A classic “who-dun-it” with an interesting twist at the end, Peter Mayle’s The Vintage Caper is a book you should read, especially if you like to sip a glass of wine as you read crime fiction. This is the first of his twelve books that I’ve read, but I now wish I had read some of the others.

The story revolves around the theft of over $3,000,000 of great vintage Bordeaux wines from the cellar of a big-time, rich, self-absorbed LA entertainment lawyer named Danny Roth. Not satisfied to just own all of this great wine, he needed the ego-satisfaction of others knowing about his great collection, so he arranged for a big spread in the paper about it. Not such a smart move.

Sure enough, it wasn’t long until someone who had read about his collection plotted to relieve him of the biggest gems from his cellar. While Roth and his family were on a holiday vacation, his property caretaker was bribed to let a group posing as an ambulance crew make off with the wine. The rest of the book revolves around the efforts of his insurance carrier to find and recover the stolen wine in order to avoid paying the huge insurance claim.

There is constant tension between the obnoxious Roth and the claims adjuster, Elena Morales, who initially thinks Roth might have arranged the theft himself to collect the insurance money. As the search for the wine and the thief continues, under the direction of former non-violent criminal and Elena love-interest Sam Levitt, the story moves from LA to Paris to Bordeaux and finally to Marseille to the cellar of a rich Frenchman named Reboul.

What happens next, the interesting twist at the end, I’ll save for you to read for yourself. Believe me, you will like it! So pick up a copy of The Vintage Caper today and start reading.

Have you already read The Vintage Caper? If so, please leave a comment and let us know what you thought of it.

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 2007 Boomtown Syrah 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

Boomtown is the entry level value brand produced by Dusted Valley Vintners. Dusted Valley Vintners, located in Walla Walla, Washington, was founded in 2003 by brothers-in-law Chad Johnson and Corey Braunel who are co-owners and co-winemakers. Both Chad and Corey are originally from Wisconsin and are proud cheese-heads. In fact, they bring a bit of Wisconsin to Dusted Valley by using barrels made from Wisconsin oak to age their wines. Last summer, they opened a new tasting room in Woodinville near the Hollywood Schoolhouse for those on the west side of the mountains who cannot make frequent trips to Walla Walla.

If you live in Washington or visit the state, I encourage you to put one of the Dusted Valley tasting rooms on your must-visit list. You won’t find a stuffy, uppity attitude but rather friendly, welcoming folks with a good sense of humor. Their wine club is known as the Stained Tooth Society with new members receiving a logoed toothbrush when they join.

2007 Boomtown Syrah (Columbia Valley, Washington): 96% Syrah, 2.4% Mourvedre, and 1.6% Barbera. Deep, purplish red. Tangy red fruits, pomegranate, and a hint of gaminess come through on both the nose and palate. Good acidity. Well-balanced with a 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), $15; Available elsewhere, $13 to 15

Located along the Central Coast halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, Paso Robles is California’s third largest and fastest growing wine region. The town of Paso Robles (“Paso” to the locals) is the heart of Paso Robles wine country. The Paso Robles AVA was established in 1983 and has expanded a couple of times to its present size of 614,000 acres, the largest geographic AVA in the state. The area is home to more than 26,000 vineyard acres and over 180 wineries.

Recently, I had the opportunity to spend three days in Paso Robles wine country on a media tour hosted by the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. We had the pleasure to meet winemakers, visit vineyards, dine at local restaurants, and stay in luxurious accommodations. Paso Robles, a quaint town of 30,000 people, is a wonderful wine country destination and served as an excellent home base as we toured the surrounding areas. Within walking distance of our hotel, Hotel Cheval, were many tasting rooms, restaurants, boutique shops, and a lovely park. For those of you who are more familiar with Washington wine country, Paso Robles reminds me a lot of Walla Walla. It is about the same size and offers numerous wine and food options.

I tasted a total of 65 wines on this trip, a representative sampling of what is coming out of the Paso Robles AVA. Sixty out of that 65 are wines that I would recommend. Suffice it to say, the wineries in Paso Robles are producing some high quality wines, and best of all, doing it with a smile on their face. Everyone we met genuinely seemed to love where they live and what they do.

Three things stood out as the common threads running through Paso Robles wine country:

• Community – There really is a close sense of community. The wineries, restaurants, and hotels seem to work together to offer a wonderful wine country experience for their visitors. And many of the winemakers and vineyard owners are good friends with each other, often helping each other out and simply shaking hands to seal deals.
• Local – The people of Paso Robles are passionate about where they live and what the land provides. The restaurateurs encourage their patrons to support local wineries while the winemakers recommend local restaurants. And many chefs take it even further by buying their produce at local farmers markets or growing it themselves.
• Sustainable – The word I heard used most frequently by winemakers and vineyard owners was sustainable. They are strong proponents of sustainable viticulture and strive to be good stewards of the land.

In the coming weeks, I will be writing more about the people and places that I encountered in Paso Robles. 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.

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that I tasted while visiting Paso Robles. 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)
2008 Turley Dusi Vineyard Zinfandel, Paso Robles, $60, QPR: 3

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
2007 kukkula Sisu (red Rhone blend), $24, QPR: 4
2006 Edward Sellers Syrah Selectionnée, Paso Robles, $32, QPR: 4
2007 Zenaida Cellars Zephyr (Syrah/Zin/Viognier), Paso Robles, $32, QPR: 4
2007 Four Vines Dusi Vineyard Zinfandel, Paso Robles, $35, QPR: 4
2006 Windward “Monopole” Pinot Noir, Paso Robles, $36, QPR: 4
2009 Villicana Viognier, Paso Robles, $23, QPR: 3
2007 Tablas Creek Rosé, Paso Robles, $27, QPR: 3
2007 Four Vines “Loco” Tempranillo, Paso Robles, $40, QPR: 3
2006 Terry Hoage “The Pick” Grenache Cuvee, Paso Robles, $42, QPR: 3
2006 Edward Sellers Cuvee des Cinq (red Rhone blend), Paso Robles, $42, QPR: 3
2007 Austin Hope Grenache, Paso Robles, $42, QPR: 3
2007 Justin Savant (Syrah blend), Paso Robles, $45, QPR: 3
2009 L’Aventure Estate Rosé, Paso Robles, $35, QPR: 2
2008 L’Aventure Estate Roussanne, Paso Robles, $35, QPR: 2
2007 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel (red Rhone blend), Paso Robles, $50, QPR: 2
2006 J. Lohr Cuvee St. E. (Bordeaux blend), Paso Robles, $50, QPR: 2
2005 L’Aventure Estate Cuvee (Syrah/Cab/PV), Paso Robles, $85, QPR: 1

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2007 J. Lohr Los Osos Merlot, Paso Robles, $15, QPR: 5
2007 Kiamie Late Harvest Zinfandel, Paso Robles, $18 [375ml], QPR: 5
2007 Wild Horse Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, $20, QPR: 5
2007 Victor Hugo Petite Sirah, Paso Robles, $22, QPR: 4
2008 Villicana Zinfandel, Paso Robles, $26, QPR: 4
2007 Vina Robles Jardine Petite Sirah, Paso Robles, $26, QPR: 4
2008 Justin Sauvignon Blanc, Paso Robles, $15, QPR: 3
2009 Villicana Estate Vin Rosé, Paso Robles, $18, QPR: 3
2007 kukkula Lothario (Zin/Rhone blend), Paso Robles, $28, QPR: 3
2007 Villicana Estate Syrah, Paso Robles, $28, QPR: 3
2007 Adelaida Cellars Version (red Rhone blend), Paso Robles, $32, QPR: 3
2007 Grey Wolf Dusi Vineyard Zinfandel, Paso Robles, $36, QPR: 3
2008 Eberle Cotes du Robles Blanc (white Rhone blend), Paso Robles, $20, QPR: 2
2007 J. Dusi Zinfandel Port Dusi Vineyard, Paso Robles, $28 [375ml], QPR: 2
2007 Hearst Ranch “Lone Tree” Cabernet Franc, Paso Robles, $35, QPR: 2
2006 Kiamie Kuvee (Cab/Syrah/Merlot/Zin), Paso Robles, $38, QPR: 2
2007 Four Vines Anarchy (Zin/Rhone blend), Paso Robles, $40, QPR: 2
2006 Windward Gold “Barrel Select” Pinot Noir, $60, QPR: 2
2007 Lone Madrone “Points West White” Roussanne, Paso Robles, $28, QPR: 1
2008 Terry Hoage “The Gap” Cuvee Blanc (white Rhone blend), Paso Robles, $32, QPR: 1
2008 J. Dusi Carignane Dusi Vineyard, Paso Robles, $38, QPR: 1
2008 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc (white Rhone blend), Paso Robles, $40, QPR: 1
2007 Villa Creek Damas Noir Mourvedre, Paso Robles, $40, QPR: 1
2006 Steinbeck The Crash (Cab blend), Paso Robles, $42, QPR: 1
2007 Alta Colina “Ann’s Block” Petite Sirah, Paso Robles, $48, QPR: 1
2006 Terry Hoage “5 Blocks” Syrah Cuvee, Paso Robles, $50, QPR: 1
2001 L’Aventure Estate Cuvee (Cab/PV/Syrah), Paso Robles, $85, QPR: 1

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
2007 J. Lohr South Ridge Syrah, Paso Robles, $15, QPR: 4
2008 Ancient Peaks Sauvignon Blanc, Paso Robles, $12, QPR: 3
2008 Clayhouse Wines Sauvignon Blanc, Paso Robles, $14, QPR: 3
2007 Ortman Family Sangiovese, Paso Robles, $22, QPR: 3
2008 Anglim Winery Rosé, Paso Robles, $15, QPR: 2
2008 Hearst Ranch “Glacier Ridge” Chardonnay, Santa Lucia Highlands, $25, QPR: 2
2009 Eberle Viognier, Paso Robles, $21, QPR: 1
2007 Kenneth Volk Roussanne, Paso Robles, $24, QPR: 1
2007 Steinbeck Viognier, Paso Robles, $29, QPR: 1
2008 J. Dusi Zinfandel Dusi Vineyard, Paso Robles, $32, QPR: 1
2007 Peachy Canyon Snow Zinfandel, Paso Robles, $36, QPR: 1
2008 Denner Vineyards Grenache, Paso Robles, $42, QPR: 1
2005 Halter Ranch Ancestor Estate Reserve (Bordeaux blend), Paso Robles, $44, QPR: 1
2007 Hope Family Treana Red (Cab/Syrah), Paso Robles, $50, QPR: 1
2007 Hearst Ranch “The Point” Special Reserve (Cab blend), Paso Robles, $70, QPR: 1

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
2008 Robert Hall Rosé de Robles, Paso Robles, $15, QPR: NR
2007 Ancient Peaks Zinfandel, Paso Robles, $16, QPR: NR
2008 Niner Wine Estates Sauvignon Blanc, Paso Robles, $17, QPR: NR
2008 Thacher Vineyards Viognier, Paso Robles, $25, QPR: NR
2008 J. Dusi Syrah Caterina’s Hill Dusi Vineyard, Paso Robles, $38, QPR: NR

L’Ecole Nº 41, founded in 1983, is the Walla Walla Valley’s third-oldest winery. It remains a family-owned operation with current owners Megan and Marty Clubb, the daughter and son-in-law of founders Jean and Baker Ferguson. Located in the historic Frenchtown schoolhouse (L’Ecole is French for “the school”) just west of Walla Walla, Washington, L’Ecole Nº 41 is a unique wine country destination. They currently produce about 30,000 cases annually.

The historic schoolhouse that houses L’Ecole was built in 1915 and plays a large part in the L’Ecole identity. Tasting room visitors sample wines in one of the classrooms, complete with original chalkboards, light fixtures, floors, and moldings. The schoolhouse theme carries over to their labels as well with a colorful watercolor image of the school, the contest-winning work of an 8 year-old in 1984, and a chalkboard with kid chalk font. The child’s watercolor drawing graces all of L’Ecole’s bottles except for Perigee and Apogee which feature an historic photograph of the schoolhouse.

In addition to his tireless efforts at L’Ecole, co-owner and winemaker Marty Clubb has been a great ambassador for Washington State wine through his work with both the Washington Wine Commission and the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance.

Recently, we had the opportunity to taste a number of L’Ecole’s current releases in a blind samples tasting. These four wines, all produced from Walla Walla Valley fruit, are excellent representatives of the L’Ecole portfolio. The two estate wines we tasted, the 2007 Estate Syrah and the 2008 Estate Luminesce, come from Seven Hills Vineyard which is a partnership between L’Ecole Nº 41, Leonetti Cellar, and Pepper Bridge Winery. With two 4-star wines and two 3.5-star wines, I encourage you to pick up any of these if you see them on the shelf at your local wine shop. And if you find yourself in Walla Walla, L’Ecole Nº 41 is a must visit.

2007 L’Ecole Nº 41 Estate Syrah (Seven Hills Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley, Washington): Deep, dark purple. Beautiful bouquet of black fruits and oak leads to flavors of black fruits, particularly blackberries, and spice. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a very 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 $37; Available elsewhere, $30

2006 L’Ecole Nº 41 Apogee (Pepper Bridge Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 8% Malbec, 4% Cabernet Franc. Deep ruby-purple and very aromatic. Oak and vanilla dominate the nose with dark fruits and earth showing through as well. More oak and spice along with blackberry and black cherry on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with very drying tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $50; Available elsewhere, $33 to $48

2006 L’Ecole Nº 41 Cabernet Sauvignon (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): Medium-deep red in color. Red and black fruits as well as some oak come through on the nose. Fruit-forward with flavors of black and red fruits, plums, black cherry, and mocha. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with 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 $40; Available elsewhere, $30 to $43

2008 L’Ecole Nº 41 Estate Luminesce (Seven Hills Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 70% Semillon, 30% Sauvignon Blanc. Greenish yellow in color and very aromatic. Pears and apples come through on the nose; more pears, apples, and lemon zest on the palate. Dry, medium-bodied, and crisp with a long, somewhat tart, finish. Well-balanced.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $20; Available elsewhere, $17

For years, I’ve had friends tell me that they can’t find the great Washington State wines that I tell them about where they live. So with the help of Wine-Searcher.com and a lot of legwork, I’ve set out on a mission to prove them wrong.

This is the eighth in a series of posts to help you find great Washington State wines in the major cities and areas all around the country. So far, the series has featured New York City, Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix. Today, I’m searching for Washington State wine in the Austin, Texas area. As a native Texan whose hometown of Cameron, Texas, is only about 90 miles from Austin, I am especially excited to explore their wine scene to see how easy it is to find great wines from my adopted home state of Washington.

Here’s the format: To be selected, a store first has to have a Wine-Searcher.com rating of 4 or higher on a scale of 1 to 5 for customer service, reliability, etc. Next, it has to stock Washington State wines that we really like. Finally, they need to be an online retailer as well, so that if you don’t live close enough to the store to drop in, you can still purchase their wines.

Based on these strict criteria, I can only find one Austin area retailer to recommend, The Austin Wine Merchant, which has some good higher-end Washington wines. However, the largest wine retailer in the Texas market is Spec’s Wine, Spirits, & Finer Foods, and they have six large stores in the Austin area. I’ve shopped at a number of Spec’s stores in Texas, and they are great wine merchants; but for whatever reason, they are not listed on Wine-Searcher. Most of their stores have a good selection of Washington State wines, but the wines aren’t always the easiest to find because there is usually not a Washington State section in the store. Generally, they are interspersed with California wines by varietal. I’m hoping that some of our readers will weigh in with your comments if you know of other Austin area wine retailers with a good selection of Washington wines.

When you visit one of these stores, please let me know how you find their service and selection, and don’t hesitate to ask us any questions you might have about any of the Washington wines they are offering.

The Austin Wine Merchant, 512 W Sixth St, Austin, TX

Spec’s Wine, Spirits, & Finer Foods, 4970 W Highway 290, Austin, TX

This week’s Wine Word of the Week is biodynamic viticulture.

Official definition from Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion to Wine:
Biodynamic viticulture is, depending on your perspective, an enhanced or extreme form of organic viticulture. This controversial regime has produced some impressive results but without the reassurance of conclusive scientific explanation. It is based on theories by the Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) for agriculture in general. Biodynamics sees each vineyard as a living organism which can be maintained in a self-sustaining way.

Layman’s terms from Kori:
Biodynamic viticulture utilizes the same basic principles as organic viticulture, but then incorporates religious-like practices such as the alignment of planets, phases of the moon, and special preparations such as crushed quartz crystals.

Hosted annually by the Washington Wine Commission, Taste Washington is dubbed “the ultimate wine experience.” This past weekend brought Washington wine lovers from around the country to Seattle to drink, eat, and be merry. The event is a wine and food lover’s paradise.

The festivities kicked off on Friday with the Washington Wine Restaurant Awards, picked up steam on Saturday with Education Day, and launched into overdrive on Sunday when the doors opened at 2pm for the Grand Tasting.

The Grand Tasting is the showcase event of Taste Washington. This year’s event featured over 200 wineries pouring their wines and over 60 restaurants serving small bites. With more than 650 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 $125 for VIP tickets or $75 for general admission tickets 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.

With 200+ wineries pouring close to 1,000 wines, it is impossible to taste all of them. Therefore, we always try to put together a “plan of attack” before the event. This year we decided to focus on new wineries or wineries that were new to us. As I mentioned on Wednesday, we had the opportunity to get a head start and taste some wines during the trade tasting at the Restaurant Awards on Friday and a few more during the seminars on Saturday. Those wines along with the ones we tasted at the Grand Tasting on Sunday totaled 116 different wines. As you’ll see from the complete breakdown of wines below, of those 116 wines, we rated 22 of them as 4-star quality or higher and 19 of them have a QPR rating of 5 bangs for your buck. As we’ve said over and over: Washington State is producing outstanding wines that deliver the most bang for your buck.

Of the wineries whose wines I had not tasted prior to this weekend, the most exciting discoveries were Tranche Cellars, a relatively new winery in Walla Walla affiliated with Corliss Estates, and Steppe Cellars, a winery located in Sunnyside that opened in 2005. 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. We enjoyed the opportunity to visit with some of the winemakers/winery owners whose wines we have enjoyed in the past including Bob Betz of Betz Family Winery, Dean and Heather Neff of Nefarious Cellars, Mike and Karen Wade of Fielding Hills, Rich Funk of Saviah Cellars, Hugh and Kathy Shiels of Cote Bonneville, and Tim and Erica Blue of Adams Bench as well as meet a few who we had not had the chance to meet previously including Alex Golitzin of Quilceda Creek, Denise Slattery and Steve Michener of Trio Vintners, and Kay Simon of Chinook Wines.

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that we tasted during the Taste Washington weekend. 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: 5 stars (out of 5)
2006 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $150, QPR: 5
1999 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $200, QPR: 5

Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
2007 Fielding Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope, $38, QPR: 5
2006 Quilceda Creek Galitzine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $98, QPR: 5
2005 Quilceda Creek Galitzine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $110, QPR: 5
2007 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $125, QPR: 5
2005 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $175, QPR: 4

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
2008 McKinley Springs Chenin Blanc, Horse Heaven Hills, $12, QPR: 5
2007 Owen Roe Sharecropper’s Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $14, QPR: 5
2007 Steppe Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 5
2005 Tranche Cellars Barbera, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 5
2007 Adams Bench “V” Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $42, QPR: 5
2007 Castillo de Feliciana Tempranillo, Wahluke Slope, $28, QPR: 4
2006 Bunnell Family Syrah, Horse Heaven Hills, $38, QPR: 4
2007 Saviah Cellars Malbec, Walla Walla Valley, $30, QPR: 3
2007 Fidelitas Malbec, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 3
2007 JM Cellars Boushey Vineyard Syrah, Yakima Valley, $40, QPR: 3
2007 Quilceda Creek Galitzine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $98, QPR: 3
2006 Cote Bonneville Carriage House Red Wine, DuBrul Vineyard, Yakima Valley, $50, QPR: 2
2007 Andrew Will Champoux Red Wine, Horse Heaven Hills, $55, QPR: 2
2007 Andrew Will Ciel du Cheval Red Wine, Red Mountain, $55, QPR: 2
2005 Cote Bonneville DuBrul Vineyard Red Wine, Yakima Valley, $120, QPR: 1

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2007 Buried Cane Riesling, Washington State, $12, QPR: 5
2007 Columbia Crest H3 Merlot, Horse Heaven Hills, $14, QPR: 5
NV The Surveyor Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $14, QPR: 5
2007 Boomtown Syrah, Columbia Valley, $15, QPR: 5
2008 Alexander Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, California, $17, QPR: 5
2005 Eagle Haven Sangiovese, Yakima Valley, $20, QPR: 5
2007 Mercer Estates Off Dry Riesling, Yakima Valley, $15, QPR: 4
2007 8 Bit Vintners Player 1 Red Blend, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: 4
2007 Plaza Winery Royalty Red, Red Mountain, $18, QPR: 4
2007 Soos Creek Commander Comet Syrah, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 4
2007 Davenport Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 4
2007 Chinook Cabernet Franc, Yakima Valley, $22, QPR: 4
2007 Sojen Cellars Red Bordeaux Blend, Columbia Valley, $22, QPR: 4
2007 Davenport Cellars R.H.D. Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 4
2007 Davenport Cellars Continuity Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 4
2007 Southard Syrah, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 4
2007 Tildio Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $30, QPR: 4
2004 Tranche Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 4
2009 Trio Vintners Tres Rose Rosé, Yakima Valley, $15, QPR: 3
2008 Mercer Estates Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley, $15, QPR: 3
2007 Wines of Substance Malbec, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 3
2007 Memaloose Cabernet Franc, Columbia Gorge, $25, QPR: 3
2006 Steppe Cellars Artemisia Red Bordeaux Blend, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 3
2006 Walla Faces Red Bordeaux Blend, Walla Walla Valley, $30, QPR: 3
2007 Bunnell Family “a pic” Red Rhone Blend, Stonetree Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, $32, QPR: 3
2007 Bunchgrass Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $32, QPR: 3
2007 Cadaretta Syrah, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 3
2007 Nefarious Malbec, Upland Vineyard, Snipes Mountain, $28, QPR: 2
2008 Isenhower Cellars Snapdragon Roussanne/Viognier, Red Mountain, $19, QPR: 2
2007 Adams Bench “Reckoning” Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $34, QPR: 2
2007 Gramercy Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $38, QPR: 2
2007 Bunnell Family Boushey-McPherson Syrah, Yakima Valley, $43, QPR: 2
2006 aMaurice Cellars Malbec, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 1
2007 Sparkman Cellars The Darkness Syrah, Yakima Valley, $50, QPR: 1

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
NV Seeing Red Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $10, QPR: 5
2007 Powers Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $12, QPR: 5
2007 Buried Cane Chardonnay, Washington State, $12, QPR: 4
2008 Cimicky Trumps Shiraz, Barossa Valley, Australia, $17, QPR: 4
2007 Corvus Cellars Ruckus Red Blend, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: 4
2008 Sojen Cellars Syrah, Yakima Valley, $18, QPR: 4
2007 Ott & Murphy Syrah, Horse Heaven Hills, $18, QPR: 4
2007 Castillo de Feliciana Miercoles Red Wine, Walla Walla Valley, $19, QPR: 4
2007 Mercer Estates Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 4
2007 Southard Whipping Boy Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 4
2007 Palouse Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, Rattlesnake Hills, $29, QPR: 4
2007 Dopf & Irion Riesling, Alsace, France, $16, QPR: 3
2006 Seia Syrah, Horse Heaven Hills, $20, QPR: 3
2006 Powers Reserve Syrah, Cougar Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, $20, QPR: 3
2007 Eagle Haven Syrah, Yakima Valley, $20, QPR: 3
2008 Naches Heights Syrah, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 3
2007 Plaza Winery Super Tuscan Sangiovese, Horse Heaven Hills, $22, QPR: 3
2007 Memaloose Mistral Ranch Red Wine, Columbia Gorge, $23, QPR: 3
2006 Walla Faces Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $25, QPR: 3
2006 CAVU Cellars Horizon Red, Walla Walla Valley, $26, QPR: 3
2007 Glencorrie Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 3
2006 Walla Faces Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $35, QPR: 3
2006 Corvus Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $39, QPR: 3
2007 Glencorrie Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $40, QPR: 3
2008 Domaine Alary Grange Daniel Roussanne, Vins de Pays, France, $15, QPR: 2
2006 Domaine de la Berangeraie Cahors, France, $18, QPR: 2
2006 Ksana Malbec, Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina, $18, QPR: 2
2007 Pacific Rim Wallula Biodynamic Riesling, Horse Heaven Hills, $18, QPR: 2
2008 El Corazon First Crush Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $26, QPR: 2
2007 Ott & Murphy Mystique Red, Columbia Valley, $27, QPR: 2
2006 Agate Field Cabernet Franc, Yakima Valley, $28, QPR: 2
2007 Glencorrie Merlot, Stillwater Creek Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 2
2007 Madsen Family Cabernet Franc, Washington State, $28, QPR: 2
2007 Seia Syrah, Wahluke Slope, $30, QPR: 2
2007 Bunchgrass Syrah, Columbia Valley, $32, QPR: 2
2006 McKinley Springs Malbec, Horse Heaven Hills, $20, QPR: 1
2008 CAVU Cellars Barbera Alder Ridge, Horse Heaven Hills, $30, QPR: 1
2008 El Corazon Tigers Blood Carmenere, Walla Walla Valley, $32, QPR: 1
2005 Portrait Cellars Merlot, Red Mountain, $32, QPR: 1
2007 Dusted Valley Malbec, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 1
2007 Gramercy Cellars Tempranillo, Walla Walla Valley, $40, QPR: 1
2008 Maison Bleue Liberte Syrah, Yakima Valley, $40, QPR: 1
2007 Andrew Will Two Blondes Red Wine, Yakima Valley, $48, QPR: 1
2007 Obelisco Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $59, QPR: 1

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
2007 Buried Cane Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington State, $13, QPR: NR
2008 Memaloose Estate Barbera, Columbia Gorge, $20, QPR: NR
2006 Fontaine Estates Dry Sangiovese, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: NR
2008 El Corazon Supernova Malbec, Rattlesnake Hills, $21, QPR: NR
2006 Two Mountain Winery Merlot, Yakima Valley, $22, QPR: NR
2005 Severino Cellars Syrah, Yakima Valley, $25, QPR: NR
2006 Madsen Family Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $30, QPR: NR
2007 Irlandes Reserve Syrah, Columbia Valley, $34, QPR: NR

Quality: 2 stars (out of 5)
2008 Simply Seductively Smooth Red Syrah, Columbia Valley, $10, QPR: NR
2005 Christian Mouiex Merlot, Bordeaux, France, $15, QPR: NR
2005 Illusion Apparition Red Bordeaux Blend, Columbia Valley, $16, QPR: NR
2007 Snowgrass Roaring Creek Red, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: NR
2007 Eliseo Silva Syrah, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: NR
2005 Agate Field Syrah, Yakima Valley, $25, QPR: NR
2007 Irlandes Reserve Merlot, Columbia Valley, $36, QPR: NR
2007 Swiftwater Proprietary Red Bordeaux Blend, Columbia Valley, $50, QPR: NR

You, the reader, are the reason for our existence. We strive to be, “Your Link to Great QPR Wines from Washington State and Beyond.” Thank you for your continued support of Wine Peeps.

As a wine enthusiast (and I doubt that you would be visiting us or any other wine blog if you weren’t a wine enthusiast), we would like to urge you to participate in the fourth annual Wine Blog Awards that are now managed by the organizers of the North American Wine Bloggers Conference. These awards recognize the best the English-language wine blogging world has to offer.

The awards are currently taking nominations in various award categories (8 in all). Nominations will be taken until April 7th. It will only take a few minutes to make your nominations. Whether you nominate Wine Peeps or not, the main thing is to get as many worthy nominations for the awards as possible. However, if you believe that Wine Peeps is a worthy nominee, we would certainly appreciate your vote and support.

Click on the following award categories to make your nominations:

• Best Overall Wine Blog
• Best Wine Reviews on a Wine Blog
• Best Writing on a Wine Blog
• Best Single Subject Wine Blog
• Best Wine Blog Graphics, Photography, & Presentation
• Best Industry/Business Wine Blog
• Best Winery Blog
• Best New Wine Blog

The nominations for finalists in the different categories come from the public. Those nominees, assuming they meet basic criteria, will be handed off to a set of judges who will together choose finalists in each category. Once finalists are determined, the winners will be chosen based on a vote of the public and the judges, with each given 50% of the weight towards determining the winner in each category.

The awards will be presented live, for the first time, on Friday, June 25th at the North American Wine Bloggers Conference in Walla Walla, Washington.

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 Nobilo Regional Collection Pinot Grigio from the East Coast region of New Zealand.

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

Regular readers might remember that the Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc is one of our (and especially Mom’s) favorite go-to white wines. Well, Nobilo makes more than just Sauvignon Blanc. Their Pinot Grigio is excellent as well.

In the 1940’s, Nikola Nobilo emigrated from Croatia and planted some of the first commercial grapevines in New Zealand. He was one of the pioneers responsible for the worldwide popularity of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. All of the wines in the Nobilo Regional Collection are made to be fresh, fruit-forward, and consumed early.

“Light straw in color with brilliant clarity. A perfumed bouquet of orange blossom and pear is overlaid with enticing spicy notes. Elegant and refreshing, the Nobilo Regional Collection Pinot Grigio has been crafted in an off dry style. Showing excellent weight and balance this wine has a creamy texture complemented by gentle acidity. Flavors of ripe apple, melon and pear linger on the palate in a smooth, generous finish.” –Winemaker’s notes

2008 Nobilo Regional Collection Pinot Grigio (East Coast, New Zealand): Medium yellow-gold in color. Honeysuckle aromas give way to flavors of lemon-lime, melon, and pear. Medium-bodied and smooth. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, WA), $11.49; Available elsewhere, $10 to $15