WTN: WA, Burg, OR, Wachau, Nahe

With dibby-dabbis (Betsy’s family expression for leftovers), the 2018 OO “EGW”-Wines Chardonnay (Willamette Valley) A little matchsticky, full and ripe with Meyer lemon and pear fruit. Rich and deep, but seems a little fat compared to the VGW bottling. Still I enjoyed. B

Long day led to Thai takeout (shrimp summer rolls, curry, larb, mango salad, drunken noodles with tofu. 2 very different Schafer-Frohlich Rieslings

2012 Schafer-Frohlich Kupfergrube Riesling Trocken GG
Intensely mineral, long flinty finish. Citrus zest, anisey herbs, smoke. Gets better and better with air. A-

2015 Schafer-Frohlich Felseneck Riesling Spatlese
A bit drawn in on itself, really just showing its sweetness, though you can sense a good wine underneath. A B- for now, but think just in a closed phase.

Oysters, grilled sea bass with fennel fronds and lemon, tri-color slaw, corn
2014 Jadot Beaune Bressandes blanc
Lovely ‘14 brightness, sweet comice pear, chalky almost Chablis-like finish. B/B+

Mixed grill, caprese (with green tomato and purple basil), potato salad, green salad
2016 Reynvaan The Contender Syrah
A real treat (thanks Jenise). Black raspberries, a bit of funk- pleasantly horsey, like a saddle that had just been taken off on a warm day, not a barnyardy aromas. Wine friend and I both enjoyed, I thought very N.Rhone, he felt more like cool climate Aussie (not a category I know well though I like). I need to try some more WA reds. B+

With spicy miso cod, rice, yellow wax beans, caprese, the 2017 Knoll Loibner Chardonnay Smaragd. I went to get a Riesling, realized I had grabbed a Chardonnay (never had a Knoll Chard before, must have bought it out of curiosity). The cod was spicy enough that I wished I had stuck to Riesling. Sweet apple, melon, a little herb note. Moderate acids. Pleasant enough, but not a value at $40-50. B-/B

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

...the 2017 Knoll Loibner Chardonnay Smaragd. I went to get a Riesling, realized I had grabbed a Chardonnay (never had a Knoll Chard before, must have bought it out of curiosity). The cod was spicy enough that I wished I had stuck to Riesling. Sweet apple, melon, a little herb note. Moderate acids. Pleasant enough, but not a value at $40-50.

Yes, maybe it's just early days and people in these regions will get better with Chardonnay as they learn more (and the weather shifts). But at the moment, I find so much less distinctiveness in these various non-Burgundy European chardonnays, compared to the grapes we usually associate with the regions. Hard to justify the price tags. But, who knows how it will develop, especially if there continue to be buyers.

[Jenise]

Glad you enjoyed the Reynvaan. You've now experienced what is known of here as Rocks Funk, which is very polarizing. Not everyone loves it, but it's built into the terroir of that unique AVA and sets this area of Washington-Oregon apart from the rest. It's what Cristophe Baron figured out that no one had before him, and why Cayuse syrahs are so famous. I've never encountered it in any Aussie wines--like you, I think Northern Rhone is the closest match.

[David M. Bueker]

The 2012 S-F Rieslings are showing pretty darned well across the board. I've had both Kabinett and Spatlese in the last few weeks, and both were excellent (if nowhere near end of the line).