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 - 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 - 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

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.)

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