This week’s Wine Word of the Week is stabilization.

Official definition from Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion to Wine:
Stabilization is a group of wine-processing operations undertaken to ensure that the wine, once bottled, will not form hazes, clouds, or unwanted deposits; become gassy; or undergo rapid deterioration of flavor after bottling. A quick recovery from bottle sickness and subtle changes in flavor that occur with lengthy ageing are considered normal in a stable wine.

Everyday wines are usually more thoroughly stabilized than fine wines since consumers have come to expect them to be crystal clear. ….

Stabilization includes two sorts of operations: one to counter physical and chemical changes and another to counter microbiological changes.

Layman’s terms from Kori:
Stabilization is a technique used primarily in white wine production to make the wine look better. Heat stabilization helps to prevent unsightly haze while cold stabilization precipitates out tartrate crystal deposits.

DenHoed Wine Estates, founded in 2006, is a joint venture between grape growing brothers Bill and Andy Den Hoed and Washington wine pioneer Allen Shoup. DenHoed produces two red wines, both made exclusively with fruit from Wallula Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills. Wallula Vineyard is located high above the Columbia River south of Kennewick, Washington. The vineyard site terraces down 1300 feet on the southeastern corner of the Columbia River, where the river becomes the border between Washington and Oregon.

The Den Hoed brothers established DenHoed Wine Estates in honor of their parents, Dutch immigrants who began planting grapes in the Columbia Valley in the 1950’s. Marie’s View, named for their mother, is a red blend made by winemaker Rob Newsom of Boudreaux Cellars. Andreas, named for their father, is a Cabernet Sauvignon made by winemaker Gilles Nicault of Long Shadows.

The Library in Woodinville is a unique tasting room that features the wines of DenHoed Wine Estates, Long Shadows, and Boudreaux Cellars. It is a cozy setting with comfortable leather chairs and a fireplace where guests can taste through a flight of wines featuring all three wineries.

Recently, we had the pleasure to visit The Library to taste through DenHoed’s complete lineup of released wines, three vintages of Marie’s View and three vintages of Andreas. All six wines were very good but we were especially impressed with the 2006 and 2007 Marie’s View. They are both outstanding.

Marie’s View – Rob Newsom, winemaker

2005 Den Hoed Marie’s View (Wallula Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 36% Syrah, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 12% Sangiovese. Dark, dense red.  Nice nose with aromas of dark red fruit, chocolate, coffee, and cinnamon. Black and red cherry, chocolate, and spice come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, and medium to high, smooth tannins. Well-balanced with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $80

2006 Den Hoed Marie’s View (Wallula Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 22% Syrah, 11% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Sangiovese. Dark, dense red. Aromatic with black fruit, smoke, and oak on the nose. Blackberry, blackcurrant, smoked meat, and a touch of spice come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity, and medium to high, drying tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a very long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $80

2007 Den Hoed Marie’s View (Wallula Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Syrah, 12% Merlot, 11% Petit Verdot, and 11% Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese co-fermented. Deep, dark purplish red. Gorgeous nose with black fruit, leather, and spice aromas. Black cherry, black plum, and clove come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity, and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with a long, dry finish. Still very young but should age extremely well.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $80

Andreas – Gilles Nicault, winemaker

2006 Den Hoed Andreas (Wallula Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, dark purple. Nose is a bit tight at first. Aromas and flavors of black cherry, chocolate, and oak. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium, dry 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, $80

2007 Den Hoed Andreas (Wallula Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, dark ruby red. Aromatic with black fruit, lavender, and floral notes on the nose. Lush black fruit, spice, and floral notes come through on the palate. 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: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $80

2008 Den Hoed Andreas (Wallula Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, dark purplish red. Nice nose with ripe red fruit aromas along with a touch of smoke and oak. Black cherry and oak come through on the palate. Medium-bodied with lively acidity, medium, soft 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, $80

Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won’t break your budget and is widely available? Many of our readers have said this is something they would like, so here is this week’s selection, the 2010 Saviah Cellars The Jack Cabernet Sauvignon from the Columbia Valley of Washington State.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$20*
• Must be widely available

Saviah Cellars is a family-owned winery located south of downtown Walla Walla, Washington, near the Oregon state line in the Walla Walla Valley AVA. Owner/winemaker Richard Funk and his wife Anita, both natives of Montana, moved to Walla Walla in 1991. Rich became acquainted with a number of the area wineries while working as an Environmental Health Specialist with the Walla Walla County Health Department. Through his work at the Health Department on water quality and wastewater issues, he got a firsthand look at the vineyards in the area and developed a relationship with a number of local winemakers who helped him get his start in the industry. Saviah Cellars was founded in 2000 and currently produces about 9,500 cases per year. The name Saviah is a family name from Anita’s great-grandmother. Saviah Cellars consistently produces high-quality wines. The Jack is a value line in the Saviah portfolio produced with declassified fruit.

“The Jack Cabernet Sauvignon is a winner! Classic aromas of mint, black cherry, cassis and barrel spice are present in spades. Delicious flavors, beautiful balance, and a long smooth finish. Enjoy!” –Owner/winemaker Rich Funk

2010 Saviah Cellars The Jack Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc. Deep, dark purplish red. Nice nose with caramel and black cherry aromas. Caramel, blackcurrant, and spice come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $18; Available elsewhere, $14 to $18

*We have expanded the price tag criteria for this “A Wine for Tonight” series to include wines less than or equal to $20.

Maison Bleue, founded by owner/winemaker Jon Martinez in 2008, is located in Prosser, Washington. Martinez changed careers to venture into winemaking, giving up a successful dental practice. He has become a bona fide winemaking star and his Maison Bleue wines have been the buzz of the Washington wine industry the past couple of years. Maison Bleue focuses primarily on Rhône varieties with annual production currently over 2,600 cases and increasing to 4,500 cases over the next two years.

Jon Martinez sources fruit from some of the best vineyards in the state, including the famed Boushey Vineyards. He is committed to expressing the distinctive traits of each vineyard site through his winemaking.

Recently, we had the opportunity to taste several Maison Bleue wines in a blind samples tasting. While we thought all three were very good, we especially enjoyed the two white wines, the 2010 Notre Vie Viognier and the 2010 Petite Joie Marsanne. With warmer weather on its way, these are both excellent whites to try this spring and summer.

Open by appointment only, the Maison Bleue tasting room is located in The Winemaker’s Loft in Prosser. If you are in the area, I highly encourage you to make arrangements to visit. Maison Bleue 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.

2010 Maison Bleue Notre Vie Viognier (Arthur’s Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): Pale straw yellow. Aromatic with floral notes and lemon on the nose. More lemon and floral notes come through on the palate as well as lime and a hint of grapefruit. Dry and medium-bodied with tart acidity. Well-balanced with a long, lingering finish. Crisp and refreshing.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $25; Available elsewhere, $23 to $26

2010 Maison Bleue Petite Joie Marsanne (Boushey Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): Pale to medium yellow. Nice nose with floral and petrol aromas. Lemon zest and floral notes come through on the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with a very long finish. One of the best Marsannes I’ve ever had.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $35; Available elsewhere, $28 to $37

2009 Maison Bleue Liberté Syrah (Boushey Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): Deep, dark purplish red. Aromatic with cherry and floral notes on the nose. Big Red soda, strawberry, and cedar come through on the 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: Received as sample, suggested retail $45; Available elsewhere, $40 to $44

This week’s Wine Word of the Week is clarification.

Official definition from Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion to Wine:
Clarification is the winemaking operation which removes suspended and insoluble material from grape juice, or new wine, in which these solids are known as lees. …. Clarification can usually be accomplished naturally by simply holding the liquid in a storage tank until the larger particles settle and then siphoning, or racking, the clear upper layer from the compact layer of solids at the bottom of the tank. This takes time, however, especially if the wine is stored in small barrels where full clarification can take a year or two and several rackings.

Most winemakers, therefore, and certainly all concerned with high-volume production, choose to speed the process by intervening with one or more of filtration, centrifugation, flotation, and the much cheaper process of fining, the addition of agents which aid agglomeration and settling of colloids in the must or new wine.

Layman’s terms from Kori:
Clarification is the winemaking process in which undesirable particles (those that cause a wine to be cloudy, etc) are removed by centrifuging, filtering and/or fining.

Owner/winemaker Charlie Hoppes founded Fidelitas in 2000. Located in Benton City, Washington, in the Red Mountain AVA, Fidelitas gets its name from Charlie’s father-in-law, Dan Fidelis O’Neill. While working for Boeing in the early 1980’s, Charlie was bitten by the wine bug and began experimenting with home winemaking kits. Encouraged by his wife Terri and friends in the wine industry, he decided to pursue his passion and graduated with a degree in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis in 1988. In the 1990’s, he honed his craft at Chateau Ste. Michelle, first as Assistant Winemaker and then as Head Red Winemaker. When he started his own winery in 2000, he decided to focus on Bordeaux-styled wines. Fidelitas produces about 7,000 cases per year, and Charlie also continues to consult for a number of other Washington wineries.

Recently, we had the opportunity to taste a number of Fidelitas wines in a blind samples tasting. While we thought all five of these red wines were good and would recommend all of them, we especially enjoyed the 2009 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2009 Columbia Valley Merlot.

If you are in the Benton City area, you should definitely visit Fidelitas’ Red Mountain tasting room, which opened in 2007. It has a contemporary style and features great views of Red Mountain and the Yakima Valley. For those of you in the Seattle area, be sure to check out the Fidelitas tasting bar at Urban Enoteca. And even if you aren’t able to visit one of their locations, be sure to try some of their wines.

2009 Fidelitas Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark purplish red. Aromatic with black licorice, blackcurrant, and black cherry on the nose. More black cherry, blackcurrant, and licorice as well as pencil shavings come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity, and high, supple 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 $25; Available elsewhere, $20 to $25

2009 Fidelitas Columbia Valley Merlot (Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Merlot. Deep, dark purple. Nice nose with vanilla, plum, and black cherry aromas. More black cherry, plum, vanilla, and spice come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, and medium to high, drying tannins. Well-balanced with a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $25; Available elsewhere, $21 to $25

2009 Fidelitas Malbec (Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Malbec. Deep purple. Aromatic with cherry, plum, and leather on the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $35; Available elsewhere, $29 to $35

2008 Fidelitas Optu Red Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Malbec. Deep, dark purplish red. Nice nose with red fruit aromas and flavors as well as a hint of pickle. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a medium to 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 $35; Available elsewhere, $38 to $40

2009 Fidelitas Red Mountain Merlot (Red Mountain, Washington): 100% Merlot. Deep purplish red. Aromatic with jammy red and black fruits on the nose. Plum and pencil shavings come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high, drying tannins, and a medium to 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

Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won’t break your budget and is widely available? Many of our readers have said this is something they would like, so here is this week’s selection, the 2010 Wine Out West Gone Fishin’ Riesling from the Columbia Valley of Washington State.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$15
• Must be widely available

Wine Out West wines are produced by Mercer Estates. The Mercer and Hogue families founded Mercer Estates, located in Prosser, Washington, in 2006. Rob and Brenda Mercer of Mercer Canyons in the Horse Heaven Hills and Ron and Barb Harle of Hogue Ranches in the Yakima Valley lead the partnership. Both families have long histories in the Washington wine industry. Mercer Estates’ vineyards are located in the Horse Heaven Hills and the Yakima Valley. David Forsyth, who has over 25 years experience working in the Columbia Valley, leads the winemaking team for Mercer Estates but will be leaving in May to focus on his own winery. The Wine Out West labels feature the artwork of Diane Whitehead, a native of eastern Washington whose boldly colored oil paintings express the beauty of the west.

“Brimming with fresh fruit, our Wine Out West 2010 Riesling displays fresh peach and tangerine, with a hint of beeswax and good minerality. Crisp, fresh, and semi-dry in style, the palate begins with peach and stone fruit which lead to honey, lingering with floral accents.” –Winemaker David Forsyth

2010 Wine Out West Gone Fishin’ Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington State): 99% Riesling and 1% Pinot Gris. Pale, greenish yellow. Nice nose with white peach and floral aromas. White peach, apricot, and a hint of lime come through on the palate. Off-dry and medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish. Residual Sugar: 1.8%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $12.99; Available elsewhere, $14

The Wine Peeps enjoy Taco Tuesday each week. It is a fun time to get together, the meal is an easy one to prepare, and we enjoy the blend of the spicy flavors in the food. Our menu generally consists of beef tacos, refried beans, Mexican rice, and hot salsa. We usually enjoy margaritas on taco night, but we thought why not use this meal as one of our challenging wine pairing dinners and see what wine might work.

After consulting What to Drink with What You Eat by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, we decided to try a Tempranillo and a Zinfandel. The two wines that we had with the meal were the 2008 Columbia Crest Reserve Tempranillo and the 2008 Dry Creek Vineyard Estate Zinfandel. While we certainly enjoyed both wines, the unanimous choice for the best pairing with the food was the Tempranillo. And for the record, while the Tempranillo was great with the meal, we all concluded that a margarita is still the best beverage of choice overall for taco night.

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!

2008 Columbia Crest Reserve Tempranillo (Wahluke Slope, Washington): Deep, dark purple in color. Aromatic with black cherry, earth, and cocoa on both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balance 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

2008 Dry Creek Vineyard Estate Zinfandel (Spencer’s Hill Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley, California): Deep, dark purplish red. Nice nose with red fruit, mint, and leather aromas. Fruit-forward with raspberry, Red Vines, and mint on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long, jammy finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery $32

This week’s Wine Word of the Week is fermentation.

Official definition from Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion to Wine:
Fermentation, as it applies to wine, is the process of converting sugar to ethanol (ethyl alcohol) and carbon dioxide effected by the anaerobic (oxygen-free) metabolism of yeast. It comes from the Latin word fervere, to boil; any mass containing sugar that has been infused with yeast certainly looks as though it is boiling, as it exudes carbon dioxide bubbles.

Layman’s terms from Kori:
Fermentation is the second step in the winemaking process in which grape sugars are converted to ethanol and carbon dioxide. Fermentation occurs naturally when yeast comes into contact with the sugars in the grape juice that were released during crushing.

Pinot Noir is the variety that propelled Oregon onto the worldwide wine stage and is still what many people think of when it comes to Oregon wine. While Oregon wine is far from a one-trick pony, Pinot Noir is still the queen. Over 12,000 acres of vineyards in Oregon are planted to Pinot Noir and production of Pinot Noir is over three times the next leading variety, Pinot Gris.

Prior to my recent media tour to explore Oregon wine country, I had limited experience with aged Oregon Pinot Noir. While I knew that many wines from Burgundy age well, I wasn’t sure whether the same could be said for Pinot in Oregon. During the tour, we had the opportunity to taste several “older” Pinots from the 1985, 1998, and 1999 vintages, and they are aging quite gracefully.

“The 1985 vintage was when Oregon really came onto the national scene and was recognized.” –Luisa Ponzi, Ponzi Vineyards

“1985 is my all-time favorite vintage.” –Susan Sokol Blosser, Sokol Blosser Winery

We tasted the 1985 Amity Winemaker’s Reserve Pinot Noir. According to Myron Redford, president and former winemaker of Amity Vineyards, it was made from 14-year-old vines that were planted in 1971. This wine displays beautiful earth, strawberry, and raspberry notes, and is drinking quite well. We also tasted the 1998 Amity Winemaker’s Reserve Pinot Noir. It, too, is a beautiful wine and is surprisingly fresh for a 14-year-old wine.

Many veterans of the Oregon wine industry consider 1999 to be the next great vintage in Oregon after 1985. We tasted the 1999 Sokol Blosser Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, and I can see why they hold the 1999 vintage in such high regard. Winemaker Russ Rosner of Sokol Blosser calls this a 20-year wine.

Pinot Noir is a fragile grape and very difficult to grow. It requires an incredible amount of “hand work” in the vineyard. It goes all over the place as the vine grows. A thin-skinned grape, Pinot Noir growers have to battle mildew and botrytis. However, when grown successfully in cooler climates like Oregon, Pinot Noir can produce special wines that age very well.

As I’ve mentioned previously, I’ve historically been somewhat of a skeptic when it comes to Oregon wine, particularly of their beloved Pinot Noir. However, this tour allowed me to see Pinot Noir in a new light. I was thrilled to be able to experience some truly wonderful Pinot and to appreciate its age worthiness.

If you live in the Pacific Northwest and either already love Oregon wine or would like to learn more about it, I encourage you to consider attending Unwine’d, Celebrate Oregon Wine in Portland on Sunday, April 29th. The event will have about 100 Oregon wineries pouring their wines, a dozen restaurants serving small bites, and will serve as the kickoff for Oregon Wine Month in May. We hope to see you there.

Cheers!