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

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!

March is Washington Wine Month – a time to raise a glass to the best of this state’s juice. In honor of this celebration, a number of wine shops, tasting rooms, restaurants and hotels are offering special promotions.

For the full list of participating establishments, see the new website created by the Washington State Wine Commission.

Our favorite annual wine event is being held at the end of the month — the Super Bowl of wine events, Taste Washington, which has  been expanded to a two-day extravaganza (March 31-April 1)!  What could be better than two days sipping the best Washington wines and tasting scrumptious appetizers?

Every year we’ve gone to Taste Washington, we’ve discovered new wines and tasty treats at this excellent, well-organized event. To make the most of Taste Washington – with more than 200 wineries and more than 50 restaurants – you have to go in with a plan.

Ours is simple – try pours from wineries that are new to us, in addition to new releases from wineries we know well, plus visit as many of our wine industry friends as possible to say hello.

Here’s my review in Seattleite Magazine about last year’s Taste Washington: http://www.seattleite.com/the-finest-wines-washington-has-to-offer/

We hope to see you there this year!

Cheers!

2009 Waters Syrah from Forgotten Hills vineyard is a wine that only comes along once every four years, so we were delighted to secure a few bottles for our cellar.

As winemaker Jamie Brown says, “This vineyard dances along the edge” because it is a cooler site composed of cobblestone, silt loam and sandy loam.

In the cool-climate years, the Syrah can’t get ripe enough. That’s why this exquisite wine was not produced in 2008, 2010 or 2011. And that’s one reason why we think it’s special.

The other reason: wow, this 100% Syrah is stunning, spectacular and stellar, complex with a perfect amount of earthy funk that represents the region.

According to our friend Paul Zitarelli of Full Pull Wines: “Because the folks at Waters know they won’t be able to release a new vintage of Forgotten Hills Syrah until 2013 at the earliest, they are holding the vast majority of the 2009 at the winery, to be doled out slowly through the tasting room over the next few years.”

From Jamie’s tasting notes: “Loaded with classic aromatics that scream Northern Rhône, expect notes of black fruits, oil-cured olives, smoky bacon fat and a gravelly minerality. Rich, ripe, round and pleasure-full, this wine leaves you wanting more. And the finish gives you just that—it’s so long, you’ll find yourself begging it to fade, just to have the next sip. A remarkable red plum-acidity provides a refreshing, balancing levity to a deliciously, deep and brooding wine. A gorgeous match for roasted meats.”

Only 514 cases were produced and because of its rarity, the price has increased to $60-$65, depending where you can find it.

If you have a special occasion in the future, this wine is for you.

Cheers!

There’s only one week left to buy your tickets for the Seattle Wine and Food Experience at Seattle Center Exhibition Hall. If you like good wine, beer and food – and seriously, who doesn’t? – mark your calendars for this delicious experience on Feb. 26.

In addition to the wonderful wines of Washington, our neighbors to the south, Oregon, are also featured this year. And face it, there aren’t many events where plentiful choices of both Washington and Oregon wine are available for tasting.

Some of our Oregon favorites — Erath Winery, King Estate, Sokol Blosser and Willamette Valley Vineyards – will be side by side with our Washington friends from Barrage Cellars, Forgeron Cellars, Airfield Estates and Kiona, to name a few. And then there’s Watermill, which straddles both states and has some great juice too.

And let’s not forget Stag’s Leap, Francis Ford Coppola Winery  and other California wineries will also be pouring, along with wineries from Idaho and around the world (France, New Zealand, Italy, Spain, Australia and Argentina).

There’s something for everybody, including beer and cider and spirits, non-alcoholic beverages and coffee.

Did we mention food? Seattle Wine & Food Experience showcases too many Washington restaurants to name, so here is the list. You’ll be able to nibble on tasty treats such as barbequed beef slider, Kona coffee-rubbed filet, boeuf Bourguignon stew, seafood salad, roasted lamb leg, foie gras and much more.

The cost for this explosion of tastes is $49 in advance or $60 at the door (cash only).

Enjoy – and 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!

Mark your calendars for this weekend’s 2009 Bishop’s Blend release party at both tasting rooms of William Church Winery (in the Woodinville Wine Warehouse district and in the Hollywood Schoolhouse area).

We tried an early taste last weekend, and we predict this moderately-priced blend will be an award-winner just like its previous vintages.

Back in 2009, winemaker Rod Balsley told us that he couldn’t wait to release this all-occasion red wine, the 2006 Bishop’s blend “that is truly a labor of love as we blended and blended until we got it just right.” He got it right year after year, as each vintage sold out quickly and won awards.

The 2008 blend was called “seductive” and “smoky” and “the best ever” by Washington wine expert Paul Gregutt in The Seattle Times. The 2009 vintage bursts with vanilla aromas on the nose, in addition to layers of strawberry and red fruit flavors from five different grapes — 47% Syrah, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 8% Malbec, & 7% Petit Verdot – blended together into one easy-drinking bottle.

Our recommendation – stop by the release party at either location, have a taste and pick up a few bottles for your Super Bowl party or to drink while watching the Puppy Bowl!

• Feb. 4: noon to 5 p.m. at the Warehouse Wine District and noon to 8 p.m. at the Hollywood Schoolhouse location next to Purple Cafe.

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!