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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2022 and 2031 (based on 6 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 93.9 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 26 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by bgdau on 12/31/2023: Paired well with a black truffle celery root soup. Fantastic! (879 views) | | | Tasted by eszencia on 12/11/2023: Fantastic fruit & weight. Excellent. (966 views) | | | Tasted by driftless on 11/3/2023: This was an impeccably balanced wine. It has plenty of weight and full of intrigue, but was so elegant and light on its feet. Great to drink now and will be exciting to save another bottle too. Drank with pork chops, fried apples, maitake grits, and a dill heavy green salad. (1244 views) | | | Tasted by EM_MB on 9/6/2023 & rated 91 points: Drank over 3 days. Wonderful tropical fruit on the front end but a bit too astringent on the tail end. (1479 views) | | | Tasted by RPerro on 8/9/2023 & rated 93 points: Love this wine! Perfect for summer...wish I had more. (1417 views) | | | Tasted by Fugu Me on 7/22/2023: From 3.0L box, consumed over a couple of months. I enjoyed this slightly below cellar temp more than straight out of the refrigerator, as it allowed for a more expressive nose and richer palate, but kept fresh with racy acidity. Yum, yum, yum! Wouldn't hesitate a second to pull the trigger on this again. (1536 views) | | | Tasted by BVal on 7/17/2023 & rated 95 points: Opened and enjoyed 2 glasses over a couple of hours then vacu-vinned and put in fridge for a night before noting.
Color/App: medium/deep yellow core with gold tinting and some haziness; medium+ viscosity. Ripe, forward bouquet of quince, mandarin orange, star jasmine and white peach. Full-bodied, creamy, in-your-face palate adding honeysuckle, golden apple and golden raisins into the mix. Lovely, lingering, mineral and saline finish that showed a nice acidic pop that kept me coming back for more. Very much in the style and intensity of top-of-the-line St. Joseph blancs with more Marilyn Monroe curves. Love this stuff and wonder if it will age as well as its French counterparts....
If only I lived nearer Washington to get the box (heavy sigh). (1412 views) | | | Tasted by Disgustaeer on 7/9/2023 & rated 97 points: Great acidity, crips with some long floral notes, yellow citrus, a little lees. Refreshing. (1357 views) | | | Tasted by dhammer53 on 7/6/2023 & rated 92 points: Drank this Susan and Bruce at their home. Boy oh boy. Glad I have another bottle left. (873 views) | | | Tasted by RPerro on 7/5/2023 & rated 93 points: Yep, this is my favorite white wine this summer! Great stuff! (1090 views) | | | Tasted by Neecies on 6/18/2023: 79% Marsanne, 21% Roussanne. Ordered from the list at Canlis. First day: cloudy (unfiltered), pale gold color. Funky/leesy nose of washed rind cheese and seaspray. Salinity continues on the palate with quince and guava fruit, and green walnut nuttiness. Closer to a Bevan unfiltered Sauvignon Blanc (without the grass) than either of the constituent grapes as I know them. Great with food due to the salinity but not as successful on its own except to fascinate with its uniqueness. Day two: ah, here's what this wine is supposed to be. More fruit and less salinity, more balance and harmony.
Several days after finishing the wine I discovered this quote from winemaker Travis Allen: “What I am trying to do its make something different. There are some people making spectacular wine in Washington but all of my wines have something in the process or philosophy that is not necessarily invented by me but they are not going to be like anything else in the state.” He sure achieved that with this wine. (1099 views) | | | Tasted by RPerro on 6/13/2023 & rated 93 points: Consistent with prior notes. Such a delicious summer wine! (894 views) | | | Tasted by RPerro on 5/25/2023 & rated 93 points: This is such a delicious wine...flavors of honeysuckle, citrus, and a floral component that's really long on the finish. Seems like it's better every time I try a bottle. Great job, Travis! Drink now - 2031. (1085 views) | | | Tasted by Bakerbd on 4/26/2023 & rated 93 points: Wildflowers, tangerine, quince, honey, squeeze of lemon, broad, full bodied and long (1337 views) | | | Tasted by samoss on 4/13/2023 & rated 94 points: Chewy full mouth feel.
Complex and balanced.
This is a great wine even though I'm not waxing on about the details. (1246 views) | | | Tasted by Rywyine on 3/5/2023: I liked this wine but it’s a bit complicated. Pours a bit cloudy. The nose had tropical fruit, citrus, and a funk. I see mentions of like a “airplane glue” note and that’s fairly true. The palate is fairly rich but still refreshing. Citrus, minerals, hints of tropical fruit. There’s enough acid to balance. Again, a funkiness. I drank this over 3-4 days with the wine changing each day. To be honest I think I liked it the most on the last day. It hadn’t overly oxidized (I had expected it to) after pulling it out of the fridge. My buddy and I kept debating whether we’d get it again. After the last glass I’d say I would but with reservations as the funk was a bit too prominent. But it’s certainly a very interesting wine, definitely the most memorable Washington White I’ve ever had. I think it probably needs a bit more time but I’m not sure how much. There is much im still wrestling with here (at the risk of sounding like my daughter (overly dramatic). (1295 views) | | | Tasted by 5laton on 12/28/2022: 79% marsanne, 21% roussanne, Diam 30 closure. My first Kobayashi, and probably my first serious Washington wine purchased in something like fifteen years. After 90 minutes decant, this shows a fairly typical cool vintage northern Rhone nose - waxy green almond, acacia flowers, some new French oak. The palate however is unlike any Rhone white I've had. It's a bit deceptive as the wine is medium plus bodied but tricked my palate into thinking it was lighter. A very interesting and to me perplexing wine that I don't yet understand.
Of note, this was far better at room temperature than with even a slight chill, which tended to completely lock up the palate.
Tasted the last glass two months later from Boston round and it showed slightly more typical Northern Rhone fruit expression with virtually no oxidation. I'll hold my last bottle for a few years. (1142 views) | | | Tasted by Dale M on 12/25/2022 & rated 94 points: A good 6 hrs of air /decant. In the immortal words of Mr. Spoc: ‘fascinating’. So true. The nose has that trait that is so clear cut to my brain, model airplane glue, which I often get with Marsanne and or Roussanne. A wine for contemplation vs the Kobayashi Viognier (while being exceptional, it’s charms are obvious and delights in a more traditional way). Here, you have to work for it, but it’s well worth the effort. The first half is more saline in nature, a bit of tire rubber, low acidity all of which sounds odd but it works. The back half shows some sweetness, Meyer lemon, a touch of cream, any a very impressive mineral component. One trait I found a constant on both the nose and the palate was saffron. Yep, plan as a day on this one. A Kobayashi white has been served with the main course (Julia Childs Santa Barbara Fish Stew) on Xmas Eve for three years straight and I don’t see any reason to buck this trend. Excellent. (1589 views) | | | Tasted by RPerro on 12/16/2022 & rated 93 points: Delicious, particularly as it warms in the glass. Flavors of honeysuckle, apple, quince and maybe jasmine? Really enjoyable on it's own, but also paired nicely with sushi. Drink now - 2031. (1271 views) | | | Tasted by scorbett on 12/13/2022: Citrus oil, mandarin, pear, faint hard cheese, richly saline, slight nuttiness like maybe a blanched almond. Sharp acidity for a Rhone white blend. Satisfying, bitter finish. Takes on a bit of honeydew melon as it breathes.
Definitely the most interesting Washington white I have tried to date. (1406 views) | | | Tasted by Jimywags on 12/5/2022 & rated 96 points: Decanted for an hour (highly recommended). What an impressive bottle of wine with aromas of raw honey, almonds, melons, apples, and a nice dab of crushed rock. Viscous, although not overly so, with streaks of lemon that keep everything in balance especially with the bright fruit present and the macadamia nut. For me, easily the best Rhone white (non-viognier) coming out of Washington and maybe domestically. Can't wait to drink another. 96pts. (1586 views) | | | Tasted by MAXIMUM SATISFACTION on 11/19/2022 & rated 95 points: Opened in the bottle for most of the day. Like the 2020 this delivers. Deep golden color with honey, almond, ripe stone fruit, vanilla, white flower and mineral. Slightly vegetal at first but that dissipated. Somewhat murky color but not detracting. (1576 views) | | | Tasted by Clark W Griswold on 10/7/2022 & rated 95 points: Pours cloudy. Tropical fruits and lemon. Almonds. Flowers. Fresh and vibrant with just a hint of butter. long finish. Creamy mouthfeel is the star of the show. This is my favorite white wine. Love the box so much. Its so perfect for me to grab one glass of delicious wine and enjoy it on the deck after work and not commit to a $60 bottle. Travis promised me that this would keep for a couple of months in the fridge and I believed him. It was gone in just over 3 weeks. :) (1872 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Eric Guido
Vinous, Against All Odds: Washington State’s 2020s and 2019s (Mar 2023) (3/1/2023)
(Kobayashi Marsanne - Roussanne Washington White) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| White Rhone BlendA white wine containing two or more Rhône varieties, including: Viognier, Marsanne, Roussanne, Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Bourboulenc. USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.Washington Washington Wine Commission | Credit to Washingtonwine.org for this article
Washington Wine
Washington State is a premium wine producing region located in the northwest corner of the United States. Although a relatively young wine industry, it is now the nation's second largest wine producer and is ranked among the world's top wine regions. Washington wines are found nationally in all 50 states and internationally in more than 40 countries.
Wineries
With 30,000+ acres planted, the state has ideal geography and conditions for growing premium vinifera wine grapes. Primarily grown on their own root stocks, the vines produce grapes of consistent quality, resulting in strong vintages year after year. While its focus is on Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, the region also produces a wide range of other spectacular whites and reds.
Growers
Winemakers from all over the world have chosen to establish themselves in Washington, where they can create wines reflecting this region's unique characteristics. Their hand-crafted wines are receiving wide acclaim from critics regionally, nationally and internationally for their consistently high quality. Many of them have received scores of 90 and above from the major wine media. Overall this is a higher percentage than other leading wine regions.
Regions
As the state's fourth largest fruit crop, the Washington wine industry is an important contributor to the long-term preservation of Washington agriculture. The industry is committed to sustainable agricultural practices and conservation of water resources.
Washington State is a premium wine producing region located in the northwest corner of the United States. Although a relatively young wine industry, it is now the nation's second largest wine producer and is ranked among the world's top wine regions. Washington wines are found nationally in all 50 states and internationally in more than 40 countries.
Varieties
Washington produces more than 20 wine grape varieties - a ratio of 56 percent white to 44 percent red. As the industry matures and experiments, it finds many grape varieties that thrive throughout Washington's microclimates. There are more than 16,000 vineyard acres of red wine varieties statewide.
History & Vintages
Washington's wine future is limitless. As consumers discover the quality of Washington wines, demand continues to grow nationally and internationally. New acreage and wine varietals are being planted and new wineries are opening at a remarkable pace. Washington State is recognized as a premium viticultural region around the world.
State Facts
Washington's wine industry generates more than $3 billion to the state economy. It employs more than 14,000 people, directly and indirectly, with projections to add nearly 2,000 more jobs by 2006. In terms of tax revenues accrued to the state and federal government, wine grapes are among the highest tax generators of any agricultural crops. Furthermore, Washington wine tourism attracts nearly two million visitors annually contributing to the positive growth of local and regional economies.
Washington State - the perfect climate for wine = ideal growing conditions, quality wines, business innovation, lifestyle, and social responsibility. All are key elements of this world-class wine industry.
Vintages
"2008 and even more so 2010 and 2011 were cool, even cold vintages (think: 2002 in the Barossa) without the extreme ripeness, extract and higher alcohol that had become the norm in the state’s post 1995 world. 2008 was manageable but the duo of 2010/2011 nearly caused a “great depression” in Washington State." - Jon RimmermanColumbia Valley Columbia Cascade Winery Association
The Columbia Valley AVA lies mostly in Washington state, with a small section in Oregon. The Cascade Range forms its western boundary with the Palouse regions bordering the area to the east. To the north, the Okanogan National Forest forms a border with the AVA and Canada. It encompasses the valleys formed by the Columbia River and its tributaries, including the Walla Walla River, the Snake River, and the Yakima River. The Columbia valley stretches between the 46th parallel and 47th parallel which puts it in line with the well known French wine growing regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy. The northern latitude gives the areas two more hours of additional daylight during the summer growing season than wine regions of California receive. The volcanic and sandy loam soil of the valley offers good drainage and is poor in nutrients, ideal in forcing the vine to concentrate its resources into the grape clusters. |
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