FRESHPRESS. Feb. 20, 2012

Transcription

1 FRESHPRESS Feb. 20, 2012 Sauvignon Blanc grapes are crushed at Barnard Griffin in Richland in mid- September. Rob Griffin has been making wine in Washington for 35 years. (Andy Perdue/ Wine Press Northwest) Fresh Press is a weekly publication of Wine Press Northwest magazine. In each edition, we review recently released wines from Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Idaho. Feel free to forward to your wine-loving friends and family. For more information on our tasting methods and review process, please go to the last page.

2 Spotlight: Barnard Griffin 878 Tulip Lane, Richland, WA In his 35 years in the Washington wine industry, Rob Griffin has gained a deep understanding of the vast Columbia Valley, and he uses his knowledge to craft wines that are routinely among the best in the Pacific Northwest. Now, Griffin, 58, is beginning to pass his insights along to his two daughters, who are poised to one day take over the 65,000-case winery in the heart of Washington wine country. Griffin and his wife, Deborah Barnard, launched their eponymous winery in 1983, six years after arriving from California. He graduated from the University of California-Davis with a degree in fermentation science and worked at famed Buena Vista Winery in the Napa Valley s Carneros district. He was lured to Washington by Bill Preston, owner of Preston Wine Cellars north of Pasco. He stayed there until 1983, the same year the couple launched Barnard Griffin with 400 cases of wine. In 1984, he took over as head winemaker for burgeoning Hogue Cellars in the Yakima Valley. He stayed there until 1991, when Barnard Griffin had grown large enough to command all of his attention. That focus has led to a heap of praise from professionals and consumers alike and enough medals to fill a few barrels. Last month, his 2011 Rosé of Sangiovese won the Sweepstakes award for best pink wine at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition in Sonoma County. This was the seventh consecutive year in which Griffin s Rosé of Sangiovese has won a gold or better and the second straight year it has earned the top prize. It s become a bit of a miracle, he said with a chuckle. Last year was especially difficult because his go-to vineyard for Sangiovese Balcom & Moe north of Pasco was socked hard by the November 2010 freeze and produced no grapes. That left Griffin scrambling for fruit, which he found at multiple sources. He struck gold, as it were, at The Benches, a grand vineyard on cliffs above the Columbia River near of the Wallula Gap. It is owned by a group led by Allen Shoup, former Ste. Michelle CEO. They do a stunning job, Griffin said. Since Barnard Griffin was named Pacific Northwest Winery of the Year in 2006 by Wine Press Northwest, the winery has become part owner of Caroway Megan, left, and Elise Barnard Griffin are the daughters of Deborah Barnard and Rob Griffin. Megan has joined the family winery as an enologist, and Elise works on the business and marketing side. Vineyard, an old planting east of Kennewick near the community of Finley. Vinifera grapes were first planted there in 1968, and Griffin brings in Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon each year. While it is Barnard Griffin s only estate vineyard, the winery seems to have the market cornered on Syrah from Desert Aire Vineyard on the edge of the Wahluke Slope near the Columbia River. Griffin refers to the 15- acre site as the Côte-Rôtie of Washington, and the grapes make up the vast majority of the fruit that goes into his mainline ( Tulip label ) Syrah each vintage. Last week, his young 2010 version earned an Outstanding rating in Wine Press Northwest s blind judging of nearly 150 Syrahs. In the cellar, Griffin is assisted by Mickey French, associate winemaker. French started in the tasting room in 1997 and moved into cellar operations the following year. And now Griffin s daughter Megan, 24, has joined the operation as staff enologist. She earned a degree from Washington State University s horticulture and viticulture program and now is immersed in the family business. While she has not made a Barnard Griffin wine on her own from start to finish, her proud dad said he probably will have her do so during the 2012 vintage. Megan is joined by her sister, Elise, 26, who earned a degree in business and marketing from WSU. She

3 Spotlight: Barnard Griffin represents the winery in many ways, promoting the operation at events, online and on site. Combined, the sisters are a formidable pair, and their parents could not be prouder that they have chosen this career path. We never felt that we forced them in this direction, Griffin said. We always made it clear it was an opportunity that most people don t have to take a functioning family business and make it better. He even envisions a day long into the future when he and Deborah, a glass artist with a studio near the tasting room, can retire to rocking chairs on the front porch and let the kids take over. We want to take the winery into the next generation from a mom-and-pop operation, he said. But that s not happening anytime soon. (Elise and Megan) have the brains and humility to understand it s not automatic and they have to work for it. Look for other changes this year at the Richland winery. Barnard Griffin is neighbors to two wineries that provide food Tagaris has a full-service, sit-down restaurant, and Bookwalter hired a chef last fall and offers tapas-style small plates at its bistro and Barnard Griffin plans to remodel its tasting room and add a catering kitchen this summer. Expanding the retail area and providing food and entertainment will fit in well with visitor expectations and make Barnard Griffin an even more enjoyable place to visit, Griffin said. Spotlight: Barnard Griffin Outstanding! Barnard Griffin 2008 Gunkel Vineyard Barbera, Columbia Valley, $35. Gunkel Vineyard in the Columbia Gorge near the community of Maryhill is one of winemaker Rob Griffin s favorite locations. He has brought in Zinfandel from this region for years and is even in the midst of opening a second winery in the area. This superb Barbera is a great example of what the Gunkel family can provide, opening with aromas of black currants, black cherries, Marionberries, leather, mint and pomegranates. On the palate, it s a hedonistic wine with big black cherry and ripe boysenberry flavors, backed with wellmanaged tannins and a late boost of acidity. (119 cases, 13.5% alc.) Outstanding! Barnard Griffin 2008 Lonesome Spring Ranch Vineyard Cotes de Rob, Columbia Valley, $25. Through the years, winemaker Rob Griffin has always been pretty straight laced with his wine names, but he gets a bit fanciful with this Southern Rhône style blend of Syrah, Durif (Petite Sirah), Grenache Noir, Grenache, Counoise and Mourvèdre. (For the curious, Grenache and Grenache Noir are generally considered synonyms. However, in this case, they are different clones of the same grape.) The resulting wine is as delicious as it is superb, opening with exotic aromas of gaminess, chocolate-covered blueberries, mincemeat spices and black peppers. It is a well-constructed wine, revealing hedonistic flavors of blackberries, black olives, black currants and black licorice. Fine-grained tannins allow zingy, juicy flavors to shine through the lengthy and memorable finish. (280 cases, 13.9% alc.) Outstanding! Barnard Griffin 2008 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $40. A key to crafting a long-lived wine is balance between acidity, tannin, fruit and oak, and this elegant wine perfectly fits the opportunity to enjoy a lengthy life in your cellar. For the less patient, however, you will enjoy this if you choose to cut its life short by pulling the cork now. Our recommendation: Buy a half-case or more and open one every other year and see how it progresses. Right now, it opens with succulent aromas of big purple fruit, sweet oak, cherries, chocolate and mint, followed by rich flavors of blackberries, blueberries, huckleberries, black licorice and cocoa powder. This wine has a lot of tannin, but it has the fruit and acidity to carry the weight. (224 cases, 14.7% alc.) Outstanding! Barnard Griffin 2010 Syrah, Columbia Valley, $17. Owner/winemaker Rob Griffin refers to Desert Aire Vineyard as the Côte-Rôtie of Washington, and he brings in all the Syrah from the 15-acre vineyard for his Tulip label Syrah. Griffin began making Syrah in 1998, virtually making him a pioneer with the variety in Washington, and he continues to have it dialed in vintage after vintage. This young wine opens with luscious aromas of blackberries, plums and sweet oak, followed by wonderful flavors of dense black fruit, tobacco leaf, bright acidity and a long, plush finish. (4,700 cases, 13.8% alc.)

4 New releases we ve tasted Cabernet Sauvignon Recommended. Helix by Reininger 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $28. Horse Heaven Hills fruit helps make for aromas of pomegranate, mint, slate and steak juice. Dark cherry flavors arrive early, backed by a wealth of bittersweet chocolate, a slaty tannin structure and pie cherries. In the back is a fun and savory finish of pomegranate and wheat Chex. Enjoy with home-style pork ribs or a grilled T- bone. (682 cases, 14.8% alc.) Excellent. Spangler Vineyards 2006 Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Southern Oregon, $50. Visitors to Pat and Loree Spangler s tasting room just five minutes off Interstate 5 in Roseburg, Ore., can see the old vines that make up this lot. It s showing nicely now, but there s also a long life still ahead for this Old World-style Cab with classic aromas of cassis, crushed leaf, cherry cola, pomegranate, boysenberry and a sense of earthiness that hints at celeriac. The palate brings an abundance of black cherry flavors, huckleberry, mint, more leafiness, bittersweet chocolate and Darjeeling tea. Enjoy with a thick, char-broiled porterhouse. (160 cases, 13.5% alc.) Cabernet Franc Recommended. Spangler Vineyards 2009 Cabernet Franc, Southern Oregon, $25. This bottling of Cabernet Franc stays true to the variety, starting with its aromas of red currant, red and green bell pepper, green peppercorns, crushed leaf and minerality. There s more fruit on the palate as currant is joined by cherry, along with more leafiness, backed by an urgent finish of rooibos tea. (356 cases, 13.7% alc.) Petit Verdot Excellent. SuLei Cellars 2009 Les Collines Vineyard Petit Verdot, Walla Walla Valley, $28. Tanya Woodley s move from Portland to the Walla Walla Valley continues to pay off for fans of her wellcared-for small lots. Fascinating aromas of purple fruit hint at blueberry taffy and huckleberry, backed by fragrant cinnamon bark and Campari. It s a multilayered drink of finesse and plushness, starting with black cherry and blackberry compote flavors. There s bright acidity, decent tannins and a smoky finish of chocolate-covered almonds. (70 cases, 14.3% alc.) Sangiovese Excellent. Locati Cellars 2008 Sangiovese, Columbia Valley, $25. A load of estate fruit from Walla Walla s Mission Hills Vineyards fills in behind Sangiovese from Rosebud Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope for this assertive red. Aromas open with pomegrante, dark cranberry and chocolate-covered blueberries, accented by sage, silky leather, cedar and a whiff of sea spray. Juicy blueberries lead the flavors, which are joined in the midpalate by red currant and cranberry. The powers comes in the finish of black currant, chocolate and black tea. (600 cases, 14.72% alc.) Barbera Outstanding! Locati Cellars 2008 Barbera, Columbia Valley, $25. This multi-generation family of Italian hertiage has roots in Walla Walla that reach back to the start of the sweet onion industry in It chose Lonesome Springs Ranch Vineyard in the Yakima Valley as the source for its Barbera, and the wine is well done all the way through. Syrupy aromas of purplish Marionberry, blueberry and blackberry include hints of tea and mint. The drink is akin to a bag of Rader Farms berries as fine-grained sandy tannins make for a pleasing mouth feel. Its finish is a lingering one with chocolate and black cherries as good acidity carries it forward. Enjoy with lasagna or osso buco. (300 cases, 14.16% alc.) Red blends Outstanding! Helix by Reininger 2007 Stone Tree SoRho, Columbia Valley, $32. The Wahluke Slope produces some of the Northwest s top Syrah, which explains why Walla Walla winemaker Chuck Reininger achieved such success with blend of Rhône varieties from Tedd Wildman. Grenache (34%), Mourvèdre (34%) and Cinsault come together for aromas or Red Velvet cake, blueberry, blackberry, red currant, a hint Wine ratings All wines reviewed here are tasted blind after being submitted by producers. They are rated Outstanding, Excellent and Recommended by a tasting panel. Outstanding: These wines have superior characteristics and should be highly sought after. Excellent: Top-notch wines with particularly high qualities. Recommended: Delicious, well-made wines with true varietal characteristics. Best Buy: A wine that is $15 or less. Priced are suggested retail and should be used as guidelines. Prices are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted.

5 New releases we ve tasted of gaminess and a scrape of orange zest. Flavors show an underlying and attractive jamminess with more blackberry, black currant and black olive. There s bright cherry in the finish of this mediumbodied red. (480 cases, 14.6% alc.) Excellent. Columbia Winery 2008 Stone Cutter Series Lapis, Columbia Valley, $32. Kerry Norton s pet project for Columbia Winery is named for his appreciation for polished stones, and lapis refers to a blue stone found in the Middle East. His sources for this gem are Red Willow and Oasis vineyards, and he gathered up Grenache (52%), Mourvèdre (22%) and Syrah for very approachable and lighter-styled red. The theme of Van cherry, red currant and Rainier cherry runs from beginning to end. It s finished by chocolate and blood orange. (304 cases, 13.5% alc.) Chardonnay Excellent. Helix by Reininger 2010 Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $19. Beguiling aromas of Christmas fruit cake include pineapple, candy corn, lemon peel and fresh mint. The pineapple and lemon notes come to life on the palate with some nuttiness and dried pear notes. While it is quite tart, there s balance and no bitterness. (650 cases, 14.1% alc.) Excellent. Spangler Vineyards 2010 Unoaked Chardonnay, Southern Oregon, $20. Roseburg, Ore., winemaker Pat Spangler picked this crop Oct. 16, and it s loaded with fruit from beginning to end. Aromas lead with center-cut pineapple, Golden Delcious apple, honeysuckle and a pinch of oregano. Its tastiness begins with fresh-squeeze lime juice and is followed by a bit of creaminess on the midpalate. There s pleasing minerality, Granny Smith apple and a flash of tangerine in the finish. (180 cases, 13.4% alc.) Viognier Excellent. Sweet Valley Wines 2009 Viognier, Columbia Valley, $25. Grapes from McKinley Springs Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills were treated to new French oak barrels during primary fermentation followed by 18 months on the lees in stainless steel. That explains how young winemaker Josh McDaniels crated this tasty Viognier that opens with aromas of fresh Jonagold apple, canned Bartlett pear, orange peel and banana cream pie topped with toasted coconut. The drink spills out flavors of pineapple, orange sections and apple peel. There s a drop of potato broth and lemon pith in the finish. Serve with chicken or a creamy soup. (99 cases, 13.5% alc.) White blends Excellent. Helix by Reininger 2009 Aspersa, Columbia Valley, $18. Chuck Reininger s proprietary blend of Chardonnay (65%), Viognier (23%) and Semillon is a tribute to the Latin name for the common garden snail, helix aspersa. There s nothing musty or earthy about the wine, though. The Chardonnay influence is apparent with hints of angel food cake, dried pineapple and tangerine in the aromas, which are also a bit reminiscent of a dry Riesling in its tones of slate and jasmine. There s a long-lasting theme of lime juice, grapefruit peel and river rock. (446 cases, 14.1% alc.) Rosé Recommended. Locati Cellars 2010 Estate Rosé, Walla Walla Valley, $16. The Locati family s Mission Hills Vineyard, near the Whitman Mission, makes for a very floral pink using Sangiovese. This whispers of strawberry taffy, cranberry, apricot and tutti frutti. Its aproach is easy to get into, yet bone dry, with tastes of more strawberry, apricot and tangerine. It s capped a big rush of pie cherry acidity at the end. (50 cases, 12.74% alc.)

6 Northwest wine regions Multi-state appellations Columbia Valley: This multi-state appellation is 11 million acres in size and takes up a third of Washington. Established in Columbia Gorge: This multi-state appellation begins around the town of Lyle and heads west to Husum on the Washington side of the Columbia River. It was established in Walla Walla Valley: Walla Walla Valley: This multi-state appellation is in the southeast corner of Washington and around Milton-Freewater, Ore. Established in Snake River Valley: This is in southwestern Idaho and southeastern Oregon. It covers 8,263 square miles and was established in Washington Yakima Valley: The Northwest s oldest appellation (established in 1983) stretches past Wapato in the west to Benton City in the east and includes Red Mountain, Rattlesnake Hills and Snipes Mountain. Red Mountain: Washington s smallest appellation is a ridge in the eastern Yakima Valley. It is 4,040 acres in size. Established in Horse Heaven Hills: This large appellation 570,000 acres is south of the Yakima Valley and stretches to the Oregon border. It was established in Wahluke Slope: Approved in early 2006, this huge landform north of the Yakima Valley is an 81,000-acre gravel bar created by the Ice Age Floods. It is one of the warmest regions in the entire Pacific Northwest. Established in Rattlesnake Hills: This appellation is in the western Yakima Valley north of the towns of Zillah, Granger and Outlook. The appellation is 68,500 acres in size with about 1,300 acres of vineyards. It was established in Puget Sound: This sprawling appellation is in Western Washington. It stretches from the Olympia area to the Canadian border north of Bellingham. It also sweeps through the San Juan Islands and to Port Angeles. Established in Snipes Mountain: This is one of Washington s oldest wine-growing regions. At 4,145 acres in size, it is the state s second-smallest AVA. Grapes have been grown on Snipes Mountain and at the adjacent Harrison Hill (also part of the AVA) since This AVAwas approved in Lake Chelan: This area in north-central Washington is almost entirely within the Columbia Valley. It is a young area, with the oldest vines dating to About 250 acres are planted here. It was approved in Naches Heights: Approved in 2011, this area near the city of Yakima has fewer than 50 acres of grapes planted. Oregon Willamette Valley: Oregon s largest appellation stretches roughly from Portland to Eugene. Established in Ribbon Ridge: This is the Northwest s smallest appellation at 3,350 acres. It is best known for its Pinot Noir and is within the Chehalem Mountains AVA. It was established in Yamhill-Carlton: This is a horseshoe-shaped appellation that surrounds the towns of Yamhill and Carlton. It was established in The District was dropped in Chehalem Mountains: This is the largest within the Willamette Valley. This 62,100-acre appellation is northeast of the Dundee Hills. It was established in Dundee Hills: Many of Oregon s pioneer wineries are in the Dundee Hills within Oregon s Yamhill County. The appellation is 6,490 acres in size. It was established in Eola-Amity Hills: This important region stretches from the town of Amity in the north to the capital city of Salem in the southeast. It is 37,900 acres in size. It was established in McMinnville: The hills south and west of the Yamhill County city of McMinnville are more than 40,000 acres in size. It was established in Umpqua Valley: This Southern Oregon appellation surrounds the city of Roseburg north of the Rogue Valley. It can produce Pinot Noir as well as warm-climate grapes. It was established in Rogue Valley: The Northwest s southern-most appellation surrounds the cities of Medford and Ashland, just north of the California border. It is known for its warm growing conditions. Established in Applegate Valley: This small valley within the Rogue Valley is known for a multitude of microclimates that can result in wines of distinction and complexity. Established in Southern Oregon: This AVA encompasses the Umpqua, Rogue and Applegate valleys and Red Hill Douglas County. It was established in Red Hill Douglas County: This tiny appellation just 5,500 acres is within the Umpqua Valley. Fewer than 200 acres of wine grapes, primarily Pinot Noir, are grown here. Established in British Columbia Okanagan Valley: In the province s interior, this 100- mile valley stretches from the border in Osoyoos to Salmon Arm in the north. Most wineries are near Oliver, Penticton and Kelowna. It was established in Similkameen Valley: This warm valley is west of the southern Okanagan Valley. It was established in Vancouver Island: This marine-influenced appellation is in the southwest part of the province. Established in Fraser Valley: This farming area is in the Lower Mainland, south of Vancouver. Established in Gulf Islands: This appellation includes approximately 100 islands spread out between Vancouver Island and the southern mainland. Established in 2005.

7 About us Wine Press Northwest is a quarterly consumer magazine that focuses on the wine regions of Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Idaho. Annual subscriptions are $20. Click to subscribe. Editor-in-chief: Andy Perdue editor@winepressnw.com Managing editor: Eric Degerman edegerman@winepressnw.com Advertising inquiries: Parker Hodge phodge@tricityherald.com 2012 Tasting methods Recent Releases are evaluated under strict conditions to ensure objectivity. Northwest wineries submit wines to Wine Press Northwest for evaluation by Wine Press Northwest s tasting panel. After wines are received, they are stored for at least two weeks and a third party serves them blind, meaning the tasting panelists do not know the producer. In addition, the panelists are served glasses of wine and are not able to view the bottles or their shapes prior to tasting. Wines are stored in temperature-controlled conditions, allowing them to be served at perfect cellar temperatures. Price is not a consideration in these evaluations, nor is a winery s advertising activity with Wine Press Northwest, as the magazine s editorial/wine evaluation activities and advertising/ marketing efforts are kept strictly separate. The panel has a combination of technical and consumer palates. If at least three of the four panelists consider a wine technically sound and commercially acceptable, it is included here as Recommended. The panel may also vote the wine as Excellent or Outstanding, our top rating. Wines considered unacceptable by the panel are rejected and not included. Reviews are grouped by variety or style and listed alphabetically by winery. Prices listed are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated. To ensure we maintain an international perspective, our tasting panelists judge thousands of wines annually at various competitions, including: Los Angeles International Wine and Spirits Competition, Riverside International Wine Competition, Dallas Morning News Wine Competition, Indy International Wine Competition, Virginia Governor s Cup, Sonoma County Harvest Fair, Grand Harvest Awards, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, Pacific Rim International Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru, Washington State Wine Competition, Seattle Wine Awards, Northwest Wine Summit, British Columbia Wine Awards, New York Wine and Grape Foundation Competition, Tri-Cities Wine Festival, Capital Food & Wine Fest, North Central Washington Wine Awards and Idaho Wine Competition.