Wine Tasting - The Merchant of Vino @ Cork

THE MERCHANT OF VINO'S AUSTRALIAN TASTING hosted by Cork: A Bottle Shop, Portland, OR (12/10/2008)

Rob from The Merchant of Vino and Darryl from Cork put on this special sit-down tasting at the Alberta Street Cork store. An incredible selection from some of Australia's top producers, all with a couple years (or more) of age on them.

Cool Weather Wines
The first two wines are from cooler regions in Australia. I don't know if this is because of the cooler temperatures, but both wines were VERY tannic. Hmm.

• 2002 Gralyn Estate Cabernet Sauvignon - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
  Having tasted this before, I wasn't surprised at the tannic grip on this wine. Color is a light ruby, going to clear at the rim. Very tight on the nose, giving up only a bit of earth. On the palate, bitter cherry fruit, with clay and LOTS of tannins. The finish is a long, tannic crush of sour cherry. This is from the "Bordeaux of Australia", the Margaret River region, where it is much cooler. I don't know if that explains the incredible tannins of this wine, but, there you go... (90 pts.)


• 2004 Berry's Bridge Shiraz - Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Pyrenees
  Another cooler region, a semi-mountainous region called "The Pyrenees". Color is dark maroon. Much darker than the Gralyn cab. Very fragrant nose of blackberry and earth. On first sip, the one thing I immediately think of is "BIG". Totally coats the mouth with fruit and earth flavors, predominantly blackberries, and a loamy sort of earth. Lots of tannins in this wine also. From the nose, everyone thought this was co-fermented with Viognier, but it is, in fact, 100% Shiraz. Was originally going to go with 90 points, but tacked on another just for the incredible perfume. (91 pts.)

Kaesler Wines
The second two wines were both from Kaesler, and showcased the "right-up-to-the-line" style of winemaker Reid Bosward.

• 2005 Kaesler Grenache The Fave - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Color is a lighter ruby. Nose is redolent of strawberries, with an odd cinnamon aroma...almost a candied smell. Spicy on the palate, with strawberries, cherry and spice (cinnamon?). Very smooth and easy to drink, but overshadowed by the other wines tonight. (87 pts.)


• 2004 Kaesler W.O.M.S. - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Having tasted this before in an ideal setting (and with food) on my birthday, I was doubting this rating would be as high as last time (98/100), and I was right. Color is a dark ruby. Nose is all raspberry, with LOTS of yummy earth aromas. On the palate, you can instantly tell the wine has incredible integration. Big flavors of raspberry and earth mingle with chewy tannins, sharp acidity and a bit of oak. They all play together nicely, making the wine absolutely delicious! (95 pts.)

The Big Boys
Both of the final two wines needed to be decanted, and unfortunately we only got about 1 hour's worth. However, both wines still showed very well.

• 2004 Charles Cimicky Shiraz Reserve - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Decanted 1 hour. Color is a thick, dark purple, almost black. Delicious nose of blue and black fruits, with a touch of earth and oak. On the palate, smoked meat, with the sweet taste of blueberry pie, and oaky vanilla on the finish. VERY nice wine! (95 pts.)


• 2004 Torbreck Shiraz The Factor - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  My wine of the night, just ahead of the WOMS and Cimicky Reserve. Decanted 1 hour. Color is a very dark maroon, almost black. Very thick. 100% Shiraz from 4 vineyards. Nose of very sweet blackberry...maybe blackberry pie, following to the palate, with the addition of blueberries. Very jammy, and still quite young. This really needs another 2-3 years before it begins to shine. Lots of tannins on the finish, which seems to go on forever. An outstanding wine from David Powell! (96 pts.)

Thanks to Rob from The Merchant of Vino and Darryl from Cork for putting on this event!

Tasting notes posted from CellarTracker

Wine Tasting - Carlton Wineries, Part Deux

CARLTON WINE TASTING: PART DEUX - Carlton, OR (12/6/2008)

Kristina and I drove down to Carlton, in Oregon wine country, for the Cana's Feast Winery wine club pickup party, and decided to hit another winery in the area.

Cana's Feast Winery
Attended the wine club "pickup party", to pick up my club shipment. Food pairings were available for each wine, as well as olive oil, artisian cheese and gourmet salt tastings. A great party!

• N.V. Villa Loredan Gasparini Prosecco Montello e Colli Asolani Brut - Italy, Veneto, Montello e Colli Asolani
  Food Pairing: Baked cheese-stuffed fritter.
  Tasting Notes: Nose of honeydew melon. LOTS of activity in the mouth...fiercely carbonated, to the point where I don't want to take another sip. Swirling the wine helped a bit, but still not pleasant. Flavors were very nice, however, and it paired well with the cheese fritter offered. (84 pts.)


• 2006 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Bricco Two Rivers - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain
  Food Pairing: Beef & root vegetable soup (did not eat).
  Tasting Notes: Very nice fruit, with a lovely nose of raspberry, tobacco and a floral component. Flavors of red raspberry, tobacco leaf and some earthiness. This is still quite young, with some integration of tannins, fruit and acidity still needed. For the coin, this is giong to be a blockbuster! (90 pts.)


• 2006 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Bricco Two Rivers Reserve - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain
  Food Pairing: Beef & root vegetable soup (did not eat).
  Tasting Notes: New wine this year, coming from the same fruit as the regular Two Rivers bottling, but with a different oak program. Tastes just like the regular Two Rivers, but with a bit more wood. Lots of vanilla on the finish, along with tight tannins. Again, this is going to be a blockbuster wine, but costs twice what the regular Two Rivers costs. Maybe a +1 for me, as I like the vanilla finish. (91 pts.)


• 2006 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Cana's Feast Red Mountain - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain
  Food Pairing: Portabello mushroom and cheese empanada.
  Tasting Notes: Delicious wine, but infanticide at this point. Compared to the 2003 I had last weekend, this is tight and green. Vigorous swirling in the glass helped with the overabundance of tannins somewhat. Still much too young to be enjoyable. Lots of earth in this one too, which I love. Going to lay my bottle down for at least 2 years. (91 pts.)


• 2008 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Counoise - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Food Pairing: N/A.
  Tasting Notes: Barrel sample with the winemaker. I've never had this varietal by itself before. Very interesting! Lighter than expected, with a spicy zing to it. Nice strawberry fruit, smooth, with just a hint of pepper. Light tannins. Winemaker said this will most likely go into a blend, with their Syrah, but he may pull a barrel and do a small run of this alone. I hope so! (88 pts.)


• 2005 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Syrah Bricco - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Food Pairing: Chocolate madiera torte.
  Tasting Notes: Just tasted this last weekend. Consistent notes, and again my favorite of the tasting. Nicely paired with a tasty chocolate torte. (92 pts.)


• 2006 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Pinot Noir Tre Nova Dolcepassa - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Food Pairing: Lemon-poppyseed biscotti.
  Tasting Notes: Just tasted this last weekend...consistent with previous note. (85 pts.)

Zenas Wines
Decided to stop in here on the way home from Cana's Feast, and I'm very glad we did! Ended up getting two tastings (free), two nice Bordeaux wine glasses (free), and a bottle of the 2006 Meritage (10% off). Score! No food pairings at this winery, unfortunately.

• 2006 Zenas Riesling Hand-Select Montinore Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley
  Very dry, for a Riesling. Apricots, minerals and a touch of citrus sweetness. (83 pts.)


• 2006 Zenas Riesling Sekt Montinore Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley
  My first sparkling Riesling! Made in the "Sekt" style, which is a German style almost identical to the "Méthode Champenoise" of Champagne. Quite sweet, with nice bubbles that are not annoying (as the Prosecco earlier today). Pears, with a touch of nuts. Very nice. (85 pts.)


• 2006 Zenas Cabernet Franc Del Rio Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley
  A very tasty wine with blueberry on the nose. Flavors of blackberry, with some pepper on the finish. A very smooth wine, with light tannins and acidity. Could be paired with almost anything... (90 pts.)


• 2006 Zenas Merlot Del Rio Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley
  Their first Merlot release. Usually they just add the Del Rio Merlot to their Claret (now called Meritage). I like this one quite a bit. Very lush cherry fruit, with nice vanilla oak on the finish. (90 pts.)


• 2006 Zenas Meritage Del Rio Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley
  A blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot from Del Rio Vineyard, aged 14+ months in French oak. Very nice structure, with blackberry fruit, coffee and chocolate flavors. My favorite Zenas wine today. (92 pts.)

Even though I just spent a day last weekend tasting (many) wines in Carlton, today was a lot of fun, and I was very happy to have Kristina along with me. The weather was beautiful, the food delicious, and the wines were outstanding!

Tasting notes posted from CellarTracker

Wine Tasting - Cathedral Ridge Holiday Celebration

CATHEDRAL RIDGE WINERY HOLIDAY CELEBRATION - The Governor Hotel, Portland, OR (12/4/2008)

I attended the Cathedral Ridge Winery annual holiday celebration party at The Governor Hotel Ballroom on Thursday night, with Kristina and Trish.

White Wine Station
A collection of current release white wines. The 2006 Dry Riesling was gone by the time I arrived.

• 2007 Cathedral Ridge Pinot Gris - USA, Oregon, Columbia Gorge
  Very crisp, with granny smith apples on the nose and palate. Some hazelnut on the finish that is surprising. (85 pts.)


• 2007 Cathedral Ridge Chardonnay - USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley
  Very buttery and smooth. I really enjoy CR's chardonnays. Nice minerality with great body. (88 pts.)


• 2007 Cathedral Ridge Rosé - USA, Oregon, Columbia Gorge
  Very tasty. I think this included some merlot and/or syrah grapes in it...Quite tasty, with flavors of peaches and a short, sweet finish redolent of flowers. (87 pts.)


• 2007 Cathedral Ridge Riesling - USA, Oregon, Columbia Gorge
  Quite sweet, with a solid backbone of mineral and apples. Good, but I've had better Rieslings. (84 pts.)

Pinot Noir Station
A collection of current release Pinot Noir wines.

• 2007 Cathedral Ridge Pinot Noir - USA, Oregon, Columbia Gorge
  Much thinner than I like...spicy and fruity, but lacking body and structure. Cherry fruit, but a forgettable wine. (82 pts.)


• 2007 Cathedral Ridge Pinot Noir Huber Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Columbia Gorge
  Much tastier than the regular Pinot bottling, this had much more prominent cherry fruit, with a nice acidty to integrate everything together. Finish is short, but with a nice spicy 'zing'. (87 pts.)


• 2007 Cathedral Ridge Necessity Red - USA, Oregon, Columbia Gorge
  A blend of Pinot Noir and Zinfandel. Interesting blend, but not my style. Some fruitiness from the Zin, and some earth from the Piniot, but this wine doesn't really come together properly. (84 pts.)

Red Wine Station
A collection of current release red wines. I did not taste the 2006 Zinfandel, since the wine club saw fit to send me THREE bottles of this wine in club shipments over the last year, and I already know that I don't like it.

• 2007 Cathedral Ridge Merlot - USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley
  Nice and fruity, I was surprised this was drinking so well this soon. Big plum fruit, with some spicy vanilla oak on the finish. This has some potential! (88 pts.)


• 2007 Cathedral Ridge Cabernet-Merlot - USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley
  This one seems to be a tad young yet. I still have a bottle of the 2006, and it's just starting to drink very well, so I think this could use another year. Raspberry fruit, with light tannins on the finish. (88 pts.)


• 2006 Cathedral Ridge Bordheauxd Red - USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley
  While I was very impressed with the 2005 vintage of this wine, this one is somewhat of a letdown. Spicy raspberry fruit and earth, reminding me of (surprise) a Bordeaux. More time required! (88 pts.)


• 2006 Cathedral Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley
  Nice fruit, blackberry and cherry. Fairly intense right now, with tight tannins that dry the mouth out. Needs more time for sure. (90 pts.)


• 2006 Cathedral Ridge Syrah - USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley
  Very nice nose of blackberry, pepper and violets, following to the palate. Finish has some nice pepper in it, and light tannins. Tasty stuff! (91 pts.)

Reserve/Specialty Wine Station
A collection of current release reserve wines.

• 2006 Cathedral Ridge Pinot Noir Reserve Bangsund Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Columbia Gorge
  Very much in the style of Pinot Noir I like. Lots of cherry fruit, earth, tobacco leaf, with a smooth finish of spicy chocolate. Tasted blind, I would not have called this one a Pinot. (90 pts.)


• 2006 Cathedral Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley
  Quite bold in style, reminding me of a Cali Cabernet. Pretty big tannins at the moment, so I'd lay this one down for another couple years. Tasty blackberry fruit and a lot of oak on the finish. (91 pts.)


• 2006 Cathedral Ridge Syrah Reserve - USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley
  Blackberry fruit for days, with spicy black pepper and tobacco. Just like the regular Syrah, plus one. (92 pts.)


• 2006 Cathedral Ridge Rock Star Red - USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley
  Wine of the Night for me. Take all of the best things about the Reserve Cabernet and the Reserve Syrah (50% of each) and put them together, you will have this wine. Very complex, with well-integrated tannins, big fruit and pepper flavors, and a touch of earth and flowers to make it interesting. Delicious! (93 pts.)

Tasting notes posted from CellarTracker

Wine Tasting - Carlton Wineries

THANKSGIVING WINE TASTING - Carlton, OR (11/28/2008)

Our annual tasting excursion to Oregon wine country via limo service. In attendance: Robert, Dietra, Trish, Lisa, Phil, Jason, Andreas and Trude'.

Lenne Estate Winery
Pouring their own Lenne Pinot Noir wines, as well as "friend wines" from ZanZibar Cellars and Owen Roe. All were quite delicious, with the Owen Roe wines being my favorite of the day.

• 2006 Zanzibar Cellars Chardonnay Playa Sol - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Nice chardonnay, with beautiful fruit, nice earthiness and acidity. DuBrul vineyard was the source for this wine. (92 pts.)


• 2007 Owen Roe Riesling DuBrul Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Consistent with prior tasting notes. Floral, sweet, with nice citrus fruit. (87 pts.)


• 2007 Lenne Estate Pinot Noir Le Nez - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
  Seemed quite young and disjointed. Not very integrated yet...I liked the 2006 much better! Fruit was muted, earth was prominent. Tannins light, but present. Give this one another 6 months to a year in the bottle for it to shine. (86 pts.)


• 2007 Owen Roe Pinot Noir "The Kilmore" - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
  This one seems very young to me. Fruit from Lenne Estate vineyard, as well as another about 10 miles from Lenne (can't remember the name). nice earth, acidity and light tannins. Fruit is hiding at the moment. Give it 6-12 months to show. (88 pts.)


• 2007 Lenne Estate Pinot Noir Estate - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
  Much like the Le Nez before this. Muted fruit, but nice earthiness. Give it 6-12 months to integrate. (87 pts.)


• 2006 Lenne Estate Pinot Noir Estate - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
  Much tastier than the 2007. Fruit has come around and is shining nicely. Earthiness is still there as well, and integration is complete. Tasty wine! (89 pts.)


• 2006 Lenne Estate Pinot Noir Karen's Pommard Estate - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
  Now THIS is how I like my Pinot Noir! Wow...fruit exploding on the palate, with dark raspberries and earth, with some strawberry and leather as well. Excellent wine! Price is a bit out of my range, but if I had the scratch, would be buying much of this. (92 pts.)


• 2007 Owen Roe Syrah "Lady Rosa" - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  First time I've tasted this Syrah, and frankly, I wasn't impressed. The Ex Umbris, at half the cost, is better in my opinion. While thick and dark, the fruit really didn't shine like I expected it to. Blackberries and earth, chewy and thick. Mild tannins, and a long fruity finish. Nice, but not $45 nice. (90 pts.)


• 2006 Owen Roe Red Wine Yakima Valley - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  As always, this blend is one of my favorites. Just released a couple months ago, this wine is still showing its youth. Needs another 6-9 months before I'd consider opening a bottle, preferrably a year or two. If you have the 2005, drink it now and cellar this one for another year. Excellent integration of raspberry fruit, earth, acidity and tannins. Built to last 10 years, but enjoyable in the short term as well. If you drink it now, prepare to decant for a couple hours at least. (92 pts.)


• 2006 Owen Roe Cabernet Sauvignon DuBrul Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Wow...delicious! This definitely needs a year to come around. Tight, tannic, and somewhat backward at the moment. Spent much time swirling this in my glass to get it to loosen up, and was rewarded with big blackberry fruit, saddle leather, tobacco, and a floral component. Very happy that I already have two bottles in my cellar, thanks to the Market of Choice on Terwilliger! (95 pts.)


• 2004 Madrone Mountain Late Bottled Port - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Applegate Valley
  Very interesting port-style wine. The first time I've seen a Bordeaux blend as a dessert wine before: 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Much too sweet for my palate, but that's what this wine is all about. Chunks of sediment in everyone's glass too. Not a wine for me. (80 pts.)

Ken Wright Cellars

• 2007 Ken Wright Pinot Blanc - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Nice sweetness that I wasn't expecting. Pineapple, honeydew melon, with a touch of raisin. (85 pts.)


• 2007 Ken Wright Chardonnay Celilo Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Gorge
  A delicious chardonnay! Nice acidity, but could use another 6 months in bottle to integrate better. Good granny smith apple and citrus flavors. (90 pts.)


• 2008 Ken Wright Pinot Noir Canary Hill - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
  Barrel sample. Green, green, green! Admittedly, this has only been in barrel for about a month. Bitter green pepper flavors prevail. Some fruit in there, but just barely. Harsh tannins as well. Can't see the potential in this wine yet. No rating.


• 2008 Ken Wright Pinot Noir Savoya - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
  Barrel sample. Another very green, harsh example of just harvested fruit. Lots of olive characteristics in this wine. Tannins are less pronounced than the Canary Hill sample, but fruit is just as hidden. No rating.


• 2008 Ken Wright Pinot Noir Carter Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
  Barrel sample. Now THIS wine has potential! Even though it has only been in barrel for a month or so, fruit is already showing nicely, and tannins are prominently appearing on the finish. My favorite of the three barrel samples we tasted by a long shot. Case purchase requirements kept me from buying futures of this wine...No rating.

Tyrus Evan (no winery website available)

• 2007 Tyrus Evan Chardonnay Del Rio Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Yamhill County
  One of the best examples of Southern Oregon Chardonnay I've tasted to date. A bit over-oaked for my tastes, but really nice pear and canteloupe fruit. (89 pts.)


• 2005 Tyrus Evan Claret Ciel du Cheval Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain
  Nice blend of Red Mountain fruit. Earthiness, surrounded by outstanding raspberry fruit. Bright acidity keeps the fruit and tannins in check. (91 pts.)


• 2005 Tyrus Evan Claret Del Rio Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley
  Strawberries, with nice earthiness and minerality. Way different than the Ciel Du Cheval Claret, as this one is 25% each Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Malbec. (90 pts.)


• 2006 Tyrus Evan Syrah Walla Walla Valley - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
  Yum! Plummy, with serious chocolate and coffee flavors. Very happy I have a bottle of this in the cellar! (92 pts.)


• 2006 Tyrus Evan Syrah Del Rio Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley
  Big cherry notes, deep earth flavors and a nice sweet finish. Just released a couple months ago, this wine is rockin! (92 pts.)

Scott Paul Wines

• 2006 Philippe Chavy Bourgogne Blanc - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Blanc
  Highly acidic, but with nice pear and citrus fruit coming through. Very intense flavors, seemingly searing my palate with citric acid. (86 pts.)


• 2006 Jean-Marc Millot Côte de Nuits Villages - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Nuits Villages
  Cherry fruit, but with an underlying barnyard/poop flavor. Not enjoyable. (77 pts.)


• 2007 Scott Paul Wines Pinot Noir Cuvée Martha Pirrie - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Cherry fruit again, but not the barnyard of the previous wine. Flavorful, and showing its youth for sure. Give this one another year to really shine. (86 pts.)


• 2006 Scott Paul Wines Pinot Noir La Paulee - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  One of the only Pinots today that I've been able to taste the oak. It's nice in this wine, giving it structure and strength. Raspberry fruit, with a black cherry component. Leather flavors are also present, making this one of the more interesting Pinots of the day. (89 pts.)


• 2007 Scott Paul Wines Pinot Noir Audrey - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Wow. This wine is young and green, but with a LOT of promise. Showing some cherry fruit, but overshadowed by the green olive and tannins. This hasn't been released yet, and for good reason. Another year will serve this wine well. I expect it will rock the house eventually... (88 pts.)

Raptor Ridge Winery

• 2007 Raptor Ridge Pinot Noir - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Black cherry, saddle leather, and a mineral component. Tasty! (87 pts.)


• 2007 Raptor Ridge Pinot Noir Adolfo's Block - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains
  Much more flavor than the regular Willamette Valley cuvee. Black cherry, tobacco and earth flavors swimming around in the mouth. (88 pts.)


• 2006 Raptor Ridge Pinot Noir Reserve - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Much bigger than the other two offerings. More fruit--raspberries, leather and dirt, mixed with a nice floral component. The additional year definitely served this wine well, as the two 2007 wines seemed too young to be very enjoyable. (89 pts.)

Carlton Cellars

• 2007 Carlton Cellars Pinot Noir Roads End - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Weak showing. Not much fruit, and a somewhat bitter green finish. I'm not impressed, even with such a young example. (80 pts.)


• 2007 Carlton Cellars Pinot Noir Cape Lookout Russell-Grooters Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
  Much better than the 2007 Roads End Pinot. More cherry fruit showing through, with some plum and bittersweet chocolate on the finish. Still quite young however. Give it another 6-12 months before thinking about drinking this one. (85 pts.)

Cana's Feast Winery

• 2007 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Rosato - USA, Washington
  Probably the second best rose wine I've ever had. Great fruit and acidty integration. This would be an excellent summer sipper! (88 pts.)


• 2005 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Bricco - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Nice sangio blend, with strawberry fruit and a touch of earth. (87 pts.)


• 2006 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Sangiovese Bricco - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Just released. Good fruit - raspberry, plum and some earthiness as well. Needs a bit more time to integrate the tannins and acidity with the fruit. Still a bit tight. (88 pts.)


• 2005 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Bricco Two Rivers - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Very tannic...surprising. Blackberry fruit with an asphalt component. I like the 2004 much better. (85 pts.)


• 2005 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Syrah Bricco - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Black pepper and blueberries are what this wine is all about. Lovely, and my favorite of the tasting. (92 pts.)


• 2004 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Pinot Noir Cana's Feast Cuvée G Willamette Valley - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Such a lovely Pinot! Big cherry fruit, with earth, leather, pepper and black olive flavors. Tasty! (88 pts.)


• 2003 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Cana's Feast Red Mountain - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain
  Great blend, with excellent integration. Oak is present, but not overpowering. This wine just 'works'. Everything is in place and it all comes together nicely. Blueberry and blackberry fruits, with nice earth and a floral component as well. Long finish with fine tannins. (91 pts.)

Gino Cuneo Cellars

• 2006 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Tre Nova Secopassa - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Not sure on the varietal(s) used in this wine, but this is an Amarone-style wine with big flavors of black fruit and sweet figs. Needs more time, but showing some nice potential! (90 pts.)


• 2006 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Pinot Noir Tre Nova Dolcepassa - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Very sweet and smooth. Made from pinot noir grapes (!), the wine is made in a "Recioto" or Amarone style, with the grapes being dried for 3-4 months. (85 pts.)

Photos of our crazy group are available on Flickr.

Tasting notes posted from CellarTracker

Wine Tasting - Thanksgiving Dinner

THANKSGIVING DINNER - Jeff McHugh's condo (11/27/2008)

A selection of wines for an unforgettable Thanksgiving Dinner with great friends: Jeff, Mark, Dave, Steve, Jill, Jake, and Amy.

• 1988 Château Clos des Jacobins - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
  Decanted 1 hour, mostly due to cork and sediment issues. Cork was wet halfway through, but no seepage. My first 20 year-old wine. Nose just blows my mind...very complex, with tobacco, red raspberry fruit, pencil lead, and a vegetal component I can't place. Complexity follows to the palate...huge flavor explosion! Earthy, with tobacco leaf, tomatoes (the vegetal component on the nose, I think), raspberries, pencil lead, just delicious! Finish goes on for a good minute, with flavors swimming all over my tongue. Tannins are very soft, and this is drinking very well. I feel that it is probably at the end of it's drinking window, but showing quite well tonight. An outstanding bottle of right bank Bordeaux! (95 pts.)


• 2003 Mitolo Shiraz Reiver - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Decanted 4 hours. Darkest wine I've seen in awhile, and very thick, like blackberry syrup. Coating my decanter, glass, mouth, teeth...Nose is beautiful. This is going to be something special! Aromas of dark blackberry fruit with a touch of vanilla and earth. In the mouth, very thick and coating, with blackberries, blueberries, a bit of vanilla 'oakiness', and tasty earthiness that I love. Not to hot, acidic or tannic, and the fruit, while prominent, isn't exploding like a fruitbomb. This is integration! Finish goes on for a minute or more...Astounding wine that makes me wish I'd bought more. (95 pts.)


• 2004 Renato Ratti Barolo Marcenasco - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  Decanted 1 hour. Steve's wine. Much too young (I see the CT drinking window OPENS in 2013...) even with an hour+ decant. Was just starting to open up towards the end of the bottle. Nice earthiness, old world and very tasty, but the fruit remained hidden behind a wall of tannin. (90 pts.)


• 2003 Nicolis Angelo e figli Amarone della Valpolicella Classico - Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
  Steve's wine. I typically love Valpolicella wines, Amarone in particular, and this one was somewhat of a disappointment. Could be palate fatigue, as we had tasted many wines prior to this, but the flavors fell somewhat flat for me. I didn't get a chance to poll other tasters, but I got some fruit, and a nice earthiness, but the wine seemed to be missing the signature sweetness that comes from most Amarone I've tried. (88 pts.)


• 2006 Mollydooker Shiraz Blue Eyed Boy - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
  Decanted 4 hours. Very dark purple color, coating the glass. Nose of blueberries. A bit hot. Sweet on the palate, but with an overabundance of alcohol heat. Very mouthcoating, with a long bittersweet finish and light tannins. At $47 at WTSO, a terrible QPR. This drinks like many $20 bottles of Shiraz I've tried. Not impressed. (91 pts.)


• 2005 Cakebread Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley
  Decanted 2 hours. Steve's big wine, and big is the correct word. Big price, big bouquet, big fruit...and big oak. The over-oaked taste was what kept this wine from being wine of the night. I usually don't mind some oak in my cabs, but this went a bit too far for me. Even with the oak, serious gobs of concentrated raspberry fruit and earth showing. Tannins were present, but not bothersome, only lightly drying the mouth on the finish. Color was somewhat lighter than I expected for a Cali cab. All in all, a nice showing, but overshadowed (for me at least) by the 20 year-old St. Emilion, and the Mitolo shiraz. (92 pts.)


• 2007 Torzi Matthews Shiraz "Schist Rock" - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
  Decanted 4 hours. This is the youngest wine of the bunch, and even with a 4 hour decant, is showing it's youth. Very pretty bouquet of strawberries and vanilla. Lots of oak...picking splinters out of my tongue. Needs a year or two to integrate. Big fruit, big oak, big acid, but not too tannic. My least favorite so far. (88 pts.)


• 2005 Dominio IV Tempranillo Midnight Skies - USA, Oregon
  Decanted 2 hours. Nose of blackberries, smoked meat and earth, following to the palate, and ending in a sweet finish, about 30 seconds, that is full-on blackberries. A bit tannic, but integrating nicely with air. (90 pts.)


• 2007 Seghesio Family Vineyards Zinfandel Sonoma County - USA, California, Sonoma County
  Steve's wine. I can see why this was included in the Wine Spectator's Top 100 of 2008, but #10?? I'll admit I'm not much of a Zin fan, but still...I got a LOT of alcohol heat on this one. Almost like taking a shot of vodka or something. Delicious red fruit, and that Zin "zing" of spiciness. Tasty, but way too hot. Maybe too young? (89 pts.)


• 2005 Hay Shed Hill Chardonnay Pitchfork - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia
  Good with turkey and other items at dinner. Nice acidity to cut through some of the bigger food flavors. (87 pts.)

A migrane headache prevented me from enjoying several other wines in our lineup. My sincerest thanks to Jeff for inviting me to dinner, and to Steve for providing many of the tasty wines we enjoyed that evening (the Cakebread Cabernet in particular!).

Tasting notes posted from CellarTracker

Wine Tasting - Willamette Valley Vineyards Library Magnum Party

LIBRARY WINE MAGNUM PARTY - Willamette Valley Vineyards (11/16/2008)

A special Oregon Wine Guild (the WVV wine club) event, offering magnum-sized bottles from their library for reduced prices. Over 130 magnums of various wines were available for sale, from vintages back into the late 1990's through 2005. Willamette Valley Vineyards also owns Tualatin Estate Vineyards and Griffin Creek Winery in Southern Oregon, and they were represented here as well.


White Wines From Willamette Valley Vineyards, Tualatin Estate Vineyards and Griffin Creek Winery

Poured from 750ml bottle. I missed out on the regular (sweet) WVV Riesling, and magnum tastings of Tualatin Estate chardonnay and Griffin Creek viognier (mainly from lack of interest).

• 2007 Willamette Valley Vineyards Riesling Dry Riesling - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Quite a bit drier than the regular bottling, this had just a touch of sweetness, reminding me more of a Viognier than a Riesling. It was good, but I prefer just a touch more sweetness. Floral, with pineapple and honeydew melon flavors, but they seemed muted somehow, without the sweetness to accompany them. (84 pts.)

New Release Pinot Noirs From Willamette Valley Vineyards

A variety of 2006 single clone pinot noirs from Willamette Valley Vineyards, poured from 750ml bottle.

• 2006 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Clone 114 Estate Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  My first red of the day. Somewhat bitter, not very pleasing in the mouth. Thin, with muted flavors. Earthy, raspberry, and just a touch of leather. (86 pts.)


• 2006 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Clone 777 Estate Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Wow, this is how I like my Pinot Noir! Startlingly bright fruit, with sweetness, earth and leather, and a floral component sneaking in there. This is tasty stuff! (92 pts.)


• 2006 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Pommard Clone Estate Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  A step back from the 777 clone. The sweetness is gone, replaced by some tannins that, while not unpleasant, don't add anything to the flavor. Mouth feel is nice, between the thin 114 clone and robust 777 clone. (90 pts.)


• 2006 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Wädenswil Clone Estate Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Hey, a step back in the right direction! Still not as tasty as the 777 clone, but this is close, very close. Berry fruit over saddle leather and dirt, with a touch of chocolate on the finish. (91 pts.)

Red Wines From Griffin Creek Winery

Poured from magnums! I wish there had been more variety to taste...

• 2000 Griffin Creek Merlot - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley
  I actually had two tastes of this, and I'm basing my review on the second sample, as my first one was nothing but sediment. Such poor etiquette...I swear, the next time I see someone turn a bottle of 8 year-old red wine completely upside down to pour every last drop into someone's glass, I'm going to smack them. Learn to pour properly! Sorry for the rant...The wine was pleasant, and easy to quaff. Smooth, and decently integrated. Starting to show some of its age, however, with the tasty blackberry fruit dropping off into a very short finish, and the acidity tending to show through a bit too much. (90 pts.)


• 2001 Griffin Creek Griffin - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley
  Cool looking bottle/label, very understated. Dark color, extremely nice nose, with berries, violets, and some earth/minerality that all comes together on the palate. This was a joy to drink, and attempts at securing another pour were deflected. Major bummer. I guess at $65 per 750ml bottle (the magnums were "on sale" for $112.50), the winery wanted to control how much they poured pretty closely. A great wine, though a very poor QPR. If this was down in the $40-$50 range (where it should be), I would have jumped on several bottles. When leaving the tasting, I did notice that most of the 131 original magnum bottles available for sale had been sold. The remaining bottles? The Griffin Creek "Griffin" and Viognier. Surprised, I was not. (93 pts.)

The event as a whole was a touch underwhelming. We all expected more tastings of the vintage wine (I'm not buying a magnum of a library wine unless I've tasted it first), and more/better quality food. As it was, the cheese & cracker trays were okay, but we all left there wanting lunch. I guess for $10 (for non-Guild members), what do you expect?

Tasting notes posted from CellarTracker

Wine Tasting - ZanZibar Cellars 2007 Barrel Sample Party

ZANZIBAR CELLARS 2007 BARREL TASTING - Clark-Lewis Restaurant, Portland, OR (9/28/2008)

ZanZibar Cellars hosted their 2007 barrel sample party at Clark-Lewis this year. I attended with my girlfriend, Kristina, and tasted their 2007 wines from barrel, while hanging out with good friends. Winemaker Ziad Kierouz, and his business partner, Glen Boyd, were on hand to discuss the wines, the vintage, and to ensure the 75+ email list members present had a great time. Delicious small bites were served by Clark-Lewis, which opened on a Sunday just to host this event.

• 2007 Zanzibar Cellars Casima - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Tasted from barrel sample. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese, from Yakima Valley vineyards, according to winemaker Ziad Keirouz. Raspberries on the nose, with a hint of something floral. Raspberries again on the palate, very bright, yet supple and feminine. Very smooth, with barely any tannic bite at all. Acidity is already noticable. This wine will go into bottle Novemeber/December 2008, where it will stay for 12-15 months before the planned release in the Fall of 2009. (91 pts.)


• 2007 Zanzibar Cellars Sandra Alder Creek Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Horse Heaven Hills
  Tasted from barrel sample. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Syrah. I am not certain this wine is sourced 100% from Alder Creek Vineyard anymore, but winemaker Ziad Kierouz mentioned it was a Columbia Valley wine. Very fruit-forward, with blackberry and some earthiness/leather on the nose. A definite fruit explosion on the palate, with firm tannins and bright acidity. Lots of different flavors floating around, chocolate, coffee, blueberry...very tasty. An incredible effort from one of the coldest vintages in Washington in the past decade. This wine will be bottled November/December 2008, and released Fall of 2009. (94 pts.)

After the tasting there was a small dinner served by Clark-Lewis that Kristina and I did not attend. Ziad mentioned he was going to serve some of his extremely limited Non-Vintage Sandra, which is a blend consisting of a barrel from each vintage of Sandra. Each year, Ziad removes one barrel of the blend for bottling, and then adds a barrel of the current year's vintage to the blend. Ingenious!

Tasting notes posted from CellarTracker

Wine Tasting - Owen Roe Wines at Hollywood Wine & Espresso's 3-Year Anniversary

3 YEAR ANNIVERSARY PARTY WITH OWEN ROE - Hollywood Wine & Espresso, Portland, OR (9/18/2008)

Hollywood Wine & Espresso celebrated their 3rd anniversary with a special Owen Roe Wines tasting event, that ran Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I attended Thursday with my girlfriend Kristina, and Friday with friends Mark, Trish and Phil. 10 Owen Roe wines featured, for a paltry $10 tasting fee.

O'Reilly's Wines

The first three wines are from Owen Roe's lower cost label, O'Reilly's, named for winemaker David O'Reilly.

• 2006 O'Reilly's Pinot Gris - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Nice fruit, with some melon and citrus. Decently acidity as well. (83 pts.)


• 2007 O'Reilly's Riesling - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Bright, slightly sweet. Much tastier than the Gris. (84 pts.)


• 2007 O'Reilly's Pinot Noir Oregon - USA, Oregon
  Much lighter and thinner than the 2006, and much less flavorful. Almost bitter, but, this IS a very young wine. (85 pts.)

Sharecropper's Wines

The second pair of wines are from the mid-price label, Owen Roe Sharecropper's.

• 2007 Owen Roe Pinot Noir "Sharecropper's" - USA, Oregon
  Wow, this is like night and day, compared to the 07- O'Reilly's Pinot. Great nose of earth and cherry, following to the palate. Very tasty! (88 pts.)


• 2006 Owen Roe Cabernet Sauvignon "Sharecropper's" - USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley
  Great fruit, nice low tannins, and very smooth drinking. A tasty cab at a great QPR! (90 pts.)

Owen Roe Wines

The final, and largest, flight was of true Owen Roe wines, with a mix of their lower-level tier, and one from their upper-level tier. Delicious, all!

• 2007 Owen Roe Abbot's Table - USA, Oregon/Washington
  Much more integrated than the last time I tried this, with much lower tannin levels, and much smoother fruit. I think this is going to be outstanding in 6 months to a year! (90 pts.)


• 2007 Owen Roe Sinister Hand - USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley
  A bit on the thin side for a Syrah/Grenache/Mourvedre blend. Nice fruit, some pepper and earthiness in there as well. Again, in 6-18 months, this will be drinking fine! (90 pts.)


• 2006 Owen Roe Syrah Ex Umbris - USA, Oregon/Washington, Columbia Valley
  Delicious. Pepper and smoke on the nose, with dark fruits and a very long, tasty finish. Always one of my favorite Owen Roe wines. (93 pts.)


• 2005 Owen Roe Zinfandel - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  I'm not usually a Zin fan, but wow! This wine is intense...not the hyperfruity spice juice most Zins taste to me. Great berry fruit, some earth, pepper and low tannins make this one a serious 'drink now' candidate. (91 pts.)


• 2005 Owen Roe Red Wine Yakima Valley - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Most definitely my Wine of the Night. Just incredible blend of fruit, acidity and tannins. So easy to drink, and with another year or so in the bottle, I can see this wine pulling down a 95 score from me. Outstanding!! (93 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Wine Tasting - Rhone Valley Wines at GEM

REDS & WHITES OF THE RHONE VALLEY - GEM Wine Cellar, Portland OR (9/5/2008)

In celebration of his wife Janice's birthday, Gene at GEM Wine Cellar & Wine Bar featured a Rhone Valley wine tasting. Two incredible homemade cakes were served as well.

• 2005 Domaine Brusset Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne Coteaux des Travers - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne
  Slightly sweet, nice fruit...apples and pears all around. (85 pts.)


• 2005 Domaine Rabasse-Charavin Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne
  Honeydew melon, mixed with some citrus fruit and a bit of honeysuckle. (86 pts.)


• 2007 Domaine Rouge-Bleu Vin de Pays des Portes de la Méditerranée - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Vin de Pays des Portes de la Méditerranée
  Very light, young, thin. Bright fruit, but much too thin to be enjoyable. (78 pts.)


• 2006 Domaine André Brunel Côtes du Rhône - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône
  Tasty fruit, with a slight taste of earth, somewhat sweet, but with a funky finish. Drinking well now. (85 pts.)


• 2004 La Bouquetière Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
  Very tasty, with heavy earth flavors to go with the blackberry fruit. 90% grenache, 5% syrah & mourvedre. (87 pts.)


• 2005 Philippe Faury Côte-Rôtie - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
  My first taste of Cote-Rotie, so not sure what to expect. Nose of blueberry and black fruits, with a somewhat funky smell in there as well, that I can't decipher. Lush fruit on the attack. Firm tannins, leaving a very dry finish. I hope this is not representative of the region, because it was definitely a "meh" wine for me. (86 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Wine Tasting - Hollywood Wine & Espresso's Oregon: Dundee Hills Extravaganza

OREGON: DUNDEE HILLS EXTRAVAGANZA - Hollywood Wine & Espresso, Portland OR (8/23/2008)

• 2006 Dobbes Family Estate Pinot Gris - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Smooth, nice flavors or citrus fruit and honeydew melon. (86 pts.)


• 2007 Torii Mor Pinot Gris - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Very bright, with snappy citrus fruit and harsh acidity. Methinks this is a very young wine. (84 pts.)


• 2005 Dobbes Family Estate Viognier - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley
  Very floral on the nose, with a sweet taste of pears and flowers. Very nice! (88 pts.)


• 2006 Wine By Joe Pinot Noir Really Good - USA, Oregon
  Wine shop owner called this "spaghetti wine" and I certainly agree. It needs some food to go with. On it's own, not so good. Muted fruit, a bit of earth, but really, a "MEH" wine for me. (82 pts.)


• 2006 Torii Mor Pinot Noir Willamette Valley - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Nice cherry fruit, with some of that Oregon earthiness I enjoy. Somewhat bitter however. Needs more time to integrate I think. (86 pts.)


• 2006 Torii Mor Pinot Noir Dundee Hills Select - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
  Much better than the "Willamette Valley" cuvee, and very young. Tannins were heavy, but controled by the fruit and acidity. I think this one will age well. Raspberry and cherry fruit with some spice in there as well. (90 pts.)


• 2006 Archery Summit Pinot Noir Premier Cuvée - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Wow! Big fruit, but very well integrated. Lots of berries in this one, with some very tasty tar/earth/tobacco in there. Long and supple finish makes me want to take another sip just to keep it going. (91 pts.)


• 2006 Archery Summit Pinot Noir Arcus Estate - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
  Wine of the Tasting! But, of course I expected this. At $100/bottle, definitely a pass for me, but this is a HUGE Pinot! Heavy tannins, oakey, but with big fruit under the tannins that shines through. This one is very very young, and needs a good 5-10 years to really show its stuff. (93 pts.)


• 2004 Dobbes Family Estate Syrah Grande Assemblage Cuvée - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley
  Lots of fruit, almost a fruitbomb. Blackberries and cherries, with a sweet but slightly tart finish. Reminds me of a $20 Aussie Shiraz. (91 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Wine Tasting - Cork Friday Flight with Dubost/Crooked Road Wineries

FRIDAY NIGHT FLIGHT - Cork - A Bottle Shop, Portland OR (8/8/2008)

Special 08/08/08 tasting event at Cork with Dubost Ranch and Crooked Road wineries. Poured by Dubost/Crooked Road winemaker, Jake Raines.

• N.V. Dubost Viognier - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
  Slightly sweet, flavors of pears with some crisp acidity. (86 pts.)


• 2004 Dubost Chardonnay - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
  Very lush, tangy citrus flavors, very tasty but with a touch of bitterness on the finish. Lovely nose! (88 pts.)


• 2006 Crooked Road Grenache Windfall Gypsy Rosé Special Release Starr Ranch - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
  One of the most intriguing rosé wines I've tasted. Flavors of watermelon, and sweet berries abound. Quite tasty. Winemaker mentioned the Grenache fruit was from pre-ripe cuttings that are usually dropped on the ground. They threw the grapes into the press and made this rosé. A joint project between Dubost and Crooked Road wineries. (87 pts.)


• 2004 Dubost Syrah - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
  Big sweet fruit, with a lot of minerals. Reminds me of a CdP that is very young. Blackberry fruit is very prominent. (87 pts.)


• 2004 Dubost Tempranillo - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
  Clearly the Wine of the Tasting for me, and others in my group. Incredible mouth-coating fruit, jammy, but not overbearing. Licorice, cigars, raspberries, blueberries and chocolate flavors all mixed together, hitting different parts of the tongue. Absolutely delicious! (93 pts.)


• 2004 Crooked Road Cabernet Franc Starr Ranch - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
  Lots of cherry fruit, very tannic, drys the mouth. Some heat and bitterness in there as well. Not popular with my tasting group. This wine seems very young and disjointed still. Give it 4-5 years? (83 pts.)


• 2004 Crooked Road Odysseus Starr Ranch - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
  Very nice Bordeaux blend. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot. Big raspberry fruit, still quite tannic. Very tasty now, and something that can lay down for 5-10 years. (90 pts.)


• 2004 Dubost Negrette - USA, California, Central Coast, San Benito County
  My first experience with this varietal. Right off the bat, I can tell this is VERY young...lots of heat, green flavors, tannic as nails. Some fruit in there somewhere, but way too young to be enjoyable. (82 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Wine Tasting - RiverAerie

THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHT - Thirst Wine Bar (7/31/2008)

4 current release wines from RiverAerie, the second label of Bunnell Family Cellar. Winemaker Ron Bunnell was previously head red winemaker for Chateau St. Michelle, and then Col Solare, before starting his own labels.

• 2006 RiverAerie Riesling - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Slightly sweet, with nice flavors of melon and citrus. Perhaps a touch of pineapple in there too... (86 pts.)


• 2006 RiverAerie Viognier - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Smooth, but lacking in flavor, compared to the Riesling. Apples, pears, maybe a touch of honeydew. (84 pts.)


• 2006 RiverAerie Malbec - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  A touch on the bitter side. Great, bright fruit, spicy, but the bitter finish kills the enjoyment, and has me wishing I had some food to go with this wine. (85 pts.)


• 2005 RiverAerie Barbera - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Wine of the tasting. Sweet fruit, strawberry, cherry and a bit of earthiness that is pleasant. (87 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Wine Tasting - Apolloni Vineyards

I recently took a day trip out to Forest Grove, OR with a small group of friends to do some wine tasting. We braved the 100-degree sun to hang out with Alfredo and Laurine Apolloni, the owners of Apolloni Vineyards, and sample some of their current offerings. As usual, tasting notes are from CellarTracker, and are posted below.

APOLLONI VINEYARDS TASTING - Winery Tasting Room (6/28/2008)

• 2007 Apolloni Pinot Blanc - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Just released. NICE nose of grapefruit with some pear, which follow to the palate. Tasty, but a tad bitter on the finish. (85 pts.)


• 2006 Apolloni Pinot Gris - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Citrus and pear bouquet and flavors. Prefer this over the 07 Pinot Blanc. Finish was very nice, with lasting flavors of pears. (87 pts.)


• 2007 Apolloni Pinot Noir Rosé - USA, Oregon
  Never thought I'd like a rose wine, but wow. The nose on this wine is incredible. Grapefruit and strawberry all day long! Bouquet follows to the palate, but with some outstanding dryness. You think the wine will be sweet after smelling it, but quite the opposite. Bravo! (88 pts.)


• 2006 Apolloni Pinot Noir - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Compared to the 2 bottles of 2005 Pinot Noir I've had from this producer, very disappointing. Could be the youth of this wine showing, but the flavors were lacking across the board. Nice nose of raspberry, cherry and tobacco, but I didn't get a whole lot on my palate. (85 pts.)


• 2006 Apolloni Syrah Conti di Val Seriana - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  A nice effort with a new varietal for this winery, bottled under another label (Conti di Val Seriana), but lacking (or could be youth...). Nice fruitiness, but missing that peppery, smokey Syrah flavor that I've come to associate with Washington Syrahs, and love dearly. A nice wine, just not for me. (85 pts.)


• 2007 Apolloni Viognier Dolce Vino - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  A VERY tasty dessert wine. Sweet, with some very definite citrus flavors. Like adult candy! (90 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Driving in the Rain? Use Aquapel Glass Treatment!

I live in Portland Oregon. The Rose City. Stumptown. The Silicon Forest. Rain Hell. Yes, Hell. It has rained so much this year that I think I'm growing webbed feet. And I'm not even a U of O Duck (Go Beavers!). I commute about 12 miles one-way to work each weekday, which means I drive in the rain. A lot. I think I replace my windshield wipers annually too. It still makes driving in the rain a pain in the tuckus. I've tried some of the rain repellent products, like Rain-X and Rain Magic before, but it seems like they always wore off in about a week--reapplying the stuff that often sucks. And then I found Aquapel Glass Treatment.

This hydrophobic coating adheres to your car's windshield MUCH longer than other rain repellant products, and does an incredible job of shedding rain when you are on the road. I noticed that it worked better the faster I drove (more excuse to drive fast!), to the point of me not having to even turn on my wipers. Sweeeeeet. It's very easy to apply too...just squeeze the applicator and apply it to your windshield, then wipe it off with a paper towel (quickly before it 'hazes'). I highly recommend Aquapel. I'm sure you can have it applied at a local auto glass replacement/repair shop, but if not, you can buy it online and apply it yourself. Check it out!

Wine Tasting - Cork's 2nd Anniversary Party

CORK 2 YEAR ANNIVERSARY - Cork - A Bottle Shop, Portland OR (5/16/2008)

Cork - A Bottle Shop, 2901 NE Alberta Street, Portland OR 97211. Cork celebrated their 2nd anniversary on 5/16/08. 9 local wineries came out to help celebrate, and to pour their latest releases.

Adami (no website found) - Poured by Enrico Valleferro

• N.V. Adami Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Garbèl - Italy, Veneto, Prosecco di Valdobbiadene
  Citus fruits, some tangerine perhaps, with a nice sweetness. Not too dry. Very Good - 85 points. (85 pts.)


• N.V. Adami Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Brut Bosco di Gica - Italy, Veneto, Prosecco di Valdobbiadene
  Very nice bouquet of pear, with a touch of peaches, following to the palate. Extremely drinkable. Light acidity, and not overly carbonated. Excellent - 88 points. (88 pts.)

Cristom Vineyards - Poured by Andy Meyer

• 2006 Cristom Viognier Estate - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
  Nice smells of pear, with a floral component. A bit too sweet for me, however, but the pear and mango flavors are quite nice. Very Good - 85 points. (85 pts.)


• 2006 Cristom Pinot Noir Mt. Jefferson Cuvée - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Nose of earth and berries. Tastes typical of most Oregon Pinots, earthy, leather, with nice berry fruit and a touch of chocolate. Excellent - 88 points. (88 pts.)


• 2006 Cristom Pinot Noir Sommers Reserve - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Nose of black cherry, with some earth. Cherry flavors abound on the palate, with that typical Oregon leather/earthy component that is so delicious. A touch of asian spice as well. Tasty! Excellent - 88 points. (88 pts.)

Lemelson Vineyards - Poured by Anthony King

• 2006 Lemelson Vineyards Riesling - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Honey on the nose, very distinct. Follows to the palate, with some nice pear flavors as well. Very sweet, and not as dry as other Rieslings I've tasted. Very Good - 85 points. (85 pts.)


• 2006 Lemelson Vineyards Pinot Noir Thea's Selection - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Nice cherry nose with some earthiness. Flavors of 'dirty' black cherries. But in a good way...very nice earthiness that reminds me of old world Burgundy Pinot. Excellent - 88 points. (88 pts.)


• 2006 Lemelson Vineyards Pinot Noir Meyer Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  This one seems a touch young. Lighter flavors and aromas than the Thea's Selection. Seems rather closed at the moment. Strawberry with an earthy/leather component that stands out. Needs time. Excellent - 89 points. (89 pts.)

Owen Roe - Poured by Matt Rice

• 2007 Owen Roe Pinot Gris Crawford-Beck Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
  Definite apple smells and flavors. While showing some nice acidity and noticable sweetness, it doesn't go over the top. Very well-structured. Very Good/Excellent - 87 points. (87 pts.)


• 2006 Owen Roe Pinot Noir "Sharecropper's" - USA, Oregon
  Much better than the first time I tasted this at Thanksgiving. More flavors, and better integration. Bottle time makes a difference! Berry and earth, with bit of 'brightness' still there, but definitely not as noticable as in November. Excellent - 89 points. (89 pts.)


• 2005 Owen Roe Red Wine Yakima Valley - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Excellent flavors of berry fruit, some smoke, and well-integrated tannins. Solid structure, with everything just working together nicely. Tied with Cottonwoon Raya Jade Syrah for Wine of the Tasting! Outstanding - 93 points. (93 pts.)

RoxyAnn Winery - Poured by Shannon Wickham

• 2006 RoxyAnn Pinot Gris - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley
  Peaches and a floral component on the nose. Sweet, with peach and a touch of citrus flavors, but a slightly bitter finish that ruins it all. Good - 82 points. (82 pts.)


• 2006 Velocity Cellars Velo Red Wine - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley
  Didn't know this was a RoxyAnn wine...very nice spicy cherry nose and flavors. Also a great QPR at $18. Excellent - 88 points. (88 pts.)


• 2005 RoxyAnn Claret - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley
  Heavy tannins. Raspberry flavors are present but somewhat overshadowed by the tannic grip. Needs some more time to integrate. Can definitely see the potential, and it still tastes pretty nice, even though I want a drink of water after every sip. Excellent - 89 points. (89 pts.)

Grochau Cellars - Poured by John Grochau

• 2007 Grochau Cellars Z - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  My favorite white wine of the night. This is a blend Chardonnay, Riesling, and Gewurztraminer. Intoxicating nose of melon and buttery oak, with a very surprising sweet/dry flavor profile. One of the most interesting whites I've ever tasted, up there with the Caymus Conundrum. And for 1/2 the price of the Conundrum, a steal! Excellent - 88 points. (88 pts.)


• 2006 Grochau Cellars Pinot Noir Cuvée Des Amis - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Aromas of cherry and blackberry, with some spiciness. Definite black cherry on the palate, with a bit of 'zing'. Enjoyable Pinot. Very Good/Excellent - 87 points. (87 pts.)


• 2006 Grochau Cellars Tinto - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley
  Delicious Syrah/Tempranillo blend. Great dark fruits, nice structure, and at $16, an excellent QPR! Outstanding - 90 points. (90 pts.)

Dominio IV - Poured by Patrick Reuter & Leigh Bartholomew

• 2006 Dominio IV Viognier - USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley
  Pears and vanilla on the nose. Very very sweet, almost cloying flavors on the palate. Just not very enjoyable after several other white wines this evening. Good - 80 points. (80 pts.)


• 2006 Dominio IV Pinot Noir Rain on Leaves Willamette Valley - USA, Oregon
  This wine seems too young. Very light, bitter strawberry flavors, with a touch of leather/earth typical of Oregon Pinot Noir. Very Good - 85 points. (85 pts.)


• 2005 Dominio IV Tempranillo - USA, Oregon
  Great smokey blackberry fruit, some earth and a floral component (!). Sharply tannic finish that drys the mouth. Excellent - 89 points. (89 pts.)

Boedecker Cellars - Poured by Stewart Boedecker & Athena Pappas

• 2006 Boedecker Cellars Pinot Noir Reflection Pinot Noir Rose - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Very light, with flavors of strawberry, but tastes rather watered down. Quite a bit of "sweet" as well. Good - 83 points. (83 pts.)


• 2005 Boedecker Cellars Pinot Noir Stewart - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Raspberrys jump out of this wine, do a little dance in your mouth, and then vanish. While tasty, I was discouraged by the short finish. Nice nose, raspberry and some leather. Very Good - 85 points. (85 pts.)


• 2005 Boedecker Cellars Pinot Noir Athena - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Very nice spicy component! Raspberries again, but this time they hang around to party for awhile! I like the spiciness of this wine, and the longer finish. Very Good/Excellent - 87 points. (87 pts.)

Cottonwood Winery - Poured by Aaron Liebermann

• 2005 Cottonwood Winery Pinot Noir Marina Piper - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Nice nose of vanilla, strawberry, with a nice kick of spice and earth. Tasty, but a tad bitter on the finish. Very Good/Excellent - 87 points. (87 pts.)


• 2002 Cottonwood Winery Pinot Noir Brigette Catherine - USA, Oregon, Yamhill County
  Quite a bit more integrated than the Marina Piper. You can definitely tell the extra age of this wine (2002 vs 2005). Not sure if it is bottle age or what, but it makes a difference in the smoothness of the wine. I also get a hint of leather and some sort of spice component. Very nice. Excellent - 89 points. (89 pts.)


• 2005 Cottonwood Winery Syrah Raya Jade - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Wow! Smokey, with great berry fruit on the nose, following to the palate. Excellent integration for such a young, tannic wine. The finish is a bit dry with excess tannins, but what a wine! Tied with the Owen Roe Yakima Red for Wine of The Tasting! - Outstanding - 93 points. (93 pts.)

After tasting 26 wines, my palate is exhausted. Off to Siam Society for jalapeno margaritas and great Thai food!

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Wine Tasting - Owen Roe Spring Release Party

OWEN ROE SPRING RELEASE PARTY - Ecotrust Building, Portland, OR (5/3/2008)

Owen Roe Winery's annual Spring Release wine tasting event, featuring their 2007 Crawford-Beck vineyard Pinot Gris and 2006 DuBrul vineyard Merlot. Held at the EcoTrust Building, in the Pearl District area of NW Portland. Attended with my girlfriend, Kristina and enjoyed some fine Oregon wines!

Owen Roe Whites

Current release white wines. Did not taste the 2006 O'Reilly's Chardonnay, 2007 O'Reilly's Pinot Gris, 2001, 2002, and 2007 Owen Roe Crawford-Beck / Casa Blanca Vineyard Pinot Gris.

• 2007 O'Reilly's Riesling - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Very sweet, seemed like a lot of residual sugar. Fairly smooth, nice citrus on the nose. First wine of the day...Good/Very Good - 84 points. (84 pts.)


• 2007 Owen Roe Riesling DuBrul Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Very floral nose, citrus, some grapefruit maybe. Seemed somewhat young, with the flavors not really pulling through yet. Still a very nice white, with solid acidty, and nice sugar levels. This one is built to last! Very Good/Excellent - 87 points. (87 pts.)

Owen Roe DuBrul Merlot Vertical

Vertical tasting of the DuBrul Vineyard Merlot, 1999 - 2006.

• 1999 Owen Roe Merlot DuBrul Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  VERY impressive! Smooth, great fruit flavors...lots of blueberry, blackberry, and a hint of something floral. Just like drinking velvet...soft and luscious on the tongue. Outstanding - 92 points (Owen Roe DuBrul Merlot Vertical, 99-06). (92 pts.)


• 2000 Owen Roe Merlot DuBrul Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Nice wine, good nose of plums, with a touch of olives. Flavors of dark berry fruit, no olives, and some decent acidty, although not as integrated or velvety as the 99. Outstanding - 90 points (Owen Roe DuBrul Merlot Vertical, 99-06). (90 pts.)


• 2001 Owen Roe Merlot DuBrul Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Huge wine, with tons of smells and flavors running around. Cassis, blackberry, chocolate, some earthiness in there. Just a wonderfully complex, full-flavored wine, and Wine of the Tasting for me. Outstanding - 94 points (Owen Roe DuBrul Merlot Vertical, 99-06). (94 pts.)


• 2002 Owen Roe Merlot DuBrul Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Seems somewhat more closed than previous vintages in this tasting. Still lovely nose, earth, smoked meat, blackberry. Some of the same hits the palate, but not the intensity of fruit flavors as I was expecting, although it is still delicious, but compared to the previous 3 vintages, not as much. Outstanding - 91 points (Owen Roe DuBrul Merlot Vertical, 99-06). (91 pts.)


• 2003 Owen Roe Merlot DuBrul Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Now we're talking! After a somewhat disappointing 2002, the 2003 is rockin' it! Great blackberry, cherry, and vanilla flavors. A bit tannic and oaky still, with solid acidity. Some drying tannins on the finish. Outstanding - 93 points (Owen Roe DuBrul Merlot Vertical, 99-06). (93 pts.)


• 2004 Owen Roe Merlot DuBrul Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Fruit bomb! Huge huge berry fruit nose and flavors. Just way over the top, over extracted, without the tannins or acidity to keep the fruit in check. It's still a really nice merlot, but the fruit really pushes the limit. Excellent - 89 points (Owen Roe DuBrul Merlot Vertical, 99-06). (89 pts.)


• 2005 Owen Roe Merlot DuBrul Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Young still, but you can tell this one is age-worthy. Excellent integration, with good acidity levels, tannins are still a bit harsh, but berry fruit, licorice, some oaky vanilla flavors are there to back it up. Outstanding - 92 points (Owen Roe DuBrul Merlot Vertical, 99-06). (92 pts.)


• 2006 Owen Roe Merlot DuBrul Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  A monster! Huge wine, very very young. One of the most powerful merlots, if not THE most powerful, that I've ever had the pleasure of drinking. I won't be opening my bottle anytime in the next several years. Needs time, but I can tell it's going to be a phenomenal wine as it matures. Outstanding - 93 points (Owen Roe DuBrul Merlot Vertical, 99-06). (93 pts.)

Owen Roe Reds

Current release red wines.

• 2006 Owen Roe Cabernet Sauvignon "Sharecropper's" - USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley
  Happy that I have a bottle in the cellar. Very nice, smooth wine, not too tannic or acidic, smooth and easy to drink. Might need to pick up a couple more (great QPR at $15-$18 retail). Outstanding - 91 points. (91 pts.)


• 2006 Owen Roe Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
  VERY young, with heavy tannins and oakiness. GV would say "oak monster!" I liked the fruit under the tannic crush of oak, but it took some time swirling in the glass to bring it out. Excellent - 89 points. (89 pts.)


• 2006 Owen Roe Syrah Ex Umbris - USA, Oregon/Washington, Columbia Valley
  Rich, luscious, great smokey dark fruits, some chocolate in there. Lovely wine. Very happy that I have 4 in the cellar. Time will tell if this one can stand up to the extrordinary 2005. Outstanding - 92 points. (92 pts.)


• 2006 Owen Roe Cabernet Franc Slide Mountain - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Outstanding wine with lots of diverse flavors. Cedar wood, tobacco, blueberry, with some chocolate in there as well. A very nice way to end the tasting! Outstanding - 92 points. (92 pts.)

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Wine Tasting - Jeff's Sunday Dinner

SUNDAY DINNER - Jeff McHugh's (4/27/2008)

Sunday Dinner at my good friend Jeff McHugh's place. Dinner was an incredible spicy shrimp fettuccini with cheese & cream sauce, with appetizers of chevre, sharp cheddar and hummus prior.

• 2005 Mitolo Shiraz G.A.M. - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
  Decanted 4 1/2 hours prior to first taste. INCREDIBLE! Upon decant, the aromas consumed my apartment. 4 1/2 hours later, the nose was still incredible fruit and pepper. The palate was overwhelmed with blueberry and pepper, with vanilla and mocha/coffee flavors. Wow. The biggest, most intense wine I've ever tasted. Absolutely incredible! Extrordinary - 97 points. (97 pts.)


• 2005 Château Cornelie - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
  Had immediately after 2005 Mitolo GAM, so didn't taste much until after cleansing palate with some strong chevre. Nice earthy notes, with great fruit integration. 3rd time I've tasted this one and it remains consistent. Excellent - 89 points. (89 pts.)


• 2006 2 Up Shiraz - Australia, South Australia
  This one had been open for several days, resealed with screwcap after each pour. Had opened up quite nicely, and heavy fruit and pepper showing through. Very smooth, with excellent integration. One of my favorite sub-$15 Shiraz's, and always a crowd pleaser. Outstanding - 90 points. (90 pts.)


• 2005 Zerba Cellars Syrah Columbia Valley - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  VERY NICE Syrah! Great blackberry, coffee, and smokey pepper nose and flavors, with great integration of acidity and tannins. One of my favorite wines of the evening. Outstanding - 92 points. (92 pts.)


• 2004 Liberalia Toro Cero - Spain, Castilla y León, Toro
  Earthiness overwhelmed most of the other flavors, but this was a pop-and-pour. Recommend decant on this wine. Lovely fruit once the earth blew off, about an hour after being open. Outstanding - 90 points. (90 pts.)


• 2006 Two Hands Shiraz Gnarly Dudes - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Big blueberry fruit, with smooth tannins and heavy acidity. Recommend decanting for this one, as previously it helped with the integration. Outstanding - 90 points. (90 pts.)


• 2002 Paraiso Vineyards Syrah - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
  While some great terrior flavors, unimpressed with the bitter finish. Might do better with some more time in the bottle, or a decant for several hours. Not sure, but not a great wine to be sure. OK fruit flavors, but that bitter finish ruins the wine. Very Good - 85 points. (85 pts.)


• 2006 Concha y Toro Carménère Casillero del Diablo Reserve - Chile, Central Valley, Rapel Valley
  Never had this varietal before. Interesting nose of green pepper, mushroom, with a little fruit showing through. Once it had been open for awhile, the vegetal flavors faded and more berry fruits were apparent. Nice drinking wine, and at $9, great QPR! Excellent - 86 points. (86 pts.)


• 2006 O'Reilly's Pinot Noir Oregon - USA, Oregon
  Earth, strawberry, and some coffee. Lovely integration. One of the better sub-$20 Oregon Pinot's I've had. Excellent - 88 points. (88 pts.)


• 2005 Domaine Paul Autard Côtes du Rhône - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône
  As per previous note, this wine really needs time to breathe. I highly recommend decanting, actually. Heavy alcohol and tannins, overshadowing the blackberry fruit and terrior. Good - 83 points. (83 pts.)

There were many other bottles of wine at the dinner party, but I either can't remember them, or didn't get a chance to taste them.

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