Shared a few bottles last night with friends over dinner at The Forks in Agate Bay, a gas station turned gastro pub on the north shore of Lake Whatcom and currently Bellingham's best retaurant IMNSHO.
NV Masquerade 'The Elephant' Brut: A new winery has moved to Bellingham from the east side of the state, called Masquerade. I have tasted a couple of the wines, and this sparkler is one of the two best. Made from a real-deal blend of pinot noir, chardonny and pinot meunier, though it's a bit more forcefully new world fruity, it has the genuine brioche-yeasty qualities and precise, pin-prick effervescence we all love about the old world version. Very good, and the best Washington bubble I've had by a long shot.
2008 Masquerade Viognier: Unfortunately, this is not one of the aforementioned two best. It has good viognier varietal character but oh my god, the residual sugar. Thumbs down, way down.
2004 Ken Wright Nysa Vineyard Pinot Noir, Oregon: I guess I'm just not a fan of Ken Wright. Drinking this wine was like shaking hands with a velvet glove, it's soft and nice but there's nothingness where the bones and soul should be. Plums and vanilla with a bit of bretty funk on the nose.
2007 Kestrel Cabernet Sauvignon: After the Ken Wright the unveiled rusticity and directness of this very capable, affordable Washington cabernet was most welcome. Blackberry, bramble and good minerality.