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!

Posted from CellarTracker

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.)

Posted from CellarTracker

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.

Posted from CellarTracker

Wine Tasting - Epicurean's Australian Wines Portfolio

EPICUREAN WINES PORTFOLIO TASTING - Liner & Elsen Wine Merchants, Portland, OR (4/25/2008)

3 flights of Australian/New Zealand wines from importer Epicurean Wines, put on by local Portland distributor The Merchant of Vino,and hosted at Liner & Elsen Wine Merchants, 2222 NW Quimby Street, Portland, OR 97210.

White wines from Australia and New Zealand

• 2006 SlipStream Chardonnay - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills
  Nice wine, pear flavors with some citrus. Surprising sweetness. Very Good - 85 points. (85 pts.)


• 2005 Glen Eldon Riesling Eden Valley - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
  Smooth, lovely citrus nose. Lots of citrus fruit, with sharp acidity on the finish. Good/Very Good - 84 points. (84 pts.)


• 2005 Poonawatta Estate Riesling The Eden - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
  Zesty! Definite ZING on the tongue. Interesting grapefruit flavors. Some mineral on the finish. Good - 83 points. (83 pts.)


• 2007 SlipStream Sauvignon Blanc - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Pemberton
  Very young! Ugly nose, bitter with melon and sharp citrus. Not a style (or varietal) I like. Below Average - 72 points. (72 pts.)


• 2006 Catalina Sounds Sauvignon Blanc - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough
  Again, lots of bitterness, melon and citrus, although better than the previous wine. Not a varietal I like. Average - 74 points. (74 pts.)

Lighter Australian/New Zealand Reds

• 2006 Catalina Sounds Pinot Noir - New Zealand, South Island, Nelson
  Smooth, some raspberry and pepper with a short and bitter finish. Good - 82 points. (82 pts.)


• 2006 Earthworks Shiraz - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Sour cherry, earthiness, some bitterness on the finish. tasty, but I've definitely had better Shiraz. Good - 84 points. (84 pts.)


• 2006 Langmeil Three Gardens - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Nice GSM blend. Plummy, with some earthiness/minerality that I like. Bitter finish that goes on awhile. Also some alcohol heat. Very Good - 85 points. (85 pts.)


• 2006 Charles Cimicky Shiraz Trumps - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Surprisingly bright. Woody flavors, perhaps the oak? Great fruit, but not as well integrated as it could be. Might need more time. Very Good - 85 points. (85 pts.)


• 2005 Mr. Riggs Shiraz - Viognier - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills
  Beautiful nose! Just lovely to smell. If I could stick a glass of this under my nose all day, I'd be a happy man. Floral notes from the Viognier really make the nose shine. Dramatic taste as well, with some of the floral notes carrying through to the palate. Great fruit as well. Darker than you'd expect, with some white wine in there, but wine guy says that's what happens. Odd, that. Excellent - 88 points. (88 pts.)

Big Australian Reds and a Port

• 2006 Langmeil Shiraz Valley Floor - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Deep flavors, seems like they go on forever, but not tasting too big or wild, as Aussie Shiraz often can. Great fruit flavors of blueberry and plum, with some vanilla in there. Solid integration. Excellent - 88 points. (88 pts.)


• 2005 Kaesler Shiraz Stonehorse - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Lovely Shiraz! Nose is huge, with cherry and earth. Big fruit with lots of cherry and tar flavors. Not the alcohol heat you'd expect either. Very full-bodied. Finish lasts and lasts. Outstanding - 91 points. (91 pts.)


• 2006 Epsilon Shiraz - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Very nice effort with great QPR. Blueberry, pepper, earth...delicious. Outstanding - 91 points. (91 pts.)


• 2005 Glaetzer Shiraz The Bishop - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Excellent nose of blackberry and pepper. Big fruit, just gobs of flavors rolling around the tongue. Outstanding wine! Amazingly rich and elegant. Wine of the Tasting for me. Outstanding - 93 points. (93 pts.)


• 2002 Gralyn Cabernet Sauvignon - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
  Although this is a 2002 vintage, still showing surprising youth. Tannins are huge and mouth-drying, and this is even after being open for almost 2 hours. Great fruit, very deep flavors of currant and cassis. Overshadowed by the tannins however. Excellent/Outstanding - 90 points. (90 pts.)


• 2006 Tatiarra Shiraz Cambrian - Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Heathcote
  Very young. Big wine that definitely needs more time. Can still get huge, concentrated flavors of blueberry and blackberry coming through with a nice peppery finish. Tannins are big as well. 3-5 more years in bottle and this wine will blow your socks off. #2 wine of the tasting for me. Outstanding - 92 points. (92 pts.)


• 2002 Kaesler Touriga Nacional - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Decided that I dislike fortified wines. Made the mistake of swirling this one in the glass and then taking a big sniff. I think I burned off all of my nose hair. LOTS of licorice aromas and flavors. Good - 83 points. (83 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Wine Tasting - Australia + 1

AUSTRALIA+ - Hollywood Wine & Espresso, Portland OR (4/4/2008)

Friday Flight at Hollywood Wine & Espresso, 4075 NE Sandy Blvd., Portland, OR 97212.

Wines of Australia...plus 1

Tasting wines from Australia, plus 1 from Napa Valley

• 2006 Stephen Pannell Sauvignon Blanc - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills
  Sweet and fruity...not my style. Good - 82 points. (82 pts.)


• N.V. Patritti Shargren - Australia
  Interersting "black bubbly"...a sparkling blend of shiraz and grenache. Very sweet, tastes like sparkling grape juice. A little confusing...not used to my red wine fizzing in my mouth. Good - 82 points. (82 pts.)


• 2006 Earthworks Shiraz - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Bright sour cherry fruit, lots of mineral flavors, bitter finish. Good - 84 points. (84 pts.)


• 2004 Schulz Zinfandel Johanne - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  While zin is not my thing, this one wasn't too bad. Big spicy fruit with some pleasant earthiness, and very fruity finish. Good/Very Good - 84 points. (84 pts.)


• 2006 SlipStream - Australia, South Australia, Clare Valley / McLaren Vale
  A nice shiraz-grenache blend from McLaren Vale. Big fruit, nice terrior, with a long peppery finish. Excellent - 87 points. (87 pts.)


• 2006 Kaesler GSM Stonehorse - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  VERY nice Grenache-Shiraz-Mourvedre blend! Incredibly smooth, great fruit, leather, tar, pepper flavors swim around the mouth. Finish of black fruit and pepper. Excellent/Outstanding - 90 points. (90 pts.)


• 2006 Epsilon Shiraz - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Wow. Wine of the Tasting! Incredible nose of pepper, dark fruits and earth. Very well integrated, with balanced acidity, fruit and tannins. Great fruit flavors, mixed in with some nice terrior. I could drink this all night! Outstanding - 92 points. (92 pts.)


• 2003 Tudal Family Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley
  This was the only non-Australian wine in our tasting, added, according to HW&E owner Dennis McLearn, "because I can!". Nice nose, blueberry, earth and a bit of heat. Sweet blueberry fruit and some earth, leather and pepper on the palate. Finish is long, and very pleasant. A close second for WotT. Outstanding - 91 points. (91 pts.)


• 2005 Massena Durif Howling Dog - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Fun factoid of the night: "Durif" is called Petite Sirah here in the states. I can see why the dog is howling...this is a tannic monster! Thick, inky black and teeth-staining. Huge fruit, oaky, but overpowering tannins that leave you wanting a glass of water. Would be much better with food. This has the potential to be outstanding, but way too tannic right now. - Excellent - 90 points. (90 pts.)

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Wine Tasting - Affordable 2005 Bordeaux

AFFORDABLE 2005 BORDEAUX - GEM Wine Cellar, Portland OR (4/4/2008)

Friday night wine tasting at GEM Wine Cellar, 3433 NE Broadway, Portland, OR 97232.

2005 Bordeaux wines, all priced under $20.

• 2005 Château Segonzac - France, Bordeaux, Côtes de Blaye, Premières Côtes de Blaye
  Nice wine, good fruit, decent terroir, short finish. Good wine to start the flight, but nothing special. Good/Very Good - 85 points. (85 pts.)


• 2005 Château Moulin Rompu - France, Bordeaux, Médoc
  A step up from the first wine of this tasting, with decent minerality, and smooth tannins, nicely integrated with the acidty and berry fruit. Excellent - 88 points. (88 pts.)


• 2005 Château Cornelie - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
  VERY nice Bordeaux, with great berry fruit, some pepper, and nice French minerality. Nose has some leather and raspberry. I like this one. Excellent/Outstanding - 90 points. (90 pts.)


• 2005 Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) Bordeaux Contrôlée Réserve Spéciale - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Contrôlée
  This had been open for a bit, but very well-integrated fruit, acidity and tannins, to make a tasty, nice-drinking wine. May still need some time to really shine. Outstanding - 90 points. (90 pts.)


• 2005 Château des Granges D'Or Médoc - France, Bordeaux, Médoc
  Drinking very well, with sour cherry fruit, tobacco, and some edgy tannins. Not as nice as the previous two. Excellent - 88 points. (88 pts.)


• 2005 Château Paradis Casseuil - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Contrôlée
  Wow. Excellent integration, with slightly drying tannins, smooth acidty that's keeping the fruit in check, and very nice terrior/minerality. Wine of the Tasting...too bad they are out of it at the wine shop, or I'd buy a bottle or three. Outstanding - 91 points. (91 pts.)

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Despair: Alcohol and Motivation

There is a new, fun tool at Despair.com called the Parody Motivator Generator. You can basically make your own "demotivator" posters. A friend made the following, featuring another friend who has an affinity for searingly hot food. The Great Balls of Fire referenced are a habanero pepper and cheese fritter dish from local Portland restaurant chain Salvador Molly's. Each fritter contains like an entire habanero pepper or something, and you need to eat 5, plus the habanero-mango chutney that comes with the dish, to get on the "Wall of Flame". The gentleman pictured below has made it on the Wall 3 times now. Crazy...I ate TWO of the Balls, and couldn't talk for an hour. They even made my urine burn. NO, it wasn't the Clap. Sheesh.

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.)

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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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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!