rheinhessen, Germany, $NA, QPR: NA

Riesling Rendezvous: Producers and Enthusiasts from Around the World Celebrate and Promote this Noble Grape was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rhone Rangers’ Struggles Provide Great Opportunity for Wine Consumers was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

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.

5:00pm
NV Pepperwood Grove Chardonnay (California): The Big Green Box. Green apple, vanilla, crisp acidity. But not much to it.
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Price: $19.99 [3L box]

5:05pm
2009 Desert Wind Viognier (Wahluke Slope, Washington): Nice nose, fresh, floral, white peach, apricot. A bit hot.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $15

5:11pm
2009 Poet’s Leap Riesling [Long Shadows] (Columbia Valley, Washington): Always a favorite. So crisp and refreshing. Great acidity. Apricot, peach, citrus. Well-balanced.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $20

5:16pm
2009 Big House White (California): 51% Malvasia Bianca, 14% Muscat Canelli, 13% Viognier, 10% Gruner Veltliner, 5% Pinot Gris, 4% White Riesling. Very fragrant nose. Disappoints on the palate.
Quality: 2 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Price: $21.99 [3L Octavin]

5:21pm
2008 Maryhill Viognier (Columbia Valley, Washington): Green apple, pear, honey. Lively acidity. Residual sugar: 1.24%.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $11.95

5:26pm
2008 Hogue Genesis Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Off-dry, crisp acidity, refreshing. Melon, citrus, tangerine. Long finish. Residual Sugar: 1.8%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $16

5:31pm
2008 Buty Semillon/Sauvignon/Muscadelle (Columbia Valley, Washington): 69% Semillon, 26% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Muscadelle. Good acidity. Floral aromas, lemon, hint of oak. Very nice. Well-balanced.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $25

5:38pm
2009 Dusted Valley Ramblin’ Rosé (Columbia Valley, Washington): 52% Mourvedre, 29% Counoise, 16% Syrah, 2% Viognier. Dry. Strawberry, raspberry, cherry. Good acidity.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $18

5:41pm
2008 DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate Blanc (Columbia Valley, Washington): 62% Sauvignon Blanc, 38% Semillon. Dry, grapefruit, vanilla, honey, tropical fruits.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $34

5:47pm
2008 Duck Pond Cellars Pinot Gris (Willamette Valley, Oregon): Dry, mineral, melon, smooth.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $15

5:47pm
2009 Banfi Centine Bianco (Toscana IGT, Italy): 40% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Grigio. Nice nose. Pear, lime, crisp acidity.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $10

5:55pm
2009 Kung Fu Girl Riesling (Evergreen Vineyard, Columbia Valley, Washington): Produced by Charles Smith Wines. Nose is a bit tight at first.  Lime, lemon, tropical fruits. Off-dry. Good acidity. Residual Sugar:  1.5%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $12

6:00pm
This concludes the Live Wine Blogging – White Wines segment. Whew! A fast-paced process but lots of fun.

Cheers!

Live Wine Blogging from WBC in Walla Walla – White Wines was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Fri, 25 Jun 2010 23:52 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 presenting winemakers/winery representatives included:

• Cristian Aliaga, Veramonte
• Felipe Tosso, Viña Ventisquero
• Rafael Urrejola, Undurraga
• Brett Jackson, Valdivieso
• Vivianne Alamo, Viña Santa Rita
• Matias Rios Langevin, Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery
• Cecilia Guzman Arriagada, Viña Haras de Pirque
• Arnaud Frennet, Viña Casa Silva

They answered questions and shared personal stories on top of discussing their own wines and their love of Sauvignon Blanc in general. Most of the bloggers, including me, were tweeting during the event. If you’d like to review the stream, check out #SBChile.

In addition to tasting wines, I thoroughly enjoy it when I have the opportunity to visit with winemakers and kick the dirt in the vineyards. While my first choice would be to visit in person, I am thankful for the technology that allowed me (and my fellow bloggers) to visit with winemakers on another continent. One of these days I hope to be able to visit Chile so that I can complete the experience and kick the dirt in the vineyards, as well as meet some of these talented winemakers in person.

My favorite wine of the tasting was the 2009 Undurraga T.H. (Terroir Hunter) Sauvignon Blanc from the Leyda Valley. It was very refreshing and had screaming acidity. In fact, it reminded me a lot of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, which I love. The Undurraga is an excellent sipper by itself and also great with food. While we tasted through all eight wines without food during the online event, Wines of Chile had sent a recipe for a shrimp and scallop ceviche that they thought would pair well with the wines. So the next day, we made the ceviche to accompany our dinner of blackened halibut, wild rice, and mixed vegetables and drank the Undurraga T.H. with it. The ceviche and halibut were scrumptious, and the Undurraga really shined with food.

If you have not had Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, I encourage you to give it a try.

Here are the wines we tasted, listed in my personal order of preference:

2009 Undurraga T.H. Sauvignon Blanc (Leyda Valley, Chile): T.H. stands for Terroir Hunter. Pale yellow in color. Very aromatic with grapefruit, melon, and citrus fruits on the nose. More citrus fruits, particularly grapefruit, melon, and a hint of bell pepper come through on the palate. Medium-bodied with screaming acidity. Well-balanced with a long finish. Reminds me of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $15.99 – $16.99

2009 Santa Rita Medalla Real Sauvignon Blanc (Leyda Valley, Chile): Pale, greenish yellow. Grapefruit, grass, and some green vegetables on the nose; lots of lime, lemon, grapefruit, and some green notes on the palate. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Good balance and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $19.99

2009 Casa Silva Cool Coast Sauvignon Blanc (Paredones Estate, Colchagua Valley, Chile): Pale, greenish straw yellow. Grapefruit aromas lead to flavors of grapefruit, lime, pineapple, tropical fruits, and toasted nuts. Medium-bodied and very crisp with a slight effervescence. Good balance and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $22.99

2009 Cono Sur Organic Sauvignon Blanc (San Antonio Valley, Chile): Pale yellow in color. Tropical fruits and minerality come through on the nose; more tropical fruits, particularly pineapple, on the palate. Medium-bodied and very crisp with good balance and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $13

2009 Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc Reserva (Casablanca Valley, Chile): Pale, greenish straw yellow. Fresh, grassy aromas lead to flavors of lime and melon with a hint of saltiness. Light to medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $10.99

2009 Haras de Pirque Haras Estate Sauvignon Blanc (Maipo Valley, Chile): Pale, greenish straw yellow. Minerality, creosote, and petrol aromas on the nose; minerality and faint citrus notes on the palate. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Suggested Retail Price: $12

2009 Ventisquero Queulat Sauvignon Blanc (Casablanca Valley, Chile): Pale, greenish yellow. Minerality and citrus aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish. Very different and not very pleasant.
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Suggested Retail Price: $17

2009 Valdivieso Single Vineyard Wild Fermented Sauvignon Blanc (Leyda Valley, Chile): Medium golden yellow in color. Unusual nose with aromas of petrol, kiwi, and honeysuckle. Heavy on the palate; tastes like a hardware store. Medium-bodied and lively with a long finish. A very different style from the others. Not my cup of tea.
Quality: 2 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Suggested Retail Price: $21.99

Full Disclosure: We received these wines as samples.

Wines of Chile: Exploring Chilean Sauvignon Blanc was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Tue, 18 May 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

This is the third spring in a row that LaGayle and I have visited Texas wine country and Texas wineries. In 2008, we started out with a couple of Texas high plains wineries near Lubbock. Last year, we concentrated on the Texas hill country near Austin/San Antonio. This year, we visited wineries in the north Texas region around Dallas/Fort Worth.

The past two years I have shared with you my impressions of Texas wines and how much better they are today than in 2002 when I first tasted them. As a native Texan I wish I could be more optimistic; however, nothing I found this year has changed my opinion that, while progress is evident, Texas may never leapfrog any of the big four states into the elite class of wine producing areas. And here’s why:

• Pierce’s Disease has been wreaking havoc in many Texas vineyards.
• Erratic weather in the form of late freezes, hail, and even floods are causing producers to have smaller than normal crops in too many years for Texas to be able to produce the string of good vintages that is necessary to establish coveted terroir.
• Because of the weather issues mentioned above, too many Texas producers are selling wines made from California, Washington, New Mexico, and even Australia grapes. They may have no other choice, but it gets old visiting Texas wineries that aren’t pouring wines made from Texas grapes.

After three years of visiting Texas wineries, it appears to me that what Texas does best is some of the Rhone and Spanish varieties such as Syrah and Tempranillo. So, in typical Wine Peeps fashion, we did a blind tasting that included moderately priced Syrah from three of our favorite Texas wineries (Becker, Driftwood Estate, and Texas Hills) and one Washington Syrah, the 2007 Charles Smith Boom Boom! Syrah. LaGayle and I purchased all four wines between $14 and $16 at Spec’s in Austin. None of the four garnered an excellent Quality rating of 4 stars (out of 5) or higher, but there were some good wines in the group with the Boom Boom! from Washington State as our clear favorite:

2007 Charles Smith Boom Boom! Syrah (Washington State)
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Spec’s (Austin, Texas), $15; Available elsewhere, $14 to $20

2008 Becker Vineyards Syrah (Texas)
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Spec’s (Austin, Texas), $15

2006 Driftwood Estate Syrah (Texas)
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Spec’s (Austin, Texas), $16

2005 Texas Hills Syrah (Texas)
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: Spec’s (Austin, Texas), $14

With the help of Lee Fuqua of Fuqua Winery in Dallas, we were able to locate and purchase a couple of bottles of Tempranillo made with Texas grapes, one from Times Ten Winery and the other from Lone Oak Winery to bring home to Seattle and put in one of our family’s private blind tastings. If they measure up, we’ll report on them in a subsequent post.

Texas Wine Country 2010 was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Fri, 14 May 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Last week, we met for the fourth time and explored Chablis. Chablis is the northernmost wine district in the Burgundy region of France. All Chablis is produced from the Chardonnay grape. Chablis is characterized by racy, green apple-like acidity, pronounced minerality, and much less oak than many New World Chardonnays and other white wines from Burgundy. Chablis can benefit from some bottle age and are some of the longest living examples of Chardonnay. There are four different levels of classification within Chablis. The top classification includes the Grand Cru vineyards, followed by the Premier Cru vineyards, then the generic AOC Chablis, and finally at the bottom end of the classification is Petit Chablis. Make no mistake; if a wine bottle (or box) says “Chablis” but does not come from the Chablis region of France, it is not really Chablis. Fortunately, in recent years, the practice of using place names as generic wine terms has decreased.

We tasted nine wines, and the consensus favorite was the 2006 Domaine William Fevre Chablis. It was the overwhelming favorite, receiving six out of seven first-place votes and one second-place vote. Interestingly, the consensus second-place wine was also from William Fevre, the 2006 William Fevre Chablis Premier Cru Fourchaume. We found this particularly interesting because given the same producer and the same vintage, a Premier Cru would be expected to be better than an AOC Chablis.

Historically, I have not been a big Chardonnay fan; however, I thoroughly enjoyed this Chablis tasting. The no or minimal oak and racy acidity in Chablis was a welcome change from so many flabby, overoaked New World Chardonnays. If you consider yourself an ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) wine drinker, I encourage you to give Chablis a try. It might just change your mind about the variety.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2006 Domaine William Fevre Chablis (Chablis, Burgundy, France): Pale, greenish straw yellow. Very aromatic with apple and briney aromas on the nose; green apple, hint of vanilla, and steely flavors on the palate. Medium-bodied with racy acidity yet also smooth and a long finish. A quintessential Chablis. Would be great with food.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Pete’s Wine Shop (Bellevue, Washington), $27.99; Available elsewhere, $22 to $38

2006 William Fevre Chablis Premier Cru Fourchaume (Fourchaume, Chablis, Burgundy, France): Pale, greenish yellow. A lot of minerality on both the nose and palate. Hints of green apple as well. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish. Clean and fresh with good balance.
Quality: 4 stars (out of five)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Pete’s Wine Shop (Bellevue, Washington), $46.69; Available elsewhere, $34 to $66

2007 Domaine Servin Chablis Premiere Cuvee Les Pargues (Chablis, Burgundy, France): Pale, greenish yellow gold. Aromatic with minerality and flinty aromas and flavors. Citrus, particularly lime, come through on the palate as well. Medium-bodied with zingy, tart acidity and a long finish. Good balance.
Quality: 4 stars (out of five)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $22.99; Available elsewhere, $19 to $25

2005 Olivier Leflaive Chablis Premier Cru Fourchaume (Fourchaume, Chablis, Burgundy, France): Pale, greenish yellow gold. Aromas of oak and butter on the nose; minerality and flinty flavors on the palate. Medium-bodied with lively acidity and a long finish. Very different from the others in the group, seemed more New World in style.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Available from various retailers, $39

2007 Domaine Vrignaud Chablis Premier Cru Fourchaume (Fourchaume, Chablis, Burgundy, France): Pale, greenish yellow. Gravel, dust, minerality, and a hint of apple on the nose; apple, pear, vanilla, citrus, smoke, and flint on the palate. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Garagiste (Seattle, Washington), $25.69

2008 Gerard Tremblay Chablis (Chablis, Burgundy, France): Pale, greenish straw yellow. Aromas of lemon and yeast lead to flavors of Granny Smith apple, lemon, and a hint of banana. Medium-bodied with crisp, almost tart, acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of five)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: QFC-University Village (Seattle, Washington), $21.99; Available elsewhere, $17

2006 Olivier Leflaive Chablis Les Deux Rives (Chablis, Burgundy, France): Greenish, straw yellow, almost watery. Nose is a bit tight at first. Minerality and a hint of mint on the palate. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of five)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Pete’s Wine Shop (Bellevue, Washington), $23.39; Available elsewhere, $17 to $26

2007 Domaine Louis Moreau Chablis (Chablis, Burgundy, France): Very pale, greenish yellow. Granny Smith apple and steely aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with tart acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of five)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Available from various retailers, $26

2006 Domaine Nathalie & Gilles Fevre Chablis (Chablis, Burgundy, France): Pale, greenish straw yellow. Apple, melon, and briney aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with lively acidity and a long finish. Watery viscosity and a bit flabby.
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: QFC-University Village (Seattle, Washington), $25.99; Available elsewhere, $25

Tasting Group: Chablis was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Tue, 04 May 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.