It’s always fun planning a challenging wine pairing dinner. I especially enjoy the “challenge” of determining a good wine pairing for a meal in which wine would probably not be the first beverage that comes to mind. This time, I decided to make Philly cheesesteak sandwiches, a Wine Peeps’ family favorite. Along with the sandwiches, we had sweet potato fries and a green salad mixed with peaches and grapes and tossed with Serrano honey balsamic vinegar.

Once again, I referred to my favorite guide, What to Drink with What You Eat, for pairing recommendations and decided to try a Merlot and a Syrah. We selected the 2009 Fidelitas Merlot and the 2010 Owen Roe Ex Umbris Syrah, both from the Columbia Valley. While both wines were very good in their own right, the unanimous choice for this meal on this night was the Merlot.

What would you have paired with a Philly cheesesteak sandwich? And, as always, we welcome your suggestions for future challenging wine pairings.

Bon Appétit!

2009 Fidelitas Merlot (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep, dark purple. Nice nose with earth and black fruit aromas. Pencil lead, black fruit, and earth come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and high, dry 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: Received as sample, suggested retail $25; Available elsewhere, $25 to $40

2010 Owen Roe Ex Umbris Syrah (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep, dark purple. Aromatic with red fruit and vegetal notes on both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $25.99; Available elsewhere, $23 to $32

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? If so, you might want to check out the Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Cava from Spain.

Our selection criteria include:

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

Freixenet, pronounced “fresh-eh-net”, is a family-owned company that grew from humble beginnings in rural Catalunya, Spain. In 1861, two winemaking families, the Ferrers and the Salas, set the stage for the company that would ultimately become a world leader in the production of méthode champenoise sparkling wines. They began selling their wines with the Freixenet name in 1915. Today, the multinational Freixenet Group is run by the fourth generation and produces 200 million bottles each year. Josep Bujan has been the Freixenet technical director and winemaker since 1980.

“Cordon Negro Brut is crisp, clean, and well balanced. It is medium-bodied with a palate of apple, pear and bright citrus flavors with a moderately long finish and a crisp touch of ginger. This wine is extremely versatile and pairs well with most food.” –Freixenet

NV Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Cava (Spain): 35% Macabeo, 25% Xarel-lo, and 40% Parellada. Pale straw yellow in color. Nice nose with apple aromas. Apple, lemon, lime, and tangerine come through on the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with a very long, refreshing finish. A lovely weeknight or brunch bubbly.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $12; Available elsewhere, $8 to $14

During my media trip to Chile last fall, I had the opportunity to visit many of Chile’s wine regions, meet many of the movers and shakers in the Chilean wine industry, and taste many of their wines.  Since returning home, I have continued to explore the wines of Chile. Recently, I had the opportunity to taste yet another Chilean wine in a blind samples tasting, the 2010 Apaltagua Signature Cabernet Sauvignon from the Maipo Valley. Viña Apaltagua, founded by American businessman Edward Tutunjian, produces 235,000 cases annually, which are exported to 40 different countries.

The Maipo Valley spans from the Andes to the coast and is one of Chile’s oldest and most well-known wine regions. Best known for its red wines, the Maipo Valley is the closest wine region to the city of Santiago. The climate in the Maipo Valley is marked by two distinct seasons, the winter is cold and rainy and the long summer is dry, hot, and sunny.

Cabernet Sauvignon is Chile’s star grape with over 40,000 hectares planted, accounting for 47% of all red varieties planted. While it is grown in all but the coldest areas of Chile, Cab does best in regions with a warm, dry climate that allows it to fully ripen.

2010 Apaltagua Signature Cabernet Sauvignon (Maipo Valley, Chile): Deep, dark red in color. Very aromatic with red fruit, spice, vanilla, and smoked meat on the nose. Cherry, strawberry, and a touch of tobacco and chocolate come through 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: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $35; Available elsewhere, $25 to $30

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? If so, you might want to check out the 2012 Canoe Ridge Vineyard Expedition Pinot Gris from the Horse Heaven Hills of Washington State.

Our selection criteria include:

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

Canoe Ridge Vineyard, located in Walla Walla, Washington, was established in 1994. The estate vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA was first planted in 1989. Canoe Ridge sources the majority of its grapes from the estate vineyard. The winery and vineyard get their name from the estate vineyard site near the Columbia River which explorers Lewis and Clark thought looked like an overturned canoe. Bill Murray, who got his start in Napa, California, was named head winemaker for Canoe Ridge Vineyard in 2011. Its annual production is about 70,000 cases.

“Crisp and juicy, featuring a great blend of lemon, lime, green apple and peach notes. Lively acidity balances with honeysuckle and lemongrass on the lingering finish.” –Winemaker Bill Murray

2012 Canoe Ridge Vineyard Expedition Pinot Gris (Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): Pale, straw yellow in color. Very aromatic with gorgeous floral and lemon zest aromas. Gardenias, lime, and orange come through on the palate. Dry and light-bodied with crisp acidity and a long, refreshing finish. Residual Sugar: 0.8%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $14; Available elsewhere, $13 to $15

Rodney Strong founded Rodney Strong Vineyards, located in Healdsburg, California, in 1959. Current owner Tom Klein and the Klein family purchased the winery in 1989. Head winemaker Rick Sayre has been with the winery since 1979. Rodney Strong sustainably farms thirteen estate vineyards in Sonoma County.

Recently, we had the opportunity to taste the 2010 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2011 Sonoma County Chardonnay in a blind samples tasting. Both wines are very good, but we especially enjoyed the Cabernet Sauvignon.

Rodney Strong consistently offers a lineup of good quality wines that deliver serious bang for your buck in their Sonoma County line, which is available nationally.

2010 Rodney Strong Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma County, California): Deep, dark red in color. Beautiful nose with red and black fruit, eucalyptus, and floral aromas. Black plum, black cherry, and floral notes come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $18; Available elsewhere, $13 to $20

2011 Rodney Strong Sonoma County Chardonnay (Sonoma County, California): 60% barrel fermented and 40% cold fermented in stainless steel. Pale, greenish straw yellow. Aromatic with apple, lemon, and vanilla on both the nose and palate. Dry and light to medium-bodied with crisp acidity 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: Received as sample, suggested retail $15; Available elsewhere, $10 to $16

Kim Crawford Wines, located in New Zealand, was founded in 1996 by owner/winemaker Kim Crawford and his wife Erica. In the beginning, Kim Crawford Wines was one of New Zealand’s first “virtual wineries.” They sourced their grapes from growers across New Zealand, made the wine at other wineries, and managed their sales and marketing from their home in Auckland. In 1998, they began exporting some of their wine to the United States, Canada, and Australia. The Crawfords opened a cellar door (tasting room) facility in Te Awanga in Hawke’s Bay in 1999. Then they opened a state of the art winery and purchased vineyard land in Marlborough in early 2000. Kim Crawford Wines is now part of Constellation Brands.

Since we visited New Zealand in 2005, we have followed Kim Crawford Wines closely. Recently, we had the opportunity to taste their 2012 Sauvignon Blanc and 2011 Pinot Noir in a blind samples tasting. Both wines are very good and deliver serious bang for your buck.

Regular readers know that we are big fans of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, the country’s flagship wine. And Kim Crawford Wines makes one of our favorite New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. The most amazing thing about Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc is its remarkable consistency from vintage to vintage. It’s crisp acidity and refreshing grapefruit flavors are especially pleasing to our palates.

Pinot Noir is a finicky grape that will not grow just anywhere. New Zealand is one of the few places in the world where it does remarkably well. Pinot Noir is the number two most planted variety in New Zealand, after Sauvignon Blanc. The country’s temperate, maritime climate provides ideal conditions for growing Pinot Noir. In my opinion, New Zealand Pinot Noir has found its niche in style somewhere between the elegance of Burgundy and the sometimes-intense herbal and gamey notes of Oregon Pinot Noir.

2012 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand): Pale, greenish straw yellow. Very aromatic with grapefruit, lime, and grass on the nose. More grapefruit, lime, and grass as well as lemon zest come through on the palate. Dry and light to medium-bodied with very crisp acidity. Well-balanced and refreshing with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $14.99; Available elsewhere, $11 to $18

2011 Kim Crawford Pinot Noir (Marlborough, New Zealand): Deep ruby red in color. Nice nose with strawberry, raspberry, and cinnamon aromas. Bright red fruit and spice come through on the palate. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity, smooth tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $17.99; Available elsewhere, $14 to $20

Taste Washington, held in Seattle annually, is the nation’s largest single-region wine and food event. This past weekend brought Washington wine lovers from around the country to Seattle to drink, eat, and be merry. For the second year in a row, the event spanned two days with Seminars offered each morning followed by the Grand Tasting each afternoon. Hosted by Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau in partnership with the Washington State Wine Commission, Taste Washington is the highlight of Washington Wine Month.

The Grand Tasting is the “main event” each day. This year, Taste Washington featured over 225 wineries pouring their wines and over 65 Northwest restaurants serving small bites. With more than 750 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 price of admission to Taste Washington 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.

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. In addition to visiting with a number of people whose wines we have enjoyed in the past, we always find it a great opportunity to try some wines from wineries whose wines we have not previously tasted.

My favorite wines from the Grand Tasting, from wineries whose wines we’ve enjoyed in the past, were the 2010 Avennia Arnaut Syrah, the 2010 Betz Père de Famille Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2010 Betz La Côte Rousse Syrah, the 2010 Gorman The Evil Twin Red Blend, and the 2010 Robert Ramsay Mourvedre.

For the most exciting discovery, my nod goes to Kevin White Winery. Kevin White and his wife Stefanie founded the winery in 2010 and released their inaugural wine last year. It was a pleasure to meet Kevin and taste several of his wines. They are all very good, but I was especially impressed with the 2011 La Fraternité Red Wine, which is a blend of 42% Grenache, 42% Mourvedre, and 16% Syrah. And at just $20, it delivers serious bang for your buck as well. Kevin White is definitely a winery to watch.

Did you attend Taste Washington this year? What were some of your favorite wines?

If you live in Washington and haven’t yet taken advantage of the special promotions going on this month, you have four days left to do so. But here’s to enjoying excellent Washington wine all year long.

Cheers!

March is Washington Wine Month, the annual celebration of Washington State’s award-winning wine industry featuring promotions by restaurants, retailers, hotels, and wineries throughout the region including activities such as free tastings, discounts on Washington wine, and winemaker dinners pairing the state’s top winemakers and chefs. If you live in Washington and haven’t yet taken advantage of the special promotions going on this month, you have just over a week left to do so.

Once again, the highlight of the month is sure to be Taste Washington, the nation’s largest single-region wine and food event, taking place this weekend on Saturday, March 23rd and Sunday, March 24th at CenturyLink Field Event Center in Seattle. Hosted by Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau in partnership with the Washington State Wine Commission, Taste Washington is the ultimate carnival for wine and food lovers. Of the 750+ wineries in the state, 225 of them are expected to be on hand pouring their wines. The popular Taste the Vineyards section is back and will feature growers pouring wines made from their grapes. In addition, more than 65 Northwest restaurants will be serving small bites.

Whether you attend the Grand Tasting on one or both days, which lasts three hours each day for General Admission and four hours each day for VIP ticketholders, it is impossible to visit every booth and taste every wine being poured and every bite being served. It is a huge event and can be overwhelming if you are not prepared. You will be wise to plan a strategy ahead of time.

First, I suggest that you visit the Taste Washington website to download the event program so you can plan your route in advance. Make a list of the wineries that you’d like to visit, and then prioritize that list. Start with the ten you don’t want to miss, then mark the next ten you’d like to visit if you have time and so on. It really gets crowded during the general admission hours, so you might not get to as many wineries as you’d like. But if you visit only ten winery booths and try all three wines they are serving, that’s thirty wines right off the bat. Then depending on time, crowds, etc., you can try more if you’d like.

Once you have determined which wineries you’d like to try and you are actually at the event, there are several things to keep in mind to make sure you make the most of the event while tasting responsibly. These tips are important to remember for wine tasting newbies and veterans alike.

• Spit! This is extremely important. We always spit when we attend large tasting events like this or are visiting wineries. Otherwise, you end up drinking too much which won’t feel good the next morning and you won’t be able to really tell which wines you like and don’t like after the first few you taste.
• Drink water. Alcoholic drinks dehydrate your body so it is important to drink a lot of water to help your body rehydrate.
• Eat. Be sure to eat a good meal before the event begins so that you are starting with a full stomach. Then, once inside, stop at the restaurant booths to keep your stomach full. Try to eat something at least between every fifteen to twenty wines you taste.
• Don’t be shy. Tell the wineries what you want to know, what you like, and what you want to try. If they have a better idea of your interests and level of wine knowledge, they can help point you in the right direction and make your Taste Washington experience even better. With that said, though, please be respectful of all of the wineries and other vendors who are there to serve you.
• Make safe transportation arrangements. After you’ve enjoyed this fabulous event, we want to make sure you get home safely.
• And last, but certainly not least, have fun!

If a smaller, more intimate gathering is more your speed or you want to further your knowledge of wine and Washington wine in particular, the seminars that will be offered each day prior to the tasting might be of interest to you. This year’s seminars will also be held at CenturyLink Field Event Center. Seven seminars will be offered on a variety of topics and afford attendees the opportunity to taste, discuss, meet, and learn from some of the biggest names in the Washington wine industry as well as a few notable guests from outside of Washington State. New this year, the seminars will also include a look at Washington’s cider and beer industries.

As always, we are looking forward to Taste Washington and hope that those of you who live in the greater Seattle area will plan to attend as well. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the Taste Washington website.

Cheers!

The Walla Walla Valley is one of the oldest of Washington State’s 13 AVA’s. Established in 1984, it encompasses over 1,600 vineyard acres. Located within the greater Columbia Valley AVA, the Walla Walla Valley covers the area around the town of Walla Walla, Washington, and also dips across the state-line into Oregon near Milton-Freewater. The Walla Walla Valley is now home to more than 100 wineries.

The Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance is a winery and grower membership organization committed to furthering the awareness of the quality wineries, wines, and vineyards of the Walla Walla Valley. With the goal of “Bringing Walla Walla Wines to You,” the WWVWA recently hosted tasting events in Portland and Seattle for both the trade and the public. We attended the trade tasting at McCaw Hall in Seattle last week. Given our work commitments, family obligations, and the busy schedule of a kindergartener, we haven’t been able to travel to Walla Walla recently, so this was a good opportunity for us to visit with winemakers and taste a number of Walla Walla wines all under one roof. Nevertheless, if you haven’t yet taken a wine tasting trip to Walla Walla, I highly encourage you to do so. There’s nothing like spending time in Washington wine country.

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that we tasted at the Walla Walla Wine trade tasting. Under each Quality heading, the wine name and region are 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)
2010 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $89, QPR: 5

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
2009 Tamarack Cellars Merlot, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 5
2009 Tamarack Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $30, QPR: 5
2010 Woodward Canyon Merlot, Columbia Valley, $31, QPR: 5
2010 Woodward Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $31, QPR: 5
2009 Dusted Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $35, QPR: 5
2009 Woodward Canyon Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington State, $38, QPR: 5
2008 Saviah Cellars Cabernet Franc, Walla Walla Valley, $28, QPR: 4
2010 Saviah Cellars Une Vallee, Walla Walla Valley, $32, QPR: 4
2009 Saviah Cellars Big Sky Cuvee, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 4
2009 Dunham Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 4
2009 Saviah Cellars Walla Walla Valley Estate Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $45, QPR: 3
2009 Buty Winery Columbia Rediviva, Horse Heaven Hills, $50, QPR: 2
2008 Tamarack Cellars Ciel du Cheval Reserve, Red Mountain, $50, QPR: 2
2009 Cadaretta Windthrow, Columbia Valley, $50, QPR: 2

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2009 Cadaretta Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $40, QPR: 4
2011 Dusted Valley Stained Tooth Syrah, Columbia Valley, $30, QPR: 3
2009 Cadaretta Syrah, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 3
2010 Echo Ridge Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 3
2010 Dusted Valley Petite Sirah, Columbia Valley, $42, QPR: 2
2010 Echo Ridge Cellars Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $45, QPR: 1
2010 Buty Winery Rediviva of the Stones, Walla Walla Valley, $60, QPR: 1

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
2011 Tamarack Cellars Firehouse Red, Columbia Valley, $16, QPR: 4
2009 Trust Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $36, QPR: 3
2010 Trust Cellars Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $30, QPR: 2
2010 Echo Ridge Cellars Merlot, Columbia Valley, $52, QPR: 1

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
NV Trust Cellars Tried and True Table Wine, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: NR