8/7/2014 - lirvingham wrote:

Pretty darn good.

9/24/2012 - Tim221 wrote:

Surprisingly disappointing. Has very strong musty-cork smell (cork was in fine shape though), which diminished with aeration but still detectable. "Blah" flavors on the tongue, nothing standing out too much. Un-complex, but does have a little tannin. Not much finish, quickly gone from palate.

12/19/2013 - rmcnees Likes this wine:

This may be the most expressive Uriah I have tasted. It is the most complex on the front and most vibrant on the finish that I remember. We hold each vintage going back to 2002.

Dark ruby colored, full bodied, complex layers of tight spicy red currant and black raspberry fruits are accented by spicy clove, hints of smoky anise turning to a big mouthful of subtle cinnamon and hint of mocha on a big floral tongue tingling smooth dusty tannins.

http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2013/12/spring-valley-vineyard-uriah-walla_19.html

8/28/2013 - bjamesclark wrote:

By John Duval Tasted at Winery
Living up to its name, from the previous winemaker of Grange...
Dark red with purple hues and blue tints on the rim. Exceptional aromas showcasing Washington Syrah; Blackberry, blueberry, huckleberry, spice, chestnut, violets and bramble with hints of graham cracker.
Upon entry plum and blackberry, with cherry and blueberry flavors balanced by savory notes of of tar, black licorice, beef carpaccio, wood, violets and seasoned with nutmeg. the finish is long chewy and intense.

8/20/2013 - kgoodenberger wrote:

Wonderful Washington state cab that needed time to breath. Rich flavors of blackberry and cassis, with nice tar and leather notes on the midpalate. Finishes with vanilla and oak notes from the extensive barrel aging that it sees.

4/9/2013 - BlackIce wrote:

This 2007 Trentenaire is composed of: 56% Petite Verdot, 19% Merlot, 14% Merot, 14% Malbec, 6% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. All grapes from Columbia Valley, WA State without any vineyard designation. This has great fruit balanced with nice tannins and acid. Drank without food. I have 2006 - 2008 vintages and need to do a vertical to compare the vintages given varying aging as of April 2013. I am definitely a fan of Trentenaire given my experiences with the 2006 vintage.

1/21/2013 - isaacjamesbaker wrote:

Blind Tasting - New World Syrah and Red Blends; 1/17/2013-1/23/2013 (Woodley Park - Washington, DC): $46. This syrah smells like the freshest red plums, but there’s also this nice blackberry and coffee and a bit of roasted meat. On the palate, these tannins don’t mess around. But the balance between tannins and acid is so spot on that it’s altogether accessible, even fresh. Juicy red and blue fruits, with hints of baker’s chocolate and violets, there’s also a nice herbal kick and some smoke flavor. Roasted and earthy on the finish, which lingers for a very long time. Yes, this is delicious, and I bet it will be even better in two years.

6/22/2013 - typ993 Likes this wine:

Thought this was quite good for the price. This almost seemed to be a cross between ruby and tawny. It had some tawny character (dried fruit), yet it also had fruity characteristics and color more similar to ruby. The better characteristics of each for an NV <10 year port, I might add. Many of these have some kind of unpleasant character, but the Buller was refreshingly free of those. Not overly complex, but that's what you pay the big bucks for.

4/3/2013 - MarkC1217 Likes this wine:

The wine looks Crimson colored. The legs are Slow. It smells like Blackberry, Cranberry, Plum, Dust, Coffee, Cedar, Vanilla, Meaty, Barnyard, and Alcohol/Hot. It tastes like Blackberry, Cedar, Bell Pepper, Bark, Vanilla, and Alcohol/Hot. The body is Full. The wine has Angular texture. The wine finishes Long.

6/29/2013 - Treblid wrote:

- Crimsom color with medium forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of black currant with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a long finish - Dinner with Mike and Trudy, Doug and Renee at Ray's Boathouse

6/30/2013 - wineshaman wrote:

Big lemon, butter, hints of stone, some oak, but in check. Paired with tuna, halibut and salmon at a downtown restaurant in portland Oregon. Wanted a local pinot, but they had no Oregon wines, unbelievable!

6/2/2012 - garambler wrote:

Friends and I tasted this at the Woodinville tasting room on 6/2/12. It had a deep, rich and alluring bouquet of black currant, black cherry, plum, anise, spice and mocha aromas. The palate was ripe, smooth and balanced with flavors that followed the nose. 91+

6/22/2013 - Tosti-Lane Likes this wine:

Tasting great as pop and pour, allowing an hour in decanter softens tannins. Nose is berry/plum - maybe slightly citrus - complex. Silky mouthfeel, very nice on second day as well. I taste the pepper mentioned earlier more on finish, which is smooth and medium long. Drinking really well now.

5/20/2013 - Blauweiss Likes this wine:

Rich, perfumed and ripe. Good balance and a very usefull wine. Will buy again for your everyday consumtion. Nothing to put in the cellar though, but overall, nice!

5/26/2013 - johnh1001 wrote:

Very rich, expressive nose of dark fruit, mocha and oak. Same on the palate. Big and creamy in the mouth. Medium, smooth finish. Juicy. Great value.

5/26/2013 - cbadie wrote:

Opened and not so nice. Strange almost earthy aroma to it. Seemed to open up after a few hours.

11/18/2012 - garambler Likes this wine:

A friend and I tasted this at the Carriage House tasting room on 11/18/12. It had a deep, rich, fragrant bouquet of smoke, cassis, blackberry, blueberry, licorice and spice aromas. The palate was rich, structured and dry with flavors of cassis, blackberry, licorice and spice…with a strong and lasting finish. 92+

6/1/2013 - Terramare Likes this wine:

This bottle was part of a vertical tasting that included the Westside Neighbors offerings from 2008, 2009 and 2010. All of these were outstanding - and for the most part, seemed very consistent with each other.

7/4/2013 - OTTnMIA Likes this wine:

Interesting wine. The tempranillo and garnacha dominate, this blend has a very Spanish-character. This was definitely enjoyable, but I wasn't as impressed as I have been with other blends from Brian Carter. It lacked a bit of depth, finish, richness. Improved over 1-2 hours of decanting.

11/11/2012 - DaveZack wrote:

This wine has a GORGEOUS bouquet, exhibiting floral elements, dark fruit, earth, spices, and just a hint of a suggestion of a rumor of oak. I don’t know what it is about red wines that have fantastic floral characteristics, but when I pop a cork and the first thing that hits my nasal sensory receptors is a bouquet of flowers, I just can’t wait to taste that Bad Boy! Needless to say, I mostly look forward to a wine’s flavor profile, but every once in a while, I sample a wine that has such a beautiful bouquet that I’d almost be satiated by simply sniffing and quaffing a glass of wonderfully odoriferous wine; this wine comes JUST that close..........

Upfront disclosure: I’ve had quite a few wines from Washington, but I’ve NEVER had a Southern Rhone-style blend from The Great Northwest. I’ve had dozens/hundreds/thousands? of Rhone-style blends from California (not to mention France), but for being my first Rhone-style experience from Washington, I was blown away by how good this red blend is.

This red is FANTASTICALLY well-balanced, showing 25% wonderful fruit, 25% fantastic structure, 25% perfect spice and depth-of-flavor, and 25% faultless terrior/earth/oak. This red is almost full-bodied (leaning ever so slightly left to medium-bodied) and exhibits fantastic red/dark fruit flavors like plums, black cherries and berries, along with wonderfully savory herbs like sage and rosemary. After the fruit and spice elements, there’s a PERFECT essence of terrior; I had never even heard of Brian Carter Cellars, but I’m assuming, based on the quality of this wine, the full-retail price, and the quality-to-price ratio, that this is one of Washington’s best bargains. Like any self-respecting French or Spanish or Italian red wine, there’s an earthiness that reveals where this wine came from and how well-made the wine was assembled both in the vineyard and in the cellar.

We all know that Washington can produce fantastic Cabs, Syrahs, Bordeaux-style blends, Rieslings, and Chardonnays, but who knew that the Columbia Valley could produce Southern Rhone-style blends that could actually compete (and in many cases, surpass) actual Chateauneuf-du-Paps from France?!?! This is a tasty, creamy, earthy, spicy, (slightly) oaky, fruity, GORGEOUSLY well-made red blend that impressed me beyond belief.

What truly blows me away about this wine is that not only is it delicious-beyond-belief but that it also is beautifully well-structured, well-balanced, well-priced, well-oaked, well-earthed, and well-spiced with an elegant, lingering finish. Brian Carter: I don’t know who you are and I’ve never heard of you until 20 days ago or so, but I love you beyond belief! After just 1/2 a bottle of your Byzance, I have become one of your biggest fans and I look forward to experiencing more of your wines in the very near future. Worse case scenario, I’ll be enjoying your 2007 Byzance over and over and over again in the near future, thanks to Total Wine & More.

We paired this wine with a marinated lamb loin (balsamic vinegar, orange juice, Dijon mustard, and a variety of fresh/dried herbs), along with a mushroom medley and fresh Brussels sprouts. This wine paired PERFECTLY with the lamb loin and would also pair well with just about any other red beef dish (grilled steaks, prime rib, lamb shanks/chops, pot roast, etc.).

This wine could probably not drink much better than it is drinking right now, but for another five to ten years this wine will probably continue to age, develop, mature, and mellow beautifully. It’s drinking GORGEOUSLY right now but may even get better over the next five years or so. Only if I had that kind of patience.......

3/26/2011 - garywa wrote:

Ordered this at a restaurant without many choices. Not great, but the best of the bad

2/25/2011 - B Dub wrote:

Pungent, foul, sour. Definately not my style. This wine is still very young and could be part of the problem. No midpalate or finish. I'll probably finish half the bottle and dump the rest. Medium/Dark red in color. JMHO, I'll pass on this Tempranillo.

7/21/2011 - The13thGryphon Likes this wine:

Old world style Pinot. Nose of strawberries, bright cherries, and black licorice. There is light strawberry and light cherry, with some minerality and herb on the palate. Finish is smooth and fairly lengthy. Fruit is light and needs to be teased out on the tongue.