Wine Article
2008 Olsen Estates Red Wine
Last edited on 6/28/2012 by ob2s
There are 3 versions of this article / View version history
Wine Data:
Production: 3,000 Cases
Varietal Composition: 70% Syrah, 12% Cinsault, 12% Mourvedre, 5% Grenache, 1% Counoise (100% Estate Grown)
Appellation: Yakima Valley
Aging: 16 Months in French Oak, 55% New (100% Barrel Aged)
Alcohol: 14.2%
pH: 3.78
TA: 6.4 g/L
RS: 0.02%
MA: 0.07 g/L
Cellar Life: Drink now through 2015
Full Pull:
My original tasting notes: “I think by the time this came out of barrel (which, judging from the tech sheet, must have been around April 2010), it was clear that the winery was going out of business (they didn’t crush any grapes in 2010, so we know the decision was made no later than September 2010). I wouldn’t be surprised if the distributor who ended up buying all the remaining Olsen stock asked them to blend everything together into a lower price point, which would be easier to move through the marketplace. I could be right or I could be wrong. Doesn’t really matter, I suppose. What remains, regardless, is a great Rhone blend at a silly price point. This is chock full of character, with deep berry flavors and coffee grounds scattered throughout. Brambly nuance; seamless texture; fine balance: all unheard of at this tariff.”
That original offering also contained the following review from Paul Gregutt: Wine Enthusiast (Paul Gregutt): “[REVIEW TEXT WITHHELD]. 91pts.”
And then the folks at WinePeeps slotted this bottle into one of their blind Wine Tasting Dinners (see a description of those dinners here, and the notes from this particular dinner here). It was bagged up and served blind alongside five other Washington Rhone blends, ranging from $18 to $50, and it was the consensus favorite:
Wine Peeps (Kori Voorhees): “[REVIEW TEXT WITHHELD]. Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5). QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5).”
Production: 3,000 Cases
Varietal Composition: 70% Syrah, 12% Cinsault, 12% Mourvedre, 5% Grenache, 1% Counoise (100% Estate Grown)
Appellation: Yakima Valley
Aging: 16 Months in French Oak, 55% New (100% Barrel Aged)
Alcohol: 14.2%
pH: 3.78
TA: 6.4 g/L
RS: 0.02%
MA: 0.07 g/L
Cellar Life: Drink now through 2015
Full Pull:
My original tasting notes: “I think by the time this came out of barrel (which, judging from the tech sheet, must have been around April 2010), it was clear that the winery was going out of business (they didn’t crush any grapes in 2010, so we know the decision was made no later than September 2010). I wouldn’t be surprised if the distributor who ended up buying all the remaining Olsen stock asked them to blend everything together into a lower price point, which would be easier to move through the marketplace. I could be right or I could be wrong. Doesn’t really matter, I suppose. What remains, regardless, is a great Rhone blend at a silly price point. This is chock full of character, with deep berry flavors and coffee grounds scattered throughout. Brambly nuance; seamless texture; fine balance: all unheard of at this tariff.”
That original offering also contained the following review from Paul Gregutt: Wine Enthusiast (Paul Gregutt): “[REVIEW TEXT WITHHELD]. 91pts.”
And then the folks at WinePeeps slotted this bottle into one of their blind Wine Tasting Dinners (see a description of those dinners here, and the notes from this particular dinner here). It was bagged up and served blind alongside five other Washington Rhone blends, ranging from $18 to $50, and it was the consensus favorite:
Wine Peeps (Kori Voorhees): “[REVIEW TEXT WITHHELD]. Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5). QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5).”