Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Wine Tastings & Events: Week of June 28, 2010

Las RocasImage of Las Rocas via Snooth
Wednesday, June 30
Anderson's Market, Sylvania, Wine Tasting. 6-8:00 PM. Outstanding Spanish Vino: 1. Azabache Viura, 2. Can Blau Mazuela/Syrah/Garnacha, 3. Mas Doix “Salanques” Priorat, 4. Dibon Demi-Sec Cava.  Nominal fee per sample or $8.50 per flight.

Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. 6-8 PM. Wines by The Other Guys, California. $15.

Thursday, July 1
The Andersons, Maumee, Wine Tasting. 5-7 PM.
Let’s celebrate the Reds, Whites and Blues! 1. White – Liberty School – Chardonnay, 2. Red – Liberty School – Cabernet Sauvignon, 3. Blue – Leelanau Cellars – Blueberry, 4. Red – Hazlitt Vineyards – Red Cat. Nominal fee per sample or $5.50 per flight.

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The Andersons, Talmadge Road. Wine Tasting, 6-8 PM. Clear the Shelves “Last Bottle Of” Tasting. If you haven’t heard we are moving the wine shop toward the front of the store.  These are wines that we purchased because we thought they were great, but sadly they are the last we will ever taste. You can help pick the tasting! We will put out around twenty-five selections and whoever is here around the 6 O’clock starting time will get to suggest what we will open for the tasting. Nominal fee per sample.

Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. 6-8 PM. Wines by The Other Guys, California. $15.

Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. 6-9 PM. Stars and Stripes! Well, the World Cup was a bust. Whatever, we'll discuss that later. Right about now it's Independence Day, and this is how we do it: All American wines - time to show 'em all what's up! $1 to $3 per sample.

Friday, July 2
Aficionado Wine and Cigars, The Shoppes at RiverPlace, 26567 N. Dixie Highway, Suite 135, Perrysburg, (419-873-4444). 5:00 – 8:30 p.m. Hamburger & Hotdog Wines: 1. Tangent Pinot Gris, 2. High Note Malbec, 3. The Other Guys "Hey Mambo," 4. Las Rocas Garnacha. $10 tasting.

Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. 6-9 PM. Stars and Stripes! Well, the World Cup was a bust. Whatever, we'll discuss that later. Right about now it's Independence Day, and this is how we do it: All American wines - time to show 'em all what's up! $1 to $3 per sample. 

Saturday, July 3 
Aficionado Wine and Cigars, The Shoppes at RiverPlace, 26567 N. Dixie Highway, Suite 135, Perrysburg, (419-873-4444). 5:00 – 8:30 p.m. Hamburger & Hotdog Wines: 1. Tangent Pinot Gris, 2. High Note Malbec, 3. The Other Guys "Hey Mambo," 4. Las Rocas Garnacha. $10 tasting.
The Andersons, Woodville, Wine Tasting. 1-3 PM. 1. Uvaggio 2008 Vermentino Lodi, Cal., 2. Uvaggio 2008 Barbera Lodi, Cal., 3. San Guilio Malvasia Don Bosco Italy, 4. Blufeld medium sweet Riesling Mosel Germany. Nominal fee per sample or $2 per flight.

Walt Churchill’s Market, 3320 Briarfield. Maumee, (419) 794-4000. Noon to 5:00 p.m. 2007 Vintage Profile – Southern France. Premium tasting (a bit more than usual). Pay by the sample or flight.

[Information on tastings can be sent to TWAV@ATT.NET.]
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Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Washington Wine Report: Food and Wine Pairing with Jeffrey Saad

wbc2 037WALLA WALLA – Jeffrey Saad thinks you can learn almost everything you need to know about food and wine pairings by thinking about ketchup and French fries. Saad, the runner-up in last year’s Next Food Network Star, believes that food and wine pairings can be reduced to some simple principles.
According to Saad, the acidy tomatoes in ketchup cut the fat  in the fries and its sweetness wbc2 045 cuts the saltiness. He says simple examples like this help keep the basic rules in mind.
Acid with Acid: Match an acidic wine with food with acidity, such as a citrus sauce, and the acid balances each other out and allows the flavors of the food to come through.
Fat with Acid: Pairing a dish with fat content with an acidic wine allows the acid to cleanse the fat off the palate as when you use lemon juice with a fatty fish.
Protein with Tannin: Pairing a dish with protein (animal fat) with a wine high in tannin covers the classic meat with red wine. But not all red is high in tannins, so be selective.
wbc2 044Sweet with Sweet: A good rule here is that the wine needs to be at least as sweet as the dessert you eat, otherwise the food “spanks” out the sweetness and you’re left with an unrewarding wine.
Spiciness with Sweetness: Another classic match is a spicy Oriental dish with a sweeter wine such as Riesling or Gewürztraminer.
Cheese suggestions: For most cheeses, you are better off with a Riesling or a wine that is sweet or off dry. If you are a red wine drinker, these can be paired with an aged cheese. For goat cheese go with a sweet white.
Go with geography: Another great tip is to go with food and wine from the same geographic area. These items grew up together and so often result in great pairings. If you are having an Italian meal, it makes sense to pair it with a nice Italian wine.
Three all-time safe wines: Jeffrey also selected his three all-time safe food pairing wines:
1. Dry Rose. Must be dry.
2. Champagne (you always look good drinking it). Low in alcohol, which makes it a good match.
3. Barbera – Low in tannins from Northern Italy.
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From Jeffrey’s captivating  presetation we went to an early food and wine pairing lunch prepared by Chef Bear of the Marcus Whitman Hotel.
There were 10 total dishes. Some of the highlights were:
Kris Pinot Grigio 2009, Italy, with Spot Prawn Salsa with White Peach and Peppercorn Caramel.
Cusino Macul Sauvignon Gris 2009, Maipo Valley Chile with Chicken Skewer with White Balsamic Vanilla “BBQ” on Chayote Slaw with Micro Cilantro.
Tilla Torrontes 2009’ Mendoza Argentina with Monteillet Chevre, Pistachio, Chestnut Honey.
Leyda Pinot Noir 2009, Leyda Valley Chile, with Grilled Quail on Trumpet Royal with White Soy and Whole Butter'.
Rioja Vega Reserva 2004, La Rioja, Spain, with Pork Belly and Pea Vines with Saffron Scented Stock.
Root: 1 Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Cochagua Valley, Chile, Kobe Strip with Black Trumpet Puree and Glace de Viande.
Wow! What a way to end the conference. We listened to the final wrap up where it was announced that next year’s Wine Bloggers Conference will be held in Virginia and then rustled to the WBC-or-Bust bus for our return trip to Seattle.
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Monday, June 28, 2010

Washington Wine Report: Le Paulee Celebration Dinner

wbc2 035 WALLA WALLA – The best food experience of the North American Wine Bloggers Conference was certainly Saturday night’s “Le Paulee” Celebration Dinner. Apparently “Le Paulee” is the traditional harvest dinner.

The dinner, sponsored by the Washington State Wine Commission, was a beautiful sit-down dinner featuring beef from the Washington Beef  Commission served family style.
After a delicious salad of wild greens, the main course was grilled Angus striploin with morels and glace and braised beef cheeks with horseradish creme fraiche. This was accompanied by roasted local organic vegetables and wild mushroom potatoes rosti and roasted potato fingerlings.

At each table there was a representative of a Washington winery and I made a beeline for the Gilbert Cellars table to visit with Rob Davis who was also at the Yakima tasting on Thursday. Rob opened the good stuff and shared the Gilbert Cellars 2007  Reserve Cabernet. This was a spot-on pairing with the beef cheeks. We also sampled the 2007 Powers Meritage.

wbc2 034 The evening was so great, most of the attendees even stopped Twittering long enough to eat – an unusual sight during this conference.

A true Washington finale was in store for dessert. The treat was Old School Lambert Cherries with Valhona Chocolate Ganache and Chantilly Cream.

This was a nice bookend to Friday’s lunch which was an enjoyable casual taco truck meal.

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Sunday, June 27, 2010

Washington Wine Report: Magical Mystery Wine Tour

WALLA WALLA -- A touch of mystery, a spash of sunshine and a day in wine country translated into the highlight of the 2010 North American Wine Bloggers Conference. After a fascinating lecture on the terroir of Washington and Walla Walla, all conference attendees loaded into 15 buses --with destination unknown.

The transportation was a fleet of school buses. The destination remained a puzzle until we started rolling. This added to the sense of rumbling excitement as we neared Les Collines Vineyard for a stroll through the vineyard, a meeting with owner Norm McKinnon and a wine tasting.

Norm is considered the godfather of vineyards in the Walla Walla area. Les Collines provides grapes for Amavi Cellars and Gramercy Cellars. Norm has a wealth of knowledge about vineyards, but was also able to provide the insight to show that the wine business is also a people business. One of the group (there were 15 of us) asked about old vines. Norm shared a story about visiting a vineyard in France that was planted in the year 990. In light of history like that, he considers the term "old vines" merely a marketing gimmick.

The wine tasting included 2007 Amavi Cellars Les Collines Syrah, 2006 Gramercy Cellars Tempranillo and 2008 Gramercy Cellars Syrah. Norm termed the Syrah as "Merlot but with flavor." The Tempranillo was a softer wine with a nice acidity. The Gramercy Cellars Sryah was young in the bottle and much mellower than the Amavi.

Our next stop was a mystery that was delicious to unwrap. We arrived at Reininger Cellars which features a stylish tasting room which reflects the local history. The floor planks were from old potato sheds in the area. The counters were basalt which forms the geologic bedrock in the area. The bar even had grapevines from the surrounding vineyards.

This stop was a bonus because it featured three winemakers: Chuck Reininger (pictured), Doug Roskelley of Tero Estates and Ron Coleman of Tammarack Cellars. The trio engaged in a panel discussion and then narrated as we tasted three great wines. Our arrival wine was Reininger 2008 Chardonnay, quite a special wine that had a flavor to me of toast.

Our tasting had three superb reds. From Reininger we had the 1999 Cima. This is Super Tuscan in style or, as Chuck termed it, a Superwallan. This is 50% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot. This is an adventurous wine (cima is Italian for "summit") that has an Old World flavor with black cherry, anise and vanilla flavor notes.

From Tero Estates we had the 2007 Windrow. This may have been my favorite of the whole mystery tour. According to Doug, this Bordeaux-style wine is designed to reflect the whole vineyard. Windrow is one of the oldest vineyards in the valley (even though it is actually in Oregon)It is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 10% Cab Franc and 6% Malbec. This was a field blend -- all of the different grapes were picked on the same day and fermented together. This is Tero's signature wine. The plan is to produce Tero every year with the same blend percentages -- that way the only difference in the wine will be how the fruit reacts to Mother Nature that year.

Batting clean-up was the Tamarack Cellars 2008 Cabernet Franc. This was among the top Cab Francs I tasted on my trip. According to Ron, there is a huge future in Cabernet Franc for the Walla Walla area. This wine was 100% Cab Franc and a total of 706 cases were produced. This is elegant with spiced cherry, plum and caramel. Nice rich tannins.

Our next mystery stop was Northstar Winery, an operation created by Chateau Ste. Michelle to focus on Merlot. This is a top Washington wine destination. We enjoyed four wines with a tasty lunch on the patio. The welcome wine was the 2008 Stella Blanca Semillon. Nice but nothing special. The first wine sampled was the 2006 Northstar Walla Walla Merlot, which retails for $50. It is important to note that this is a big Merlot, which seems be the Washington style, not the somewhat wimpy Merlots which give the grape a bad name. This is an earthy wine with blackberry and cherry. It is full-bodied.

My next sample was the 2005 Syrah, available for purchase only at the winery. This is a lush wine with a smoky, nutty character that went well with my steak sandwhich.

The 2006 Columbia Valley Merlot rounded out the trio of reds. The grapes selected are the best of the best in the state. The Merlot is blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cab Franc. In the glass this showed vanilla, cherry and plum.
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Saturday, June 26, 2010

Washington Wine Report: Live Red Wine Blogging Part 2

More live red wine blogging...

7. Molly Dooker. 2009 Velvet Glove.  $180 per bottle. Now we're rocking! This is Shiraz. Has velvet label printed in silver foil. First group to taste. Previous vintages rated 99. Phenomenal. Can be savored by itself or red meat or chocolate dessert.

8. Trio Vintners, 2007 Riot. Red table wine. Total production 237 cases. Husband and wife winemaking team: Steve and Denise Slattery. An attempt to do something different. Usually single vineyard. Cost is $18. Sangiovese based. Also Syrah and Mourvedre. Trio scrambled spells riot. Smooth sipper. Mix of Hungarian and American Oak. Great wine at great price point.

9. Ponzi Vineyard 2008 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. All family operated. Looking forward to a nice Pinot. 5,350 cases produced. Retail $35. Delicate flavors. Tannic finish. A very good harvest year. Finished in French Oak.

10. Stoller Vineyards 2007 Dundee Hills Oregon, Pinot Noir. 400 acre property. Light ruby. First gold LEED certified winery. Focus on sustainability. Delicate flavors. Smooth finish $25.

11.  Stepping Stone by Cornerstone, 2008 Napa Valley Cabernet Franc. Grown in Carneros area. 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. Bottled May 10, 2010. Nice, but prefer the Washington Cab Francs. $30.

12. 2007 Sequel Syrah by John Duval. Long Shadows project. $55. Maybe the best Syrah of my trip. More than 5 minutes would allow some of these wines to open up. This is the finale wine and a great choice.

13. Bonus: Solena 2008 Pinot Noir Hyland Vineyard.OK.

Another successful wine tasting. There are some great wines and great values out there. It would have been nice to have the Pinot Noirs before the Cabernet Sauvignons, but this session is sort of a grab bag. Overall, a great way to learn about some outstanding new wines'
 
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Washington Wine Report: Live Red Wine Blogging

We're ready for another round of live wine blogging. Speed dating, only with wine...

1. Ortman Family Wines, 2008 Sangiovese, Paso Robles. 5,000 cases annually from winery. $20 and under. Sweet cherry. Hand bottled by Matt Ortman who is serving. Been in bottle three days. Will be available to general public in July. 100% Sango.

2.2006 Louis Martini Napa Valley Lot 1 Cabernet Sauvignon. $120 per bottle. 1,000 cases. Could lay down for 25 years. Select vineyards. Paint a picture of Napa with mountaintop fruit. Martini celebratred 75th anniversary. Gallo now owns, but Mike Martini is the winemaker.

3. Isenhower Cellars, Walla Walla. Bachelors Button 2007 Cabernet Sauv. 4% Petit Verdot. Husband and wife team. About 4,000 cases per year. Only sells direct. Only free run juice.

4. The Crusher 2008 Petite Sirah. A Don Sebastiani label. Dark inky purple. Great value for $12.Blackberry liquor flavor. Medium body wine.Good barbeque wine.

5. Desert Wind 2008 Ruah. Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc and Merlot. Flagship wine. Retails for $20. Intensely aromatic. Cherry, raspberry and love...

6. Duck Pond Cellars, Oregon, 2008 Red Blend  of Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon. Retail $15. Designed to be enjoyed right away. New product for us. Vineyard located in Eastern Washington.

More to come...
 
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Washington Wine Report: Yakima Grand Tasting

The Vintner Village in Prosser in Yakima Valley wine country was the a nice stop on our pre-conference bus tour. Milbrandt Winery did a stellar job rolling out the red carpet. Vintner Village is a collection of 10 great wineries joined together by meandering trails. It's location close to the interstate means it is easy to visit some of the top wineries in the state in one location.

I was looking forward to this stop as I knew that a couple of my favorite Washington wineries would be pouring: Gilbert Cellars and Thurston Wolfe. Rob Davis was pouring for Gilbert Cellars and I sampled one of my favorite wines, the Allobroges 2007 Syrah blend. Wade Wolfe was pouring the just released 2008 Zinfandel, which was bold yet smooth.

One of the tastiest ones sampled was the Willow Crest Wine Estates 2007 Cabernet Franc. This wine was smoky but with a nice berry flavor.

Other wines sampled included the Owen Roe 2005 Yakima Red, Knight Hill 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, Naches Heights Vineyard '09 Riesling, Cultura Wine 2006 Yakima Red. This last wine is a Merlot-Cab Franc blend from a young and promising winery.

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Washington Wine Report: Walla Walla Vintners

WALLA WALLA -- It had been an astoundingly long day. More than five hours in the bus. Two outstanding wine tastings and about 15 very tired people.

Walla Walla Vintners was a breath of fresh air. The winery is surrounded by vineyards that stretch to the scenic mountains in the distance. The setting for our wine and pizza social was an outdoor picnic area shaded by trees and a stone's throw from the vines and winery buildings. The outdoor brick pizza oven was smokin,' producing a sumptuous variety of pizza including pizza with morels, German sausage and onion, blue cheese and figs and more.

I started with the Sangiovese, a natural pairing with my pizza. It didn't disappoint. The smooth wine, dappled sunlight and tasty food was a refreshing elixir. I also sampled the Cabernet Franc and found this to be a winning bottle of wine.

My impressions were confirmed as Andrea Robinson, master sommelier and noted wine authority, arrived at our event and expressed her liking of the Cab Franc. Andrea is very personable and took the time to chat with a number of us. I bought one of her wine buying guides a couple years ago and was impressed with how she made wine accessible to everyone -- while also giving some sophisticated tips. It was nice to have a personal visit with her and I'm looking forward to hearing her at the conference.

After savoring the wine and the setting sun it was off to the Inn on Blackberry Creek, a delightful bed and breakfast with innkeeper Barbara Knudson. I stayed in Monet's Retreat room and it was a masterpiece of comfort and class. A bed never felt so soft and comfortable -- plus the still warm cookies were a big hit with me.
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Friday, June 25, 2010

Washington Wine Report: Live White Wine Blogging Part 2

White wine live blogging continuing at the Wine Bloggers Conference.

6. Concannon 2008 Chardonnay. Oldest continuous operating winery in the US. Started in 1883. Launching a brand new line of wine, Conservancy. All grapes from land they placed in a land trust. John Concannon is pouring. Certified sustainable winery. I like their ecological attitude. Rich and creamy with a bit of popcorn finish and hints of lemon. $12 to $14 per bottle. 16,000 cases.

7. Neethlingshof Estate Unwooded Chardonnay 2009. From South Africa. Made in environmentally/socially sustainable way. 14% alcohol with good acidic backbone. $15. Poultry, seafood and summer salad.

8. 2009 The Violinist Vedelho by Molly Dooker. The only white made by this Australian winemaker. Molly Dooker means lefthander. $25. Tomorrow night first opportunity to taste their 2009 reds including their $150 Velvet Glove. Also learned that they'll be serving their wines at the Comfort Inn where I'm staying tonight. This white has a taste of pineapple. Good with fish and summer vegetables.

9. Magnificent Wine Company House Wine white blend. Chardonnay, Riesling and Muscat Canelli plus Gerwurz and Pinot Gris. $13. Elegant and restrained. 1.3 percent residual sugar. Nice and restrained. Incredibly good value.

10. 2009 Dry Creek Chenin Blanc. True expression of varietal. Tasty! Wilson Ranch Vineyard. $12. This is a great discovery. 11,500 cases. Thai food, Asian food, curry dishes. This is one of my favorites tonight.

11. L'Ecole 41 Semillon. 2008 Columbia Valley. Complex blend of vineyards. Barrel fermented. Third oldest winery in Walla Walla. Family owned. Floral tones with flinty background.

12. Parducci Sustainable White Mendocino County 2008. Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. Dry finish but a bit sweet on the uptake.
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Washington Wine Report: Live White Wine Blogging

WALLA WALLA -- We're blogging live from the 2010 Wine Bloggers Conference. Tonight is white wine.This is like speed dating. Five minutes at each table. Luckily the winery representatives rotate and we can stay put. 27 tables.

1. First up is the aMaurice '08 Columbia Valley Viognier. Pale yellow, not as grassy as some Viognier. $25. This has a tropical fruit taste. Favorite food with Dungeness crab and avocado salad. Clean and crisp.

2. Cadaretta Winery. SVS - Sauvignon Blanc and Semillion 'o8. Stainless steel finished. Juicy, from Stone Creek Vineyard. A bit zingy and should work with spicy food.

3. Le Chateau Cardonnay White Bluffs Vineyard, Columbia Valley. 150 cases. French oak. Mellow oakiness which is restrained. Nice with flattened and stuffed chicken breast. $25.

4. Don Sebastiani, '09 Rose of Pinot Noir, "The Crusher." Light shade of ruby -- man, it is tough blogging with only 5 minutes per wine. Kiwi and cranberry. Has some Viognier and a dash of Malbec. This is a red wine drinkers rose. This is nice. Good with summer fare including food from the grill.

5. 2009 Cornerstone Cellars Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc. Single vineyard wine from Talcott Vineyard in St. Helena. A richer, more complex wine. 25 year old vines. This is aged sur-lie (aged on the skins) for a bit more richness. Good with crab and lobster. Complex with acidity. $25. 700 cases.

More to come...
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Findlay Wine Fest Set Saturday, June 26

This is seen off the highway I-75 Northbound a...Image via Wikipedia
Findlay's Riverside Wine Festival, which benefits the Arts Partnership of Findlay, is scheduled noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 26, in Findlay's Riverside Park.

Featured will be 11 Ohio wineries, gourmet foods, arts and crafts, and demonstrations. Entertainers include Toledo guitarist Tim Oehlers at noon, the Jack Taylor Jazz Quartet at 2, and Blues 215 will be at 6.

Free parking and shuttle service will be offered at the event. Free parking will be available in the Riverside Park overflow lots and Masonic Temple. Shuttle service will be provided by Birchaven Retirement Village.

Ticket cost is $20 at the gate and includes a commemorative glass and 10 one-ounce tastes throughout the day. Designated drivers and those under 21 can attend for $10. Information: the Arts Partnership box office at 419-422-4624.

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Washington Wine Report: Crossing the Cascades

Day Two of the WBC-or-Bust bus tour was a long haul. Up at the crack of dawn and rolling from western Washington, over the Cascade Mountains, stopping for brunch and wine at the Columbia Gorge and then we rolled until our eventual stop in Walla Walla for a pizza and wine social hosted by Walla Walla Vintners.

The day wrapped up at the classy and comfortable Inn at Blackberry Creek bed and breakfast, hosted by our innkeeper Barbara Knudson. The bed was a welcome site after a couple days of serious wine tasting and five hours plus rumbling down the highway in the bus with hit or miss air conditioning. There was also the additional hazard of beer bottles falling out of the overhead compartment.

Cave B is a unique resort and winery overlooking the Columbia River Gorge. The hotel and restaurant are nestled amongst the vines and scenic vistas are everywhere.There was a wonderful assortment of wineries pouring for the event, including Syncline a label that is gaining popularity in the Toledo area.

Here is a YouTube video report on the tasting.

It was a long day of driving and the brunch at Cave B wouldn't be enough to tide us over until the Yakima grand tasting at 4:00 and the pizza social scheduled for 7:00 PM, so we made a stop at Garcia's Taco stand. Thus fortified we rolled into Proser Village for our Yakima tasting.
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Washington Wine Report: Winemaker Dinner at Waterfront Seafood Grill

SEATTLE -- You couldn't possibly shoehorn anything more into the action-packed agenda for the WBC-or-Bust bus tour. Toledo Wines and Vines is proud to be one of 12 bloggers selected from a pool of national entrants to earn a seat on the bus -- but it takes the endurance of a rock star to keep up with the many VIP events.

Perhaps the highlight of Wednesday's events was the winemaker dinner at the Waterfront Seafood Grill in Seattle. The setting: superb, the food: sumptuous, and the wine spectacular.

The five-course meal included Roasted Snails in lemon garlic butter, Seared Scallops, Columbia River Sturgeon with bacon relish and Angus Beef short ribs in red wine and horseradish. Dessert was panna cota with bing cherry, chocolate, star anise and black pepper.

I was fortunate to sit next to Bill Owen of O.S. Winery. Bill has travelled extensively in Germany and is proud of his 2009 Riesling, which is unique because he has intentionally kept the alcohol levels low. The Riesling was a great match with the snail. This trip was my first exposure to Sparkman Cellars of Woodinville. I deem them awesome. The Lumiere Chardonnay 2008 was a beautiful, bright, complex Chard.

The second course brought on Andrew Will 2008 Two Blondes. This is an earthy, shy red blend. The O.S. Winery 2008 Cabernet Franc was enjoyable and was followed by the elegant Fall Line 2006 Cab Sauvignon.

Sturgeon is a fish with some heartiness, and it was matched with three superior reds: Fall Line 2006 Artz (blend of Cab Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon), Cadence 2007 Bel Canto (a reserve blend) and the Nota Bene 2007 Una Notte. The Una Notte is a Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre blend mostly from the Stone Tree Vineyards. This is a gem from a small family owned winery in Seattle.

The short ribs were palate pleasing and the wines were the equivalent of a fireworks grand finale: Andrew Will 2007 Ciel du Cheval, Sparkman 2008 Darkness Syrah, Cadence 2007 Tapteil and Nota Bene 2006 Syrah. The Darkness is an opulent, fruit forward, full throttle wine. Both Sparkman wines were winners tonight and the Una Notte from Nota Bene also made a lasting impression at an amazing culinary evening.

And so the sun set, one of our bloggers plunged into a fountain and we all headed for some well deserved rest.
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Woodinville Grand Tasting and Lunch

 

wbc tag WOODINVILLE – Woodinville in western Washington is probably not well known by readers of this blog. Get ready, because the change is coming.

The Woodinville wine industry began with the establishment of  Chateau Ste. Michelle in 1976. The area now has more than 50 wineries and tasting rooms. Almost all Woodinville wineries grow their grapes in the warm, arid climate of the Columbia Valley which boasts sandy, gravely soils – great for planting vines.

wbc 018Washington’s wine growing region shares similar latitudes to the great wine growing regions of Northern Europe with long warm days to ripen grapes to ideal levels.

There was a lot to like and to add to the enjoyment, the grand tasting was followed by aq delicious lunch at the Barking Frog with tasty dishes paired with wines from DeLille Cellars.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Totem Cellars Cabernet Franc ‘07 – Released just a week ago. Smooth with a touch of spiciness.

Sparkman Cellars Stella Mae – This is a top rated red blend of Cab Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Beautiful black cherry and currants.

Distephano 2005 Sogno and Donna Marie. The Sogno is a beautiful red that is 98% Cab Franc with layers of berries and complex layers with tea notes. Donna Marie is a Rhone style blend focused on Syrah. Blackberries, vanilla and pepper.

Baer Winery Ursa – Baer is a small family run winery. I sampled two red blends and Ursa, the Merlot-Cab Franc blend really wowed me with strong flavors and great balance. They only produce a total of 2,000 cases per year.

DesVoigne Cellars ‘07 The Duke. A blend of 60% Zinfandel, 13% Petit Sirah, 13% Lemberger plus Cabernet Franc and Syrah. What’s not to love? Velvety with a l0ng spicy finish. One of the best of the tasting.

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Thursday, June 24, 2010

Washington Wine Report: Woodinville Grand Tasting

As part of the first day of our Washington wine tour, we enjoyed a great grand tasting of Woodinville wineries. Here is a brief video report on the event. It's a bit rough and shot in one take. Hey, I do know that they have Chardonnay in Washington -- just not this good!

Link: http://www.youtube.com/user/wbcorbust#p/a/u/1/P11L3M8tRk8
 
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