GrapeSmart.net

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)