STAN’S PICK FOR FEBRUARY 2011…

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Stan The Wine Man

2009 Oak Grove Reserve Petite Sirah

After tasting many wines this past month I can find none more deserving then this effort to be my pick for February. Not only because the price is ridunculous, it is simply very good wine. Check out my review below and make sure you stock up on a few bottles of this gem. It is seriously worth it.

I revisited the Oak Grove Petite Sirah recently because I have not tried these wines for some time and I knew that although the label has something to be desired, the wines have a good reputation. I was so impressed that I had to go back a second and third time to make sure that my assessment was correct. Very impressive wine not only for the money, but period. The nose gave off nuances of cherries and blueberries with just the slightest hint of smoke. On the palate it was round yet structured. Dark cherries and black raspberries with a back-round of smokey bacon that comes through nicely on the mid-palate into a lasting finish of blueberry and cherry. Good balance, good acidity and wonderful integration of flavors. Not super complex, but a lot more then you might expect from a wine that is only nine bucks.

I am seriously considering buying quite a few bottles and storing them away to see how they do over the next couple of years if I can wait that long. Do not miss out on this great value since it will match up nicely with the pizza you are enjoying for the Superbowl or ribs or burgers or ???   90 points (No Kidding)

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DIONYSUS STRIKES AGAIN…

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Stan The Wine Man
Once again Dionysus nestled two bottles of wine into the hands of my good friend Bob. And once again, we were faced with the task of imbibing of these great bottles basking in the favor of a most generous entity. I know it sounds a bit corny but I am digging the opportunity to taste some great wines! A 2008 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon and a 2001 Harlan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon both from Napa Valley.
In my last posting about these tasting opportunities I titled the article…”In Search of the Perfect Wine”… that would be for my palate of course. Perfect in this context refers to a wine that I would score “100” points. I know the debate rages on about the 100 point scoring system but I use it and will continue to use it simply for it’s universal acceptance. Would either of these two wines have a Stan palate score of 100 points?
I forgot to mention in my last article that Bob scored the One Hundred Acre “Deep Time” Cabernet Sauvignon a perfect 100. A shared his enthusiasm about this great wine to a lesser degree. He asked me if there was such a huge difference between a 98 point score and 100. It got me thinking, and I realized that when a wine critic gets in the 90 plus range, each point carries more weight. I have noticed this over and over again with wine writers and critics. The same is true for me in the lower 80 point range. If I am going to score a wine low, I take that responsibility very serious. So each point lower then 85 carries more weight to me. A lot of wines fall in the 85 to 90 category and they are good bottles just not in the upper stratosphere.
Sorry for going off on a tangent there but I thought it was necessary to clarify my personal wine scoring approach. So as I tasted these two wines I wanted to be quite careful in my scoring approach, knowing that these wines would more then likely demand a 90 plus.

2008 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)
Very explosive on the nose with rich notes of dark cherry, blackberry, black raspberry and hints of chocolate. Definitely got hits of alcohol on the nose. Bright acidity on the palate with big notes of kirsch and blackberry. Big mid-palate with notes of charcoal, lots of spice and blackberry that flows into a persistent finish. This wine is layered and smooth with some sweet tannins hitting you right up front. This is a baby, and the more it opened the better it was. Even though the alcohol came through on the nose, it was well hidden on the palate. The 2008 vintage in Napa was a challenge and Caymus comes through with a winner.  94 points

2001 Harlan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)
Big shoulders with a smooth belly… That is how I describe this incredible bottle of wine. An intense bouquet of black currant, raspberry vine licorice,mint, minerals and a little marinated steak action. Chocolate, black currants, spice and boysenberry hit you big time up-front and intensify on the mid-palate with some wonderful spice box notes and sweet tannins. This wine is big and smooth with a slight alcohol hit on the finish that is easily consumed by dark fruit notes and a touch of vanilla and mocha that persist for what seems to be several minutes. This wine will continue to improve over the next 15 years. I would have to say that for my palate this wine is built perfectly.  100 points

So there you go, the perfect wine for MY palate. From this experience I have been inspired to greater heights to find a perfect wine for my palate that isn’t in the upper stratosphere of price. I know it’s out there and I know what I am looking for. For now however I will cherish the memory of these wines, and continue in my search for the best wines for the buck. Here’s to good friends, great wine and the ever generous Bacchus. Cheers! Stan The Wine Man

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MAC, CHEESE, WINE AND WOW!

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Stan The Wine Man

Last year “Best Wines with Pizza” was a huge hit and I knew that I was on to something. I wanted to show everyone that comes to the tasting that wine can accompany just about any meal and enhance the eating experience. It does not have to be steak, ham, lamb or exotic cheeses. Mac & Cheese is probably one of the last meals a person would consider uncorking a bottle of wine for. Prior to the tasting event, a gentleman came to me at the store and questioned the food and wine pairing saying, “Why mac & cheese?”. It turned out after a few questions that he didn’t like mac & cheese. The point is that regardless of your culinary preferences wine can and should be a consideration at any meal.

As I was pouring the whites for all those in attendance, someone came to me and said, “I find it quite interesting and I have learned tonight that wine really makes the food better, even if it is mac & cheese.” Although the person did not know it, that was one of the greatest compliments I received that night. I had accomplished what I intended and it felt good.

I want to thank the six participants in the mac & cheese cook-off. All of them did an excellent job and everyone who had a chance to try the dishes felt the same way. I was impressed at how seriously everyone took their responsibility to judge the entrees and cast their vote. Impressive too was the effort made to see how the wines chosen paired with the food. After counting the votes, we had a winner. Congratulations go to Marilyn Kline for getting the most votes for best mac & cheese. Kings Deli department came in a close second and Lori Stokes took the third spot.

Of course we know that the primary reason for holding these events is to feature different wines for everyone to try. To kick off the new year, we had Karen Nelson and her boss Lisa there to present wines from the Columbia Distributing portfolio. Karen and I spent some time going over the wines we felt best matched up with mac & cheese. I think we did a decent job and here is a brief review of the wine that we tasted that night and some thoughts from the tasters.

2009 Barone Fini Vadadige Pinot Grigio Alto Adige, Italy… $12.99

Anyone that knows me will tell you that pinot grigio is not my favorite subject in wine right now. I like pinot grigio but I find that too many wine drinkers have gotten into a pinot grigio rut that has prevented them from stretching out their palate horizons, which I am a firm advocate for. However, it was decided that a pinot grigio was appropriate for this food pairing. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this version had a wonderful mineral quality about it. A nose of crushed rock, honey and lemon notes was a very nice start. The minerality continued on the palate with notes of lemon and kiwi that are fairly big on the front yet the wine finishes dry with that crushed rock feel that lingered. Let me tell you that this is one of the better grigios I have had in awhile and it goes for a prayer.

88 points

2008 Hogue Cellars Genesis Viognier Columbia Valley Washington … $12.99

Papaya, mango and banana on the nose that is not over-powering. Big and round on the front of the palate that stays fairly fat on the middle. Notes of melon and banana with hits of papaya and white flowers. Very pleasant on the finish with some spice and tangerines. Viognier is starting to gain in popularity but unfortunately most wine drinkers fall back on pinot grigio instead of expanding their palates. This is very unfortunate since there is a ton of very interesting whites to try out there. 90 points

2009 Chateau St Jean Chardonnay Sonoma, California … $13.99

This is one of those chards that one might take for granted. It has been around for a long time and I cannot tell you the last time I have tried it. I am happy to report that it is worth keeping around.

A wonderful nose of pears, oak, nutmeg, spice and fig. Creamy on the palate with notes of vanilla, pear, fig some nice warm spice notes and a finish of red delicious apples and pears that lingers for some time. This wine has a nice balance of oak and fruit. I was impressed. 90 points

2008 Artesa Chardonnay Carneros, California… $17.99

The last vintage of this wine received a 90 point rating in the Wine Spectator so I was curious to give this vintage a try. I have to say that I was slightly disappointed although I had a feeling that a lot of tasters would probably like it.

Toasty oak and caramel were large on the nose. Creamy and round on the palate with butterscotch notes ALL DAY. Seriously, this wine tasted just like butterscotch juice. The butterscotch was occasionally interrupted by some oak tones and just a slight hint of pears on the persistent finish. Like I said, I had a feeling it would go over well, but I felt it was a little one-dimensional. 87 points

2009 Louis Jadot Beaujolais Villages Burgundy, France… $13.99

2009 is an unbelievable vintage for Burgundy, in particular southern Burgundy where the gamay grape hangs out. I’ve tasted at least twenty or more Beaujolais so far from this vintage and I have yet to be disappointed.

This had some classic notes on the nose of leather, tart raspberry and cherries with a splash of dirt. This wine is old world with notes of dark berries, wood, cassis, leather, mushrooms and a little celery. Soft tannins with an excellent freshness on the palate that left a little grip on the finish. I loved this wine and I felt that it would not hit a home run with the crowd. 89 points

2008 14 Hands Merlot Washington State… $10.99

Easily one of the most popular wines I carry at the store. One customer liked it so much they declared that it must have msg in it and that was why is was so addictive. Not likely but I think you get the point.

A very pleasing bouquet of plums and dark cherries with a side of anise. Good balance with generous notes of blackberries and spice backed by hits of anise and caramel resting on silky smooth tannins. This wine is soft and easy to drink. In fact, it is so easy that it should come with a warning that it is possible to consume the entire bottle without being aware of it. 87 points

2009 Ruta 22 Malbec Patagonia, Argentina … $10.99

Hmm, another ten dollar malbec from Argentina that is good. Surprised? You shouldn’t be, they are all over the market. This one was new to me and it delivered. The nose was very interesting with notes of vanilla, red currants and cedar with just a slight hit of stinkiness. Ripe and round right up front with sweet blackberries, plum and fennel. Some nice spice on the mid-palate. The finish was medium to long with a nice freshness. This was a little larger then some of the malbec I have tasted in recent memory. 89 points

2007 Susana Balbo Crios Syrah-Bonarda Mendoza, Argentina … $13.99

I love syrah, I love bonarda, and I love this producer. So guess what? I loved this wine. A nose of clove, bacon fat and blackberries that was quite powerful. In the mouth the wine had great depth with layers of flavors. Vanilla, mocha, bacon fat, white pepper and cocoa dust that were very persistent from start to finish that highlighted a nice peppery edge. This wine is a steal for this price and will be a staple in my wine rack. 91 points

2008 Folie a’ Deux Zinfandel Amador County, California … $17.99

This is both typical and not typical zin as you will find out. Generous on the nose with notes of vanilla, white pepper and dark cherries. Like most zins this is huge on the palate vanilla, mocha, dark cherries all day. Underlying notes of black raspberries and black currants on the mid-palate. A very pleasing and long, seductive finish that left your mouth coated with mocha and vanilla. Typical big zin, but not so typical in it’s complexity and confusion of flavors that were well integrated from start to finish. Not as much pepper as I would like to see, but that is a very small flaw in an otherwise excellent zin. 90 points

2008 Liberty School Cuvee California … $12.99

This kitchen sink red is a blend of syrah, petite sirah, grenache, mouvedre and viognier. One of those wines at the tasting that really needed to be decanted. On the nose it displayed green bell pepper, celery and red currant notes. This red reminded me a lot of a cab franc from the Loire Valley with its notes of red currants, celery and pepper along with fresh tannins. Towards the finish it started to open with some blackberry and red cherry and the slightest hits of celery and vanilla on the finish. As the wine opened up, the vegetal aspects died down and the blackberry and cherry notes started to take over. Actually, this is a wine with two faces. If you want a herbaceous style red, drink it fresh out of the bottle. If you want a little New World love, decant it. This red would be great with lamb , pizza or a juicy hamburger slathered in blue cheese. I liked it, but it is certainly not for everyone. 87 points

2008 Michael David Petite Petite Lodi, California … $17.99

A blend of petite sirah and petite verdot this wine has always been very popular. The bouquet of this wine is intense with notes of vanilla, blackberries, toast and black currants. Massive and fruit forward on the palate showing notes of brown sugar, hits of pepper, bacon fat, molasses and figs. The wine coats the mouth with sweet tannins and underlying notes of dark sweet cherries followed by a persistent finish. I found this wine to be very close to Port-like in a lot of ways. 87 points

I think you can almost guess which were the taster’s favorites and that they do not match up with mine. That is what I love about wine; it is all about individual palate. Top white went to Artesa Chardonnay. I think the creaminess and butterscotch notes were just too much to resist. Coming in a close second was the pinot grigio.

In the red category, the favorite was the Folie a’ Duex Zinfandel followed closely by the Ruta 22 malbec and the Petite Petite. I did not find this surprising at all. These were very good wines and had very few flaws. The one that did surprise me was the lack of interest in the Crios syrah-bonarda. I found this wine to be very complex and delicious leaving me with a lot to think about. Again, that is the beauty of the wine world… Unpredictable and challenging.

I had a lot of fun at this event and it was encouraging to see so many participate in the tasting and food pairing. I will try to get the recipe for the top 3 mac & cheese and post it soon. Here’s to keeping it real. Cheers! Stan The Wine Man

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OUR MINI TASTE OF WASHINGTON…

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Stan The Wine Man

Perhaps a little bigger in scope then I first intended, this years celebration of “Washington Wine Month” turned out great with lots of folks coming to the event to taste some pretty good juice from our very own state. I selected wines that I thought well represented the broad scope of wines available. Northwest Totem Cellars, Coyote Canyon, Buty, NXNW, Pacific Rim, Next, O Winery and Genesis. Special thanks to Mike Sharadin, owner of and wine maker for Northwest Totem Cellars and Mike Andrews, owner of Coyote Canyon Winery for making the effort to be at the event. They added a nice personal touch to their wines.


I would also like to thank Karen from Columbia Distributing, Gabriel from Cavatappi Distributing and Jonathan from American N.W. Distributing for helping out and talking with the tasters about the wines at the event. I believe everyone got a better grasp of these wineries.


Everyone seemed enthused about the quality of wines and I think like myself, they were a bit overwhelmed with the amount of wines there were to taste. I now have my work cut out for me as I give you a brief overview of the wines that we poured. I will also interject some of the comments that I heard from those in attendance.


At the Karen’s table (Columbia Distributing) we had five wines…


2008 O Winery Chardonnay (Columbia Valley)… $13.99

I have found this to be an excellent value in Washington chardonnay showing good quality. Notes of creamy peaches and melon on the nose. Balanced on the palate with notes of green apple, honeydew melon and starfruit. Creamy on the mid-palate with a nice dry finish lending it well to seafood or fowl. The perfect chardonnay for the Pacific Northwest fare. 88 points


2007 Pacific Rim Dry Riesling… $12.99

Quintessential Alsace nose on this baby, which is certainly not for everyone. Notes of rubber boot with hints of tropical fruits on the back end. I liked it, but I knew that it might turn some off if they are not used to this sort of bouquet. In the mouth it opened into notes of peaches and apricots. Sweet on the mid-palate with tiny hits of that rubber boot action. This wine starts off sweet and finishes dry with nice red delicious apple notes lingering on the palate. By the looks of the orders, there were not a lot of old world Riesling fans at the tasting. For my part, I thought it was an outstanding effort and unique in style for out state. 89+ points


2008 Genesis Syrah (Columbia Valley)… $12.99

For the price this is a very well made Syrah, representing the potential for Washington wines.

On the nose you get notes of boysenberry, bacon fat and a little char action. Big notes of dark fruits, bacon fat and blueberry hit the palate and wake it up. A nice freshness crosses the palate from start to finish, so although plush, it is not heavy. (Well done!) 89+ points


2008 Next Red Blend (45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Syrah, 17% Petite Verdot, 2% Merlot)… $14.99

This turned out to be one of the crowd favorites of the evening. A nice brightness on the nose with notes of raspberry vine licorice, cherries and red currant. Fresh tannins on the palate with blackberry and cassis notes up front. Dark fruits and spice that carry over into a somewhat short finish. I loved this too but felt it was just a little thin in the mid-palate and finish. 88 points


2008 NXNW Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley)… $24.99

Past vintages have not impressed but this one takes it to the next level. A little stink action on the nose which was interesting followed by forest floor and black currants. The alcohol showed up just a little but wasn’t off-putting. Sweet tannins with some nice minerality coming through on the palate. Boysenberry and leather notes come out on the mid-palate with hits of mocha and vanilla on the medium finish. This wine will age nicely over the next 5-8 years. What a great effort in Washington cab. This wine showed some nice terrior. Many of the tasters loved this cab. 90 points


Table #2 featured the wines of Coyote Canyon. Mike Andrews, owner and wine maker for the winery along with his tasting room assistant and Jonathan (Jazzman) sales rep for American NW Distributing poured five wines.


2009 Coyote Canyon Viognier (Horse Heaven Hills)… $14.99

Mike Andrews has Viognier dialed in. Every vintage I have tasted has been exceptional. This one was just a little restrained on the nose with some peaches and apricots coming through. Lush on the palate with notes of sweet papaya and banana that carried across the mid-palate into a creamy long finish with hints of sugar cane. This scores high in the delicious category and was just a little too sweet for me on the finish. 88+ points


2006 Coyote Canyon Sangiovese (Horse Heaven Hills)… $17.99

This baby has a ton of character in it. A bouquet of Raspberries, Strawberry, red currants and a little charcoal component. Nice balance on the palate with red currants and strawberry up front and into the mid-palate. The wine really revs up on the finish with sweet tannins and good acidity. Slightly hot on the back end. 14.8% alcohol might have had something to do with that. 88+ points


2008 Coyote Canyon Tres Cruces (Horse Heaven Hills)… $19.99

This one featured Mikes new label which I think is a definite improvement over the last one. This wine got just about everyone’s attention. Very round and intense. A bouquet of vanilla, plum, anise and mocha got your attention right away. Lush up front, sweet tannins with notes of boysenberry, mocha and vanilla that had good balance from start to finish. On the finish there were some interesting charcoal components with a little pepper and spice on the dark fruit notes. Good length. I have to say that more folks talked this wine up then any other at the tasting. 90+ points


2007 Coyote Canyon “Big John” Cabernet Sauvignon (Horse Heaven Hills)… $34.99

This is one of the wines the owner Mike Andrews is most proud of. A cab that shows off the wonderful fruit source that he has at Horse Heaven Hills in Columbia Valley.

The nose is heavy on oak with notes of vanilla and blackberry with a little mint action. On the palate this wine shows good weight and balance. Not a lot of “punch” on the front with notes of black currants and chocolate. Stays a bit muted on the mid-palate but watch out. This wine starts to explode on the back of the mid into an incredible finish of dark cherries, black currant and a generous dose of spices that linger with just a touch of tannic grip. This is a smooth seamless cab, and the only flaw I detect ( This is palate preference of course.) is a bit too much oak. Over-all however I think this wine is worth the thirty-five bucks and has good potential to age over the next ten to twelve years. 90+ points


2009 Sweet Louis Late Harvest Viognier/Riesling (Columbia Valley)… $18.99

This was a bonus wine that Mike brought along. As you know, I have trouble rating dessert wines simply because almost all of them are delicious and this one is no exception. Sweet, sweet, sweet with notes of apricots and pear. If you have a sweet tooth and need fix, this baby will do the trick. I liked it because the price is right and it is what it is… a dessert wine. The trick now is to experiment a little and try it with some stinky cheese. WOW! You could also pour this over ice cream if your heart desires. A “Ten” in the delicious factor. 89 points


Table #3 featured the wines of Buty (That’s beauty, not booty). Gabriel from Cavatappi Distributing was responsible for featuring this outstanding winery of Washington. My apologies to Gabriel for spelling his name Gabrielle on the tasting sheet. I am glad he has a sense of humor, at least I think he does, we will find out later. Here are the wines he featured.


2009 Buty Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc (Columbia Valley)… $24.99

Buty is well known for their whites and the first taste of this was evidence as to why. A bouquet of cut grass, melons and crushed rock/slate. Beautiful on the palate with an acidity that was muted but obvious throughout the experience. Notes of melon, crushed rock, grass and herbs with a kiss of honey. Seamless across the palate with a burning desire to bust out the acid without ever overriding the roundness of the fruit. 65% Semillon, 27% Sauvignon Blanc, 8% muscadelle. 90 points


2009 Buty Chardonnay Conner Lee Vineyard (Columbia Valley)… $35.99

In a country dominated by big bold often over-oaked, buttery chardonnay, it is always a refreshing change of pace to find one done in a more subdued style, closer to the chardonnay of Burgundy. There are a few around and this is one of them. Showing a nose of red apples, fig and graham crackers. On the palate this wine is plush without being fat. Notes of fuji apple and creamy mango this chardonnay has excellent balance and a persistent, pleasing finish. This chard saw a little kiss of oak but it is hardly detectable. I know it’s thirty-six bucks but for all those blowing this same amount of cash on a bottle of Rombauer, this is worth a try. I believe you will be sold! 94 points


2008 Beast (By Buty) Wildebeast Red (Columbia Valley)… $22.99

One of the lower priced wines from Buty this is an excellent value. Interesting nose of seasoned meat, mint and blackberry. I love red wines that have a little seasoned prime rib on the nose. Very layered and complex on the palate with up front notes of blackberry, spice, anise, chocolate and hints of mocha. The wine expands through the mid-palate with some hits of black currants and mixed fruit. The finish is very persistent leaving you with a silky spice mouth-feel that hangs on for some time. A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Syrah and 10% malbec. 91 points


2009 Buty Merlot/Cab Franc Champoux Vineyard (Horse Heaven Hills)… $39.99

This was one of my favorite reds of the night, a feeling shared by most. Next to seasoned prime rib, I am always in anticipation when I get the nose of celery, tomato leaf and bittersweet chocolate that this wine had, which comes from the cab franc. Layered and silky on the palate. Notes of dark fruits and chocolate with hits of spice box that intensify on the explosive mid-palate. Solid tannins that are silky and seductive this wine finishes with a kiss of vanilla and fennel that goes on for a long time. This wine will improve nicely over the next 10-15 years. 64% Merlot & 36% Cabernet franc 94 points


2008 Buty Rediviva Of The Stones Red (Walla Walla)… $51.99

As we have learned in our wine drinking experience, price does not always denote quality and yet it can bring something special to the table. A blend of 79% Syrah & 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, this red is big and plush on the nose with notes of black plum, pencil lead, bacon fat, chocolate and brown sugar. (If you didn’t get all that, don’t worry. I think I was mesmerized by the bouquet of this wine and got carried away). Powerful bright fruit up front with a beam of anise, blueberry and cassis. The mid-palate was lacking a bit and seemed to tail off a bit too much for my taste. The finish has some nice spice and chocolate components with a little charcoal hit, but was a little was a little on the short side. This wine is delicious but lacks just a few important elements, especially for fifty large. 86+ points


At table #4 I would like to introduce you to Mike Sharadin, owner and wine maker at Northwest Totem Cellars. It is no secret that I am jazzed about these wines and I was thrilled that Mike was willing to come up and share them with the tasters.


2008 NW Totem Cellars Salish White (Columbia Valley)… $10.99

A very pleasing bouquet of red apple skins drizzled with honey, orange peel and peaches. On the palate this wine is quite sweet with notes of sugar cane, apricots, and melon. This wine had a medium to long finish displaying notes of red delicious apple skins sprinkled with a little sugar. A “10” in the delicious factor, this wine borders on “dessert” but doesn’t quite get there. If you are a sweeter Riesling fan this is a “No-Brainer”. 88 points


2007 NW Totem Cellars Longhouse Syrah Elerding Vineyard (Yamika Valley)… $19,99

This is a new addition to his syrah line-up with just a little twist on the blend adding a little (9%) petite verdot. Nice intense nose of boysenberry and cherry. This syrah has a nice earthy edge to it with notes of spice and black plum all over the front of the palate. A nice blackberry soaked bark component on the mid-palate flowing nicely into a long finish of blackberry, plum and a little char aspect. This is a big bang for the buck and twenty dollars. 91 points


2007 NW Totem Cellars Merlot Chandler Reach Vineyard (Yakima Valley)… $21.99

It was the Merlot that sold me on this winery back in the day and it continues to deliver. A wonderful deep nose of spicy cherries, sweet blackberries and a hit of clove. A big hit of blackberries on the front of the palate followed by cedar and red currants with a little cassis. This red has a nice backbone of acidity that will help it age over the next 8-10 years. Excellent balance and a good flow over the palate with just a tiny hit of bitterness on the finish. 90 points


2007 NW Totem Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Elerding Vineyard (Yakima Valley)… $35.99

Very classic Northwest cab on the nose. Slightly subdued notes of deep dark cherries , oak, dried flowers and just a hint of minerality. Powerful on the palate with notes of spicy dark berries and hints of brown sugar. Good balance of acidity and fruit that carries across the mid-palate with just hints of toasty oak on the back side. Very persistent finish this wine is structured yet soft and approachable now although it will age nicely over the next 5-10 years. As I was taking the notes for this cab, I noticed that the finish just kept hanging on. A great example of the potential for cab in our great state. 94 points


2007 NW Totem Cellars Late Harvest Viognier (Columbia Valley)… $ 24.99

Yes, another dessert wine at the tasting and it was just as good as the Sweet Louise, although personally I thought is was slightly better for my palate. Very fruit driven on the nose with notes of apricots and orange peel. On the palate this wine has a lot of finesse and balance, with clean finish that is not cloying. Yes, this wine is sweet and delicious with notes of peaches, honey and hints of pineapple and like the other, it is a “10” in the delicious factor. What sets this one apart for me is the clean mouth-feel that it leaves. Personally, I like that aspect in a dessert wine. 92 points


We all had a lot of fun at this tasting and I got a ton of positive feed-back. One taster made an astute observation. She said that in a lot of the tastings, we feature value driven wines, usually under the twenty dollar mark. At this one she noticed a marked difference in the quality level of the ten to fifteen dollar wines and those from Buty or Totem Cellars that were above the thirty dollar mark. She pointed out that is was a good lesson for the palate to see why some wines demand a higher price… They are obviously of higher quality. I agree with her observation and would like to add that I felt Coyote Canyon wines were both of high quality and value driven. As a result, they were the most popular that night at the tasting event. Northwest Totem Cellars was the popular winery in the upper price range for the tasters.

I did not think there was a bad wine in the house and I appreciate the effort everyone made to be there and help out. Next year I will tone it down a bit and keep it to three wineries. Washington wines are fast getting a hold in the wine world and writers and critics alike are sitting up and taking notice. We are all lucky to be living in such a great wine producing state. Cheers! Stan The Wine Man.


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