WTN: A stand-alone Counoise

[Jenise]

2014 Tamarack Cellars Counoise Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Red Mountain
2nd to last bottle of a case. Four years ago these were medium bodied and comparable to heavier new world pinots, but with bottle age they've become fuller bodied and are more comparable in sweetness and spice to zinfandel. Not a mate for pasta, in other words, but perfect for barbecue and some stews. Sorry it's not grown and bottled as a stand-alone variety in Washington state--there's a place for this.

[David M. Bueker]

Sounds yummy.

[Jenise]

They're quite good. I bought a bottle, loved it, then ordered six more, drained those, and then picked up six more some time later. There are very few wines that captivate me that way. I have a zillion line items in my cellar because I want to taste everything, so when I buy just three of something, that's actually quite a lot.* Best I can tell this winery hasn't bottled counoise since. And I've only seen the grape from one other Washington winery, and again that was a one-off.

*Admittedly, though, I'd buy case lots of Bionic Frog if I could afford them.