by Jenise » Mon Apr 03, 2017 3:27 pm
2014 Phelps Creek Vineyards Pinot Noir Becky's Cuvée Columbia Gorge
This wine shows good evolution in the last six months; more relaxed and open with warm red fruit and an underlying herbaceousness.
2014 Pewsey Vale Vineyard Riesling Dry Eden Valley
Rich, dry new world reislings are making a fan out of me and I didn't think it possible. Here's one of the culprits, a delightful mix of white flowers, kaffir lime leaf, white grapefruit and a little hay.
2013 Chateau Ste. Michelle Malbec Limited Release Columbia Valley
A real stunner (and I am not, in general, a fan of this winery). Ripe black, blue and red fruit on the palate with significant bramble and a surprisingly prominent bundle of pie spices; showed best two days after opening.
2013 Chateau Ste. Michelle Merlot Ethos Reserve Columbia Valley
Tasting room. Good varietal character and tannins buried under plush oak with a Hershey Bar finish. Good if you enjoy this style, but I don't.
2014 Chateau Ste. Michelle Malbec Limited Release Columbia Valley
Tasting room. Raw, grapey, unpleasant. At this stage, no comparison to the sublime and spicy '13.
2007 Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen Riesling Eroica Columbia Valley
Tasting room. Intense, exotic. Shows petrol and the ripeness of the vintage with mango and other tropical fruits.
2008 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon Cold Creek Vineyard Columbia Valley
Tasting room. Heavy charcoal, plodding midpalate. Hasn't aged well; drink up.
2012 Obelisco Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Red Mountain
Tasting room. Cedar, bramble and pencil lead aromas. Surprised by 15.2% abv, because it doesn't come across.
2013 Obelisco Estate Riesling Columbia Valley
Tasting room. Admirably dry style, complex and forceful. Not usually a riesling fan but I purchased three bottles.
2015 Obelisco Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé Red Mountain
Tasting room pour. Excessively sweet, sugar sweet. Can't reconcile this vs. last year's excellent rose and this winery's overall quality.
2013 Obelisco Estate Malbec Obelisco Estate Vineyard Red Mountain
Tasting room. Full spectrum aromatics and palate, mildly exotic and seductive.
2013 Obelisco Estate Merlot Red Mountain
Tasting room. Good fruit, toasted oak, pie cherries. Big and balanced. Priced ($50) for serious merlot buffs.
2014 William Church Cabernet Franc Columbia Valley
Tasting room. Fairly generic flavors with a hot, stinging finish. Perhaps it needs time.
2013 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir Original Vines Dundee Hills
Tasting room. A blend of five vineyards. Very typical Eyrie weight and mouthfeel with lots of flowers and fungus (shitake mushroom, in this case) among the berries.
2015 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir Rosé Willamette Valley
Tasting room. Delicate yet strong willed. Lasts on the palate, great finish.
2015 The Eyrie Vineyards Chasselas Doré Willamette Valley
I drank quite a bit of this grape in Switzerland, and Eyrie's version is exquisitely authentic--brought back many good memories. Pioneer and founder David Lett planted it thinking it was muscat.
1997 Gianni Voerzio Barolo La Serra Nebbiolo
Decanted for an hour, modest sediment removed. Darker and more opaque than expected, with heavy loam, oak and tar flavors. Clunky on the palate with none of the grace expected from 20 year nebbiolo.
2014 Domaine Masson-Blondelet Pouilly-Fumé Les Angelots Sauvignon Blanc
Blind, I'd have guessed I was drinking something closer to New Zealand than Sancerre. A balanced yet forward, citrussy style, ample in every way without being too much, plus some dustiness (which I love). Too good for just one bottle--just ordered more.
2013 Ross Andrew Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley
In-store tasting. There aren't a lot of bargains at $30 MSRP in Washington cabernets, but this is one. Very balanced, correct and restrained much like Ross himself with dark cherry fruit and tobacco.
2013 Ross Andrew Winery Syrah Boushey Vineyards Yakima Valley
In-store tasting. Floral/violet nose with bright raspberry fruit on the palate. Clean, modern and a little sexy.
2015 Ross Andrew Winery Cabernet Sauvignon The Huntsman Columbia Valley
In-store tasting. 90% cabernet with petite verdot and something else. Balanced and true to varietal; great QPR at $17.
2015 Ross Andrew Winery Cabernet Sauvignon "Glaze" Columbia Valley
80/20 cab/merlot blend with 10% new French oak. A deliberate 'everyday' red that shows well for it's $15 price tag. However, for two bucks more he makes The Huntsman--buy that instead.
2016 Ross Andrew Winery Pinot Gris Celilo Vineyard Columbia Gorge
Brilliant. Strong pear aromas that capture the definitive personality of PG in a way that reminds one that very few actually do. Best WA PG I can remember having.
1999 Château Monbousquet St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend
Luscious. Vibrant black currant and blueberry fruit, resolved tannins, great mouthfeel.
2006 Arcadian Pinot Noir Fiddlestix Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills
Much nicer than the 2015 bottle. Fruit's still lagging the acidity but the gap has narrowed, and there's a pleasant funk.
2001 Hauts de Pontet-Canet Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
No surprise--decent with a steak but lacks excitement or contemplation-worthy complexity. Just okay.
2013 Adega Familiar Eladio Piñeiro Rías Baixas Envidia Cochina Tete Cuvee Albariño
Flat bottle shape possibly most interesting thing about it four years out from vintage. A rich wine with tired notes of apple and banana--interesting to drink but lacks anything refreshing. Would have been better two years ago.
2008 Joseph Drouhin / Drouhin-Vaudon Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay
Teetering toward the edge but not oxidized, very enjoyable in fact. But should have drunk earlier and will finish remaining bottles in 2017.
2001 Vergelegen Cabernet Sauvignon Stellenbosch
Quite different from last bottle two months ago: very minty nose, blackberries, earthy, dusty tannins, huge grip. This bottle has at least til 2022.
2005 Clarendon Hills Grenache Kangarilla
Some plum and earth with a gobby vanilla finish, but dominated by the most egregious char and smoke I've ever experienced in a wine. Undrinkable.
2015 Catherine et Pierre Breton Rosé d'Anjou La Ritournelle Cabernet Franc
Very pale pink. Cranberry-rhubarb on the fruit with a bit too much VA. Not thrilled.
2014 Arianna Occhipinti Il Frappato Terre Siciliane IGT
Purple-red color with sweet spiced bing cherry, pomegranate and Hawaiian punch. Tangy, pure joy in the mouth.
2014 Le Piane Maggiorina Vino da Tavola Nebbiolo Blend, Nebbiolo
Lighter color and body. Lighter red fruits and spice with nice acidity that adapts to whatever you're eating with it--a true food wine.
2008 Paolo Bea San Valentino Umbria IGT Sangiovese Blend, Sangiovese
Sweet earthy fruit with tarragon and roast beef on the midpalate and dark chocolate on the finish. Very good.
2011 John Duval Wines Plexus MRV Barossa Valley White Rhone Blend
White flower and green apple nose convinced me this was chardonnay. No peach from the marsanne, no old-lady perfume from the viognier. A very pleasant wine drinking well now.
2014 Efeste Sauvignon Blanc Feral Evergreen Vineyard Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley
Has gained weight and filled out after a year in the cellar. Acidity now takes a back seat to the fruit and 'feral' nature of this natural yeast wine. Grassy, gooseberry and all that on steroids. Need to buy some '15's to drink next year! Best WA Sauv Blanc I've had.
1992 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Washington
Inky crimson color. Good secondary development on blackberry base but not yet fully tertiary. Still full bodied, resolved tannins. A spectacular bottle of aged WA wine.
NV Krug Champagne Brut Rosé Champagne Blend
Opened on Bobo's birthday.
2011 Ropiteau Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières Chardonnay
Golden color. A bit riper and more tropical than I expected for the vintage but nonetheless enjoyable with green apple, canned pineapple and a hint of toffee on the finish.
2010 Cowan Cellars Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Still showing that prickly pear, almost grapefruit-bitterness on the finish; otherwise it's quite sweet and monotone. Can't honestly relate to it as 100% pinot noir (vs. containing some grenache).
2012 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis 1er Cru Séchet Chardonnay
A bit dull! Not bad, just lacks excitement on the level I expect from Vincent Dauvissat.
2014 Ostatu Rioja Rosado Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo
Almost undrinkable 18 months ago due to excess acidity, this is now ready to go. Light salmon orange color, dry flavors have evolved and integrated wonderfully. Great stuff.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
