William Church Winery, founded in 2005 by Rod and Leslie Balsley, is located in the warehouse district in Woodinville, Washington. After years in the high-tech industry, Rod and Leslie are thoroughly enjoying their second careers in the wine industry. Bitten by the wine bug when they honeymooned in Italy, Rod and Leslie got their start in winemaking as a hobby when they moved next door to a man named Dick Gidley who had been making wine in his garage for over twenty years. After a while, they decided to pursue winemaking on a commercial scale. Rod and Leslie are both actively involved in all aspects of the winery. Rod manages the day-to-day winemaking operations with the help of assistant winemaker Marcus Rafanelli. Leslie manages the marketing and sales aspects of the business. Rod, Leslie, and Marcus work together to decide what wines to offer and are all involved in blending trials. William Church Winery produces 2,500 cases per year.

We recently had the opportunity to taste two William Church wines in a blind samples tasting, the 2008 Bishop’s Blend Red Wine and the 2007 Sur La Mer Red Wine. Both wines are very good, but we were especially impressed with the Bishop’s Blend, a Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec dominated blend. Not only is it an excellent wine, but it also delivers serious bang for your buck. Sur La Mer, which means “on the sea,” is a classic Bordeaux-style blend named for the seaport city of La Rochelle in western France where Leslie was born.

If you live in the greater Seattle area or visit the area on vacation, a trip to the wineries in Woodinville is well worth your time. And while you are there, I encourage you to visit William Church Winery. In addition to their tasting room at the winery in the warehouse district, William Church is opening a second tasting room in the Hollywood Schoolhouse area next door to Purple Café. The grand opening is scheduled for this Saturday, July 16th.

2008 William Church Bishop’s Blend Red Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Malbec, 11% Syrah, 9% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc. Deep, dark purplish red in color. Very aromatic with black fruits and oak on the nose. Black plum, blackberry, black currant, licorice, and a hint of leather come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with good 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 $20; Available elsewhere, $18

2007 William Church Sur La Mer Red Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Malbec, and 10% Petit Verdot. Deep, dark ruby red. Aromatic with smoke, earth, black fruit, spice, and floral notes on the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $30; Available elsewhere, $27

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 2008 Las Rocas de San Alejandro Garnacha from the Calatayud region of Spain.

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

Bodegas San Alejandro, founded in 1962, is located in Miedes, Spain. It is a cooperative comprised of 350 associates. Their Las Rocas range of wines was first released in 2003 and was specifically produced to appeal to the American market. This Las Rocas Garnacha has been a consistent favorite of ours through the years and delivers serious bang for your buck.

“Deep ruby colored with a gorgeous nose. Attractive aromas of kirsch, raspberries, pepper and melted liquorice. Full flavored wine with a supple texture and no hard edges. Medium to full bodied, fruit driven sumptuously-textured and long aftertaste.” –Bodegas San Alejandro

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

Founded in 2007 by brothers Pinto and Billo Naravane, Rasa Vineyards has already become a superstar on the Washington wine scene. Their beautiful winery is located south of downtown Walla Walla near the Washington/Oregon state line. Both Pinto and Billo have engineering and mathematical backgrounds and worked in the computer industry. As for their official titles at the winery, Pinto is the managing partner and Billo is the winemaker, but the brothers collaborate on every aspect of the business. Currently, they produce around 2,000 cases per year.

We had the pleasure of visiting Rasa Vineyards and tasting through their inaugural releases shortly after they moved into their new facility last fall. We were blown away by the quality of their wines then. In fact, their 2007 Principia Reserve Syrah was our Wine Peeps’ pick for Best Washington Wine of 2010. On a recent visit to Walla Walla, we made it a point to visit again so that we could taste their new releases. There are no signs of a sophomore slump here. In fact, if it is possible, we were even more impressed with the overall quality of their lineup of wines this time.

We tasted eight of their wines, five from their primary Rasa label and three from their new second label, PB Wines. The PB Wines are made in an identical manner and get the same treatment as the Rasa wines but are just offered at a lower price point.

Their 2008 Creative Impulse, a Cab/Merlot blend from DuBrul Vineyard, which will be released this fall, especially impressed us. It truly is a “Wow!” wine. We also thought that their 2008 QED and 2009 Vox Populi Mourvedre were outstanding.

Rasa Vineyards offers their wines through their mailing list first. They are also distributed in 17 states. If you have not had a chance to try one of their wines, I encourage you to keep your eyes out for them on the shelf at your local wine shop or go ahead and put your name on their mailing list. Only open by appointment, Rasa Vineyards is definitely a must-visit if you are in the Walla Walla area.

For a more detailed write-up about Rasa Vineyards, the Naravane brothers, and their winemaking philosophy, please refer back to my Spotlight On: Rasa Vineyards post.

2008 Rasa Vineyards Creative Impulse (DuBrul Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): 69% Cabernet Sauvignon and 31% Merlot. Deep, dark purplish red. Outstanding nose with gorgeous aromas of black cherry, black currant, leather, smoke, licorice, and earth. Black cherry, black currant, leather, pencil lead, earth, and smoke come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and silky, smooth tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a finish that goes on forever. An absolutely amazing wine. Wow!
Quality: 5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $95 [to be released Fall 2011]

2008 Rasa Vineyards QED (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 83% Syrah, 10% Grenache, 5% Mourvedre, and 2% Viognier. Deep, dark purplish red. Beautiful bouquet with aromas of blackberry, black cherry, licorice, and a hint of game and earth. More black fruit, licorice, and game, as well as vanilla cream come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, silky tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a very long, smooth finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $50

2009 Rasa Vineyards Vox Populi Mourvedre (Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Mourvedre. Deep, dark purple. Gorgeous nose with black fruit, smoked meat, game, white pepper, and floral notes on both the nose and palate. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity and medium, coarse tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $45

2008 Rasa Vineyards Principia Reserve Syrah (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 100% Syrah. Deep, dark beautiful purple in color. Nice nose with aromas of black and blue fruit, earth, game, black pepper, and spice. Black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, earth, spice, and black pepper come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and high, drying 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, $85 [to be released Fall 2011]

2010 Rasa Vineyards The Lyricist Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Light, greenish straw yellow. Very aromatic with white peach, pear, orange peel, mineral notes, and hint of pineapple on both the nose and palate. Medium sweet and medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with good mouthfeel and a long, refreshing finish. Residual Sugar: 4.89%
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $30

2010 PB Wines Heritage Pinot Gris (Kilian Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): Medium greenish yellow. Aromatic with pear, lemon, lime, tropical fruit, and mineral notes on both the nose and palate. Dry and light-bodied with crisp acidity and good mouthfeel. Well-balanced with a long, refreshing finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $18

2008 PB Wines Yakima Valley Syrah (Yakima Valley, Washington): 100% Syrah. Dark, deep purple. Nice nose with aromas of black cherry, blackberry, spice, pepper, and a hint of chocolate. More blackberry, black cherry, pepper, and smoke come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and fruit-forward with lively acidity, smooth tannins, and a long finish. Showing nicely with some bottle age.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $29

2010 PB Wines Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Light, greenish straw yellow in color. Nice nose with aromas of white peach, tropical fruit, and honeysuckle. White peach, mango, and floral notes come through on the palate. Off-dry and light-bodied with crisp acidity and a long, refreshing finish. Residual Sugar: 2.3%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $16

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

Official definition from Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion to Wine:
Microclimate is a widely misused term meaning strictly the climate within a defined and usually very restricted space or position. In viticulture, it might be at specified positions between rows of vines, or distances above the ground.

Common use of the term microclimate to describe the climate of a vineyard site, hillside, or valley is clearly wrong. ….

Canopy microclimate is that within and immediately surrounding the vine canopy, or green parts of the vine. ….

Microclimate is potentially influenced by management practices, such as vine trellising, vine training, and trimming; vine vigor and the factors affecting it; and soil management and mulching. ….

Layman’s terms from Kori:
Microclimate, as it pertains to the grapevine, is the environment within and directly surrounding the vine canopy.

Wishing you all a very happy 4th of July! We hope you enjoy your day with family, friends, good food, and wine.

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 Barnard Griffin Rosé of Sangiovese 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

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

“The 2010 boasts gorgeous melon, pomegranate and cherry fruit with hints of pineapple and rose petal. Dry and flavorful with a pleasant underlying minerality. Quite food-friendly, as well as a great stand-alone wine. Stock up on this delicious Rosé for all your summer get-togethers.” –Owner/winemaker Rob Griffin

2010 Barnard Griffin Rosé of Sangiovese (Columbia Valley, Washington): Medium bright pink in color. Nice nose with cherry, strawberry, and watermelon aromas. More red fruits as well as orange peel and strawberry Twizzlers come through on the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Very refreshing with a long finish. Gets better the longer it is open. An excellent summer sipper.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $10.99; Available elsewhere, $10 to $13

Since we live in Washington State and often drink wines from Washington State, we want to make sure that we continue to hone our knowledge of the entire world of wine and maintain well-rounded palates in order to make us even more objective when we evaluate wines from Washington State. Therefore, we are thoroughly enjoying our Wine Peeps Tasting Group which includes what we think is an excellent peer group of knowledgeable wine lovers to taste, share, and learn more about wine together. Unlike our monthly wine tasting dinners in which the guests rotate, this tasting group includes people who are committed to getting together once a month which we believe benefits all of us. In addition to trying varieties and regions that we do not taste frequently, the other main difference between this group and our wine tasting dinners is that each group member brings a bottle consistent with the month’s theme so no one knows all the wines in the blind tasting.

Last week, we met and explored Malbec. Unlike the majority of our previous tasting group meetings, which have focused on a particular varietal from a specific region, this tasting simply focused on the varietal and each group member was free to bring a bottle of Malbec from any region in the world. The only requirement was that it was either varietally-labeled as Malbec (or a Malbec synonym such as Côt, Auxerrois, or Pressac) or, for countries that do not varietally-label, it must contain at least 75% Malbec. Malbec was originally one of the six varieties used in red Bordeaux blends along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and occasionally Carmenère. Today, it is only used sparingly in Bordeaux, and the majority of Malbec plantings in the country are found in the Cahors region in southwest France. In recent years, Malbec has become a celebrated varietal wine in Argentina. More and more Malbec continues to be planted in the United States as well. In my opinion, Washington State is producing some excellent Malbec. In general, Malbec is not as tannic as Cabernet Sauvignon but is spicier than Merlot and goes well with a number of different foods.

We tasted eight bottles of Malbec from around the world. Unfortunately, of those eight wines, two bottles (one from Cahors in France and one from Washington State) were corked so we did not include them in the rankings. The remaining six wines included three from Argentina and three from Washington State. The consensus favorite was the 2009 Archaval Ferrer Malbec from the Mendoza region of Argentina.

I was pleased to see how favorably the Washington wines performed against their peers from Argentina. The three wines from Washington State finished second, fourth, and sixth in the group consensus rankings. However, the Argentine wines all fared better than the Washington wines in the QPR department.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2009 Archaval Ferrer Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina): Deep purple in color. Very aromatic with blackberry and floral notes as well as a hint of tire rubber on the nose. Blackberry, cinnamon, black pepper, and plum come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity and silky tannins. Well-balanced with good mouthfeel and a very long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Compass Wines (Anacortes, Washington), $13; Available elsewhere, $16 to $31

2008 Alexandria Nicole Cellars Malbec (Block 20, Destiny Ridge Vineyards, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): 96% Malbec and 4% Merlot. Deep, purplish red. Nice nose with chocolate, pencil lead, and black fruit aromas. Flavors of blackberry, plum, pomegranate, and spice. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, dusty 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, $38

2008 Bodega Catena Zapata ‘Catena Malbec’ (Mendoza, Argentina): Deep purple in color. Aromatic with black fruits, vanilla cream, and sugar on the nose. More black fruits, vanilla, and spice on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $20.49; Available elsewhere, $14 to $20

2008 Almquist Malbec (Northridge Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): Dark purple. Nice nose with blackberry, black cherry, and spice aromas. Very fruit forward with blackberry, black cherry, and a hint of chocolate on the palate. Medium-bodied with lively acidity, soft tannins, and a medium finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: McCarthy & Schiering (Seattle, Washington), $25; Available elsewhere, $27

2008 Trapiche Oak Cask Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina): Medium-deep purplish red in color. Aromatic with black fruit, spice, earth, and a hint of barnyard on the nose. More black fruit, plum, licorice, and faint vegetal notes come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a medium to long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $8.79; Available elsewhere, $9 to $14

2008 Fidelitas Malbec (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep purple in color. Nose is a bit tight at first and then some spice notes come through. Very jammy with blackberry and spice on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium tannins and a medium finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $35; Available elsewhere, $34

This week’s Wine Word of the Week is waiter’s friend.

Official definition from Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion to Wine:
In 1882, Karl Wienke of Rostock, Mecklenburg [Germany] conceived of using a knife-like handle as a lever [for a corkscrew]. Known affectionately as the waiter’s friend, it is still the essential tool of a sommelier worldwide. The development of an articulated lever makes this model even easier to use as the cork is extracted in two stages, keeping it more upright and less likely to break.

Layman’s terms from Kori:
The waiter’s friend is a very versatile wine bottle opener that looks like a pocketknife. It’s what you see the waiter use to open a bottle at your table, thus the name. While different versions are offered at a wide range of prices, it is generally an inexpensive opener. It is easy to use, very portable, and is available in single and double-hinged versions. The double-hinged waiter’s friend is my wine bottle opener of choice.

As we have said many times before, Washington State produces world-class Cabernet Sauvignon and delivers excellent bang-for-your-buck as compared to other top Cabernet regions around the world.

Recently, we had what turned out to be a showdown between two vineyard-designated Washington Cabernet Sauvignons in one of our double blind private tasting dinners. We had two wines from the 2007 vintage, the 2007 Andrew Will Annie Camarda Cabernet Sauvignon from Discovery Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills and the 2007 Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Stone Tree Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope. For a more complete description of how we set up these private tastings, please refer to How We Taste.

Owner/winemaker Chris Camarda founded Andrew Will Winery in 1989 in Seattle. In 1994, the winery moved to its current home on Vashon Island, just a short ferry ride from Seattle. Over the years, Camarda has shifted his winemaking focus from varieties to vineyards, and now all of his wines are labeled by vineyard. The fruit for this 2007 Cab comes from Discovery Vineyard, which was planted in 2005. The 30-acre vineyard, planted mostly with Cabernet Sauvignon, is co-managed by Paul Champoux and the owners Kay and Milo May.

Columbia Crest, located in Paterson, Washington, is the largest producer in the state. Regular Wine Peeps readers know that we have long been fans of Columbia Crest. Former head winemaker Ray Einberger and current head winemaker Juan Muñoz Oca and their team continue to pump out great wines at great prices. Well-known for their Grand Estates and Two Vines lines, it is their Reserve line that puts them in the league with the premier producers in the state. The 240-acre Stone Tree Vineyard is located in the Wahluke Slope near Mattawa, Washington. It is fast gaining recognition as one of the top vineyards in the state.

Both of these wines are excellent and paired perfectly with our weeknight dinner of pot roast, carrots, sweet potatoes, and green beans. Not only did both wines receive a Quality rating of 4 stars (out of 5), but they also received a QPR rating of 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5).

2007 Andrew Will Annie Camarda Cabernet Sauvignon (Discovery Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): Dark purplish red in color. Very aromatic with black cherry, black currant, blackberry, and smoke on the nose. More black fruit and smoke as well as pencil lead and game come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity and high tannins. Well-balanced with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $28.99; Available elsewhere, $36

2007 Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Stone Tree Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): Deep, dark purplish red. Nice nose with black currant, coffee, and herbal aromas. Jammy black fruit, smoke, and licorice come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity and high tannins. Well-balanced with a very long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $35; Available elsewhere, $30 to $45

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 Argento Torrontés from the Cafayate Valley in the Salta Province of Argentina.

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

Established in 1998 in the famous Mendoza region of Argentina, Argento set out to master Malbec grown in their vineyards in the foothills of the Andes. In addition to Malbec, today Argento also produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Bonarda, Pinot Grigio, and Torrontés. The word “Argento” is Latin for silver. Nick Goldschmidt, who has been making wine for over 20 years, leads Argento’s winemaking team.

“This aromatic Torrontés offers an intense floral perfume typical of the true Argentine variety. The concentrated flavors of peach and citrus are complemented by minty eucalyptus notes — dry and fresh with a clean mineral finish.” –Argento

2010 Argento Torrontés (Cafayate Valley Salta, Argentina): Pale, greenish straw yellow in color. Nice nose with beautiful grapefruit aromas. More citrus fruits as well as floral notes and a hint of mint come through on the palate. Dry and light to medium-bodied with lively acidity and a long, fresh 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 $13; Available elsewhere, $13