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. And until today, I had.

This is the third in a series of posts to help you find great Washington State wines in the major cities and areas all around the country. The first post in the series featured New York City, and the second featured Chicago. Today, I’m searching for Washington State wine in the Atlanta area.

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.

If there is an abundance of great Washington State wine available in Atlanta, or even in the state of Georgia for that matter, I can’t find it. The best selection I found that almost fit our criteria was at the Smoke Rise Bottle Shoppe in Stone Mountain, Georgia. And even here, it was mostly value wines, not truly any great wines, and it was not that easy to even find these on their website.

In contrast to New York and Chicago, Atlanta doesn’t seem to have as vibrant a wine community. I wish it was different, because I really like Atlanta as a city, but I believe that we owe it to you, our readers, to tell it like it is. Stay tuned as we move on to Houston, Texas, next month in our quest for great Washington State wines around the USA.

The marketing struggle for producers of high-end wines has been well-documented, especially the so-called “dead-zone” of $50+ in California and $30+ in Washington State. What has not been discussed as much is the opportunity that this glut of higher-end wines provides for the wine consumer.

Let’s face it; wineries will do almost anything before dropping the price on their wines. They’ll keep them in the warehouse hoping for market improvement, hold back new releases until old inventory is cleared, even make special deals with their distributors as long as the retail price is not lowered; because once you’ve dropped a $50 retail price tag down into the $30’s, that brand will probably never have a $50 image again in the marketplace.

Some wineries have the financial capacity to stay firm on price, but many others do not. If cash flow is tight and they need cash to keep their commitments to their growers on the current vintage, they may not have a choice other than to lower their prices to move inventory and generate cash flow. On the other hand, wineries with a “cash cow” value label, their own vineyards, and/or no debt may be able to ride out the downturn.

I’m seeing some incredible savings on really good wines through the major online retailers and through some brick-and-mortar retailers. Some examples:

1. I tasted a good $60 white wine last week that is now being wholesaled to offer at $25 retail.
2. I saw a $50 Cab that made a Top 100 list now being offered at $24.99.
3. I saw a 2006 “Special Selection” Cab, originally $160, now $99 online.

And the list goes on and on. It’ll be interesting to hear about the “post-offs” (specials) from distributors coming out for November.

While some of the higher-end wineries here in Washington State are feeling the pinch, it doesn’t appear that the bleeding is as bad as in California where prices have been traditionally much higher. In fact, a recent report by Wine Opinions, released at the Wine Industry Financial Symposium in Napa, noted that Washington wines are the leading alternative to premium Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa.

While the statistics say that the typical wine consumer is trading down from a $20 bottle of wine to a $15 bottle, or from a $10 bottle to a $7 bottle, I believe that the best deals are going to be in the really good higher-end wines that I could rarely afford before, that I can now snap up for 50 percent off by the case and put away. These are the kinds of wines that can benefit from some cellaring and still be good 10 years from now.

My suggestion is to make a list of some of the wines you’ve dreamed of owning, scan Wine-Searcher.com regularly, or keep in touch with your favorite local retailer and tell him what you are looking for, and be ready to buy when the price is right for your pocketbook. It’s still a buyer’s market, and it may get even better.

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

Official definition from Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion to Wine:
Oxidation is a wine fault resulting from excessive exposure to oxygen (as opposed to aeration, which is deliberate, controlled exposure to oxygen). Wines spoiled by oxidation are said to be oxidized.

Layman’s terms from Kori:
Oxidation causes deterioration and undesirable changes in a wine as a result of exposure to air.

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.

Jill Noble, along with her husband Craig, founded Couvillion Winery. It is located ten miles north of Walla Walla, Washington, on 1,000 acres of family-owned wheat fields which Craig also farms. Their property neighbors Spring Valley Vineyard so Jill enrolled in the viticulture and enology program at Walla Walla Community College, in case anyone wanted to plant vineyards on their property. Jill was in the program’s inaugural class and soon found herself hooked. Instead of just learning about vineyards, she was inspired to create her own limited production wines. Upon completing the program, Jill worked alongside master vintners including Marie-Eve Gilla of Forgeron Cellars and John Abbott of Abeja Winery. Her first vintage was 2004, and the doors at Couvillion Winery were opened in 2006. The name “Couvillion” (Koo-vee-yon) is French-Canadian and honors the family name of a dear friend.

Couvillion Winery produces five wines: Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a red blend called Equilibre. We first tasted their wines during Vintage Walla Walla in June and especially enjoyed the Equilibre. If you are in the Walla Walla area and would like to visit Couvillion, be sure to call ahead as their tasting room is open by appointment only.

In addition to being a winemaker, Jill is also a registered nurse, used to own a packing and shipping company in downtown Walla Walla, and, at one time, owned a clothing boutique. She is truly a well-rounded, diversely-qualified, and industrious female entrepreneur.

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

Highlights from Q&A with Jill Noble:

Has being a woman been an advantage or a disadvantage in your wine journey? Please explain.
I haven’t felt any advantages or disadvantages to being a female, because you have the same challenges in this industry regardless. It’s pretty neutral.

Do you believe a woman has certain built-in traits than can make her a better winemaker or winery owner than a man? If so, please explain.
Some people just have super-palates — just like Lance Armstrong, who has super lungs — it’s not really a matter of gender. One male winemaker I know was able to identify that the muffins he was eating were prepared on a cutting board that had been used with onions days before.

What advice do you have for a woman wanting to get involved in the wine business today?
It’s a very physical job. As a woman, you really need to be strong…and don’t waste your money on manicures! You just don’t have time.

What are your thoughts about the Washington wine industry, in general?
I think we’re definitely getting some international and national recognition with all the different talents in this valley, which is exciting. We have unique terroir, which is really interesting.

In recent years the Washington wine industry has grown at a rapid rate. Do you expect that trend to continue?
I think it really depends on the economy.

What is your vision for the future of Couvillion Winery?
We’d like to maintain the highest quality at a less-than-$30 price range. We’re going to have our first estate reserve wines in the next two years. Number one, we still have to have fun.

—

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

(Photos from Couvillion Winery)

Recently, we had what turned out to be an Italian reds showdown in one of our double blind private tasting dinners pitting the 2005 Pasetti Montepulciano d’Abruzzo against the 2003 Villa Artimino Riserva Villa Medicea. For a more complete description of how we set up these private tastings, please refer to How We Taste.

Before I go any further, let me state for the record that I am well aware that while these wines are both Italian reds as the title of this post suggests, they are from different regions in Italy and even made from different grape varieties. “But wait, that’s like comparing apples and oranges, right?” Well, yes, in some ways, it is. “Shouldn’t you be comparing apples and apples instead?” Not necessarily. There is a time and place for both kinds of tastings. While we generally do “apple to apple” comparisons in our monthly wine tasting dinners, we like to mix it up in our private tasting dinners with the occasional “apple to orange” comparison. If you only taste wines against other similar wines, how do you truly know which varietals and regions you prefer?

The Pasetti is an excellent wine and paired wonderfully with Mom’s dinner of Italian chicken breasts, steamed broccoli, and brown and wild rice. It was much more to our liking than the Villa Artimino which had a distinctive musty, barnyard funk and was out of balance.

2005 Pasetti Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (Abruzzo, Italy): 100% Montepulciano. Dark purple, very aromatic with black fruit and floral aromas, black fruit and milk chocolate flavors, medium to full-bodied, medium tannins, smooth and well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $12.99

2003 Villa Artimino Carmignano Villa Medicea Riserva (Carmignano, Tuscany, Italy): 75% Sangiovese, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Canaiolo. Dark purple, earthy, musty, and barnyard aromas and flavors, medium to full-bodied, medium tannins, long finish, improves with food but has a distinctive funk and is not well-balanced.
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: Casa Torelli Imports (California), $44.98 [2004 is currently available vintage]

Through the years, we’ve had the pleasure of tasting a number of Long Shadows wines. We’ve visited their production facility in Walla Walla, Washington, attended a winemaker’s dinner with Allen Shoup and John Duval, and had their wines in our monthly wine tasting dinners as well as private dinners. However, last month, we had an opportunity to taste through the most comprehensive set of Long Shadows wines in one setting that we’d ever tasted.

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

Allen Shoup, resident winemaker Gilles Nicault, Sequel Syrah winemaker John Duval, and Pirouette co-winemaker Philippe Melka were recently in Seattle at The Local Vine (our favorite local wine bar) pouring all of the wines in the Long Shadows portfolio, multiple vintages of many of them.

Poet’s Leap is a Riesling made by Armin Diel of Schlossgut Diel in Germany.

2008 Poet’s Leap Riesling (Columbia Valley): Light, fresh, citrus aromas and flavors, a good wine but not as good as some of the previous vintages. $20.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)

Chester-Kidder is a red blend made by founder Allen Shoup and resident winemaker Gilles Nicault.

2004 Chester-Kidder Red Wine (Columbia Valley): Gorgeous nose, bright vibrant fruits, black fruits, dark chocolate, leather, smooth, well-balanced, long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: Not Available

2002 Chester-Kidder Red Wine (Columbia Valley): Has more Merlot than more recent vintages. Dark fruits, smooth, well-balanced, long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: Not Available

2005 Chester-Kidder Red Wine (Columbia Valley): Black and red fruit aromas and flavors, oaky, jammy, a bit candied. $50.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)

2003 Chester-Kidder Red Wine (Columbia Valley): Not as well-balanced as the others, some heat on the back end.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: Not Available

Feather is a Cabernet Sauvignon made by Napa Valley vintner, Randy Dunn.

2006 Feather Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley): Beautiful nose, good fruit up front, black fruits, smoky. $60.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)

Pedestal is a Merlot made by French vintner and world famous wine consultant, Michel Rolland.

2006 Pedestal Merlot (Columbia Valley): Fruit-forward, baker’s chocolate, medium to high tannins, bitter finish. $55.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)

Pirouette is a red blend made by Napa Valley vintners, Agustin Huneeus of Quintessa and Philippe Melka of Melka Wines.

2005 Pirouette Red Wine (Columbia Valley): Gorgeous nose, black fruits, black cherry, leather, big, bold, smooth, medium to high tannins, well-balanced, long finish. $55.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)

2003 Pirouette Red Wine (Columbia Valley): The first release, dark fruits, oak, smooth, well-balanced.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: Not Available

2004 Pirouette Red Wine (Columbia Valley): Black fruits, dark chocolate, bold yet smooth.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: Not Available

2006 Pirouette Red Wine (Columbia Valley): Beautiful nose, dark fruits, smoke, a bit hot on the back end, slightly off balance. $55.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)

Saggi is a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah, made by Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari, a father-son winemaking team from Italy.

2006 Saggi Red Wine (Columbia Valley): Good fruit up front, red fruits, smoke, a bit hot on the back end, slightly off balance. $45.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)

Sequel is a Syrah made by John Duval, one of the most famous winemakers in Australia and around the world. He is best known for his work with Penfolds Grange, Australia’s most famous wine, and now owns his own John Duval Wines.

2005 Sequel Syrah (Columbia Valley): Gorgeous nose, black licorice, black fruits, spice, black pepper, a hint of coffee, smooth, well-balanced, long finish, outstanding.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: Not Available

2003 Sequel Syrah (Columbia Valley): Gorgeous nose, black fruits, black pepper, smooth, well-balanced, long finish, aging well, another outstanding wine.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: Not Available

2006 Sequel Syrah (Columbia Valley): Fruit-forward, black fruits, smoke, black pepper, spice, smooth, well-balanced, long finish. $55.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)

2004 Sequel Syrah (Columbia Valley): Lots of bright fruits, jammy, long finish, another good wine.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: Not Available

Seattle Uncorked is hosting The Cabernet Classic next Wednesday, October 28 from 6:30pm to 9pm at the Shilshole Bay Beach Club, 6413 Seaview Ave NW in Seattle (next to Ray’s Boathouse for those of you familiar with the area).

Kori and I are going to be there, and we hope that you will join us. It should be a great event for a good cause, and hopefully, we’ll get to taste some of the great new 2007’s that have just been released.

The Cabernet Classic is a fundraiser for CoCA, the Center on Contemporary Art, which will be showing paintings by Haris Purnomo of Jakarta, Indonesia. As you might expect, The Cabernet Classic will feature Cabernets (both Cabs and Cab-based blends) from thirty-four wineries, most of them from Washington State. I’m excited because it will be an opportunity to taste wines from some promising newcomers as well as some great veterans of the Washington wine scene. If you like Cabernet, you won’t want to miss this event.

Tickets are still available and may be purchased online from CoCA.

Participating Wineries, according to Seattle Uncorked:

Big Smooth/Big Daddy
Bonterra Vineyards
Brian Carter Cellars
Cedergreen Cellars
Chatter Creek Winery
DiStefano Winery
Eaton Hill
Edmonds Winery
Forgeron Cellars
Gamache Vintners
Gilbert Cellars
Hestia Cellars
Jones of Washington
Kestrel Vintners
Lowden Hills
Milbrandt Vineyards
Nota Bene Cellars
Otis Kenyon Wine
Palouse Winery
Patterson Cellars
PengWine
Reininger
Sanctuary
Silver Lake Winery
Skylight Cellars
Smasne Cellars
Tasawik Vineyards
Tefft Cellars
Vin du Lac
Watermill Winery
Whitman Cellars
Willis Hall
Wilridge Winery
Windy Point

Looking forward to seeing you next Wednesday.

Cheers!

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

Official definition from Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion to Wine:
Vintner is the late Middle English word for wine merchant which superseded vinter. ….

The word has also come to be used for a wine producer as well as a wine merchant, particularly in North America.

Layman’s terms from Kori:
A vintner is someone who makes or sells wine.

Last Friday was a cold, dark, and rainy fall evening here in Seattle, not exactly perfect weather for crisp, refreshing white wines. Nevertheless, we wanted to feature Washington Pinot Gris in one of our monthly wine tasting dinners and simply ran out of summer months to do it. So we just turned up the heat in the house and had it anyway. We had a great group of wines and wonderful guests to share it with so we all forgot about the crummy weather outside.

Pinot Gris, or Pinot Grigio as it is also known, is a white variety not generally known for its complexity. It is a refreshing, quaffing wine which is why it is one of the most popular “by the glass” wines served in restaurants. In addition to being appealing to many people, Pinot Gris/Grigio is also generally easy on your pocketbook. In fact, four of the six wines in this tasting earned QPR ratings of 5 bangs for your buck.

While everyone enjoyed all of the wines and we would recommend all six, the top three clearly stood out. The 2008 Jones of Washington Pinot Gris, the 2008 Chateau Ste. Michelle Pinot Gris, and the 2008 Mercer Estates Pinot Gris are excellent wines and paired wonderfully with Mom’s dinner of tomato basil soup, mixed green salad, chicken tapenade, orzo pasta with parmesan and basil, roasted Italian vegetables, and tiramisu for dessert. The consensus favorite, the 2008 Jones of Washington Pinot Gris, really came on with the meal. Sipped by itself, it is slightly sweet but that sweetness and the lively acidity were absolutely perfect with the chicken tapenade. I’m one who focuses on the wine first and the food second, but this pairing was outstanding and truly grabbed my attention.

As well as the Jones of Washington paired with the food in this tasting, I think that it would be an excellent, economical choice to pair with your Thanksgiving turkey and dressing next month.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2008 Jones of Washington Pinot Gris (Wahluke Slope, WA): Watery, straw yellow color, the lightest of the bunch. Gorgeous nose with apricot and citrus aromas. Lots of apricots and slightly sweet on the palate. Off-dry, medium-bodied, lively acidity, and a long finish. Extremely smooth. Great with food.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle), $13; MadWine (Washington), $12.99

2008 Chateau Ste. Michelle Pinot Gris (Columbia Valley, WA): Pale, straw yellow. Tinny and metallic on the nose; citrus and floral notes come through on the palate. Light-bodied and crisp with a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle), $9; Available elsewhere, $9 to $15

2008 Mercer Estates Pinot Gris (Columbia Valley, WA): Pale, straw yellow. Nose is a bit tight at first. Lots of crisp, citrus flavors, particularly grapefruit and lime. Medium-bodied with a long finish. Very crisp and refreshing. Reminds me a lot of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle), $12; Available elsewhere, $10 to $11

2008 Maryhill Pinot Gris (Columbia Valley, WA): Pale, straw yellow. Citrus aromas and flavors, especially lemon and lemon zest. Light-bodied and tart with a long, slightly bitter finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle), $11; Available elsewhere, $11 to $15

2007 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Pinot Grigio (Columbia Valley, WA): Pale, straw yellow. Popcorn and apricot on the nose; citrus fruits, lime, and apricot on the palate. Light-bodied and crisp with a long finish. Smooth and fresh.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle), $7; Available elsewhere, $7 to $13

2007 O’Reilly’s Pinot Gris (Columbia Valley, WA): Pale, straw yellow. A tight nose; metallic and flat on the palate. Light-bodied and lively with a medium finish. Seemed a bit plain and bitter compared to the others.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle), $9; Available elsewhere, $12 to $17

Col Solare, located on Red Mountain in Washington State, is a partnership between Marchesi Antinori of Italy and Chateau Ste. Michelle of Washington State. The idea for this project began back in 1992 when Marchese Piero Antinori visited Washington State’s Columbia Valley. The goal was, and still is, to produce one Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine each year that reflects the characteristics of both Old World and New World styles. Col Solare’s first release was the 1995 vintage.

Dad (John) and I recently attended a Col Solare event here in Seattle just prior to the release of their 2006 vintage. Marcus Notaro, head winemaker, and Ted Baseler, President and CEO of Chateau Ste. Michelle, were on hand to discuss the new release. We also had the opportunity to taste the 2005 vintage as well as a number of barrel samples.

The 2006 vintage was the first vintage produced at Col Solare’s state-of-the-art facility that opened on Red Mountain in April 2007. This location is absolutely perfect for Col Solare which means “shining hill” in Italian. In addition to the facility itself, Col Solare has also planted a 30-acre estate vineyard on the property. The estate vineyard is not yet providing fruit for their flagship wine, but we were able to taste samples of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc from the 2008 vintage of the estate vineyard which might comprise a small component of the final 2008 blend. Currently, the fruit for Col Solare is sourced from vineyards around the Columbia Valley. The sourcing breakdown for the recently released 2006 vintage is as follows: Red Mountain (27%), Columbia Valley (35%), Wahluke Slope (19%), and Horse Heaven Hills (14%).

We tasted the recently bottled 2007 vintage which will be released in 2010 and a barrel sample of the preliminary blend of the 2008 vintage which will be released in 2011. We were especially struck by the 2007 vintage. If it continues to develop in the bottle, it will be an outstanding wine. I continue to marvel at the 2007’s from the state of Washington.

At this event, we also had the pleasure to taste samples of 2007 Klipsun Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon aged in three different types of French oak barrels. During the blending process, the Saury barrels provide the “base,” the Boutes barrels provide the “fruit,” and the Alain Fouquet barrels provide the “accent.” These three versions of Klipsun Vineyard Cab were blended together, along with Cab from other vineyards in the Columbia Valley, to provide the Cabernet Sauvignon component of the recently bottled 2007 blend. At this point, some of you are probably fascinated with the process while others are thinking, “So what?” For wine geeks like us, getting to taste the individual components of a wine like this is a thrilling educational opportunity. But honestly, the “So what?” crowd is exactly right too. All the different types of oak, barrels, and blending in the world don’t matter if the final result does not produce an excellent wine. Luckily, the 2007 Col Solare does not disappoint. I am really looking forward to its release next year.

If you are in the Red Mountain area and would like to visit Col Solare, be sure to call ahead as they are only open by private appointment.

2006 Col Solare Red Blend (Columbia Valley, WA): 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Syrah.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $75

2005 Col Solare Red Blend (Columbia Valley, WA): 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $75