As the year 2009 comes to a close, it’s time for us to reflect on our body of work this year, what we’ve done well and where we can improve in 2010. When you have written as many posts as we have this year, 256 to be exact, it is quite a project to review them all and pick a top 10.

The ten we selected are not necessarily our personal favorites, but the ones that generated the most interest and discussion among our readers, not just on our Wine Peeps website, but on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter as well.

Looking at our top 10, I believe we can say that we have been true to our mission of being, “Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond,” as eight of our top 10 posts relate directly to Washington State wines. So, without further ado, here are our top 10 posts for 2009, listed in chronological order from oldest to newest:

• South Africa: Reflections on an Amazing Trip
• Taste Washington 2009: The Complete Recap
• Spotlight On: Quilceda Creek
• Spokane, Washington: Undiscovered Wine Country
• Wine Tasting Dinner: Washington Malbec Extravaganza
• My Bucket List of Wines
• Washington State Wine: More than Just Walla Walla
• A Wine for Tonight: 2006 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Cabernet Sauvignon
• Wine Peeps: Leading the Coverage of Washington State Wines (continued)
• Soos Creek and Quilceda Creek: A Contrast in Customer Service

Now, we’d like to hear from you. Besides the ones listed above, what were your favorite Wine Peeps posts of 2009? And what topics would you like to see us cover in 2010?

Cheers!

When you are winding down and relaxing after dinner on a cold, winter evening, there’s nothing better than a small glass of port wine. Add in a piece of chocolate with your port around the holidays and you have a treat that’s hard to beat.

Port is a fortified wine, meaning that grape spirit (almost 80 percent alcohol) has been added in order to stop fermentation, bringing the alcohol level of the port to around 20 percent. The best port grapes and almost all port production are red. Port is synonymous with Portugal; although wineries in other countries sometimes call a port-style wine “port”, real port is produced only in Portugal. In the United States, port-style wines are usually called fortified or dessert wine and made using the port process.

We have found good U.S. “ports” in places you might not expect, such as Idaho, Missouri, and Texas. And the best bang for the buck we’ve found in a port comes from Australia, the NV Jonesy Port made by Aussie winemaker Trevor Jones in partnership with importer Dan Philips.

“As my friends and colleagues know by now, I love Australian fortified wines.  I wanted to invent and market a Tawny Port that would be a mind-blowing value. So, I asked my close friend and Port-meister Trevor Jones to collaborate with me to create a delicious, every day, easy-drinking, shockingly luscious Tawny Port that would sell at a stupid-low price. I don’t add a wine to my portfolio until I’ve test driven it in many different real world contexts. I’ve found this Port delicious after dinner, before dinner and during dinner. I drink it like wine. I drink it over ice by the buckets. One sip and I had a jones for Jonesy. It’s a party in a glass. It’s a bottle full of fun. In short, it’s liquid Trevor.” –Dan Philips

The best and most expensive ports are bottle-aged ports such as vintage and single quinta ports. They will continue to improve in the bottle for many years, but once opened they will only hold their best freshness for 4-5 days. Ruby and tawny ports are wood-aged ports. Having spent more time in barrels, they will remain fresher after opening longer than bottle-aged ports. Ruby ports will usually retain their freshness for 1-3 weeks after opening; tawny ports 4-6 weeks.

So far, we have not found any remarkable Washington ports and have not tasted the very expensive top-end ports from Portugal. But, here’s a list of the best port-style wines that we have had:

NV Jonesy Port (Australia)
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Seattle Wine Company (Washington), $8.95 [750ml]; Available elsewhere, $8 to $15

2007 Becker Vintage Port (Texas): Syrah-based.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $21.95 [750ml]

NV Williamson Vineyard Doce Dessert Wine (Idaho): 80% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $25.00 [375ml]

NV Mount Pleasant Tawny Port Library Volume XII (Augusta, Missouri): Made from the Norton grape.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $30.00 [375ml]

As I mentioned earlier, of the ports that we’ve had, the best value and maybe the best wine as well, is the NV Jonesy Port from Australia. It is an amazing value that can generally be found under $10.

Today’s post is part of a series featuring the Women of Washington Wine. In an industry once dominated by men, more and more women are joining the ranks as winery owners, vineyard owners, and winemakers. Being a woman myself, I am fascinated by these women and what they have done and continue to do. Through this series, I hope to introduce you to some of the brightest female faces in the Washington wine industry.

Adams Bench Winery is a small, family-owned winery located in Woodinville, Washington. Founded in 2005 by owners and co-winemakers Tim and Erica Blue, Adams Bench produces Cabernet Sauvignon and Cab blends exclusively. After being bitten by the wine bug, Tim and Erica took enology courses at the famed UC Davis and began making home wine in 2004. They have produced some excellent wines in their short history; their current releases are only their third vintage. They produce 1,000 cases per year. We had the pleasure to meet Tim and Erica and visit their winery last year. The winery is located in a converted horse barn just down the hill from the Blue’s home. It is a gorgeous setting on a few acres overlooking horse pastures with a view of the Olympic Mountains on a clear day. Tim and Erica are both very friendly, welcoming, and extremely enthusiastic about what they are doing.

Recently, Erica was kind enough to take time out of her busy schedule during this holiday season to answer some questions for me and our Wine Peeps readers.

Highlights from Q&A with Erica Blue:

How did you first get involved in the wine business?
Isn’t wine endlessly interesting? I was first captivated as a learner, a taster, and a traveler—but eventually became drawn into the experience of making wine at home, then decided to create Adams Bench with my husband Tim.

What were the steps that led to where you are now?
It’s always hard to identify all the steps. In retrospect I think there were foundations laid as far back as college—I was a chemistry major and loved it. My father, Vance Peavy, was an advocate, who believed wine was part of a good life. He influenced Tim to open his life to wine, and the rest is history. I was an Ob/GYN physician for many years, where I learned the value of patience, and developed a deep respect for the natural rhythms of life. I worked many years in a world of ideas, and at some point developed a longing to create something quite tangible, something I could hold in my hands, which represents the rhythm of the season, and speaks of a time and place, unique, never to be repeated, yet captured in a bottle.

Has being a woman been an advantage or a disadvantage in your wine journey? Please explain.
I think my feminine traits are a natural fit for winemaking—I know what tastes good to me, and others seem to like it too. I am also adventuresome, so I have enjoyed learning many new skills, such as understanding gas fittings, metric  wrenches, how to assemble and customize a labeling machine, drive a forklift (though my husband hates to watch me do this), troubleshoot our bottling machine, and work with fermentations to get the results we want.

What advice do you have for a woman wanting to get involved in the wine business today?
Go to school. Study, learn all you can, and then apprentice yourself to a good mentor. I greatly valued Chris Camarda (Andrew Will Winery), who was our consultant, for his patient mentoring. Understand your goals. Be prepared to work hard.

What are your thoughts about the Washington wine industry, in general?
Infinite potential. The best climate for wine in the U.S. Washington is evolving and finding its place in the world. We have a great Wine Commission here and great people involved in the industry.

In recent years the Washington wine industry has grown at a rapid rate. Do you expect that trend to continue?
Yes, and more importantly, an increase in recognition for Washington’s place in the world of wine.

How do you and your husband, Tim, divide the duties at the winery?
We both do everything, but I am primarily responsible for harvest picking decisions and fermentations. I love this aspect particularly. The long, solitary trips to the vineyard during harvest, punctuated by fragrant walks down the vineyard rows, tasting and testing, color, flavor, seed and skin make me feel alive. I love it.

I understand that Tim continues to practice law full-time and you work part-time as a medical clinic administrator. How do you balance your day jobs with your work at the winery?
Yes, Tim is a trial lawyer and loves his work. And actually, I work full-time for The Everett Clinic. We are both very energetic, and committed to our first professions, and bring the same energy and dedication to Adams Bench.   We make it work—during harvest we do work 7 days a week, and we have family who have come to play important roles.

What is your vision for the future of Adams Bench Winery?
Our vision is to continue producing 1,000 cases each year—creating Cabernet Sauvignon and Cab blends which continue to evolve as something truly special, consistently special—making just a little, and working very hard to make the best. We’ll develop our 3.25 acres over time, in a manner which complements the rural environment, maintaining peace and ambience as we improve our buildings, add a small vineyard, gardens, and more lavender. We will remain open only by appointment, as small groups allow us to enjoy getting to know our customers, many of whom are just as interested and devoted to Cabernet as Tim and I are!

—

Many thanks to Erica for sharing her story and thoughts with us. I wish her and Tim all the best and will be following their work and Adams Bench Winery with great interest, and I hope that you will too.

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

Official definition from Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst’s The New Wine Lover’s Companion:
An enophile is someone who enjoys wine, usually referring to a connoisseur. Also spelled oenophile.

Layman’s terms from Kori:
An enophile is a wine lover.

“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’” (Luke 2:10-12)

Merry Christmas!

(Photo by jeffweese)

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 2006 Snoqualmie 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

With winter setting in and the weather getting colder, we tend to eat heartier foods, and with that go stouter wines like Syrah. One of our longtime value favorites has been Snoqualmie Syrah. When Snoqualmie winemaker, Joy Andersen, began her career, there were only 24 winemakers in Washington State and even fewer women in the winemaking industry. Her winemaking philosophy is to “keep it simple.”

Snoqualmie has been producing good value wines from Columbia Valley vineyards for more than twenty years and is a part of the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates group. It was one of the first wineries in the state to make wines from USDA-certified organically grown grapes, and as of 2008 had the largest certified organic vineyard in the state.

“Rich black fruit aromas of blackberry and blueberry mingle with herbal, smoky tones. The palate shows rich fruit with subtle oak impressions and luscious, soft tannins. A perfect wine to pair with roast duck or turkey.” –Winemaker Joy Andersen on the 2006 Syrah

2006 Snoqualmie Syrah (Columbia Valley, Washington): Dark purple in color. Very aromatic with smoked meats, mint, and black fruit on the nose; blackberry and BBQ sauce on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle), $8; Available elsewhere, $8 to $11

Recently, we had what turned out to be a Barossa Valley (Australia) Shiraz showdown in one of our private tasting dinners pitting the 2005 Schild Estate Shiraz against the 2005 Kilikanoon Testament Shiraz. We liked both of these wines but all four of us preferred the Schild. In fact, we thought it was outstanding, and with a QPR of 5 bangs for your buck, it is a great buy as well! It’s rare to find a wine of this quality under $20. Unfortunately, though, it may be difficult to find this wine at that price any longer. It is mostly sold out. Both of these wines are excellent and paired well with Mom’s dinner of pot roast, sweet potatoes, carrots, green beans, Southern biscuits, and pineapple. For a more complete description of how we set up these private tastings, please refer to How We Taste.

In the spring of 2005, we had the pleasure to travel to Australia and visit a number of wineries there. We fell in love with the country, their wines, and the Barossa Valley in particular. While the Barossa Valley is quite versatile in the number and quality of wines it can successfully produce, it is best known for Shiraz.

Schild Estate has a long history in the Barossa Valley. Ben Schild settled there with his family in 1952 and transformed the land into a mixed farm, focusing on sustainable viticulture. When he died just four years later, his son Ed took over the property and has become one of the largest independent premium grape growers in the region. Their focus on quality in the vineyards has translated into quality in their wines. Schild Estate has been the recipient of numerous accolades from wine media over the years.

Kilikanoon Wines, founded by winemaker Kevin Mitchell in 1997, is located in the Clare Valley of Australia but sources fruit from several regions throughout Australia, including the Barossa Valley. Kilikanoon currently produces over 40,000 cases per year. In 2001, Kevin took on partners in Kilikanoon including two well-known Australian classical musicians, Nathan Waks and John Harding, along with the head of Oracle Funds Management, Bruce Baudinet.

2005 Schild Estate Shiraz (Barossa Valley, Australia): Deep, dark red and very aromatic. Earth, beef jerky, grape fruit-rollup, and pencil eraser come through on the nose; blackberry, toasted nuts, spice, pie crust, and some black pepper on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with medium to high tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Wine Exchange (California), $17.99; Available elsewhere, $23 to $30

2005 Kilikanoon Testament Shiraz (Barossa Valley, Australia): Dark purple in color. Aromas of prunes and cinnamon lead to flavors of plums, blackberries, raspberries, and spice. Fruit-forward, medium to full-bodied, and medium tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long finish. Improves with food.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $24.99; Available elsewhere, $31 to $38

Chicken Fried Steak is a southern dish that is believed to have been adapted by Texans through the influence of German immigrants and their wiener schnitzel. An inexpensive cut of meat such as cube steak or tenderized round steak is dipped in an egg and milk mixture and dredged through flour before being cooked in hot oil.

According to FoodTimeline.org, the history of chicken fried steak (aka country fried steak) is a fabulous example of cultural diversity, regional pride and just plain confusion. Why? Because there are as many names/recipes for this dish as people who claim they know how it started. That’s part of what makes the study of food history so interesting.

“Chicken-fried steak…Particularly popular in the South and Midwest, this dish is said to have been created to use inexpensive beef.” –Food Lover’s Companion, 3rd edition by Sharon Tyler Herbst

Whatever its origin and purpose, it is the heart of a great southern meal—not necessarily the healthiest—but certainly delicious for an occasional meal.

Now you ask…wine and chicken fried steak??? I say, “Why not?” While either beer or iced tea might be the first beverages to come to mind when thinking about a beverage to pair with chicken fried steak, I was surprised to find some interesting wine recommendations. My favorite reference book is What to Drink with What You Eat by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, a book John reviewed in October. If you can believe it, one of the recommendations to enjoy with this dish is rosé Champagne (or rosé sparkling wine)! I thought, “Now that sounds like fun.” So I excitedly planned the menu which included a green salad, chicken fried steak with cream gravy, sweet potato fries, bacon wrapped seasoned green beans, and flaky buttermilk biscuits, and then rushed to the store to make my wine selections.

With this very basic meal, we did a blind tasting of the NV Domaine Ste. Michelle Blanc de Noirs and the 2006 Sagelands Vineyard Four Corners Cabernet Sauvignon. And by blind tasting, I mean that the other three Wine Peeps did not know what the two wines were; though they obviously could tell that we were having one red wine and one rosé sparkling wine. Since the meal was an inexpensive one, I wanted to be sure that the wines were at an equally inexpensive price point, and both of these fit that criterion.

While we enjoyed both wines, we all thought that the Sagelands Cab paired better with the chicken fried steak; however, on its own, we preferred the Domaine Ste. Michelle Blanc de Noirs.

Bon Appétit!

2006 Sagelands Four Corners Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep ruby red with oak, earth, and raspberry on the nose. Tobacco, black plums, and licorice come through on the palate. Medium-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long, but bitter, finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle), $12.19 (on sale $8.99); Available elsewhere, $11 to $16

NV Domaine Ste. Michelle Blanc de Noirs (Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale salmon in color. Quite aromatic with strawberry, apricot, and yeast aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish. A nice, refreshing bubbly.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle), $13.19 (on sale $7.99); Available elsewhere, $8 to $15

The majority of Washington State wineries are small, “Mom and Pop” operations, many operating out of garages, office parks, or other small facilities. Basel Cellars, located on the Old Milton Highway just south of downtown Walla Walla, Washington, is not one of those operations. In fact, Basel Cellars is one of the first wineries that comes to mind when I think about the exceptions to that rule. Basel Cellars is a picturesque 87-acre wine country resort. Their estate houses the winery, tasting room, vineyards, gardens, and luxurious overnight accommodations (available to wine club members). From the tasting room and adjacent patio, guests are treated to breathtaking views of the Blue Mountains. Meanwhile, inside the tasting room, they serve some very good wines.

Founded in 2002, Basel Cellars is currently owned by the Basel and Hansen families and produces 6,500 cases per year. Their winemaker is Justin Basel who early on decided that winemaking was his calling and has now been involved in the wine production of the family business for several years. All of the wine production for Basel Cellars is done on site in their 9,600 sq ft underground winery.

“Growing up in our Estate vineyards since I was 13 and knowing the Walla Walla fruit along with my education has opened me up to Washington’s fantastic agriculture opportunities. This has really given me the insight and knowledge to produce outstanding wines.” –Winemaker Justin Basel

Basel Cellars owns two estate vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley, Pheasant Run and Double River Ranch, which were planted in 1997. They grow Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Tempranillo and Semillon.

We tasted a couple of the Basel Cellars wines blind in a recent samples tasting. Our favorite was the Estate Merlot, but we also found the Merriment enjoyable.

If you are ever in the Walla Walla area, you should definitely make a point to visit Basel Cellars.

2006 Basel Cellars Estate Merlot Pheasant Run Vineyard (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): Deep garnet. Red fruits and cinnamon on both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins. Bold yet smooth with a slight bitterness on the 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 $28; Discount Wine Buys (Washington), $22.94

2006 Basel Cellars Merriment Estate Red Wine (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. Deep red. Nose is a bit tight at first. Gradually black cherry and cedar aromas emerge, followed by black and red fruit flavors. Medium-bodied and smooth with medium tannins and a medium length finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $48; Available elsewhere, $48 to $54

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

Official definition from Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion to Wine:
Reserve is a term liberally used by wine producers for various bottlings. It should be quite literally reserved itself, for superior wines, but, unlike Reserva and Riserva, the English term Reserve has few controls on its use.

Layman’s terms from Kori:
The word “reserve” on a bottle of wine doesn’t always mean that it is better than any other bottle from that winery. In some cases it does, but in many cases it does not.

In 1999, Washington became the first state (and still one of the only) to define standards for “reserve” wines. According to a measure adopted by the Washington Wine Quality Alliance, the word “reserve” can be used for no more than 10% of a winery’s production or up to 3,000 cases and the wine must be of higher quality than most wines made by that winery. Thus, “reserve” wines in Washington (at least from wineries that adhere to the WWQA standards) truly are the best of the best. In other states and countries, the use of the word “reserve” is mostly a marketing gimmick.