Last week, our tasting group met and explored Carmenere from Chile. Carmenere, a red varietal originally found in the Bordeaux region of France, disappeared from European vineyards almost completely in the mid-19th century. Today, Carmenere is known as Chile’s signature grape, having been discovered in that country in 1994 among vines that were previously thought to be Merlot. It is a deeply colored red grape that seems to thrive in Chile’s Mediterranean climate with sunny days and dramatically cooler nights. Grown in the right conditions, Carmenere has the ability to produce very fine wines that exhibit the finesse of Merlot and the structure of Cabernet Sauvignon.

We tasted seven bottles of Chilean Carmenere, and the consensus favorite was the 2007 Montes Purple Angel Carmenere from the Colchagua Valley. We also thought that the 2009 Viu Manent Carmenere Reserva and the 2008 Santa Rita Reserva Carmenere were very good. As far as bang-for-your-buck goes, the Viu Manent is hard to beat.

If you’ve never had Carmenere or want something different than Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon for a change, I encourage you to give Chilean Carmenere a try.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2007 Montes Purple Angel Carmenere (Colchagua Valley, Chile): 92% Carmenere and 8% Petit Verdot. Dark purplish red in color. Beautiful bouquet with cinnamon, clove, and black cherry aromas. More cinnamon, clove, black cherry, and a hint of smoked meat come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium, drying 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: Fine Wine and Cigars (Redmond, Washington), $54; Available elsewhere, $40 to $64

2009 Viu Manent Carmenere Reserva (Colchagua Valley, Chile): Deep, purplish red. Aromatic with red fruit, vegetal notes, and a bit of barnyard funk on the nose. More red fruit, green bell pepper, and black pepper come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long, slightly bitter, finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $10; Available elsewhere, $9 to $11

2008 Santa Rita Carmenere Reserva (Rapel Valley, Chile): Deep, dark purplish red. Nice nose with perfume, floral, spice, and smoked meat aromas. Olive, smoked meat, and floral notes on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $21; Available elsewhere, $10 to $19

2009 Panilonco Carmenere Reserve (Colchagua Valley, Chile): Deep ruby red. Ripe red fruit, green bell pepper, spice, and smoked meat comes through on both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high, drying tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Trader Joe’s (Seattle, Washington), $4

2006 Alcance de Viña Calina Carmenere (Maule Valley, Chile): Deep, dark purplish red. Very stinky at first with barnyard and vegetal aromas. Ripe red fruit, especially raspberry, and green bell pepper on the palate. Seems slightly fizzy. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity, sweet tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $15; Available elsewhere, $14 to $18

2009 Manos Negras Carmenere (Colchagua Valley, Chile): Deep, ruby red in color. Aromas and flavors of ripe black fruit, pencil lead, green bell pepper, and a hint of bacon. Medium to full-bodied with tart acidity, medium to high tannins, and a thin finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: McCarthy & Schiering Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $15

2009 Haras Carmenere (Maipo Valley, Chile): Deep, dark purplish red. Very stinky nose with canned corn and car exhaust aromas that lead to medicinal and vegetal flavors. Full-bodied with lively acidity, medium, drying tannins, and a long, bitter finish.
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: McCarthy & Schiering Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $7; Available elsewhere, $10 to $12

Tasting Group: Chilean Carmenere was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

This is the time of year when we turn our attention to rosé wines. In fact, many wineries only make small quantities of rosé wines to be released during the summer months. Rosé is French for “pink” and is used to describe wines of that color. Rosés are generally made from red grapes; however, unlike typical red wine production, the skins are removed from the juice after only a couple of days. This limited skin contact gives rosé its light pink color and is the reason that rosés are lighter-bodied than most red wines. Rosés can run the gamut from dry to sweet. Too many people think pink wines are all sweet. Not so. For me, the dry rosés are more serious and interesting.

The consensus favorite was the 2010 Barnard Griffin Rosé of Sangiovese. It is one of the most well-known and widely available Washington State rosés. I look forward to its release each year. Rob Griffin and his wife Deborah Barnard founded Barnard Griffin Winery, located in Richland, Washington, in 1983. Rob moved to Washington State in 1977 to be winemaker for Preston Wine Cellars when there were under ten wineries in the entire state. Shortly after founding Barnard Griffin, Rob left Preston and went to work for Hogue Cellars as winemaker and general manager. In 1991, Rob left Hogue to devote his full time and energy to Barnard Griffin. The current winery and tasting room were built in 1996. Barnard Griffin’s current annual production is approximately 75,000 cases.

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

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2010 Barnard Griffin Rosé of Sangiovese (Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale to medium pink in color. Nice nose with strawberry, raspberry, watermelon, and floral aromas. More red fruits as well as orange peel come through on the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced and very refreshing with a long, lingering finish. An excellent summer sipper and also great with food.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $11; Available elsewhere, $10 to $13

2010 Mark Ryan The Vincent Rosé (Columbia Valley, Washington): 60% Syrah, 20% Grenache, and 20% Mourvedre. Very pale salmon color. Aromatic with orange peel and raspberry on both the nose and palate. Dry and 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: QFC (Seattle, Washington), $12; Available elsewhere, $14

2010 Jones of Washington Rosé of Syrah (Columbia Valley, Washington): Medium pink. Aromatic with aromas and flavors of honey, strawberry, rose petals, and Red Vines. Off-dry and medium-bodied with lively acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Wine World (Seattle, Washington), $12

2010 Syncline Rosé (Columbia Valley, Washington): 33% Pinot Noir, 17% Grenache, 17% Cinsault, 15% Carignan, 9% Mourvedre, and 9% Counoise. Very pale salmon color. Nose is a bit tight at first. Strawberry, melon, and orange blossom come through on both the nose and palate. Dry and light-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: QFC (Seattle, Washington), $16; Available elsewhere, $18 to $19

2009 Flying Dreams Little Red Rosé (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep ruby pink. Aromatic with plums and mineral notes on the nose. Cherry and plum on the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with lively acidity and a bitter finish. A bit hot on the back end.
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: Winery, $18

2010 Waters Rosé (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 65% Syrah and 35% Viognier. Pale pinkish salmon in color. Interesting aromatics with hairspray, perfume, and floral notes on the nose. Light red fruit and perfume comes through on the palate. Dry and light to medium-bodied with lively acidity and a long, somewhat sour, finish.
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: Wine World (Seattle, Washington), $18; Available elsewhere, $16 to $18

Wine Tasting Dinner: Washington Rosé for Summer was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Recently, our tasting group met and explored Spanish Garnacha. Many believe that Grenache is indigenous to Spain where it is called Garnacha, but some contend that the Spanish took the vine from Sardinia during their occupation of the island. Sardinia claims the grape as its own, where it is called yet another name, Cannonau. Grenache/Garnacha is primarily a blending grape, but in recent years, more and more winemakers are producing it as a single varietal wine. Today, it is the third most widely planted red grape variety in Spain and is used to produce both varietal wines and blends. Grenache/Garnacha wines tend to be relatively high in alcohol and offer strawberry, cherry, and perfumed notes. The variety itself typically produces low tannins, low acid wines with moderate amounts of pigment. But low yields can produce dark, rich, spicy reds. We tasted eight bottles of Spanish Garnacha, and the consensus favorite was the 2009 Bodegas Zabrin Ateca Garnacha de Fuego Old Vines. Retailing for only $7.99, it delivers serious bang for your buck. In fact, you could buy a case of the Garnacha de Fuego (the consensus favorite) for the price of one bottle of the Espectacle del Montsant (which finished last in the tasting and is not recommended). A perfect example that price is not always indicative of quality.

As you’ll notice in the tasting notes below, we had duplicates of two of the wines, the Las Rocas and the Tres Picos. While the rankings were close on the Tres Picos and we found them to be very similar, the Las Rocas, while also noticeably similar, varied a bit more. Once again, just one of the many things that keeps the world of wine interesting.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2009 Bodegas Zabrin Ateca Garnacha de Fuego Old Vines (Calatayud, Spain): Medium-deep ruby red. Aromatic with sour cherry and strawberry on the nose. More cherry and a hint of spice come through on the palate. Medium-bodied and smooth with soft tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $7.99; Available elsewhere, $6 to $13

2008 Las Rocas de San Alejandro Garnacha (Calatayud, Spain): Deep ruby red. Gorgeous nose with strawberry, cherry, and dusty notes. Loads of red cherry, dust, spice, and a hint of earth on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with good complexity and a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Wine World Warehouse (Seattle, Washington), $12; Available elsewhere, $9 to $14

2008 Bodegas Alto Moncayo Veraton Garnacha (Campo de Borja, Spain): Deep red in color. Aromatic with dark red fruits, earth, and a bit of funk on the nose. More red fruits as well as spice and black pepper come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high, drying tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $28.99; Available elsewhere, $22 to $42

2008 Las Rocas de San Alejandro Garnacha (Calatayud, Spain): Deep ruby red. Nice nose with red fruits, earth, and floral notes. Red fruits, earth, dust, and floral notes on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $11.79; Available elsewhere, $9 to $14

2006 Clos Figueras Priorat (Priorat, Spain): Deep purplish ruby red. Aromatic with Red Vines and prunes on the nose; more prunes and stewed plums on the palate. Medium-bodied and smooth with medium tannins. Very ripe and a bit hot with a medium to long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $50; Available elsewhere, $68 to $83

2009 Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha (Campo de Borja, Spain): Medium-deep ruby red in color. Aromatic with perfume, dust, and rubber on the nose that lead to flavors of dust, earth, and sour cherry. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Whole Foods (Seattle, Washington), $16; Available elsewhere, $7 to $17

2009 Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha (Campo de Borja, Spain): Medium-deep ruby red in color. Aromatic with red berries and floral notes on the nose that lead to more red berries, earth, and oak on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $13.49; Available elsewhere, $7 to $17

2007 Espectacle del Montsant Garnacha (Montsant, Spain): Medium-deep ruby red. Sour cherry Jolly Rancher, strawberry, and dust on the nose; rough, dry, and dusty on the palate. Medium-bodied with lively acidity, hard tannins, and a very bitter, unpleasant finish.
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: J.J. Buckley (California), $108.99; Available elsewhere, $100 to $125

Tasting Group: Spanish Garnacha was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Boudreaux says, ‘Taste at least one new wine per day.’

Recently, we had the opportunity to taste six of Boudreaux Cellars’ current releases in a blind samples tasting. Boudreaux Cellars is best known for its Cabernet Sauvignons that are excellent. The 2006 Merlot and 2008 Chardonnay also showed very well.

Since his site is not ideally suited for grape growing, Newsom sources his grapes from many different vineyards around the state. He is a master at blending. Most of his bottles are labeled simply Washington State and lists the vineyard sources for that particular wine.

In addition to making great wines, Boudreaux boasts a spectacular setting along the Icicle River in the Cascade Mountains. Since it is located four miles off the power grid, Boudreaux is the only winery in Washington State that is completely self-powered. Only open by appointment, Boudreaux is well worth a visit.

2006 Boudreaux Cellars Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington State): 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Fruit sourced from Champoux and Loess Vineyards. Deep, dark purplish red. Beautiful bouquet with blackberry, black cherry, black pepper, spice, and a hint of floral aromas on the nose. Blackberry, black cherry, licorice, leather, and spice come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and high, drying tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a very long, smooth finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $100; Available elsewhere, $100

2006 Boudreaux Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington State): Deep, dark red. Very aromatic with jammy black fruits on the nose. Fruit-forward with blackberry cobbler, black cherry, and leather on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $50; Available elsewhere, $49

2006 Boudreaux Cellars Merlot (Washington State): 100% Merlot. Fruit sourced from Dionysis, Pepper Bridge, Seven Hills, and Wallula Vineyards. Deep, dark red with slight browning. Very aromatic with black fruits, plum, molasses, and allspice on the nose. More molasses, cinnamon, earth, and black fruits come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity and medium, drying tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $40; Available elsewhere, $31

2008 Boudreaux Cellars Chardonnay (Washington State): Unfiltered. Medium, golden yellow in color. Aromatic with butterscotch and vanilla on the nose. Lemon, apple, and butterscotch flavors on the palate. Dry, medium-bodied and very crisp with a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $35

2009 Boudreaux Cellars Riesling (Gamache Vineyard, Washington State): Pale, straw yellow. Aromatic with fresh aromas of white peach and honey. More white peach and Asian pear come through on the palate. Slightly off-dry and light to medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a medium finish with a hint of effervescence on the back end.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $20

2007 Boudreaux Cellars JBO’s Frangio (Desert Hills Vineyard, Washington State): Deep, purplish red in color. Aromatic with red fruit and medicinal aromas. Bright red fruits come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high, drying tannins, and a long finish. Takes a while to open up.
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $50

Boudreaux Cellars: Master of Blending Produces More Excellent Wines was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

We recently had the opportunity to taste five wines from Three Rivers Winery in a blind samples tasting, the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2008 Riesling, the 2008 Merlot, the 2008 River’s Red, and the 2009 Chardonnay. We would recommend all of the wines, except the Chardonnay, and were especially impressed with the Cabernet Sauvignon.

Three Rivers is a destination winery boasting an 18,000 square foot facility, which houses their tasting room, cellar and barrel room, meeting rooms, and a spacious deck. They also offer three short holes of golf for winery guests. I must admit that I have found their wines to be a bit inconsistent in the past. However, if these current releases are any indication, Three Rivers is on the way back up. And, best of all, these wines deliver some serious bang for your buck.

2007 Three Rivers Winery Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, and 5% Malbec. Deep, dark red. Very aromatic with black fruits and green bell pepper on the nose. Blackberry, black cherry, bell pepper, spice box, and earth come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and medium to high 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: Received as sample, suggested retail $21; Available elsewhere, $18

2008 Three Rivers Winery Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Very pale, straw yellow. Nice nose with floral, petrol, and pencil eraser aromas. Fresh citrus and tropical fruits and orange blossoms come through on the palate. Off-dry and medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $15; Available elsewhere, $12

2008 Three Rivers Winery Merlot (Columbia Valley, Washington): 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, dark purplish red. Nice nose with plum, blackberry, and licorice aromas. Black fruits, plum, and smoky 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: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $19; Available elsewhere, $18 to $20

2008 Three Rivers Winery River’s Red (Columbia Valley, Washington): 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Malbec, 13% Merlot, 11% Tempranillo, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petit Verdot. Deep red in color. Moderately aromatic with bright red fruits and licorice on the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $14; Available elsewhere, $15

2009 Three Rivers Winery Chardonnay (Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale, straw yellow. Nose is tight at first and then some lemon aromas come through. Flavors of lemon, green apple, pear, and a hint of vanilla. Medium-bodied and lively with a long finish. Very watery and plain.
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $17.50

Three Rivers Winery: Good Wines, Great Value, and Gorgeous Setting was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Cayuse wines have very good fruit, but it’s hard to get through to the fruit when you taste the wines because of all of the “funk”, and that’s where the differences of opinion come into play. Cayuse lovers will say it’s unique terroir, an Oregon Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and if you don’t like the wines, you don’t have a sophisticated palate. On the other hand, Cayuse skeptics say the wines have serious faults and what you are smelling and tasting is the result of those faults. It’s been an ongoing debate for years, but the lovers have tended to prevail because most of the well-known wine critics have been in their corner.

For several years, both John (Dad) and I have been in the Cayuse skeptics’ camp and have been criticized for it. However, I did considerable research on wine faults when I was studying for the Certified Specialist of Wine exam and have tasted wines from all over the world. John has tasted wine for over 40 years. We both have a pretty good idea of what we like in a wine and what we don’t like as well as what’s good and what is not good. We’re not easily fooled by a wine whose proponents call it a product of unique terroir when, in our educated opinion, it is basically a flawed wine. As Lloyd Bentsen famously said to Dan Quayle, who had defended his inexperience as similar to that of John F. Kennedy, in their Vice Presidential debate, “Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you are no Jack Kennedy.” Well, we know Châteauneuf-du-Pape and, believe me, Cayuse is no Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Nor is it a Côte-Rôtie, Cornas, or Hermitage either.

In recent years, we at Wine Peeps have reviewed as many Washington State wines as anyone; and I have contended all along that the Cayuse wines I’ve tasted all have had faults (which is why we have written about very few), some bottles showing more pronounced sensory defects than others. While other Cayuse critics have suspected brettanomyces might be the culprit, I thought one of the first bottles we tasted showed signs of volatile acidity, and another bottle showed signs of one of the volatile sulfur compounds like mercaptans. John had taken Amy Mumma’s Wine Faults short course in the CWU World Wine Program and thought I was correct, but how would we ever know for sure?

We love Washington wines and believe they are some of the best in the world. The Walla Walla Valley AVA and especially The Rocks area south of the Washington/Oregon state line have prospered in no small part due to the efforts of Christophe Baron at Cayuse. However, it has always been curious to me that other wines produced from grapes in The Rocks, some literally within a stone’s throw, do not taste at all like Cayuse. Those wines made me suspect that the differences are not terroir but rather winemaking. Talking to a number of respected winemakers and vineyard managers who are in a position to know confirmed our suspicions that there might be problems with Cayuse wines.

Recently, Paul Gregutt, author of Washington Wines and Wineries and a contributing editor for Wine Enthusiast magazine reviewing Pacific Northwest wines, posted on his blog about his review of the 2007 Cayuse wines, and waxed eloquently as usual about Christophe, his unique terroir, and his wines, painting them as an “outrider”, with the implication once again that it takes a special palate to appreciate this special wine.

“When a Cayuse wine is placed in the midst of a blind tasting it will often show poorly. I have seen this happen in a group of extremely knowledgeable wine professionals. Plop any of the Cayuse syrahs into a syrah tasting and see what happens. Odds are, unless someone in the group spots them (either by bottle size or scent) as what they are, they will not be applauded.” –Paul Gregutt on PaulGregutt.com

John commented, interpreting that as meaning:

“If you don’t know it’s Cayuse, you probably won’t like it. But if you do know it’s Cayuse, you know you are supposed to like it.”

Naturally, Paul disagreed.

In another comment to Paul’s post, a reader said:

“…there were too many flaws for me to recognize any terroir.”

Paul responded:

“I see terroir rather than flaws. I suppose a lab analysis would be the most scientific way to resolve that debate.”

Voila! What a great idea, Paul. So we set up an account at the renowned ETS Laboratories in St. Helena, California, one of the most advanced wine analysis labs in the world and ordered samples kits and labels in case we needed them. Then we looked in our cellars and found a 2004 Cayuse Cailloux Vineyard Syrah and a 2005 Chateau de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape to put in our private tastings lineup.

As regular Wine Peeps readers know, usually several times a week, the Wine Peeps team gets together for dinner and we have a private tasting with two wines blind. The setup for these dinners is slightly different from our monthly tasting dinners. Periodically, we sack up pairs of wines we have acquired that we would like to blind taste against each other. We label the pairs with a letter (A, B, C, etc.) to keep them together and also indicate on the sacks if they are red or white wines. After sacking up anywhere from six to ten pairs, we put them away. By the time we pull them out of the cabinet for one of our family dinners, we have usually forgotten what the wines are. Depending on the meal that is being prepared, we grab either a red or white pair. These tastings are considered double-blind.

On Monday evening, October 25th, the two wines that we tasted with dinner turned out to be the 2004 Cayuse Cailloux Vineyard Syrah and 2005 Chateau de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It did not take long for all four of us to suspect that Wine #2 was a Cayuse wine. Paul Gregutt is correct, it is an “outrider” but not in a good way for us. The wine had aromas of pickle brine, almost to the point of being vinegary, as well as olives, cooked cabbage, and burnt matches. On the palate, it was hard to get to the fruit because of the flavors of canned corn, rotten vegetables, and decomposed greens. With our steak dinner, the wine seemed very bitter and even had a formaldehyde taste. We all agreed that we thought it was flawed and that we should submit the wine to ETS for analysis. By the way, we greatly preferred Wine #1 (which turned out to be the Beaucastel) to Wine #2 (which was the Cayuse as we suspected). The Beaucastel was an excellent wine.

After dinner, we poured the remaining wine into the lab bottles and labeled the samples for submission to ETS. We requested three tests on the Cayuse, a standard chemistry panel, a sulfides panel, and an ethylphenols panel. [Note: The samples sent to ETS are identified with a sample number so ETS did not, and still does not (unless they read this post) know the identity of the wine they tested.]

Within two days, we had the results, posted online and emailed to us. Then we had a follow-up call with a representative at ETS to discuss the results. The evidence was clear. The Cayuse was a flawed wine. It had volatile acidity slightly above the normal sensory threshold but at a level a massive Syrah can support, but the worst result from the chemistry panel was that it had a high pH level, which made it more susceptible to bacterial attack. The most damning result, however, came from the sulfides panel. Published literature and ETS studies say that low levels of dimethyl sulfide can contribute roundness, fruitiness, or complexity; however, at levels greater than 50 ug/L, it may contribute vegetative, cooked cabbage, or sulfide smells to wines. According to the ETS representative, this wine had the highest dimethyl sulfide level he had ever seen (312 ug/L), more than 10 times the normal sensory threshold (17-25 ug/L), which accounts for the canned corn, rotten vegetables, and decomposed greens flavors. And, those dimethyl sulfide levels and resulting unpleasant sensory characteristics will only increase with wine age, according to ETS. A layman’s analogy for the effects of dimethyl sulfide in wine would be like salt in food. If you add a little salt to your food while you are cooking, it enhances the flavor, but if you dump in the whole salt shaker, all you will taste is salt.

In case you are wondering what might cause an extremely high dimethyl sulfide level, ETS lists “Possible Causes of Sulfide Problems in Wine” in their Volatile Sulfide Analysis Technical Bulletin:

• residues from vineyard spray programs
• high turbidity
• yeast strains
• must nitrogen deficiencies
• other nutritional deficiencies
• high fermentation temperatures
• fermentor size and shape
• inadequate aeration during fermentation
• gross lees contact and extended lees contact

In the interest of fairness and full disclosure, I must mention that we have only lab tested this one bottle of Cayuse; however, it had the same unmistakable aromas and flavors as every other bottle of Cayuse wine that we’ve tasted through the years. Lab tests like we had performed at ETS Labs are very expensive, costing over four times what we actually paid for the bottle in the first place, but we believe it was worth it in order to either validate our professional opinion that the wine was flawed [which it did] or to admit that they are technically good, but we just don’t like the flavor profile of Cayuse wines.

The popularity of Christophe Baron and his Cayuse wines has been an invaluable asset to the Washington wine industry and especially to the Walla Walla Valley AVA, even though Cayuse is actually an Oregon winery. Walla Walla Fall Release weekend was built on the back of Cayuse’s Fall Release, though Christophe has now moved his release date to April. I’m sure that the successful promotion of his wines has made many landowners in The Rocks very wealthy. Nothing we’ve learned should diminish the potential of vineyards in the area, as long as good vineyard and winemaking practices are followed.

You may be thinking that panning Cayuse is political suicide in Washington wine circles, and maybe it is. But we believe that the truth is more important than politics, and that’s what we endeavor to provide at Wine Peeps. As many can attest, if you make good, fault-free wine, which many, many wineries do here in Washington, we’ll tout you from the rooftops. But if you don’t, we won’t make excuses for you just to stay in line with the popular opinion. Our readers, wine consumers, deserve nothing less.

Cayuse: Unique Terroir or Flawed Wine? Lab Analysis Tells All was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Last week, we met and explored Mourvèdre. Unlike our previous tasting group meetings, which have focused on a particular varietal from a specific region, this tasting simply focused on the varietal and each group member was free to bring a bottle of Mourvèdre from any region in the world. The only requirement was that it was either varietally-labeled as Mourvèdre (or a Mourvèdre synonym such as Mataro or Monastrell) or, for countries that do not varietally-label, it must contain at least 75% Mourvèdre. Mourvèdre is a late-ripening variety that often produces tannic, high alcohol wines that are characterized by aromas and flavors of game, earth, and red fruits. It is often used as a blending grape in Rhone-style wines, frequently with Grenache and Syrah.

We tasted nine bottles of Mourvèdre from around the world, and the consensus favorite was the 2008 Rasa Vineyards Vox Populi Mourvèdre from Washington State. I was glad to see this wine do well in the blind tasting because I had been particularly impressed with it on our recent visit to Rasa Vineyards in Walla Walla. The Mourvèdre that goes into Rasa’s Vox Populi was originally sourced to be a blending grape in their QED (a Syrah/Grenache/Mourvèdre blend). However, when some of their winemaker friends tasted barrel samples of it, they commented on how remarkable it was. Even some collectors who tasted it offered to buy it in futures and asked them to bottle at least some of it by itself. Therefore, Vox Populi or “voice of the people” was born.

Of the nine wines we tasted, three were from France, two were from Spain, one was from Australia, and three were from Washington State. I was especially excited to see how favorably the Washington wines performed against peers from around the world. The three wines from Washington State finished first, second, and fourth in the group consensus rankings.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2008 Rasa Vineyards Vox Populi Mourvèdre (Minick Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): 100% Mourvèdre. Deep, purplish ruby red. Gorgeous nose with red and black fruits, plum, raspberry, smoked meats, game, spice and white pepper on both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity, medium to high drying tannins and a long finish. Big yet smooth and well-balanced.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $45

2006 Syncline Mourvèdre (Coyote Canyon Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): 100% Mourvèdre. Deep, dark purplish red in color. Very aromatic with red fruits and spice on the nose. Game, earth, smoked meats, red fruits, and a hint of spice come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with very crisp acidity and medium to high, drying tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: PCC Natural Market (Seattle, Washington), $22; Available elsewhere, $29

2008 Juan Gil Monastrell (Jumilla, Spain): 100% Monastrell. Deep, ruby red. Very aromatic with dusty, smoky, and black pepper aromas that lead to chalky flavors, ripe red fruits, meat, and a hint of coffee. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity, medium to high, drying tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $16; Available elsewhere, $10 to $19

2006 Trio Vintners Mourvèdre (den Hoed Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): 96% Mourvèdre, 4% Syrah. Deep, dark purplish red. Nice nose with cinnamon, spice, and perfume on the nose. Game, ripe red fruits, and smoke come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high, drying tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $20; Available elsewhere, $27

2007 Hewitson “Old Garden” Mourvèdre (Barossa Valley, Australia): Deep, ruby red. Aromatic with dirt, earth, and red fruits on the nose; earth and ripe red fruits on the palate. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $42; Available elsewhere, $33 to $42

2006 La Bastide Blanche Bandol Cuvée Estagnol (Bandol, Provence, France): Deep, dark ruby red. Peppermint, dirt, and earth on the nose lead to more earth and barnyard notes on the palate. Medium-bodied and lively with medium to high, slightly bitter, tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $32; Available elsewhere, $30

2007 Viña Honda Monastrell (Jumilla, Spain): 100% Monastrell. Deep, ruby red in color. Nose is a bit tight at first, and then cardboard, oak, and cracked black pepper come through. Grapefruit rind, red plum, and chalky notes on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and tart with medium, drying tannins, and a long, somewhat bitter, finish. Very different profile than the others in the tasting.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $10; Available elsewhere, $10 to $14

2008 Domaine Astruc dA Mourvèdre (Vins de Pays du Languedoc, France): Deep, dark purplish red. Smoke, red fruits, game, and earth come through on both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity, medium to high, drying tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $10

2005 Chateau Pibarnon Bandol (Bandol, Provence, France): 90% Mourvedre. Deep, ruby red. Stinky cheese, expired milk, dirty diapers, and barnyard aromas lead to stinky cheese and rotten eggs on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity, medium to high, drying tannins, and a long finish. The aromas and flavors are not pleasant. Not sure if it’s just a flavor profile we don’t like or whether this bottle actually had a problem.
Quality: 2 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $40; Available elsewhere, $30 to $53

Tasting Group: Mourvèdre from Anywhere was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Due to its close proximity to Seattle, we have visited Woodinville several times in the last month or so. We focused our visits predominately on wineries whose current Woodinville tasting rooms we had not previously visited; although, in many cases, we have tasted their wines at one time or another. In addition to these visits, we also recently had an extended visit and interview with Rod and Leslie Balsley at William Church Winery and attended the Woodinville Wine Country “Taste for the Trade” event in Seattle. We capped off our most recent visit to Woodinville as guests of Chateau Ste. Michelle for a fabulous Harry Connick, Jr. concert that was a part of their Summer Concert Series.

If you haven’t made a Woodinville wine tasting trip yet, I highly encourage you to do so whether you live in Seattle and are looking for a fun afternoon outing or you are vacationing in the area. (Click here for our updated .pdf list of Woodinville wineries/tasting rooms including website, address, phone, and hours.)

Obviously with over 90 wineries and tasting rooms in Woodinville today, it is impossible to visit them all in an afternoon or even a long weekend. However, there are several areas with concentrations of wineries/tasting rooms within Woodinville that makes it easy to focus your visits on different areas. You may want to visit the warehouse district one day, the Hollywood Schoolhouse area another day, and the stand-alones (Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia, Novelty Hill/Januik, etc.) another day. No matter where in Woodinville you are going, if you do not like crowds and would rather avoid the limos carrying bachelorette partygoers, you might want to visit on a day other than Saturday.

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that we tasted during our recent visits to Woodinville. 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 Hollywood Hill Vineyards Mourvedre, Horse Heaven Hills, $34, QPR: 5
2008 Obelisco Estate Electrum Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $60, QPR: 5
2007 Mark Ryan Lonely Heart Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $75, QPR: 5
2008 Gorman Winery The Evil Twin Syrah/Cab, Red Mountain, $60, QPR: 4
2007 Gorman Winery The Albatross Cab/Petit Verdot, Red Mountain, $80, QPR: 3

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
2006 Robert Ramsay Syrah, Horse Heaven Hills, $20, QPR: 5
2008 Alexandria Nicole Quarry Butte (Cab-based blend), Horse Heaven Hills, $20, QPR: 5
2009 Gorman Winery Late Harvest Chenin Blanc, Columbia Valley, $25 [375ml], QPR: 5
2008 Obelisco Estate Tejen Merlot, Red Mountain, $30, QPR: 5
2006 Ross Andrew Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 5
2007 Robert Ramsay Upland Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Snipes Mountain, $38, QPR: 5
2007 Gorman Winery The Bully Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $42, QPR: 5
2007 Ross Andrew Boushey Vineyard Syrah, Yakima Valley, $28, QPR: 4
2006 Chatter Creek Clifton Hill Syrah, Wahluke Slope, $28, QPR: 4
2007 Pepper Bridge Merlot, Walla Walla Valley, $50, QPR: 4
2008 Alexandria Nicole Malbec, Horse Heaven Hills, $38, QPR: 3
2008 JM Cellars Longevity (Bordeaux-style blend), Columbia Valley, $38, QPR: 3
2007 Baer Winery Arctos (Cab-based blend), Columbia Valley, $41, QPR: 3
2008 Gorman Winery The Pixie Syrah, Red Mountain, $42, QPR: 3
2007 Robert Ramsay Mourvedre, Horse Heaven Hills, $42, QPR: 3
2008 Mark Ryan Wild Eyed Syrah, Red Mountain, $45, QPR: 3
2008 Mark Ryan Viognier, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 2
2008 Mark Ryan Crazy Mary Mourvedre, Red Mountain, $45, QPR: 2

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2008 Alexandria Nicole Steel Horse Sauvignon Blanc, Horse Heaven Hills, $14, QPR: 4
2009 Baer Winery Shard (unoaked Chardonnay), Columbia Valley, $21, QPR: 4
2008 Tempest Sol Syrah, Yakima Valley, $21, QPR: 4
2006 Chatter Creek Lonesome Spring Ranch Syrah, Yakima Valley, $22, QPR: 4
2008 Alexandria Nicole Gravity Merlot, Horse Heaven Hills, $24, QPR: 4
2007 Alexandria Nicole Jet Black Syrah, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 4
2008 JM Cellars Merlot, Red Mountain, $35, QPR: 4
2009 Flying Dreams Little Red Rosé, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: 3
2008 Gecko Malbec, Wahluke Slope, $20, QPR: 3
2008 Mark Ryan Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 3
2007 Amavi Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $28, QPR: 3
2008 Obelisco Estate Tejen Syrah, Red Mountain, $30, QPR: 3
2008 Obelisco Estate Tejen Red Blend, Red Mountain, $30, QPR: 3
2008 Mark Ryan The Dissident Red, Columbia Valley, $32, QPR: 3
2007 Pepper Bridge Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $55, QPR: 3
2006 Pepper Bridge Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $55, QPR: 3
2009 Alexandria Nicole Crawford Viognier, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 2
2009 Alexandria Nicole Shepherds Mark (Rouss/Marsanne/Viog), Horse Heaven Hills, $20, QPR: 2
2007 Michael Florentino Tempranillo, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 2
2008 Obelisco Estate Tejen Malbec, Red Mountain, $30, QPR: 2
2008 Hollywood Hill Vineyards Grenache, Horse Heaven Hills, $30, QPR: 2
2007 Baer Winery Ursa (Merlot-based blend), Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 2
2009 Gorman Winery The Big Sissy Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 2
2006 JM Cellars Columbia Valley Cuvee (Bordeaux-style blend), Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 2
2007 Robert Ramsay Boushey Vineyards Syrah, Yakima Valley, $38, QPR: 2
2007 Alexandria Nicole Duck Press Red, Horse Heaven Hills, $38, QPR: 2
2008 Alexandria Nicole Members Only (Rhone-style blend), Horse Heaven Hills, $42, QPR: 1
2007 JM Cellars Nietos (Red blend), Columbia Valley, $55, QPR: 1

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
2008 Tempest Sol Rosé (Merlot), Columbia Valley, $15, QPR: 4
2007 Gecko Sangiovese, Columbia Valley, $17, QPR: 4
2008 Mark Ryan The Vincent Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 4
2007 Amavi Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $28, QPR: 4
2009 Convergence Zone Riesling, Yakima Valley, $15, QPR: 3
2003 JM Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $22, QPR: 3
2008 Tempest Sol Dusk (Merlot/Syrah), Yakima Valley, $24, QPR: 3
2006 Ross Andrew Syrah-Cabernet Blend, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 3
2009 Gecko Cellars Rosé, Columbia Valley, $15, QPR: 2
2009 Ross Andrew Celilo Vineyard Pinot Gris, Columbia Gorge, $18, QPR: 2
2007 Chatter Creek Viognier, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: 2
2008 Chatter Creek Grenache, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: 2
2008 Chatter Creek Orange Muscat, Lonesome Spring Ranch, Yakima Valley, $18, QPR: 2
2008 Gorman Winery Zachary’s Ladder Red Blend, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 2
2009 Flying Dreams Coquette Sauvignon Blanc, Spring Creek Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 1
2009 JM Cellars Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 1

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
2008 Ross Andrew Meadow (Pinot Blanc basically), Willamette Valley (OR), $16, QPR: NR
2009 Tempest Sol Riesling, Yakima Valley, $17, QPR: NR
2007 Michael Florentino Merlot, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: NR
2009 Lion’s Oak Sauvignon Blanc, Red Mountain, $20, QPR: NR

Exploring Woodinville Wine Country was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Recently, Colby and I had the opportunity to spend three days in the Cascade Valley Wine Country on a media tour hosted by the Cascade Valley Wine Country alliance. We had the pleasure to meet winemakers, visit wineries and vineyards, and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. Day One was spent in the Wenatchee Valley, the self-proclaimed “Apple Capital of the World.” Day Two took us to the shores of gorgeous Lake Chelan, the longest lake in Washington State and the third deepest lake in the United States. And we concluded our trip by spending Day Three in the quaint Bavarian Village of Leavenworth.

We tasted a total of 94 wines on this trip, a representative sampling of what is being produced in the Cascade Valley Wine Country. As you’ll see from my ratings below, the area is home to a few top-notch producers, a number of average producers, and some underperformers. The wine itself aside, the best part of the trip was the wonderful people we met along the way who truly love where they live and what they are doing.

In the coming weeks, I will be writing more about each of the three destination areas within the Cascade Valley Wine Country, the Wenatchee Valley, Lake Chelan, and Leavenworth. While the wine quality really runs the gamut, there are more than enough good wines and wine country experiences to be had. Given the gorgeous scenery and recreational opportunities, the area is a great get-away destination for everyone in the family, for wine lovers and teetotalers alike.

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that we tasted while visiting Cascade Valley Wine Country. 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 Nefarious Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope, $30, QPR: 5
2008 Fielding Hills Merlot, Wahluke Slope, $36, QPR: 5
2007 Fielding Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope, $38, QPR: 5
2007 Fielding Hills Syrah, Wahluke Slope, $40, QPR: 5
2008 Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc, Wahluke Slope, $30, QPR: 4

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
2006 Saint Laurent Syrah, Wahluke Slope, $22, QPR: 5
2006 Saint Laurent Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope, $28, QPR: 5
2008 Fielding Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope, $42, QPR: 5
2009 Nefarious Consequence (Sauv Blanc/Aligote/Viog), Washington State, $18, QPR: 4
2008 Tsillan Cellars Estate Malbec, Lake Chelan, $25, QPR: 4
2008 Nefarious Rx-4 (Mourv/Syrah/Coun/Cins), Columbia Valley, $27, QPR: 4
2007 Hard Row to Hoe Cabernet Franc, Wahluke Slope, $28, QPR: 4
2008 Fielding Hills Tribute Red Blend, Wahluke Slope, $32, QPR: 4
2007 Fielding Hills Merlot, Wahluke Slope, $36, QPR: 4
2008 Fielding Hills Syrah, Wahluke Slope, $38, QPR: 4
2007 Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc, Wahluke Slope, $30, QPR: 3

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2009 Saint Laurent Riesling, Columbia Valley, $12, QPR: 5
2008 Baroness Cellars Nebbiolo, Horse Heaven Hills, $22, QPR: 5
2008 Crayelle Cellars Dry Riesling, Washington State, $16, QPR: 4
2009 Nefarious Stone’s Throw Riesling, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: 4
2008 Tsillan Cellars Estate Dry Riesling, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: 4
2007 Tsillan Cellars Estate Sinistra (Sangio/Nebb/Barb), Lake Chelan, $23, QPR: 4
NV Bergdorf Cellars Glühwein Lemberger, Red Mountain, $24, QPR: 4
2008 Martin-Scott Petite Sirah, Columbia Valley, $24.50, QPR: 4
2006 Benson Vineyards Syrah, Lake Chelan, $26.50, QPR: 4
2008 Nefarious Syrah, Defiance Vineyard, Lake Chelan, $27, QPR: 4
2007 Silvara Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington State, $29.50, QPR:  4
2006 Vin du Lac Barrel Select Merlot, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 4
2008 Tsillan Cellars Estate Gewurztraminer, Columbia Valley, $16, QPR: 3
2008 Martin-Scott Malbec, Columbia Valley, $24.50, QPR: 3
2007 Benson Vineyards Rhythm (Syrah/Mer/CF/Sangio/Cab), Lake Chelan, $26, QPR: 3
2007 Tsillan Cellars Piccolo Rosso (Mer/CF/Nebb/Barb/Sangio), Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 3
2007 Tsillan Cellars Bellissima Rossa (Cab/Mer/CF), Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 3
2006 Chateau Faire Le Pont Milbrandt Syrah, Wahluke Slope, $30, QPR: 3
2007 Fielding Hills Tribute Red Blend, Wahluke Slope, $32, QPR: 3
2007 Karma Brut de Brut Sparkling Wine, Columbia Valley, $45, QPR: 3
2008 Icicle Ridge Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope, $50, QPR: 3
2009 Nefarious Viognier, Defiance Vineyard, Lake Chelan, $19, QPR: 2
2009 Silvara Pinot Grigio, Wahluke Slope, $22, QPR: 2
2007 Napeequa Malbec, Columbia Valley, $32, QPR: 1
2005 Saint Laurent La Boheme (Cab/Mer/Syrah), Wahluke Slope, $42, QPR: 1
2006 Wedge Mountain Charlie’s Stash Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $80, QPR: 1

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
2008 Martin-Scott Riesling, Columbia Valley, $12, QPR: 4
2007 Saint Laurent Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $14, QPR: 4
2006 Stemilt Creek Merlot, Columbia Valley, $15, QPR: 4
NV Vin du Lac Red Café Pinot Noir, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 4
2008 Silvara Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington State, $22, QPR: 4
2007 Cascadia Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $28, QPR: 4
2008 Eagle Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $29, QPR: 4
2009 Stemilt Creek Sweet Adelaide (Ries/Gewurz/Chard), Columbia Valley, $12, QPR: 3
2008 Silvara Chardonnay, Washington State, $19, QPR: 3
2006 Wapato Point Red Delicious (Syrah/Sangio), Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 3
2007 Tsillan Cellars Syrah-Grenache, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 3
2008 Tsillan Cellars Reserve Syrah, Lake Chelan, $25, QPR: 3
2006 Karma Estate Pinot Noir, Lake Chelan, $25, QPR: 3
2008 Wapato Point Reserve Pinot Noir, Lake Chelan, $32, QPR: 3
2007 Karma Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 3
2008 Tsillan Cellars Estate Riesling, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 2
2006 Cascadia Merlot, Wahluke Slope, $24, QPR: 2
2007 Tsillan Cellars Estate Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 2
2007 Napeequa Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 2
2008 Benson Vineyards Sangiovese, Lake Chelan, $27, QPR: 2
2007 Tsillan Cellars Estate Barrel Select Syrah, Lake Chelan, $28, QPR: 2
2007 Napeequa Trailhead Merritt Lake Edition (Cab/Malb/Mer), Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 2
2005 Stemilt Creek Cabernet Franc, Washington State, $28, QPR: 2
2006 Wapato Point Syrah, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 2
2008 Kamari Black Label Reserve Red Blend, Walla Walla Valley, $34, QPR: 2
2009 Benson Vineyards Viognier, Lake Chelan, $19, QPR: 1
2009 Wapato Point Harmony (Pinot Grigio/Gewurz), Lake Chelan, $19, QPR: 1
2009 Icicle Ridge White Riesling, Washington State, $23.50, QPR: 1
2007 Wapato Point Reserve Merlot, Lake Chelan, $36, QPR: 1
2007 Vin du Lac Barrel Select Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $40, QPR: 1
2009 Icicle Ridge Müller-Thurgau Sparkling Wine, Washington State, $55, QPR: 1

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
2009 Martin-Scott Pinot Grigio, Columbia Valley, $14, QPR: NR
2006 Stemilt Creek Stemilt Hill Red, Columbia Valley, $15, QPR: NR
2009 Vin du Lac Les Amis Riesling (and friends), Columbia Valley, $15, QPR: NR
2009 Vin du Lac Red Café Rosé Cabernet Franc/Sangiovese, Columbia Valley, $15, QPR: NR
2007 Waterville Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $15, QPR: NR
2009 Cascadia Riesling, Columbia Valley, $16, QPR: NR
2008 Silvara Riesling, Washington State, $18, QPR: NR
2009 Benson Vineyards Curiosity (Viog/Chard), Lake Chelan, $18.50, QPR: NR
2009 Tsillan Cellars Estate Bocciolo di Rosa (Rosé of Syrah), Lake Chelan, $19, QPR: NR
2009 Napeequa Randonee Viognier, Columbia Valley, $19, QPR: NR
2007 Vin du Lac LEHM Dry Riesling, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: NR
2009 Wapato Point Pinot Grigio, Lake Chelan, $22, QPR: NR
2009 Tsillan Cellars Estate Pinot Grigio, Lake Chelan, $23, QPR: NR
2008 Eagle Creek Montage (CF/Mer), Columbia Valley, $23, QPR: NR
2006 Stemilt Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: NR
2007 Karma Try (Cab/Malb/Mer), Columbia Valley, $30, QPR: NR
2007 Karma Zen (Syrah/Gren/Mourv), Wahluke Slope, $40, QPR: NR

Quality: 2 stars (out of 5)
2007 Cascadia Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $12, QPR: NR
2007 Wapato Point Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: NR
2008 Karma Estate Gewurztraminer, Lake Chelan, $22, QPR: NR

Quality: 1.5 stars (out of 5)
2008 Eagle Creek Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $19, QPR: NR

Cascade Valley Wine Country: Mountains, Lakes, Sunshine, and Wine was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Last week, the Loire Valley Wine Bureau hosted a trade tasting of Loire Valley wines in Seattle. It was a great opportunity for Dad (John) and I to explore Loire Valley wines further. While over 100 different wines were being poured from all over the Loire Valley and made from many different grape varieties, we decided to focus our tasting on Cabernet Franc and dry Chenin Blanc.

In the Loire Valley, “Cabernet” means Cabernet Franc. It was the Loire’s first red grape variety, and it thrives there. Known for its earth, spice, and red fruit characteristics, Cabernet Franc is the red grape variety used to produce wines in Chinon, Bourgueil, Saumur, Saumur-Champigny, and Anjou, among others.

Chenin Blanc is a white grape variety native to the Loire Valley. It is able to adapt to different microclimates and therefore is produced in a wide variety of styles, from dry to sweet to sparkling. Chenin Blanc is the primary white variety in appellations such as Vouvray, Anjou, Chinon, and Saumur.

Of the wines we tasted, one Cabernet Franc and one Chenin Blanc stood out above the rest. We thought that the 2006 Domaine Jo Pithon Anjou (Cabernet Franc) and the 2009 Pierre Chainier Clos de Nouys Vouvray Sec (Chenin Blanc) were excellent. As far as value goes, the wines of Cave des Vignerons de Saumur delivered serious bang for the buck. If you have not had any or many wines from the Loire Valley, I encourage you to seek out one of these wines to help expand your palate. These wines are quite distinctive and really express the unique terroir of the Loire Valley.

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that we tasted at the Loire Valley Wines event. Under each Quality heading, the wine name, grape variety, and region within the Loire Valley 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 stars (out of 5)
2006 Domaine Jo Pithon Anjou (Cabernet Franc), Anjou, $24.99, QPR: 4
2009 Pierre Chainier Clos de Nouys Vouvray Sec (Chenin Blanc), Vouvray, $21.99, QPR: 3

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2009 Cave des Vignerons de Saumur Lieu-Dit Les Vignoles Saumur-Champigny (Cabernet Franc), Saumur-Champigny, $12.99, QPR: 5
2005 Chateau de Targe Saumur-Champigny (Cabernet Franc), Saumur-Champigny, $18.99, QPR: 4
2005 Domaine Baudry-Dutour Perriere Vieilles Vignes Chinon (Cabernet Franc), Chinon, $22, QPR: 4
2008 Laurent Kraft Vouvray Sec (Chenin Blanc), Vouvray, $16, QPR: 3
2004 Couly Dutheil Clos De L’Echo Chinon (Cabernet Franc), Chinon, $34.99, QPR: 2

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
2009 Cave des Vignerons de Saumur Les Pouches Saumur (Cabernet Franc), Saumur, $9.99, QPR: 5
2009 Cave des Vignerons de Saumur Lieu-Dit Les Epinats Saumur (Cabernet Franc), Saumur, $9.99, QPR: 5
2009 Cave des Vignerons de Saumur Lieu-Dit Beauregard Bourgueil (Cabernet Franc), Bourgueil, $10.99, QPR: 5
2009 Cave des Vignerons de Saumur Le Haut Vignot Anjou (Chenin Blanc), Anjou, $8.99, QPR: 4
2009 Cave des Vignerons de Saumur Lieu-Dit Les Epinats Saumur (Chenin Blanc), Saumur, $9.99, QPR: 4
2007 Domaine de Quarres Metis Anjou-Villages (Cabernet Franc), Anjou-Villages, $17, QPR: 4
2007 Remy Pannier Chinon (Cabernet Franc), Chinon, $19, QPR: 3
2004 Wilfrid Rousse Vieilles Vignes Chinon (Cabernet Franc), Chinon, $20, QPR: 3
2007 Domaine Filliatreau Grande Vignolle Saumur-Champigny (Cabernet Franc), Saumur-Champigny, $20, QPR: 3
2009 Couly Dutheil Les Chanteaux Chinon (Chenin Blanc), Chinon, $26.99, QPR: 1

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
2009 Cave des Vignerons de Saumur Les Pouches Saumur (Chenin Blanc), Saumur, $9.99, QPR: NR
2005 Domaine des Baumard Logis de la Giraudiere Anjou (Cabernet Franc), Anjou, $17, QPR: NR
2009 Pierre Gauthier Jour De Soif Bourgueil (Cabernet Franc), Bourgueil, $19.99, QPR: NR
2007 Couly Dutheil Barronie Madaleine Chinon (Cabernet Franc), Chinon, $22.99, QPR: NR

Loire Valley Wines: Diverse, yet Distinctive was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.