Memorial Weekend Wine Tasting

Memorial weekend upon us again! This time we did things in bulk: 25 friends in a 30-passenger party bus! She's the crown jewel of the Aspen Limo Tours fleet. Our driver, Kawika, was AWESOME! Ranks as one of the best wine tours I've done, even though we only hit 3 wineries. The first:

Sineann recently relocated to the old Owen Roe Winery out on Champoeg Road near St. Paul. A new facility is being built for Sineann and the resident winery, Lady Hill (more about them below). For a $10 tasting fee, we were able to taste through the entire Lady Hill and Sineann lineups:

• 2013 White Table Wine (mostly NZ Sauvignon Blanc) - $13
• 2013 Columbia Gorge Gruner Veltliner - $18
• 2013 Wyeast Vineyard Pinot Gris - $20
• 2013 Celilo Vineyard Gewurztraminer - $18
• 2012 Oregon Pinot Noir - $30
• 2012 Yates Conwill Vineyard Pinot Noir - $42
• 2012 Resonance Vineyard Pinot Noir - $48
• 2012 Red Table Wine - $16
• 2012 Columbia Valley Abondante - $24
• 2012 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - $30
• 2012 Baby Poux Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon - $42
• 2012 Red Mountain Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon - $48
• 2013 Sweet Sydney Zinfandel Port - $24

Out of the lineup, the 3 Cabs were my favorite, with RMV topping the list. Well done, Peter!

After co-founder Jerry Owen split from Owen Roe, and that winery moved to Union Gap Vineyard in the Yakima Valley, he went to work with consulting winemaker Erik Brasher to form Lady Hill Winery in the old Owen Roe space on his family's farm property. These wines were a treat! I'm a huge fan of Erik's winemaking style, first experienced during his tenure as Director of Winemaking at Owen Roe. Included in the $10 tasting fee noted above were the following wines:

• 2013 Lady Hill Willamette Valley Pinot Gris - $18
• 2012 Lady Hill Freedom Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir - $35
• 2012 Procedo Columbia Valley Proprietary Red: 62% Sangiovese, 15% Cab Franc, 13% Merlot, 10% Cab Sauv. - $20
• 2012 Procedo Columbia Valley "Credente": 50% Sangiovese, 20% Cab Franc, 20% Merlot, 10% Cab Sauv. - $35
• 2012 Ad Lucem Columbia Valley Proprietary Red: 62% Syrah, 17% Mourvedre, 11% Grenache, 10% Durif - $25
• 2012 Ad Lucem Red Willow Vineyard "Daystar" Syrah - $35
• 2012 Ad Lucem Red Heaven Vineyard "Daystar" Blend: 51% Mourvedre, 29% Syrah, 20% Grenache - $40
• 2012 Ad Lucem Red Willow Vineyard "Daystar" Blend: 62% Mourvedre, 38% Syrah - $40
• 2011 Lady Hill Tapteil Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon: 79% Cab Sauv., 21% Merlot - $45
• 2012 Lady Hill Tapteil Vineyard "Cuvee Marie Dorion" Blend: 62% Merlot, 38% Cab Sauv. - $35
• BONUS POUR: 2012 Procedo Columbia Valley Cabernet Franc: 76% Cab Franc, 24% Merlot - $N/A
• BONUS POUR: 2012 Columbia Valley Cabernet Franc Barrel Sample (unknown label or blend) - $N/A

The winery also produces a number of other wines that were not open for tasting on this visit. All of these wines were hitting on all cylinders, and at amazingly reasonable price points. My favorites were the Ad Lucem single-vineyard blends, and the Tapteil Vineyard wines from the Lady Hill label. Keep your eyes on this up and coming new winery!

Cayuse Weekend in Walla Walla

This past April, our wine loving group made the trek from Portland out to Walla Walla for "Cayuse Weekend". We went last year also, but one (large) difference this year was the fact that yours truly finally made it onto the Cayuse Vineyards mailing list, after a 7 year (!!!) wait. This means I get to buy wine from the winery, and get to attend release weekend tastings. I didn't get to pick up any wine this year, as the 2012's were still in barrel, but next year I'll get my first allocation: 1 3-pack of 2012 En Cerise Vineyard Syrah. YES!!!

Note: If you haven't signed up for the Cayuse Wait List, I would HIGHLY recommend that you do, as well as Baron's second label, No Girls Wines. 

Back to the weekend! We hit Cayuse on Friday, after a quick lunch at The Worm Ranch, and a palate-cleansing tasting at Basel Cellars. In addtion to meeting founder/owner/winemaker Christophe Baron, who was extremely nice and quite fun to chat with, we tasted through barrel samples of the 2012 lineup, paired with some delicious hors d'oeuvres. Here are the wines:

• 2011 God Only Knows Grenache
• 2012 Camaspelo (84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot)
• 2012 Cailloux Vineyard Syrah
• 2012 En Chamberlin Vineyard Syrah
• 2012 En Cerise Vineyard Syrah
• 2012 Bionic Frog Syrah
• 2011 Armada Vineyard Syrah
• 2012 Impulsivo Tempranillo

All were amazing and, although very, very young, drinking quite well. I'm quite sure they had been decanted for some time. The Impulsivo was locked up pretty tightly, and several 2011 wines were included due to the un-readiness of their 2012 versions. 

The snacks served all came from estate-raised livestock. Here's the list:

• Cucumber with Olive Tapenade
• Slow-Roasted Lamb on Chickpea Crisp
• Rosemary & Thyme Lamb Meatball with Arrabiatta Sauce
• Chevre and Thyme Gougeres
• Country Pate and Cherry Gastrique

All were delicious, although I avoided the pate/cherry thing (I don't like either ingredient), with my favorite being the lamb meatballs. So good with the wines! 

Other wineries we visited over the weekend were Sleight of Hand Cellars (epic Grenache party Friday night), El Corazon (epic "Pants Optional" party Saturday night), Rasa Vineyards (epic wines, ALWAYS), Mark Ryan Winery (epic carnitas tacos), Charles Smith/K Vintners, Reynvaan Vineyards, and Cadaretta Winery. A great weekend, tasty dinner at T. Maccarones, extremely fun and laid back. We missed a lot of wineries this trip, but made up for it with the higher amount of fun. If you haven't visited Walla Walla, I really think you need to plan it! 

Owen Roe Wine Club Pick-Up Party

Owen Roe Winery in St. Paul, OR is relocating their winery to the Yakima Valley in Washington. A brand new winery facility is being built on their Union Gap Vineyard (estate), and all winemaking will move there after 2013 harvest. Rumor has it Owen Roe will move their Oregon tasting room to an old nut barn in the Newberg area sometime in early 2014 (location to be announced). 

As a side note, the "old" Owen Roe winery has been taken over by Lady Hill Winery, owned by ex-Owen Roe partner Jerry Owen, with ex-Owen Roe director of winemaking Erik Brasher as winemaker. Expect some amazing wines under the Radicle Vine, Procedo, Ad Lucem, Lady Hill and Pinnacle labels coming from them in the very near future. 

The final Owen Roe wine club pickup party at the old winery was Sept. 14, and I attended with several good friends. Free for club members and their guests ($10 for all others), the following wines were offered for tasting (and sale - 15% wine club discount!): 

• 2012 Corvidae "Wise Guy" Sauvignon Blanc ($10)
• 2012 Owen Roe "DuBrul Vineyard" Chardonnay ($48) 
• 2012 Owen Roe "Eola-Amity" Pinot Noir ($42) 
• 2012 Owen Roe "Lenne Vineyard" Pinot Noir ($55) 
• 2012 Owen Roe "Merriman Vineyard - Wadenswil Block" Pinot Noir ($55) 
• 2012 Owen Roe "Sharecropper's" Pinot Noir ($21)
• 2012 Owen Roe "Abbot's Table" Red Blend ($24) - Great blend of 5 varietals 
• 2012 Owen Roe "Sharecropper's" Cabernet Sauvignon ($15) - A great value Cabernet 
• 2011 Owen Roe "Yakima Valley" Cabernet Sauvignon ($55) - New offering this year 
• 2011 Owen Roe "Red Willow Vineyard - 1973 Block" Cabernet Sauvignon ($72) - Always a favorite
• 2011 Owen Roe "DuBrul Vineyard" Cabernet Sauvignon ($72) - Wine of the Tasting for me 

As always, a great event, and amazing red wine line up! I love all of the Owen Roe Cabernets. I look forward to visiting the new winery on my next trip to Yakima. 

Corked Wines: A Reflection on Disappointment

Corked! Nothing worse than popping a much-anticipated bottle of wine and discovering it is spoiled! We've all heard the word 'corked', but how many people actually know what it means, really? Most people I've asked think it has to do with a wine's cork closure actually failing in some way. While this is partially true (the cork failed to remain neutral towards the wine), the term 'corked' refers to the presence of TCA (2,4,6-trichloroanisole) in the wine, most commonly from a tainted cork closure, or 'cork taint'. TCA has a very distinctive odor, most commonly described as wet newspaper/cardboard, damp shoe leather, wet dog, or musty basement. In other words, it is not pleasant, especially in a wine!

Ever wonder why there are so many alternative wine closures showing up on store shelves these days? Examples are Stelvin, or screwcaps, Vino-Lok/Vino-Seal, or glass corks, Zork, which is a bulbous plastic cork from Australia, and a myriad of synthetic/plastic corks. The stats don't lie: The number of corked wines from alternative closures is next to nothing, and if they are corked, typically the source of TCA in wine sealed with an alternative closure is NOT from the actual closure, but from a tainted barrel or something else within the winery itself. What percentage of wines are corked? I've read 1-3% as the normal range. A fellow wine blogger, Sean Sullivan of Washington Wine Report, has a running Corked Counter for 2011, where he documents his experiences with corked wines (he tastes a LOT of wine). As of July 2011, he had tasted 835 wines, with 26 being corked, for a corked rate of around 3%. But what about my personal experience?

After opening a corked wine this evening, I decided to take a look at my wine consumption history, using Eric Levine's wonderful tool, CellarTracker, which I've been using religiously since late 2007 to track my wine purchases and consumption. Here's the breakdown of my personal wine consumption and corked rate, by year.

• 2007 (Oct-Dec): 71 bottles consumed, 0 corked.
• 2008: 283 bottles consumed, 5 corked = 1.8% corked rate.
• 2009: 297 bottles consumed, 6 corked = 2.0% corked rate.
• 2010: 262 bottles consumed, 4 corked = 1.5% corked rate.
• 2011 (Jan-Aug): 125 bottles consumed, 3 corked = 2.4% corked rate.

Out of 1,038 wines personally consumed over roughly 3 years, 18 were corked, for a corked rate of 1.73%. Cost of these 18 corked wines came to $430.50, and I was able to get refunds on 2 of them that totaled $56. So my overall financial loss due to corked wines is $374.50. That's certainly no small number, even over 3 years.

I'm curious to hear from readers if anyone has experienced a corked wine, and what your thoughts are on traditional cork vs alternative closures. Comments are appreciated!

Dundee Hills Passport Tour Wine Tasting

Myself and 3 friends trucked down to Dundee, OR for the Dundee Hills Passport Tour. A $10 passport (ours was a lame sheet of paper, as they ran out of actual passports) purchased at Four Graces Winery gets you into most Dundee Hills wineries at a greatly reduced cost (Archery Summit is typically $20, and cost $7 with a passport). We arrived rather late in the day, so after getting our passports and a tasting at Four Graces, set about hitting the big names.


Stop 1: The Four Graces - Free tasting with $10 passport purchase.

• 2008 The Four Graces Pinot Gris - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
  First wine of the day. Light, crisp and slightly sweet, with some nice tropical fruits. (88 pts.)


• 2009 The Four Graces Pinot Blanc - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
  Millions of peaches...peaches for me. This wine is all about the peaches. And I really don't like peaches... (85 pts.)


• 2007 The Four Graces Pinot Noir - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  None of us could get past the super-funky smell of this wine. Very barnyard...horse manure, saddle blanket, poop, were some of the descriptive words floating around in our group, that I'm able to repeat here. One bonus, we proved, through a test with water, that the entire contents of a 750ml bottle of wine will fit in a Riedel Oregon Pinot glass, with several cm. left at the top. (85 pts.)


• 2007 The Four Graces Pinot Noir Reserve - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
  Still lots of FUNK in this Pinot, although not quite as noticeable as in the regular bottling. Some cherry fruit is also evident, although still masked by the leather-funkiness. (87 pts.)


• 2007 The Four Graces Pinot Noir Reserve Black Family Estate - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
  Now we're talking! This wine is from the top block of their estate vineyard, aged in 100% new French oak for 1 year. And finally the funk is integrated! I get a lot of oak notes in this one, with nice smooth cherry fruit gliding over my tongue. Still a baby of a wine, that will definitely improve with age. (89 pts.)

Stop 2: Archery Summit - $7 tasting fee with passport.

• 2007 Archery Summit Pinot Noir Premier Cuvée - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  First wine at Archery Summit, poured outside on their patio. Nice, elegant cherry fruit, with a nice dose of dirt mixed in. Smooth and easy drinking, this one. (90 pts.)


• 2000 Archery Summit Pinot Noir Renegade Ridge Estate - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
  Yes, you read that right. 2000 vintage. A 10 year-old Pinot, and its drinking like it was just released! Wow. Impressive, Archery Summit! No sign of age in the color, aromas or flavors of this wine. No pruney, porty, stewed fruit. Just crisp, bright cherry fruit, earth, and a hint of saddle leather. Tasty! Poured in the wine cave. (91 pts.)


• 2007 Archery Summit Pinot Noir Oregon Pinot Noir Red Hills Estate - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Somewhat of a letdown after the incredible 2000 Renegade Ridge. Served in the dark wine cave, it was hard to notice the color, but this was definitely lighter and much more elegant than the fruit-driven 2000 Renegade Ridge. Light cherries, some oak, and that signature leather. (89 pts.)


• 2006 Archery Summit Pinot Noir Arcus - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
  Arcus. Need I say more? And from the 2006 vintage, one of my favorites. Typically their longest-lived wine, this is still drinking like a baby. Sweet black cherry, with earth, oak notes, and a creaminess that is quite interesting. Served in the winery's tasting room, which was clogged with people. (91 pts.)

Stop 3: Domaine Drouhin - $5 tasting fee with passport.

• 2008 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Chardonnay Arthur - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
  First wine at DDO. Nice pear fruit, pretty crisp on the acidity. Would work well with a fish dish or as a summer sipper. (86 pts.)


• 2009 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir Édition Rosé - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
  Very nice rose of Pinot. This would rock with some salmon. Was very tempted to adopt a bottle or two, but resisted the temptation (at least so far). Very light and refreshing, to be consumed (per the winery) within 3-6 months tops. (88 pts.)


• 2007 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Not very exciting...2007 vintage, light, with some elegance that is becoming the trademark of this vintage in Oregon. But lacking the mouth-filling fruit I prefer in my Pinots. Cherry and leather flavors. (87 pts.)


• 2006 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir Laurène - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
  This is the wine I've been waiting to try at this winery. 2006 vintage, nice solid mouthful of cherry fruit, with a great earthy backbone. Best wine here, but falling behind the Archery Summit Arcus today. Wish we could have gotten a taste of the "Louise", as I hear she would have given Arcus a run for its money. (90 pts.)

Stop 4: Vista Hills Vineyard - $5 tasting fee with passport, and my vote for the coolest tasting room of the day, the "Treehouse". Simply gorgeous view from the main tasting room and deck! Kicking myself for not bringing a camera to capture the view. Also, I'm not 100% certain the wines I've selected from CellarTracker are the correct ones...I had notes, but didn't get the wine details for several of them, so the vintage may be off, if not the designation, for the last couple of wines listed here.

• 2008 Vista Hills Vineyard Pinot Gris TreeHouse - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
  Smooth, light and very crisp, with a sweet tropical fruit flavor profile. Pineapple perhaps? I like this. (88 pts.)


• 2007 Vista Hills Vineyard Pinot Noir TreeHouse - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
  Nice nose of tart cherries, that makes me salivate. Flavors follow...sort of. A bit more acidic than I like, and the fruit seems to be a bit light, when compared to the nose. It is still drinking nicely, and our group enjoyed it. (88 pts.)


• 2007 Vista Hills Vineyard Pinot Noir Piedmont - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Lighter in color than some others here, and also lighter in flavor. Still, some cherry fruit, with a lot of acidity, and a bit-o-funk. Not very exciting though, and reflective of my general take on the 2007 vintage Oregon Pinots. (87 pts.)


• 2007 Vista Hills Vineyard Pinot Noir Marylhurst Estate - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
  A bit more fruit in this one, strawberries and bitter cherries coming in on the finish. Some tobacco too, which is a nice surprise. Acidity is more under control than the Treehouse also. (89 pts.)


• 2007 Vista Hills Vineyard Pinot Noir Saga Hills Reserve - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
  Big cherry fruit in this one, surprisingly forward for a 2007. Nice structure also, with an earthy/tobacco finish, lightly tannic. (90 pts.)


• The last wine we tasted was quite unique...I was so taken by the oddness of it, I forgot to note the actual wine. I actually thought this was a Pinot Noir port when I first smelled it. Very sweet, stewed strawberry fruit, with maybe some rhubarb. Interesting aromas, with the flavors showing a slightly metallic edge. While it was fun to taste, more than a glass would be hard for me to drink, especially without food.(88 pts.)

Stop 5: Dobbes Family Estate - $5 tasting fee with passport. The most crowded tasting room, due to the winery being open the latest (6pm) in the area.

• 2007 Dobbes Family Estate Pinot Gris - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Slightly sweet, with a nice honeydew melon flavor. Smells somewhat tropical also. (86 pts.)


• 2007 Dobbes Family Estate Pinot Noir Grande Assemblage Cuvée - USA, Oregon
  Light red, with a nice spicy nose. Some tobacco coming through also. Fruit is bigger than expected, black cherry with a finish of leather. (88 pts.)


• 2006 Dobbes Family Estate Pinot Noir Griffin's Cuvée - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Bigger fruit than the Grand Assemblage...probably reflecting the different vintage. Spicy, dark cherry, earth, and a somewhat tannic finish. (88 pts.)


• 2006 Dobbes Family Estate Pinot Noir Cuvée Noir - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Last wine of the day, and my palate is shot. This one is bigger than the Griffin's, with similar flavors. More mouthfilling and lush fruit though, and enjoyable to drink. (90 pts.)

All in all, a great event, and one that I will need to take advantage of again. Fun area, nice wineries, and not too heavy a crowd anywhere, except Archery Summit and maybe Dobbes at the end of the day. My only regret was missing the 4pm closing of Winderlea Vineyard by 10 minutes. One day I will make it to their tasting room!

I Walk The Vine

One of my good friends abandoned her good-paying corporate radio station job to jump into an entrepreneurial endeavor dealing with wine and wineries, called I Walk The Vine. She provides great wine-related t-shirts and such to wine shops and wineries everywhere. This weekend marks her first year "walking the vine", and she threw a party to celebrate that accomplishment. In an economy that is literally tanking more each day, she has been able to remain positive and march forward into the unknown. Yes, the economy is in the toilet. I know this first-hand, being laid off from my own Internet Marketing job back in March. Things SUCK right now. But she's still out there, making sales, getting people excited about Walking The Vine, and wearing the t-shirts. I have one myself, and my girlfriend has several. Great shirts. Last forever, great graphics, and, yes, they are wine related, which I love. So, yeah, I'm biased a bit. But you need one. Oh, yes, I think you do. At least check them out!

Anyway, back to my original thought process...there was an I Walk The Vine 1 Year Anniversary party tonight. Wine pairings with various cheeses, meats and nuts, along with many attendee-supplied wines as well. I personally brought a 2000 Gaja Pieve Santa Restituta "Sugarille" Brunello di Montalcino and a 2004 Cana's Feast Winery Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Nebbiolo. There were so many other great wines, including a 2006 Archery Summit Premier Cuvee Pinot Noir and a 2007 Patricia Green Pinot Noir. Just an amazing selection of great wines, and great friends to share them with. I couldn't ask for a better group to hang out with and drink wine with. And congratulations to Liz for her first year of business with I Walk The Vine!

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

Friday Flights - A Wine Tasting Event

FRIDAY FLIGHTS - Hollywood Wine & Espresso, Portland OR (2/15/2008)

Hosted by Hollywood Wine & Espresso shop in Portland, Oregon and featuring Oregon winemakers Rich Cushman of Viento Wines, and Tim Schechtel of Erin Glenn Wines.

Viento Wines

Poured by Viento winemaker Rich Cushman

• 2006 Viento Verona - USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley
  A blend of Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, this white blend had me thinking "Caymus Conundrum" on first sip. Nice light sweetness, smooth acidity, and bright fruit flavors. I would enjoy tasting this next to a bottle of Conundrum! (86 pts.)


• 2006 Viento Riesling - USA, Oregon, Columbia Gorge
  Incredibly sweet, even for a Riesling. Lots of sugar that just coats the mouth. Nice flavor, but not for me. (85 pts.)


• 2005 Viento Sangiovese Cuvée Tuition - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Nice and light, great berry fruit on the nose, which carried over to the palate. Integrated tannins. Wine of the flight. (88 pts.)


• 2004 Viento Syrah Cuvée R - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Smooth, fruity, light tannins. Very quaffable. (87 pts.)


• 2005 Viento Barbera Lonesome Spring Ranch - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Dark fruit on the nose and palate. Long, highly tannic finish that drys the mouth thouroughly. (87 pts.)

Erin Glenn Winery

Poured by Erin Glenn winemaker Tim Schechtel

• N.V. Erin Glenn Tantrum - USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley
  An interesting blend of Pinot Noir, Merlot and Barbera. Heat on the nose, along with cherries. Big cherry fruit attacks the palate. Nicely integrated tannins that are so smooth they are barely detectable. A great food wine. (85 pts.)


• 2006 Erin Glenn Tempranillo - USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley
  Smooth and fruity with slightly dry tannins on the finish. (85 pts.)


• 2005 Erin Glenn Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley
  Heat on the nose, nice raspberry fruit hits the palate and coats the mouth. Excellent tannins on the finish. (87 pts.)


• 2005 Erin Glenn Syrah Blind Dog - USA, Oregon
  Spicy nose of pepper and chocolate, with some berry undertones. On the palate, I get smoked meat, melon (!) and nicely integrated tannins. Wine of the Flight. (89 pts.)


• 2006 Erin Glenn Gewürztraminer Estate Late Harvest Gemini - USA, Oregon, Columbia Gorge
  Wow. I was expecting this to be your typical super-sweet dessert wine, but the spiciness of the Gewurtz is amazingly refreshing. A sweet-spicy combo is like a 1-2 punch: Very effective! (88 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Secret Crush - Yakima Valley Wine Tasting Event

Attended an invite-only wine tasting event featuring Yakima Valley wineries, held at the Gerding Theater in Portland. My tasting notes for the event follow.

SECRET CRUSH - Gerding Theater, Portland (2/4/2008)

23 wineries from Yakima Valley showed at this event. I only tasted 20, as 3 had already left by the time I got to them.

Last Half of the Tasting Room

Started at the end and worked backwards. Did not taste any white wines. Prosser Wine Company not present.

• 2005 Wilridge Nebbiolo di Klipsun Klipsun Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain
  Pinot noir with a bite! I like this light Italian red. Strawberry, earth and some pepper. (88 pts.)


• 2005 Wilridge Syrah Rattlesnake Hills Elephant Mountain - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  WOW! Spicey and firm tannins. Black currant with serious pepper and spice. Nose is incredible! Best wine they have here. (91 pts.)


• 2002 Wilridge Merlot Klipsun Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain
  Amazing Merlot. Spicy almost like a WA Syrah. Excellent integration, with blackberry, coffee and pepper. Never had a Merlot like this before. (90 pts.)


• N.V. Wineglass Cellars Capizimo - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Smooth but obviously a mix of varietals and vineyards. Fruit forward. Tasty, but not my style. (82 pts.)


• 2002 Wineglass Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Elerding Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Amazing Cab. Smooth with nice tannin integration. Other wines from this winery not so smooth. (90 pts.)


• N.V. Two Mountain Winery Hidden Horse Red Table Wine - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Easy drinking red, but a bit on the jammy side. Surprisingly integrated, but too much fruit for me. Like drinking fruit juice instead of wine... (82 pts.)


• 2003 Two Mountain Winery Syrah - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Spicy! Amazing terroir, with plenty of spice and heat. Integrated perfectly, so you don't even notice the alcohol. Nice, but needs some time. (89 pts.)


• 2006 Thurston Wolfe Dr. Wolfe's Family Red - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Young and very very fruity. Not representative of the Yakima Valley, from what I've tasted. Easy drinking, but not alone. Needs pizza or easy-eating beef. (82 pts.)


• 2006 Thurston Wolfe Zinfandel Howling Wolfe Zephyr Ridge - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Wow! Not a Zin. At all. More spicy Syrah than Zin, IMO. Great flavor, without the jammy fruit of a typical Zin. (92 pts.)


• 2005 Tefft Cellars Merlot - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Huge tannins for a Merlot. Very dry. Smooth on the palate however, with nice raspberry fruit. (87 pts.)


• 2001 Terra Blanca Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Terra Blanca Estate - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain
  Intense, big tannins, but smooth and very well integrated. Nose of flowers and cherry, with a bit of wood. Black currant, and rich cherry flavors on the palate with a long long finish of fruit and chocolate. This is good stuff! (92 pts.)


• 2002 Terra Blanca Syrah - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain
  Rich, luscious, mouth-coating, with deep dark fruit and pepper. Spicy nose, big fruit on the palate and a long finish of chocolate and blackberry. (91 pts.)


• 2004 Terra Blanca Malbec - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Spicy with lots of fruit. Not a huge Malbec fan, so this one wasn't as special to me. Interesting pairing at tasting event: Peppercorn Chocolate. Yowza! (88 pts.)


• 2005 Sagelands Merlot Four Corners - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Nice nose of chocolate and spice, raspberry fruit on the palate with a bit of bitterness on the finish. (86 pts.)


• 2005 Sagelands Cabernet Sauvignon Four Corners Columbia Valley - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Great fruit - cherries and blueberries. Some caramel and/or vanilla in the finish. Smooth drinking. (87 pts.)


• 2004 Sagelands Malbec - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Decently spicy, smooth tannins, ample fruit. Again, not a fan of Malbec on its own, but an enjoyable wine. (85 pts.)


• 2005 Milbrandt Merlot Traditions - USA, Washington
  Very sweet, dense Merot. Decent fruit on the palate: blackberry and blueberry are most prevalent. One of the biggest Merlots I've tasted. (87 pts.)


• 2005 Milbrandt Syrah - USA, Oregon/Washington, Yakima Valley
  Pepper, spice, dark, dark berry, and a hint of coffee and chocolate. Very nice. (88 pts.)


• 2005 Milbrandt Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, Oregon/Washington, Yakima Valley
  Very nice integration of fruit, alcohol, acidity and tannins. Black cherry with a bit of pepper on the nose, with nice cherry flavors attacking the palate. Smooth drinking, with a bit of tannic dryness on the finish. (89 pts.)


• 2002 Kiona Cabernet Sauvignon Estate - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain
  Excellent cab! Nice cherry on the nose, with a hint of spice (cinnamon?). Deep black cherry flavors, and a long finish with a touch of heat. Tannins bounce around the tongue, adding a bit of dryness. (90 pts.)


• 2003 Kiona Sangiovese - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain
  Sweet red. Smooth, deep flavors of strawberry and violets. (86 pts.)


• 2003 Kiona Syrah Estate Bottled - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain
  Nice nose of black pepper, coffee and blueberry fruit. Palate is attacked by big peppery berries. Finish is sligtly bitter, with coffee and chocolate. (89 pts.)


• 2004 Côte Bonneville Carriage House DuBrul Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Nose of black cherry, a hint of spice. Black currant and berry fruit flavors with a smooth finish that is quite long and enjoyable. No heat. (91 pts.)


• 2003 Côte Bonneville DuBrul Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Amazing integration! Everything worked in this cab. The nose was sweet berries with some toffee and spice. Flavors of blackberry, blueberry and chocolate. Incredibly long finish that made me want to take another sip. Spices, coffee and chocolate with just a hint of heat. Lovely! Wine of the Tasting for me. (94 pts.)


• 2004 Kestrel Merlot - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  BIG Merlot! Flavors of cherries and tobacco, some spiciness that was quite unexpected, and a decent finish with smooth tannins. (86 pts.)


• 2004 Kestrel Syrah - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  White pepper and chocolate on the nose, with flavors of cola, pepper, and blueberry. Finish was spicy and short, with a bit of heat. Nice wine however, and I wanted more. (87 pts.)


• 2005 Kestrel Cabernet Franc Winemaker's Select Olsen Estate Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Smooth, nice integration, ample fruit. Nice nose, but too much heat. Fruit is definitely blackberries, with some coffee. (85 pts.)

First Half of the Tasting Room

Had some food and then attacked the A-K section of the tasting. Did not taste any white wines. Barnard Griffin Winery and Chandler Reach Vineyard not present.

• 2005 Kana Workingman's Red - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Very jammy, too much fruit. Smells like grape Koolaid. Next! (80 pts.)


• 2005 Kana Dark Star Elerding Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  BIG tannins. Needs serious time in a decanter, or big food to tone down the tannins. Maybe another year or three in the bottle would help too. Nice fruit, but the tannins made me feel like I took a mouthfull of alum. Too young, needs time. (83 pts.)


• 2005 Kana Syrah Ciel du Cheval - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Young Syrah. Needs more time, but showing nicely already. This could be a great wine in a couple years. Blackberry and pepper with some chocolate on the palate. Already coats the mouth. Tannins were a bit oppressive, but not too bad. Was a freshly opened bottle, so that could have something to do with it. (85 pts.)


• 2004 Kana Ciel du Cheval Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Nice Bordeaux blend, with raspberry and cherry flavors. Smooth tannins made it very easy to drink. (88 pts.)


• 2004 Hogue Cellars Merlot Genesis - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Nice wine, with well-integrated tannins, flavors of black cherry and wood, and a semi-long finish of blueberry pie and chocolate. (88 pts.)


• 2003 Hogue Cellars Syrah Terroir - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Nice and spicy! I love Yakima Valley Syrahs. Pepper and chocolate mix with blueberry, currant and oak. (89 pts.)


• 2005 Hightower Cellars Merlot - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Coffee and fruit on the nose, with some strawberry, coffee and apple(!) flavors. Finish is decent, and mostly mineral and berry with a touch of alcohol heat. (86 pts.)


• 2005 Hightower Cellars Murray Cuvée - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Interesting nose of green peppers and fig. Somewhat sweet berries with a hint of spice and a finish that is rather short, and ripe with green. (82 pts.)


• 2004 Goose Ridge Syrah - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Very spicy. Lots of pepper and earth here. Nice integration with tannins at the edge of drying your mouth. Big black cherry notes, with some chocolate and cola on the finish. (86 pts.)


• 2003 Goose Ridge Vireo - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Very nice wine! Fruit-forward, but not jammy. I like the black pepper and chocolate hints on the nose. Fruit hits you with blackberry, black currant and blueberry pie. I need to buy a bottle or two of this. (89 pts.)


• 2004 Fidelitas Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  A big wine that could use some food to tame it. Tannins are well-integrated, but dry the mouth a bit. A hint of spice and chocolate on the nose, with some serious cherry and blackberry fruit. Finish is nice, a bit dry, yet making my mouth water for another taste. (89 pts.)


• 2004 Fidelitas Optu Columbia Valley - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Finely integrated Bordeaux blend. Tannins are impressively smooth, with no hint of alcohol heat on the nose or finish. Fruit is all cherry. Finish has some wood, I'm thinking cedar or pine. (88 pts.)


• 2004 Eaton Hill Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Konnowac Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Black currant, fig, a hint of pepper. Smooth tannins, nice integration, decent finish. (85 pts.)


• 2005 Eaton Hill Winery Cabernet Franc - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Not as nice as their Cab Sauv. Lacking the character and integration. Fruity, but not overly so. Spicy, but again, not overly so. Meh. (82 pts.)


• 2005 Desert Wind Vineyard RUAH - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Wahluke Slope
  This bottle had been open most of the night. Much better than my first try 4 months ago. Decently integrated tannins, backed by strong blackberry and black cherry fruit. (85 pts.)


• 2005 Desert Wind Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Wahluke Slope
  I like this better than the Ruah. Plenty of tannins but not overdrying. A hint of spiciness, with black currant fruit on the palate. Finish is nice, but not very long. (86 pts.)


• 2005 Desert Wind Vineyard Syrah Desert Wind Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Wahluke Slope
  Young. Needs some time to settle down, I think. A bit green, and too much spice to really get a lot of fruit. Maybe a year or two in the bottle will make a difference. (85 pts.)


• 2006 Chinook Wines Cabernet Franc - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Definitely not my style of wine. Decent fruit, but just not what I look for in a wine. My palate was shot by this point anyway... (81 pts.)


• N.V. Chinook Wines Red Table Wine - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Light body, smooth drinking red blend. Couldn't get the mix of varietals, but it sure went down easy. This would have been a good wine to end the night on, but I had one more winery... (83 pts.)


• N.V. Airfield Estates Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, Oregon/Washington, Yakima Valley
  The first Non-Vintage Cabernet I've tried. Not bad, but not that good either. Last winery of the night, palate is shot... (80 pts.)


• 2006 Airfield Estates Syrah Reserve - USA, Oregon/Washington, Yakima Valley
  Just bottled. Obviously needs some time. Decent spice and flavor, but still disjointed. Flavors were not integrated enough to be enjoyable, but this has some promise with time. (83 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Recapping New Year's

After a long hiatus from blogging, I'm back in time to welcome the year 2008. My holidays were split between Phoenix, AZ with my parents, and Victoria, BC with my girlfriend, Kristina. Both trips were enjoyable, however the Victoria trip was my first with K, and it was so much fun! I had flown in from AZ on Thursday night, and Saturday AM, I picked K up, we drove up to Port Angeles, and hopped a ferry over to Victoria. It had been years since I'd been on a Puget Sound ferry, so it was a fun ride. Here's a pic of K about to give me the finger for being too camera-happy.


And me looking very happy to be on a trip with her.


Once we docked in Victoria and passed through customs, we headed over to our SUITE at the Victoria Regent Hotel. WOW. What a beautiful (and HUGE) room! We both felt a bit overwhelmed I guess, and like we should be hosting a huge party or something there. Anyway, we loved the room! That night we had a wonderful dinner at Luciano's, a delicious Italian place around the corner from our hotel. We enjoyed a bottle of Kettle Valley Winery's Brakeman's Select red blend. The wine is a blend of Pinot Noir, Merlot and selected other red varieties grown in vineyards located in British Columbia's Okanogen Valley. Nice and light, and the perfect compliment to our entrees. Our server suggested it, when the wine I had originally selected was out of stock. Good call! Kristina had the delicious butternut squash ravioli, and I the mushroom penne. VERY tasty, both. Here's us after dinner.

After braving the gusting wind, hail, rain, more wind, and more rain, we ended up next door to Luciano's at a place called Sauce. Very cool, and quite crowded too, with some GREAT tasting cocktails. We had several cocktails, and a shot of vodka there, before heading across the street to our hotel for the night.

The next day was spent touring around downtown Victoria and shopping. Here's K with a Canadian Fudge-selling Bear.

Eventually, we met up with K's friends Mark & Angela, from the UK. Great couple, and SO MUCH FUN! We had a nice lunch and Caesar cocktails at Earl's Victoria. The girls decided to head over to LuLu Lemon for some yoga clothes shopping, so the boyz hopped over to the Irish pub across the street from Earl's. Many pints of Guinness were consumed over the next couple hours! Once the ladies rejoined us, it was off to our condo in "Drunken Duncan", where we were spending New Year's Eve. Our first night was spent just hanging out and talking, and of course drinking! New Year's Eve day, we visited Angela's oldest daughter, who was staying with her father. The poor girl had a BAD case of the chicken pox! I felt so sorry for her, although she was workin' it pretty good for sympathy from daddy! That night, we went to Just Jake's for dinner. Nice place, a bit small though, and our server was having a bad night. The food was great, however. I enjoyed the vegetable stir fry, and drank a couple Red Bull & Vodkas. I was going to have wine, but the ladies ended up drinking a white wine that was rather nasty. I don't even recall what it was...

After dinner, we went next door to the Craig Street Brew Pub for more drinks and some entertainment. While I wasn't impressed with the band, I was VERY impressed with my date! Here's why:

WOW! Way hot. I think Angela (on the left) is pretty, but Kristina absolutely blows me away! Anyway, where was I? OH! After the brew pub, we decided to go slumming at the Galaxy, which was being closed down to make way for a new...gas station? Something like that. I was expecting the worst, but it wasn't too bad. Here's the ladies pole dancing on the Galaxy sign:

We went home soon after, and hung out for awhile before retiring. It was a very nice New Year's Eve!

The next day, we drove back into Victoria, so K and I could jump the ferry back to Port Angeles, and then make the 3-4 hour drive back to Portland. The roadtrip back was one of the best in my entire life, if not THE best! Being with K on the road was just so much fun, and so enjoyable. I can't wait to go on another roadtrip with her! Definitely one of the best New Year's I have ever experienced. Kristina, if you are reading this, I love you!

Grape Stomp!

Gathered a great group of friends together this past Saturday to participate in Willamette Valley Vineyards' annual Grape Stomp competition. What, you've never heard of the Grape Stomp?? It breaks down like this: 10 teams of 2 compete to see who can get the most grape juice out of a tub full of grapes using only their bare feet to squash. One person stomps while the other "swabs" (makes sure the drain tube remains unclogged). The stompers used white grapes so they didn't stain, but we drank almost exclusively red wine. I have new appreciation for Wine Away red wine stain remover. Wow. Just spray it on the stain and watch as it disappears. Yes, we needed a lot of it, if you can't tell from the photos...

While I didn't stomp, I did take a lot of pictures, which I posted on Flickr for your viewing pleasure. I also drank a LOT of great wine, drank a small amount of really bad wine (Lisa, shame on you), ate some good food, end ended the day with a couple shots of vodka. Can you say "lush"?? Yep, that's me. Here's two photos of our crazy group: