Posts tagged with 'Chardonnay'

Pond OR Ray? I’ll Tell You If You Read On!

  • Posted on August 4, 2010 at 3:58 pm

by Phil Anderson

Here is the majestic Log Spirit Bed and Breakfast in Athol, Idaho.

Last Saturday night I had the fantastic opportunity to experience a wonderful winemakers dinner at Log Spirit Bed and Breakfast featuring wines from Pend d’Oreille Winery (pronounced pond-or-ray), out of Sandpoint, ID. 

Stopped and smelled the roses before tickling our taste buds
Before I lavish praises on the wines we tasted along with the food we ate let me just say that the award winning Log Spirit Bed and Breakfast is as majestic as it comes.  Tucked away in the fir trees of Athol, ID, it is a true log home with six luxurious rooms, all with their own bathrooms.  Midnight Dream even has a private hot tub on the balcony overlooking the waterfall at the entry.  Gorgeous flower gardens brighten up the exterior decor and this B&B also boasts fresh eggs and veggies that they gather right there from their property!

We would have stayed there for sure but they were all booked up, which is a very common thing.  I was quite impressed by both hosts, Robin and Lew, who made us feel like we were the most important guest’s in the lodge.  There were no spirits, per se, that visited us at Log Spirit Bed and Breakfast but the wildlife sure paid us a visit as a small family of deer wandered by as we ate.  Great food, great wine, great company and great wildlife all rolled into a three hour period of blissful satisfaction and contentment.

I can’t wait to return to the serenity of Log Spirit Bed and Breakfast at some point in the very near future!

And now for the main event
Well, this IS a wine blog, afterall, so I will get right to it. 

This whole night came to be because of Lew who happens to love wine.  He continued to pester Stephen Meyer, owner and winemaker at Pend d’Oreille, to do a winemakers dinner at their B&B.  After literally years of this ongoing persistence, Stephen was able to come up with an available night and thus this event was born.

The evening started at 6PM and, believe it or not, we were EARLY!  Think we were excited?

The first course was blueberry-bleu cheese ball and liver pate with crackers served with Pend d’Oreille’s Rosette, which is their dry Rose of Merlot.  The Rosette had some strawberries on the palate and paired wonderfully with the liver pate. 

The next course was an avacado cream soup with a 2008 Pinot Gris.  VERY interesting finish in the Pinot Gris…quite heavy; not like the fruit foward and light Pinot Gris’ we’re used to.  This was a little peppery on the finish and it lingered a LONG time.  I don’t believe there to be a better wine to compliment this soup.  It was fantastic and at this point we were two for two in the food and wine pairing.

Here is the Asian-styled buffalo short ribs, roasted winter squash and fanned rosmeary new potatoes with the Syrah (L) and the Cabernet Franc.

After a palate cleanser, which simply consisted of a lemon sorbet (that was phenomenal) the next course paired an apple salad with caramel walnuts and bleu cheese/balsamic vinegar dressing with Pend d’Oreille’s 2008 Chardonnay.  This Chardonnay had a little oak in the mix (about 9-10 months on new French oak) but it was well balanced.  A wonderful nose, with hints of caramel.  We ended up buying a bottle of this to bring home with us. 

Time for the big boys
At this point in the evening the heavy artillery was presented to us in the form of Asian-styled buffalo short ribs, roasted winter squash and fanned rosemary new potatoes.  The meat literally fell off the bone as it was just SO moist and tender.  We had two bold reds to go with this entry:  A 2006 Cabernet Franc and a 2006 Syrah.

Lew made no bones about it, the Cabernet Franc is his most favorite Pend O’Reille Winery wine.  In fact, after talking with him a bit more, it sounds like it could be his all time favorite wine.  Subtle he wasn’t!  I personally enjoyed the Cabernet Franc more than the Syrah, as well, though the Syrah was also very good.  It had licorice on the nose and some soft tannins.  The Cabernet Franc, however, was smokey, dirty and earthy; just a lot of terrior.  It also had hints of raspberry on the nose.  Delicious!

Time for a treat?
Then we were treated to a surprise!  Stephen had brought down from Sandpoint (only 20 miles North of Athol) his 2007 Meyer 100%  Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, which only 97 cases were produced.  Wow!  Although very young, this wine packed a punch.  Extremely structured with raspberries and blueberries on the nose and very smooth.  I rated this as the best wine of the evening.  Of course, it also had the highest price tag of the evening at $35 a bottle but it will be well worth it after laying it down for a few years.

The evening ended with a raspberry parfait with chocolate hearts paired with a Port styled Oui! which is made from Syrah.  After tasting the three big boys this Port styled wine seemed to lack the nose and taste.  It paired well with the parfait, especially the chocolate.

Stephen Meyer, owner and winemaker at Pend d'Oreille Winery (L) and I enjoying a glass of the 2007 Meyer 100% Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.

Pend d’Oreille has been around since 1995 and gets almost all of their grapes from Eastern Washington.  They have worked out exclusive relationships with the vineyards so that there will be no quality control issues.  Stephen learned about winemaking from Burgandy, France, which is reflected in his terrior driven wines.

One thing I love about Pend d’Oreille Winery, besides their quality wine, is their “Think Green, Drink Red” self coined slogan which refers to their value priced Red Blend Bistro Rouge re-fill program.  When you buy a magnum of their wonderful red table wine, Bistro Rouge for $25 (which is a value right off the bat!), then finish it, just wash it out with hot, HOT water, dry it VERY well and bring it back into their tasting room where they will fill it back up for only $16!

Their tasting room, which is right there at the winery in Sandpoint, was named one of the 10 Great Pacific Northwest Tasting Rooms by Wine Press Northwest in their Summer 2010 edition of their magazine.  Their tasting room also boasts a wonderful Lifestyle Store which I visited last Christmas for some of Shelley’s Christmas gifts.

If you’re ever in Sandpoint, Idaho, be sure to visit Pend d’Oreille Winery.  If you make it there, you likely drove right through Athol, Idaho, so you might as well stay at the Log Spirit Bed and Breakfast as well.  Tell them Phil sent you!

If you like drinking wine please become a fan on Facebook.  You can also find me on Twitter as well by clicking here.  I also want to thank the many people who have subsribed to this blog!  I am very humbled and honored that you have chosen to read this blog when you have so many options out there.  Thank you, very much. 

As always, thank you for reading and remember, bottoms UP!

Taste Washington Takes On A Whole New Meaning

  • Posted on June 22, 2010 at 12:39 am

By Phil Anderson

In the month of June “Taste Washington” has taken on an entirely new meaning for me.  To start, on June 6th I completed the Hat Trick of pouring at the White Out Table at Taste Washington! Spokane for the third year which is held at the Davenport Hotel in Spokane, Washington.  This year we had double the white wines to pour.  These are all supposed to be wines that pair well with seafood, which is good because our White Out Table was immediately following the Anthony’s Seafood bar which boasted muscles, clams and oysters (oh, my!).  With their plates full of fresh seafood, people continued on to us hoping to find a great wine to pair with their delicious seafood.

Phil Anderson (that's ME!) pouring at the White Out Table at Taste Washington! Spokane!

The past two years we poured between 20-25 white wines but this year we were around 40-45 ranging from your standard whites that pair well with seafood to a Rose or two and even a sparkler.  There was a Terra Blanca Chardonnay that was quite delicious; of course, the Ryan Patrick Naked Chardonnay, as well.  Gifford Hirlinger brought a Pinot Gris for us to pour so that was kind of cool, because that was one of our favorite stops in Walla Walla last November.

One thing that was interesting was just the Friday before I had stopped in the tasting room at Jones of Washington in Quincy, Washington, to taste some of their wines on my way back home from Wenatchee.  We actually enjoyed their Chardonnay and a Rose of Syrah that Friday night, with the Rose of Syrah REALLY standing out and hitting the spot with outstanding mouth feel.  And come Sunday, there was that same Chardonnay from Jones of Washington so we could really add some insight for people when they had questions about that wine, since we weren’t given ANY tasting notes this year.

Yvonne Swanberg, General Manager of San Juan Vineyards (left) and Vivian Flanagan, co-owner of Ryan Patrick Vineyards.

A highlight of the evening was when I got to venture out among the masses to taste and visit and I went directly to Ryan Patrick Vineyards’ booth to introduce myself to Vivian Flanagan (and it turned out Terry Flanagan, as well) and it turned out they were right next to San Juan Vineyards’ booth!  You might remember Yvonne and San Juan Vineyards from the previous two years when I went on and on about their Madeleine Angevine.  We poured that again as well as their Siegerrebe, which I STILL cannot pronounce to save my life!  I tasted a Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Ryan Patrick that was wonderful and a Cabernet Franc from San Juan Vineyards that would stand up great with a juicy steak.

It’s always a pleasure to see Jill from Townshend Cellars and I said, “hello” to her and Marlene from Woodward Canyon told me she reads this blog all the time, which I am very grateful for.  Now, if I can only find the time to write more than once a month!  (Remember, last year I was a complet failure at this point of the year.  I vow not to let that happen again!)

Some other reds that stood out during the evening were Five Star Cellars Super Tuscan Red, a Tempranillo from Kana Winery, Hedges Family Estate Red Bordeaux Blend, Robert Karl Claret and Forgeron Cellars Syrah.  You just can’t taste every wine at the event but every year I give it my best go!

This year we stayed at the hotel which was wonderful.  The room was extremely comfortable and it was such a luxury not to pack everything in the car and then drive an hour back home after tasting wine for four hours and then helping to break down for another two.  Personally, I think we’ll do that every year from now on.  Click here to watch a short video of Taste Washington! Spokane and look for me pouring at the white out table in the upper left hand corner (bald dude!) at about the 2:08 mark and at the end!

As for the rest of the “Taste Washington” scenerio, I will be partaking in the North American Wine Bloggers Conference in Walla Walla this weekend, preceded by the WBC or Bust Road to Walla Walla tour, sponsored by Wine Chatr, that I won a seat on because of this very blog.  It starts Wednesday and we will arrive in Walla Walla on Thursday night.  I am going to do my very best to blog about each of the days’ activities, but there are no guarantees!  I can’t begin to tell you all of the things that are lined up for the journey to Walla Walla and then the conference once we get there.

And lastly, I have just entered TWO (count ‘em, TWO) contests with a blog that ALSO won a seat on the WBC or Bust trip, Another Wine Blog and at Andrea Wine.  The first one is for a set of The One wine glasses developed by Master Sommelier Andrea Immer Robinson and the second contest is by that same Master Sommelier that developed The One wine glasses as she is giving away a trip to Napa Valley!  If you are going to enter those two contests, as well, I wish you luck! 

Remember, if you really DO like drinking wine you should absolutely show your passion by “liking” drinking wine on Facebook (it’s kind of like becoming a fan but then they changed it!).  Everyday you’ll find a little tid bit about wine and you can share your OWN general wine thoughts, as well!

So, until Wednesday night, ciao for now and remember, bottoms UP!

Running Into A RockWall Tongue First

  • Posted on May 19, 2010 at 1:44 pm

By Phil Anderson

Omak, Washington.  Not a place you would think to look for a quality wine.  Or is it? 

Upon a local recommendation I seeked out and found RockWall Cellars in the phone book and realized it was only 3.2 miles from my hotel.  After phoning the winery I was told the tasting room had closed for the day.  Bummer.

The person on the phone said he would call the owner to see if he would come open up the tasting room and I said that would be great.  After five minutes my cell phone buzzed and, sure enough, I could come up to the tasting room right away. 

“What great customer service,” I thought.  I ALREADY like them!

Owner and Vintner of RockWall Cellars, Doug Sheets, pours a glass of 2008 Off The Wall in the tasting room at RockWall Cellars.

Owner and Vintner of RockWall Cellars, Doug Sheets, pours a glass of 2008 Off The Wall in the tasting room at RockWall Cellars.

Little did I know what I was about to walk into.  The tasting room was simply decoratated but comfortable.  Doug Sheets introduced himself as the owner and vintner of RockWall Cellars and asked me what I wanted to start with. 

After taking a look at 19 (yes, 19!) different wines to taste I started checking off the ones I wanted to try and still came up with 13.  I tasted four different whites, including their 2008 Dry Riesling, 2008 Auxerrois, 2008 Chardonnay and their 2008 To Di For–Lula, which is a blend of 55% Gewurztraminer and 45% Riesling.

It became quite apparent from the first taste that this was a good idea to look these guys up.  I liked all of the whites I tried.  The Chardonnay uses light oak and it had perfect balance of oak and fruit along with a very floral nose.  Their top selling wine is their To Di For–Lula blend which I found delightful.  Interesting profile, however.  Do you remember those felt pens that are designed for kids that have fruit fragrances in them?  I got that in the nose, strawberry to be exact.  And on the palate I detected a bit of petrol, which I understand is not probably something one would look for in wine but it didn’t detract from the wine.  It was very interesting to be sure.

While I was tasting the To Di For–Lula, Doug told me of the story behind the name.  Lula was his Great Grandmother and she inspired the naming of this wine.  He also mentioned that the winery has only been around a couple of years and he owns it with his partner and sister, Diana Mock. 

DSC_0055 005

Pinot Noir grapes growing across the street from the RockWall Cellars tasting room.

The next wine I tasted I had never heard of and that was Auxerrois.  I was very intrigued.  He poured it and as I was sipping it I stared out the front door of the tasting room gazing at the sprinklers watering the Pinot Grapes just across the street.  As the sun hit the water coming off the sprinkler it had a magical look to it.  The Auxerrois had a slightly pungent nose and, for a white, had some body to it.  It was very interesting and I’m glad I tried it.  I look forward to doing some more tasting of this “off the beaten path” white varietal.

Doug then found out I am rather partial to reds and turned the tasting sheet over to reveal 11 different reds that they pour.  I realized then I should probably learn to spit, but concluded now was not that time.  I tasted ALL of his reds and gave each a very good score.  I tried RockWall Cellars’ blends including Off The Wall, To Di For–Eddie (named after his Great Grandfather, naturally), To Di For–Amore (probably named for the love his Great Grandparents had for each other!), Generation and Second Generation.  I also tried their varietals including their Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Merlot and Reserve Merlot.  RockWall Cellars also makes a Port style wine that they call Foch Lore, which is made from 100% Marechal Foch, aNOTHER varietal I had never heard of before. 

It would have been rude had I not tried their Foch Lore and that’s exactly what I did.  It was marvelous!  It was SO good!  This was the first time I actually smelled AND tasted tobacco in a wine.  This had it on the nose and at the front of the palate.  I know it sounds odd to say something that smells and tastes of tobacco would be good.  I don’t like black licorice but when those profiles show up in a red wine I like it.

The wine that I purchased was RockWall Cellars’ 2008 Off The Wall red blend which has Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Marechal Foch in it.  It had a FANTASTIC nose which I immediately fell in love with…pepper, smokey, licorice.  There was a LOT going on.  It also had a very long finish.  I can’t wait to open this up and try it with a steak because I think this will be fantastic.

My very favorite wine from RockWall Cellars, however, came from a varietal that I don’t often enjoy this much and that was both their 2007 Merlot and their 2007 Reserve Merlot.  I gave my highest marks to both but they were actually both quite different.  Their Merlot had an outstanding nose and I there was plum in the taste.  Doug didn’t have a bottle of the Reserve Merlot open but he felt compelled to open one for me.  Although I didn’t expect that because it WAS after hours, after all, I was extremely thankful for him offering this and I accepted, with great anticipation, his pour.

This Reserve Merlot is sold for $47 a bottle, by far the most expensive of RockWall’s collection of wines.  The Off The Wall blend that I purchased was only $16 a bottle, a virtual steal for what you get.  Everything about the Reserve Merlot was smooth…the nose, the taste, the mouthfeel.  It was a bit tight at the very beginning but it opened up quickly and wonderfully.  I caught a little bit of chocolate on the nose, as well.  One of my very favorite wines to date.  Spectacular.

RockWall Cellars only produces about 1,200 cases of wine a year so you won’t likely find them in your favorite wine store.  One of the major benefits of stopping by wineries to taste their wines is that you are likely going to taste something brand new because stores and restaurants just cannot stock ALL of the wines made in the world.  What you CAN do, however, is call them right away and sign up for their wine club or, at the very least, get on their mailing list.  This WILL be my next wine club that I join, without a doubt.

I am SO happy that I took the time to stop by RockWall Cellars in Omak, Washington, and taste what they’re making.  If you have tasted their wine, or when you do, let me know what you think by writing a comment about it below.  And if you like drinking wine but aren’t yet a fan of drinking wine on Facebook, you can click here and sign up today…like right now. 

As always, thank you for reading (sorry this was such a long post) and, until next time, bottoms up!

Thank Goodness Ryan And Patrick Were Born!

  • Posted on April 28, 2010 at 11:40 pm
Toni getting herself prepared to pour Ryan Patrick Vineyard wines for me in the tasting room located in Leavenworth, Washgington.

Toni getting herself prepared to pour Ryan Patrick Vineyard wines for me in the tasting room located in Leavenworth, Washgington.

By Phil Anderson

For many, many months we have been drinking a particular un-oaked Chardonnay, naked Chardonnay if you will.  Each time we buy it we open it, drink it and say, “This is just really good wine!”  The amazing thing is that this wine costs UNDER $8 a bottle AND you can find it in most stores in their wine section.  Let me see…easy to find, easy on the pocket book and EASY to drink.  Sounds like a great combination, yes? 

Ryan Patrick Vineyards is doing it the way a winery should do it.  They are single family and estate winery with three vineyards located in central Washington State near the banks of the Columbia River and is ideally located to assure the successful growth of top quality grapes.  They grow Bordeaux varietals as well as their Chardonnay, naked and clothed (with oak).  Terry Flanagan, and his wife Vivian, own the winery and vineyards and sons Ryan and Patrick serve as the inspiration for the company’s name.  Terry says, “Our goal has always been to produce limited quantities of reserve quality wines at affordable prices.”  Their first vintage was just 10 years ago, 1999.

I visited their tasting room recently and Toni, who was behind the bar, treated my like a V.I.P.  It was a delightful time.  Right next to their tasting room, located in Leavenworth, Washington, is a fine meat and cheese shop called Cured at Visconti’s (Visconti’s Ristorante is located right up the stairs) selling old world salami and market cured meats as well as fine cheeses.  We sashayed over to pick up some samples of things that might go with their wine and came up with porcini, cacciatore, elk jerky and an assortment of different cheeses thanks to Randy Nichols, the helpful man behind the counter.

The first thing that touched my lips was my old friend, their 2008 Naked Chardonnay which is fermented totally in stainless steel tanks at cool temperatures.  No oak touches this wine ever and it is so refreshing!  This has literally turned into our house white wine in the past year.  They made just under 4,000 cases of this vintage but have continued to increase producion over the years because of it’s popularity, and it will soon push to near 6,000 cases.  My notes didn’t get too specific with this wine other than to say, “Still love it!”  Crisp and clean–just delicious.

 Ryan Patricks 2007 Estate Chardonnay was actually a nice surprise with a touch of oak that was not too overbearing.  It had good balance and a little bite on the finish.  Certainly a nice alternative to their Naked Chardonnay.

 I tasted their 2006 Barbera, which was earthy and smokey with some pepper on the nose, their 2006 Syrah, their 2007 Rock Island Red and their 2008 Rose.  I have to say, I really enjoyed the Rock Island Red, consisting of 50% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Cabernet Franc, but what surprised me was their Rose.  It was absolutely delicious!  Very floral on the nose as well as strawberries.  Perfect for a nice summer afternoon that rolls into a nice summer evening.  It is made with Syrah and it is sensational.

I didn’t get the opportunity to taste their 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve as it was basically sold out and they’re down to just about three cases left, just enough to stick in their library.  I couldn’t quite get Toni to open a bottle.  Can’t say I blame her for not opening one but I DID try…can’t hurt to try, right?

I know I’ve seen the Rock Island Red at the Costco in Coeur d’Alene.  The Naked Chardonnay is everywhere around where I live.  If you can’t track these down call Ryan Patrick Vineyards and have them send you a bottle of each.  Don’t forget the Rose!  Like I said, the Naked Chardonnay is under eight bucks, usually, and the Rose is $11 while the Rock Island Red will pull $18 from your money clip. 

I really don’t care how you do it, just do it.  These guys are trying to make a good wine for inexpensive and I, for one, am liking the results.

I want to thank all of the people who have become fans of wine on Facebook (or have now “liked” wine on Facebook).  I can’t tell you how thankful I am that you take the time to read this simple little wine blog and have taken the energy to join wine on Facebook.  I hope that you continue to enjoy my scribes here at General Wine Thoughts.  I am toying with the idea of changing the name to something more catchy, more hip, more….more something I don’t really know.  

Any suggestions?  Any comments?  Please don’t hesitate to click on “comments” at the bottom of this post.  Until next time, keep it real, keep the beat and BOTTOMS UP!

Open That Bottle Night 2010

  • Posted on February 28, 2010 at 11:22 pm
We are enjoying a 2007 Maryhill Columbia Valley Chardonnay while sitting on folding chairs and using a step stool as a table!

We are enjoying a 2007 Maryhill Columbia Valley Chardonnay while sitting on folding chairs and using a step stool as a table!

Open That Bottle Night 2010 came and went without much fanfare, last night, just as last year did.  This year, however, we were back at home in North Idaho instead of Ogden, Utah. 

As you may, or may not, know, Open That Bottle Night, or OTBN, is the night you force yourself to open that “once in a lifetime” bottle of wine because if you didn’t, it may never get opened.  We save that special bottle for that special time and for some reason that special time never seems to be quite special enough.  So the bottle sits.  And sits.  And sits. 

“How ’bout THIS anniversary, honey?” 

“Ummmm, no.  Not quite important enough.”

And sits.  And sits.

“How ’bout the birth of our 14th child, baby?”

“Ummmmmm, nope.  Close, but STILL not quite important enough to open THAT bottle!”

And sits.  Until, it has sat too long.  Way too long!

That is why John Brecher and Dorothy (Dottie) Gaitor coined this once a year event, in their Wall Street Journal’s ”Tastings” column, that falls on the last Saturday of each February so that we could at least open a very special bottle before it had a chance to get over the hill, so to speak.  And this was the eleventh year of the event and it has gone viral globally!  It was all a-twitter on Twitter last night with the question, “What are YOU opening for OTBN tonight?”

Two years ago we had a little soiree at our place with a small group of friends and opened some very special wines.  One of them was a 1981 Chateau St. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon.  It wasn’t very good.  It was either over the hill or just not kept correctly over the years as it was just bad.

But the experience was good.  That was the year we unvailed our cork catcher as I had just finished it a couple of days prior.  Last year we were on our own in Utah where we opened a Sancerre. 

So, what did WE open for that OTBN last night?  Good question.

This year we started out the evening with a 2007 Maryhill Chardonnay.  AND, it marked the first night of the year we enjoyed a glass of wine outside while throwing the ball to the dogs.  Last year we had snow in the back yard until April but this year it’s almost gone.  The sun was out so it made for a beautiful setting but once the sun set it got chilly really fast.  We even fed the fish in our pond for the first time this year on this eventful evening.  I drug out a couple of folding chairs because all of the patio chairs are inside for the winter, and we used a step stool as a table (see photo).

Maryhill has continually impressed me with their quality juice.  A couple of weeks ago we had a Maryhill  Sangiovese and it was very good.  We’re not really Sangiovese fans but this one was something we enjoyed.  We always enjoy their vitners blend.  But last night we opened a 2007 Columbia Valley Chardonnay, from Maryhill Winery.  It had a light toasty finish that continued to linger.  Very nice.  It wasn’t at all over oaked. 

Then, with dinner, we had a choice to make between a Cotes du Ventoux or a 2005 dArry’s Original Shiraz/Grenache from d’Arenberg in Australia and we chose the latter.

Shelley has a fondness for McLaren Vale Shiraz so we chose this one because of that.  We had T-Bone steaks (we usually have rib eye steaks) and they were scrumptious.  The only problem was that I THOUGHT it was a 100% Shiraz we were drinking (because I inadvertently FORGOT to look at the entire label!) but instead was a 50/50 Shirza/Grenache.  My bad.

Well, it started out rather tight but opened up in due time to a VERY berry nose and a chewy, jammy taste!  It paired very well with the steaks and by the end of the night my stomache was full and my heart was happy.

If you happened to enjoy your OWN Open That Bottle Night will you please comment here so that I know what YOU had to drink?  Thank you for reading and, as always, bottoms up!

Taste Washington-Spokane 2009!

  • Posted on October 6, 2009 at 6:57 pm

This is our third year volunteering at Taste Washington-Spokane, where over one hundred Washington wineries get together with many restaurants and have a big ol’ tasting.  It was held on June 21st at the Davenport Hotel in Spokane, Washington.  They have an event in Seattle, as well, usually a couple of months before the Spokane event and that one brings so many people, I’ve heard complaints about how you can’t even get around.

Now, I understand that this post won’t be highly relevant but it’s important for me to document this event as it was even better than the previous years that we’ve volunteered.  One reason is that we have more knowledge about wine than we did a few years back.  With that comes confidence which cannot be overstated.

I HAVE been trying to write about this for about three months.  There are so many things to say I start getting overwhelmed and then just “put it off” for another day.  Well, as the song goes, “that day has come” (if it’s not a song, it should be).

Like last year, we worked the White Out Bar, which boasts about 20-25 white wines that go very well with seafood and shell fish.  The Taste Washington organizers placed the White Out Bar right next to an oyster bar ran by Anthony’s At Spokane Falls, a top of the line Seafood Restaurant, one of the finest in the state.  Making it to the oyster bar is high on the list of most of the people who go to Taste Washington so we are naturally the next stop for them, giving us many opportunities to meet people.

I can’t mention ALL of the wines we tasted, as it was well over 20 for me and about 10-15 for Shelley.  I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this but I don’t often spit when tasting wine.  Shelley will at times but not me.  I just can’t bring myself to do it. 

We noticed none of the Sauvignon Blancs that were poured at the White Out Bar had grassy notes like you find in the Australian and New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs.  That was interesting.  Ahead are some highlights of the wine that ambled past my lips and down my throat at Taste Washington Spokane.

I found a 2007 Chardonnay from Saint Laurent Estate Winery that was very good.  It had subtle oak notes on the nose and a caramel finish on the back of the tongue.  Very tasty.  My Taste Washington program states you can get this Chardonnay for about $15 which is a great value, in my opinion.

Our old friend from San Juan Vineyards made our acquaintance once again, Madeleine Angevine.  As we try to be objective while pouring at the White Out Bar unless asked of our opinion, I still found myself pushing this somewhat unknown white wine.  Virutually everyone that tried it enjoyed it.  After doing some research on that varietal I found that it is from the Loire Valley in France and is found in Germany, the United Kingdom and (how ironic) Washington State, where it is developing a cult following. 

I also tasted a Merlot from San Juan Vineyards that was delicious with chocolate cake on the nose and a boatload of personality.  (I’m writing this in the afternoon but I find that I really would like a glass of that San Juan Vineyards Merlot right now!)  The Madeleine Angevine runs about 17 bucks a bottle and you can expect to pay around $23 for the Merlot.

Another one that stood out was a 2005 Matthews Estate Red Wine from the Columbia Valley, which was a Bordeaux Blend.  It went perfect with the chocolate fondue I was pairing with it.  Another red that caught my attention, also from the Columbia Valley, was from William Church Winery, their 2006 Bishops Blend.  At $19, a true bargain!  Barrister Winery poured a 2007 Cabernet Franc, ALSO from the Columbia Valley, that was delicious.  It had a wonderuful nose, quite peppery, and their were certainly some tannins as well.

I could go on about wines that I tasted from Dunham Cellars, Coyote Canyon, Barnard Griffin, DiSteffano Winery, Basel Cellars Estate Winery, Vin Du Lac, Whitman Cellars and so on but it would be much of the same thing:  Great, great, great! 

Suffice it to say, this is something we hope to do every year in June as it is absolutely one of the highlights to our year.  We don’t pay the $75.00 admission fee, work for 2-3 hours pouring wines that pair well with seafood and then get to talk to aLOT of people who make wine, love wine and are wine.  It’s so much fun.  Oh yeah, we help break down for an hour or so afterwards.

So, if you are around the Spokane area June 6th or the Seattle area March 27th and 28th of this year, make a point of dropping the cash and see for yourself the quality of wine being made in Washington State. 

Until next time, bottoms up and thanks for reading!

A Lovely Taste of Townshend

  • Posted on May 6, 2009 at 6:28 pm

Right off the bat I want to thank all those new General Wine Thoughts subscribers.  If you’re one of them, and you know who you are, I hope you will enjoy the casual talk of wine.  My goal is to teach people from the ground up, from square one, from the beginning about wine.  People often are intimidated when discussing wine and, although there is certainly a lot to learn about wine, you can still have a broad understanding of the different varietals and what to look for.  I will be covering this as well as other opinions and, well, thoughts, during the coming months but I WILL go slow.  Hey, I have my whole life to explain this stuff!

Now, about White Table Wine, Syrah and Viognier!

One of the many incredibly fun things about enjoying wine is meeting so many great people that share the same passion for wine.  As I found myself around the Green Bluff area just North of Spokane, Washington, I felt compelled to stop by the tasting room of an old friend, Townshend Cellar.  It seems like where ever I see Townshend Cellar set up (Taste Washington, Food Services of America events, etc…) I see Jill Rider.  Her Business card says she is the Director of Sales and Marketing for the winery but she is also the General Manager and manages the tasting room and winery events and she does a stellar job, from what I can see.  Really, what DOESN’T she do?  The last time we were there it was myself, Shelley, her dad, Lloyd, and our newest pup, Izzie (see the last post for pictures of all!).

In fact, while visiting with Jill during this “out of the blue” stop, the winemaker, Don Townshend, called her to let her know he had just returned from his trip to Italy.  Undoubtedly, a wine driven trip to be sure.  The story of Townshend is refreshing.  Don debated for years on whether or not he should make wine.  Having never made wine he took the leap of faith after attempting a Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in 1995, bottling them in 1998 and realizing they tasted as good or better than some of the best California and Washington wines.

Now, Townshend Cellar makes about 10,ooo cases of wine a year and offers around 20 different wines for their customers to choose from.  Their most popular wine is probably their T3 which is a non-vintage Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.  I see this wine on many restaurants’ wine lists and we have a bottle of that in our cellar, as well as their Vortex, 2002 Late Harvest Merlot and 2005 Syrah (which I just purchased when I was there). 

The other night we opened their White Table Wine which consists of Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Chardonnay.  For a price of under $11 you can’t really go wrong.  It was very crisp from the first sip.  Shelley tasted the Viognier right away and thought there may be too much of it.  She thought it was syrupy and slightly metallic.  I noticed there was a tartness to it right at the back of the tongue.  We also noticed hints of apples and apricots on the nose and I also tasted the apricots.  I was captured by the legs on this wine–the wine just seemed to cling onto my glass! 

All in all, we enjoyed this White Table Wine.  They also make a Red Table Wine.  In the never ending quest of coming up with labels that will catch the eye of the consumer the labels on these wines simply have a white table and red table, respectively.  Simple, to the point and catchy.

As for their Syrah–I bought the recently released 2005 while I was there but we already owned a bottle of the 2004 from our last trip to Townshend and we chose to open that.  We drank this with barbequed ribs which was quite tasty.  Since we had a half bottle left over we had that with steak the following night and it was even better!  It is almost entirely Syrah with only 4% Merlot and it’s from Washingtons Columbia Valley.  Very rich.

Shelly exclaimed, “It’s SO PURPLE!” as I poured her a glass.  True, it is very dark.  Right away there was alcohol on the nose but as it opened up the alcohol went away and was replaced with raspberries and pepper.  I thought it was very soft with good mouthfeel.  It paired well with the ribs but was outstanding with the steak.

The following night we completed the Townshend trifecta with their 2007 Viognier.  I remember tasting this at the tasting room and thinking it was quite sweet.  When we opened the bottle it wasn’t AS sweet but SO much fruit on the nose.  This is a wine that would be wonderful on a hot summers day or with some oysters. 

Townshend has made a name for itself with its quality juice and have only ten years making wine.  Just think what another ten years will do for them.  Why don’t you pick up a bottle of something from Townshend Cellar and try it for yourself.

Until then, bottoms up and ENJOY!

CMS? Complete Meaning Surfaced

  • Posted on March 25, 2009 at 9:00 pm

As we come to the end of the Ultimate Blog Party 2009 I have to say how impressed I am with the success of it.  Up until March 20th I had had NO comments on this General Wine Thoughts site.  Since then I’ve had over ten comments and they’re still coming in and they’re all SO positive!  Thank you to everyone who stopped by and for your wonderful comments and I have myself visited some great blogs from other people.

 

Today I am going to write about a couple of other wines from one winery that are reasonably priced (no, not under $3.00!) and worth a try.  You may have already tried them.  I’m talking about the CMS wines of Hedges Family Estate. 

 

With the popularity of wine on the steep climb upwards, the competition can become very fierce for the consumer dollar.  Winery’s try to come up with clever ways of marketing their wine so that it catches the eye of the consumer:  Animals on the labels, play on words—all sorts of things.  They also come up with catchy names and that is what Hedges Family Estates has done with their CMS. 

 

The white CMS is 35% Chardonnay, 3% Marsanne and 62% Sauvignon Blanc and it’s pretty good.  Smooth and creamy, this white wine is about 13 bucks in the store.  It’s an interesting combination of grape varietals that seem to work, though I remember this wine tasting better the first go around than it did this go around, which is the 2007 version.  There is some mango on the mid tongue that is nice but an awkward finish.  The down side is that there is virtually no nose on this wine, which I miss because I REALLY like a wine with a great nose.  All in all, however, it’s a wine to try, to be sure.

 

Then I opened their red CMS and, well, this is a GREAT deal!  While watching American Idol I enjoyed the 2007 CMS which is 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 51% Merlot and 7% Syrah and it really is a great value at about ten bucks a bottle.  The nose has a hint of smoky-ness to it but you get some alcohol as well.  The taste is the result of a really nice combination of the grape varietals Hedges has chosen with some blueberry, bing and black cherry.  I actually tasted the Cabernet Sauvignon more than the other varietals.  Friends of mine, Lin and Marci Cooper, served this at their Christmas party about three years ago and I was very impressed then and it hasn’t depreciated now.

 

If you had to choose between the two I would go with the red CMS because it’s less money and, in my opinion, better tasting.  But both are worthy.

 

On the last post I promised to tell you about the toast Shelley and I do on EACH and EVERY bottle of wine we open.  You’ve read about the Tastings column found in the Wall Street Journal that I read on Friday’s from Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher and how they have come up with Open That Bottle Night which is designed to get people to open that one bottle of wine that never seems to get opened because the situation doesn’t seem to be big enough (See my post about Open That Bottle Night).  We first learned of these two from their book, “Love By The Glass:  Tasting Notes From A Marriage”.  If you asked me to recommend just one book I would say READ THIS ONE!  This book is absolutely awesome!  Romance and wine rolled into one!

 

Anyway, John and Dottie toast every bottle that they open with the same toast.  Read the book to find out what THAT is but OUR toast is our own.  I look into Shelley’s eyes and say, “To your giggles” and she looks right at me, and says, “To your kisses.  (Hey, I can’t help it that I kiss well.)  THAT is the toast we make with each and every bottle of wine we open whether we’ve had it before or not.  We even have it etched in the base of our glasses.  Hers says TYK and mine says TYG.  Dumb?  Maybe, but it works for us because we are in love and we enjoy each other and our wine.  And we know that what ever we go through in life we will always have each other and our wine.  And everyone should know that feeling. 

 

Until next time, bottoms up.

Ultimate Blog Party 2009 and Affordable (Decent) Wine

  • Posted on March 20, 2009 at 11:28 am

OK, well, I’ve been thrown for a loop…TWICE!  Pull up a chair and get comfortable–this is a long one.

Loop Throwing #1:

I was just making the finishing touches on this post when it was brought to my attention a HUGE one week BASH of a party!  From two twin sisters who started the site Five Minutes For Mom, comes the Ultimate Blog Party 2009 which is about building online friendships and relationships and it starts TODAY and runs until the 27th.

It’s very simple to join the fun (if I could do it ANYbody can!) and there are lots of ways you can get involved–from simply reading their post, to publishing your own party post on your blog (which is what I’m doing right NOW and you’re a part of it!) and signing one of the Mr. Linky link lists near the end of their post.  There are even prizes!  I LOVE prizes!  There are so many cool prizes to be won at this years Ultimate Blog Party 2009 but my top three are:

#70  One case of Cinnamon Churros (yum) provided by Rudolph Foods; #89  $100 Gift Card to HomeGoods provided by HG Openhouse; #119  2 Life Journals (one for me and one for a friend) to guide Bible reading and study provided by Mom’s Toolbox.

And if these top three picks are already chosen, I’d love any of the following:  19, 21, 22, 26 and 91 or anything related to young women as my daughters are 16 and 19.

There will be so many new relationships built after this week of blogging frenzy.  I’ve put a cute little Ultimate Blog Party 2009 button on the left just above my blog roll.

Now I know this site and this party is basically for Mom’s but they make it very clear that Dad’s, and anybody else, for that matter, can join.  So, for my party post, I’m sticking with what this site is dedicated to doing and that is teaching people about wine from the ground up.  As I’ve stated before, I, Phil Anderson, am certainly no wine expert but I do love wine and am enjoying learning as much as possible about it.  As the subject of wine can seem very intimidating to people, my goal is to teach about wine in very simple terms.

I know Mom’s (as well as Dad’s) around the globe work very hard in raising children so that they’ll become an integral part of society.  I myself am a father and I’m very proud of my daughters.  I know at the end of the day a little peace and solitude (sometimes VERY little) is sought and when that time comes it can really help to have it include a nice glass of wine.

So today’s post is about a wine that I feel can be a great everyday wine.  As we read and hear about seemingly every hour of every day, household budgets have taken a hit so people have had to find ways of trimming their  costs.  So how do you trim your wine cost without effecting quality?

That brings me to my–

Loop Throwing #2:

You know when you buy a very inexpensive bottle of wine just so that you can enjoy something at some point of the evening?  You don’t need to break the bank and you can’t just coninue to drop 10-20 bucks for a bottle of wine every night.  It’s not financially prudent.  So you go for something under ten bucks…ok, sometimes even under FIVE bucks.

Everyone (well, most people who drink wine, anyway) has heard of Two Buck Chuck, Charles Shaw Winery’s low end, “everyday” wine.  We tried that and weren’ t very impressed.  The Chardonnay was flat and the Merlot sweet.

So, while shopping at Walmart (I know, I know, but don’t get politically correct on me, now), Shelley saw an Oak Leaf Vineyards Chardonnay and Merlot for, get this, $2.97 each.  Suffice it to say, we weren’t expecting ANYTHING, let alone, nothing much.

We opened the bottle of Chardonnay, poured, toasted (stay tuned for what our tratitional daily toast is and how it came to be in the next General Wine Thoughts post) and tasted.  What came next was, well surprising, to say the least.  It tasted pretty good!

The Chardonnay had very little, if any, oak and it was crisp and clean.  Most inexpensive Chardonnay’s have an off smell followed by an off taste which leads to an off opinion.  This had a hint of on off smell, just at the finish, but was rather pleasant.

The Merlot was not quite as good, but still, not bad at all.  Not much of anything on the nose.  You expect some rich berries when you smell a Merlot.  The taste was also pleasant.

The label didn’t give much information about Oak Leaf Vineyards except that they’re located in Ripon and Livermore (two cities?), California.  I did find out that they brought home the Gold at the 2008 Florida State Fair.  Both of these wines were non-vintage so they can use grapes from many vintages.  That also means the wine will likely be very consistent.

To end this post, I would like to encourage you to pick up a botttle of one of these Oak Leaf Vineyards wines at your local Walmart and give it a go.  I think you’ll be surprised.  And if nothing else, it will give you a little “me” time after giving so much of “your” time, although deserving, to your kids.

Four Wines in Three Nights

  • Posted on January 31, 2009 at 12:20 pm
2004 Pieropan Soave Classico

2004 Pieropan Soave Classico

Happy Saturday! Welcome to another posting of my “General Wine Thoughts”. Fun stuff, huh?
We’ve had some interesting wine the past couple of nights. Last night we had a wonderful roast for dinner and opened a 2005 Winemaker’s Blend from Maryhill Winery. Maryhill is located in the, as they state, “world renowned”, scenic Columbia River Gorge in South Central Washington State. We’ve enjoyed this particular wine quite a bit because we had the honor of being able to take home a couple of bottles after we helped with Taste Washington last June in Spokane, Washington. We’ve come to understand the benefits of helping to break down the event afterwards.

This red wine is comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Franc and went quite well with the roast beef. This particular blend always seems to have quite a few tannins but it has a rich, full nose and a lovely taste.

We opened the evening with a 2004 Pieropan Soave Classico from Italy (pictured). I couldn’t find out what was used in this particular vintage white table wine but the 2005 had 90% Garganega and 10% Trebbiano. I understand that this winery uses Garganega for their Soave Classico. It reminded me of Chardonnay in its look and taste. It was quite smooth and had a subtle flowery nose.

The night before that we had broiled steaks, a staple in our house. We had a 2006 Stephen’s Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon. I thought this wine was rather weak, to tell you the truth. I was really needing a big Cab to go with this steak and it really didn’t live up to that expectation. Hey, you win some and you lose some, yes? Anyway, Stephens Ridge is located in Santa Rosa, California and this is the first time we tried this winery.

Tonight we just finished a 2007 Chardonnay from Snoqualmie Vineyards, also, from the Columbia Valley in Washington. Actually we didn’t expect a lot from this wine as it was quite inexpensive but it was rather surprising. Usually the nose on a cheap white wine is of a dirty laundry hamper but this had nothing of the like. Light, fresh and surprisingly, not too much oak, which I’ve found is another consistent trait of cheap wine.

Since the next posting will likely be after the Super Bowl here is my prediction that you all have likely been on the edge of your seat waiting to hear. It will be a close game and I think the Arizona Cardinals will put a bow on their Cinderella story by upsetting the Steelers 23-17.

There you have it. Another post in the books and THIS one with an actual picture! Keep a lookout for the next one as I’m going to show you the Cork Catcher I made to catch all the corks from the wine we drink. It’s very unique and an eye catcher.

Till then, bottoms up!

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