White gold colour, slight green tint. Peach, apricot, floral. Subtle minerality. Ripe sweet fruit. Stone fruit flavours, fresh acidity with a steely edge. Simple but super aperitif.
Pale gold. Lemon scented nose. Very restrained bouquet. Dry, slightly bitter and some astringency. Tart apple, partially oxidised. Leaves a spirity taste on the finish. 54% Chardonnay, 44% Sauvignon blanc, 2% marsanne.
Big fan of new world chardonnays if they're well made and not too overtly full of sweet oak. This one is very good. Oak is present, sure. But nice buttery, caramel, creme brûlée aromas. Very crisp, good acidity, rounded and very rich. Full, creamy and toasty. Big, complex wine with a few years ahead of it.
Dusty red, pale slightly watery rim. Plum fruit, sweet and ripe. Definitely in the new world here. Whiff of burnt rubber. Palate disappointing though. Light, fleshy and very short. Dry and astringent. Plum fruit is there...but just drops out after initial attack.
Deep colour. Cherry vanilla aromas. Juicy fruit, soft and fairly silky. Fresh but short on length. Decent enough quaffer and probably good value if you're in the US. Here in the UK it's worth it if you fancy something different, but plenty of lower priced good Chilean merlot about for half the £13 price tag.
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
Wow! This is one of the best wines I've tasted all year. Deep, opaque. Characteristic purple glass coating look of malbec. Nose of raisins, prunes, black cherries and just a light vegetal whiff. Palate is intense, bold and brooding. Lovely richness, with smooth velvety mouthcoating texture. Full of plums and raisins. Port like but dry. Great acidity keeping it all nice and fresh, with tremendous length. A real beaut!
Very, very deep colour. No sign of 7 years of age. Aromas of black fruits, cherries, spice and a distinctive perfume. Mouthfeel is silky, still very fresh, ripe fruit. Very good length. Nice balance and a great structure. Big, but very well made.
2008 Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling 88 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
White gold colour, slight green tint. Peach, apricot, floral. Subtle minerality. Ripe sweet fruit. Stone fruit flavours, fresh acidity with a steely edge. Simple but super aperitif.
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2006 Bergström Riesling Dr. Bergstrom 91 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Golden, some viscosity. Minerals, stones, waxy. Off dry. Great acidity. Rich and concentrated. Peaches. V long. More Germanic in style.
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2004 Hedges Family Estate CMS White 85 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
Pale gold. Lemon scented nose. Very restrained bouquet. Dry, slightly bitter and some astringency. Tart apple, partially oxidised. Leaves a spirity taste on the finish. 54% Chardonnay, 44% Sauvignon blanc, 2% marsanne.
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2006 Willamette Valley Vineyards Chardonnay Dijon Clone 90 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Big fan of new world chardonnays if they're well made and not too overtly full of sweet oak. This one is very good. Oak is present, sure. But nice buttery, caramel, creme brûlée aromas. Very crisp, good acidity, rounded and very rich. Full, creamy and toasty. Big, complex wine with a few years ahead of it.
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2007 Lemelson Vineyards Pinot Noir Six Vineyards 83 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Dusty red, pale slightly watery rim. Plum fruit, sweet and ripe. Definitely in the new world here. Whiff of burnt rubber. Palate disappointing though. Light, fleshy and very short. Dry and astringent. Plum fruit is there...but just drops out after initial attack.
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2007 Columbia Crest Merlot 85 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
Deep colour. Cherry vanilla aromas. Juicy fruit, soft and fairly silky. Fresh but short on length. Decent enough quaffer and probably good value if you're in the US. Here in the UK it's worth it if you fancy something different, but plenty of lower priced good Chilean merlot about for half the £13 price tag.
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2005 Reininger Malbec 95 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
Wow! This is one of the best wines I've tasted all year. Deep, opaque. Characteristic purple glass coating look of malbec. Nose of raisins, prunes, black cherries and just a light vegetal whiff. Palate is intense, bold and brooding. Lovely richness, with smooth velvety mouthcoating texture. Full of plums and raisins. Port like but dry. Great acidity keeping it all nice and fresh, with tremendous length. A real beaut!
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2003 L'Ecole No. 41 Syrah 93 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
Very, very deep colour. No sign of 7 years of age. Aromas of black fruits, cherries, spice and a distinctive perfume. Mouthfeel is silky, still very fresh, ripe fruit. Very good length. Nice balance and a great structure. Big, but very well made.
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