Kim Crawford Wines, located in New Zealand, was founded in 1996 by owner/winemaker Kim Crawford and his wife Erica. In the beginning, Kim Crawford Wines was one of New Zealand’s first “virtual wineries.” They sourced their grapes from growers across New Zealand, made the wine at other wineries, and managed their sales and marketing from their home in Auckland. In 1998, they began exporting some of their wine to the United States, Canada, and Australia. The Crawfords opened a cellar door (tasting room) facility in Te Awanga in Hawke’s Bay in 1999. Then they opened a state of the art winery and purchased vineyard land in Marlborough in early 2000. Kim Crawford Wines is now part of Constellation Brands.

Since we visited New Zealand in 2005, we have followed Kim Crawford Wines closely. Recently, we had the opportunity to taste their 2012 Sauvignon Blanc and 2011 Pinot Noir in a blind samples tasting. Both wines are very good and deliver serious bang for your buck.

Regular readers know that we are big fans of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, the country’s flagship wine. And Kim Crawford Wines makes one of our favorite New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. The most amazing thing about Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc is its remarkable consistency from vintage to vintage. It’s crisp acidity and refreshing grapefruit flavors are especially pleasing to our palates.

Pinot Noir is a finicky grape that will not grow just anywhere. New Zealand is one of the few places in the world where it does remarkably well. Pinot Noir is the number two most planted variety in New Zealand, after Sauvignon Blanc. The country’s temperate, maritime climate provides ideal conditions for growing Pinot Noir. In my opinion, New Zealand Pinot Noir has found its niche in style somewhere between the elegance of Burgundy and the sometimes-intense herbal and gamey notes of Oregon Pinot Noir.

2012 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand): Pale, greenish straw yellow. Very aromatic with grapefruit, lime, and grass on the nose. More grapefruit, lime, and grass as well as lemon zest come through on the palate. Dry and light to medium-bodied with very crisp acidity. Well-balanced and refreshing with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $14.99; Available elsewhere, $11 to $18

2011 Kim Crawford Pinot Noir (Marlborough, New Zealand): Deep ruby red in color. Nice nose with strawberry, raspberry, and cinnamon aromas. Bright red fruit and spice come through on the palate. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity, smooth 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 $17.99; Available elsewhere, $14 to $20

Taste Washington, held in Seattle annually, is the nation’s largest single-region wine and food event. This past weekend brought Washington wine lovers from around the country to Seattle to drink, eat, and be merry. For the second year in a row, the event spanned two days with Seminars offered each morning followed by the Grand Tasting each afternoon. Hosted by Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau in partnership with the Washington State Wine Commission, Taste Washington is the highlight of Washington Wine Month.

The Grand Tasting is the “main event” each day. This year, Taste Washington featured over 225 wineries pouring their wines and over 65 Northwest restaurants serving small bites. With more than 750 wineries now open in the state of Washington, this event offers attendees the opportunity to try a large number of them in one place at one time. Considering the time and gas money you save not having to crisscross the state visiting tasting rooms and making appointments, the price of admission to Taste Washington is money well spent. Now, don’t get me wrong, once you attend an event like this and discover some favorite new wines and wineries, you will definitely want to make plans to travel to the wineries to visit and taste again. There is nothing like spending a long weekend in Washington wine country.

One of the best aspects of Taste Washington is that often you will find either the winemaker and/or winery owner pouring that winery’s wines. In addition to visiting with a number of people whose wines we have enjoyed in the past, we always find it a great opportunity to try some wines from wineries whose wines we have not previously tasted.

My favorite wines from the Grand Tasting, from wineries whose wines we’ve enjoyed in the past, were the 2010 Avennia Arnaut Syrah, the 2010 Betz Père de Famille Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2010 Betz La Côte Rousse Syrah, the 2010 Gorman The Evil Twin Red Blend, and the 2010 Robert Ramsay Mourvedre.

For the most exciting discovery, my nod goes to Kevin White Winery. Kevin White and his wife Stefanie founded the winery in 2010 and released their inaugural wine last year. It was a pleasure to meet Kevin and taste several of his wines. They are all very good, but I was especially impressed with the 2011 La Fraternité Red Wine, which is a blend of 42% Grenache, 42% Mourvedre, and 16% Syrah. And at just $20, it delivers serious bang for your buck as well. Kevin White is definitely a winery to watch.

Did you attend Taste Washington this year? What were some of your favorite wines?

If you live in Washington and haven’t yet taken advantage of the special promotions going on this month, you have four days left to do so. But here’s to enjoying excellent Washington wine all year long.

Cheers!

March is Washington Wine Month, the annual celebration of Washington State’s award-winning wine industry featuring promotions by restaurants, retailers, hotels, and wineries throughout the region including activities such as free tastings, discounts on Washington wine, and winemaker dinners pairing the state’s top winemakers and chefs. If you live in Washington and haven’t yet taken advantage of the special promotions going on this month, you have just over a week left to do so.

Once again, the highlight of the month is sure to be Taste Washington, the nation’s largest single-region wine and food event, taking place this weekend on Saturday, March 23rd and Sunday, March 24th at CenturyLink Field Event Center in Seattle. Hosted by Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau in partnership with the Washington State Wine Commission, Taste Washington is the ultimate carnival for wine and food lovers. Of the 750+ wineries in the state, 225 of them are expected to be on hand pouring their wines. The popular Taste the Vineyards section is back and will feature growers pouring wines made from their grapes. In addition, more than 65 Northwest restaurants will be serving small bites.

Whether you attend the Grand Tasting on one or both days, which lasts three hours each day for General Admission and four hours each day for VIP ticketholders, it is impossible to visit every booth and taste every wine being poured and every bite being served. It is a huge event and can be overwhelming if you are not prepared. You will be wise to plan a strategy ahead of time.

First, I suggest that you visit the Taste Washington website to download the event program so you can plan your route in advance. Make a list of the wineries that you’d like to visit, and then prioritize that list. Start with the ten you don’t want to miss, then mark the next ten you’d like to visit if you have time and so on. It really gets crowded during the general admission hours, so you might not get to as many wineries as you’d like. But if you visit only ten winery booths and try all three wines they are serving, that’s thirty wines right off the bat. Then depending on time, crowds, etc., you can try more if you’d like.

Once you have determined which wineries you’d like to try and you are actually at the event, there are several things to keep in mind to make sure you make the most of the event while tasting responsibly. These tips are important to remember for wine tasting newbies and veterans alike.

• Spit! This is extremely important. We always spit when we attend large tasting events like this or are visiting wineries. Otherwise, you end up drinking too much which won’t feel good the next morning and you won’t be able to really tell which wines you like and don’t like after the first few you taste.
• Drink water. Alcoholic drinks dehydrate your body so it is important to drink a lot of water to help your body rehydrate.
• Eat. Be sure to eat a good meal before the event begins so that you are starting with a full stomach. Then, once inside, stop at the restaurant booths to keep your stomach full. Try to eat something at least between every fifteen to twenty wines you taste.
• Don’t be shy. Tell the wineries what you want to know, what you like, and what you want to try. If they have a better idea of your interests and level of wine knowledge, they can help point you in the right direction and make your Taste Washington experience even better. With that said, though, please be respectful of all of the wineries and other vendors who are there to serve you.
• Make safe transportation arrangements. After you’ve enjoyed this fabulous event, we want to make sure you get home safely.
• And last, but certainly not least, have fun!

If a smaller, more intimate gathering is more your speed or you want to further your knowledge of wine and Washington wine in particular, the seminars that will be offered each day prior to the tasting might be of interest to you. This year’s seminars will also be held at CenturyLink Field Event Center. Seven seminars will be offered on a variety of topics and afford attendees the opportunity to taste, discuss, meet, and learn from some of the biggest names in the Washington wine industry as well as a few notable guests from outside of Washington State. New this year, the seminars will also include a look at Washington’s cider and beer industries.

As always, we are looking forward to Taste Washington and hope that those of you who live in the greater Seattle area will plan to attend as well. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the Taste Washington website.

Cheers!

The Walla Walla Valley is one of the oldest of Washington State’s 13 AVA’s. Established in 1984, it encompasses over 1,600 vineyard acres. Located within the greater Columbia Valley AVA, the Walla Walla Valley covers the area around the town of Walla Walla, Washington, and also dips across the state-line into Oregon near Milton-Freewater. The Walla Walla Valley is now home to more than 100 wineries.

The Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance is a winery and grower membership organization committed to furthering the awareness of the quality wineries, wines, and vineyards of the Walla Walla Valley. With the goal of “Bringing Walla Walla Wines to You,” the WWVWA recently hosted tasting events in Portland and Seattle for both the trade and the public. We attended the trade tasting at McCaw Hall in Seattle last week. Given our work commitments, family obligations, and the busy schedule of a kindergartener, we haven’t been able to travel to Walla Walla recently, so this was a good opportunity for us to visit with winemakers and taste a number of Walla Walla wines all under one roof. Nevertheless, if you haven’t yet taken a wine tasting trip to Walla Walla, I highly encourage you to do so. There’s nothing like spending time in Washington wine country.

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that we tasted at the Walla Walla Wine trade tasting. Under each Quality heading, the wine name and region are 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)
2010 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $89, QPR: 5

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
2009 Tamarack Cellars Merlot, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 5
2009 Tamarack Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $30, QPR: 5
2010 Woodward Canyon Merlot, Columbia Valley, $31, QPR: 5
2010 Woodward Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $31, QPR: 5
2009 Dusted Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $35, QPR: 5
2009 Woodward Canyon Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington State, $38, QPR: 5
2008 Saviah Cellars Cabernet Franc, Walla Walla Valley, $28, QPR: 4
2010 Saviah Cellars Une Vallee, Walla Walla Valley, $32, QPR: 4
2009 Saviah Cellars Big Sky Cuvee, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 4
2009 Dunham Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 4
2009 Saviah Cellars Walla Walla Valley Estate Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $45, QPR: 3
2009 Buty Winery Columbia Rediviva, Horse Heaven Hills, $50, QPR: 2
2008 Tamarack Cellars Ciel du Cheval Reserve, Red Mountain, $50, QPR: 2
2009 Cadaretta Windthrow, Columbia Valley, $50, QPR: 2

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2009 Cadaretta Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $40, QPR: 4
2011 Dusted Valley Stained Tooth Syrah, Columbia Valley, $30, QPR: 3
2009 Cadaretta Syrah, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 3
2010 Echo Ridge Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 3
2010 Dusted Valley Petite Sirah, Columbia Valley, $42, QPR: 2
2010 Echo Ridge Cellars Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $45, QPR: 1
2010 Buty Winery Rediviva of the Stones, Walla Walla Valley, $60, QPR: 1

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
2011 Tamarack Cellars Firehouse Red, Columbia Valley, $16, QPR: 4
2009 Trust Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $36, QPR: 3
2010 Trust Cellars Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $30, QPR: 2
2010 Echo Ridge Cellars Merlot, Columbia Valley, $52, QPR: 1

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
NV Trust Cellars Tried and True Table Wine, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: NR

Red Willow Vineyard is one of the top vineyards in Washington State. Located in the northwest corner of the Yakima Valley near Wapato, Washington, Red Willow is a fourth-generation family farm, owned and operated by Mike Sauer and his family. Red Willow has one of the oldest Cabernet Sauvignon blocks in the state, planted in 1973, and the first Syrah block in the state, planted in 1986. The iconic Monsignor Chapel sits atop Red Willow and gives the vineyard a distinct identity.

Red Willow Vineyard has had a longstanding relationship with Columbia Winery, formerly known as Associated Vintners, which dates back to 1978. For almost 30 years, Columbia Winery sourced Red Willow fruit almost exclusively. However, in 2005, Columbia started giving up some of their blocks, which allowed other notable Washington producers the opportunity to source this prized fruit. While Columbia is still one of their largest customers, this diversification is allowing the true potential and value of the vineyard to be realized. In recent years, we have been closely watching the releases of Red Willow wines from some of our favorite wineries including Betz Family Winery, Owen Roe, Adams Bench, and Fall Line, as well as newer wineries like Avennia and Eight Bells. While Red Willow’s place in the history of the Washington wine industry is already well established, it is exciting to see the Red Willow name on more bottles through these new partnerships.

Last Friday evening, we featured red wines from Red Willow Vineyard in our wine tasting dinner. To experience the breadth of wines from this world-class vineyard, we tasted one red blend, two Cabernet Sauvignons, and three Syrahs. All six wines paired beautifully with our dinner of tomato basil soup, mixed green salad with candied walnuts, dried cranberries, and gorgonzola cheese tossed with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing, roasted beef tenderloin with a beef demi-glace, braised kale, pan roasted fingerling potatoes seasoned with herbs de Provence, and German chocolate dessert.

The consensus favorite of the evening was the 2009 Adams Bench Red Willow Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, followed closely by the 2010 Mark Ryan Lost Soul Syrah. For more information about Red Willow Vineyard, you might enjoy reading an article that I wrote for the Fall 2009 issue of Washington Tasting Room magazine.

Red Blend:

2009 Fall Line Winery Red Willow Vineyard Red Blend (Yakima Valley, Washington): 64% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 15% Cabernet Franc. Deep, dark red. Gorgeous nose with black plum, black cherry, licorice, smoke, and clove aromas. Red and black fruit, smoke, spice, and dark chocolate come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity and chewy tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $30; Available elsewhere, $30

Cabernet Sauvignon:

2009 Adams Bench Red Willow Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Red Willow Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark, dense purple. Gorgeous nose with blackcurrant, blackberry, leather, and molasses aromas. Blackberry jam, leather, and a touch of tobacco come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and high, dry tannins. Big and bold yet well-balanced and smooth with a luscious mouthfeel and a very long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $60

2009 Owen Roe 1973 Block Red Willow Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Red Willow Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): Dark purple in color. Red fruit and leather come through on both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $72; Available elsewhere, $60 to $75

Syrah:

2010 Mark Ryan Lost Soul Syrah (Red Willow Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): Dark purple. Beautiful nose with blackberry, black cherry, and smoked meat aromas. More smoked meat, bacon, black fruit, and warm spices come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity, and medium to high, dry tannins. Well-balanced and smooth 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), $45; Available elsewhere, $44

2010 Owen Roe Chapel Block Syrah (Red Willow Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): Deep, dark purplish red. Aromatic with red and black fruit and cinnamon on both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and sweet tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $55; Available elsewhere, $35 to $62

2010 Betz Family Winery La Côte Patriarche Syrah (Red Willow Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): Deep, dark purplish red. Distinct nose with earth, black fruit, and brine. Earth, black fruit, spice, and black pepper come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high, dry tannins, and a very long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $55

Sweet and sour pork is a popular dish and one that easily lends itself to a challenging wine pairing given both its sweetness and tartness. The main dish included the pork, green bell peppers, celery, and onion in the sweet and sour sauce that included pineapple, apple cider vinegar, and sugar, as well as other seasonings such as soy sauce. I rounded out the meal with a green salad with mandarin oranges tossed with a mango ginger balsamic dressing and white rice.

Once the menu was set, my attention turned to answering the question, “What wines do we pair with this meal?” After referring to my favorite guide, What to Drink with What You Eat, we decided to try a Riesling and a Pinot Noir. We selected the 2011 Efeste Evergreen Riesling from Washington State and the 2010 Van Duzer Estate Pinot Noir from Oregon. We enjoyed both wines very much; however, the Riesling was the unanimous choice as the best pairing with the meal. The acidity in both wines worked well with the sauce’s tartness, but the residual sugar in the Riesling really helped the flavors come together with the sauce’s sweetness.

Please let us know what you would have paired with this meal, and we welcome your suggestions for future challenging wine pairings.

Bon Appétit!

2011 Efeste Evergreen Riesling (Evergreen Vineyard, Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale to medium yellow. Very aromatic with citrus fruit, especially orange, and banana on the nose. More orange as well as white peach comes through on the palate. Slightly off-dry and light to medium-bodied with very crisp acidity. Well-balanced with a very long, refreshing finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $16.99; Available elsewhere, $16 to $20

2010 Van Duzer Estate Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley, Oregon): Medium-deep ruby red in color. Nice nose with strawberry and orange peel aromas. Fruit-forward with bright red fruit, particularly red cherry, on the palate. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity, soft 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 $30; Available elsewhere, $24 to $29

This year’s Open That Bottle Night was last Saturday, February 23. Open That Bottle Night, created by former Wall Street Journal wine columnists Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher, is the one night a year that we are all encouraged to get out that bottle of wine that is so special that no special occasion seems special enough to actually open it. That’s exactly what LaGayle and I did when we sat down for dinner and opened a bottle of 1999 Henschke Hill of Grace Shiraz from the Eden Valley in the Barossa region of South Australia that I had been saving for just such an occasion.

Our visit to the Henschke winery and cellar door (aka tasting room) in 2005 was the highlight of our Australian wine tour for the Wine Peeps team. We visited during the middle of crush, yet our hosts could not have been more accommodating. Henschke was our first stop that morning, and yet they insisted that we taste through their entire lineup of 15+ wines, some retailing for over $70 US, and they didn’t even charge a tasting fee to anyone, whether you were in the industry or not. Thank goodness we were spitting, or there wouldn’t have been a second stop that day.

During our visit we learned that 170 years ago Johann Christian Henschke came from Silesia [Prussia] to settle and farm at Keyneton in the Eden Valley. The Henschke family has been making wine since 1862, with each generation building on the foundations of their forbearers.

By the time third-generation Paul Alfred Henschke took over the reins in 1914, the famous Hill of Grace shiraz vines were already over 50 years old. They were planted just across the road from a beautiful stone Lutheran Church euphoniously named Gnadenberg, meaning “Hill of Grace”. Since our family is Lutheran, seeing the lovely church and its connection to the vineyard gave the wine even more significance for us.

Cyril Henschke, the fourth-generation to head the operation, made the first single vineyard wines from these 140-year-old vines in 1958.  Now, fifth-generation Stephen Henschke and his wife, Prue, along with their children Johann, Justine, and Andreas are the current custodians passionately upholding the family name and reputation in the wine business.

Since Henschke Hill of Grace Shiraz has great aging potential, I wanted to buy a bottle that already had some age on it so that we could enjoy it sooner. I bought several bottles, one of them being this 1999 vintage, which is considered to be one of their better (although probably not their best) vintages. Once I had it in the cellar, all we needed was an occasion to drink it. Enter Open That Bottle Night.

So Saturday night we sat down to a wonderful dinner of mixed greens tossed with fresh fruit and blackberry ginger vinegar, pan seared flat iron steak, garlic mashed sweet potatoes, and crisp oven baked spinach garnished with parmesan cheese that LaGayle had prepared to pair with the Hill of Grace and opened that special bottle. I’m happy to report that it did not disappoint!

1999 Henschke Hill of Grace (Eden Valley, Australia): 100% Shiraz. Deep, inky purple. Brilliant with very little dilution in color on the rim despite the fact that it is 14 years old. Earth tones, spice, fruit, vanilla, and some floral notes on the nose. Medium to full-bodied with good concentration. Lots of black pepper, black fruits, some red berries, and smoked meat come through on the palate. Not as overtly tannic or as alcoholic (14% ABV) as most big wines. Very smooth. Tastes much younger than a 14 year old wine. Extremely well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck  (out of 5)
Where to buy: Hart Davis Hart Wine Co. (Chicago, Illinois), $300; Available elsewhere, $300 to $400

While our goal at Wine Peeps is to find excellent wines that are also excellent values, it sure can be fun to splurge every once in a while.

If you missed this year’s OTBN, go ahead and open your special bottle anyway. Or mark your calendar for next year’s OTBN on Saturday, February 22, 2014 (always the last Saturday in February).

Cheers!

Founded by Washington wine pioneer Allen Shoup, Long Shadows Vintners is a collection of ultra-premium wineries comprised of internationally acclaimed winemakers from the major wine regions of the world. Each winemaker is a partner in a unique winery dedicated to producing a single Columbia Valley wine representing a “best of type” that reflects the winemaker’s signature style.

Allen Shoup is considered one of the pioneers of the Washington wine industry. He was the CEO of Stimson Lane wine group for years. During that time, he oversaw their portfolio of wineries, including Chateau Ste. Michelle and Columbia Crest, and forged relationships with many important players in the wine business around the world. Upon retirement, he pursued his dream of bringing some of the most highly acclaimed winemakers from different regions around the world to Washington to make world-class wines from Washington grapes comparable to the wines they make in their native wine regions. The Long Shadows winemaker-partners began crafting their signature wines in 2003.

Through the years, we’ve had the pleasure of tasting a number of Long Shadows wines. Recently, we had the opportunity to taste the 2009 Sequel Syrah and the 2008 Chester-Kidder Red Wine in a blind samples tasting. Both wines are outstanding and, while not inexpensive, they both deliver serious bang for your buck.

Sequel is a Syrah made by John Duval, one of the most famous winemakers in Australia and around the world. He is best known for his work with Penfolds Grange, Australia’s most famous wine, and now owns his own John Duval Wines. Chester-Kidder is a red blend made by winemaker Gilles Nicault and is named for founder Allen Shoup’s grandfather, Charles Chester, and his grandmother, Maggie Kidder.

2009 Sequel Syrah (Columbia Valley, Washington): 99% Syrah and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark, dense purple. Gorgeous nose with spice, oak, and black fruit aromas. Blackberry, black pepper, and spice come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and medium to high, smooth tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a long, lingering 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 $50; Available elsewhere, $49

2008 Chester-Kidder Red Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Syrah, 6% Petit Verdot, and 4% Cabernet Franc. Dark, dense purple in color. Very aromatic with black fruit and smoked meat on the nose. More black fruit and smoked meat as well as spice come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a very long 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 $50; Available elsewhere, $44 to $50

Over the past few months, I have highlighted some of the people and places I encountered on my media trip to Chile in October. Chile is a long, narrow country that runs 2,600 miles along the southwestern coast of South America between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains. But don’t let its geography fool you, there is more climatic and soil diversity found east to west than from north to south. Spanish settlers first planted wine grapes in Chile around 1550. While Chile has a long wine history, I believe that it is just now coming into its own as a world-class wine region. Chile is producing some excellent wines, has wonderful welcoming people, and is a beautiful area to boot. It truly is a special place.

For easy reference, here are links to my previous posts about my media trip to Chile:
Wines of Chile: Exploring Terroir
Wines of Chile: An Overview
Wines of Chile: Casablanca Valley
Wines of Chile: Maipo Valley
Wines of Chile: Cachapoal Valley
Wines of Chile: Colchagua Valley
Wines of Chile: Maule Valley

Before filing away my notes, I want to mention the wines I tasted that were not from a Chilean wine region that I highlighted in a previous post.

2012 Santa Rita 120 Sauvignon Blanc (Central Valley, Chile): Pale straw yellow. Nice nose with lemon, lime, and grassy aromas and flavors. Dry and light-bodied with crisp acidity and a medium to long finish. A bit thin on the mid-palate.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $8.99

2012 Santa Rita Medalla Real Sauvignon Blanc (Leyda Valley, Chile): Pale straw yellow with green tinges. Nice nose with soft, elegant aromas of melon and minerality. More melon and minerality as well as tropical fruit comes through on the palate. Dry and light to medium-bodied with lively acidity and a long finish. A food wine.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $19.99

2011 Santa Rita 120 Chardonnay (Central Valley, Chile): Pale to medium straw yellow. Aromatic with apple, pear, and lemon cream pie on the nose and palate. Dry and light-bodied with lively acidity and a medium to long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $8.99

2010 Santa Rita Medalla Real Chardonnay (Leyda Valley, Chile): Medium yellow with green tinges. Nice nose with apple and creamy aromas. Apple, cream, and butter come through on the palate. Dry and light to medium-bodied with lively acidity and a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $19.99

2010 Santa Rita Reserva Carmenere (Rapel Valley, Chile): Deep, dark purplish red. Nice nose with black fruit, eucalyptus, and vegetal aromas. Black fruit, green pepper, and a touch of oak come through on the palate. Medium-bodied with lively acidity, medium, smooth tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $12.99

2012 Santa Carolina Reserva Sauvignon Blanc (Leyda Valley, Chile): Very pale, greenish straw yellow. Nice nose with lime, grapefruit, and lemon peel aromas and flavors. Dry and light-bodied with tart acidity and a long, refreshing finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $10-12

2012 Santa Carolina Reserva Moscato (Elqui Valley, Chile): Pale straw yellow. Aromatic with apricot, melon, and a touch of honey on both the nose and palate. Off-dry and light to medium-bodied with lively acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $10-12

2009 Santa Carolina Reserva de Familia Carmenere (Rapel Valley, Chile): Deep, dark purplish red. Nice nose with aromas and flavors of black cherry, black plum, spice, floral notes, and a touch of green pepper. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity and medium to high, dry tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $17-20

And, finally, here are a few tidbits about Chilean wine and culture that were shared with me by some of the Chilean winemakers I met:

• Chile is fairly conservative for Latin America.
• Chileans are relatively shy, reserved people as compared to other Latin Americans.
• Chileans are proud of their country but have not always been bold about expressing it. Historically, Chile has not been very good in sports, which contributes to their lack of patriotism and pride. They are now working to create a strong brand and identity with wine.
• Chilean Wine = Soil + Climate + Culture

I look forward to visiting Chile again someday, and I encourage you to put it on your “places to visit” list too. For more information about Chilean wine country, visit the Wines of Chile site. And if you are planning a trip there anytime soon (which I highly recommend), feel free to ask me any questions about the area in the comments below or via our Contact Us form. I’m happy to help if I can.

Salud!