Winemaker Joe Shirley received his Master of Science in Enology from UC Davis and launched his winemaking career in 1997. He joined Trinchero Winery in 1999 and worked his way up to winemaker for Trinchero Family Selection and Trinchero Napa Wines in 2002. In 2007, Joe was named head winemaker for Napa Cellars.

Napa Cellars produces seven different wines. Recently, we had the opportunity to taste their 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009 Zinfandel, and 2009 Merlot in a blind samples tasting. All three wines were good and are very reasonably priced for Napa Valley wines.

2008 Napa Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley, California): 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot. Deep purplish red. Aromatic with black fruit, earth, and leather on the nose. More black fruit and leather as well as cocoa and spice come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity, 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: Received as sample, suggested retail $26

2009 Napa Cellars Zinfandel (Napa Valley, California): 88% Zinfandel and 12% Petite Sirah. Deep ruby red in color. Nice nose with red plum and spice aromas. Red plum, strawberry, spice, and a hint of pepper come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, 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 $22; Available elsewhere, $15 to $22

2009 Napa Cellars Merlot (Napa Valley, California): 100% Merlot. Deep red in color. Black plum and blackberry dominate both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a medium to long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $22; Available elsewhere, $16 to $22

Napa Cellars: Good Value Reds from Napa Valley was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Recently, we had what turned out to be a showdown between two Washington Cabernet Sauvignons in one of our double blind private tasting dinners. We had two wines from the 2008 vintage, the 2008 Fielding Hills Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2008 Gorman The Bully Cabernet Sauvignon. For a more complete description of how we set up these private tastings, please refer to How We Taste.

Fielding Hills Winery is a small, family-owned winery located in Wenatchee, Washington. Owner/winemaker Mike Wade and his wife Karen are longtime apple and cherry growers who have turned a middle portion of their orchard near Mattawa into a vineyard. Their Riverbend Vineyard, planted in 1998, is in the Wahluke Slope AVA. They source all of their fruit from Riverbend Vineyard.

Gorman Winery, located in Woodinville, Washington, was founded in 2002 by owner/winemaker Chris Gorman. He runs a two-man show with assistant winemaker Mike Metheny, and they are doing a phenomenal job. Gorman produces fewer than 3,000 cases annually and focuses primarily on Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah sourced from Red Mountain.

Both of these wines are outstanding and paired perfectly with our weeknight dinner of Swiss steak, rice, and green beans; although, when forced to pick our favorite, we all gave a slight edge to what turned out to be Fielding Hills. Not only did both wines receive a Quality rating of 4.5 stars (out of 5), but they also received a QPR rating of 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5). Fielding Hills and Gorman are superstars in the Washington wine industry. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to give them both a try.

2008 Fielding Hills Cabernet Sauvignon (Riverbend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): Deep, dark inky purplish red. Gorgeous nose with blackberry, black plum, vanilla, and oak aromas. Gorgeous black fruits as well as cherry vanilla cola come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high, chewy tannins. Well-balanced and extremely smooth with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $42; Available elsewhere, $42

2008 Gorman The Bully Cabernet Sauvignon (Red Mountain, Washington): Deep, dark purple. Very aromatic with leather, black cherry, bacon, smoke, and earth on the nose. More black cherry, leather, and molasses come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with a very long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $40; Available elsewhere, $35 to $48

Private Tasting: 2008 Washington Cabernet Sauvignon was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

We decided to pair the pie with a Tawny Port and a Muscat, specifically the Taylor Fladgate 10 Year Old Tawny Porto and the 2008 Domaine de Durban Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise. Both of these wines were excellent! However, we all thought that the Tawny Port paired best with the German chocolate pie.

We’d love for you to share in the comments what you would have paired with this dessert. And, as always, we welcome your suggestions for challenging wine pairings for us to try in the future.

Bon Appétit!

Taylor Fladgate 10 Year Old Tawny Porto (Douro Valley, Portugal): Deep garnet color. Nice nose with black plum, caramel, and toffee aromas. Black plum, toffee, caramel, honey, and raisin come through on the palate. Medium sweet and medium to full-bodied. Well-balanced with good complexity and a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $28.99; Available elsewhere, $21 to $30

2008 Domaine de Durban Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise (Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise AOC, France): Pale to medium, greenish straw yellow. Very aromatic with honeysuckle, potpourri, and apricot on the nose. More apricot and floral notes come through on the palate. Sweet and medium-bodied with lively acidity. Well-balanced with 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), $17.99 [375ml]; Available elsewhere, $14 to $15

Challenging Wine Pairing: German Chocolate Pie was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

This month’s wine tasting dinner featured Rhone-style red blends from Washington State. It was another fabulous evening of great wines, the company of wonderful friends, and LaGayle’s (Mom’s) excellent food. All six wines paired extremely well with our dinner of tomato basil soup, mixed green salad, roasted beef tenderloin, green beans with almonds and caramelized shallots, roasted rutabagas, and Death by Chocolate ice cream with ladyfingers.

The overwhelming consensus favorite was the 2008 Olsen Estates Red Wine. It received an unprecedented eight out of eight first place votes against some stiff competition. This is the first time in 102 tasting dinners that I can remember a wine sweeping the top spot. And, at $11, this wine is an absolute steal. The bad news is that Olsen Estates is now a defunct winery, officially closing its doors last year. While the Olsens continue to focus their efforts on grape growing, they are no longer making their own wine. But if you see this wine on closeout at a local Seattle retailer, I highly encourage you to grab a few bottles.

Rounding out the top three wines and also receiving Quality ratings of 4.5 stars were the 2008 Rôtie Cellars Southern Blend and the 2008 Grand Rêve Collaboration Series II. As you will see from the quality ratings below, we felt that all six wines were very good. In my opinion, you cannot go wrong with any of these. Not only did all six wines receive a Quality rating of 3.5 stars or higher (out of 5), but five of the six also received a QPR rating of either 4 or 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5).

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2008 Olsen Estates Red Wine (Yakima Valley, Washington): 70% Syrah, 12% Mourvedre, 12% Cinsault, 5% Grenache, and 1% Counoise. Dark purplish red in color. Nice nose with black cherry, blackberry, spice, and vanilla aromas. A lot going on in this wine. Gorgeous black fruit, nutmeg, pencil lead, and leather come through on the palate. Well-balanced with a long, lingering finish. An outstanding wine from the first sip right on through dessert.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $11; Available elsewhere, $15 to $18

2008 Rôtie Cellars Southern Blend (Washington State): 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, and 15% Mourvedre. Deep, ruby red. Nose is a bit tight at first but then opens up with nice red and black fruit aromas and a hint of earth. More red and black fruit and earth as well as spice and perfume come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity and medium tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $40; Available elsewhere, $38

2008 Grand Rêve Collaboration Series II (Ciel du Cheval Vineyard, Red Mountain, Washington): 40% Grenache, 38% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre, 1% Viognier, and 1% Roussanne. Deep, dark red. Very aromatic with eucalyptus, violets, vanilla, and a hint of barnyard on the nose. Black plum, vanilla, and oak come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity and big, bold, chewy tannins. Well-balanced with a very long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $50; Available elsewhere, $54 to $78

2010 Owen Roe Sinister Hand Red Wine (Columbia Valley): 71% Grenache, 24% Syrah, and 5% Mourvedre. Deep purplish red. Aromatic with strawberry, red cherry, pencil lead, and floral notes on the nose. Black cherry, vanilla, floral notes, and a hint of coffee come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, smooth tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $23; Available elsewhere, $20 to $30

2010 Syncline Subduction Red (Columbia Valley, Washington): 31% Mourvedre, 25% Syrah, 21% Grenache, 12% Cinsault, 7% Carignan, and 4% Counoise. Deep ruby red in color. Nice nose with black cherry, raspberry, and cinnamon aromas. Fruit-forward with red and black cherry, spice, and herbs on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with good acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $18; Available elsewhere, $18 to $20

2007 Brian Carter Cellars Byzance (Columbia Valley, Washington): 51% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre, 2% Counoise, and 1% Cinsault. Deep, dark red. Smoked meat, spice, blackberry, and black cherry come through on both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $27; Available elsewhere, $22 to $27

Wine Tasting Dinner: Washington Rhone-Style Red Blends was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I found a brisket recipe on the beef council website that is baked in the oven rather than prepared with the more common outside cooking method. Once the main entrée was set as peppered beef brisket, I decided to round out my entire menu from recipes found on the site, including Texas caviar (made with black-eyed peas and corn), garlic flan, and kickin’ slaw (made with Napa cabbage). As you might expect from a group of Texans, we thought the meal was fabulous.

The two Mourvedres that we paired with the meal were the 2009 Rasa Vineyards Vox Populi Mourvedre and the 2008 Hollywood Hill Vineyards Mourvedre. Both wines were excellent, and we went back and forth trying to determine which we believed paired best with the peppered beef brisket. The final tally had the Vox Populi in front by a 3 to 1 margin. Really, though, you can’t go wrong with either of these wines.

We’d love for you to share in the comments what you would have paired with this meal. And, as always, we welcome your suggestions for challenging wine pairings for us to try in the future.

Bon Appétit!

2009 Rasa Vineyards Vox Populi Mourvedre (Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Mourvedre. Deep purple in color. Very aromatic with plum, game, leather, and earth on the nose. Pepper, spice, black cherry, and plum come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish. Gets even better with food.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $45; Available elsewhere, $45

2008 Hollywood Hill Vineyards Mourvedre (Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): 90% Mourvedre and 10% Syrah. Deep, purplish red. Nice nose with a lot of red fruit and floral aromas. Fruit-forward with black cherry and spice on the palate. Medium-bodied and smooth 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: Received as sample, suggested retail $34; Available elsewhere, $34

Challenging Wine Pairing: Peppered Beef Brisket 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 the 2007 vintage of The Mariner in a blind samples tasting. Each vintage they select the best lots to produce this classic Bordeaux-style blend. The 2007 vintage is a blend of all five Bordeaux varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. Each variety spent more than nine months in French oak before being blended together and aged an additional twelve months in French oak.

We continue to be impressed by the quality wines being produced by Dry Creek Vineyard, and the people behind the winery are wonderful folks to boot. The Mariner is worth a try if you see it on the shelf at your local wine shop or on a restaurant wine list. And if you are visiting Sonoma County, I highly encourage you to visit Dry Creek Vineyard.

2007 Dry Creek Vineyard The Mariner Meritage Red Blend (Dry Creek Valley, California): 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec, and 4% Petit Verdot. Deep, dark red in color. Aromatic with blackberry liqueur on the nose. Blackberry, chocolate, cocoa, and a hint of coffee comes through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $40; Available elsewhere, $25 to $40

Dry Creek Vineyard’s The Mariner was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

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

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

Our favorites:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Founded in 1882 by Alfred Tubbs, Chateau Montelena was non-operational from the early 1900’s until 1972 when Jim Barrett purchased it. Barrett restored most of the original vineyards and completely refurbished the winery. At the time of the purchase, Jim’s son, Bo, had just graduated from high school. He has been involved ever since and was named winemaker in 1982. Today, his official title is Master Winemaker. Cameron Parry joined the winemaking team at Chateau Montelena in 2004 and was named winemaker in 2008. Cam now manages all of the winemaking operations under Bo’s direction. Chateau Montelena produces 35,000 cases annually.

Recently, we had the opportunity to taste the current release of their 2008 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon in a blind samples tasting. It is excellent and indicative of the quality wines that Chateau Montelena continues to produce.

2008 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley, California): 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Deep red in color. Nice nose with blackcurrant and oak aromas. Blackcurrant, black cherry, oak, and leather come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, chewy 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 $49; Available elsewhere, $35 to $50

Chateau Montelena Winery: A California Icon was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

All of these Champagnes paired nicely with Mom’s dinner menu which included curried butternut squash soup, shrimp Louie salad, broiled lobster tails, roasted asparagus with balsamic browned butter, seasoned white, brown, wild, and red rice, and strawberry shortcake for dessert. While we would recommend all six wines, the top three were excellent and definitely stood above the rest. The Taittinger was the clear favorite. However, we had an interesting discussion around the dinner table after the wines and their prices were revealed. While all six wines were good, there are much better values to be found in domestic sparkling wines. So if your pocketbook doesn’t allow for spending over $40 for a bubbly, you might consider trying Domaine Ste. Michelle and Mountain Dome in Washington State, Argyle in Oregon, and Domaine Carneros in California.

I encourage you to pick up some Champagne or sparkling wine to enjoy as an aperitif at a holiday party, to take to relatives on Thanksgiving or Christmas, or to pop on New Year’s Eve. Cheers!

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

NV Taittinger Brut Champagne (Reims, Champagne, France): Medium straw yellow. Small, fairly fast bead of bubbles. Aromatic with apple, apricot, yeast, and floral notes on the nose. Apple, pear, lemon, and some creaminess come through on the palate. Dry and light to medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with a long, refreshing finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Wine World (Seattle, Washington), $43; Available elsewhere, ~$47

NV Duval-Leroy Brut Champagne (Champagne, France): Pale to medium straw yellow. Small, fairly fast bead of bubbles. Nice nose with honeysuckle and fresh citrus aromas. Pear and more citrus notes come through on the palate. Dry and light-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with a long, refreshing finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Wine World (Seattle, Washington), $45; Available elsewhere, ~$35

NV Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Champagne (Chouilly, Champagne, France): Pale straw yellow in color. Small, fast bead of bubbles. Nice nose with apple, pineapple, mango, and floral aromas. Tropical fruits, particularly papaya, and a hint of honey come through on the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with crisp acidity. 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), $24; Available elsewhere, ~$32

NV Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut Champagne (Reims, Champagne, France): Pale to medium straw yellow. Small, fast bead of bubbles. Aromatic with apple, lemon, and yeast on both the nose and palate. Dry and medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long, slightly bitter, finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Wine World (Seattle, Washington), $57; Available elsewhere, ~$52

NV Piper-Heidsieck Brut Champagne (Reims, Champagne, France): Medium yellow. Small, fairly fast bead of bubbles. A bit stinky with aromas of overripe apples and compost. Some minerality comes through on the palate. Dry and light to medium-bodied with lively acidity and a medium to long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Wine World (Seattle, Washington), $36; Available elsewhere, ~$35

NV G.H. Mumm Cordon Rouge Brut Champagne (Reims, Champagne, France): Pale straw yellow. Small, very fast bead of bubbles. Apple, vegetal notes, especially Brussels sprouts, and a hint of sulfur come through on both the nose and palate. Dry and medium-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: Wine World (Seattle, Washington), $45; Available elsewhere, ~$39

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