Posts tagged with 'General Wine Thoughts'

Drinking The Nectar Never Felt So Good

  • Posted on January 20, 2011 at 10:31 pm

by Phil Anderson
This is the fifth in a series of articles aimed at acknowledging the importance of local wine bars and shops.  Every decent city has them!  Right?

The last submission I highlighted a small little Deli in Hayden, Idaho which is stocked full of quality wines but lacking in web presence.  THIS will be the exact opposite.  Well, not TOTALLY opposite. 

Josh Wade knew what his target was when he started tweeting on Twitter and providing his status updates on Facebook.  His goal was to get a strong enough following so that he could open his very own wine bar in Spokane, Washington.  So, Josh tweeted, updated and posted, and then did it some more…and some more….and then he threw in some interviews and then tweeted and updated and blogged some more. 

A couple of weeks ago was the culmination of months upon months of hard work and perseverance and the net result was the grand opening of Nectar Tasting Room, a calculated spin-off of his wine blog of the same name.  Josh HAS the quality AND he has the web presence.

By Definition Nectar means, ”the life-giving drink of the gods”, which I rather like.  If that’s too esoteric for you, then simply understand that Nectar means, “any delicious drink”.  And that is what Josh is serving up, delicious drinks, the Nectar, if you will!

I had a chance to visit Nectar Tasting Room recently and discovered 30 wines by the glass offered ALL of the time.  If somebody would like to try one of the 30 wines and the bottle is not open, then open it shall become.  To keep track of all these wines by the glass you simply have to look at the menu…which is an iPad.  There are four of them there.  Social media started this so why not continue to use technology to the fullest!  The room is a decent size and it’s clean and contemporary.

The 30 different wines are produced by five different wineries including, Anelare Winery, Hard Row to Hoe, Northwest Cellars, Skylite Cellars and Terra Blanca, all Washington wines.

I tasted five wines, one from each of the wineries.  I had a non-vintage Pinot Noir from Hard Row to Hoe, a Northwest Cellars 2005 Merlot, a 2008  Skylite Cellars Rosé from Sangiovese, a 2007 Syrah from Anelare and a 2008 Late Harvest Chenin Blanc from Terra Blanca.

All had their pros and cons, as is typical when wine tasting, but my top two were the Rosé from Skylite and the Late Harvest Chenin Blanc from Terra Blanca.  The Rose was certainly a European style with a mustiness on the nose that included prunes and raisins.  It was absolutely delicious!  Not as crisp as some Rosé’s tend to be.  The Late Harvest Chenin Blanc had a delightful blend of peaches and flowers on the nose and it was VERY tasty. 

To open a business in this economical climate, no less, a wine bar, is a risky venture to say the least.  The location seems to be in a good place so hopefully Nectar Tasting Room can sustain a healthy business until the Summer rolls around when it will be a little easier.  If you are in the Spokane area you should really try to make it over to Nectar Tasting Room.

As per tradition it is time to make some predictions for this weeks NFL Conference Championship games.  By DEFAULT, I pick the Jets to defeat the Steelers.  I can’t stand the Steelers and their quarterback, in my humble opinion, is overrated.  How ’bout, 23-14.  Gary Vaynerchuck will be pleased I’m choosing the Jets as well.  If you watch ANY of his epidodes, you know he’s an obnoxious Jets fan that hopes to someday own that team.  Oh, obnoxious in a GOOD way, Gary. 

On the other end, how can you NOT pick the Packers over da Bears?  Rogers is playing out of his mind and they are on a major roll, plus the Bears just up-ended my Seahawks, so still not too happy with them.  The score will be 30-17.  There you have it, the Jets versus the Packers in the Super Bowl in Dallas in 17 days.

I will write before THAT however to give you my Super Bowl prediction.  Until then, thank you SO much for reading and bottoms UP!

The Definition Of Local Wine Bar is Daanen’s Delicatessen

  • Posted on January 13, 2011 at 2:30 pm

by Phil Anderson
This is the fourth of a small series of articles aimed at acknowledging the importance of local wine bars and shops.  Every decent city has them!

And Hayden, Idaho, is most definitely a decent city, because they have a number of great little wine bars, one of them being Daanen’s Delicatessen.  Daanen’s is a small little deli that focuses on quality if not quantity.  Their selection of meats and cheeses is top notch and they serve great micro-brews on tap.  My friend, Ashley Routson would be in heaven with these beers! 

But this isn’t a stinkin’ beer blog, it’s a WINE blog, and wine is what we’re GOING to talk about.  Mark Daanen and his wife, Irene are the owners of Daanen’s Delicatessen.  I have only had the opportunity of meeting Mark in person, as he’s there virtually everytime I stop by.  The one time he wasn’t there, I was told he was in France, undoubtedly honing his wine knowledge. 

And knowledgable he is.

Mark is a wealth of wine information, which I consider a must for anybody running a wine shop.  He carries a great variety of different wines in which to choose from, from all over the world, just not many of any one type, as his shelf space is very limited. 

On Friday nights, Daanen’s has a wine tasting where Mark puts together three different wines to sample, usually for a nominal fee.  I had the privilege of attending one of these tastings about a month ago.  Daanen’s used to give you the three tastings in one glass and Mark, who usually is pouring, had to remember which wine you were on for many people at one time.  Now, you get three pours all at once served on a very clever little rack that holds all three glasses.  With this you also get a card that provides the wine you’re sampling along with tasting notes and other information.  The glasses are positioned in a way that coincide with the wines on the card so you know which one you’re drinking.  I LOVE this!  Did I get a picture of this?  NO!  Stupid, stupid, STUPID! 

But I will!  Watch for it on my Facebook page and you’ll see a picture of it next time I’m there!

The wines I tried this particular night were from Cline Cellars out of California.  Cline has a reputation for making good wine at reasonable prices.  Finding a bottle of wine from Cline Cellars in the store is usually not too difficult.  Originally Cline Cellars was in Oakley, California but moved to the cooler Carneros region in Sonoma County in 1991 where they now specialize in producing Zinfandel and Rhone varietals.

I tell you this because the first wine I tasted was called Oakley Five Reds, a little shout out to where they started.  This wine was my favorite of the night and it was also the least expensive, selling for under $14 a bottle!  It is a blend that includes Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Mourvedre (I know, what a jip, only FOUR reds!).  I found it a bit dirty on the nose with hints of dark raspberry.  I ordered meatloaf off of their bar menu for dinner and it was even BETTER with the meatloaf!  The vintage of this blend was 2008.

The other two wines were Cline Cellars’ 2009 Cashmere and their 100% Zinfandel. 

The Cashmere is also a blend, including Mourvedre, Grenache and Syrah in the mix.  On the nose there was a slight smell of seafood.  This also got better with the meatloaf but for the most part non descript.  The Zinfandel I probably shouldn’t write about because it didn’t do anything to turn my wheels.  This had no nose and had a bit of a bite on the finish.  After a little time it DID open up but it was wound pretty tight so that was somewhat expected.  Surprisingly, this didn’t change at all with the meatloaf.

Wine and food pairings are a whole new world of wine tasting for me that I can’t wait to get into more.  If you love wine and love good food, pairing the two perfectly is almost indescribable it’s so good.  In future posts I will talk more about that and the experience I had in June involving Jeffrey Saad, who is the host of the Cooking Channel’s newest show United Tastes of America.

If you have a chance to stop by Daanen’s Delicatessen in North Idaho, I would suggest you do.  Make it on a Friday night when you can sample some wine and hopefully listen to some music at the same time (the night I was there the band cancelled–bummer).

Until next time, thank you for reading and bottoms UP!

West Seattle Cellars Is “Bearish” On Their Wines

  • Posted on December 17, 2010 at 11:27 pm

Bearish In A GOOD Way!

by Phil Anderson
The very first wine shop I think I ever went into, other than The Wine Exchange, in Southern California, was West Seattle Cellars, in West Seattle (obviously).  It was a small little shop and the first person I met was Bear Silverstein.  A gruffish looking character (ok, bearish) I remember wondering, at the time, just how much this guy knows about wine. 

All it took was his perfect (at least to my ears) pronunciation of a French wine to get my attention.  Turns out he was one of the three partners.  I found myself going into the shop anytime I could and was never disappointed.  My wine budget wasn’t much at the time so I enjoyed their “under $10″ bins.

This is the third of a small series of articles aimed at acknowledging the importance of local wine bars and shops.  Every decent city has them!

West Seattle Cellars has been serving West Seattle since 1995 when the shop opened in a little house on California, near the Morgan Street Junction. Bear Silverstein, Tom DiStefano, and Jan Martindale, bought the shop in 2000 and it has continued to grow:  in 2005 they expanded into a new building adjacent to the original shop. The new space has given them more room, including a second floor loft where they hold classes and special events and which is available for rental.

Recently I had an opportunity to experience that second floor when I participated in a Champagne tasting.  West Seattle Cellars doens’t charge for their tastings so it was an added bonus to taste some boutique Champagne for no out of pocket cost.  Two distributors were there pouring seven different wines ranging from $40-$52.

On this night, none of them knocked my socks off, but that could be because I’m not used to drinking actual Champagne.  Most had a pungent  nose, which is typical.  There were three that stood out from the rest of the pack.  Of those three, one was at the $40 price point, the Laherte Freres Brut Tradition, which I found to have a lot of licorice on the nose and was floral on the front end.  The finish wasn’t long, however, so it was kind of a tease. 

Then there was the one that was VERY fizzy.  I mean VERY fizzy!  It  was the Marc Chauvet Brut Selection that caught me off guard because there was basically NO nose then POW, the fizz punches you right in the face.

I have another column to write about a small little wine shop and deli in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, but I wanted to write this one first because today is Bear Silverstein’s birthday.  He passed away earlier this year from health complications and the wine community took a major hit and is still reeling.  This is the reason for the title of this column.

Tom and Jan have done well holding down the shop during this very tumultuous year and they were both there the night of the Champagne tasting.  If you’re ever in West Seattle, I would suggest popping into West Seattle Cellars and saying “hello”. 

Remember you can follow me on Twitter and I also have a Fan Page on Facebook, that is gaining some steam, that you can “like”.  And, as usual, thank you so much for reading, have a wonderful holiday season and bottoms up!

Young Servers at Restaurants Serving Wine

  • Posted on October 20, 2010 at 6:09 pm

by Phil Anderson
This will be my shortest post ever but I REALLY have to write something about this.  My daughter, who is going to college in Southern California, is working at an upper end restaurant.  She loves it and is both happy and excited to have this job.  The people are great, the food is great and the tips are great.  AND she is learning about wine!

One little problem….

She’s not yet 21!  “Why is that a problem”, you ask?  Thank you for asking.  This is why:

The restaurant expects her to know the intimate details of the wine she is serving so that she can answer the questions from her guests.  That is all well and good but, honestly, the same wine can taste completely differently to two different people.  Now she’s supposed to answer as an expert when she hasn’t even TASTED these wines?

I love it that young people are learning about the nuances of wine rather than just drinking to get hammered.  In Europe, it’s common for young people to learn about and enjoy wine at home.  I also find it rather interesting that the alcoholic rate is less in Europe than it is in the United States. 

BUT, I digress…

This particular restaurant is grading my daughter on her knowledge of these wines based on her memorizing the tasting notes given to her and the research she does.  Again, it’s great that there is time and effort put in but most, or even ALL, of her opinions on the wines could change when she turns 21 in three weeks.

She keeps calling me asking me specific questions about wines that they carry but wines that I haven’t yet tried.  Even if I DID try them my common response would be, “I don’t know, what do YOU get from this wine?”

SO, I have questions for you.  Is this common practice in upper end restaurants?  As a guest of a restaurant, is it acceptable to have a server recite, verbatim, what they’ve read about a particular wine?  What do you think is the right way for a server, that is not of the legal drinking age, to learn about wine?  Maybe we could have an industry drinking standard that is different than the general law regarding drinking age for people to learn about wine by TASTING it.  Am I all wrong about this?

To be fair, my daughter has told me she gets to attend a tasting at this restaurant but will have to spit.  PERFECT!  Most people who taste a lot of wine spit anyways!  Why can’t THAT be the norm?

As always, thank you for reading and for letting me vent about this.  And don’t forget to join my fan page on Facebook if you “like” drinking wine or Tweet me up on Twitter!

Until next time, bottoms up!

And Now For Something Completely Different

  • Posted on October 2, 2010 at 12:31 pm

By Phil Anderson
Go figure, I’m going to write about some general wine thoughts, for a change!  WooooHoooo!  Now that IS different!  I’m going to do this fast, as the sun is out and it’s suppose to be 80+ degrees today.

I want to, again, thank ALL of our new subscribers!  I’m just so grateful that you like this column enough to want to read more.  Thank you!

We’ve had the pleasure, recently, of having some really good, inexpensive wine and I wanted to let you know about them. 

The first one is Principato from Italy.  From what I’ve been told this is the wine that is served at The Olive Garden.  It is much like a Beaujolais, which uses the Gamay grape, in terms of drinkability.  The Principato uses a blend of three different varietals, ones that I’m not at all familiar with:  Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara.  The beauty of this red gem is that it runs about $11 …and that’s for a magnum!  That’s right, two bottles in one for around 11 bucks!

This wine goes with all kinds of food, like, spaghetti, meatloaf, cheeseburgers and pizza.  Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Another wine we tried is called Elvio Tintero Grangia and it blends two white varietals, Mascato and Vermentino, 10% and 90% respectively.  This is such a great, refreshing summer wine (I know, summer is over and we’re into Fall now, but still).  It’s crisp and citrusy, with hints of lemon.  It also runs about the same as the Principato and if you can find it it’s worth a go.

I am going to try some new things in the next few weeks with this column.  I’m going to try and involve some other people whether it be a guest post or sample video blogs.  The first one I will do will involve the importance of storing your wine correctly.  Let me know what you think, please?

And lastly, tonight will be a very fun night as I got some small little oysters to grill for our last hoo-ha of the summer.  It’s supposed to be warm (remember, I need to get out there like NOW!) and I’ve got a bottle of Madeleine Angevine to go with the oysters.  I will write about that tomorrow so that you’ll know how it went.

Keep in mind, you can always reach me by commenting on this or any other blog post or write me at drinkingwine@generalwinethoughts.com.   Also, check out our Drinking Wine on Facebook page!   And if you don’t like ANY of those options (you must be high maintenance!) check out my page on Twitter.  If you can’t handle that either, I don’t know what to tell you.  Lean out your window and yell really loud and I MIGHT hear you.  But probably not.  : )

Other than that, thank you for reading and bottoms up!

Alexandria Nicole Cellars Is A Rock Star

  • Posted on September 24, 2010 at 11:05 am

By Phil Anderson
To open up I want to welcome all of the new subscribers to this little wine blog!  It’s been at an average of 1-2 a day for the past 2-3 months that people are signing up!  I’m blown away how many people have signed up and I am very grateful that you want to read more of my scribes enough to sign up.  (I guess I should start writing more!)  So, a BIG thank you to ALL of you! 

Also we have so many more people that seem to like “Drinking Wine” on Facebook.  I’m very much enjoying the interaction with those folks as well.  And, as always, if you want to write to me about anything, including wine, drop me a line at drinkingwine@generalwinethoughts.com. 

Recently I was in Seattle for my cousin’s wedding (sounds like a title of a movie, huh?).  The wedding was held at Salty’s on Alki in West Seattle (beautiful view of Elliott Bay and the city of Seattle) on Friday and there was a barbeque near (the hot new wine town of) Woodinville on Saturday.

I had an hour or two to kill before the barbeque on Saturday so I ventured out to find a bottle of Madeleine Angevine which I cannot, for the life of me, find in North Idaho.  On this particular trip it wasn’t any easier to find in Seattle (I ended up just ordering a couple of bottles directly from the winery!) but I DID happen to find a new little wine shop in the heart of the West Seattle Junction called Bin 41.

I was impressed right as I walked in as one of the owners, Jon, greeted me with a friendly smile.  I walked away with a few bottles (of course) and two of them were from Alexandrea Nicole Cellars which was the last stop on the way back from the Wine Bloggers Conference in Walla Walla a few months ago (can you believe it’s already been three months since the conference?!?)

Jarrod Boyle (R), CEO and winemaker at Alexandria Nicole Cellars and I during a recent visit to their tasting room. I'm holding a bottle of their 2007 Jet Black Syrah.

What I’ve noticed in the wine industry is that most everyone is so very friendly.  Jarrod Boyle, the founder, CEO and winemaker at Alexandria Nicole, is no exception.  He welcomed in our group with open arms.  We tasted almost everything that was available in their tasting room and then he slid back a bookshelf, which was really a secret door, to reveal a special room for their wine club members.  After a few more tastes we were ushered into yet another room for an exquisite lunch with even more wine.

Alexandria Nicole Cellars is named after Jarrods wife, Ali, who also joined us for lunch that day.  A true family affair wrapped in grace and quality!  Before we left, Jarrod offered each of us a bottle of our choice to bring back home.  I chose the 2007 Rock Star Red which is a very exclusive wine comprised of 50% Grenache, 44% Syrah and 6% Counoise.

The name comes from three people who contribute in putting this blend together, who happen to all be rock stars in their industry:
Jeffrey Dorgan has been the Sommelier at the Space Needle in Seattle for 19 years;
Dan McCarthy has been a partner at Seattle’s McCarthy and Schiering Wine Merchants for 25 years;
Eric Degerman is the managing editor, wine judge and restaurant writer for Wine Press Northwest.

Although young and tight, this wine already packs a punch with pepper on the nose along with some raspberries.  It has a long finish with just a little bite on the end.  The tannins suggest you could lay this wine down and not be heartbroken when it is finally opened, which is exactly what we’re doing!

So back to the two wines I bought from Bin 41 in West Seattle.  We didn’t waste any time in tasting these two wines from Alexandria Nicole.  We started out with their 2008 Sauvignon Blanc.  If you’re expecting a grapefruit and grassy Sauvignon Blanc like you’d find from New Zealand or Australia you’d be disappointed.  This is a Washington Sauvignon Blanc all the way around.  Very minerally and terrior driven with no oak to be found and tastes of melon.  Outstanding mouth feel.

We finished that bottle just in time to open their 2007 Jet Black Syrah to go with our steaks.  WOW!  Unbelievably wonderful nose with tar and pepper and a huge dark fruit presence.  The color is so dark, almost inky.  The finish fell off prematurely but, other than that, it paired perfectly with our steaks.  I would recommend both of these wines!

If you ever have a chance, stop by Alexandria Nicole Cellars and taste their juice.  You won’t be disappointed and maybe they’ll even let you in behind the hidden door!  Or not….it never hurts to ask!

Thank you again for reading and, as always, bottoms up!

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!

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!

With Their Collection of Quality Washington State Wines These Guys Have ‘Dunham’ Right!

  • Posted on April 12, 2010 at 12:10 pm

To date, one of the best wine trips we’ve taken was the trip to Walla Walla last fall.  On that trip there was a short list of wineries that I wanted to make sure we visited and Dunham Cellars was on that list.

Eric Dunham, the winemaker at Dunham Cellars, which is located in Walla Walla, WA, has been making wine for about 15 years and the buzz surrounding Dunham Cellars wines seem to always be, like wine in a glass, swirling.

I’ve had the opportunity to taste wines from Dunham Cellars periodically over the past years.  Like I said, when we visited Walla Walla last November we made their tasting room a priority and didn’t regret it, having also bought a barrel top lazy susan from there that still sits on the island in our kitchen.

I was introduced to Trutina about a year ago when I had the pleasure of enjoying a juicy filet mignon at The Metropolitan Grill in Seattle and a friend of mine brought a 2005 Trutina from Dunham Cellars.  Trutina is Dunhams Bordeaux style blend and their 2005 consisted of 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 13% Syrah and 5% Cabernet Franc.  It paired wonderfully with the steak and I will always remember that dinner with great friends, including Dunham Cellars’ Trutina.

Recently we had the luxury of tasting the newest vintage of Trutina, the 2006.  The blend was a bit different this go around as it had 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Merlot and 3% Syrah.  It has recieved high scores from wine reviewers everywhere which led me to buy this having high expectations.

We served this with rib eye steak, which Shelley prepares to perfection each time, and it paired wonderfully with it.  There was rich raspberries on the nose and black pepper and plums on the taste. 

This is a good spot to write about one of the things I enjoy most about tasting wine and that is the experience.  When you purchase a wine that you are looking forward to drinking, THAT is when the experience begins for me.  You make the conscious decision to choose a particular bottle of wine, in this case it was the Trutina, bring it home and set it on the counter.  As the steaks are marinating you glance over to the bottle, wanting to open it, but withstanding the temptation.

FINALLY, you get to open it, but you still have to WAIT a bit before you pour.  In this case, we let it stand for about a half hour and then poured a small amount in each of our glasses.  That is when the experience really starts taking hold.  We swirl the juice, looking at the color and consistency.  THEN, we gently, albeit eagerly, put our nose in the glass to see what we smell (hmmm, that doesn’t sound right.  We don’t ‘smell what we see’, why do we ‘see what we smell’?  Just wonderin’…).

This can take anywhere from a minute to 3-4 minutes depending on what we’re getting on the nose and the conversation that takes place.  FINALLY, after ALL of that, we get to actually taste the wine.  We slowly taste the wine, swishing it around in our mouth, trying to make contact with each part of the tongue, bringing in air to mix and activate the tastes within the wine…..and swallow.  All of that build-up for a swallow of wine!

After the initial taste we usually dish up and enjoy the meal with the wine.  The sadness comes with the last sip of the wine.  As I swirl the last sip, usually about ten minutes or more, I smell it often, seeing if I can tell any changes to the nose of the wine since I first opened it.  I finally, slowly, take the last sip, let it rest in my mouth until the last possible moment and then……I swallow it.  Reality sets in as I realize the wine is now gone.  It is truly a sad moment.  The only consolation is knowing I will once again be able to enjoy another bottle of wine, probably the next night.

With the Trutina, this was the case as I was very sad when it was all over.  I will wait with frustrating patience until I once again get to go through the process of tasting a bottle of wine.

That is what wine lovers “get” to go through when tasting wines.  Not all wines carry this long experience with them, but the ones that do are so fun because of that.  I hope you’ll get the opportunity to visit Dunham Cellars in Walla Walla.  If you can’t go THERE then bring them to you by purchasing a bottle of their wine.  You won’t be disappointed!

One more thing to note about Eric Dunham is he has collaborated with Kyle MacLachlan to produced a Cabernet Sauvignon under the Pursued By Bear label.  There are two vintages for sale, the 2005 and 2006, which both earned a 91 point rating from Wine Spectator.  If you don’t recognize the name, Kyle MacLachlan, perhaps you will better recognize the name, Orson Hodge, as the character he plays on Desperate Housewives.  Both those wines will run you about $65 a bottle.

You might have noticed that I’ve been writing about Washington Wines a lot recently, which is true.  I’ve been leaning heavy on Washington Wines because:

A)  They’re SO good and SO close and SO good.  And…

B)  …I’m trying to win a seat on the the road to Walla Walla to attend the annual Wine Bloggers Conference in June.  You’ll notice a badge at the top of the column on the left, just below where you sign up to be a member of General Wine Thoughts (which, why haven’t you done THAT already?) that is for the WBC or Bust contest.  It is sponsored by WineCHATr.com and I really want to win a seat on that trip because they will be stopping at all sorts of wineries from Seattle to Walla Walla and it will be a great opportunity to meet and talk with people in and around the world of wine.

And lastly, before I go, I want to ask you, “Are you a fan of wine?”  If you answered ‘yes’ to that then are you a fan of wine on Facebook?  If NOT, then just click here and you TOO can become one!   Thank you!

Until next time, bottoms up and thank you SO much for reading this!

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