I had wine to pick up at shops in Apex, NC and Raleigh so planned on dinner and overnight in Durham. Both shops had Saturday tastings going on. Westgate Wine had a representative from Powers Winery, Kennewick, WA in town (she was attending a trade show in Cary, NC on Monday.) I wasn't enthused about either of the white wines being poured--a Muscat Canelli and a Chardonnay--but I did enjoy the reds and found the prices a real QPR. The first red we tried was a Malbec from Columbia Valley. Interesting but not something I felt I had to take home. I think all the reds were 2008 vintage with the exception of the Syrah. I did like the 2007 Cougar Vineyard Syrah Reserve. I think I scored it 88-90 points and I purchased one bottle at $17.99 reduced from $24.99. The 2006 vintage of this was named "best of the best" of Washington Syrahs by Wine Press Northwest (in their first vintage of the Syrah Reserve.) We sampled two Cabernet Sauvignon wines that were already sold out--I think the Sheridan Vineyard and Champoux Vineyard C.S. However, my favorite Cabernet was the one from Coyote Vineyard (located next to Cougar Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope) and I purchased two bottles at $17.99 per bottle again reduced from $24.99. I found it to have strong berry components and to be smooth-tasting with some elegance and integrated tannins. Drinkable now but could probably age awhile also. (The Powers Champoux Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve received 94 points from WA at a barrel tasting which probably contributed to it selling out quickly.) We also had a Champoux Vineyard Proprietary Red with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot grapes, a Meritage style. I liked this one better than some of the single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons--probably because the Merlot softened the tannins of the C.S. grapes. It was offered on sale for $36 at the wine shop in Raleigh and is priced at $40 at the winery. I fhink I scored it 90 points. I left the scorecard and comments behind at the shop so am trying to remember my notes and scores. My top score was 92 points for the Coyote Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve. The 2009 vintages will be released soon but in smaller quantities due to vintage difficulties.
In Apex the tasting featured some white Burgundies. I tried only three--a Guffens Macon (I thought this saw a little oak whereas I prefer Macon from stainless steel), a Bouchard Aligote and a Bouchard Chablis Vielles Vignes. My favorite was the 2008 Domaine Pascal Bouchard Chablis Les Vielles Vignes. It sees 1/3 French oak for eight months but still retained a crispness and flintiness that I associate with fermenting in stainless steel. I bought a bottle to take home. It was on sale for $12.49, reduced from $24.99. I probably should have bought several bottles.