Write for Wine: It's Wine O'Clock Somewhere!

A day of double-takes comprised what I like to call our experience of “Washington in Washington.”

Dave and I were in Washington, D.C. at the same time as this state’s Washington Wine Commission held a trade and media tasting there.

Ryan Pennington, the Commission’s social-media-savvy PR director, saw my Facebook update that we were headed to D.C., so he kindly invited us to stop by the tasting event at the Rooftop Terrace at The John F. Kennedy Center.

Of course we went! The tasting area was packed, and we listened with pride as many D.C.-area wine experts, restaurant owners, media and wine enthusiasts extolled the virtues of Washington state wine.

And we laughed at the looks on the faces of several winemakers and winery owners when they saw us, out of context, in “the other Washington!”

“What are you doing here?” exclaimed Charlie Hoppes of Fidelitas, Mike White of Barrister, Lisa Baer of Baer, John Abbott of Abeja, Darcey Fugman-Small of Woodward Canyon, Jerry Riener of Guardian Cellars and Doug Long of Obelisco.

“We just happened to be in the neighborhood and heard some excellent Washington state wine was being poured here,” we replied.

We also had an opportunity to taste wine and talk to Daniel Wampfler of Dunham Cellars, Kristi and Lou Facelli of Facelli, Kim Bolander of L’Ecole 41, Debbie Hansen of Cougar Crest, and Mark McNeilly of Mark Ryan.

These were the wines we tasted and recommend (in alphabetical order):

• Abeja 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla ($52)
• Baer 2009 Ursa Red Bordeaux Blend, Columbia Valley ($39)
• Cougar Crest 2007 Estate Cabernet Franc, Walla Walla ($38)
• Dunham Cellars 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon XIV, Columbia Valley ($45)
• Facelli 2008 Barbera, Columbia Valley ($25)
• Fidelitas 2008 Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain ($55)
• Guardian Cellars 2009 Gun Metal Red Bordeaux Blend, Columbia Valley ($37)
• L’Ecole 41 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla ($37)
• Long Shadows 2007 Feather Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley ($55)
• Mark Ryan 2009 Dead Horse Red Bordeaux Blend, Red Mountain ($52)
• Obelisco 2009 Electrum Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain ($65)
• Woodward Canyon 2009 Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington State ($54)

Frankly, I couldn’t say it any better than the Washington Wine Commission’s brochure:

“Washington State’s exceptional grapes reach their potential in the hands of extraordinary winemakers, who create bright and balanced expressions of our region with world-class wines.”

Cheers to Washington state winemakers!

If you follow Write for Wine on Facebook or Twitter, you’ll know that I just spent a week in Seoul, South Korea for my job at a public relations agency. It was a first for me, and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect in terms of wine.

My friend Jaimie at L’Ecole 41 in Walla Walla told me their wines have been available in Seoul for six years, but I didn’t see them – or any Washington wines for that matter.

Then again, I didn’t get out much because I was, after all, there to work. (No, I’m not complaining at all – it was a wonderful and valuable experience, and I met some smart, fun people who work around the world at the same PR agency.)

I did participate in a delicious dinner featuring Korean BBQ, where the beef was grilled on the table and cut with scissors. It was the most tender beef I have tasted in my life – ever! But not one Washington wine was on the menu. I also checked the wine lists at restaurants in two major hotels, with the same result.

So you can imagine my surprise when I came home to find out that Washington wine and South Korea were in the news! An historic free trade agreement between the U.S. and Korea kicked in while I was gone, which removes a 15% tariff on wine.

As a result, according to news reports, wine exports from Washington state are expected to increase by 40-50% in the first year. That’s because Korean cuisine, which relies heavily on beef, just happens to pair nicely with the fabulous reds that are produced in our state.

So next time I visit Seoul, I’ll be able to savor a robust, rich Cab Sauv from Washington state with my Korean BBQ. I’ll definitely lift my glass to that!

Cheers!

Regular readers of this blog know we are major fans of Walla Walla wine. We don’t get to visit Walla Walla nearly as often as we would like, so when Walla Walla comes to Seattle, it’s a must-go-to event.

So I dashed out to SoDo during my lunch break to visit friends and have a few (very small) tastes at “Walla Walla Wine @SoDo Park” last week.

I could only visit a few booths, and I know I missed out on lots of wineries. I wish I could have stayed longer, but work beckoned me back.

Here are the wines I tasted and would definitely purchase:

• Abeja 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon – This fine Cab is blended with 4% Merlot, in John Abbot’s fashion of being true to the varietal and to the state.
• L’Ecole 41 2009 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon – I’ve been a major fan of this wine since the 2001 vintage.
• Otis Kenyon 2008 Syrah – It has that “In the Rocks” funk – yum!
• Watermill 2008 Cabernet Franc – if you love Cab Franc like I do, this is a must-buy.
• Woodward Canyon 2009 Estate Reserve – It won’t be released until summer but the potential is already magnificent.

There are many, many more excellent Walla Walla wineries – and we highly recommend you visit them in Walla Walla. Some of them have tasting rooms in Woodinville too.

Cheers!

We love Washington state wine. So to us, every month is Washington Wine Month. But there is an official month to celebrate this state’s amazing wines – March — and it comes with its own website and promotions from participating wine shops, tasting rooms, restaurants and hotels.

In honor of Washington Wine Month, here is a list of some of our favorite reds (in alphabetical order).

We are really looking forward to tasting new releases from these wineries and trying pours from wineries that are new to us too at Taste Washington, the Super Bowl of wine events, March 31-April 1.

We hope to see you there!

Cheers!

If you’ve never been to JM Cellars in Woodinville, you are missing out on many wonderful Washington wines. Located on a hillside called Bramble Bump, JM Cellars offers first-class wines with a view.

Luck was with us a couple of weeks ago, when we stumbled upon an unexpected release party at JM Cellars. Winemaker/co-owner John Bigelow was pouring with a smile and our friend Paige Leighton welcomed us with hugs. And the wines – oh my.

We’ve been fans of JM Cellars signature blend Tre Fanciulli for years, so it was no surprise that we went home with the latest 2009 release. Tre Fanciulli is Italian for “three treasured lads” and named for John and Peggy Bigelow’s sons in 1999. With this new release, and the eleventh vintage, the name has been shortened to simply Tre. Love it!

Of the 11 vintages, this was the fifth we have savored. The 2009 Tre is a rich blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 18% Syrah – simply heaven in a glass.

The JM Cellars 2009 Boushey Vineyard Syrah is also outstanding. John told us the single-vineyard grapes came from old vines near the house of viticulturalist Dick Boushey, one of Washington’s finest grapegrowers. After Matt Sauer’s Red Willow Vineyard, Boushey was the next to plant Syrah grapes in Washington state. If you like big, peppery, savory Syrah, you simply must try this one.

Another one of John’s wines that we’re particularly fond of is the 2009 Margaret’s Vineyard Estate Red. We first tried this stellar wine as a pre-release at the Taste of Tulalip last November, and couldn’t wait to taste it a few months later at its official release party.

It’s the inaugural vintage of a Bordeaux blend from vines that were planted in 2007 on the southern border of the Walla Walla appellation at the then-newly named Margaret’s Vineyard. The wine blends 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 17% Cab Franc, 17% Malbec, 6% Petit Verdot and 6% Carmenere.

JM Cellars is known for elegant blended reds. And regular readers know my preference for Cab-based Bordeaux blends, so you know we took this beauty home with us!

Cheers!

The first time we ever tasted Cabernet Franc is stamped in our memories because we immediately fell in love with this grape. The year was 1999, when we had just moved to Seattle and took our first drive to Woodinville wine country. The winery was DiStefano. We became instant fans and remain so today.

Slightly more than a year ago, we included DiStefano’s 2005 Sogno Cab Franc in our Top 11 Washington state wineries that produce the Cab Franc grape as a shining single-varietal wine.

We now add 2007 Sogno Reserve to the list. Wow!

Released in July 2011, only 150 cases were made of this powerful 100% Cab Franc. From the tasting notes:

“Intense dark chocolate, raspberry and toasted hazelnut push their way out of the glass. The palate is rich with silky chocolate and dried cherries, with hints of spicy oak, black pepper on the finish.”

Cab Franc is typically used as a blending wine to add more complexity to Cabernet Sauvignon or more structure to Merlot.

But when Cab Franc is created as a stand-alone wine and done well, like 2007 Sogno Reserve, it’s magic. Glorious. Superbo!

Did we mention only 150 cases were produced? What are you waiting for?

Cheers!

Continuing with our trend of trying value wines in 2012, we want to give a shout-out to 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon ”Chateau Smith” by Charles Smith Wines. 

 This reasonably priced wine received 91 points from Wine Spectator:

“Supple and inviting, with complex flavors of dark berries and plum shaded with hints of bacon and star anise. The finish rolls along unimpeded by the polished tannins.”

Not bad for a wine that sells for $15-$20, depending where you look. This Cab — blended with 14% Petit Verdot and 6% Syrah – is perfect for a weekday evening or during an afternoon game. (C’mon, not everybody drinks beer at games!)

Chateau Smith is the value label of Washington state wine maker, Charles Smith of K Vintners, who is known for his distinct-looking hair, black-and-white wine labels, and excellent reviews of his wines.

Give it a try and let us know what you think!

Cheers!

Regular readers of this blog know that we have long been fans of Dussek Cabernet Sauvignon from The Woodhouse Wine Estates. The 2004 vintage was spectacular, and a favorite of ours. My sister-with-the-incredible-palate in Vancouver also gave it a thumbs up.

We were delighted to discover that the 2006 vintage is even better! 2006 Dussek Cabernet Sauvignon is elegant, big and bold. Frankly, I don’t know why more isn’t written about this gem, priced at $36.

The Woodhouse Wine Estates has a robust wine club with passionate members, but its wines have been under the radar for too long.  Just sayin’.

The Woodhouse signature is to release its wine later than many others, giving the wines more time to express their fullest flavor complexities. The 2006 Dussek Cab was released in May 2011, drinks extremely well now, and could be kept in the cellar for a few years.

The 2004 Dussek sold out quickly, and the 2005 vintage (decent, but not as incredible as its predecessor or the current release) sold out too. There are limited quantities left of the 2006 Dussek – you can only order a maximum of six bottles.

Yes, we just ordered six, even though we already have a case stocked in our cellar. So did my sister!

Cheers!

This is one of the best value wines we have had in a long time: 2009 Ghost of 413 Red. And we put our money where our mouths are – after buying two bottles from our friends at Full Pull Wine, we put in an order for a case.

Ghost of 413 is released by Giant Wine Co., a collaboration between Chris Gorman of Gorman Winery and Mark McNeilly from Mark Ryan Winery.

The first vintage came in 2005 when, the story goes, Mark and Chris weren’t sure how the wine would taste, so they decided to keep their names invisible and the “ghost” was born.

No need to hide behind Casper this vintage — 2009 Ghost of 413 Red  is not a phantom wine! You’ll discover a ripe rich wine that blends 90% Cabernet Sauvingnon with a 10% pinch of Syrah and Merlot. Or as it’s described on the Giant Wine website, “Dark and velvety rich with plenty of stuffing to scare wines at twice the price.”

We agree – 2009 Ghost of 413 Red is worth much more than its $15 price point.

Five thousand cases were produced, and according to Paul Zitarelli at Full Pull, he expects the wine to be sold out by late February or early March. So what are you waiting for?

Cheers!

We’ve had the pleasure of enjoying many wonderful Washington, Oregon and California wines lately – and in a less-busy world, I would write separate posts about each of them. Unfortunately, busy is my middle name these days.

So here is a list (in alphabetical order) of wines that we’ve celebrated in the last couple of months – they are sourced from Washington grapes, unless noted otherwise:

• 21 Grams 2008 Red Blend
• Alexandria Nicole Cellars 2008 Destiny Bordeaux Blend; 2007 Mr. Big Petite Sirah
• Barrage Cellars 2007 Outcast Cabernet Franc; 2007 Double Barrel Cabernet Sauvignon
• Beresan 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon
• EFESTE 2008 Big Papa Cabernet Sauvignon; 2009 Eleni
• Erath 2008 La Nuit Magique (Oregon)
• Fidelitas 2007 Champoux Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
• Fielding Hills 2008 Cabernet Franc
• Goosecross Cellars 2007 AEROS (California)
• JM Cellars 2009 Margaret’s Vineyard Estate Red
• Northwest Totem Cellars 2008 Qo-ne’ Cab Franc blend
• The Woodhouse Wine Estates 2006 Dussek Cabernet Sauvignon
• Woodward Canyon 2007 “Artist Series” Cabernet Sauvignon
• Va Piano 2008 Walla Walla Valley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
• William Church 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy New Year – may your best day of 2011 be your worst day of 2012! We hope you had a wonderful holiday season and are ready to delve into ’12!

Cheers!