GrapeSmart.net

The Rhône wine region is an AOC (Appellation d’origine controlee) in Southern France, probably best known in the US as the homeland of Châteauneuf-du-Pape—a popular wine that can contain as many as 18 different grape varietals (even white).

Not satisfied with letting the French have all the fun, in the 1980’s a group of winemakers from California’s Central Coast – John Alban (Alban Vineyards), Bob Lindquist (Qupe) and Randall Grahm (Bonny Doon Vineyards) – began planting Rhône varietals like Syrah, Grenache and Viognier. The vines took hold—and so did marketing efforts—and the Rhone Rangers was born, keeping Americans safe from the threat of drinking something boring.

Today, the Rhone Rangers include almost 200 member wineries, producing wine from any of the 22 different grapes sanctioned by the AOC for Rhône juice. Some wines are single variety, some are blends—and many can be tasted at Rhone Rangers tasting events, like the one which took place on Sunday, August 8, at Pier 59 Studios West, in Santa Monica.

Those who saddled up and trekked over had the chance to taste Marsanne-Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Carignan, Cinsault, Mourvedre and others, from the likes of Cline Cellars, Tablas Creek Vineyard (which is an offshoot of the actual Rhône winery Chateau Beaucastel), Koehler Winery, Edward Sellers Vineyards & Wines, Qupe, Justin Winery and more. Schaffer’s Genuine Catering provided food for the day. When the event ended at 5, many of the wineries headed to Pourtal wine bar, where they poured their wines for kemo sabes old and new before riding off into the sunset.

If you missed the tasting but want to scout out these delicious juices [Ed note: Rhône varietals tend to be Jess and my favorites], many of them are surprisingly affordable and – like Grenache, in particular – are starting to gain in popularity. I’ve even seen some in the grocery store! Then, of course, there is always next year’s Rhone Rangers tasting…

Rhone Rangers Hi-Ho

Si, white gazpacho. See?

If you thumb through any magazine or surf most of the food/entertaining websites, you’ll find one idea after another for backyard barbeques and refreshing summer salads. But I have my own suggestion about something cool to cook this season: White gazpacho.

No doubt you’ve met white gazpacho’s scarlet cousin, red gazpacho. A cold, tomato-centered soup often brimming with summer vegetables. White gazpacho (ajo blanco) is equally refreshing but otherwise completely opposite. With a base of marcona almonds, white gazpacho is milkier, silkier and richer than red gazpacho. It’s also my favorite of the two.

For instructions on how to whip this soup together, I checked in with my friend Erika Kerekes of InErikasKitchen. This is her original recipe:

Green grapes and almonds in a cold, savory soup? Actually, yes. Don’t worry about getting the measurements below exactly right; they’re meant to suggest proportions. A little more or less won’t make a difference.

• 1 cup baguette or similar white bread, stale or lightly toasted
• 1/4 cup water
• Splash of rosé wine [ed: Preferably 2008 A Donkey and Goat Grenache Rosé. Really. Try it]
• 1/2 cup roasted Marcona almonds
• 1/2 cup green grapes
• 1/2 cucumber, peeled and seeded, cut into chunks
• 1/4 cup olive oil (or more)
• salt
• ground white pepper

Put the bread and water in the container of a blender and let soak 5 minutes. Add all other ingredients and blend on high until smooth and creamy. If necessary, add more olive oil to get the right consistency; the gazpacho should be thin but not runny, about the consistency of buttermilk. Season with salt and ground white pepper to taste. Chill at least 1 hour before serving.

Vina Tobia Blanco – white from “red”

And what to pair? Something Spanish, of course! Or, to sound more professional about it: If it grows together, it goes together.

Lately I’ve been enjoying a lovely 2009 white Rioja from Vina Tobia. If you remember from my last Rioja piece, the designation Rioja comes from the color of the region’s soil. White Rioja simply means a white wine from this red-tinted region.

Vina Tobia Rioja Blanco is comprised of 80% viura (macabeo) and 20% malvasia grapes. In the glass it presents a lovely nose of white flowers and peach and honeysuckle. In the mouth, this wine is crisp and nicely balanced and bursting with melon, mango and ripe peaches, with subtle notes of mineral, citrus and the faintest touch of raspberry.

¡Muy exquisito!

Dierberg Star Lane Vineyards

On January 16, 1919 the Eighteenth Amendment (Amendment XVIII) and the Volstead Act went into effect in the United States. The ratification of these acts of Congress prohibited the consumption of “intoxicating liquors”, except for use in medicine, church rituals and up to 200 gallons per year of personal, home consumption. As one might expect, Prohibition was fairly controversial and not wholly embraced by the people.

The public’s demand for hooch led to speakeasies, bathtub gin and, in California alone, a 700% increase in vineyard plantings (to make “grape juice”). It also led people to a little region known as College Ranch, which was the location of the only spirits still in the north county of Santa Barbara. Because the area held the cure for what ailed ‘em, the locals lovingly nicknamed the spot “Happy Canyon.”

Church

Some seventy-six years after the end of the Noble Experiment, canyon winemakers won a proposal to have the area registered as an official AVA: Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara, currently consisting of 23,941 acres, 492 of which are planted for six vineyards and three wineries, in the east end of the Santa Ynez Valley.

I had the great pleasure of learning all about Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara on a recent trip to Star Lane and Dierberg Vineyards. Vintners Mary and Jim Dierberg grow over 237 acres of vines on their Star Lane property (half the total acres planted across the entire valley), including all five of the red Bordeaux varietals and Sauvignon Blanc. On their cooler-climate Dierberg estate, 160 acres are planted with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah grapes to produce “Burgundy inspired” wines. The former dude ranch-turned-vineyard/winery sits at the highest elevation in the valley, with their Sauvignon Blanc vines reigning over all, high up the hills at 1500 feet.

To celebrate the diversity of Happy Canyon’s soil composition, climate, rainfall, topography, etc., the Dierbergs and winemaker Nick de Luca strive to produce terroir-driven wines, while also showcasing the individuality of the grapes, themselves. The vineyard has been farmed organically since 2006, they use ground cover under the vines, eschew tilling, and most of their wines are fermented using native yeasts. All wines are made with free-run juice and, whenever possible, they use natural gravity flow instead of pump systems. Even their caves were dug by hand – all 27,000 ft of them – a process that took over five years to complete. They like to call their philosophy “Old method winemaking using new technology.”

And the result? Incredible balance, amazing acidity. Deep, complex wines that can be enjoyed young or cellared for greater finesse. The differences and nuances from one vintage to the next are discernible in the way that the Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara wines are noticeably different from the rest of the juice produced in Santa Ynez Valley.

Dierberg Star Lane wines

In order for a region to qualify for its own AVA (American Viticultural Area) designation, petitioners must prove that the area is significantly different from the surrounding appellation in terms of mesoclimate and geography, thereby producing distinguishable fruit. Everything from rainfall to soil content, pH, drainage, topographical history, etc is documented, analyzed and contrasted with neighboring locations. If the differences are significant, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms can award the new AVA certification. Once approved, all wines with the AVA certification must contain at least 85% juice from the specified AVA.

What a happy requirement that is, in the case of Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara. Of the wines I’ve tried – especially those from Dierberg/Star Lane, these wines are dynamic, distinguished and delicious. It truly is a Happy Canyon, indeed.

Photo credit: VineSmart.com - Grapevines in Tulare County

California exports relatively little wine (100 million gallons, half in bulk at just over $4 per gallon; sales in bottle average $11.60 per gallon.) Lapsley pointed out that low-cost wine is made from inexpensive grapes, most from the San Joaquin Valley. The districts south of the Delta grew 52% of all grapes crushed in 2009. – Wines & Vines

Monday as I drove through the very flat, relentlessly hot, and not to mention smoggy San Joaquin Valley from CA-46 south, I couldn’t help but notice the abundance of grapevines growing along I-5. I said to Mitch, “Maybe they’re for raisins and table grapes?” But they’re for wine?!

According to the Wine Institute, California supplied 61% of all wine sold in the U.S. (about 30% is imported). Wines retailing for less than $7/bottle represented 72% of the total, and fully 30% sold for less than $3 per bottle.     - Wines & Vines

When I think about how much wine we drink within California and how much of it is “premium” or even in the $10-15 range, this statistic makes me stop wondering why more people in the country don’t drink wine! All they’ve got access to is plonk!

Read the full article here

I’m a geek. I’m not the pencil-neck variety of yesteryear, but rather a modern geek. I dig numbers and analytics and I have an obsessive tendency to dive into the nitty gritty of topics I’m interested in until I have what appears to some to be encyclopedic knowledge of a topic. It’s fun for my friends for a while… until it’s not. Only the other geeks really get me, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have something useful to tell you as a result of my geekery.

Odds are good you have no idea what I’m talking about with that goofy title since you’re probably NOT a geek. Let me break it down for you:

META data is a way for us computer geeks (among others) to store additional information about an item. Let’s say that item is a song… We’ll stay on topic and use the song “Red Red Wine” as an example. The song itself has “common attributes” like Artist: UB40, Album: Labour of Love, and Year released: 1983. There are also many “hidden attributes” like Genre, Instruments used, Beats per minute, Track number, Composer, Lyricist, etc. We call this META data.

Wine has META data, too! Its common attributes are Year vinted, AVA, Varietal, and of course Winery. But its META data has a wealth of additional information about the wine that contributes to how the wine tastes.

You may recognize some of these and not others but, here goes:

• Percentage of each varietal
• Age of vines
• Type of oak used (if any)
• Winemaking techniques
• Alcohol percentage
• Particular aromas/flavors
• Brix level
• pH
• Clone
• Winemaker
• Importer
• And don’t forget all the little mini-bits of information that make up “Terroir,” each of which could be its own piece of META data (was it planted on a slope? which way does the slope face? how many minutes of sunshine did each row of vines get that year? how much granite is in the soil? is the soil calcareous? and on and on.)

Lately I’ve been wondering how useful this META data might be in helping to select wines you’ll like. If it’s effective at choosing wines you’ll like, you might even be able to use the information to maximize your wine budget. Here’s a geeky little example:

1. Assume that 100% of your wine budget is spent each month
2. Assume a bell curve for your enjoyment of the wines you’ve purchased
   • 2% of the wines are totally amazing
   • 8% of the wines are really really good
   • 15% of the wines are good and you’d drink them again
   • 50% of the wines are average. You could take ‘em or leave ‘em.
   • 15% of the wines are not good and you’d prefer never to drink them again
   • 8% of the wines are so bad you don’t finish the bottle
   • 2% of the wines are corked and undrinkable
3. Pretend that all adds up to an “enjoyment score” of 50.
4. Now imagine based on hidden characteristics of the wines you buy, you can limit your buying to wines that are only in the first three categories. Suddenly your “enjoyment score” could jump to 80! And now you’re getting more value for your wine because you’re enjoying more of the wine you buy AND you’re getting more wines you are excited to be drinking!

There are a PILE of companies, wine writers, retailers, etc. out there who believe that they can tell you that if you like Wine A, you’re gonna love Wine B. When they’re making those statements, it’s often based on just a few characteristics of the wines or even worse, subjective statements/opinions about the wines.

A lot of geeks like me think that if you collect enough data about what people like and don’t like, they’ll be able to recommend wines even better than their competition in an objective way. Fundamentally though, I think computers are a LONG way from being able to make the subjective into something objective for purchasing recommendations.

Instead of relying on mountains of data and algorithms, or a “consistent palate” from a wine reviewer, what if the WINE could tell you if you’re gonna like it based on its META data? Could these methods be used to create groups of remarkably similar wines and then find the ones at the best prices within those groups?

It seems that I’m not alone in this line of thinking, this is a snippet of today’s WineAccess special deal:

The concept illustrated by WineAccess using the Old Wente Clone

To see more about this wine & deal, check it out at WineAccess.

Red Wines – Speed-dating for Bloggers & Wineries!

We sat at a table for an hour while 12 wineries brought us 12 wines and shpieled us for 5 minutes each. Here’s the rundown… lots of goodies for red-wine lovers! (Updates coming later)

• 2008 Ortman Sangiovese, $20
  What the winemaker says: East-side Paso Robles, 2nd-gen tier $20 and under
  What Jess says: Not what I expect from an Ortman wine, but I’m excited about them producing
  What Arianna says: Where’s Arianna???
  Other notes: Cuvee Eddy & Chardonnay (Bien Nacido and Cat Canyon) coming soon!
• 2006 Louis M Martini Lot No 1 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, $120
  What the winemaker says: Nice velvety tannins but will lay down for 25+ years
  What Jess says: Deep purple flavors. A little rough on the acid/tannins. Chalky at the back of the mouth. I imagine this will be beautiful in a few years, but I’m not interested in spending this kind of money. My eyes popped out of my head when she said the retail price. I’m SO not a Napa girl
• 2007 Isenhower Bachelor’s Button Cabernet Sauvignon, $28
  What the winemaker says: 4% Petite Verdot
  What Jess says: Lacks a little body, not very fruity (if you’re looking for a fruit bomb you’d be disappointed), but there’s a likeable quality to it. The fruit’s character shows through the hands-off winemaking style. A nice wine.
• 2008 The Crusher Petite Sirah (Sebastiani), $12
  What the winemaker says: Clarksburg (North of Rio Vista river delta near Sacto!!)
  What Jess says: Big red fruit nose, no alcohol. Medium body, big blackberry, no tannins no acid. Not refined, but interesting.
• 2008 Desert Wind Ruah, $20
  What the winemaker says: Intensely aromatic, with bing cherry, cinnamon, and toasted walnut in the forefront. On the palate, flavors of cherry, raspberry and clove mingle harmoniously with supple tannins ending in a long finish.
  What Jess says: Nice wine! Similar flavor profiles to the Louis Martini and definitely more than 1/6th as good.  I’d like to buy myself a bottle!
• 2008 Duck Pond Red Blend, $15
  What the winemaker says: Dundee, Oregon. 52% Merlot, 29% Syrah, 19% Cabernet Sauvingon. Value-focused.
  What Jess says: Nice round, fruit-forward red. Nothing hits me on the head and it’s balance and lack of tannin make me happy. Would rather have this as my weeknight red than The Crusher (sorry guys!)
• 2009 Velvet Glove (Molly Dooker), $180
  What the winemaker says: A great everyday wine… or a special occasion if you prefer. Much ripeness fiddling in order to achieve its full vinological ripeness. Set the glass aside, try it again later. Can age very well.
  What Jess says: A velvet label! Super complex. Cherries, black fruit, spice, tobacco?
• 2008 TrioVintners Riot, $18
  What the winemaker says: 52% Sangiovese, 36% Syrah, 12% Mourvedre
  What Jess says: Loved the Mourvedre we tasted at their tasting room earlier today (bought two!)… very nice. I like this almost as much as the Mourvedre. This is a GREAT wine for $18… get yourself some!
• 2008 Ponzi Vineyards Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley, $35
  What the winemaker says: Sustainable, and certified. Take note! 2008 was a winemaker’s dream in Willamette Valley.
  What Jess says: Nice Pinot Noir. I’m not a Pinot fan but I’m always happy to take one from Willamette Valley and this is no exception. It’s not knock-your-socks-off, but it’s very nice. A little earthy and tannic/acidic (hard to tell with palate-fatigue).
• 2007 Stoller Pinot Noir, $25
  What the winemaker says: Dundee Oregon. Guest houses on property, come stay and hang out! 1st Gold LEED-certified winery in the US (first LEED-certified winery of any level)
  What Jess says: Earthy earthy earthy nose. On the palate: Very cherry, no tannin, light body. I like it. It needs certain foods that’ll go well with VERY cherry. But good!
• 2008 Stepping Stone Cabernet Franc from Cornerstone, $30
  What the winemaker says: Carneros because I like acidity in my wines. Acid is what makes the wine live. Acidity is the taste and tannin is the texture. Trying to build longer molecule chains to preserve the taste in the mouth longer.
  What Jess says: Chewy. Nice flavors in the background. Nice expression of Cab Franc (despite the 4% Cabernet Sauvignon). I like it. But I like Cab Franc. Opening up in my glass in just these few minutes. Worth the price, let it breathe 30 minutes before you drink and you’ll have a nice new special occasion red.
• 2007 Sequel Syrah (Longshadows Vintners project), $55
  What the winemaker says: John Duval (Barossa Valley), 3% Cabernet Sauvignon
  What Jess says: Yummy yummy! Worth every penny if you love Syrah. This is what I would hope to get from Washington Syrah!

White Wines – Speed-dating for Bloggers & Wineries!

We sat at a table for an hour while 12 wineries brought us 12 wines and shpieled us for 5 minutes each. Here’s the rundown… lots of goodies for white-wine lovers! (Updates coming later)

• 2009 Neethlingshof Estate Unwooded Chardonnay (Worthwhile Wines)
  Winemaker notes: Fresh, vibrant with rich layers of fruit and a crisp and lingering aftertaste
  Jess’ notes: Mellow flavors, not too bright, good expression of Chardonnay. Would happily drink again.
  Arianna’s notes: Nose of bright lemon curd and grass. Fab mineral, great acid, and nice body. Really like it.
  Other notes: Importer of sustainable wines, classic example of chablis style
  
• 2009 The Violinist Verdelho (Molly Dooker), $25
  Winemakers notes: Creamy texture, great acidity and long, persistent flavours of honeysuckle, pineapple, and citrus.
  Jess’ notes: Grapefruit & tropical fruit on the nose. Oaky, but not overly… needs food. Would drink again, not for $25.
  Arianna’s notes: Nose of blended citrus. Something stone fruit. Sweet sour. Would drink again.
• 2008 House Wine by Charles Smith, $13
  Winemakers notes: 78% Chardonnay, 11% Riesling, 5% Muscat, 5% Gewurtztraminer, 1% Pinot Gris
  Jess’ notes: Pineapple, citrus, a little acidic but I’ve got heartburn right now. Bright and good. Interesting white for $13.
  Arianna’s notes: Nose of Pineapple, mineral, Citric acid smell. It’s okay.
• 2009 Dry Creek Vineyard Dry Chenin Blanc, $12
  Winemakers notes:
  Jess’ notes: Great balance, nice clean mouthfeel. Mellow apples. Not sweet to me. Would much rather spend $12 on this one than $13 on the House Wine above.
  Arianna’s notes: Nose: Lemony grapefruit, chili pepper, grass, bruised peach. Palate: SWEET, with peachy peachiness.
• 2008 L’Ecole No 41 Semillon, $15
  Winemaker notes: Melon, pear, honeysuckle, viscosity, fresh and floral.
  Jess’ notes: Love the fig & honeysuckle & nutty tones of Semillon and this is balanced and delicious. Coats the tongue in a good way. Would LOVE to drink again.
  Arianna’s notes: Nose of pie crust, peach cobbler, pear. Palate of almond, mineral, apple, straw.
• 2008 Sustainable White (Parducci), Mendocino County, $11
  Winemaker notes: Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Muscat
  Jess’ notes: Big fruity nose, acidic. I’m getting major earthy in the mouth. S’okay. I like that they’re continuing the project though since it’s good for the planet!
  Arianna’s notes: Nose: honey straw and petrol. Palate: something earthy-spicy and pineapple?
• 2009 Pithy Little Wine Co. Sangiovese Rose, $22
  Winemaker notes: Simple wine notes, on the bottle … 2% Syrah
  Jess’ notes: Walnuts and cinnamon?? Blood orange and cherry. Light flavoring. Interesting… wouldn’t turn it away.
  Arianna’s notes: Jolly Rancher Red on the nose. And the palate. With notes of mineral.
• 2007 Ortman Vineyards Edna Valley Chardonnay, Firepeak Vineyard, $25
  Winemaker notes: Clones 4, 76 and 96; Oak variety, yeast variety… CRAFTED wines.
  Jess’ notes: Big, full-bodied Chardonnay. Mature and oaked with a touch of butter. Should be accompanied by food.
  Arianna’s notes: Tropical nose, tropical palate. High acid. Man, I want some cheese. Take it or leave it.
• Pepperwood Grove Chardonnay (NV) – Wine in a box! 4 bottle equiv. for $20
  Winemaker notes:
  Jess’ notes: Not bad. For approx $5/bottle this is a great value Chardonnay. It’s not sophisticated but it’s quality. Anise, pineapple, and grapefruit on the palate. Perfect for picnics and parties!
  Arianna’s notes: The whole thing is green and fresh (not like desert flora). Meh.
• 2009 Desert Wind Viognier, Wahluke Slope, WA, $15
  Winemaker notes: Nose: peach, honeysuckle, and vanilla. Palate: rich and full, silky finish.
  Jess’ notes: Pineapple on the nose (not stone fruit to me). Drier finish than expected for how it hits the front of the mouth. I’m not a fan of Viognier, but this isn’t bad… seems like a good price, too.
  Arianna’s notes: Honey, baby! With some straw and white flowers. At this point I’m probably just making shit up.
• 2009 Poet’s Leap Riesling, (Long Shadows Vintners), $20
  Winemaker notes: Armin Diel
  Jess’ notes: Really impressed with Washington Riesling, especially this one! Low residual sugar, picked at low Brix number. Bright, balanced, pineapple, great riesling. Would give it to my picky Mom and feel confident.
  Arianna’s notes: Soft floral nose, sweet, something slightly effervescent. Like!
  Other notes: Like Oriel Wines… partners with famous winemakers… but they bring them in to make wine from WA fruit!
• 2009 Big House White from California (promoting Octavin Home Wine Bar), 4 bottles equiv for $22
  Winemaker notes: 51% Malvasia Bianca, 14% Muscat Canelli, 13% Viognier, 10% Gruner Veltiner, 5% Pinot Gris, 4% White Riesling
  Jess’ notes: Generic Cali white wine, has an earthy thing midpalate, but it’s balanced (so critical with inexpensive whites).
  Arianna’s notes: Lovely peach, something sharp at back of throat. Fun!
  Other notes: Guaranteed for a minimum of six weeks after opening

Okay folks, GrapeSmart wasn’t a finalist but we respect and adore our fellow wine bloggers… Congratulations to every finalist, and especially the winners!

Wine Blog Awards Categories & Winners:

• Writing - CataVino
• New Wine Blog – Swirl Smell Slurp
• Single Subject Wine Blog – New York Cork Report
• Winery Blog – Been Doon So Long
• Wine Reviews – Bigger Than Your Head
• Graphics – Good Grape, A Wine Manifesto
• Industry/Business – Good Grape, A Wine Manifesto
• Best Overall – 1WineDude

What happened to Day 2? Well, I was too drunk to write about it yesterday, so you’ll get THAT update later

We’re in the middle of Day 3 (it’s the first official day of the conference) and it’s quite a trip being around so many wine drinkers, wine lovers, and wine writers in one place. The wine community in Washington is super-friendly and it’s been a thrill to get to know the different regions and wineries.

It’s also been fun to meet all kinds of people who I’ve known online for different reasons… including accidentally meeting Steve Heimoff while chatting at the Meritage Alliance table.

We’re listening to the kick-off speech right now, and so I’m taking this opportunity to point out some of my favorite values and wines I’ve had so far:

• Barnard Griffin Fume Blanc, $9
• Barnard Griffin Sangiovese Rose, $12
• Milbrandt Merlot Traditions, $15
• Milbrandt Riesling, $13
• Chinook Semillon, $15
• McCrea Grenache Blanc, Boushey Vineyard, ~$20

I also liked the Gruner Veltiners I tasted today. I think they need to go on my list of alternative whites (as I’m kinda getting tired of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc).

More to come, and cheers!

The GrapeSmart gals took off for Washington yesterday morning at the uncivilized hour of 7am, but we landed in Seattle with a whole day to get ourselves out to Yakima Valley. We grabbed our rental car and headed for, duh, Pike Place Market, because, well, we’re foodies and it’s a must-go!

After an early lunch at a tiny little chowder place in Post Alley with amazing smoky chowders and super fresh fish we found ourselves a wine & coffee bar called Local Flavor to settle in with. A couple of glasses of Washington wines from Portteus (which we didn’t love) and our first coffee of the day made everything start humming. Then we spent some time wandering through the market–it was freaking food heaven and a festival for all of our senses–before jumping into our car  for the spectacular journey across Washington state in anticipation of a somewhat spontaneous “tour” with our twitterpal @wino4ever (Scott Abernethy).

Scott generously introduced us to the who’s who of the Red Mountain AVA at an Industry Night event at Picazo 7Seventeen (a great  Spanish restaurant in Prosser by Chef Frank Magana). Scott brought us two wines from a winery called Cooper which isn’t even open yet! The first was a  and the second was the 2009 Cooper Pinot Gris.

• 2007 Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
  My experience with the wine: Top notes of Vanilla or Chocolate and a touch of red or black berry in the background; Bouquet was less aromatic when it was first opened, and I think I detected leather but it may have just been terroir; Initially it struck me as a French-style Cab (less fruit, more finesse) but as it opened up the finish developed and I began to detect cherries & chocolate.
  Takeaway: This was a nice quality wine and I enjoyed it.
• 2009 Cooper Pinot Gris
  My experience with the wine: Honeysuckle and anise on the nose paired with I think was some kind of tropical fruit; in the mouth this wine was balanced and bright, with flavors of citrus (later I determined this to be grapefruit), green apple, and a hint of mint at the back of the mouth.
  Takeaway: Yum! At $20 suggested release price this is a GREAT white wine. Very food friendly but tame enough to drink alone. Best when it’s cooler which is great for summer afternoons!

As the evening wore on, the other guests lubed up and loosened up. Scott started introducing us around and in particular introduced us to Robert O. Smasne of the ROS Wine Company. Possibly the hardest-working guy in the wine business, Robert has his hands in 24 wineries! He has several labels of his own, owns a crushpad and other facilities for helping smaller winemakers get the product out, AND he consults with MANY local wineries on their winemaking. When someone is this popular you’ve got to figure they’re good… and from what I can tell this quiet and sensible man makes sophisticated wines that rival the best anywhere in the world.

• Smasne Cellars Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon from Snipes Mountain (a brand new Washington AVA)
  My experience with the wine: Carries characteristics of old vine Zinfandel (the only old vine wine I can compare it to based on my own tasting experiences). Tasted to me like a nicely-made red blend.
  Takeaway: I’d serve this to anyone who came to my home and I’d bring it along to a nice restaurant for dinner out
• Smasne Cellars shiner
  My experience with the wine: Surreal. One of the finest wines I’ve ever tasted. I didn’t even balk at the $115 release price and I’ve never purchased a bottle that expensive. A blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Petite Verdot, 8% Malbec and 8% Carmenere. The nose was vanilla and blueberry with no hint of alcohol. In the mouth was “excellent” “fantastic” blueberry “mmmmm.” This is Robert’s first reserve wine in what he’ll call his Signature Series. It’s already sold out on futures so unfortunately you can’t get any… but you should definitely check out some of his other labels: Farm Boy wine (value-priced) and AlmaTerra, a “project” where Robert is experimenting with Syrah’s from 8 different vineyards to get deeper insight into how terroir affects his wines.

We also got a taste of Chateau St. Michelle Malbec shiner from Wahluke slope that was lovely and an introduction to a winemaker not yet in business. The line of wines is going to be a favorite among women who have loved labels like Bitch… except it’s better than Bitch! Be on the lookout for Dumb Blonde wines being released in September! Oh yes, and we met Gary Hogue, co-founder of Hogue Cellars, too

Last but not least, Chef Magana is private labeling some wines from Alexandria Nicole for his restaurant. You can only get them if you go to his restaurant in Prosser, but they’re worth mentioning here because they were enjoyable and we want to thank him for his hospitality! When it comes to house wines, there’s nothing better than a chef who consults with top notch winemakers to get the right flavor profiles for his food…

• Vino Rojo is a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Malbec, and 3% Petite Verdot. It’s sourced from Horseheaven Hills and goes brilliantly with the Spanish food being served at Picazo 7Seventeen. The nose was peppery & spicy followed by a fruity punch-in-the-mouth with a relaxed Bordeaux-style finish.
• Vino Blanco is a blend of 65% Roussane, 24% Marsanne, and 11% Viognier. I LOVE Rhone wines and especially Roussane/Marsanne. I’m not a huge fan of Viognier though and I would have liked to see a little less of it in this wine. Knowing that my palate is a little tweaked compared to what’s popular among white-wine drinkers, I think this wine is for meals calling for a bright and sophisticated white.

Over dinner Scott gave us the rundown on the top local vineyards to be seeking out and some wineries we can’t wait to try! Here are the ones we’re keeping a lookout for:

• Barnard Griffin Winery (high quality, value priced wines)
• Kiona Winery (high quality, value priced wines)
• Alexandria Nicole Winery
• Maison Bleue Winery (Rhone)
• Skylite Cellars
• Phinny Hill Vineyards
• Ciel du Cheval Vineyard
• Klipson Vineyard
• Champoux Vineyard
• Boushey Vineyards
• Sagemore Vineyard
• Taptiel Vineyard
• Seven Hills Vineyard
• Pepper Bridge Vineyard

Today we’re off for a tour of Yakima Valley where we’ll continue to be wined, dined, and happy!

P.S. Here’s the view from our hotel room… the majestic Columbia River! (Not the Yakima River as I mistakenly exclaimed earlier before I had my coffee)