And a few other things. Barrage is actually the name of a relatively new Washington winery whose tasting room I visited and whose wines I liked. Those plus a few other odds and ends finally catches me up on posting tasting notes.
2010 Barrage Cellars Cabernet Franc Outcast Columbia Valley
Good fruit, dusty, good varietal typicity, dense, huge tannins. Needs time to relax the tannins, but it has the fruit to go the distance. $35
2012 Barrage Cellars Merlot A.K.A. Red Willow Vineyard Yakima Valley
From Red Willow vineyard--famous for David Lake's early best wines. Rusty, cocoa, mineral, blakberry, and lots of dust like all the wines we tasted here which I just LOVE. $28.
2014 Barrage Cellars & Rose Wine Columbia Valley Rosé Blend
87% Red Mountain Cab Sauv fruit and 13% Merlot, dusty, mildly green, watermelon and strawberry fruit, bone dry, grippy tannins. Outstanding; bought several.
2011 Emeritus Vineyards Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
As others said, just a tad sweet, especially for an '11. But it was nicely involved and spicey, impressing the friends I opened it for greatly and suiting a creamy blanquette de veau better than some of the leaner wines on the table.
2013 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley
Balanced, spot-on and nuanced flavors with the black-and-blue goop associated with WA state wines and certain years of QC. This wine would shock some of the naysayers. Drinks well now, should mature nicely over ten years.
2014 Paul Cluver Sauvignon Blanc Elgin, South Africa
Tangy, minerally, dry and substantive. Not heavy, just serious and in another league from the typical 'summer sipper' type SB. Excellent plus.
2001 De Toren Fusion V Stellenbosch Red Bordeaux Blend, South Africa
Sweet, saturated, clunky. Not Bordeauxish as I usually find these to be and not at all the wine I thought the '01 would be now based on a bottle in 2013 (from the same cellar). Almost dessert-sweet.
2010 Domaine Olivier Pithon Côtes du Roussillon Le Pilou Carignan
Medium red, peppery, not distinctive but safely in the "good value red" range of things.
2013 Gérard Bertrand Chardonnay Vin de Pays d'Oc Naturae
Low acid and full malo--with custard, sake and black licorice notes. Light bodied, a 'Miss Congeniality' contestant that tries to hard not to offend it totally misses the opportunity to impress. Dislike!
2013 Peter Jakob Kühn Riesling trocken Rheingau
Bright acidity, med body, citrussy, reads very young on the palate. Nice, but needs time to knit together.
2012 Nicolas Joly Savennières Les Clos Sacrés (Les Vieux Clos) Chenin Blanc
Deeply colored. Flinty, rich, persimmon nose that arrives lighter than expected on the palate with yellow pear, golden raisin and good acidity. Excellent.
2013 Catherine & Dominique Derain Mercurey La Plante Chassey Pinot Noir
Filtered, pure, polished, light acid, cranberry fruit, monochromatic but pleasant quaffing style Burg. Just good.