Q2 2018 Tasting - Aged Washington Wines

Given the success we had with Aged Cali, thought it would be fun to take that theme and head North with it. Lots of great Washington wines out there although we haven't always been as close to them. So was fun to source for this and try a few more. Also helps that we're heading there in early.

Rules are the same as always - everyone tries through the wines and gets five pennies to vote (can put five on 1 wine or 1 on five wines or anywhere in between). We had some interlopers this time so some of the voting was a bit off, but as I don't know how to control for that will just report it as it ended up.

Should say - notes here are less precise than normal. We started the day at an Acker wine auction so while the tasting itself was more manageable in size, we were perhaps a bit more 'on' than normal.

• 2004 Cayuse Cabernet Sauvignon The Widowmaker En Chamberlin Vineyard

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley

  Wine #1: Had been very excited to try this. First time with a Widowmaker. Clearly could keep going, but had a decent age to it. A touch of funk to this. A bit oiley almost with some minerals. (1 penny)

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• 2008 Reynvaan Family Vineyards Syrah The Unnamed

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley

  Wine #2: This was super funk. Bandaids and rocks and mushrooms and all of that. It had been decanted and if anything that seemed to highlight the flavors. The most 'Rocks-like' of the tasting. (4 pennies)

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• 1995 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

  Wine #3: No decant and that was probably the wrong call. It's got a hint of the funk, but more fruit driven than anything. Tastes younger than it is (oldest wine of the tasting, but wouldn't have known). (5 pennies)

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• 2008 Corliss Estates Red

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain

  Wine #4: A wine that I was very excited to try given this producer is linked to the one that makes my favorite Rose and thus far I've enjoyed a lot of the wines they make. I believe the tagline is old world style with new world fruit. That's prob pretty applicable. This was lovely in terms of the fruit, but with a great balance. Some fir and almost evergreen flavors in it. Quite tasty. Won the day. (7 pennies)

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• 2003 Cayuse Syrah Bionic Frog

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley

  Wine #5: Classic awesome Frog. Funky and smokey and some coffee and some darker fruits. Think the CT drinking window is too narrow - this wine is still going strong. Won't be in a rush to drink our other bottle. Really good wine. (4 pennies)

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• 2006 Quilceda Creek Red Wine Columbia Valley

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

  Wine #6: Interesting to have this one blind with the flagship wine. It's black currant and a hint of funk and coffee. Good wine. Great QPR when you factor in price point. (2 pennies)

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• 2007 K Vintners Syrah Royal City

  USA, Washington

  Wine #7: Fun to get to try this. When I was doing some research around places to go in Washington this wine came up as one of the flagships of the region. This was a bit hotter than some of the others (perhaps the warmer vintage). Touch of funky fruit.

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• 2006 Cayuse Syrah Cailloux Vineyard

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley

  Wine #8: The official winner of the tasting and part of a 'taste-off' among the three 4 penny wines that we hadn't brought. It's funky and tasty with some great fruit. There's an elegance to this wine that made me stop and ponder for a minute. Really well done. Appreciate what a bit of age does for these wines too. (4 pennies)

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• 2004 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

  Wine #9: Part of the taste-off at the end. This was just really lovely red fruits. For some reason have less notes on this than some of the others. Didn't really taste any age on this one which was interesting. Still quite young and bright. (4 pennies)

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• 2001 Woodward Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon Old Vines

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

  Wine #10: Part of the taste-off at the end. Touch of funk. Good fruit. Some drying tannins. At the point in the tasting where I'm perhaps tasting less. (4 pennies)

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• 1996 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon

  USA, Washington

  Wine #12: Note there is no wine #11, fruity and maybe funky and here you actually really tell the age and it works for it. It was good, but somehow missing something that kept it from being really good. (3 pennies)

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7 pennies
Wine #4: 2008 Corliss Red Wine

5 pennies
Wine #3: 1995 Leonetti Cabernet

4 pennies
Wine #2: 2008 Reynvaan The Unnamed
Wine #5: 2003 Bionic Frog
Wine #8: 2006 Cayuse Syrah Cailloux (official winner)
Wine #9: 2004 Quilceda Creek Cabernet
Wine #10: 2001 Woodward Canyon Old Vines

3 pennies
Wine #12: 1996 Quilceda Creek Cabernet

2 pennies
Wine #6: 2006 Quilceda Creek Red Wine
Wine #7: 2007 Charles Smith Royal City

1 penny
Wine #1: 2004 Cayuse Widowmaker

NOTE - there was no Wine #11.

Overall, a quite enjoyable (and slightly more manageable) tasting. I liked all of the wines so had a hard time making decision on favorites. I spread out my pennies, but could easily have voted for most of the wines we had here.