WTN: Camaraderie, Oakstone, Beringer

[Jenise]

Brought by dinner guests last night:

2005 Camaraderie Cellars Malbec, Crawford Vineyard, Yakima Washinton
Here was a surprise. Pure pretty red and black fruit and a big dose of exotic black pepper. No obvious oak. Well-made, fresh and interesting, a great find.

2005 Oakstone Petite Sirah Reserve, Somerset Vineyard, Fairplay, California
Robust, juicy black fruit, non-intrusive oak, firm tannins but balanced and approachable now. Great with the corned beef, then shockingly very good after dinner with the espresso shortbread. The friends who brought this wine travel to the Amador County area annually and the Oakstone wines are among some of the most interesting they bring back--a little $10 item called Slug Gulch Red from the same winery is particularly nice for the price.

2003 Beringer Zinfandel, Clear Lake, California
Had concerns about a five year old zinfandel, but this is holding up quite well. Substantial oak (I know, big surprise, it's Beringer!) and age somewhat mask the underlying zinfandel character, but it's elegant and balanced.

Am I all alone Jenise? I quit buying Beringer wines when Nestle owned the place, and Wolf Blass hasn't done anything to change my mind. I believe that they have so diluted their winery by coming out with so many different labels that I can't be sure what is in the bottle. KV used to be a no brainer for me. I was a regular Beringer slut, but starting with the 95 vintage of the KV, I have not been tempted. I could say much the same thing about Mondavi. Ever since the sell out the only thing Mondavi about the wines is the name. Now (Don't swallow your teeth) but a wine I have been drinking of late is the J. Lohr Riverstone Arroyo Seco chardonnay. nice wine, with more spice than tropical fruit, nice acid, a bit of length, and all for $10.50! I even have a glass of it with me here at the computer this evening.

Are 2003 Zinfandel's considered completely over the hill now? Gosh...I better drink some up, as I have a few.

I actually liked some of the Reserve line of Beringer wines, but they are quite expensive and the QPR may not be there.

Are 2003 Zinfandel's considered completely over the hill now? Gosh...I better drink some up, as I have a few.

I actually liked some of the Reserve line of Beringer wines, but they are quite expensive and the QPR may not be there.

Brian,
1991 was the last year I bought Beringer Private Reserve cabernet, and it is a wonderful wine. I doubt thought that the 2003 is worth $120. I have been buying 2000 SLWC cabernet for $41 per bottle and consider it a bargain. By golly I just remembered a Beringer wine that I have purchased lately. I got about 6 bottles of the 2003 Beringer Bancroft Ranch merlot. Found it for $30 and could not resist getting it. Weak moment I guess, but I thought it was a steal.

I still have a couple of bottles of '98 Zin - but that was a slow year to mature. I'm going through the last few '01s and '02s this summer.
Of course, I'm the guy who happily drinks 4 year old SB.

[Jenise]

Are 2003 Zinfandel's considered completely over the hill now? Gosh...I better drink some up, as I have a few.

I don't think so, but you have to judge on a producer-by-producer basis. Most zinfandel is made for current consumption, and who knows what went into this one? As far as I know its not a usual Beringer product, and I'm generally leery of back vintages (this is on the shelves around here now). I wouldn't have been surprised to find this a has-been.

lly liked some of the Reserve line of Beringer wines, but they are quite expensive and the QPR may not be there.

Same here. But at the lower end (and this answers Bob H's question, too), I've not found Beringer products up to the standards once set by the Knights Valley bottling (pre-94).

2005 Camaraderie Cellars Malbec, Crawford Vineyard, Yakima Washinton
Here was a surprise. Pure pretty red and black fruit and a big dose of exotic black pepper. No obvious oak. Well-made, fresh and interesting, a great find.

For a time I was pouring wine at Greenbank Farm here on Whidbey, which runs a small wine shop dedicated mostly to wines made in North Puget Sound. Camaraderie always provided the pick of the litter for reds. I don't use that phrase randomly - as I'm sure you know, the wines of the North Sound are decidedly a mixed bag. Camaraderie makes a Bordeaux-style blend they call "Grâce" that was consistently nice across the vintages I encountered. They're not what you could call great QPR but for just the "Q", Camaraderie is tops in these parts. I'm sure you know Mt. Baker, where the "P" is better - not as impressive but generally solid efforts (especially for such a wide portfolio of varieties) and generally fairly priced. Sorenson out of Port Townsend also occasionally does well with reds although with an apparent mission to maximize alcohol, for my taste misses more often than hits. Other good ones you may know: Eleven (Bainbridge), also Bainbridge Island Winery which does some interesting things with some of the strange whites that are actually grown here. They do a late harvest Siegerrebe that is pretty impressive.

[Jenise]

I'll have to look for some of those you mention. And more Camaraderie--I understand they have a tasting room over in Port Angeles. Or was it Townswend. Well, one of those! And I agree with your assessment of Mt. Baker. Perhaps what's even more remarkable than that the wines are what they are "for such a wide portfolio" is that this is accomplished with a revolving door of winemakers. I know there have been several in the five years I've lived here, and I've been told that's been typical during the reign of the current owner. The consistency must be due to the committee-like tasting panel he uses to decide the final blends.

[David M. Bueker]

The Beringer PR Cab is still available well south of $100 (saw it recently at $80 in a non-discount shop for the 2001), so $120 is a true rip off. While I'm not buying much Cali wine these days that doesn't say ESJ on the label, I have had most recent vintages of the Beriner PR Cab & they are still very, very fine wines with good aging potential.

$120 is a bad, bad price...I agree.

What really sucks is when you pay top dollar at a trusted retailer, then find the wine significantly cheaper at another source. (Dominus 2004 I am talking about you!)

I'll have to look for some of those you mention. And more Camaraderie--I understand they have a tasting room over in Port Angeles. Or was it Townswend. Well, one of those! And I agree with your assessment of Mt. Baker. Perhaps what's even more remarkable than that the wines are what they are "for such a wide portfolio" is that this is accomplished with a revolving door of winemakers. I know there have been several in the five years I've lived here, and I've been told that's been typical during the reign of the current owner. The consistency must be due to the committee-like tasting panel he uses to decide the final blends.

Now that I re-read my post, I realize that "varietals" would have been a better choice than "varieties" when talking about Mt. Baker's portfolio but far be it from me to restart *that* discussion As far as Camaraderie goes, it's Port Angeles and it's not just the tasting room, the winery is also located there. I haven't visited and with the Whidbey - Port Townsend ferry run semi-crippled, it will likely be awhile.

I didn't realize about the "revolving door of winemakers" at Mt. Baker. That reminds me of Renwood, in my former stomping grounds. Impressed by what I'd found locally from Mt. Baker, I made it a point to get up to the winery to taste last summer. I was impressed with the sheer breadth of their offerings - everything from a surprisingly decent Sangiovese through a nice Viognier and even a rather tasty sticky version, the use of wood generally restrained throughout. If you asked me if was wise for a winery to deal with so many different grapes, I would have said no. Most wineries that attempt such a shotgun approach fail from what I've seen, let alone small ones like Mt. Baker. But these seemed like solid efforts across the board, with few complete clinkers. The host did mention the process they go through to put together their blends - may have used the word "consultant" in there somewhere.

BobH is in a chard mood>>>I even have a glass of it with me here at the computer this evening.

General Announcement.

Anyone interested in some nice vintages of Tahbilk Marsanne, contact Bob H here!!!!

[James Roscoe]

BobH is in a chard mood>>>I even have a glass of it with me here at the computer this evening.

General Announcement.

Anyone interested in some nice vintages of Tahbilk Marsanne, contact Bob H here!!!!

Why is ity that I can here BobH saying, "F you!' all the way in DC?

BobH is in a chard mood>>>I even have a glass of it with me here at the computer this evening.

General Announcement.

Anyone interested in some nice vintages of Tahbilk Marsanne, contact Bob H here!!!!

Why is ity that I can here BobH saying, "F you!' all the way in DC?

James;

I would love to pour both you and Bob P a glass of Tahbilk marsanne, in fact I would pour from several vintages. Might even go back to the 1995 vintage fior you two. I suppose it has been about 6 years since I have even tasted much chardonnay. I did find some Aldo Conterno chard from the Langhe are that I enjoyed. At first I thought Oak, Oak, Oak, come to find out it had not seen oak, rather it had spent a lot of time on the lees. (lesson learned) This J. Lohr reminded me of that chard. This one does see some oak, but not so much as the lees effect. I guess I like lees.If either or both of you can come to Ann Arbor in Aug, I will bring some vintages of marasnne with me, just let me know.

BobH is in a chard mood>>>I even have a glass of it with me here at the computer this evening.

General Announcement.

Anyone interested in some nice vintages of Tahbilk Marsanne, contact Bob H here!!!!

Bob
Of the Tahbilk marsanne, I have 15 bottles of 2000, 25 bottles of 2002,
4 bottles of 1998, 6 of 1995, 11 of 2006. I am woefully deficient of most (still) available vintages.

I need to call the importer again and nudge him toward filling in some 03,04, 05 vintages for me. I would happily buy a case of each.