WTN: Party wines

[Jenise]

Hosted my first indoor social gathering in ages this week to say goodbye to a special couple who is moving away. I was disturbed to discover how few "value" wines I had for such an occasion. The amarone, Proper and DCS were $40-50 wines, the others about $25.

2016 Reynvaan Family Vineyards Syrah The Unnamed Series Walla Walla Valley
PnP'd. Seamless red and blue fruit, green olive, Rocks funk, and mild tar. Dry but svelte, tighter at present than previous bottles but opens up with food. 2024-25 still a peak target.

2016 Secret Squirrel Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley
This is premium winery Corliss's 2nd label, and in teh $20's a true QPR bargain. Often a better cabernet than many other winery's premium offerings. Classic WA cabernet profile--all black fruit, some cocoa and earth, great body and structure. However this one's aging in bottle at a glacial pace. Hold.

2014 Dynasty Cellars Syrah DCS Les Collines Vineyard Walla Walla Valley
At 7 years out from vintage this shows better than ever. A hearty wine, the initially-reductive fruit has mellowed and while still showing plenty of substance, it has acquired some gentility. Very good.

2013 Monte Zovo Amarone della Valpolicella Corvina Blend, Corvina
Wowed the crowd with this one. Popped and poured, showed tangy deep red Italian fruits and loads of spice and resonance. Finish went on and on. One guest declared, "If I ever end up in hospice, bring this." Excellent, and a QPR bargain at $40ish.

2016 Proper Wines Estate Syrah Walla Walla Valley
Concentrated black and blue fruits, rosemary and fennel. Generously oaked resulting in a cashmere texture, hints of maple syrup on the sweet finish. An elegant Washington syrah which I liked, though it's not my preferred style.

2016 Lapostolle Carménère Cuvée Alexandre Apalta Vineyard Colchagua Valley
Benchmark Carmenere; I doubt this grape gets made better by anyone. Cassis and blackberry fruit spiked with paprika and chocolate, great concentration but not weighty. Drinks well now, but no rush, lots more to come. Probably Chile's greatest QPR red.

2018 Indigenous World Cabernet Franc Okanagan Valley
Upon opening, found a Plain Jane medium-bodied wine that drank like cheap cab sauv, no franc-ishness in sight. (I should have let that name scare me away.) Lousy wine, even for just $23 canadoughs.

Indigenous World CF is listed at $35 Cda.

[David M. Bueker]

Secret Squirrel - Fighting Nut Crimes!

I used to be fond of the Secret Squirrel cartoons as a kid.

I wonder if there's a Super Chicken Winery out there somewhere? If so, they knew the job was dangerous when they took it.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

Indigenous World CF is listed at $35 Cda.

Can't help that. I paid $23--in Vancouver.

[Jenise]

Oh, and here's another. Really the ultimate party wine in that it drinks way above it's price and the local competition, but costs way less. Every bottle of this we drink impresses even more than the last one. From vines planted in 1945:

2017 Clos de Luz Cabernet Sauvignon Massal 1945 Rapel Valley
Another amazing buy from Chile. Wish I'd bought a few cases. Excellent dark cherry and blackberry fruit, good depth, both rich and juicy, closer to California than Washington if you want a domestic comparison, with complex herb, spice and cedar. Only 13.5% abv.