Argyle: The Art of Sparkling

Argyle: The Art of Sparkling

Being in the holiday spirit we wanted to present a pretty cool Pacific Northwest wine project. Argyle winery has gained a national reputation for some of the best sparkling wines in the country. With their price point and complexity of their bottlings, their sparkling wines are typically some of the highest rated sparkling wines that I try each year. This new vintage, their 2013 Argyle Brut (WWB, 91), was no exception. To commemorate this great vintage, Argyle has created a new sparkling wine project called ‘The Art of Sparkling’ which is a student artist tribute. This is a special limited-edition set of Vintage Brut with three art labels designed by Argyle scholarship recipients, artists Ann-Marie Christin Engleberth, Subin Yang and Lindsay Walker.

As you can see, the bottle presentation is quite stunning. Argyle had the three PNCA students learn about Argyle’s winemaking process and then each student designed unique labels for the sparkling wine based on their behind the scenes involvement. Don Tuski, the new president of PNCA, mentioned that the Argyle partnership helps the students better understand the business aspect of their future jobs.

Student Ann-Marie Christin Engleberth fashioned her label design based on Argyle’s history as a former hazelnut farm and the two rabbits that stay in the garden just outside he tasting room. Engleberth moved to the U.S. from Germany at age five and tends to focus her art on the countryside, as she was inspired by the German countryside at a young age.

Subin Yang crafted a bolder, blue colored label which reminded her of a summer night in the Dundee Hills. She was connected to the strong convergence of weather, vines, craftsmanship and the land that inspires Argyle sparkling Brut.

Finally, Lindsay Walker chose a bold black and yellow picture which connected her to the soil, sun and elevation of the Argyle vineyards that she set foot in, as her art is typically abstract. All three artists clearly did a beautiful job. Here is my review of the 2013 Argyle Brut Sparkling Wine:

2013 Argyle Brut Sparkling Wine- Made of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, and weighing in at only 12.5% alcohol, the nuttiness of this wine shines through alongside a lovely mousse and strong minerality. Flavors of brioche, toasted macadamia nut, New York apple, lemon curd and vanilla glide along the mid-palate. This balanced Sparkling wine shows lovely poise from what was a generally warm growing season. Drink 2016-2024- 91

WillaKenzie Estate

One of the gems in the Willamette Valley, WillaKenzie Estate has developed a national reputation for world class Oregon Pinot. Having tasted there for more than ten years, I was hugely impressed with what they did in this new, warm vintage. WillaKenzie is named after the sedimentary soil on which the vines are planted. After a successful career in the tech industry co-owner Bernard Lacroute decided to return to his Burgundian roots and purchased the 420 acre cattle farm in 1991. Planting started in 1992 and the first wine was made in 1995. This winery recently sold to the Kendall Jackson Family, so it will be intriguing to see how the wines evolve moving forward. The winery itself is perched on a hill overlooking the valley. There is a large, expansive outdoor space that is perfect for a hot summer day. WillaKenzie is truly one of the best places in the valley to taste.

The new WillaKenzie lineup of Pinot Noirs is hugely impressive. I was hugely impressed with their entry level bottling, the 2014 ‘Gisele’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 92) which shows wonderful richness and texture from this warm vintage. An absolute stunner, the 2014 ‘Triple Black Slopes’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 95) is one of the highest rated wines that I have sampled from this vintage and shows incredible depth, black fruit flavors and intoxicating aromatics. Learn more about WillaKenzie Estate at https://www.willakenzie.com Here are the awesome new wines from WillaKenzie Estate.

2014 WillaKenzie Estate ‘Gisele’ Pinot Noir- The 2014 WillaKenzie Estate 'Gisele' is a fantastic bottling that showcases this wonderful and hot vintage. This was sourced from three Oregon AVAs (Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton and Dundee Hills) and was aged in 20% new French oak for 10 months prior to bottling. The resultant wine is an intensely mineral driven Pinot Noir that begins with aromatics of red cherry, red raspberry, cremini mushroom, pomegranate and black tea and hints of orange rind. There are lovely light flavors of red cherry, cran-cherry, guava puree, mandarin orange and suggestions of tarragon. This is absolutely lovely for the price point, showing both poise and incredible range. Drink 2016-2024- 92

2014 WillaKenzie Estate ‘Pierre Leon’ Pinot Noir- An absolutely gorgeous bottling, the 2014 WillaKenzie Estate 'Pierre Leon' impresses with its earthy terroir and dark fruit flavors. Initially slightly more reticent on the nose than some of the other new releases from this estate, this Pinot Noir has intoxicating aromatics of Shitake mushroom, forest floor, black cherry, wild blackberry and smoky accents. There are rich flavors of black cherry, black truffle, black plum, anise and spicebox accents. This has a lingering finish that coats the mid-palate. The mouthfeel and viscosity is excellent, as is its dazzling minerality. Be sure to give this beautiful wine at least a two hour decant before enjoying. Drink 2016-2026- 94

2014 WillaKenzie Estate ‘Triple Black Slopes’ Pinot Noir- One of the best Oregon Pinot Noirs that I have sampled in the past year, the 2014 'Triple Black Slopes' by WillaKenzie estate is an absolute heavyhitter of a wine. Utilizing Dijon Clones 114 and 777, this perfumed Pinot Noir begins with bright aromatics of red cherry, black plum, cigar box, black truffle and boysenberry liqueur. There are intense flavors of wild blackberry pie, cigar box, cran-cherry and Asian spices. This has an incredibly dense core, and has the makings to be magical, albeit a bit tightly wound right now. There is a seamless quality to this exceptional dark and brooding Oregon Pinot which is currently displaying an irresistible plush mouthfeel. Sampled the next day, the wine was more open and rounded out. Try to wait on this gorgeous bottling for at least another year. Drink 2017-2028- 95

2014 WillaKenzie Estate ‘Kiana’ Pinot Noir- A fantastic new release from this estate, the 'Kiana' Pinot Noir is sourced from Dijon Clones 114 and 777. The wine was aged for 14 months in French oak prior to bottling and begins with aromatics of red currant, red cherry, black plum and hints of nutmeg. There are medium weight flavors of red cherry pie, guava, pomegranate and a lingering finish. This feminine style wine has a beautiful mouthfeel and will age beatifully into the next decade.Drink 2016-2026- 93

2014 WillaKenzie Estate ‘Aliette’ Pinot Noir- Utilizing Pommard UC Davis Clone 4, this gorgeous new release wine by WillaKenzie Estate was aged for 14 months in French oak (50% new prior to bottling in February 2015. This beautiful wine has spicy aromatics of red cherry, allspice, spiced pecan and hints of guava with forest floor. There are flavors of wild blackberry, Shitake mushroom, red cherry, cran-pomegranate and dried mint. This feminine style wine has a silky mouthfeel throughout.Drink 2016-2025- 92

2014 WillaKenzie Estate ‘Terres Basses’ Pinot Noir- An exceedingly strong new release wine, the 2014 'Terres Basses' Pinot Noir by WillaKenzie estates shows the earthy side, while showcasing this wonderfully warm vintage in Oregon. Having a darker core than most of the new releases, this wine begins with earthier aromatics of black truffle, forest floor, black cherry and suggestions of milk chocolate. There are rich flavors of wild blackberry, black plum, black truffle and suggestions of cherry cough syrup. This is a bit of a slumbering monster at this point, having an extremely dense core that will need at least another year of bottle age to fully express itself. Try to resist this elegant and Burgundian bottling for at least another year. Drink 2017-2028- 93

2014 WillaKenzie Estate ‘Jory Hills’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from the Dundee Hills AVA, another gorgeous release by WillaKenzie estate is their 2014 'Jory Hills' bottling which showcases the intoxicating combination of lush red fruit and earthy terroir. The wine was aged for 14 months in French oak (only 10% new) prior to bottling in February 2015. Aromatically present at this juncture following a two hour decant, this Pint Noir offers a range of red and dark fruits highlighting red cherry, black plum, roasted figs, boysenberry and cinnamon. There are flavors of red cherry, cedar, wild blackberry and hints of nutmeg and forest floor. Lithe and light on its feet, this impressive new release wine needs another year of bottle age to fully amalgamate. It shows lovely range that will only improve with a few years of cellaring. Drink 2017-2027-93

2014 WillaKenzie Estate ‘Emery’ Pinot Noir- Extremely translucent, this beautiful Pinot Noir which was sourced from the Yamhill-Carlton AVA begins with aromatics of rose petals, red cherry, red raspberry, orange rind and hints of black truffle. There are rich flavors of red cherry, guava puree, black truffle, forest floor, and hint of kumquat. Balanced and having lovely poise with lighter red fruit flavors, this is one for the cellar. Try to cellar this feminine wine for at least another year for everything to come together. Drink 2017-2028- 93

Big Table Farm

One of the standout wineries in the Willamette Valley, I recently had the chance to visit Brian and Clare at their farm. Visiting during harvest was probably not the best time for them but they graciously guided me through a pretty insane tasting lineup. Head winemaker Brian Carver has crafted some absolutely incredible new release Pinot Noirs. Brian sources from different vineyards across the Willamette Valley. The new 2014 Pinot Noirs sing with wonderful personality and Burgundian elegance and his overall tasting lineup is clearly one of the best in the valley. Brian has previously worked for some highly esteemed properties like Marcassan and Neyers in the past. He is an insanely talented winemaker and a super cool, down to earth guy.

Easily one of the best Rose wines that I have sampled in the past year from the Pacific Northwest, the 2015 Big Table Farm ‘The Laughing Pig’ Rose (WWB, 93) would pair insanely well with turkey and shows a tremendous range of red fruit flavors, alongside wonderful minerality. Another stunner is the 2014 Big Table Farm ‘Yamhill-Carlton’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 93) which is a tremendous value and offers depth and complexity at an incredibly good price. This is one to buy by the case. Finally, look for the 2014 Big Table Farm ‘Sunnyside Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 94) which is also just an insane value in the Oregon Pinot market. This wine offers a striking combination of Burdundian, earthy tones, while still showing ripe red fruit flavors. Learn more about Big Table Farm at http://www.bigtablefarm.com/ Here are the fantastic new release wines by Big Table Farm.

2015 Big Table Farm ‘The Laughing Pig’ Rose- Exceedingly delicious, as well as vibrant and intense, this is the best Rose wine that I have sampled this year from the Willamette Valley. The wine begins with dense aromatics of red cherry, red raspberry, guava and hints of wild mushroom. There are deep flavors of cherry starburst candy, red raspberry, guava puree and hints of teaberry. Energetic and engaging, this wine has some serious weight on the mid-palate. Drink 2016-2021- 93

2015 Big Table Farm ‘Wirtz Vineyard’ Pinot Gris- This pale pink colored wine is a delight to savor right now. The wine begins with a bouquet of orange blossom, pink grapefruit, white flowers and hints of cardemon. The wine has flavors of white peach, mango, baked Gravenstein apple and a polished finish. This has lovely weight on the mid-palate and a lively mineral streak despite the heat of the vintage. Drink 2016-2022-92

2015 Big Table Farm ‘Edelzwicker’ White Wine- This excellent white wine is sourced from older blocks of Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris at the Wirtz Vineyard. Having aromatics of white peach, lemon blossom, saffron and hints of mint, this effervescent wine yields flavors of Granny Smith apple, unripe pear, nectarine rind and hints of lemon zest. Complex and exceedingly delicious, this has nice poise for the vintage. Drink 2016-2020- 91

2014 Big Table Farm ‘Yamhill-Carlton’ Pinot Noir- This excellent bottling is sourced from the Coats and Whitney vineyard as well as the Kalita Vineyard, which are both farmed by Daniel Fey. Dense and deep aromatically and needing at least a one hour decant to settle, this impressive bottling opens with an aromatic core of rose petals, black truffle crudo, red cherry, and suggestions of guava with stewed strawberry. The palate has lively flavors reminiscent of red cherry, orange rind, lavender, cran-raspberry, pomegranate seed and nutmeg. This is polished wine that has a seamless quality and a smooth, plush mouthfeel. Drink 2016-2026- 93

2014 Big Table Farm ‘Wirtz Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 40 year old Wirtz Vineyard utilizes the Coury clone of Pinot Noir. Exceedingly translucent considering the vintage, this wine opens with aromatics of red cherry, red raspberry, crushed wildflowers and hints of nutmeg. There are flavors of red cherry, red raspberry, guava puree and baking spices. The texture is lovely, as this this glides across the mid-palate. Only 367 cases made of this excellent Pinot. Drink 2016-2026- 92

2014 Big Table Farm ‘Sunnyside Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Earthy, terroir driven and hugely Burgundian, the 2014 Big Table Farm ‘Sunnyside Vineyard’ Pinot Noir is a gorgeous new release wine from superstar winemaker Brian Marcy. The wine opens with a bouquet of black truffle oil, forest floor, cedar, black cherry and hints of Kalamata olive. There are rich flavors of black cherry, black truffle crudo, raspberry torte and suggestions of forest floor and Tangerine rind. The range of aromatics and flavors at play are absolutely gorgeous. This wine is an absolutely stunner from Big Table Farm. Drink 2016-2028- 94

2014 Big Table Farm ‘Cattrall Brothers Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- This Eola-Amity Hills AVA property is run by Tom and Bill Cattrall, who have utilized Wadenswil clone Pinot Noir for their vineyard. This expressive Pinot Noir wine opens with a bouquet of wild mushroom stew, forest floor, smoke, black raspberry and wild blackberry jam. There are dense flavors of red cherry, cran-pomegranate, orange rind, and black truffle oil that sit along lively minerality. The finish is exceedingly long to this polished and beautifully textured Pinot Noir. Drink 2016-2029- 94

Alleromb

Great photo here of superstar winemaker, Aryn Morell, in the vineyard.

A boutique Walla Walla winery that utilizes the talents of superstar winemaker Aryn Morell, winery partners Aryn and Edith Morell started this winery to focus on single vineyard sites throughout Washington. I had a blast chatting with Edith Morell in her tasting room, as she talked about the long-term vision of the winery. The future is clearly very bright for the Morells. I had sampled two previous Alleromb wines from them earlier this year, their 2011 Alleromb Cabernet (WWB, 91) and their 2012 Alleromb ‘Cuvee B’ Red Wine (WWB, 92), which were hugely impressive wines that were built for the cellar.

I have described the winemaking abilities of Aryn Morell at great length on the blog. The guy has a handle on every varietal that I have tried as his winemaking shows really impressive range. His 2012 Alleromb Chardonnay (WWB, 92) was a standout wine that showed wonderful richness and texture. This wine is clearly drinking in its sweet spot as the bottling reminded me of his recent Tenor wines Chardonnay release. The 2012 Alleromb Grenache (WWB, 92) was another dense, fruit driven Rhone style wine that showed wonderful poise. Stop by their tasting room on Main St. in Walla Walla to check these awesome wines out for yourself. Learn more about Alleromb at http://www.alleromb.com Here are the fantastic new wines by Aryn Morrell and Alleromb.

2013 Alleromb Sauvignon Blanc- This excellent wine begins with aromas of cut grass, gooseberry, kiwi and suggestions of Jalapeno pepper. There are flavors of Meyer lemon, kumquat, Granny Smith apple and a touch of dried herbs. Drink 2016-2020- 90

2012 Alleromb Chardonnay- Sourced from the La Reyna Blanca Vineyard, this Chardonnay wine begins with aromas of brioche, butterscotch, Gala apple and hazelnuts. There are dense flavors of lemon oil, creme brulee, white peach and pink grapefruit. This has a wonderful mouthfeel and lovely richness. I think this will cellar beautifully into the next decade. Drink 2016-2024-92

2012 Alleromb Grenache- This bright Grenache wine begins with aromas of red cherry, rose petals, and suggestions of guava. There are flavors of pink bubblegum, red cherry and guava. Nearly impossible to resist, you have to love the dense fruit flavors and minerality to this wine. Drink 2016-2024- 92

2014 Morrell-Lawrence 'Concrete Series' Syrah-  This is an offshoot winery project and an excellent value wine. The Syrah begins with aromas of smoked meats, black cherry and black olive. There are flavors of black cherry, black olive and smoked pork shoulder. This is exceedingly delicious wine by superstar winemaker Aryn Morrell. Drink 2016-2023- 92

Interview with Joshua West, Head Winemaker at Elephant Seven Winery

Elephant Seven is an exciting new winery out of Walla Walla. A few weeks back I had the chance to run through their awesome new lineup of red wines and was hugely impressed. I had to get their winemaker on the phone and chat wine. The winemaker, Josh West, is a downright awesome guy who has a background in investment banking and has only recently been in wine on a full-time basis. His wine background includes the prestigious Whitehaven winery out of New Zealand and has also worked at Figgins, Cadaretta, and Dusted Valley in Walla Walla. Finally Josh got the nerve to start his own winery. I think you will really enjoy hearing his wine story. Here is my interview with Josh West, winemaker at Elephant Seven.

WW: How did you first gain interest in winemaking?

JW: For me it started several years before I was officially into the wine business. It happened gradually, there was no one moment for me. I was formerly in commodities trading and followed the Wall Street Journal’s wine editors. I started reading books on wine and wanted to learn more. This wine education spiraled out of control and I started traveling the world only for the purpose of enjoying and learning about wine and food. Early in 2012 I decided to be in the wine business full time. I quit my job at one of the world’s largest investment banks and a month later I was working for Whitehaven in New Zealand. I worked there for the eight week harvest. It is a massive production and we crushed seven thousand tons of grapes that year. Not all of the wine goes to their label and they sell some of it all over the world. I also saw some funny things there as they bring in freight containers. They line them with giant baggies then fill them up and ship them out somewhere. That was my first exposure to commercial winemaking. I spent 95% of my time cleaning and moving things around, but a couple of the assistant winemakers and other interns taught me a few important things. Prior to leaving to work in New Zealand I met one of the owners of Dusted Valley at a tasting. I got in touch with him and then emailed him a few months later. I met him when I arrived in Walla Walla and they gave me my first job working as a cellar rat. I worked at Dusted Valley for about a year including harvest in 2012. After that I worked at Cadaretta just before the 2013 harvest. Then I started working for Figgins family at their Figgins wine studio. During that time I got a degree in enology and viticulture from the Walla Walla program. Then after that I realized that I had learned enough to be dangerous in the Washington wine industry.

WWB: Can you talk about your winemaking philosophies?

JW: This is my first job as a winemaker here at Elephant Seven. I try to let the grapes speak for themselves and I don’t do too much with the grapes. It is not that a winemaker doesn’t know there are things that you can do, but rather I choose to be very minimalist and only do those things when absolutely necessary. It’s actually harder to do less and keep it simple than it is to do more. All my wines are unfiltered and unfined. You want to intervene as little as possible to have the wine reflect the place that it comes from. When you commit to that then you have to stay on top of everything. That forces you to be much more careful and do things properly. I like being as hands on as possible. In vineyard management I sought out managers that I knew and tried hard to find vineyards that I wanted to work with. They know my philosophy and we have that working relationship where they understand my approach. We both want to be aligned with that.

WWB: Can you talk about your lovely 2014 Elephant Seven ‘Telegram’ Syrah (WWB, 93) bottling?

JW: I was really trying to reflect the place that it comes from. The Rocks is unique and I wanted to emphasize the earthiness and the savory tones as the primary characteristics then let the plush fruit compliment that. I didn’t want to use too much new oak, I think it is about 30% new French oak. I didn’t want a high PH or low acidity with this wine. Hopefully you’ll see it has some really great acidity. I wanted to keep the Syrah lively and fresh, as a good food pairing but reflective of the Rocks. I wanted the wine to have the earthy character. The vineyard, River Rock, is an awesome site. It is right there in the heart of the rocks. Charles Smith has most of the vineyard and I was lucky to get one acre. It is a gorgeous and a warm site, typical rocks and cobblestones all over the vineyard so it has that nice minerality. The clone was Tablas Creek clone. Yields were naturally very low at less than 3 tons per acre. We only made 114 cases of this wine, a tiny production.

WWB: What are some of your favorite Washington wines and producers as well as wines of the world?

JW: Washington wines are really impressive. Of course Figgins is fantastic. I think their wine is underrated. I really like Dunham wines and Gramercy. Rasa is another favorite. I have a wine collection and unfortunately it is slowly dwindling. I drink a lot of Barolo, Rinaldi, Conterno, Clerico and others. I love Northern Rhone reds. My everyday wine is Cru Beaujolais. It is crazy that you can get premier cru quality wine for under 20 bucks a bottle. My favorite white wines are Loire and Chablis from Burgundy, typically the higher acid stuff. I went to Burgundy and stayed in Beaune for a week. I rode my bike around the vineyards there. I was like a little kid staring at the grand cru vineyards like Romanee Conti. So I drink a lot of Burgundy but it’s getting harder as prices keep going up. I went to Rioja and I love old school Riojas, CVNE, Tondonia and the like. Those are really nice, especially the older ones.

Saviah Cellars

During my last trip to Walla Walla a few weeks back I had the chance to visit the beautiful tasting room at Saviah. First started in 2000, Saviah began by producing just 300 cases of wine. The winery has grown significantly since that time and was even named one of the top 100 wineries in the United States by Wine and Spirits Magazine in 2009. Winemaker Richard Funk has gained a sterling reputation for his wines, particularly his Syrah wines, in the past few years. Funk sources from many Walla Walla sites including the McClellan Vineyard and has estate vineyards in the Walla Walla Rocks region, aptly named ‘The Funk Vinyard.’

I was very impressed with the new great lineup of wines made by Funk. His 2015 Rose (WWB, 90) was a fantastic effort showing a ton of bright fruit and lovely minerality. Funk also has an impossible to resist new release Cabernet (WWB, 92) from the warm 2013 vintage that showed gorgeous dark fruit flavors. A great winemaker makes great wine even in highly challenging vintages, which is what Funk did with his 2011 Petite Verdot (WWB, 92), an absolutely fantastic wine that shows wonderful range, structure and richness despite the lack of heat that vintage. Learn more about these fantastic wines at http://www.saviahcellars.com Here are the great new release wines by Saviah.

2015 Saviah 'Star Meadows' White Wine- A blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, the wine has aromatics of nectarine, Meyer lemon and Pazzaz Apple. There are flavors of bettered toast, Gravenstein apple and hints of marzipan that sits on vibrant minerality. Drink 2016-2020- 90

2015 Saviah Rose- An exceedingly good Rose wine, Saviah has chosen to blend Sangiovese and Barbara. This wine begins with aromas of red cherry, red raspberry, pink bubblegum and guava. The wine has flavors of red cherry, red raspberry and orange rind and finishes with a bright minerality. Drink 2016-2020- 90

2013 Saviah Pinot Noir- Sourced from the Couse Creek vineyard which sits at 1900 feet in the Blue Mountains in the Walla Walla Valley, This wine has aromas of red cherry, red raspberry and thyme. There are flavors of red cherry, red raspberry and teaberry. Drink 2016-2022- 90

2013 Saviah Cabernet- This wine has 16% Merlot and 2% Malbec blended in. The wine opens with anise, cassis, black olive and red raspberry. The wine has flavors of red cherry, anise, cassis and milk chocolate. This is literally impossible to resist Cabernet wine. Drink 2016-2024- 92

2012 Saviah 'The Stones Speak' Syrah- The wine is sourced from the Funk Estate vineyard and was aged 17 months in French oak prior to bottling. The wine begins with aromatics of smoke, red cherry, red bell pepper and sagebrush. There are flavors of red cherry, dill, crushed wet rock and anise. There is a lovely texture and weight to this delicious wine. Drink 2016-2024- 92

2011 Saviah Petit Verdot- Sourced from this cold vintage, the wine has green olive, black pepper and blackberry pie aromas. There are flavors of black cherry, black olive, mocha and hints of blackberry pie. This is exceedingly deep, delicious and well-balanced wine, considering the lack of heat in the vintage. Drink 2016-2025- 92

Del Dotto

A winery with some serious prestige, Del Dotto Vineyards is a family-owned winery which focuses on small production, premium wines. Owner Dave Del Dotto has spent the last 20 years acquiring vineyards in some of the top American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) including Rutherford, Oakville, St. Helena, Spring Mountain, Howell Mountain, and Sonoma Coast. The new release wines were hugely impressive. I had the chance to visit their gorgeous chateau in Oakville recently and was absolutely blown away with the splendor of the palatial setting. The tasting was largely held in their expansive cave and I had the opportunity to try some of their highly impressive 2014 Cabernet wines still in the barrel. The 2014 Del Dotto Chardonnay (WWB, 94) is a huge success, showing wonderful minerality and opulent fruit flavors. Their Sparkling wine, the 2011 Del Dotto ‘Bubbles Brut Cuvee’ (WWB, 93) was one of the best domestic sparkling wines that I have sampled in the past year. This is a very special, winery only wine that showed a huge range of aromatics and flavors. The 2014 Cabernets in the barrel were massive, none more so than their, 2014 Del Dotto Cabernet 'Villa Del Lago' (WWB, 94-97) which shows tremendous potential. Learn more about this incredible winery at http://www.deldottovineyards.com Here are the gorgeous new release wines from Del Dotto.

2011 Del Dotto 'Bubbles Brut Cuvee' Sparkling Wine- This opens with a bouquet of apricot, brioche, hazelnuts and Gravenstein apple. There are flavors of brioche, Granny Smith apple, banana, cut grass, poached pear. The mouthfeel and texture of this wine is gorgeous.  Drink 2016-2023- 93

2014 Del Dotto Sauvignon Blanc- The wine opens with aromas of cut grass, Bartlett pear, Granny Smith Apple and fennel. There are bright flavors of starfruit, pink grapefruit, and Gravenstein apple. Drink 2016-2022- 91

2014 Del Dotto Chardonnay- The 2014 Del Dotto Chardonnay, sourced from the Sonoma Coast, is a stunner of a wine that impresses from start to finish. This has aromas of butterscotch, poached pear, and creme brulee. There are flavors of creme brulee, vanilla, bananas foster and hints of allspice. This has an opulent texture and mouthfeel, as the intensity of this wine brings you back to the glass for more. The lingering, 45 plus second finish, is absolutely marvelous. This will have a long life in the cellar, as I can see this picking up some exciting secondary characteristics over the next decade. Drink 2016-2022- 94

2010 Del Dotto ‘Cinghiale Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2014 Del Dotto Pinot Noir is an insanely delicious and lithe bottling that is sourced from the Fort Ross-Seavivew AVA. The wine opens with bright aromatics of spicebox, red cherry, cedar, red raspberry and pomegranate. There are rich flavors of nutmeg, red cherry, red raspberry and hints of guava. The finish lingers to this memorable and seamless Pinot Noir wine. Drink 2016-2023- 94

2014 Del Dotto Syrah -This excellent Syrah wine begins with aromas of smoked meats, black cherry and black olive. There are rich flavors of black cherry blackberry and black olive. Drink 2016-2022 -92

2014 Del Dotto Merlot- The 2014 Del Dotto 'Rutherford Estate' Merlot is a dense and brooding Merlot wine. This wine opens with aromatics of red cherry, spicebox, anise and milk chocolate. There are flavors of black cherry, black olive, milk chocolate and toffee. The mouthfeel and density of the wine is just gorgeous. Drink 2016-2026- 92

2014 Del Dotto ‘Cave Blend’ Red Wine- A blend of 62% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc with the rest Cabernet and Zinfandel. The wine begins with aromatics of black olive, sandalwood, red cherry, anise and cassis. There are flavors of cassis anise, black cherry and hints of pipe tobacco. Drink 2016-2028- 92

2014 Del Dotto Cabernet- Another great wine in the strong Del Dotto lineup is the 2014 Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon which shows wonderful terroir and fruit flavors. This wine is a blend of 77% Cabernet with 10% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. The wine starts with aromatics of cassis, anise, pipe tobacco and black cherry. There are flavors of mocha, anise, creme de cassis and pope tobacco. Intense and layered with a lovely mouthfeel. Drink 2016-2028- 92

2014 Del Dotto Cabernet ‘Lot ST 'St. Emillon' Barrel Sample- This wine has aromatics of mocha, anise, creme de cassis and black cherry. There are flavors of anise, black cherry, anise, cassis and coffee grounds. The mouthfeel is stunning as the wine finishes beautifully. Drink 2017-2030- 92-95

2014 Del Dotto Cabernet Lot ST 'Orion' Barrel Sample- The wine begins with aromatics of anise, cassis, mocha and cloves. There are flavors of anise, creme de cassis black olive, black cherry and mocha. This is dense and delicious. Drink 2017-2030- 93-96

2014 Del Dotto Cabernet 'Oakville 9 Oaks' Cabernet Barrel Sample- The wine opens with aromatics of cassis, anise, black cherry, baking spices and blackberry. There are flavors of anise, creme de cassis, blackberry jam and dark chocolate. The mouthfeel and intensity of the wine is gorgeous. Drink 2017-2033- 94-97

2014 Del Dotto Cabernet 'U-Stave American Oak' - The wine starts with aromas of red cherry, anise, cassis and hints of baking spices. There are flavors of black cherry, anise, cassis and hints of baking spices. Drink 2016-2029- 92

2014 Del Dotto Cabernet 'Family Reserve Rutherford Estate' Barrel Sample- Still exceedingly young and having a very long life in front of it, the 2014 'Family Reserve Rutherford Estate' is a heavyhitter of a Cabernet, which shows off this exciting vintage.  The massive Cabernet wine opens with aromatics of creme de cassis, anise, milk chocolate and black cherry. There are intense flavors of anise, creme de cassis, milk chocolate and hints of pipe tobacco and mint. The mouthfeel is chewy and extremely smooth with an intense viscosity. It will be very intriguing to see how this beauty evolves. Drink 2017-2035- 94-97

2014 Del Dotto Cabernet 'Villa Del Lago' Barrel Sample- This monster of a wine will need considerable time to evolve. However, it is very exciting sampling it in the barrel, as this gorgeous, intense and structured Cabernet is exceedingly delicious at this juncture. This Cabernet is sourced from vineyards in the Pritchard Hill AVA. The wine begins with intoxicating aromatics of spicecake, anise, creme de cassis, and dark chocolate. There are rich flavors of anise, creme de cassis, milk chocolate, black cherry and baking spices. Balanced and elegant, yet intense, this is a stunner from the winemaking team at Del Dotto. Drink 2018-2035- 94-97

Ardor Cellars

A relatively new Walla Walla winery founded by some very cool people, Brandon and Emma Kubrock, I recently had the chance to stop by their spacious tasting room and review their great new wines. I had already sampled their huge Syrah successes (Spring 2016) and was pretty impressed with their new white wine releases. The Kubrocks call on superstar winemaker Aryn Morell to do their winemaking. Aryn also serves as winemaker at Alleromb and crafts beautiful wines for Matthews and Tenor. Ardor sources from some of the best vineyards for Syrah in the state, including the Art Den Hoed Vineyard and the esteemed Stoney Vine Vineyard. His new releases from the hot 2015 vintage showed wonderful restraint and deep fruit flavors. The 2015 Ardor Cellars Rose (WWB, 90) was absolutely killer, showing a lovely range of red fruit flavors and aromatics. Learn more about Ardor at http://www.ardorcellars.com Here are the great new wines from Ardor Cellars.

2015 Ardor Cellars Picpoul/ Marsanne White Blend-The wine begins with aromatics of white peach, lychee, and poached pear. There are bright flavors of Gravenstein apple, macadamia nut and hints of lychee. Drink 2016-2020- 90

2015 Ardor Cellars Roussanne/Viognier White Blend- The wine opens with aromas of white peach, Pink Lady apple, oak and hints of nutmeg. There are flavors of white peach, lychee, Gala apple and cantaloupe. This has a lovely weight and texture. Drink 2016-2020- 91

2015 Ardor Cellars Rose- This wine is a blend of 80% Mourvedre and 20% Grenache. The wine begins with aromatics of watermelon, white peach, guava and red cherry. There are pretty flavors of red cherry, guava and watermelon with papaya suggestions. The texture of this wine is outstanding. Drink 2016-2019- 90

2014 Ardor Cellars 'Bouchey Vineyard' Mourvedre- Ardor Cellars have crafted another excellent Mourvèdre to add to their excellent portfolio. This wine opens with aromatics reminiscent of sagebrush, wet stone, blackberry, smoked pork shoulder and lavender. The palate yields dense flavors of blueberry pie, black olive, braised beef and crushed gravel. Seamless and velvety, this is hard to resist right now. Drink 2016-2026-93

2014 Ardor Cellars 'Lawrence Vineyard' Syrah- The 2014 Lawrence Vineyard Syrah from Ardor Cellars shows the richness of the great and warm vintage. The Lawrence Vineyard is located in the Royal Slope in the Frenchman Hills. This expressive Syrah opens with aromatics of anise, sagebrush, cassis and mocha with a leather accent. This has winemaker Aryn Morrell's signature mineral backbone throughout with flavors of black cherry, black olive and blueberry compote and a lovely, plush texture. A bit aggressive right now with its youth boasting 15.3% alcohol, and would be best to cellar this for another year or two. Drink 2017-2026- 93

2014 Ardor Cellars 'Quarternarium' Syrah- The Ardor Cellars 'Quaternarium' is another strong release from this estate. The wine has aromatics of roasted dates, blood orange, wild blackberry cobbler and smoked meats. This leads to flavors of black cherry, black raspberry, blackberry preserves and roasted figs with a graphite edge which coat the palate. It possesses a seamless texture, as the wine glides effortlessly through the mid-palate. Exceptional bottling from Ardor, which has the structure to cellar well into the next decade. Drink 2016-2026- 93

2014 Ardor Cellars 'Red Heaven Vineyard' Syrah- The 2014 Red Heaven Vineyard Syrah is another gorgeous release from Ardor Cellars, and winemaker Aryn Morrell. Located on the South Western edge of Red Mountain, the Red Heaven Vineyard has a diverse soil profile of three main soil types; Warden, Hezel and Taunton soils. As this begins to open it releases aromas of cassis, black raspberry with hints of forest floor and black truffle. There are flavors of blackberry jam, black raspberry, mocha and cedar that connect with the strong minerality. A touch hot at 16.2% alcohol, so this seductive Syrah is not for the weary. This is a fantastic bottling that has the structure to cellar for another decade. Drink 2016-2025- 92

2014 Ardor Cellars 'Art Den Hoed Vineyard' Syrah- The Art Den Hoed Vineyard spans 250 acres across the southern slope of the Rattlesnake Mountains, in the Yakima Valley AVA. First planted in 1978, the vineyard lies at 1,300 feet in elevation. This gorgeous bottling has aromas of blueberry, blackberry, black olive and wet rock. There are flavors of blueberry compote, red cherry, pomegranate seed and suggestions of mocha. The texture and mouthfeel is polished and generous. This is an esteemed and exquisite bottling by head winemaker Aryn Morrell, who brings his trademark minerality to this Syrah. Drink 2016-2026- 93

2014 Ardor Cellars 'Stoney Vine Vineyard' Syrah- Located in Walla Walla and first planted in 2007, vines from the Stoney Vine Vineyard are set on an ancient alluvial fan of river tumbled basalt cobblestones formed by the Walla Walla river. The stones in this vineyard can be quite massive. The wine begins with the prototypical Walla Walla rocks nose with crushed wet rock, red cherry, red raspberry and blackberry pie aromatics. In the glass flavors of blackberry, black cherry, anise, wet stone and graphite emerge, alongside wonderful minerality. This mineral driven Syrah is absolutely fantastic and is hard to put down right now. Drink 2017-2027- 94

Interview with Nicolette Anctil, Sommelier at Husk Nashville

Boasting a stunning wine selection which is arranged by soil type, Husk Nashville is an absolutely fantastic place to sample a broad spectrum of wines of the world and consume probably the best fried chicken I’ve had in my life. While I was in Nashville I had the chance to catch up with sommelier Nicolette Anctil, who guided me through some awesome blind tastings. Nicolette talked about her background in wine, as well as some of her favorite current bottlings. I think you will really enjoy hearing about her journey in wine. Here is my interview with Nicolette Anctil, sommelier at Husk Nashville.

WWB: How did you decide to become a sommelier?

NA: I’d say, I got the wine bug fairly organically, in my early 20s I left the turn and burn life of a line cook, and moved front of house, as a server assistant or busser. Progressing my way through the ranks, I found myself starting to become very interested in wine. The sommeliers I worked with took me under their wing, I was gifted with tasting very often with Masters, along with traveling to NYC and Washington D.C. almost every week. From that experience I’ve come to create my own style for myself of what a sommelier means.

WWB: You have a wide range of somm experiences. What have your previous somm positions brought to working at Husk Nashville?

NA: I’ve realized that I’m super emotional with wine, the intimacy of wine and the time it took for us to be able to taste the juice is all the importance of my job. Previous positions have taught me that, the way to be success is to be authentic in what you do. I’ve tried to conform to the “somm” life, it wasn’t for me. Every bottle has a story, I have no interest in dissecting the wine so much, were the story then becomes an afterthought. Wine has to be the romance, and for me; I’ve experienced wine in restaurants under a restauranteur all the way to experiencing wine under a 22 person-seat restaurant. I now have the pleasure to take all those experiences, and create a list that’s classic, yet unique, and pushes our guests to trust what we are doing at Husk Nashville.

WWB: Can you talk about your training for your level 2 (certified) somm exam?

NA: I’ve had the privilege of tasting and learning under Advanced/Master Sommelier at a very early state of my training. I quickly pushed through my 1st & 2nd levels with the Court of Master Sommelier, I became very interested in more of the vinicultural side of wine. From their I took my CSW (Certified Specialist of Wine), and then I took a huge break. I hit this point of, contemplating why? Why was I doing this, for other people or for myself. So, I took about a 2-year break from wine. Coming to Nashville, showed me that wine is what you want from it. For me, seeing a guest enjoying a wine that they never in a million years would buy, then my job is done, and no test can fill that void for me.

WWB: Husk has a very strong wines by the glass collection. Can you talk about how this wide range of wines is chosen and how the wines have been arranged by soil type?

NA: With the wines by the glass, I wanted to push varietals that you normally wouldn’t drink, but had somewhat similar characteristics of wines that your familiar with. For example, instead of your classic California Chardonnay, we have Garganega from Soave, Italy. It’s my favorite wine to pour people, they always have the best reaction. The soils types were set into place to show that, not only does our food come from farmers who have families and stories, so does our wine. It shows that the wines we are pour, have a place, just like our food.

WWB: What are some of your favorite wine regions of the world and their producers?

NA: Bubbles, always tons of bubbles. Currently drinking this awesome little wine from an importer called Savio Soares based out of Brooklyn, NY. The wine is Latitude 50 N, it’s a unique sparkling rose of Portugeiser, Dornfelder, and Pinot Noir from Rheingau, Germany. Its wicked delicious, and super affordable.

Columbia Crest

A winery that needs no introduction, Columbia Crest remains one of the most popular wineries in the United States. There is good reason behind this, as I have had sampled hundreds of great bottles from this winery over the past ten years plus years. I can say that consistently the winemaking has been excellent, especially considering the price of these wines. There is a reason why these wines sell so well – because the winemaking is excellent, the fruit is good and the attention to detail is clearly there. If you are out in the Columbia Valley, be sure to check out their tasting room, outside of Patterson, Washington. It is literally in the middle of nowhere but it is an absolutely gorgeous country setting that provides a nice respite from the city.

I had the chance to interview Columbia Crest superstar winemaker Juan Munoz Oca a few weeks back. His new release wines were absolutely gorgeous, none more so than their impressive 2013 ‘Walter Clore Reserve' (WWB, 93), which over-delivers at its price point and offers gobs of rich dark fruit and a silky texture.  Another new release red wine that impressed for the price is the 2014 Columbia Crest ‘Gold Label’ (WWB, 90) that continues to be one of the great values in wine. It is hard to find the density and fruit weight in a red wine at this price. Consistently one of the best bargains in Washington wine, their 2014 Columbia Crest ‘H3’ Cabernet (WWB, 90) shows nice dark fruit flavors and remains one of the best value Cabernet wines in the United States today. Look for these wines at Costco as well as most Northwest supermarkets. Learn more about Columbia Crest wines at columbiacrest.com Here are the great new value release wines by Columbia Crest.

2014 Columbia Crest 'Grand Estates Unoaked' Chardonnay- This bright colored wine opens with aromatics of peach pit, vanilla custard and hints of brioche. There are rich flavors of banana, pineapple, white peach and creme brulee. With a rich texture and polished mouthfeel, this is just an awesome value Chardonnay. Drink 2016-2021- 90

2014 Columbia Crest 'Crowdsourced' Cabernet-Columbia Crest has created this wine through the ideas articulated by their online community, as the online members consistently weigh in regarding the winemaking of this Cabernet. This inaugural vintage is a huge success. The 2014 'Crowdsourced' Cabernet by Columbia Crest is an excellent bottling, sourced from the Horse Heaven Hills, which sat 16 months in 30% new oak barrels prior to bottling. Coming from a great vintage for Cabernet, the wine is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Malbec, 4% Petit Verdot, and 2% Merlot. This wine opens with aromas of black tea, coffee grounds and black cherry with black olive accents. The palate has a nice mineral streak, with rich flavors of black olive, black cherry, anise and coffee grounds. This Cabernet shows nice poise from this hot vintage. Drink 2016-2021- 90

2014 Columbia Crest 'Grand Estates Gold' Red Wine- The 2014 'Grand Estates Gold' is a compellingblend of 46% Cabernet Franc, 36% Syrah, 17% Malbec, and 1% Other. The red blend comes out of the bottle an inky, glass staining dark purple. There are dense aromas of boysenberry, wet gravel, and violet on the nose.  The wine spent 14 months in 58% new oak, and the mild coconut and vanilla flavors enhance rather than overwhelm this wine.  The finish offers the minerality from the Syrah and the herbaceousness from the Cabernet Franc.  This is a surprisingly complex wine and a fantastic value buy. Drink 2016-2021- 90 (S.L.)

2014 Columbia Crest 'H3' Merlot- This well-made Merlot bottling begins with aromatics of tasted herbs and boysenberry on the nose. This Merlot offers a surprisingly complex but harmonious palate with notes of blackberry, raspberry, bramble, dill, and vanilla. The wine finishes with velvety tannins and a little bit of cocoa powder.  Drink now, but like previous H3 Merlots, it will cellar well in the short-term .Drink 2016-2021-  89 (S.L.)

2014 Columbia Crest 'H3' Cabernet-Columbia Crest has gained a sterling reputation for outstanding values out of Washington State, and this wine is no exception. This excellent Cabernet is blended with 16% Merlot. Immediately you’ll notice the aroma of cherries and blackberries bursting out of the glass. The wine continues to exude more ripe berries and cherry pie on the palate with the subtle addition of leather and even a hint of tobacco. The Cabernet finishes with a moderate tannic structure and a smooth, ripe fruit ending with a slight mineral streak in the background. This Cabernet would pair beautifully with most red meats, but the Cabernet also has potential to pair nicely with chocolate focused desserts. While the blend of the Columbia Crest 'H3' Cabernet changes from year to year (typically it’s well over 90% Cabernet), the winemaking has resulted in a remarkably consistent wine and if you’ve enjoyed H3 Cabernet in past years, you’re sure to enjoy the 2014 as well. Drink 2016-2022- 90 (S.L)

2013 Columbia Crest ‘Walter Clore Reserve’ Red Wine- The 2013 Columbia Crest 'Walter Clore Reserve' Red Wine is an exceedingly good wine from this estate and is up there with the best 'Walter Clore' wines that I have sampled in the past decade. The wine is a silky blend of 64% Merlot, 34% Cabernet with the remainder Cab Franc and Malbec. This impressive red blend begins with baking spices, prune, black cherry and black olive on the nose. The palate has dense flavors of blackberry pie, black cherry, black olive and mocha. Dense, chewy and balanced, this is gorgeous right now and shows nice viscosity on the mid-palate. There is a seamless quality to this wine that reminds me of the rich, yet elegant 2004 'Walter Clore' bottling. Drink 2016-2026- 93

Perez Pascuas

I rarely have the opportunity to make the jaunt to Spain on the blog but I want to share the exceptional new release wines from Hnos. Perez Pascuas. This Ribera del Duero property has produced an exceedingly strong lineup of Tempranillo based wines. For those unfamiliar with the wines from this region, the reds typically have a bit of Cabernet blended in, and are primarily made with Tempranillo. This gives the wine a denser, exotic edge. Amazingly, winemaking in this region traces back to more than 2,000 years ago. This small growing region is not far from Rioja and is located north of Madrid (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ribera_del_Duero#/media/File:DO_Ribera_del_Duero_location.svg)

Great looking gnarled vines at Vina Pedrosa.

Sampling their ‘Reserva’ and ‘Gran Reserva’ bottlings, I was enamored by the 2011 ‘Reserva’ (WWB, 93) wine which impress for the price. Their ‘Gran Reserva’ bottlings (WWB, 93) both showed incredible richness and tension. This was an intriguing comparison as the 2009 showed a darker fruit and aromatic profile, while the 2010 showed its feminine side with red fruit and orange rind accents. Learn more about these tremendous wines at http://en.perezpascuas.com/ Here are the awesome release wine from Hnos. Perez Pascuas

2013 Hnos. Perez Pascuas 'Crianza'- This wine begins with aromatics of dill, coffee grounds, and roasted figs. There are flavors of red cherry, red raspberry, cranberry, sage and Mandarin orange rind. The savory elements are lovely. Give this at least a one hour decant before enjoying. Drink 2016-2025- 90

2012 Hnos. Perez Pascuas 'La Navilla Reserva'- This excellent wine was aged 20 months in French oak barrels. A dark hue to this lovely Reserva. The wine starts with aromatics of sage, cigar box, anise, black cherry and cranberry. There are flavors reminiscent of sage, anise, cassis, with cran-cherry. There is lovely weight and viscosity to this Reserva. Give this at least an hour decant before enjoying. Drink 2016-2028- 92

2012 Hnos. Perez Pascuas Vina Pedrosa 'Reserva' Ribera del Duero- This balanced bottling begins with aromas reminiscent of black cherry, white pepper, and red currant. There are flavors of red cherry, lavender, red currant and wild blackberry with strong suggestions of Mandarin orange rind. Balanced and mineral driven wine, with a long finish. This can benefit from another year of bottle age for the fruit to further integrate. Drink 2017-2030- 92

2011 Hnos. Perez Pascuas Vina Pedrosa 'Reserva' Ribera del Duero- The 2011 Vina Pedrosa 'Reserva' is a gorgeous effort this estate. This expressive red wine is a blend of 90% Tempranillo with 10% Cabernet and was aged 25 months in French and American oak prior to bottling. Possessing a slightly darker aromatic profile than the 2012 Vina Pedrosa Reserva, this wine starts with aromas of sandalwood, roasted figs, nutmeg, and boysenberry with suggestions of bacon fat. There are flavors of red currant, cassis, Mandarin orange rind and tar. Lovely balance and weight with a lingering berry and citrus driven finish. This will have an exceedingly long life, despite being approachable right now.   Drink 2016-2030- 93

2010 Hnos. Perez Pascuas Vina Pedrosa 'Gran Reserva' Ribera del Duero- This dense wine begins with aromas of sandalwood, Mandarin orange peel, black olive and black cherry. Lovely depth and needing more than an hour decant to reveal flavors of wild blackberry cobbler, black cherry, Pink grapefruit rind and anise. Incredible depth and richness. This balanced wine will be a long ager. Give this at least another year before enjoying. Drink 2017-2033- 93

2009 Hnos. Perez Pascuas Vina Pedrosa 'Gran Reserva' Ribera del Duero- This wine begins with aromas of cedar, milk chocolate, black cherry and sagebrush. There are deep flavors of coffee grounds, black cherry, anise, cassis, Mandarin orange rind and suggestions of nutmeg. Gorgeous range of flavors, having a slightly darker fruit profile than the 2009. Drink 2016-2033- 93

 

Ridge Vineyards

I knew the view was great, but this time I literally had my breath taken away on a sunny September morning. Needless to say, the wines were even more spectacular than the views. If you are in Sonoma, stopping by the Lytton Springs tasting room in the gorgeous Dry Creek Valley is a must. One of the truly iconic California wineries, Ridge Vineyards was first founded in 1962.

The stunning new lineup of Ridge wines impresses. Look for their 2014 Chardonnay (WWB, 93) a wine that impresses for the price and shows incredible range and complexity. Also decadent was their 2012 ‘Mill’ Zinfandel (WWB, 94) which contains 25% Petite Sirah and is hedonistic and lovely. Finally, their new release 2013 ‘Monte Bello’ (WWB, 95), the wine that put Ridge on the map, should not be touched for at least a couple of years, but is a slumbering heavyhitter of a wine that shows gobs of fruit and massive structure. Tightly would, the 2013 ‘Monte Bello’ is one for the cellar. Learn more about this historic winery at ridgewine.com Here are the amazing new release wines from Ridge Vineyards.

2014 Ridge Chardonnay- This impressive wine begins with aromatics of poached pear, dill, heavy whipping cream and a touch of crème brulee. There are dense flavors of Pazzaz apple, vanilla cream and crème brulee that sit alongside brisk minerality. This is just an awesome value at this price point. Drink 2016-2023- 93

2012 Ridge ‘Buchignani Ranch’ Zinfandel- This wine begins with aromatics of red cherry, dill, sage, and hints of sassafras. This leads to flavors of mint, red cherry, red raspberry and lithe minerality. This shows a wonderful purity of fruit, as this poised Zin is done in the Bordelaise style. Drink 2016-2025- 93

2012 Ridge ‘Mill’ Zinfandel- This excellent Zin has 25% Petite Sirah blended in. The wine has lovely weight and texture, as the wine glides through the mid-palate with flavors of red cherry, sagebrush, wild blackberry and black plum. Like the other Ridge Zins the structure of this wine is stunning. There is some wonderful aging potential with this expressive Zinfandel. Drink 2016-2025- 94

2014 Ridge ‘Ponzo’ Zinfandel- This excellent wine begins with aromatics of red cherry, dill, sage, and red raspberry, showing some nice feminine characteristics. The wine has flavors of red cherry, raspberry, pomegranate seed and suggestions of wild blackberry jam. Focused, with a striking mineral streak, this wine will age gracefully into the next decade. Drink 2016-2024- 93

2014 Ridge ‘Pagnani Ranch’ Zinfandel- This Zinfandel is sourced from a 30 acre vineyard which was planted in 1900. This aged site has become one of the state’s premier sites for old vine Zin. The wine begins with aromatics of prune, red cherry and spicebox with black tea. There are dense flavors of red cherry, dill, sage and black tea. Herbaceous and complex, this will cellar beautifully for ten years. Drink 2016-2025- 92

2014 Ridge ‘Geyserville’ Red Wine- This awesome blend of 60% Zinfandel, 24% Carignane, 12% Petit Sirah and 4% Mataro is one of a kind. The wine has dense aromatics of black cherry, black tea, dill, red raspberry, blackberry pie and milk chocolate. There are bold flavors of black cherry, violets, crème de cassis and milk chocolate. Beautifully textured and absolutely irresistible right now, this wine shows some serious weight and grip on the mid-palate. Drink 2016-2028- 93

2014 Ridge ‘Lytton Springs’ Zinfandel- This is sourced from their Sonoma property that overlooks the Dry Creek Valley. The wine begins with aromatics of prune, black plum, red cherry with a spicy, nutmeg component at the back end. There are rich flavors of black tea, sage, black cherry, eucalyptus and hints of cranberry that sit alongside some gritty tannins. This needs another year to soften but shows some wonderful potential at this juncture. Drink 2017-2028- 93

2013 Ridge ‘Estate’ Cabernet – One of the fantastic bottlings that I have encountered over the years, this wine sources from some Monte Bello fruit that was not chosen in their higher end bottling. The resultant wine begins with aromas of black tea, anise, blackberry cobbler, red cherry, mint and sagebrush accents. There are rich flavors of red cherry, red raspberry, mint, mocha and hints of black tea. Delicious and light on its feet, this is a long-ager. Drink 2017-2030- 93

2013 Ridge ‘Monte Bello’ Cabernet- A hedonistic monster that somehow shows wonderful restraint, the 2013 ‘Monte Bello’ Cabernet confirms why it commands a cult following. The wine begins with dense aromas of black tea, anise, crème de cassis and coffee grounds. There are rich flavors of mocha, dill, anise, casssi and hints of milk chocolate. Polished, lithe and moderately tannic right now, this is best enjoyed in a few years. This is literally a slumbering giant. Drink 2018-2035- 95

Willamette Valley Photos

Friends, a few weeks back I had the opportunity to visit some properties in the Willamette Valley, including Angela Estate, Archery Summit, Argyle, Big Table Farm, Domaine Serene, Elk Cove, The Eyrie Vineyards., Ken Wright and Le Cadeau. I wanted to share the beautiful photos from my visit, taken by my friend and colleague, Dr. Renee Low. I hope you enjoy! Check them out on the Facebook page at:

https://www.facebook.com/washingtonwineblog/

Interview with Paul Gregutt, Director of Winemaking at Waitsburg Cellars and Oregon and Canada Wine Reviewer for Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Renowned Pacific Northwest wine reviewer, Paul Gregutt, has a storied career reviewing wines. Paul began writing about lifestyle topics and then was eventually drawn to wine writing and the stories behind the wine. He has been writing about wine from the Pacific Northwest for 30 years, has published one of the big Washington wine texts, entitled Washington Wines and Wineries and has served as a contributing author to both the World Atlas of Wine and the Oxford Companion to Wine. Paul currently reviews wines from Oregon and Canada for Wine Enthusiast magazine and serves as director of winemaking at Waitsburg Cellars. I had the chance to review his two 2014 Chenin Blanc releases from Waitsburg Cellars and was highly impressed as these wines both possessed a silky mouthfeel and rich tree fruit flavors. I recently had the chance to chat with Paul about his career, as well as how he became interested in winemaking. I think you are going to really enjoy his wine journey. Here is my interview with Paul Gregutt, Director of Winemaking at Waitsburg Cellars and Oregon and Canada Wine Reviewer for Wine Enthusiast Magazine

WWB: How did you first gain interest in reviewing wines?-

PG: This goes back many years but I have been a working journalist all my life. I was working as a journalist for many years before I ever wrote about wine. I think that has been an advantage for me. That advantage helped me because the writing part of it was covered. I had also written about lifestyle topics principally starting with theater, popular music and media. That naturally led to a personal interest in wine. At a certain point I thought that the best way to learn about anything is to do it. In order to learn about wine I would start writing about it. That gave me access to the wine industry. Initially I was not going to review wine and wasn’t going to be a critic but I would write about wine from the point of view of the people and the business. I didn’t review wines for a long time. Initially I just wanted to get some things about wine in print and get some credentials as a wine journalist. I started wine writing 30 years ago, while I was working full-time for a company doing media work in all kinds of industries. I also had my own business doing early work in the digital realm 20 years ago. All through this time I was writing about wine.

I started with a weekly wine column in 1985 in the Seattle Weekly and I was in print on a weekly basis in Seattle media for almost 25 years. I also started freelancing through bigger clients as I met an editor for Wine Enthusiast and began writing for them in 1998. Shortly after that they started doing wine reviews and scores in house. Shortly after I signed up I was given the plum assignment which was writing about wines from the Pacific Northwest region, using the 100 point scoring system. That is when I had started scoring wines. I had reviewed wines and recommended wines long before but not scoring before that.

WWB: What was it like starting at Wine Enthusiast Magazine?-

PG: It was the summer of 1999 that things took off. I had been in the industry since 1985 and had even written for Wine Spectator for a couple of years. I had also written a couple of books about northwest wines that came out in the ‘90s. I was not new to wine writing at the time and it was a good assignment and they gave me a lot of opportunities right off the bat. It was a good connection. I have been an advocate for northwest wines and wineries since the mid-80s. My focus was Washington and Oregon. I was seeing the industry getting some traction. At the early going at Wine Enthusiast and with other wine publications I felt it was important to have a knowledge of the wines of the world. Consumers then and now walk into the wine shop and they are looking at values all around the world. They typically don’t go straight to the Washington or Oregon shelf. Consumers are going to look around and I always felt like I was rooting for the home town for wines and wineries. I thought Northwest wines had a lot of potential but they also had to compete.

I was traveling a lot and going on press trips all around the world. I was also attending all the major tastings in Seattle from the distributors and importers. I did that for many years so I felt that what I brought to it was an understanding of who the industry was competing with. I never really left that behind. In the early going with Wine Enthusiast I was reviewing Champagne, and even Zinfandel from California. I was doing a wide variety of things until they settled into specific writers being assigned specific regions. I have covered Northwest wines for Wine Enthusiast but as long as I was living in Seattle (up until five years ago) I was attending a wide range of wine tastings and keeping an eye on the global wine market.

WWB: How did you become interested in winemaking?-

PG: I never wanted to make wine and I always said that I have way too much respect for those who do it and do it well. I don’t have that winemaking skill set, and I have a different skill set. I am not the winemaker at Waitsburg Cellars, I am the director of winemaking. I work with very knowledgeable and skilled people who work on the winemaking side. What I am good at is tasting and blending wine as well as marketing wine and understanding the global landscape of wine and how specific wines fit into it. The Waitsburg Cellars project started because the CEO of Precept and the vice president of marketing came to me and said ‘we would like to do a project with you and are you interested?’ I considered their offer and thought to myself ‘Well, I have never had this as a goal but this is an opportunity to learn and see the industry from a different side.’ This is also an opportunity to showcase hidden strengths of Washington viticulture’ and I told them I was interested.

I told them that I wanted to work with Chenin Blanc in particular. I had always had a great love for Loire Valley Chenin Blancs. One of the first wines I really enjoyed was the first vintage of Chenin Blanc from Hogue, a 1982 wine. This was probably in 1984 or ’85 when I first tried this wine and I can still taste that excellent wine. As you know, Chenin Blanc never really caught on in this country other than being in a jug wine component or a wine to release in the spring to make a few bucks and to satisfy that segment of the market that likes sweet and fruity wines. Having traveled through the Loire and tasted many fine examples I knew that the grape was capable of much more. Jancis Robinson named Chenin Blanc as one of the great varietals of the world. The other motivation is you see Chenin Blanc ripped out of the ground and not replanted but my feeling is that the wine has to be made from old vines. We were just getting to the point where there were some old vines and I only saw one winery in Washington State that was doing justice to the grape. L’Ecole was making some great Chenin which was 100% Chenin Blanc that was off dry back then and it was very good, only costing about 14 bucks a bottle. Other than that wine I wasn’t seeing very many good Washington state bottlings. I wanted to do Chenin Blanc from old vines and do two different styles. That is how the project formulated in my head. I would learn a lot about winemaking by working with people who are winemakers and also I would be able to elevate the reputation of Chenin Blanc.

WWB: Can you talk about the two different styles of Chenin Blanc that you create?-

PG: The 2014 wines are looking really good right now. I am also drinking the 2012 wines which are sensational, as these wines improve with age. One wine, called Cheninières, is modeled on Savennières. It is quite dry to emphasize the aromatics. The other style is called Chevray. It’s modeled on Vouvray and is riper, not necessarily off-dry, but it has more fruit and a deeper ripeness style, having a bit more residual sugar than the first wine. This style does have some barrel aging and I wanted the wines to be differentiated so if you taste them they really taste like two different wines. Even if they were from the same vineyard, and in the first few years they were from the same vineyard, picked from the same day, they still tasted completely differently.

A lot of credit from the initial vintages of our Chenin Blanc goes to Ron Bunnell who was making the wines and helped carry out my ideas. Subsequently it is Jon Zimmermann who is now making our Chenin Blanc wines. We recently have added another vineyard to the mix but still are staying with old vines for our wines. At Waitsburg Cellars we have added a few different wines as well, the Boushey Vineyard Rhone style ‘Three’ white wine is one, and this fall we are going to release a Cabernet Franc from a mix of Precept vineyards, principally Alder Ridge.

WWB: As the Oregon wine reviewer for Wine Enthusiast Magazine, you have had the chance to review many 2014 Oregon Pinot Noirs. Many producers are excited about this vintage. I was wondering what are your initial thoughts on the new 2014 vintage in Oregon?-

PG: I think that reviewing vintages is not that helpful and I know that the magazines do it. Especially in Oregon I don’t think that the vintage reviews help because you can have vineyards that are side by side, and they harvest at different times. The grapes have different aspects. They are using different clones. Some pick before, during or after the rains. You get completely different results. Who can say that 2013 was a bad vintage and 2014 was better?. I have had some marvelous wines from 2013 and some OK wines from ’12 and ’14 that are delicious but not as good. I don’t have a preference in the vintages because in Oregon every vintage produces some spectacular wines. There are some winemakers who excel every single year. And there are some who even in the best of years, make an OK wine.

WWB: When you are not busy with winemaking at Waitsburg Cellars or reviewing Oregon wines, what wines of the world do you most enjoy?-

PG: I am still drinking a lot of Washington wines and Oregon wines. I will pull out older vintages to see how they are doing. Apart from that, I still enjoy California Zinfandel. I love Italian wines and have an extensive cellar of Chianti Classico Riserva, one of my favorite wines in the world. It ages beautifully. For the white wines I will go to Champagne or to Cremant de Bourgogne or another French Sparkling Wine. I love the Loire Valley white wines, particularly Sancerre. I have never jumped into trying to create a Sancerre style wine with Waitsburg Cellars but I wouldn’t rule it out. I love a good, crisp white wine, like Muscadet or Albarino or something from the northeast of Italy.

Interview with Ryan Crane, Head Winemaker and Owner of Kerloo Cellars

Ryan Crane is the hardworking mastermind behind Kerloo Cellars. His super impressive new releases showcased some of the fantastic vineyards in Washington. Ryan has trained under some big names in Walla Walla wine, including being a cellar rat under Maria Forgeron of Forgeron Cellars and moving on as assistant winemaker under Justin Wylie of Va Piano fame. Kerloo’s first release was 2009. Since that time Kerloo Cellars has been a remarkable success. Kerloo has two tasting room locations, one located in SoDo in Seattle and another in Walla Walla. Ryan is an incredibly busy guy and has been working on expanding his production because he continually sells out of his wines. That fact that these wines sell out quickly tells you about the quality of the winemaking. I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Ryan and talk wine. He talked about his successes and his training in the industry. Here is my new interview with Ryan Crane, head winemaker and owner of Kerloo Cellars

WWB: I was very impressed with your 2013 Upland Vineyard Grenache. Can you explain some of the winemaking behind the Grenache and why this was such a successful release?-

RC: I like the fruit from the Upland vineyard. I have been playing with that vineyard for a few years. The vineyard comes from the Sunnyside AVA and Todd Newhouse grows at Upland Vineyard. Todd is really good at what he does and I am excited with his work and the Grenache from Upland. Grenache is a weird varietal and it is very difficult to work with. Grenache doesn’t like heat but it needs it.  Grenache tends to set pretty heavy and it is a very compact and big cluster of grapes. What we do is shoulder thin it, so we cut the shoulders of the cluster off to balance tonnage in the vineyard. It is a tough varietal to work with because it tends to have sporadic ripeness per cluster. Grenache has a late bud break so you have to worry about freeze with the grapes. You also have to worry about sunburn and the cooler nights we get those cool dips and then moisture and that can be a bad situation. Some Grenache sites can get botrytis due to how moisture impacts it, so you have to be careful with vineyard management when working with Grenache.

Grenache in Washington State can change from 23.5 brix to 26.5 brix in a week. If you have too high a brix you lose the structure and the wine becomes too heavy and lacking acidity. That is not our style of wine that we want to make, as we want our wines to have finesse. I really focus hard on Grenache in the vineyard as I try to use a ton of vineyard management with that varietal. I pick based on the flavors that I get when tasting the varietal. We tend to pick that around 25 brix or 25.5 brix and then we use dry ice that sits with it all the way back to the production facility to keep it cold. In the past few years we have been dividing the fermenters and doing some whole cluster fermentation. Then with others I will do like 50% whole cluster fermentation and then some berry ferment. This gives us a variety of things to examine when they are in barrel. We try to ferment Grenache as cool as possible so our Grenache doesn’t get above 70 degrees. That lets me manage phenolics in the wine but also lets me manage a prettier style of Grenache. The last few years we have been doing some cold soaks with the varietal and dry ice it for a while. We have also been working with a bit more color with that wine by using the cold soak technique.

WWB: I was very impressed with the polished texture of your wines. Can you talk about how you are able to obtain that texture?

RC: I think it is both by using the cool ferment and the proper pick time. Those things make a big difference. It is also probably due to being gentle during the pressing of the wine. We stir on lees which also helps with improving the overall mouthfeel and gives us the velvety feel that we try to obtain with Grenache. You can taste that difference in the glass, the small details can lead to the right mouthfeel. We are really happy with our 2013 Upland Vineyard Grenache because it has the structure, the fruit and the mouthfeel that we were ideally hoping to achieve.

WWB: I was impressed with how you have utilized Tempranillo in making a Washington style of Tempranillo. Can you talk about your bottling and the Washington style of Tempranillo?-

RC: There is a distinct, Washington style of Tempranillo that I am looking for. I began making my wines in ’07 with just Syrah because at the time I only had enough money to do Syrah. But I wanted to do something different and work with other varietals. I love drinking Spanish wine and am really attracted to Rioja. I love the terroir from that region and the fruit, as well as the aromatics of that wine. So I had to think about what I wanted to do with that varietal in Washington. The Stone Tree vineyard was a good site for making Tempranillo and that kind of wine, so I started making wine from that vineyard site in 2008. In years past we were working with fruit from the Les Collines Vineyard but I didn’t like the fruit as much as from the Stone Tree Vineyard in terms of the wine we were making. Stone Tree just allowed us to make the right wine. As a vineyard, Stone Tree is a really hot site and a really stressed site. Everything in the vineyard looks like it was planted yesterday and it was planted in 1999 and 2002. The site’s Tempranillo is early one to bud break and the first varietal that we pick. The Stone Tree Tempranillo produces some big berries. While the berries grow not quite as big as Grenache, they can become overripe. You have to be careful with the dropping acid levels of Tempranillo. We pick on the early side, around 24 brix which is leaves the clusters bright, tannic and fruit driven like Rioja. We ferment Tempranillo cold so we don’t over-extract it and we want to be careful with the ripeness levels. In making the wine I want to balance American oak with the Tempranillo to pay homage to the best of Spain. We also use some remaining French barrels in blending for our Tempranillo. We also tend to do earlier racking to balance the tannins.

WWB: You have achieved considerable success in a short amount of time. How are you balancing selling out of your wines and also wanting to increase production?-

RC: Running out of wines and bringing them to bottle is a challenge in the wine industry. That is a big part of being in the wine business. If you can put a perfect world together you release a vintage and then sell it throughout the year and then the next year release the next one. We bottle wine now and we move them. That is a good thing and I would rather do that than sit on vintages. That is a tricky part, right now is that our location in SoDo has been going through the roof. We have been selling a lot of wine there and that are in general has become very popular. The press has been helping with getting people in our doors and learning about our wines.  Our Walla Walla tasting room has been going really nicely too. It is my job to try to balance everything and that is not always easy. Right now we are in that in between stage with the ’13 vintage and getting ready to bottle our white wines and roses and then we can release them before summer. In May we will do our new red bottlings for fall release. The reality of all that is I am doing the best job that I can with running winery and the team. We are about 2500 to 3000 cases right now per year and I am looking at adding a little more tonnage to make everything else work. It is a challenge in so far as making things work. I would like to increase production a bit in the next coming years.

WWB: You had a lot of experience working in Walla Walla under some big names in winemaking, such as Maria Forgeron and Justin Wylie. Can you talk the knowledge that you have gained from others in the Walla Walla wine industry?-

RC: I am humbled by the good press that our winery has received. Getting to this point has been a remarkable journey for me. I started with six barrels of wine and now there are 250 barrels back there [in the winery]. Diving in and believing in something was really exciting for me. I was fortunate. I worked my ass off when I was in Walla Walla and met as many people as I could. I think my personality drove some of that because I am a gregarious guy that enjoys being around people. I really enjoyed the people I was around in Walla Walla. My first job was with Maria Forgeron. At Forgeron I was the cellar rat which meant cleaning bins and scrubbing. Maria is a very talented winemaker and her husband, Gilles Nicault works at Long Shadows. I had the chance to meet him and learn from him, as well. Working under Maria Forgeron, I was trying to learn her process of winemaking. She was working with larger volumes of wines and that opened my eyes to the complexities of fermentation and how she makes her white wines. I think she is an excellent winemaker. I learned about temperature control with fermenting and dialing in with those wines. After working at Forgeron I learned that I wanted to work with a smaller winery, so I joined Va Piano and became their assistant winemaker. Working under Justin [Wylie] at Va Piano was a fantastic experience. I told him that I wanted to eventually make my own brand. I had a business background and was going to help him open his wine club and I helped him with that and with the winemaking. Justin has a custom crush facility and that helps covering cost for a new winery. That was a great chance to make wines at his facility.

Now I make my own wines at Kerloo. A lot of people in the Washington wine industry feel that our styles [his and Justin’s] of winemaking are quite similar. I had a chance to see each different vintage and what the winemakers did with their wines each year and that was a big opportunity to learn from them. I learned how the winemakers do things from the managing the fruit to oak profiles to fermentation and barrels. And alcohol levels obviously play a huge role. All these parts were such a big eye opener for me. It is hard putting everything together to make a wine. I tell a lot of people that I am always learning how to make wine which is always a process in each vintage. Once I learned how to see every component working together, I was able to obtain the tools to do it. While working in Walla Walla I was able to source from some great vineyards in Washington State and that is really cool. When I was in Walla Walla I saw 30 different vineyards that came through the winery door and I was able to taste like 200 different wines. These great opportunities gave me the chance to hone in what I do now.

Long Shadows

I must admit that visiting the Long Shadows Woodinville tasting room is a fantastic wine ritual. Quality has never been a problem at Long Shadows, but the new release wines seem to be even more impressive than the absolutely awesome 2012 releases. Needless to say I was absolutely blown away with these new outstanding new release wines.

Try to find the 2013 Long Shadows ‘Feather’ Cabernet (WWB, 96) wherever you can. This wine is sold out but it is also the best edition of the ‘Feather’ that I have sampled in the past ten years. This deep, unctuous and impossible to resist Cabernet is up there with the best in the state. Also check out the stunning 2013 Long Shadows ‘Pedestal’ Merlot (WWB, 95) which shows incredible richness and complexity that rivals the best ‘Pedestal’ wines I have sampled. Learn more about this amazing winery at http://www.longshadows.com/ Here are the amazing new release wines from Long Shadows.

2015 Long Shadows ‘Poet's Leap’ Riesling- The wine was sourced from the Sagemoor, Underwood Mountain and Phil Church vineyard, as well as Horse Heaven Hills vineyards. Head winemaker Armin Diel has crafted a brilliant new release wine here. The wine begins with a bouquet of apricot, poached pear, cut grass and cantaloupe. The wine yields bright flavors of white peach, Pazzaz apple, honeydew melon and hints of lemongrass. This is absolutely refreshing and gorgeous as this wine has a bright structure despite the heat of the vintage. The 2015 Poet’s Leap is showcasing why this is possibly the best Kabinett Riesling in the state. Drink 2016-2026- 93

2014 Long Shadows 'Saggi' Red Wine- Following up the highly impressive 2013 'Saggi' bottling, this 2014 edition is packed with dense aromatics and flavors. Head winemakers Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari from the famed Folonari house in Tuscany, head this project. The red wine was sourced from Candy Mountain and Bouchey vineyard Sangiovese as well as Stone Tree Vineyard Cabernet, as this is a blend of 52% Sangiovese, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Syrah.  This wine begins with aromatics of red cherry, anise, spicebox and hints of red raspberry and dried thyme. There are bright flavors of smoked pork shoulder, red cherry, coffee grounds and hints of white pepper. There are rich flavors of red cherry, red raspberry, wild blackberry pie and hints of sagebrush. The finish lingers in this one of a kind Washington red blend. While this is absolutely stunning right out of the bottle, this will also cellar well into the next decade. Drink 2016-2027- 93

2013 Long Shadows ‘Feather’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Randy Dunn crafts this 100% Cabernet wine. This is his best effort in 10 years of trying this wine. The Cabernet begins with aromas of red bell pepper, red raspberry and red cherry. Absolutely amazing richness and depth with mouthwatering acidity. Layered flavors of anise, creme de cassis, red bell pepper and a long and persistent finish. The tannins are evident but are not overwhelming at this juncture. Absolutely decadent, as this will be a very long ager. Don't drink this gorgeous wine for at least another year. Drink 2017-2030- 96

2013 Long Shadows ‘Pedestal’ Merlot- Michel Rolland, Pomerol vintner and consultant to many of the world's top wineries, produces this fantastic Merlot wine. The blending is comprised of 75% Merlot with 10% Cabernet, 9% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec. This is the smallest portion of Merlot used for the wine, other than in the 2003 inaugural vintage. The Merlot has aromas of black cherry, black olive and anise. There are rich and dense flavors of Turkish coffee, anise, black cherry and graphite. Absolutely intense and outstanding effort, with an herbaceous character. An absolutely stunning effort. Drink 2017-2030- 95

2013 Long Shadows ‘Pirouette’ Red Wine- Long Shadows partners with Agustin Huneeus, Sr. and Philippe Melka to craft Pirouette. The wine is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 12% Petit Verdot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. This powerful Bordeaux style blend was aged 22 months in 70 percent new French oak.This blend begins with aromas of anise, smoke, spicebox and black cherry. Flavors of blackberry, anise, black cherry and vanilla persist. There is an incredible seamless texture to this wine. The blend has moderate tannins and nice grip on the palate. This is another stunner from these guys. Drink 2016-2030- 94

2013 Long Shadows 'Chester-Kidder' Red Wine-This inky colored wine is a blend of 58% Cabernet, 34% Syrah, 5% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc and weighs in at 15.2% alcohol. The wine begins with a bouquet of cedar, mocha, black cherry, black pepper and hints of blackberry cobbler. There are dense flavors reminiscent of black cherry, anise, creme de cassis and mocha with suggestions of graphite. This is dense and gorgeous wine that has a plush texture. Drink 2016-2030- 94

2014 Long Shadows 'Sequel' Syrah- This amazing wine was done by John Duval, the eminent Aussie winemaker. The wine opens with aromatics of smoked brisket, white pepper, black olive and hints of mocha and blackberry jam. There are dense flavors of black cherry, mocha, anise, creme de cassis and blackberry cobbler. This is intense, extracted and maintains nice balance as this is up there with the best Sequel wines I've tried in the past ten years. Drink 2016-2027- 95

2014 Nine Hats Malbec- This wine was primarily sourced from The Benches Vineyard. The wine opens with aromas of blueberry, black cherry, black olive and hints of dark chocolate. There are flavors of black cherry, mocha, coffee grounds and black olive. This has a plush mouthfeel and texture. Drink 2016-2022- 91

2014 Nine Hats Syrah- This wine opens with aromas of smoked meats, dried sage, anise and hints of black olive. There are flavors of black cherry, black olive, smoked meats and blackberry cobbler. This is forward and delicious. Drink 2016-2022- 90

Washington Report

Dear Friends,

I have been working hard on my Washington Report for International Wine Report over the past year. This report encompasses over 400 Washington wine reviews from across the state, crisp, bright Rieslings to herbaceous, savory Cabernets to rocky, mineral driven Syrahs. I hope you find this report informative as I've had the chance to sample some of the best wines in this great state. Washington has enjoyed some great vintages of late. These are some very exciting times for the Washington wine industry and it is a great joy and privilege to be a part of this moment. I hope you enjoy diving into our report as much as I have enjoyed reviewing these great wines. Follow the link to the report here:

• http://www.internationalwinereport.com/articles/washington-2013-2014

Cheers!

Dr. Owen Bargreen

Executive Editor, Washington Wine Blog

Associate Editor, International Wine Report

Corliss Estates

A few weeks back I had the opportunity to taste at Corliss Estates. A stunning facility located in Walla Walla, Corliss focuses on Bordeaux varietals and they are currently showcasing the 2011 vintage, a cooler year in Washington. The new release wines were some of the best wines that I have sampled from that vintage, so kudos to head winemaker Alexander Trio and winemaking consultant Philippe Melka. I had the chance to chat with Trio during the tasting and he was pretty happy about what the ’11 vintage brought to him, despite obvious warmth issues. I was particularly impressed with how Trio crafted his 2011 Corliss Estates Cabernet (WWB, 94), a wine that took the best earthy and herbaceous aspects of the vintage and combined that with nice richness and a silky mouthfeel. Most of these wines are challenging to obtain and can be found in some online stores. Learn more about Corliss Estates at http://corlissestates.com Here are the great new release wines from Corliss Estates.

2011 Corliss Estates Cabernet-The 2011 Corliss Estates Cabernet Sauvignon is a striking effort from this challenging vintage.  This late release wine opens with aromatics of graphite, black olive, black cherry and sagebrush with hints of thyme and eucalyptus. A highly herbaceous aromatic profile, the palate has a deep core with earthy flavors of black cherry, graphite, coffee grounds, black olive, with chewy moderate tannins. The structure of this wine is gorgeous, having a great left bank Bordeaux feel. Give this wine another year in the bottle before enjoying.  Drink 2017-2030- 94

2011 Corliss Estates Red Wine- 2011 Corliss Red Blend- Their flagship wine, this blend is a combination of Cabernet, Cab Franc and Merlot. The wine opens with aromas of creme de cassis, blackberry pie, anise, sage and hints of mulberry. There are deep flavors of creme de cassis, anise, graphite, sandalwood and red cherry. Like the '11 Cabernet bottling, the tangible Bordelaise feel is there. Tightly wound and intense, this needs another year at least in the bottle to develop. Drink 2017-2033- 93

2011 Corliss Estates Malbec- This intense wine begins with aromas of creme de cassis, mocha, anise, sandalwood and Turkish coffee. This Malbec has flavors of mocha, anise, black olive, creme de cassis and roasted figs. This will have an exceedingly long life and really deserves another year of bottle age prior to enjoying. Drink 2017-2030- 93

Casa Smith

Charles Smith is a marketing guru. I’ll admit that I was somewhat skeptical about this project, which focuses on Italian varietals in Washington State. I’ve had wonderful bottlings of Sangio from Leonetti and but I generally have been underwhelmed with the potential of these varietals in Washington. These new release wines from Casa Smith were surprisingly serious, as the fruit and the winemaking were impressive.

I really enjoyed the 2014 Casa Smith ‘Porsocspino’ Primitivo (WWB, 90) which was dense and polished, showcasing this hot vintage. The best wine I sampled (and also the best Washington Barbera I have ever sampled) was the 2012 Casa Smith ‘Jack’s Vineyard’ Barbera (WWB, 92). This wine is serious and displays a gorgeous range of blue and black fruit flavors, showing generous texture and viscosity. All these wines are priced right. Learn more about Casa Smith at http://www.charlessmithwines.com/casasmith/  Here are the great new wines from Casa Smith.

2015 Charles Smith ‘Vino’ Moscato- This wine begins with aromatics of white peach, honeysuckle, and Pazzaz apple. This leads to sweet flavors of lychee, baked pear and hints of orange blossom with Lemoncello accents. Despite the sweetness there is nice structure. Drink 2016-2020- 89

2015 Charles Smith ‘Vino’ Rosso Red Wine- A blend of 75% Cabernet with 25% Sangiovese, the wine opens with an aromatic profile of baking spices, cassis, anise, leather and black cherry. This leads to flavors reminiscent of black olive, wild blackberry preserves, coffee grounds and allspice. With medium tannins and nice balance, this impresses for the price. Drink 2016-2020- 89

2014 Casa Smith ‘Cinghiale’ Sangiovese- Sourced from the Wahluke Slope, the wine begins with aromatics reminiscent of red cherry, black tea, smoke and leather elements. There are flavors of crushed wet stone, leather, black tea and boysenberry jam. With some polished tannins, this wine has a lovely mouthfeel. Drink 2016-2021- 89

2014 Casa Smith ‘Cervo’ Barbera- Sourced from the esteemed Northridge Vineyard, the wine begins with aromas of black plum, black tea, mulberry and red cherry. There are flavors of black plum, anise, and baking spices. Forward and rich, this will drink beautifully into the next decade. Drink 2016-2021- 90

2014 Casa Smith ‘Porscospino’ Primitivo- This Zinfandel wine opens with aromas of crème de cassis, anise, blackberry jam and suggestions of sour cherry. There are rich flavors of baking spices, tobacco leaf, red cherry and red raspberry. This shows nice structure and has a plush mouthfeel. Drink 2016-2021- 90

2012 Casa Smith ‘Jack’s Vineyard’ Barbera- A dense and layered treat, this Barbera wine begins with aromas of blueberry compote, boysenberry preserves, mocha and red cherry with dill. There are rich flavors of pomegranate, red bell pepper, blueberry compote and coffee ground accents. With a dense mouthfeel and excellent viscosity, this is a one of a kind Washington wine. Drink 2016-2024- 92

Interview with Josh McDaniels, Head Winemaker of Doubleback and Sweet Valley Wines

It is my deepest pleasure to share this exciting interview with you all. A winemaker that needs no introduction, Josh McDaniels served as assistant winemaker at Leonetti before taking over at Doubleback and Sweet Valley Wines.  If you haven’t had the last two absolutely incredible releases from Doubleback, you are missing out on some killer Cabernet. The latest 2013 Doubleback Cabernet (WWB, 94) is an intense, hedonistic gem of a wine. I had the chance to sit down with Josh and talk wine. I found him to be incredible humble and a delight to chat with, as he talked about his roots in the industry and how he learned from superstar winemaker Chris Figgins. Here is my new interview with Josh McDaniels. I hope you enjoy!

WWB: What was it like growing up in Walla Walla during the wine boom and seeing the town change?

JM: As a kid growing up in Walla Walla and seeing the very beginnings of the wine "boom", I really embraced the change and was fascinated by what it did and brought to the town.  I always saw a very qualitative and collaborative approach to the growth.  The wine industry is extremely competitive, and so am I, but the competition seemed (and still does) more about Walla Walla as a whole being competitive with the rest of the wine world.  When I noticed that, and saw the quality oriented changes, in every small detail of growth, I was hooked and immediately immersed myself as much as possible.

WWB: Can you talk about how your education at the Walla Walla Enology and Viticulture Center prepared you for working at Leonetti, Sweet Valley and Doubleback?

JM: I actually worked in the wine industry, and started my own small label before I enrolled in the Enology and Viticulture Center.  I think that beforehand experience really rooted me with some great fundamentals prior to getting a more formal education.  Initially, the college did not want to accept me in to the program due to me being 19 years old, but eventually my longtime mentor and friend, Chris Figgins, went to bat for me and I was accepted- it was a different time!  The program, however, was a great rounding out of my prior experience and gave me the tools I needed to be a successful winemaker.  The late Stan Clarke had a fantastic and realistic viewpoint on the wine industry that I very much appreciated.  When he sadly passed away, it was a unique year in which we had numerous industry members come in to teach classes and I think that in itself was very interesting and beneficial.

WWB: I found the 2013 Doubleback Cabernet (WWB, 95) to be an absolutely scintillating new release Cabernet. Can you talk about this special wine and the vintage, as well as the winemaking behind it?

JM: The 2013 vintage was another great growing season coming in between a string of great growing seasons.  We always approach our winemaking to be more of an elegant and restrained style of wine.  It would have been easy for our owner, Drew Bledsoe, to come in, slap his name on a bottle, and make really over the top, extracted, over ripe and oaked wines but that is not what he wants and I have been excited about that since the inception of the project as it is what I was used to with the Figgins Family.  I think the 2013 Doubleback really exemplifies that notion of finesse and elegance, especially as our Estate fruit percentage continues to make up a higher percentage of the blend- something we are extremely excited about.

WWB: What was it like working under Chris Figgins at Leonetti? 

JM: I have the utmost respect for the entire Figgins family.  Chris's Dad, Gary, and my Dad worked at the Continental Canning Co. here in Walla Walla when I was little and so in that regard, I felt like I could relate to having humble beginnings.  They're success over the years has been well earned and to be able to be a student in their cellars was a tremendous experience that I did not take lightly.  Being so young when I got in the wine industry, their style of winemaking was truly engrained in to me from the start and I really appreciated my almost 10 years of time working under Chris.  From the vineyards, the winemaking and the business of a winery, he was a fantastic teacher.

WWB: What are some of your other favorite producers of Washington wines and wines of the world?

JM: Some of my other favorite Washington producers are the likes of Gramercy, Abeja, and of course all of my friends in what we call the "Young Guns" group.  Outside of Washington wines, I have lately been loving Oregon Pinot Noir such as Bergstrom and Soter.  Abroad, I have become a compulsive shopper with Master Sommelier Ian Cauble's "Somm Select" which I have recently been more in to Right and Left Bank Bordeaux, and the Northern Rhone valley.  Lastly, I spent some time working in Argentina for Paul Hobb's Vina Cobos and so am always a fan of their wines as well as the likes of Achaval Ferrer down in Mendoza.