Stottle Winery, based in Lacey, just north of Olympia, has spring releases of some of its unique red wines, four of which we recently had the opportunity to taste.
Owner and winemaker Josh Stottlemyer is skilled at blending reds, as we experienced with the 2014 Stottle Big Eddie and Hombre. He also does well with the 2014 Tempranillo (100%) and Sangiovese (99%, topped with 1% Cabernet Sauvignon).
As in the past, our palates prefer Big Eddie, but all four wines will pair well with a late spring or summer dinner or barbecue on the deck or patio. Or sip them lakeside or poolside, with some tasty cheeses and charcuterie.
2014 Stottle Big Eddie ($36)
The 2013 vintage of Big Eddie took home the gold at the 2017 Seattle Wine Awards, Washington’s largest and most prestigious wine competition. So we were not surprised that we really enjoyed the 2014 vintage. Big Eddie is a full-bodied Bordeaux-style blend of 55% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec; this vintage returned to the 2012 composition of more Cab Sauv, after the 2013 featured a split (20% each) of Cab and Malbec. Aromatics of red berries and mocha lead into juicy flavors of raspberry, blackberry, cedar, dark chocolate and hints of vanilla. Silky-smooth dark fruit flavors linger on the finish. Big Eddie is named for the father and nephew of Amy Stottlemyer, Josh’s wife. Uncork the bottle and bring on the BBQ!
2014 Stottle Hombre ($34)
Hombre is an intriguing blend of Tempranillo (66%) and Malbec (33%), rounded off with 1% Mourvedre. If you like wine from these grapes, you will appreciate this blend. Think cherries, black tea, allspice, pepper and smoky flavors with notes of vanilla. According to the winery, “Hombre is Spanish for man, however we prefer it in the Paul Newman, ‘that’s one bad hombre’ sense of the word.” Hombre pairs well with a range of dishes, including beef, poultry and pasta.
2014 Stottle Tempranillo ($32)
This recently released vintage follows on the heels of the 2013, which won Double Gold at the 2017 Seattle Wine Awards. Medium-bodied with an excellent mouthfeel, this is 100% Tempranillo. From the tasting notes, “Intense and delicate aromas intermingle, vanilla, smoke, clove, sage, rose petals and chocolate. Flavors of cherry, melon, ripe plum, date, vanilla, cigar and a hint of coffee.” Pair with beef, lamb, pork, BBQ ribs or spicy food.
2014 Stottle Sangiovese ($30)
As mentioned above, this is 99% Sangiovese, topped with 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. From the tasting notes, “Aromas of fresh strawberry, cherry, toffee, vanilla and fruit cake. Flavors of strawberry pie, raspberry, cherry, sweet cranberry, slight white pepper and subtle tannins.” Forget BBQ for this beauty – instead, pair it with pastas with red sauce, chicken parmesan and other Italian dishes.
We received samples of these wines to taste. You can try them, and others, at Stottle’s tasting rooms in Lacey and Hoodsport, or check out the Stottle online store.
Cheers,
Margot and Dave