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

I’ve been traveling so much lately that it’s been hard to find time to write individual posts about the wonderful Washington state wines we’ve enjoyed in the last couple of months. But I still want to share them with you, in hopes that you’ll also taste them one day soon.

• Alexandria Nicole Cellars 2009 Malbec
• Barrage Cellars 2008 Secret Weapon Cabernet Sauvignon
• Barrage Cellars 2008 Outcast Cabernet Franc
• Cooper Wine Company 2007 L’Inizio
• Efeste 2009 Big Papa Cabernet Sauvignon
• Efeste 2008 Ceidleigh Syrah
• Efeste 2009 Eleni
• Heaven’s Cave 2009 “Two Degrees” Barbera
• McCrea Cellars 2006 Boushey Vineyard Syrah
• Obelisco Estate 2009 Electrum Cabernet Sauvignon
• Va Piano 2007 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
• William Church 2011 Viognier
• William Church 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon
• The Woodhouse Wine Estates 2006 Dussek Cabernet Sauvignon

We recommend all of them — cheers!

If you’re thinking about a juicy BBQ steak to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday (or July 1 for my family and friends in Canada), L’Ecole 41 has a multitude of choices of robust reds to pair with it.

We’ve been fans of L’Ecole for a long time – have a look at this 2010 blog post that references our L’Ecole tastings, starting in 2007. Every year since then, L’Ecole’s wines have either matched or superseded the previous vintage with character, complexity, flavors and balance.

My personal favorite is L’Ecole 41 Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley. I had the opportunity to taste the 2001 library wine; the 2009 vintage continues the excellence – a blend of Cabernet from five prestigious vineyards that is sophisticated, structured and velvety rich.

According to winemaker and owner Marty Clubb, “Its old-world structure, dense dark fruit flavors and elegant tannins exemplify the best of Walla Walla.”

We have several bottles of this beauty – we had one last week, we’ll open another on July 4 and the rest remain in our cellar for what is sure to be years of good drinking.

In May, we reveled in L’Ecole 41 2008 Perigee, celebrated when the moon was in its perigee – a “super moon” when it passes closest to Earth.

The Perigee, L’Ecole’s estate Bordeaux blend, combines Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cab Franc with a dash of Petit Verdot and Malbec, sourced from the winery’s oldest and best blocks from Seven Hills Vineyard.

2008 Perigee is elegant, expressive and earthy – a delicious wine to enjoy over the holidays – or anytime.

Other robust reds from L’Ecole: 2008 Apogee Pepper Bridge, another of my favorites; 2008 Estate Merlot; and 2009 Estate Syrah, in addition to several from Columbia Valley.

Cheers!

We just came back from Napa Valley, where we visited five wineries that we highly recommend. Here are the highlights:

Goosecross Cellars: The Howell Mountain Cab from Goosecross has always been a favorite, and this year did not disappoint. In fact, it exceeded expectations. This full-bodied Cab is rich and elegant with so many layers of lovely that I wish I could buy a few cases. Goosecross also produces one of the best stand-alone Cab Francs we tasted in Napa Valley. Cab Franc is my #1 choice, and Goosecross is as excellent as my favorite Washington state Cab Francs.

In addition, Goosecross makes a crisp refreshing Sauvignon Blanc, which is perfect for a warm, sunny day on the deck. (Note: We credit our summer passion for Sauv Blanc to Goosecross along with two Washington state wineries, Efeste and JM Cellars.) Goosecross’ popular tasting room underlines the superb customer service, friendliness and wow-worthy wines.

Grgich Hills: The first time I went to Napa Valley – more years ago than I care to admit! – Grgich was on my list of must-visit wineries. We didn’t know then that winemaker Mike Grgich crafted the 1973 Chardonnay, which won the Paris Competition that put California and Chateau Montelena on the worldwide wine map in 1976 and again in 2009 when the movie Bottle Shock was released.

So it was no surprise to find that Grgich Carneros Selection Chardonnay 2008, was simply, beautiful. We also were lucky to be invited to two side-by-side tastings while we were there. The first was Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 and 2008, plus the Yountville Selection 2007, from some of the oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vines in Napa Valley. The second was a “decades tasting” of Napa Valley Cab Sauv from 1982,1992, 2002. What a treat! I preferred the 02, while Dave’s preference was the ’92. Frankly, every Grgich wine we tasted was stellar.

Hall: We had so much fun at Hall, partly because their wine educator, Kendra Wax, hails from Walla Walla, so we could compare Napa wines to our glorious juice from Washington state. Of course, it didn’t hurt that Hall wines are also glorious. We took home a library release, 2006 Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, which was rated 94 points by Wine Spectator. We also recommend 2009 “Jack’s Masterpiece” Cab Sauv and 2006 “Bergfeld” St. Helena Cab Sauv. Beauty!

Plumpjack: We added Plumpjack to our list of Top Napa Wineries to visit last year, and continue to suggest it, along with the other four mentioned in this post, as a must-stop. The 2008 CADE Napa Cuvee Cab was spectacular and the Sauv Blanc was zesty and cool on a warm California afternoon. Most of all, we give full props to Plumpjack’s 2009 Syrah – a big, juicy, spicy and peppery Syrah that stands out as the best California Syrah we’ve tasted, because it’s so close to the Washington- state style that our palates embrace. Frankly, we find most California Syrahs bland, and hadn’t even planned on trying Plumpjack’s pour until Guest Services Manager, Heather Manross described it as the most Northern Rhone-like Syrah they’ve ever produced. Bring it!

Cornerstone Cellars: This was our first visit to Cornerstone, chosen because of their high-profile presence on Twitter from both Craig Camp and Allison Zickfeld. Their tweets beckoned us, and we are glad they did. Cornerstone wines are complemented by a bright and beautiful tasting room and knowledgeable and fun staff, such as Kerry Hourigan. The 2010 Stepping Stone by Cornerstone Corallina was an impressive rose’ named for its beautiful, pale copper-coral color and its balanced, supple and bright flavors. We brought home a bottle to savor on our deck this summer. We also enjoyed the 2008 Cornerstone Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, with a unique raspberry flavor.

Their new label, Cornerstone Oregon, is a collaboration between Cornerstone Napa’s Craig Camp and Oregon winemaker Tony Rynders from Domaine Serene. We tasted the 2009 Cornerstone Oregon Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, a supple, well-balanced medium-body Pinot, which received 91 points from Wine Spectator. We’re looking forward to tasting more close-to-home Pinots, when Craig brings them to the annual Wine Bloggers Conference, held this August in Portland.

Cheers!

You always know spring is in the air when Chateau Ste. Michelle starts selling tickets to its amazing Summer Concert Series. This year’s lineup of renowned musicians tops even last year’s – and that’s no small feat!

The 2012 lineup includes the Beach Boys 50th Anniversary Tour, Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band, Chris Isaak, Steve Martin & EmmyLou Harris, Diana Krall, Blondie, Bonnie Raitt and Crosby, Stills & Nash.

The series begins with John Fogerty on June 16 and wraps up with Huey Lewis and the News on September 16. There are three months’ of options on the concert calendar along with answers to any questions you might have about how to prepare for, and what to expect from, a concert outdoors.

We had such a wonderful evening at the Moody Blues concert last year, and are looking forward to another special time this year.

Tickets are now on sale at Chateau Ste. Michelle’s Wine Shop and through Ticketmaster.

What are you waiting for? It’s a wonderful way to spend a lazy summer evening of music and wine in a beautiful location.

Cheers!

Are you interested in evaluating the social media health of a winery? If so, this blog post is for you.

A new tool was recently launched called The Winery Social Index, which helps wineries measure their online social media efforts.

The index is still in beta, released by VinTank, the software company for social media monitoring and social CRM for the wine industry. VinTank also brought us Social Connect, the only social media listening platform focused on the wine industry.

Social Connect has measured more than 200-million conversations about wine, across 6.5-million social wine consumers. And listen up, my friends in the wine business: the basic tool is free, and the “lite” version is only $35 per month.

In the name of transparency and full disclosure, I am on the Board of Advisors for VinTank. The position marries my two passions, as a wine enthusiast with an expertise in social media measurement.

I speak about social media measurement at many conferences, ranging from BlogWorld to the Canadian Marketing Association. Next month, I am giving a presentation on social media influencer identification and measurement in Dublin, for AMEC, the International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication.

This is the first time since my blog launched in 2007 that I have written about my speaking engagements. I only do so now to explain that I am deeply involved in the world of social media measurement. And I recommend The Winery Social Index, regardless of my position on the BOA of VinTank.

The index provides you with an understanding of engagement, activity, fan growth and ranking across the wine industry. The index changes daily and is measured over a running 30-day period.

It is important to note that The Winery Social Index goes beyond so-called vanity metrics of fans and followers, which is a key differentiator. Instead, the index rankings are mainly based on the level of engagement a winery has with customers in social media — in other words how many fans or followers are interacting with online content by liking, commenting, replying and tagging.

“Primarily the index is a measurement of what we feel is proper engagement ratios and healthy fan growth,” explains Paul Mabray,  VinTank CEO. “We feel the score should be a key performance indicator of your winery’s social media efforts.

“Anyone who talks about your brand is some sort of customer – they may not be a direct customer – but they’re someone who bought your wine at a retailer, or in a restaurant – in market. Servicing them is a key component of brand loyalty and brand awareness.”

If you are a winery involved in social media, you can find more information about The Winery Social Index on VinTank’s website. And while you’re there, spend a few minutes reading about  Social Connect.

Earlier this month, VinTank also released a new feature — Social CRM — to keep track of fans whom you’ve talked to on Facebook. I’ve always encouraged my friends in the wine business to think of social media as an extension of the tasting room. Think of Social CRM as the way you track your customers specifically on Facebook.

So yes, I’m a member of VinTank’s BOA. More importantly, I’m a major fan, supporter and advocate of The Winery Social Index, Social Connect and Social CRM.

Cheers!

While I was traveling, a new economic impact study about the Washington state wine industry was released, showcasing impressive statistics about the industry’s incredible growth and its positive effect on the economy.

According to the Washington State Wine Commission, which released the study, the state’s wine industry is valued at more than $8.6 billion annually in Washington state and more than $14.9 billion annually in the U.S. — approximately three times higher than a similar study conducted in 2007.

Here is some additional interesting information from the study:

• Since 2005, the number of licensed wineries in Washington State has more than doubled from 360 to 739 today.
• The state has also added more than 13,000 acres of vineyards during this time – from just over 30,000 acres (12,000 hectares) in 2005 to more than 43,000 acres (17,000 hectares) today.
• The industry supports nearly 30,000 jobs in Washington State and more than 70,000 jobs nationally, with wages of nearly $1.2 billion and more than $2.8 billion, respectively.
• The industry generates more than $237 million in annual tax revenues to the state of Washington and pays nearly $1.4 billion annually in taxes across the country.
• Each year, Washington State draws more than 2.4 million wine-related tourists, who spend nearly $1.1 billion in communities throughout the state.

Want to read more? The complete study, conducted by California-based Stonebridge Research, can be found at washingtonwine.org.

Cheers!

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!

I heart Hyatt hotels. A few weeks ago, I wrote about wine at my go-to hotel in my home town, Hyatt Vancouver. Then last week, we tasted wine in an amazing experience at the Grand Hyatt Washington D.C.

In fact, a funny thing happened on the way to the Grand Hyatt D.C. And it demonstrates the potential and the power of social media.

Shortly after arriving at the hotel, I received a message from Front Desk Agent Emanuel Lessey. He told me that he recently received an email from his sister with a link to my blog post about wine at the Hyatt Vancouver.

Emanuel has a sharp eye, in addition to a savvy business sense. And he gets social media.

He recognized my name on the his hotel’s guest list, and called to ask if we would be interested in a flight of local wine in Cure Bar & Bistro on the hotel’s main floor.

No surprise to you, I’m sure – the answer was yes, please.

Cure is a great, casual restaurant and bar that spans four floors, with high ceilings, an open fireplace, and stone and oak walls. The artisan cheese selection is almost as extensive as the wine list. We were treated to three wines from Barboursville Vineyards in Virginia, home to an incredible story as well as captivating wines.

Barboursville is located on the plantation of former Governor James Barbour, whose mansion was designed in 1814 by Thomas Jefferson, who also had a lifelong passion for fine wine. As it turns out, Jefferson envisioned a vineyard at this beautiful location, which finally happened more than 150 years later: in 1976, Gianni Zonin — 6th generation heir to a family wine enterprise active since 1821 in the Veneto — acquired the plantation.

Fast forward to April, 2012, when we enjoyed Barboursville Vintage Rose’, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay at Cure at the Grand Hyatt D.C., thanks to Emanuel Lessey.

The city had been hit with an unexpected heat wave, with 90 degrees that day, so we welcomed the cool Rose’ blend of Nebbiolo, Cab Franc, Cab Sauv and Merlot.

The Sauvignon Blanc was also refreshing, with aromas and flavors of grapefruit for me, although Dave got more of the tangerine and kiwi.

And if you prefer steel-barrel aging for a crisp Chardonnay, this one from Barboursville is for you.

Harun, who poured for us at Cure, was as knowledgeable about local wines as he was friendly. And a visit to our table by Cure’s popular and creative general manager, Ken Hood, added more insight into the wine list and the care given by everyone we met who worked at the Grand Hyatt D.C.

And then Emanuel took customer service one step further – by surprising me on my birthday, with a card from everyone at the front desk. Somehow, he found out that my birthday was taking place during our D.C. visit, and he helped make that day even more special.

So please join us in giving a round of applause to Emanuel and his sister, along with special cheer to Ken, Harun, the front desk staff and others at the Grand Hyatt D.C. We will return!

Cheers!

My last post was about wine from the north side of Washington state’s border; now we go south to Oregon. Actually, we’ll be traveling to Oregon wine country in August for the 2012 Wine Bloggers Conference, so this post is a prelude to some of the fine wines we will be writing about in a few months.

Cana’s Feast Winery is located in Carlton, Oregon, and to our surprise – and delight – produces an excellent Barbera, one of Dave’s favorite varietals.

Although the wine was produced in Oregon, this fourth vintage of Cana’s Feast Barbera 2009 is the first to be made exclusively from Coyote Canyon Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills region of Washington state.

After a few sips, we were not surprised to find out that Cana’s Feast ’09 Barbera won gold at the Winemaker Challenge International Wine Competition. A soft elegant red with rich fruit flavors, this lovely 100% Barbera paired well with our dinner of grilled halibut. Next time, we’ll serve it with Dave’s excellent spaghetti.

And yes, there will be a next time. Rich red in color, with a smooth finish, this ’09 Barbera showcases Washington state wine with an Italian flair. We’re looking forward to tasting many other Italian and Bordeaux varietals from Cana’s Feast.

(Full disclosure: This was a free wine sample from Cana’s Feast. As per our wine sample policy, we only write about wines that we like.)

Cheers!

Regular readers of Write for Wine know that I live in Seattle but I’m from Vancouver, and I occasionally write about B.C. wines. This is one of those occasions.

On two recent visits to my hometown, I stayed at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver and experienced two delightful B.C. reds – to my admitted surprise, considering that B.C. is known mainly for its fine whites.

First, 2008 Burrowing Owl Merlot: This rich wine was drinking nicely a couple of months ago, with aromas of dark cherry and cassis particularly noticeable. It was the best B.C. merlot I’ve tasted and equals some of our favorite Washington state merlots, hands down. Not surprisingly, it won a bronze at the prestigious San Francisco International Wine Competition 2011.

In fact, I was so pleased to find a fabulous B.C. red, that I’d like to try Burrowing Owl’s Cab Franc one of these days. And it just so happens that their 08 Cab Franc won gold at the same SF International Wine Competition.

We are heading to B.C.’s wine country in 2013 for the Wine Bloggers Conference, but if we get to Oliver before hand, Burrowing Owl is definitely on our must-see list. More than a winery, Burrowing Owl offers a restaurant and accommodations, overlooking 140 acres of picturesque vineyard. The “Guest House” contains 10 spacious rooms with fireplaces and private decks.

The second B.C. red that I tasted at Vancouver Hyatt a few weeks later came from Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Vineyard. Jackson-Triggs, the most-awarded winery in Canada, is well-known for its Niagara (Ontario) wine.

But its award-winning merlots and cabernet sauvignons are made with grapes from B.C.’s Okanagan region, also near Oliver.

We tasted the latest release, a 2009 Black Series Merlot (formerly Proprietors’ Reserve), which was velvety smooth and silky at the same time. This wine is so new that it hasn’t been entered into international wine competitions yet, but my bet is on awards in the future.

If you’re looking for recommendations about B.C. whites, Washington wine expert Paul Gregutt gives full marks to “gems such as Sperling Old Vine riesling, Le Vieux Pin sauvignon blanc and Poplar Grove pinot gris.”

Cheers!