An introduction to Washington State red wines

My house
Tasted Friday, June 29, 2012 by overhill with 468 views

Introduction

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It was my turn to host and I had been planning for a while to do red wines from Washington State. I have found myself drawn more and more to this region as I have sought wines that are not as ripe as those found in California and that also combine some the the complexity and mineral-driven aspects of France. My recent superb experiences with Gramercy, Andrew Will, Reynvaan, Cayuse, and others kept drawing me further in. Our group had little and in some cases no experience with the fine wines from this area, so thought the time was perfect for this. We had lots of fun and laughs and it was a great evening. Cheers!

Flight 1 - Arrival and hors d'oeuvres (1 Note)

We drank the Chidaine with freshly made guacamole, Moroccan figs, and chevre on sliced french bread

Flight 2 - Salad course (1 Note)

Green leaf lettuce, caramelized almonds, tangerine and grapefruit pieces with herb vinaigrette.

  • 2010 Wind Gap Wines Trousseau Gris Fanucchi Wood Road Vineyard 91 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

    This is the second time Matt has brought the Wind Gap Trousseau Gris to pair with this salad and it did not disappoint. On the nose was tarragon, grapefruit, fennel, and a distinct acetate smell. Across the palette was the almond flavor found in the Italian soda mix, more grapefruit, and a touch of burnt rubber. Like before, it reminds of an off-dry spatlese. Big and complex on the nose, mouth coating, medium-plus acidity, and a fairly long finish.

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Flight 3 - Pasta course (2 Notes)

Penne with spicy Italian sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, and artichokes. On the side were sauteed zucchini topped with shreded Romano cheese. I thought this went great with the syrah, although I would dial back the spiciness in the sausage by a click or two

  • 2005 Cayuse Syrah En Chamberlin Vineyard 94 Points

    USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley

    As everyone has mentioned, this is monolithic for the first two hours with a tightly wound core of tart plums, ground espresso, and blackberries. As we were finishing this course it blossomed dramatically with all of the flamboyance one would expect from this vineyard. Wet dog fur, iodine, creamy black fruit stew, beef bullion meatiness, crazy minerality. I found this absolutely intoxicating on the nose and was happy to smell it all night. Very salty. Chewy texture and full boat of silky tannins frame a delicious, flavorful, and relatively long finish.

    I found some of this in the glass the next morning, having sat over night, and it was as fresh and focused as the night before. Amazing. This was the group's #2 of the night, behind the 2007 Quilceda.

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  • 2007 Cayuse Syrah En Chamberlin Vineyard 93 Points

    USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley

    Unlike the 2005, which took a few hours to strut its stuff, this 2007 was rockin' right out of the gate. Initially got green olives, iodine, briney/salty seaweed, corned beef, crushed rock minerality, and that musty wet fur thing. A few who arrived early got a pre-dinner sample and the aromatics were crazy. This mellowed considerably throughout the evening and by the fourth or fifth hour at least half of the funk had blown off, leaving a more conventional black fruit driven syrah. The finish on this was long and layered with a firmer and more interesting backbone than the 2005.

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Flight 4 - Meat course (3 Notes)

Seared New York strip steaks with a mushroom and shallot red wine reduction. On the side were garlic and butter mushed potatoes and sauteed French green beans.

  • 2007 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 94 Points

    USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

    Decanted six hours, which was just enough to get started. Although this smells great, with gobs of blueberry pie, cotton candy, violets, and Red Man chewing tobacco, the real action was once it hits the palette. This expanded enormously in the mouth, and reminded me of the scene in Willy Wonka where the girl blows up after eating the blueberry gum. I wondered if Oompa Loompas would have to take me away to be de-juiced! Extraordinarily concentrated, grainy tannins, very long multi-wave finish, and absolutely delicious. This was the group's #1 of the night, although some thought it had thinned out by the end of the evening.

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  • 2008 Rasa Vineyards Creative Impulse

    USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley

    The most complex of the three cabs, this had some of the mineral-driven character of the Cayuse from earlier, which made the wine less about fruit (although very strong in this area) and more about secondary and earthy notes. Mulberries, blackberry cola, lavender, crushed stone, cedar, damp coffee grounds. Balanced, multi-layered palette and strong two-stage finish. On first taste out of the decanter, I thought this would smoke the 2007 Quilceda, but ultimately realized that it's not a wine to put against five other big reds. Better served alone where its unique flavor profile, subtle intricacies, and layered complexities can be enjoyed.

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  • 2008 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon 92 Points

    USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley

    Very similar to previous bottle. Muscular, hugely aromatic, fruit-driven wine which showed stewed plums, creme de cassis, menthol, and oaky vanilla. This put on weight by the fourth or fifth hour. Long finish. This received one second place vote.

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Flight 5 - Cheese course (1 Note)

Selection of four cheese. My wife did an excellent job of selecting these but as I result I don't know what they were. One was an extraordinary and very soft blue and another I believe was a Morbier.

  • 1998 Alois Kracher Grande Cuvée TBA #10 Nouvelle Vague

    Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee

    This was incredible with the cheese. Supposedly 80% chardonnay and 20% welshreisling made at the Trockenbeerenauslese ripeness level and 306 g/l residual sugar. Not a complex wine but the depth and flavor intensity were astounding with candied pears, clove cigarettes, and a slight tropical.

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Flight 6 - Dessert (1 Note)

Thanks to Matt B for bringing the chocolate torte and brownies.

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