BITS & BOBS…

Posted on November 7, 2017 by Stan The Wine Man

I recently organized an Italian wine event with two featured guests from Winebow. Winebow is a large importer and distributor of wine and other wine related items. My friend David Bronleewe (who has worked for Winebow for a number of years) and I set this up well over a year ago while enjoying an Italian meal together. He suggested that we include Sam Kass who is an Italian wine expert and educator for Winebow. I really wanted David to handle it, but I figured if he wanted this guy to lead the event he must be good. Turns out, Sam did an amazing job leading the group through the wines we were tasting and educating all of us about this outstanding wine country. His passion for Italy and their wines was quite evident and incredibly, he kept my group’s attention for the entire evening. I have a very social wine group that can get noisy as they talk to each other about the wines. This was not the case with Sam, as he kept their rapt attention. It was only until the end that they really cut loose with the noise, but by then it was essentially over. Everyone left that night knowing a lot more about Italian wine culture. Thanks to both David and Sam for coming to the event.

Speaking of events, we are going to finish 2017 with a bang. In November we will have our holiday tasting event featuring the wines from the Martine collection with Courtney and Stacia. As is the norm, we will be pouring wines that will compliment the upcoming holiday meals along with a variety of bubbles. In December, Marty Clubb from L’Ecole will be coming. Marty is the wine maker for this iconic Washington winery located on the outskirts of Walla Walla. These are all invitation only events, so maybe you should come and see me and get in my wine group. Just saying. I’m trying to set up a You Tube episode with Marty, which I am very excited about. Stay tuned.

All of you are very aware of the terrible fires that ravaged the Sonoma/Napa area. Due to one of the wettest winters on record and a very dry summer, there was lots of fuel for the fires. It nearly wiped out Santa Rosa and a few wineries suffered severe damage. It will be a while before we know the exact extent of the destruction caused by the inferno. A few have come into the store and purchased wines from this area as a way to show support for the wineries. There are also many organizations set up to accept donations to help in the rebuilding effort. Go to winebusiness.com to get more information in this regard.

I would like to take a moment to write an epitaph to Rose`…Just kidding of course, but it is quite amazing to me how quickly Rose` sales stall as soon as the weather gets on the cold side. Are you kidding me folks? Rose` is an amazingly diverse wine that can pair with a number of dishes we may serve up on cold Fall nights. How about Mac & Cheese…Perfect. Roast fowl…Perfect. Taco Tuesday…Perfect. Pizza and football…Perfect. The point is, Rose` should be a part of your Fall and Winter. Next time you’re tempted to buy yet another bottle of Pinot Gris, think twice and make it Rose`.

Speaking of Fall, have many of you already started referring to it as Winter? I wrote in the past how Fall is the forgotten month. Remember, Winter does not start until the third week of December. I love the Fall. I know it has been unusually cold for the beginning of November, but wasn’t it cool to see the snow on the trees before they lost all their leaves? Fall is a great month as we watch the transition of scenery around us and we get a chance to get together as families and enjoy a holiday meal. Fall is great, because I get to tap into my modest cellar and enjoy some of the reds I have been ageing. If you’re a football fan, is there a better time of the year than Fall? Fall also has the task of acclimating us for the Winter. Can you imagine jumping straight into Winter from the Summer? So let’s embrace Fall and enjoy the transition.

Susie and I had a chance to go to Seattle and taste some fantastic wines on the top floor of the Columbia Tower. It has a breathtaking view! The wines were amazing, and I got to ask a few of the folks there about the fires in California as many of them were from the Napa area. They were all concerned of course, but it was nice to hear that a lot of them came out of it unscathed. The tasting was put on by Youngs Market and I want to give them a little advice. Don’t invite so many people that you can barely walk through the crowd and get to the tables to taste the wines. Also, have each winery bring more than three bottles of each. There had to be over two hundred at this event, and when we tried to get some Champagne for Susie, every table had run out, and there was still and hour and a half to go. I have put on many wine tasting events, and for 125 folks I have six bottles each available for tasting. We may not go through them all, but at least it’s there if we need it. As a good friend once said, “It’s better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.”

Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man

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FRIDAY’S THIRTEEN…

Posted on November 3, 2017 by Stan The Wine Man

A boatload of wine

A boatload of wine

In a weeks time, I taste a boatload of wine (seriously). I lot of my friends think I’m lucky. Well, they’re right, and I wouldn’t give this job up for the world. The only thing that makes my job hard, is my feeling of responsibility to taste the samples given to me as quickly as possible and to put my reviews either in my Moleskine, on my Youtube channel (Stan The Wine Man TV), or right here on Stanthewineman.com. Here for your reading pleasure, are thirteen wines that I have reviewed in my Moleskine (good or bad), this past week.

2014 Joseph Drouhin Macon-Villages (Burgundy, France)… $13.

A touch of fig on the nose that backs notes of pears and apples with a pinch of lemon and wet stone. Wet stone and apple notes front to finish on the palate. Lemon notes sneak in here and there with a very mineral driven backbone. Nice balance and a very dry finish. (B-/B)

2015 Leyda Pinot Noir (Leyda Valley, Chile)… $12.

A little stink action on the nose with notes of bark, worn leather, cherries and violets with a hint of wilted rose petal. Sweaty leather soaked in cherry juice on the palate with a little dill pickle juice thrown in. There is a smokey element that comes through with an underscore of red flowers and a citrus hit on the back-end. Interesting flavors and complexity for the money. Starts out a bit funky but recovers nicely. (C+/B-)

2014 La Granger de Piaugier Cotes-du-Rhone (Rhone Valley, France)… $10.

Slight aromas of tobacco, violets, earth and cherries. Very acid driven on the palate with bright cherry and cranberry notes coming through. There is a squeeze of lemon and orange that sneaks in on the mid-palate into the finish. A slightly simple Cotes-du-Rhone (C/C+)

2015 Novelty Hill Sauvignon Blanc Stillwater Creek Vineyard (Columbia Valley, WA)… $16.

Aromas of wet stone, grass, lemons and melons. Dry and bracing on the palate with notes of lemon, wet stone and steel front to finish. Melon notes hit on the mid-palate with a touch of sweetness sneaking in. Clean and fresh on the finish. Solid WA Sauv. Blanc. (B-)

2015 Januik Winery Sauvignon Blanc Sagemoor Vineyard (Columbia Valley, WA)… $20.

Sweet melon notes on the nose, joined by hits of apple and banana. Round on the front of the palate with melon and apple notes joined by a touch of banana peel. There are hints of dried herbs front to back along with hits of white pepper and minerals that hang on the fairly long finish. Fairly seamless with good balance. (B/B+)

2014 Novelty Hill Chardonnay Stillwater Creek Vineyard (Columbia Valley, WA)… $20.

Pears and apples all day on the nose with hits of melon and melon rind. Apples dipped in fig juice and a splash of butter on the palate. There is an underlying clean element in the mouth with a touch of oak bitterness coming through on the mid-palate into the finish. There is a steely edge to the finish with a kiss of minerality. This Chard seems a bit disjointed, but might come together in another year. (C+/B-)

2014 Novelty Hill Merlot (Columbia Valley, WA)… $20.

Explosive aromas of cherries, chocolate and currants along with hints of black plums and licorice. Currant and plum notes up front with a good dose of chocolate, hits of vanilla and tobacco. Red flower notes join up on the mid-palate leading into the long finish with tobacco notes lingering. This baby is a crowd pleaser. (B)

2014 Novelty Hill Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, WA)… $24.

Cherry pie all day on the nose with a little toast and chocolate action, joined by hits of violets and rose petal. Fairly intense cherry notes front to finish, joined by tobacco and toast on the mid-palate and a touch of red flowers. Chocolate notes hit big time on the finish with a little white pepper action. Solid structure with approachable, slightly chalky tannins. A lot of Cab for the money. (B/B+)

2014 Novelty Hill Cascadia Red (Columbia Valley, WA)… $50.

Aromas of red flowers, licorice and toast with underlying chocolate notes. Round currant notes on fresh tannins backed by notes of chocolate and tobacco that carry into the tobacco, currant finish with hits of wilted rose petal on the mid-palate. Licorice notes linger on the finish. You can tell this is tightly wound up and could use some age before it shows all its glory. Give it 5-6 years. (A-)

2014 Januik Winery Red (Columbia Valley, WA)… $20.

Chocolate, cherries and violets on the nose with a touch of candy. Nice intensity on the palate. Notes of cherries and chocolate with a pinch of white pepper. Fresh acidity lifts the flavors in the mouth. Solid, approachable tannins with a hit of tobacco coming through on the fresh finish. (B+)

2014 Andrew Januik “Stone Cairn” Cabernet Sauvignon (Red Mountain, WA)… $40.

Black currants and violets dominate the nose with a little candied licorice underneath and hits of chocolate. Dark currant notes pop on the front of the palate backed by solid chocolate and spice notes. Tobacco and licorice notes sneak in on the mid-palate into the finish. Good structure and balance. (B+)

2014 Januik Winery Malbec Champoux Vineyard (Horse Heaven Hills, WA)… $40.

Smells exactly like Ghiradelli chocolate with hits of violets and blackberries…Very expressive. Ripe blackberries all day on the palate, supported by notes of dry hay, violets and chocolate. Solid structure with a nice spine of acidity. White pepper, chocolate and tobacco notes linger on the long-ass finish. (B+/A-)

2015 M. Chapoutier “Belleruche” Cotes du Rhone Blanc (Rhone Valley, France)… $13.

Aromas of wet stone, herbs, pears and licorice. Wet stone steel and herbs on the palate with lemon notes sneaking in front to finish. It has a steel driven, clean finish with lemon lingering underneath. (B-)

Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man

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Charles Smith in Jet City

Posted on November 1, 2017 by Stan The Wine Man

Charles Smith, owner of K Vintners and Wines Of Substance is known to be irreverent and hard to work with. He is a man of many myths that whether true or not seem to precede him. I don’t concern myself with such tales. All I know about this man is that he is one of the greatest marketers I have seen in the wine world, and he also is behind some fantastic wines.

K Vintner wines have garnered some amazing accolades from the likes of Robert Parker Jr. Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast. He recently sold a line of his wines to Constellation Brands for $120 million. Along with K Vintners he produces Wines of Substance, Casa Smith, Sixto and B. Leighton. He is not a rising star on the Washington wine scene, he is a star! I shot down to Seattle recently and visited his new winery in Jet City, Seattle. It is located close to Boeing Field, thus the name. His new winery is the second largest urban winery in the United States, and let me tell you that it is a cool spot to go if you get a chance. I went to a trade event that he put on to showcase his recent vintages from all the aforementioned brands.

When I came around the corner to enter the event, sitting at a table in front of me was the man himself. You can’t miss him as he sports a Sammy Hagar type hairdo. Of course, I wasn’t there to meet Charles, I was there to check out the wines. Here is a quick overview of my impressions of some of the wines that I tasted.

CasaSmith:They were presenting five wines from this line. I was impressed with the 2015 CasaSmith Moscato (Washington State) grabbing my attention for $8 a bottle. It was fresh and sweet but not over-the-top. A lot of finesse and would be excellent with a spicy meal. The 2016 Vino Rose` (Columbia Valley, WA)… $8. was dry, herbal and refreshing. At this price, I would recommend it as a simple quaffer. The Pinot Grigio, Jack’s Barbera and Vino Rosso were average wines and certainly would not offend anyone who tried them, although the Jack’s Barbera (Walla Walla, WA) carried a $25 price tag. I normally get excited about this varietal out of Washington. This one did not excite me.

Sixto: This line-up which I was not familiar with consisted of four Chardonnay. Two of the four really stood out to me. The 2014 Sixto “Moxee” Chardonnay (Columbia Valley, WA)… $30. had excellent balance, good minerality and reminded me a lot of a white Burgundy on steroids. I liked the flavors and I believe you could put this one away for a couple of years and be rewarded. I was most impressed with the 2014 Rozza Hills Chardonnay (Yakima Valley, WA)…$30. for a lot of the same reasons. The difference between the two was the ramped up acidity evidenced in the latter. Once again, this would age nicely over the next five years. Both of these Chardonnay should be consumed with food.

B. Leighton: In this line-up there was a Petit Verdot and a Mouvedre based wine called Gratitude. The 2014 B. Leighton Gratitude (Yakima Valley, WA)… $31 was spicy and somewhat simplistic. It most likely needs some age on it to open up. For $31. it might be worth experimenting with. Inspired by Bandol reds it did not impress. At $37. the 2014 Petit Verdot (Yakima Valley, WA)… $37. was a pass.

Substance: I consider all the Wines of Substance to be well made and decent values for what you get. I will spare you a review of all the wines as there were four Cabs, three Merlot, a Sauvignon Blanc and a Bordeaux style red blend.I will say that there was one that absolutely blew my mind and if you can get your hands on some, I would highly recommend it. 2013 Super Substance Merlot Northridge Vineyard (Wahluke Slope, WA)… $45. It is a solid effort with excellent structure and layers of currants, dark cherries, tobacco and hints of chocolate. It expands on the mid-palate into a long finish. It has nice underlying acidity that will give it the ability to age close to ten years. It is an outstanding example of what Merlot can do from Washington State.

K Vintners: This is Charles Smith’s baby which he hangs his wine makers hat on. There were 17 wines from this label to try, so I will take some time on the highlights. Of the two Viognier that were there, the 2015 Powerline Viognier (Walla Walla Valley, WA)… $31. stood out. It is very concentrated without being cloying. Notes of apricots, peaches and mangoes penetrate the palate and stay with it for a long time. I think this would be especially good with the Thanksgiving meal if you want to do something special. puree fruit salad without being sweet. The 2014 K Vintners The Hidden Syrah (Wahluke Slope, WA)…$48 was a powerful example of WA Syrah. Notes of blueberries, tobacco and a char component filled the palate. It was fleshy on the mid-palate leading into a long ass finish that showed a touch spice action. Not to be outdone by that was the 2014 Klein Syrah (Walla Walla Valley, WA)…$48. Loaded with spice, it was fleshy and meaty with notes of dark cherries and charcoal coming through along with a touch of bacon fat. My favorite Syrah there had to be the 2014 Cattle King Syrah (Snipes Mountain, WA)… $48. Chewy and spicy with notes of blueberries, raspberries and bacon fat on sweet tannins. Superb structure and a finish that rivals Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Freebird.

There were of course other choices besides the Syrah line-up. The 2014 K Vintners Roma Cab/Syrah (Walla Walla Valley, WA)… $38 was a nice blend of spices, currants and blueberries front to finish on excellent structure with solid tannins and a spine of acidity that is nicely integrated with the fruit. The 2014 King Coal Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, WA)…$68 had a nice leather component on the palate with solid currant notes on sweet tannins (I thought this was a bit over-priced). The 2014 El Jefe Tempranillo (Columbia Valley, WA)… $38 was loaded with plum and currant notes supported by soft tannins and a nice leather and spice edge. Of course, you must have a Malbec. 2014 K Vintners Broncho Malbec (Columbia Valley, WA)… $48. Notes of ripe blackberries penetrate the palate with a healthy splash of alfalfa and spice with hints of chocolate. Complex and interesting, you may not mind spending a Benjamin on this one.

If you are looking for something on the special side for the upcoming holidays, K Vintners or Wines of Substance may be a good addition to your celebration.

Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man

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FRIDAY’S THIRTEEN…

Posted on October 27, 2017 by Stan The Wine Man

A boatload of wine

A boatload of wine

In a weeks time, I taste a boatload of wine (seriously). I lot of my friends think I’m lucky. Well, they’re right, and I wouldn’t give this job up for the world. The only thing that makes my job hard, is my feeling of responsibility to taste the samples given to me as quickly as possible and to put my reviews either in my Moleskine, on my Youtube channel (Stan The Wine Man TV), or right here on Stanthewineman.com. Here for your reading pleasure, are thirteen wines that I have reviewed in my Moleskine (good or bad), this past week.

2015 Board Track Racer Cellars “The Vincent” White (Columbia Valley, WA)… $15.
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Pears are prominent on the nose, joined by notes of dried herbs and apples. Creamy on the palate with pear notes hogging the show joined by an underbelly of apple. Herb notes sneak into the party on the back-end while pears dominate the long finish with a kiss of citrus. (B/B+)

2015 Board Track Racer Cellars Chardonnay (Columbia Valley, WA)… $28.

Aromas of slightly over-cooked pie crust along with lemon curd, pear and a kiss of butter. Loads of pears wrapped in a blanket of butter and dipped in lemon curd that flows seamlessly across the palate. Pie crust notes join up on the back of the mid-palate into the finish. (B/B+)

2014 Board Track Racer Cellars “The Vincent” Red (Columbia Valley, WA)… $20.

Aromas of dark cherries, tobacco, bark, violets, rose petals and a little chocolate. Chocolate covered cherries on the palate backed by solid, grippy tannins. Acidity is there but well-integrated with the fruit and tannins. Violet notes hit on the finish and then swallowed by chocolate and cherry notes with a pinch of tobacco and licorice. 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 25% Malbec (B+)

2014 Mark Ryan Winery “Lost Soul” Syrah Red Willow Vineyard (Yakima Valley, WA)… $48.

Toasty burnt marshmallows soaked in blackberry juice and violets on the nose. Meaty and toasty on the palate with notes of boysenberries and cherries on the front end, It expands on the mid-palate with notes of tobacco and violets joining up into the intensely meaty and long finish. Kisses of licorice and violets on the back-end with dark cherry notes lingering. (A)

2015 Board Track Racer Cellars “The Chief” Red (Columbia Valley, WA)… $28.

Currants and red flowers on the nose with a little caramel, chocolate and black licorice action. Intense black currants on the palate backed by solid, structured, sweet tannins. Black raspberry notes hit on the back of the mid-palate into the finish. Excellent balance and integration of acidity that gives it a “Pop” on the palate and keeps it out to the goopy zone. 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Malbec, 4% Petit Verdot (A-)

2014 Mark Ryan Winery “Dead Horse” Cabernet Sauvignon (Red Mountain, WA)… $58.

Aromas of dusty currants and a little powdered sugar action joined by violets, tobacco and a pinch of old bark. Huge structure on this baby…Good acidity, sturdy tannins that have a little grip to them. This is a youngster. Notes of currants, tobacco, wilted rose petal and fresh violets. Tobacco notes linger on the back-end along with muted currant notes. Vibrant and crunchy, this needs 3-4 years to start reaching its potential. (A/A+)

2016 Balancing Act Rose` (Washington State)… $11.

Peach, apple and orange peel on the nose, with an underscore of watermelon. Quite expressive. Fairly creamy on the palate yet dry. Apple notes come through on the palate with slight orange and watermelon notes along with a pinch of peach juice. Good balance, somewhat one-dimensional. Finishes dry. (C+/B-)

2016 Villa Wolf Pinot Noir Rose` (Pfalz, Germany)… $12.

Apples and watermelon on the nose with a little rose petal and watermelon rind thrown in. Ripe watermelon notes on the palate with a slice of orange. Fresh acidity that gives it a steely edge. Very lively on the palate with a hit of pink roses on the back-end and a kiss of orange. (B-/B)

Non-Vintage Adami Bosco Di Gica Prosecco (Valdobbiadene, Italy)… $18.

Pears and apples all day on the nose with a small pinch of dust. Small bubbles support notes of pears and baking spice on the palate. There is just a hint of hazelnut and apple pie on the finish. (B)

2014 Joseph Drouhin Macon Villages (Macon, France)… $13.

A touch of fig backs pears and apples on the nose with hits of lemon and wet stone. Wet stone and apple notes front to back on the palate with hints of lemon sneaking in. Nice balance and very mineral driven with a dry finish. An “8” in the delicious category. (B-/B)

2015 Leyda Pinot Noir (Leyda Valley, Chile)… $12.

A touch of stink action on the nose. Aromas of bark, violets, earth and cherries. On the palate. notes of sweaty leather soaked in cherries and a little dill pickle juice. There’s a smokey element front to finish with an underscore of red flowers and a citrus component on the back-end. Very interesting complexity and flavors. (C+/B-)

2014 La Grange de Piaugier Cotes-du-Rhone (Rhone Valley, France)… $10.

Aromas of tobacco, violets, earth and cherries. Solid core of acidity and tannins. Bright cherry and cranberry notes with a squeeze of lemon and orange. Slightly simple and acid driven. This baby needs food. (C/c+)

2015 Novelty Hill Sauvignon Blanc Stillwater Creek Vineyard (Columbia Valley, WA)… $16.

Wet stone, grass, lemon and melon on the nose. Dry and bracing on the palate. Notes of lemon, wet stone and steel front to finish. Melon notes hit on the mid-palate with a touch of sweetness. Finishes clean and fresh. (B-)

Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man

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