Our monthly neighborhood tasting was held last night. Topic was Washington Cabernet blends, but I threw in two ringers* (I purchased the wines).
The free pour starter wines:
2009 Willow Crest Pinot Gris: Willow Crest has been making good value whites in the $10 bracket for some time, but with the '09 vintage as evidenced by this and the next wine, they've upped their game tremendously. Bright, neat lemony acids give solid pear flavors a good backbone. What a great wine for summer.
2009 Willow Crest Riesling: the wine rep who handles this one, who happens to be a buddy of mine, waxed gleefully, "finally, a Washington Kabinett!" He wasn't wrong about that. Classic multi-faceted young riesling character here with bright lime and coconut prominent. Sweet entry but finishes dry and clean. Wonderful acidity--not the usual tame flab of domesticity. One sip and I needed Thai food desperately.
These six were served blind. Someone else arranged them so I did not know which was which.
1) Very Cabbish, solid, well-balanced, well-made, builds steadily in the glass toward finesse and seduction. Could be the Deluge. My #2 wine, group #3. 2005 GLM Wine Co. Deluge, Blaine.
2) Big vanilla oak, big body, very concentrated, low acid, sweet, toasted and fat. Has to be the Baer. I despise this wine. My #6, Group #1. (Big and sweet win them every time--so sad.) 2007 Baer 'Ursa', Walla Walla.
3) Tart skin flavors, dill and green pepper on mild black fruit. American oak? Whatever--an unhappy little wine. Probably the Camaraderie. I did not like it, but I really hated the Baer so it's only my #5. Group #4. 2005 Camaraderie Grace, Port Angeles.
4) Classic cabernet flavors again. Well-made, medium bodied, everything in its right place. I like it a lot. My #3, group #5 (I SO don't understand this). 2007 GLM Wine Co "Harbor Lights", Blaine.
5) Violet perfume on raspberry fruit gives this wine a haunting, temptress of a nose. Feminine yet full-figured with black cherry, minerals and spice on the palate. The finish just lasts and lasts. I pray to god this is the Buty. A truly stunning wine, and the wine I'd show to anyone who doubts that Washington isn't a force to be reckoned with. My #1, and even though it got the most #1 votes of all the wines it was second place for the group behind the Baer which had a motherlode of 2nd and 3rd place votes. 2008 Buty 'Rediviva of the Stones', Walla Walla. *A ringer because it's half syrah.
6) In spite of three hours decanting, this wine failed to open satisfactorily so although everything was fine, it was like tasting through a veil. You couldn't quite see it all. To a group who favors size, this potentially lovely wine whose only fault was shyness was relegated to last place. Tsk tsk. My #4, but certainly one of the four wines I *did* like. And it's the second ringer due to origins, it's the 2008 Craggy Range Te Kahu Gimblett Gravels, New Zealand.