Three Rivers Winery, Walla Walla: A Wine And Culinary Experience

Like the rivers for which it is named, Three Rivers Winery was flowing during our recent visit. The streams of premium wine were accompanied with superb culinary creations.

The Mystery Winery Revealed

One of the highlights of the Wine Bloggers Conference, held last month in Walla Walla, Washington, is the mystery bus tour. You line up and hop into a vehicle not knowing where you’ll end up. It’s a good surprise because your final destination will be a winery.

Check out our reports on more than 200 wineries

This year instead of a rickety school bus, we were whisked away by limo to Three Rivers Winery. It was an evening of not-soon-to-be-forgotten wine, food and frolicking.

Three Rivers is named for three of the three most prominent rivers in Eastern Washington: Columbia, Snake, and Walla Walla. It was founded in 1999 and is best known for wines made with red Bordeaux grape varieties. It is part of the Foley Family Wines group, which includes a number of prominent California wineries and a trio in the Northwest.

The winery is set on a knoll overlooking surrounding vineyards and nearby Mill Creek. The building includes the production and storage facility, a tasting room and private meeting room. We met winemaker Holly Turner on the expansive porch and enjoyed a glass of the 2017 Sauvignon Blanc.

A Culinary Tour De Force

Our group of about 20 stepped inside the tasting room, which features vaulted ceilings, a stone hearth fireplace, and rustic timber beams. Notes of jazz wafted from a trio as we surveyed a table adorned with grape vines and so many wine glasses that we knew something special awaited.

Never Miss A Beat – Follow Vino-Sphere On Facebook

Turner began her winemaking work at Chateau Ste. Michelle before heading to Argentina to work at Bodega la Rural. It was her experience there that triggered her interest in Malbec. Under her guidance, Three Rivers has earned dozens of 90-plus scores in the wine press.

The Pacific Northwest is known not only for standout wine, but a vibrant food scene. Executive Chef Matt Antonich was equal to the stellar lineup of wines, presenting a five-course meal of succulent treats.

The wines for the evening are limited production, like most are in Walla Walla, with the majority being under 150 cases. While we enjoyed an excellent 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon from the Three Rivers estate vineyard, the bulk of grapes come from some of the top vineyards in the Columbia Valley, such as Bacchus, Gamache, Seven Hills, Sagemoor and Weinbau. The fine-tuned blending of different grapes and vineyards is truly exceptional.

While reds from Washington State generate the most buzz, let’s give the white wines their proper due. After enjoying the refreshing, floral Sauvignon Blanc, our first course was pan seared Saffron Scallops over Alaskan king crab risotto and Reserve Chardonnay saffron beurre blanc served with the 2016 Reserve Chardonnay.

I would have considered it a fantastic evening if I only had the first course and the Chardonnay! The Chard blended magnificently with the scallops, remaining delicate with just the right oaking.

Later our dinner would be bookended with another white, the 2017 Riesling finished in steel with 3.7% residual sugar paired with a poached green Bartlett Pear served with – get this -- huckleberry mousse and a dollop of vanilla bean Frangelico cream.

Enter The Entrées

The red wines and the culinary team flexed their muscles with the three middle courses – each served with two wines. Our Rocky Mountain Elk Chop was served atop Asian short rib fried rice with a huckleberry Malbec gastrique and a fresh chanterelle elk demi-glace. This amazing dish was paired with the 2015 Walla Walla Syrah and 2016 Malbec. The Syrah dazzled with raspberry, dark fruit and cocoa. It has 10% each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot to add to the intrigue. The Malbec shows the high potential for the grape in the Columbia Valley.

After an interesting intermezzo called Lemon Herb Bees Knees (an adult slush mixed with lemon, herbs, local honey and gin) we were treated to the next course: Cabernet Braised Lamb Shank. This dish featured blue cheese corn grits, roasted butternut squash and toasted black truffle squash seeds. Coincidently, this is what we typically have around our house on Tuesdays – as if!

Two Cabernets were poured for the lamb. The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is from the Three Rivers estate winery and the 2015 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon is from the Seven Hills Vineyard. Deep rich and dark, each was a powerful and perfect match for the meat.

Although it sure didn’t taste it, the next dish was meatless Impossible Mole Empanadas. Impossible Burgers are a meatless sensation that feel, taste and even “bleed” like burgers, but are plant based. The empanadas were served with classic red mole, tomatillo verde, and a chipotle lime sour cream.

For this Southwest style dish, two superb reds were featured. The 2015 Svelte is a 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Malbec, 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot Blend. The 2016 Trivulet is a 51% Cabernet Franc, 49% Merlot blend. These two wines illustrate why Three Rivers is known for the mastery of blends. The Svelte has coffee, cocoa and spice notes and won over the dinner table immediately. The Trivulet is a treat with blueberry flavors washing over a smooth texture.

This was an astonishingly wonderful wine dinner. Although far from New Orleans, it reminded me of the Cajun world lagniappe, which means giving something extra. Four courses would have been outstanding; our chef went above and beyond and served five. One outstanding wine with an entrée would have been expected and welcome – but we had two premium wines instead!

Bravo Three Rivers! This is a winery to visit and the wines are to savor and buy repeatedly.

Technorati Tags: Wine Bloggers Conference,Walla Walla Valley,Washington State wine,Cabernet Sauvignon,Malbec,Syrah,Chardonnay,wine,wine tasting

Wine Bloggers Conference Speed Tasting: Hits And Near Misses

The most popular, polarizing, frenzied and fun events at the Wine Bloggers Conference are certainly the live blogging sessions. Here we uncork some favorites from the Sonoma WBC event in November.

The Live Blogging Experience at #WBC17

Take 300 wine bloggers pack them in a room with 25 winemakers and winery reps. Ring a bell and chaos of the most delightful kind ensues. That was the case at the Wine Bloggers Conference in Sonoma in November.

I’ve been to eight Wine Bloggers Conferences (WBC) and the live blogging events are a highlight each year. The format could be considered speed dating with wine. Bloggers are stationed at round tables and winemakers or their representatives go from table to table pouring their wine, distributing fact sheets and answering questions. The time allotted for each wine is five minutes! The wine bloggers are busy snapping pictures, tweeting, posting to Facebook, sipping and taking notes.

This goes on for 10 or more rounds! It’s like riding the rapids on a raging river of wine -- harrowing at times, but exhilarating in the end.

My opinion of these live blogging sessions has gravitated this way and that over the years. The first few years it was – “this is the most awesome idea ever!” If you don’t approach it right (taking small sips and swirling and spitting as needed), though, it can be difficult to face the receptions or special wine dinners scheduled in the evening. I’ve also reflected that it might be nicer to spend an hour with a couple of glasses of wine from a really good bottle in a more relaxed setting.

Overall my judgment comes down this way. It’s a great way to get introduced to a wide variety of wines in a short period of time. If one grabs me, I can follow-up with the winery or locate a bottle elsewhere. I also want to support the sponsors whose coin helps make the WBC possible. This year WBC scheduled some time after the event to visit with some of the wineries that poured in order to review the wines with less time constraint. This is an excellent feature we hope to see continued.

And We’re Off!

Many thanks to the sponsors who participated in the live blogging sessions. Here are some of the bottles that shined during WBC17. Thanks to the Vino-Sphere tasting team (Green Dragon, Cabernetor and Glorious T) who also rode the wave of wine.

Breathless Brut Magnum, North Coast – This sparkling wine is 50% Pinot Noir, 46% Chardonnay and 4% Pinot Meunier and is vinted in the traditional method. Light, refreshing with apple and citrus notes. $79 SRP for a magnum.

Oh! 2015 Sangiovese, Columbia Valley – We’re not down with the “orgasmic” marketing for their wines, but this 100% Sangiovese is a tart beauty with strawberry and cherry flavors. SRP $70.

Papapietro Perry 2014 Peters Vineyard Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley – This winery specializes in Pinot Noir and produces 10 different ones! A lovely RRV Pinot priced at $58 with a blend of cherry and cola flavors with a bit of earth.

Vanderpump 2016 Rosé, Cotes de Provence – Television personality Lisa Vanderpump has created a rosé that is a refreshing blend of Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah. Priced at about $19, this is a dry and bright rosé that is an excellent example of the Provence style.

Stone Hill 2015 Norton, Missouri – The Stone Hill winery was founded in 1847 and at one time was the second largest winery in the US. Norton is a native American grape of the Vitis Aestivalis species. It is hearty and savory with a sweet toasty flavor that differs from Cab. We are fans. SRP $19.99.

Paradise Ridge 2016 Sauvignon Blanc, Grandview Vineyard, Russian River Valley – The Wine Country Fires burned down the Paradise Ridge tasting room and production facility – but their estate vineyard survived. They will rebuild and we can’t wait. This is an outstanding single vineyard Sauvignon Blanc! SRP $22.

Gracianna 2015 Reserve Pinot Noir, Westside Reserve, Russian River Valley – Four carefully selected barrels created this limited run of 144 cases. Simply a knockout wine with notes of smoke, oak and red fruit. SRP $72. Our favorite of the red wine live blogging session.

Theopolis Vineyards 2015 Petite Sirah, Yorkville Highlands Mendocino County – Energetic and engaging winery owner Theodora Lee presented this bottle. This PS is velvet in a bottle with swirls of black cherry and cocoa. The finish is smooth as… well, you know! SRP is $38.

Pedroncelli 2015 Mother Clone Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley – A classic Zin mashup of red berry flavors and spice notes. Most of the grapes come from clones of Zinfandel planted in 1904. Very satisfying at $19 SRP.

Anaba 2015 Turbine White, Sonoma County --  This is a Rhone blend of 31% Viognier, 30% Grenache Blanc, 26% Roussanne, 12% Marsanne and 1% Picpoul Blanc. In case you are wondering, Anaba was the first winery in Northern California to use wind power, hence the name. A complex glass of honey, citrus and herb. SRP $32.

So, you have a list of some of our hits. What about the near misses? In general, the wines we tasted ranged from good to excellent. There were a few bummers, but it is hard to tell whether the place in the lineup (10th wine versus the first) could impact our judgment or maybe the presentation (we love to have the wine presented by the owner or winemaker). So, we’ve focused our bandwidth on bottles you might want to uncork.

There were many more great wines that we haven’t covered here, and some that were offered but never made it to our table due to the nature of the event. You can find a full list of the wineries that participated here, along with other generous WBC17 sponsors.

2013 Wine Bloggers Conference: A Visit To BC’s Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country

After being cooped up in the hotel for the largest part of our first full day at the Wine Bloggers Conference in Penticton, British Columbia, we were happy to hit the road on a mystery bus tour to one of BC’s nearby wine regions. As we started rolling, we learned that our Rustic Wine Adventure would take us to Oliver Osoyoos wine country.

Oliver is known as the wine capital of Canada and has the highest concentration of wineries and vineyards anywhere in the nation. Osoyoos has  a desert-like climate and sits just north of the US border. The Oliver Osoyoos Winery Association has 29 member wineries and some mighty fine scenery.

The region is at the bottom of the long, narrow, north-south Okanagan Valley. The climate and grapes grown vary with as you move south along the valley. The Oliver Osoyoos region begins south of McIntyre Bluff – a stark stone cliff – and is bordered by majestic mountain ranges, rivers and lakes.

After exiting the bus, we worked our way through the arid fields toward the winery in the distance. We were able to quench our thirst at various “outposts” along the way where wine was being served. We had one guide in front of us with a snake-capture stick who was on the look-out for rattlers and another who provided insight into the local history, flora and fauna.

We arrived at one of the premier wineries in the Okanagan, Tinhorn Creek Vineyards where a full-blown reception welcomed us. Top wines sampled included Stoneboat Vineyards 2010 Pinotage (in Canada?), Church & State Wines 2012 Coyote Bowl Series Viognier, Rustico Farm & Cellars Bonanza Old Vine Zinfandel  and Tin Horn Creek Cabernet Franc.

We entered into Tinhorn Creek’s world-class Miradoro Restaurant for our dinner with more vino. The view from the mountainside perch is fabulous. We were able to see a snow topped peaks while the sun heated up the valley below and a deer munched on vegetation.

The dinner was a seafood paella. Paella is considered Spain’s national dish. The food was on-par with the first class Tinhorn Creek operation.

After a dinner of great fun and fellowship, we then motored off to Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort & Spa for a rooftop reception sponsored by the Oliver & Osoyoos wine region. Great wines were poured from wineries such as Burrowing Owl, Church & State, Hester Creek and Nk’Mip Cellars. Nk’Mip (pronounced in-ka-meep) is owned and operated by the Osoyoos Indian Band.

Sense of place is strong in Oliver-Osoyoos. The dry, burning sun, wild sage, steep mountain slopes and the footprints of the First Nations all give the area a wild and rugged beauty. It translates well into the Merlot, Pinot Gris, Cabernet Sauvignon and other wines produced here.

Oliver-Osoyoos is a land unlike any other, sure to delight with dramatic scenery, wine and sun.

Related articles

• Penticton, British Columbia, Scenic Host City For Wine Blogger Conference (toledowinesandvines.blogspot.com)
• WBC13, Penticton, BC: It's A Long Way There! (toledowinesandvines.blogspot.com)
• Plan Now For Indiana Uncork the Uplands Wine Trail Event, July 27 in Bloomington (toledowinesandvines.blogspot.com)

Oregon Wine Triumphs During Successful WBC12

There was a lot to love about the recent 2012 Wine Bloggers Conference (WBC12) held at the Doubletree Portland in Oregon. A total of 370 bloggers, winery representatives and industry moguls were present and enjoyed a full program that focused on wines from around the world as well as the craft of blogging.

The bounty of vino ranged from powerful Cabernets from Napa Valley to the almost completely unknown Hondarrabi Zuri grape in the obscure Spanish region of Bizkaiko Txakolina. But one star outshone them all: the wines of Oregon.

The wine industry is big business in Oregon, bringing in an estimated

$2.7 billion annually with $158 million coming from wine tourism. The TWAV tasting team was fortunate to get the flavor of Oregon during our recent visit. Here’s what we learned:

1. Oregon Wine Country is Cool. And we mean this in both senses of the word. There is a lot to be said for grape vines struggling out of scorched earth and rubble, resulting in concentrated flavors. That’s quite a contrast to Oregon, where marionberries, Douglas firs and a jungle of greenery seem to cover every inch of landscape. How can grapes not flourish in such a verdant landscape?

The cooler temperatures give it a leg up on California, its heated neighbor to the south. Oregon’s top three wines are Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Riesling. Chardonnay is also planted in large quantities. These are all varieties that thrive and gain character in the cooler

climate.

Oregon is also a natural wonderland, allowing you to visit waterfalls, snow-capped mountains and amazing Pacific coast vistas all with a glass of superb wine in your hand.

2. Oregon Deserves More Notoriety for Amazing Rosé and Pinot Gris. We were expecting spectacular Pinot Noir – and we got it in spades. What we hadn’t expected was the refreshing and dazzling rosé and Pinot Gris. The rosé, made with Pinot Noir grapes, has a citrus lilt with a touch of melon. This is head and shoulders above the old style sweet pink stuff and even an upgrade from the dry French rosé. The rosé from Domain Drouhin, King Estate and Stoller Family Estate are great examples of Oregon style. It is a natural summer refresher.

Perhaps my favorite wine is dry Riesling. Who knows what would have happened if I were introduced to Oregon Pinot Gris first? The wines are medium bodied with ample dollops of fruit flavors that are balanced with acidity. Unlike some Alsatian wines, these are not unduly restrained, they dance with life. They are tasty, refreshing and memorable.

3. There is Diversity in Oregon Wine. One of the most delicious pairings you’ll ever experience is Oregon Pinot Noir with fresh, native salmon. But we discovered wines beyond Pinot Noir and even beyond Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. Oregon stretches from Washington State to the north and down to California in the south.

During the Oregon wines welcome reception we discovered the 2011 Aleash from Agate Ridge Vineyards. The Aleash is an estate-grown white Rhone blend featuring Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne. Agate Ridge also featured a 2009 Malbec. Agate Ridge is in the Rogue Valley AVA, the southernmost Oregon wine region.

Other popular varieties in southern Oregon include Albarino, Tempranillo and Cabernet Franc.

We’ll share more insights from our WBC12 Oregon visit in future posts. In closing here are a few of the top wines we sampled at the Oregon wines welcome reception:

• Agate Ridge 2009 Malbec
• Anne Amie Vineyards 2009 Pinot Noir
• Argyle 2010 Reserve Pinot Noir
• Carlton Cellars 2009 Roads End Pinot Noir
• Chehalem 2011 Gruner Veltliner
• Cornerstone Cellars 2010 Reserve Pinot Noir
• Dion Vineyard 2010 Old Vines Pinot Noir
• Domaine Drouhin 2008 Laurène Cuvee
• Foris Vineyards 2010 Pinot Blanc
• Kramer Vineyards 2010 Müller Thurgau
• R. Stuart & Co 2011 Big Fire Pinot Gris
• Twelve 2010 Estate White
• Youngberg Hill 2009 Natasha Block Pinot Noir

Related articles

• Stoller Family Estate: Dundee Hills Winery Visit (toledowinesandvines.blogspot.com)
• Oregon Wine Country: Behind Every Bottle A Place And A Face (toledowinesandvines.blogspot.com)
• My Refections On Oregon Wines (seattlewineblogger.blogspot.com)
• Red Wine Live Blogging #WBC12 (toledowinesandvines.blogspot.com)

Washington Wine Report: Magical Mystery Wine Tour

WALLA WALLA -- A touch of mystery, a spash of sunshine and a day in wine country translated into the highlight of the 2010 North American Wine Bloggers Conference. After a fascinating lecture on the terroir of Washington and Walla Walla, all conference attendees loaded into 15 buses --with destination unknown.

The transportation was a fleet of school buses. The destination remained a puzzle until we started rolling. This added to the sense of rumbling excitement as we neared Les Collines Vineyard for a stroll through the vineyard, a meeting with owner Norm McKinnon and a wine tasting.

Norm is considered the godfather of vineyards in the Walla Walla area. Les Collines provides grapes for Amavi Cellars and Gramercy Cellars. Norm has a wealth of knowledge about vineyards, but was also able to provide the insight to show that the wine business is also a people business. One of the group (there were 15 of us) asked about old vines. Norm shared a story about visiting a vineyard in France that was planted in the year 990. In light of history like that, he considers the term "old vines" merely a marketing gimmick.

The wine tasting included 2007 Amavi Cellars Les Collines Syrah, 2006 Gramercy Cellars Tempranillo and 2008 Gramercy Cellars Syrah. Norm termed the Syrah as "Merlot but with flavor." The Tempranillo was a softer wine with a nice acidity. The Gramercy Cellars Sryah was young in the bottle and much mellower than the Amavi.

Our next stop was a mystery that was delicious to unwrap. We arrived at Reininger Cellars which features a stylish tasting room which reflects the local history. The floor planks were from old potato sheds in the area. The counters were basalt which forms the geologic bedrock in the area. The bar even had grapevines from the surrounding vineyards.

This stop was a bonus because it featured three winemakers: Chuck Reininger (pictured), Doug Roskelley of Tero Estates and Ron Coleman of Tammarack Cellars. The trio engaged in a panel discussion and then narrated as we tasted three great wines. Our arrival wine was Reininger 2008 Chardonnay, quite a special wine that had a flavor to me of toast.

Our tasting had three superb reds. From Reininger we had the 1999 Cima. This is Super Tuscan in style or, as Chuck termed it, a Superwallan. This is 50% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot. This is an adventurous wine (cima is Italian for "summit") that has an Old World flavor with black cherry, anise and vanilla flavor notes.

From Tero Estates we had the 2007 Windrow. This may have been my favorite of the whole mystery tour. According to Doug, this Bordeaux-style wine is designed to reflect the whole vineyard. Windrow is one of the oldest vineyards in the valley (even though it is actually in Oregon)It is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 10% Cab Franc and 6% Malbec. This was a field blend -- all of the different grapes were picked on the same day and fermented together. This is Tero's signature wine. The plan is to produce Tero every year with the same blend percentages -- that way the only difference in the wine will be how the fruit reacts to Mother Nature that year.

Batting clean-up was the Tamarack Cellars 2008 Cabernet Franc. This was among the top Cab Francs I tasted on my trip. According to Ron, there is a huge future in Cabernet Franc for the Walla Walla area. This wine was 100% Cab Franc and a total of 706 cases were produced. This is elegant with spiced cherry, plum and caramel. Nice rich tannins.

Our next mystery stop was Northstar Winery, an operation created by Chateau Ste. Michelle to focus on Merlot. This is a top Washington wine destination. We enjoyed four wines with a tasty lunch on the patio. The welcome wine was the 2008 Stella Blanca Semillon. Nice but nothing special. The first wine sampled was the 2006 Northstar Walla Walla Merlot, which retails for $50. It is important to note that this is a big Merlot, which seems be the Washington style, not the somewhat wimpy Merlots which give the grape a bad name. This is an earthy wine with blackberry and cherry. It is full-bodied.

My next sample was the 2005 Syrah, available for purchase only at the winery. This is a lush wine with a smoky, nutty character that went well with my steak sandwhich.

The 2006 Columbia Valley Merlot rounded out the trio of reds. The grapes selected are the best of the best in the state. The Merlot is blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cab Franc. In the glass this showed vanilla, cherry and plum.

Technorati Tags: wine,Washington wines,wbc10

 

Washington Wine Report: Yakima Grand Tasting

The Vintner Village in Prosser in Yakima Valley wine country was the a nice stop on our pre-conference bus tour. Milbrandt Winery did a stellar job rolling out the red carpet. Vintner Village is a collection of 10 great wineries joined together by meandering trails. It's location close to the interstate means it is easy to visit some of the top wineries in the state in one location.

I was looking forward to this stop as I knew that a couple of my favorite Washington wineries would be pouring: Gilbert Cellars and Thurston Wolfe. Rob Davis was pouring for Gilbert Cellars and I sampled one of my favorite wines, the Allobroges 2007 Syrah blend. Wade Wolfe was pouring the just released 2008 Zinfandel, which was bold yet smooth.

One of the tastiest ones sampled was the Willow Crest Wine Estates 2007 Cabernet Franc. This wine was smoky but with a nice berry flavor.

Other wines sampled included the Owen Roe 2005 Yakima Red, Knight Hill 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, Naches Heights Vineyard '09 Riesling, Cultura Wine 2006 Yakima Red. This last wine is a Merlot-Cab Franc blend from a young and promising winery.

Washington Wine Report: Walla Walla Vintners

WALLA WALLA -- It had been an astoundingly long day. More than five hours in the bus. Two outstanding wine tastings and about 15 very tired people.

Walla Walla Vintners was a breath of fresh air. The winery is surrounded by vineyards that stretch to the scenic mountains in the distance. The setting for our wine and pizza social was an outdoor picnic area shaded by trees and a stone's throw from the vines and winery buildings. The outdoor brick pizza oven was smokin,' producing a sumptuous variety of pizza including pizza with morels, German sausage and onion, blue cheese and figs and more.

I started with the Sangiovese, a natural pairing with my pizza. It didn't disappoint. The smooth wine, dappled sunlight and tasty food was a refreshing elixir. I also sampled the Cabernet Franc and found this to be a winning bottle of wine.

My impressions were confirmed as Andrea Robinson, master sommelier and noted wine authority, arrived at our event and expressed her liking of the Cab Franc. Andrea is very personable and took the time to chat with a number of us. I bought one of her wine buying guides a couple years ago and was impressed with how she made wine accessible to everyone -- while also giving some sophisticated tips. It was nice to have a personal visit with her and I'm looking forward to hearing her at the conference.

After savoring the wine and the setting sun it was off to the Inn on Blackberry Creek, a delightful bed and breakfast with innkeeper Barbara Knudson. I stayed in Monet's Retreat room and it was a masterpiece of comfort and class. A bed never felt so soft and comfortable -- plus the still warm cookies were a big hit with me.

Technorati Tags: wine,wbc10

 

Washington Wine Report: Live White Wine Blogging Part 2

White wine live blogging continuing at the Wine Bloggers Conference.

6. Concannon 2008 Chardonnay. Oldest continuous operating winery in the US. Started in 1883. Launching a brand new line of wine, Conservancy. All grapes from land they placed in a land trust. John Concannon is pouring. Certified sustainable winery. I like their ecological attitude. Rich and creamy with a bit of popcorn finish and hints of lemon. $12 to $14 per bottle. 16,000 cases.

7. Neethlingshof Estate Unwooded Chardonnay 2009. From South Africa. Made in environmentally/socially sustainable way. 14% alcohol with good acidic backbone. $15. Poultry, seafood and summer salad.

8. 2009 The Violinist Vedelho by Molly Dooker. The only white made by this Australian winemaker. Molly Dooker means lefthander. $25. Tomorrow night first opportunity to taste their 2009 reds including their $150 Velvet Glove. Also learned that they'll be serving their wines at the Comfort Inn where I'm staying tonight. This white has a taste of pineapple. Good with fish and summer vegetables.

9. Magnificent Wine Company House Wine white blend. Chardonnay, Riesling and Muscat Canelli plus Gerwurz and Pinot Gris. $13. Elegant and restrained. 1.3 percent residual sugar. Nice and restrained. Incredibly good value.

10. 2009 Dry Creek Chenin Blanc. True expression of varietal. Tasty! Wilson Ranch Vineyard. $12. This is a great discovery. 11,500 cases. Thai food, Asian food, curry dishes. This is one of my favorites tonight.

11. L'Ecole 41 Semillon. 2008 Columbia Valley. Complex blend of vineyards. Barrel fermented. Third oldest winery in Walla Walla. Family owned. Floral tones with flinty background.

12. Parducci Sustainable White Mendocino County 2008. Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. Dry finish but a bit sweet on the uptake.

Technorati Tags: wine,wbc10

Washington Wine Report: Crossing the Cascades

Day Two of the WBC-or-Bust bus tour was a long haul. Up at the crack of dawn and rolling from western Washington, over the Cascade Mountains, stopping for brunch and wine at the Columbia Gorge and then we rolled until our eventual stop in Walla Walla for a pizza and wine social hosted by Walla Walla Vintners.

The day wrapped up at the classy and comfortable Inn at Blackberry Creek bed and breakfast, hosted by our innkeeper Barbara Knudson. The bed was a welcome site after a couple days of serious wine tasting and five hours plus rumbling down the highway in the bus with hit or miss air conditioning. There was also the additional hazard of beer bottles falling out of the overhead compartment.

Cave B is a unique resort and winery overlooking the Columbia River Gorge. The hotel and restaurant are nestled amongst the vines and scenic vistas are everywhere.There was a wonderful assortment of wineries pouring for the event, including Syncline a label that is gaining popularity in the Toledo area.

Here is a YouTube video report on the tasting.

It was a long day of driving and the brunch at Cave B wouldn't be enough to tide us over until the Yakima grand tasting at 4:00 and the pizza social scheduled for 7:00 PM, so we made a stop at Garcia's Taco stand. Thus fortified we rolled into Proser Village for our Yakima tasting.

Technorati Tags: wine,wbc10

Washington Wine Report: Winemaker Dinner at Waterfront Seafood Grill

SEATTLE -- You couldn't possibly shoehorn anything more into the action-packed agenda for the WBC-or-Bust bus tour. Toledo Wines and Vines is proud to be one of 12 bloggers selected from a pool of national entrants to earn a seat on the bus -- but it takes the endurance of a rock star to keep up with the many VIP events.

Perhaps the highlight of Wednesday's events was the winemaker dinner at the Waterfront Seafood Grill in Seattle. The setting: superb, the food: sumptuous, and the wine spectacular.

The five-course meal included Roasted Snails in lemon garlic butter, Seared Scallops, Columbia River Sturgeon with bacon relish and Angus Beef short ribs in red wine and horseradish. Dessert was panna cota with bing cherry, chocolate, star anise and black pepper.

I was fortunate to sit next to Bill Owen of O.S. Winery. Bill has travelled extensively in Germany and is proud of his 2009 Riesling, which is unique because he has intentionally kept the alcohol levels low. The Riesling was a great match with the snail. This trip was my first exposure to Sparkman Cellars of Woodinville. I deem them awesome. The Lumiere Chardonnay 2008 was a beautiful, bright, complex Chard.

The second course brought on Andrew Will 2008 Two Blondes. This is an earthy, shy red blend. The O.S. Winery 2008 Cabernet Franc was enjoyable and was followed by the elegant Fall Line 2006 Cab Sauvignon.

Sturgeon is a fish with some heartiness, and it was matched with three superior reds: Fall Line 2006 Artz (blend of Cab Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon), Cadence 2007 Bel Canto (a reserve blend) and the Nota Bene 2007 Una Notte. The Una Notte is a Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre blend mostly from the Stone Tree Vineyards. This is a gem from a small family owned winery in Seattle.

The short ribs were palate pleasing and the wines were the equivalent of a fireworks grand finale: Andrew Will 2007 Ciel du Cheval, Sparkman 2008 Darkness Syrah, Cadence 2007 Tapteil and Nota Bene 2006 Syrah. The Darkness is an opulent, fruit forward, full throttle wine. Both Sparkman wines were winners tonight and the Una Notte from Nota Bene also made a lasting impression at an amazing culinary evening.

And so the sun set, one of our bloggers plunged into a fountain and we all headed for some well deserved rest.

Technorati Tags: wine,wbc10

 

Woodinville Grand Tasting and Lunch

 

WOODINVILLE – Woodinville in western Washington is probably not well known by readers of this blog. Get ready, because the change is coming.

The Woodinville wine industry began with the establishment of  Chateau Ste. Michelle in 1976. The area now has more than 50 wineries and tasting rooms. Almost all Woodinville wineries grow their grapes in the warm, arid climate of the Columbia Valley which boasts sandy, gravely soils – great for planting vines.

Washington’s wine growing region shares similar latitudes to the great wine growing regions of Northern Europe with long warm days to ripen grapes to ideal levels.

There was a lot to like and to add to the enjoyment, the grand tasting was followed by aq delicious lunch at the Barking Frog with tasty dishes paired with wines from DeLille Cellars.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Totem Cellars Cabernet Franc ‘07 – Released just a week ago. Smooth with a touch of spiciness.

Sparkman Cellars Stella Mae – This is a top rated red blend of Cab Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Beautiful black cherry and currants.

Distephano 2005 Sogno and Donna Marie. The Sogno is a beautiful red that is 98% Cab Franc with layers of berries and complex layers with tea notes. Donna Marie is a Rhone style blend focused on Syrah. Blackberries, vanilla and pepper.

Baer Winery Ursa – Baer is a small family run winery. I sampled two red blends and Ursa, the Merlot-Cab Franc blend really wowed me with strong flavors and great balance. They only produce a total of 2,000 cases per year.

DesVoigne Cellars ‘07 The Duke. A blend of 60% Zinfandel, 13% Petit Sirah, 13% Lemberger plus Cabernet Franc and Syrah. What’s not to love? Velvety with a l0ng spicy finish. One of the best of the tasting.

Technorati Tags: wine,wbc10

Washington Wine Report: Woodinville Grand Tasting

As part of the first day of our Washington wine tour, we enjoyed a great grand tasting of Woodinville wineries. Here is a brief video report on the event. It's a bit rough and shot in one take. Hey, I do know that they have Chardonnay in Washington -- just not this good!

Link: http://www.youtube.com/user/wbcorbust#p/a/u/1/P11L3M8tRk8

 

Technorati Tags: wine,wbc10

 

Washington Wine Report: Chateau Ste. Michelle

Wednesday’s itinerary started with a 9 AM departure to Woodinville and a special tour and delicious food and wine pairing.

There are more than 680 wineries in Washington and none might be more important than Chateau Ste. Michelle, which traces its Washington roots back to the 1930s. Chateau Ste. Michelle has also championed Riesling grape for more than 40 years. Riesling is one of the four top grapes in Washington along with Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Its success with Riesling has led to suggestions that it owns the category of American Riesling.

They certainly produce a lot of it. During our tour of the facility, we observed a production line that was bottling Chardonnay and is capable of bottling 11,000 bottles a day. The winery produces 1.2 million bottles a year. It’s a brand that is consistently high in quality and is almost always a good bet when you need to pick up a bottle for a meal or entertaining.

The food and wine pairing brunch was an outstanding affair hosted by white winemaker Wendy Stuckey and culinary director Bob Sarich. This event alone was worth the trek to Washington.

The focus for the event was Riesling and Merlot. The menu was as f0llows:

First Plate: Riesling

Indian Spiced Prawns, Tomato Chutney, Sesame seared Halibut, Orange-basil Thai Curry, Coconut Rice, Citrus Salad and Currywurst (bratwurst prepared with curry).

Wines: 2008 Eroica Riesling, 2009 Eroica Riesling, 2009 Dry Riesling (Columbia Valley), Cold Creek Vineyard 2009 Vineyard.

Second Plate: Merlot

Roast Duck, Cherry Merlot Sauce, Sweet Potato Cake, Manchego.

Wines: Canoe Ridge Estate 2007 Merlot Horse Heaven Hills, Cold Creek Vineyard 2006 Merlot, 2006 Artist Series Meritage.

Third Plate: Late Harvest Riesling

Basque Cookies

Wine: 2005 Ethos Late Harvest White Riesling Columbia Valley

I was looking forward to tasting the 2008 Eroica Riesling, which is a partnership between Chateau Ste. Michelle and Dr. Loosen of Germany. It has a touch of sweetness at 1.7% residual sugar, has a touch of minerality and is Germanic in style. This is a lovely, well-balanced winner. We had the chance to sample the 2009, which is still in the tank. I liked that it was slightly drier, but it clearly wasn’t finished yet and lacked the complexity of the 2008.

The Dry Riesling until a few years ago wasn’t available nationwide. Thank goodness it now is. This is a great dry Riesling with a distinct peachiness. At only $9 a bottle, this is an unbelievable bargain.

The Cold Creek Riesling was the sweetest of the three with the sweetness coming up front and a refreshing dry finish. This taste is more in the tropical spectrum.

The Canoe Ridge Merlot is an elegant wine with more of a black fruit taste. It has a soft finish and would be great with Italian food.

The Artist Series Meritage lists for $50 and is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and a dash of Petit Verdot. The grapes for this wine represent the best of the best. I liked this perhaps the best of the tasting. It is a sculpted, complex wine with smooth tannins.

We finished with the late harvest Ethos Riesling. This was surprisingly sippable. I enjoyed this and it was a great way to wrap up a superb food and wine pairing brunch.

Technorati Tags: wine,wbc10

 

Technorati Tags: wine