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.

Saviah Cellars is a family-owned winery located south of downtown Walla Walla, near the Oregon state line in the Walla Walla Valley AVA. Founded in 2000 by Rich Funk and his wife Anita, Saviah Cellars currently produces about 9,500 cases per year. The name Saviah is a family name from Anita’s great-grandmother.

Rich took us through a vertical tasting of his Saviah Cellars Une Vallée Red Wine from the 2003 through the 2008 vintage. (For those of you who are not familiar with a vertical tasting, it is one in which you taste different vintages of the same wine from the same winery.) Une Vallée is French for “one valley”. This Left Bank Bordeaux-style blend features fruit from the Walla Walla Valley. When Rich founded Saviah, there were not a lot of vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley so his goal from the beginning has been to blend together the best wine that he can from the Walla Walla Valley. The only exception so far has been the 2004 vintage when the Walla Walla Valley suffered from a terrible freeze; the fruit for that wine was sourced from Columbia Valley vineyards.

“I want to make a wine that really showcases my style as much as the elegance and silkiness that Walla Walla wines portray. I think that the essence of Walla Walla is the silkiness that we have in our wines. The Une Vallée has always been about restraint rather than trying to make a big, bruiser, over-extracted wine.” –Rich Funk, winemaker

As I have said before, one of the things that I really admire about Rich’s winemaking style is that he strives for elegance rather than over-extracted huge wines. As a winemaker, he is all about the fruit, but his wines are not fruit bombs. Rich’s wines show balance, complexity, and elegance.

You can’t go wrong with any of these wines; they are all very good. However, the two that really stood out to us were the 2007 and 2008. Both are very young but are already excellent and should open up even more with a few more years of age. These wines also deliver some serious bang for your buck.

Tasting notes, in the order we tasted them:

2003 Saviah Walla Walla Valley Une Vallée (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc. Very aromatic with black fruits, spice, licorice, cinnamon, and a hint of leather on the nose. Blackberry and black cherry dominate the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and medium to high 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: Winery, $32

2004 Saviah Columbia Valley Une Vallée (Columbia Valley, Washington): 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc. Herbal notes, black cherry, and clove on the nose; black plum and oak 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: Winery, $32

2005 Saviah Walla Walla Valley Une Vallée (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc. Aromas of ripe blackberry, citrus, coffee, and a hint of mint. Flavors of black and red fruits and spice. Full-bodied with lively acidity and medium, silky 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: Winery, $32

2006 Saviah Walla Walla Valley Une Vallée (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc. Very aromatic with floral notes, black fruits, herbs, and slight vegetal aromas on the nose. Ripe black cherry, red cherry, and earth on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and smooth 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: Winery, $32

2007 Saviah Walla Walla Valley Une Vallée (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc. Very aromatic with black and blue fruits, vanilla, and spice on the nose. More black and blue fruits, spice, licorice, and floral notes come through on the palate. Full-bodied, crisp yet smooth, medium to high tannins and a long finish. Well-balanced, good complexity, should get even better with some age.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $32

2008 Saviah Walla Walla Valley Une Vallée (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc. Gorgeous nose with black fruit, baking spice, and licorice aromas that lead to blackberry, black plum, and spice flavors. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long finish. Well-balanced with good complexity. A very young wine but shows amazing potential.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $32

Saviah Cellars Une Vallée Vertical, 2003-2008 was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

I thoroughly enjoyed preparing this meal at the midpoint of the year and giving us the opportunity to start looking ahead to Christmas. On a side note, our dressing is usually a cornbread dressing; however, I have started making it with rice flour muffins rather than cornbread because we try, when possible, to eat gluten-free. It is amazing that the texture and taste is identical to that of cornbread. I rounded out the menu with an apple walnut salad, seasoned green beans, a spicy jalapeno cranberry relish, and pecan tarts with whipped topping and garnished with shaved chocolate for dessert.

Once the menu was in place, it was time to determine the wines to pair with the meal. I, again, referred to What to Drink with What You Eat by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page to decide what to serve. White wine is frequently paired with chicken; however, certain red wines are also acceptable. The two varietals chosen to pair with our Christmas in July dinner were Chardonnay (domestic) and Pinot Noir (red Burgundy from France).

For this challenge, I selected the 2008 Phelps Creek Celilo Vineyard Chardonnay and the 2007 Joseph Drouhin Gevrey-Chambertin. Phelps Creek is located in Oregon but the fruit for this Chardonnay is sourced from Celilo Vineyard in Washington State. The Joseph Drouhin Gevrey-Chambertin is a classic red Burgundy made from the Pinot Noir grape. While we enjoyed both wines, we all thought that the Chardonnay was superb, with and without food. It was a marvelous pairing, and we’ll certainly be picking up another bottle of the Phelps Creek Chardonnay to have with this meal come Christmastime. And, best of all, both wines received a QPR rating of 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5).

As always, I encourage you to try your own challenging pairings at home. Also, we welcome your suggestions for challenging wine pairing meals for us to try in the future.

Bon Appétit!

2008 Phelps Creek Celilo Vineyard Chardonnay (Celilo Vineyard, Columbia Gorge, Washington): Medium yellow in color. Very aromatic and refreshing with grass and green apples on the nose. Citrus, apples, and orange peel come through on the palate. Dry, medium-bodied and crisp with a very long finish. Well-balanced with good complexity. Possibly the best Chardonnay we’ve had.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery $24; Available elsewhere, $24

2007 Joseph Drouhin Gevrey-Chambertin (Gevrey-Chambertin, Cotes de Nuits, Burgundy, France): Grape: Pinot Noir. Medium ruby red. Aromas of earth and oak lead to flavors of cherry and earth. Dry and medium-bodied with lively acidity, 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: QFC (Seattle, Washington), $42.99; Available elsewhere, $36 to $55

Challenging Wine Pairing: Christmas in July was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Tue, 13 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.

Since we live in Washington State and often drink wines from Washington State, most of our tasting group themes are purposefully non-Washington wines so that we can continue to hone our knowledge of the entire world of wine and maintain well-rounded palates. This month, however, we made an exception for a very special tasting of Washington wines.

One of our tasting group members generously provided wines from his personal collection so that we could do a Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon vertical tasting of seventeen wines from the 1991 through the 2007 vintage.

Leonetti Cellar, located in Walla Walla, Washington, has a long and storied history for a Washington State winery. Founded by Gary and Nancy Figgins in 1977, Leonetti Cellar was the Walla Walla Valley’s first modern-day winery. Leonetti wines have been standard bearers for quality and consistency since the beginning and have achieved a cult following. In 1996, Gary and Nancy’s son, Chris, joined them in the winery after graduating with a degree in Horticulture from Washington State University. While Gary is still actively involved in the winery, Chris now serves as CEO and Director of Winemaking. From early on, the Figgins family has worked on developing their own vineyards in order to achieve their goal of exclusively using estate-grown fruit from the Walla Walla Valley. Leonetti only produces three or four wines each year, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese, and in the best vintages, a Reserve. Their annual production is just over 6,000 cases.

While our tastings are usually blind, we decided not to taste these blind. We simply wanted to enjoy the wines and taste them in a logical order. We started with the oldest and worked our way to the youngest. One thing we all noticed before trying any of the wines was the remarkable consistency of their labels. Talk about brand identity. From a distance, you can’t tell the 1991 from the 2007. Their logo, label art, and label positioning on the bottle have remained the same. Through the years, there have been only two minor changes, from green to brown bottles and a slight variation in the capsules.

All of the wines were very good, and some were downright outstanding. We were pleased to find the 1991, a 19-year-old wine, still drinking very well though it is definitely in its “drink now” window. The consensus favorite of the evening was the 1999 vintage. For Leonetti Cellar, the 1999 vintage was the first time that they had a non-Reserve Cab bottling carry the Walla Walla Valley appellation designation. Every vintage since 1999 has been produced from Walla Walla Valley fruit. Another star of the tasting was the 2007 vintage, their current release. While it is definitely still a young wine, it is already drinking very well and shows great potential to only improve with some age. I look forward to trying it again in a few years, if I have the opportunity.

Wines from Leonetti Cellar can be hard to come by. They release their wines each year in mid-March. Wines sold directly from the winery are only available to their Mailing List, which is currently full and has a 4-5 year wait. If you are not one of the lucky few on their Mailing List, a limited number of their wines are available in finer retail shops and restaurants around the country.

From oldest to youngest:

1991 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington State): Deep brick color. Gorgeous nose with smoked meat and black plum aromas. Smoked meats, black plums, and licorice come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and tart with medium tannins and a long finish. Well-balanced. Still holding up very well but drink now.
Quality: 4 stars (out of five)
QPR: NA
Winery Retail: $NA

1992 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep garnet in color. Nose is a bit tight, then some black fruit aromas show through. A lot of black and red fruits up front as well as SweeTart candies. Medium to full-bodied and very tart with medium tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: NA
Winery Retail: $NA

1993 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): Medium-deep garnet. Aromatic with cinnamon, spice, and black plum on the nose. Spice, blackberry, and blackcurrant on the palate. Medium-bodied with tart acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of five)
QPR: NA
Winery Retail: $NA

1994 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): Medium-deep red garnet. Beautiful nose with luscious blackberry and floral aromas. Black fruits, spice, and a hint of BBQ sauce on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and crisp with medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a very long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: NA
Winery Retail: $NA

1995 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc. Deep red garnet in color. Very aromatic with gingerbread and spice on the nose. Black pepper, black currant, and spice on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and crisp with medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: NA
Winery Retail: $NA

1996 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon (American): 84.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12.6% Cabernet Franc, 2.9% Petit Verdot. Note: Labeled as “American” because 34% of the fruit is from Ristow Vineyard in the Napa Valley. Deep red brick. Aromatic with ripe, jammy fruits on the nose. Black and red fruits, mint, and a hint of oak on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and tart with medium to high tannins and a long, slightly bitter finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: NA
Winery Retail: $NA

1997 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 86.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6.7% Cabernet Franc, 3.9% Merlot, 3.3% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet brick in color. Very aromatic with cedar and spice box aromas; flavors of black currant, cinnamon, spice, and cedar. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: NA
Winery Retail: $NA

1998 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12.5% Merlot, 12.5% Petit Verdot. Deep, ruby red with a slight brick tone. Aromatic with black cherry and licorice on the nose. Black cherry cough syrup and smoke on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and crisp with medium to high tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: NA
Winery Retail: $NA

1999 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 89.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.4% Merlot, 2.1% Petit Verdot. The consensus favorite. Deep red garnet in color. Very aromatic with cocoa and black currant on the nose. Black fruits, spice, baker’s chocolate, and a hint of smoked meats on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high tannins. Extremely well-balanced with good complexity and a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: NA
Winery Retail: $NA

2000 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot. Deep, dark ruby red. Jammy black fruits and black pepper on the nose and palate. Full-bodied and lively with medium to high, drying tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of five)
QPR: NA
Winery Retail: $NA

2001 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 4% Carmenere, 3% Syrah, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc. Deep, dark ruby red. Aromatic with chocolate, smoke, and spice on the nose. Black fruits and chocolate on the palate. Medium to full-bodied, very smooth, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of five)
QPR: NA
Winery Retail: $NA

2002 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Carmenere. Deep, dark ruby red and aromatic. Smoked meat aromas lead to jammy black fruit and coffee flavors. Full-bodied and lively with medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of five)
QPR: NA
Winery Retail: $NA

2003 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Carmenere. Deep, dark ruby red. Ripe black fruit and spice box aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity, medium to high tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Winery Retail: $70

2004 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Carmenere. Deep, dark ruby red. Aromatic with smoke, cedar, and spice on the nose; red and black fruits and chocolate come through on the palate. Full-bodied and crisp with high, drying tannins. Well-balanced with a very long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of five)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Winery Retail: $75

2005 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 4% Carmenere, 2% Malbec. Deep, dark purplish red in color. Mint and smoke on the nose; black fruits on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Winery Retail: $80

2006 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec. Dark, inky purplish red. Aromatic with black fruits and sawdust on the nose. A lot of fruit up front with blackberry and blueberry flavors. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high, drying tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of five)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Winery Retail: $85

2007 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 4% Carmenere, 3% Malbec. Dark, inky purplish red in color. Very aromatic with smoke, cinnamon, and black fruits on the nose. Spice, black and red fruits, coffee, and a hint of bell pepper come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and high, drying tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a very long, lingering finish. There is a lot going on in this wine. I look forward to trying it again in a few years.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of five)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Winery Retail: $85

Tasting Group: Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Vertical, 1991-2007 was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Recently, we had the opportunity to taste six wines from Seven Hills Winery in a blind samples tasting. These wines offer good overall quality, and we would recommend all six. Our favorite was the 2008 Riesling, an excellent expression of the variety. We also thought that the 2007 Syrah was very good.

Seven Hills Winery and tasting room are located in the historic Whitehouse-Crawford building, which also houses the Whitehouse-Crawford Restaurant. The Seven Hills tasting room is bright and nicely appointed, and the barrel room can be seen from the tasting bar through a picture window. A trip to Walla Walla should definitely include a visit to Seven Hills Winery.

2008 Seven Hills Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale, greenish yellow. Very aromatic with petrol and peach on the nose. Peach, apricot, lime, and a hint of cinnamon on the palate. Off-dry and light to medium-bodied with lively acidity. Well-balanced with good mouthfeel and 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 $14; Available elsewhere, $9 to $16

2007 Seven Hills Syrah (Walla Walla Valley): Dark purple in color. Black cherry, smoked meats, and a hint of pepper on 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: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $22; Available elsewhere, $19 to $21

2007 Seven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon (Seven Hills Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley): Deep purple. Aromatic with molasses and black fruits on the nose; more black fruits, particularly black plums, and pencil lead on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp 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 $32

2008 Seven Hills Pinot Gris (Oregon): Pale, greenish yellow. Very aromatic. Granny Smith apple and grapefruit aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied and tart with a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $16; Available elsewhere, $12 to $15

2007 Seven Hills Merlot (Seven Hills Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley): Deep, purplish red. Aromatic with cherry cola and red and black fruits on both the nose and palate. Medium-bodied and lively with medium tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $28; Available elsewhere, $25 to $26

2005 Seven Hills Pentad Vintage Red Wine (Walla Walla Valley): 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 18% Petit Verdot, 9% Carmenere, 9% Malbec. Deep, purplish red in color. Moderately aromatic with some petrol aromas. Red fruits come through on the palate. Medium-bodied and lively with soft tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $50; Available elsewhere, $45

Seven Hills Winery: One of the Pioneers in the Walla Walla Valley was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

5:05pm
2007 Sequel Syrah [Long Shadows] (Columbia Valley, Washington): Always a favorite. Made by John Duval from Australia. Black fruits, smoke, chocolate, lots of layers. Well-balanced.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $55

5:11pm
2008 Solena Estate Pinot Noir (Hyland Vineyard, McMinnville, Willamette Valley, Oregon): Luscious red fruits, strawberry, raspberry, spice. Smooth, crisp. Well-balanced.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $50

5:17pm
2007 Concannon Conservancy Petite Sirah (Livermore Valley, California): Inky purple. Blackberry, black plum, baker’s chocolate. Big yet smooth.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $15

5:22pm
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5:26pm
2006 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley, California): 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec. Black fruits, oak. Drying tannins. Long, lingering finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $52

5:32pm
2007 Maryhill Zinfandel (Columbia Valley, Washington): Black cherries, raspberry, pepper, hint of cocoa. Fruit-forward, jammy. Long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $15

5:37pm
2007 Dry Creek Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley, California): Gorgeous nose, good fruit. Red and black fruits, black pepper, spice. 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)
Price: $28

5:42pm
2006 Hogue Cellars Genesis Merlot (Columbia Valley, Washington): Black plums, spice box. Medium to full-bodied, medium tannins. Long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $16

5:47pm
2006 Buty Columbia Rediviva (Phinny Hill Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Syrah. Black fruits, smoked meats,  black pepper. Extremely well-balanced, smooth, velvety tannins, long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $48

5:52pm
2007 Boomtown [Dusted Valley] Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): Black plum, blackberry. Medium, dry tannins. Long finish. A great weeknight wine.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $15

5:57pm
2007 Gordon Brothers Merlot (Columbia Valley, Washington): 93% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Syrah. Black fruits, cinnamon, hint of earth. Medium-bodied and smooth.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $20

6:02pm
2005 Nicholas Cole Cellars Camille Red Wine (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 45% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Franc, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Petit Verdot. A lot of bacon on the nose. Black fruits, smoke, bacon. Big and bold. High, drying tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $35

6:06pm
This concludes the Live Wine Blogging – Red Wines segment.

Cheers!

Live Wine Blogging from WBC in Walla Walla – Red Wines was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Sun, 27 Jun 2010 00:00 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.

Recently, we had the opportunity to taste two current releases from O*S Winery in a blind samples tasting. Once again, we were very impressed with the quality of both wines. The 2009 Riesling and the 2007 Cabernet Franc are both excellent and deliver serious bang for your buck. Both wines are produced from fruit sourced from Champoux Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills.

If you are in the Seattle area, I highly encourage you to visit O*S. In addition to producing excellent wines, they offer a fun, welcoming tasting room experience.

2009 O*S Winery Riesling (Champoux Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): Pale, greenish yellow and very aromatic. Lemon zest, honey, and apricot aromas lead to pineapple, apricot, mango, and honey flavors. Off-dry, medium-bodied, crisp acidity, and a long finish. Well-balanced and very refreshing. Residual Sugar: 2%
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $15

2007 O*S Winery Cabernet Franc (Champoux Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): 83% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, red garnet in color. Very aromatic with cinnamon, clove, and a hint of oak on the nose. Raspberry, cherry, and spice come through on the palate. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity and medium tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and 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 $28

O*S Winery Continues to Impress was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Tue, 22 Jun 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.