The Walla Walla Wildman: Charles Smith / K Vintners
Wine Exchange - Orange, CA
Tasted Wednesday, January 27, 2010 by Badfish with 879 views
Introduction
I have not had a lot of experience with Washington wines so I thought this would be a good tasting to attend. I have read many favorable reviews for Charles Smith and K Vintners so I felt this would be an interesting experience. Charles Smith was in attendance and although late he answered a few questions I had about the wines and just generally seemed like a fascinating guy. The wines are certainly enjoyable with plenty of charm and power. The textures are for the most part supple and the tannins are approachable. The blended wines are unique and easily the most appealing but they are also the more expensive offerings. In general I would describe the wines as ripe, extracted, and oaky. However the better efforts have subtle restraint and complexity providing a degree of transparency. I would like to see more moderation in the overall style but that probably would not please the critics.
2007 Charles Smith Chardonnay Eve 87 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
Pale yellow in the glass with a pleasant floral nose of apple, pear, and hints of minerals. Slightly astringent on the palate with striking acidity and flavors of apple and lemons. Decent persistence with good fruit in a refreshing style.
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2008 Charles Smith Merlot The Velvet Devil 86 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
Bright pink purple throughout with a ripe primary nose of plums and spices. Ripe, glossy, and monotonous with dark fruit flavors and plenty of spice. Somewhat astringent on the finish. I think this is a little too extracted but it is solid nonetheless.
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2007 Charles & Charles Red Wine 86 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
Dark purple to the rim. I think there might be a touch of volatile acidity in this wine as there is a slight balsamic note. Aside from that the dark berry aromas are stalky and dusty in tone. The palate is pleasant but somewhat rough with firm tannins and bright acidity. The flavors consist of red fruit such as raspberry and the finish is slightly coarse.
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2007 Charles Smith Cabernet Sauvignon Chateau Smith 88 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
Garnet purple core that fades slightly at the rim. Very nice on the nose with floral and stemmy tones to the aromas of red currant, cherry, and herbs. The palate is supple and balanced with good structure from the tannins and acidity. I like the restrained red currant style of this wine.
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2007 Charles Smith Syrah Boom Boom 87 Points
USA, Washington
Ruby purple fading slightly at the rim. Attractive ripe aromatics here with notes of plum, boysenberry, blueberry, and flowers. The flavors are sweet with plum and berry fruit complicated by plenty of spices. The texture is glossy, the tannins are good, and there is respectable length to the finish.
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2006 K Vintners The Boy 90 Points
USA, Washington
Pale ruby core fading at the rim. Pretty and high toned on the nose with wild cherries and lavender. The palate has an attractive glossy texture along with flavors of cherry, raspberry, earth, and herbs. The mid palate seems slightly lean and the structure is reserved but this is a very interesting and elegant wine.
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2007 K Vintners El Jefe En Chamberlin Vineyard 92 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
Deep purple core with a ripe expressive nose of plum, blueberry, cinnamon, and oak. Delicate but ripe on the palate with good acidity, firm tannins, and great overall balance. The flavors are complex and restrained with notes of plums and berries. This offers a gorgeous combination of fruit and elegance.
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2006 K Vintners Roma En Chamberlin Vineyard 91 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
Dark garnet ruby purple throughout with aromas of red currant, leaves, and spices. Full bodied with spicy tannins and nice character to the structure. The fruit is dark and complex with flavors of ripe currant, licorice, and spices. From the concentration and structure here I think this wine will improve with age. 91+
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2007 K Vintners Ovide En Cerise Vineyard 90 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
Brick ruby purple with aromas of currant, blackberry, and spices. There is nice acidic bite and firm tannins on the palate. The fruit could use a little more depth but the flavors are pleasant with notes of raspberry, herbs, and earth. This seems somewhat restrained but maybe it is in a closed phase.
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2007 K Vintners Syrah Milbrandt Vineyard 89 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Wahluke Slope
Ruby purple throughout with a ripe funky nose of blackberries, olives, and truffles. The palate has a glossy texture with soft tannins and juicy red fruit. The flavors have a sweet impression and consist of currant, cherry, and earth. This seems really approachable so I would not hesitate to drink it over the short term.
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2007 K Vintners Syrah Northridge Vineyard 86 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Wahluke Slope
Deep dark purple red with ripe expressive aromas of raspberry and plum. The tannins and acidity are astringent at first but the underlying fruit and spices reveal themselves on the backend. This seems to have an extracted style with sweet peppery oaky tone to the flavors.
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2007 K Vintners Syrah Motor City Kitty 89 Points
USA, Washington
Dark ruby purple core. Ripe and heady on the nose with blackberries, praline, and stems. Deep sweet fruit combined with ripe firm tannins on the plate. Extracted with plenty of stem and oak overtones, this does have enough fruit however to handle the tannins. This is rich and heady but there is enough balance for a pleasant experience.
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2008 K Vintners Viognier 88 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
Pale gold with sweet aromas of honeysuckle, citrus, and apple. The palate has a beautiful glossy texture with good acidity and fresh fruit. Great flavors throughout with notes of lemon, lime, and Asian pear. This is very attractive and approachable with good balance.
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