Friday Find, August 10th

Each Friday we highlight a wine from the Northwest that we think is a real "find." By find we might mean that it's a steal, as all of these wines we'll feature weekly are at or under $20. We might also mean "Hey, you really need to go find this" and it might be a wine that we feel not enough people know about. In any case, with the weekend pending we're hoping to help you "find" a wine to kickoff the weekend right. We'll tell you a little bit about the wine and try to help you track it down here in the Northwest.

I'm always mystified by the comment "I only drink _______ wine." The missing word is not "expensive", or "German" or even "single vineyard", as at the very least, all of those would be slightly more interesting.  No, folks who make these statements usually fill in the blank with one of two words, "white" or "red."

Sometimes, it's "white."  There are those folks who are, or believe they are allergic to red wines. "It's the sulfites" they usually say, even though many white wines actually contain higher concentration of sulfites.  I don't mean to debate or dismiss the "allergic to red wine"crowd.  That's another post for another day, but I do want to focus on our friends who "Don't drink white wine."

More often than not, with folks who've chosen one "type" of wine over the other, they typically don't drink white wine, they dismiss it as sweet, cheap, for summer, for girls, for kids, for Germans.  Whatever.  I have my own theories and I'll run them down for you here, as well as offer this week's Friday Find, a take on a white blend that I think just might be a white wine for red wine drinkers.

I believe that people who "don't drink white wine," make this mistake for three primary reasons.

Reason 1: They don't think of white wine as "serious" wine.  This could stem from a number of things: a bad experience with bad white wine, sweet Moscato, Franzia, or a more simplistic understanding of what makes wine "serious".  As people begin learning about wine and the winemaking process they learn that often times, (but not always) it's red wine that's put away to age and ferment in barrels and white wine goes into stainless steel.  How can that be a serious wine they might ask, I mean, barrels are what wine is all about.  Well, this logic requires a very simple response.  White Burgundy.  There, if you don't believe that white wine is serious drop somewhere in the $50-150 range on a Chardonnay from Burgundy (these are aged in barrel by the way). You'll change your tune in a heartbeat.  The white wines from Burgundy may be the most profound wine experience you can have, period.  They age for decades and they deliver a complexity that almost no wine, of any color can match.

Reason 2: Fruity Mc Fruiterson.  People may have had some "white wines" that were loaded with tropical or citrus fruits, this is not necessarily a bad thing, but it's certainly a different flavor profile than they've experienced in their red wines.  This is often a result of a fruit forward varietal done in a crisp style and it's absolutely fantastic, but for "red wine drinkers" who are used to having a significant oak influence on their wines, it can be off putting.  "Where's the smoke? The vanilla? The cedar?"  It's not here my friends, and it doesn't belong. Diversity is a beautiful thing and so not all wines should taste alike.

Reason 3: Body.  I think that for the majority of "red wine drinkers" what they experience in a white wine comes off as thin or overly acidic, angular instead of rounded.  For the record, I disagree with them, but this is the conclusion I've drawn as to why many folks are put off by "white wines".  For me there are few things more beautiful than the brilliant acidity of Riesling or a Sancerre (Sauvignon Blanc) from the Loire.  Red wine drinkers however are used to more rounded flavor profiles, often a result of that aforementioned oak, but also because of the ripeness and fuller body that is common for many, but not all red varietals.

To that end and hopefully to provide a gateway wine we bring you today's Friday Find.  From Syncline Wines, the 2011 Subduction White, a white Rhone style blend.  The reason I think this just might be the gateway white for "red wine drinkers" is the body that many of these white Rhone varietals have.  This wine is a blend of Roussanne and Marsanne which give the wine a body and fullness that "red wine drinkers" will love is balanced with Viognier, Picpoul and Grenanche Blanc.  The wine balances bright fruit aromatics with layers of complexity on the palate, honey, hay, beeswax and wet stone mix with flavors of citrus fruit and pear. At $20 it's a well priced gateway wine.  You'll thank me later.

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Oregon Pinot the French Translation; 1789 Wines

I participated in the Northwest Wines To You Tasting Games and was able to taste a vertical of the 1789 wines from 2007 through 2009 and participate in an online question and answer session with the winemaker.  



Winemaker Isabelle Dutartre came from France to Oregon's Willamette Valley to make Pinot Noir.  With a substantial background in Burgundy, studying there as well as working for Joseph Drouhin for 12 years, Isabelle began a long commute back and forth between France and Oregon several times a year.  In 1993 she decided to quit fighting the trans-Atlantic traffic and settled in the Willamette Valley. With about 28 years of winemaking experience she's finally come out with a wine all her own.

While Isabelle continues to make wine for established wineries within the Valley. she also has started her own venture, a "personal revolution," in her 1789 Wines. (She's currently the winemaker at De Ponte Cellars.)  For Isabelle, the label is a nod to her French heritage (marking the year of France's great revolution) but it wasn't "too French-y" in her words. Isabelle is putting a French accent on the Oregon fruit, and hoping produce a more Burgundian style of wine. Finesse, elegance and complexity are what she appreciates in the Pinot Noir from her home country and she's hoping to emulate that here in the Willamette Valley.

For her first vintage in 2007 Isabelle was able to source fruit from my personal favorite Oregon AVA, the Chehalem Mountains.  She only made about 70 cases that year from the acre of fruit she got and for Isabelle this marked a special moment, it was all hers, the label, the wine all of it.  In many ways, it was like "another baby" that she had to take all the responsibility for. (Isabelle is a mother of three.)

By now many people know the story of the 2007 vintage in the Willamette Valley.  It was a challenging one, with late season rainstorms making for a very perplexing and stressful harvest. Ultimately, with the way these wines are now drinking, I hope we have many more vintages like that, but of course, I don't have to go through all the stress of actually making any decisions about whether to pick, or wait.  In 2007 this was an enormous factor. With pending rains on the way, many wineries picked before the rains came, not willing to risk the fruit this late into the growing season. For Isabelle, the decision was to wait, and ultimately it was the right decision for her, as she believes that as a winemaker she can taste that decision in Willamette Valley wines of that vintage.

"The tannins were not ripe, it was not there. There's a bit of greenness on the wines that were picked early." For Isabelle waiting out the rain resulted in a beautiful wine with fantastic aromatics. "The aromas are clean, elegant and the palate follows the nose."  To me the wine is a classic of this cool, challenging vintage and that AVA with loads of earthen aromas, gunpowder minerality and fresh ripe raspberries. For Isabelle the 07 vintage is what a classic Oregon vintage is, despite all its stresses.

These wines were provided as samples and are all available from Northwest Wines to You. They are all really, very good, and the 2007 is bordering on brilliant.

1789 Wines 2007 Chehalem Mountain Pinot Noir A classic and my favorite of the bunch with rich and haunting aromatics of dried violet, black tea, gunpowder and forest floor.  The wine delivers the same character on the palate with elegant raspberries and red currants. An absolutely beautifully balanced, acid driven Pinot Noir. $60

1789 Wines 2008 Chehalem Mountain Pinot Noir From a warmer and what Isabelle calls an "easier vintage," the aromatics are not as forward, highlighting early season blackberry and clove.  The wine is more fruit forward and broader in body than its younger sister.  Black fruit flavors along with clove and baking spices carry through the finish. The warmer vintage is handled deftly by a talented winemaker and the more muscular fruit is balanced with an elegance and finesse through the finish.  $60

1789 Wines 2009 Chehalem Mountain Pinot Noir "The middle child" in terms of taste among the three Pinot Noirs.  Aromatics of red fruit and sweet notes. The acidity is slightly less obvious, the palate is elegant with red fruit and herbal notes, the wine has a very pretty mouth-feel and is beautifully balanced.  $48

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Friday Find, August 3rd

Each Friday we highlight a wine from the Northwest that we think is a real "find." By find we might mean that it's a steal, as all of these wines we'll feature weekly are at or under $20. We might also mean "Hey, you really need to go find this" and it might be a wine that we feel not enough people know about. In any case, with the weekend pending we're hoping to help you "find" a wine to kickoff the weekend right. We'll tell you a little bit about the wine and try to help you track it down here in the Northwest.

Oregon has come to be known for it's world class Pinot Noir, and rightfully so.  It's some of the most beautiful wine you'll find in the new world.  But Oregon, and most specifically the Willamette Valley is far from a one trick pony.  Chardonnay is finally starting to get the notice it deserves here, as well as Riesling and the seeming "obligatory" white wine, Pinot Gris.  While I feel like the Chardonnays and Rieslings are really coming into their own, I'm not as big a fan of Oregon Pinot Gris.  Sorry, just being honest. I feel like generally it's a bit dull.

One Willamette white wine however, that's both wildly under-rated and misunderstood is Pinot Blanc.  Let's clarify a few things shall we.  Pinot Blanc is not white Pinot Noir.  Those of you with rudimentary French skills, like myself may have mistakenly come to this conclusion. Some folks are starting to make a White Pinot Noir in the Willamette Valley, but it's called White Pinot Noir and let me tell you, it's delicious. (Please don't ever assume it's like White Zinfandel is to Zinfandel, nothing could be further from the truth.)

Let's dig into Pinot Blanc a bit shall we?



Pinot Blanc is a mutant.  Like the X-Men but real.  Also, it's very much not like the X-Men because it's just a wine grape.  Pinot Noir is a bit unstable and so it's not uncommon for it to have a few one-offs or mutations show up on the vine, everything's going fine and there's all these dark clusters and then, BAM! white grapes on a shoot or two, one such mutation is Pinot Blanc.

Pinot Blanc has come into it's own, mostly through the Alsatian wine region, it's a grape that factors into Cremant d'Alsace as well as the Pinot Blanc varietal, which actually doesn't have to be all Pinot Blanc, it can be Pinot Blanc, but it can also be Auxerrois, Pinot Gris and the aforementioned white Pinot Noir. Alsatians, confusing.  The grape can also be found blended in Burgundy and Champagne but for the most part it is fairly under-appreciated.

Oregon might just put Pinot Blanc on the map.  If folks would take the time to put down the often times drab Willamette Valley Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc might just surprise you.  Aromatically more interesting and ranging in styles from a bright, crisp and sharply acidic wine to one with a bit of rounded character, Pinot Blanc might just be the other Oregon Pinot.

This week's Friday Find is just one of two Oregon Pinot Blancs I had this week.  The Amity Vineyards 2009 Pinot Blanc is a bit rounded in style, with pleasing aromatics of ripe Bartlett pear, rounded honey and soft floral notes.  The wine brings about a more rounded style on the palate with lots of ripe Granny Smith Apple and ample acidity to carry through the finish. This wine retails in the $15 range and at least in Seattle you can find it at the tiny and lovable City Cellars in Wallingford.

(As an aside we're giving away a pair of tickets to a Seattle wine event, Blend this coming Wednesday, head on over to our Facebook page to participate in the competition.)

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Beyond the Varietal... BLEND Seattle

Ask any winemaker and they'll tell you that "great wine is made in the vineyard." Often times they'll go on and on about how it's really just their job to "get out of the way" or "not mess it up."  Winemakers are so humble (sarcasm).  While claims to the contrary are rampant, the winemaker is making the wine after all. With single varietal wines there are several variables that a winemaker must consider.  Nowhere however, is their able hand more present than in a wine blend.

The blend has long been a staple of winemaking, from Bordeaux to Champagne to Chateauneuf du Pape blending wine has allowed winemakers to use their palates to help the vineyards along.  Blending various varietals together to create an expression of the vintage, a particular style of wine, or a completely new concoction.  For a long time, traditional blends ruled the day.  Bordeaux varietals blended with Bordeaux varietals, and Rhone Varietals with Rhone Varietals.  In many cases this is still the most common blending that you'll find even here in the Pacific Northwest, but many winemakers are beginning to set aside that tradition and blend together Cabernet and Syrah or Riesling and Chardonnay.  These outside the box blends often create flavor profiles that are unique and surprising.

On September 16th, Washington wine fans will get an opportunity to try some of the state's most tried and true blends, along with some of it's newest wine creations.  Over 40 wineries from Washington and the world, along chefs from some of the region's most exclusive resorts and inns like the Salish Lodge, will be sharing their wines and food pairings with guests at BLEND, at the Bell Harbor Conference Center.

While wine tastings are always a good time, BLEND hopes to have guests learn a thing or two, about their own palates and some of the wines on hand.  A few select wineries will be demonstrating what went into their blends at the Barrel Blending Station. Guests can taste the blend, as well as the different varietal components and hear the winemaker explain what that particular blending does to the wine.

Additional highlights will include international tasting stations, the Bubble lounge that includes Champagne and sparkling wines  and ciders to pair with oysters from Taylor Shellfish, and a special blending of Project V and Fonte Coffee to create an espresso martini.

Throughout the event there will be giveaways that include stays at some of the region's top destination resorts and getaway locations.  Tickets will go fast and they are only $49, get yours here. Or check out our Facebook page this week where we'll be giving tickets away between now and next Wednesday (August 8th).

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Friday Find, July 27th

Each Friday we highlight a wine from the Northwest that we think is a real "find." By find we might mean that it's a steal, as all of these wines we'll feature weekly are at or under $20. We might also mean "Hey, you really need to go find this" and it might be a wine that we feel not enough people know about. In any case, with the weekend pending we're hoping to help you "find" a wine to kickoff the weekend right. We'll tell you a little bit about the wine and try to help you track it down here in the Northwest.

Each week as part of our Friday Find I try to tie in a little bit of knowledge dropping.  Sometimes its about philosophy, like last week, sometimes it's about literature, like that time I said I didn't like Ken Kesey and made at least one person angry enough to no longer read this blog, and sometimes it's about a thing more essential to the human condition than even those academic pursuits.  Today is such a day.  Today, I'm going to explain to you why those of us who race bicycles shave our legs.

The most typical misconception is that cyclists shave their legs for aerodynamic reasons. This may be a real upside but in order to see that pay off you'd have to be racing at such an elite level that it's not really something I can comprehend.  So, in most cases this has nothing to do with it.  Another reason that's cited and has a lot of credence in the professional cycling ranks is the difficulty that is associated with giving deep tissue massages to the hairy-legged.  In any case, I don't have a soigneur going to work on me, so that's not it here either.

So then why do I shave my legs, particularly given my low ranking within the great bicycle racing community? I'm a Category 3 Cyclocross racer and a Category 4 road racer.  There are no contracts on the horizon for me, unless I get a new cable service or something.

For me it boils down to three things, tradition, vanity and band-aids.  As a guy who's not exactly hair free, shaving your legs is a royal pain in the ass.  All women who do this, and let's face it, they do it because of a male social construct, should be given medals. Shaving your legs is incredibly time consuming and man, when the leg hair is growing back and you're wearing denim. NOT COMFORTABLE.

                       Yours truly a few laps before the crash. thanks to @luchavino for the photo

In cycling circles, real cyclists, those who race specifically, they shave their legs, it's what they do.  If you showed up at a race with hairy legs, no one would give you any respect.  This sounds absolutely insane, and I grant you, it very well may be, but it's true.  Ask someone.

Shaved legs just plain look better in lycra cycling kits.  This is scientifically proven.  I don't really see a need to pursue this line of argument any further.

Lastly, band aids.  Tonight I crashed my bicycle in a criterium.  A criterium is a race the object of which is to go around and around and around.  Many times.  The idea is that come the last lap, you have positioned yourself well to make a surge and win the race.  These races occur here in Seattle every Thursday, and they have no bearing on your official rankings and are not officially sanctioned.  For me, it's not so much about winning or even trying to win as it is about spending as much time as I can at the front of the race, working hard and building up fitness for the coming Cyclocross season. I was actually doing that quite well this evening until I crashed.  It was my own fault.  I came home with some impressive road rash and tomorrow when i have to change the bandages I will be very happy that my legs aren't hairy.

After fixing myself up I poured myself a glass of Rosé from Del Rio Vineyards.  The wine is a 2011 Rosé of Grenache from their Rogue Valley vineyards and on a hot day like this evening it was a lot of fun to drink.  There's a bit of zing to the wine that almost makes you feel as though there's a touch of fizz in the glass, it's got brilliant acidity and loads of fruit forward character that make it fun to drink on it's own.  The wine was barrel fermented and went through a partial maloactic fermentation. Not an example of bone-dry pink austerity rather a playful  yet serious pink wine that is a lot of fun, and it even tastes as though there might be a hint of residual sugar on the wine as it finishes out with round sweet melon flavors.  This Rosé can be had for somewhere in the neighborhood of $12.

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Outstanding in the Field with Gilbert Cellars

The Outstanding in the Field (OITF) dinner series is perhaps the ultimate expression of the farm to table movement for those of us who don't or can't grow our own food in a backyard garden.  The dinner series, the brainchild of Jim Denevan, the founder and former Santa Cruz area chef aims to "re-connect diners to the land and origins of their food."  The series, a "roving culinary adventure," makes its way across the continent hosting dinners on farms, ranches along coastlines or in large urban gardens.  The aim is to allow diners to greater appreciate that food comes from a place, and that these places deserve our attention.

This year my wife and I were lucky enough to grab tickets to the dinner at Carnation, Washington's Full Circle Farm.  Nearly all of these events sell out; some in only a matter of hours. The dinner, which served 140, was prepared by Lark's Johnathan Sundstrom, an OITF veteran, using local ingredients from Full Circle Farm, Alvarez Farm of Yakima Valley, and Lopez Island's Jones Farm.  The wine pairing was provided by Yakima Valley's Gilbert Cellars and were poured by winemaker Justin Neufeld and cellar master Geoff Howell. Gilbert Cellars makes a variety of both single varietals and blends and have developed a reputation for delivering very nice wines for incredibly reasonable prices.

The guests' arrival was greeted by Justin and a glass of the 2011 Gilbert Cellars Rose of Mourvedre paired with two appetizers; a smoked mackerel crostini with Dinah's cheese, tomato lavender chutney, and marcona almond; and a pork rillette from Jones Farm with red wine cherries. The Gilbert Cellars Rose is another fine example of how the Northwest is bringing pink wine back into the serious wine lexicon. The Rose of Mourvedre was crisp and light, with a lip smacking acidity and melon flavors that made it a perfect food accompaniment. The dinner guests plowed through it.

After the appetizers, Andrew Stout the founder and farmer of Full Circle Farm, took us on a tour of their facilities. He and his wife Wendy began the endeavor 15 years ago on 3 acres.  In that time it's grown to hundreds of acres at a few different locations. Their emphasis is on habitat preservation, organic, seasonal and appropriate crops.  The farm has grown to quite an operation working mostly direct to consumer along with some specialty grocers in the Seattle area. To diversify their direct to consumer, organic produce delivery they work with local and West Coast farms to provide customers with quantities and varieties of produce to meet their needs year round.

We wrapped our tour and headed to the table; set up in a semi-circle in the middle of an open field.  Seating was family style and we ended up next to one couple from Los Angeles, one from Philadelphia and, as luck would have it, Geoff from Gilbert Cellars. Our first course was an incredible beet salad with lettuce, burrata (mozzarella injected with cream) and olive oil croutons.  The meals are served family style and so becoming friendly with those who are sitting around you is a smart move on a number of levels.  At the very least it will hopefully inspire a pang of guilt should they over-help themselves on any of the courses.  This course was paired with a 2011 Unoaked Chardonnay from Gilbert Cellars, fermented completely in stainless steel. It's bright and crisp with aromatics of green apple and lemon. A palate cleanser and  great wine for that creamy burrata.

The second course was a grilled Yukon River Keta salmon. The fish was dressed with lemon mint butter and accompanied by asparagus, sugar snap peas and baby carrots.  For Gilbert Cellars this was the trickiest of pairings.  They were torn between their oaked Chardonnay and the Rhone style blend the Allobroges that they settled on.  Geoff thought with the grill and a little bit of char on the fish they could pull it off.  An unconventional pairing and yet one that definitely worked; the 2009 Allobroges, mostly Grenache, is lighter in body for a red wine with great flavors and acidity that allowed it to be paired with a meat as delicate as salmon.

Our final entree was an insanely good pork loin from Jones Farm with smoked pommes de terre Robuchon, which is French for #$&!@ing delicious, along with garlic scapes, escarole and porcini mushroom sauce.  Seriously, smoked mashed potatoes? This man is a genius.  The good people at Gilbert Cellars brought the Left Bank to the table, a Bordeaux style blend that includes all five of the Bordeaux varietals. Geoff's take on the pairing was that the wine's "dark fruit core played well off the char on the pork loin" and the smoky elements of the mashed potatoes.

Our dessert course was a candied ginger shortcake with a berry and lemon verbena whipped cream.  For this course the wine, a 2011 Riesling from Gilbert Cellars, stole the show. The riesling demonstrated brilliant acidity,  and a kiss of sweetness that would have made the Germans proud. For the winemaker, Justin, this final course was the best pairing as he felt the acidity of the raspberries gave the Riesling a particular vibrancy.

For Gwynne and I, it was an outstanding meal, a special treat, from start to finish. From the food to the wine and the company. We left with a greater appreciation for how much work goes into creating the food that we eat, and what the impact can be, and at Full Circle getting to see the mindfulness and care that is taken with both the food and the land.

Gilbert Cellars was recommended to Outstanding in the Field by the staff at Lark, and it was a great choice, they're definitely producing wines with nice, approachable structure and prominent acidity that make for great food pairing. Geoff really found the whole concept behind what they're doing at Outstanding in the Field invigorating, saying, "the beauty and purity of the idea, and the commitment of the people who make it happen, to showcasing these farmers, chefs, and artisans within the context of the place where it all happens - the farm, vineyard, etc... - is extremely important.  For people to see where the food is grown, meet the people who are growing it, and see just how much it takes to make it all happen - especially in a sustainable manner - really helps to further the cause and deepen the guest's understanding and commitment to the process.  Truly Outstanding." Agreed.

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Pretty in Pink – Patton Valley Vineyard Rosé Festival Favorites

As a Pacific Northwester, I find myself unaccustomed to the sporadic heat waves that dot our otherwise mild summers. During these times I turn my back entirely on the heavy reds and syrupy dessert wines of my winter weather habits and turn to light sparkling wines, recently, Rosés. Last weekend I was delighted to attend and snag a few new favorites at the Drink Pink Rosé Festival, hosted by Patton Valley Vineyard in Gaston, Oregon.

After arriving in Gaston, a quick 45-minute drive southwest of Portland, we were wound up a dry, gravely, rustic road and directed to down a grove of Patton Valley Vineyard’s cherry trees. We walked along the grapevines toward the main event munching on fresh cherry palate cleansers, with the active trills of Calamity Jazz floating through the air, immediately setting the tone for this laidback, pink-themed summer wine tasting.

As a relatively seasoned event planner, I often find myself overly discerning as an attendee, however, Drink Pink had me completely blissful and critique-less. The ambiance, theme and related décor delivered an airy, summery, sophisticated experience and had me justifiably color-obsessed. The 15+ participating wineries showcased a varied palate of pink wines alongside Crown Paella’s, well, paella, and other delicious hors d'oeuvres. 

On such a hot summer day, each wine was light and proved to be thirst-quenching (a quality I personally do not often ascribe to wine) – here are a few of my favorites:

Elk Cove – 2011 Pinot Noir Rosé ($15)

This Rosé wins most unique and bang-for-your-buck: a tart yet bright wine with hints of vanilla on the finish, and further reviewed by Anthem’s own #handsomeman here.

The special label pictured dons the Cochon 555 logo, a culinary competition and tour to support local agriculture and raise awareness about sustainable culinary practices. Both Elk Cove and Sokol Blosser were among the featured winemakers in the March 2012 event.

Penner-Ash - 2011 Roseo ($18)

An impressive and beautiful raspberry color (for a Rosé) with the taste to match – this almost effervescent, crisp wine manages bold raspberry and cherry fruit flavors with a lightness only Rosé can provide. Added bonus: the screw top = hassle-free and picnic-ready!

Sokol Blosser – 2011 Rosé of Pinot Noir ($18)

Refreshing citrus on the nose, dry with light strawberry notes.

JK Carriere – 2011 Glass Willamette Valley White Pinot Noir ($20)

Peachy and crisp with light sweetness, high citrus acidity, and a pretty pale blush color for your summer tablescape.

Colene Clemons – 2011 Rosé of Pinot Noir ($20)

A delicate light copper wine with notes of intermingling strawberry and peach. On the dry side of Rosé with mild acidity. 

Patton Valley Vineyard’s own 2011 Pinot Noir Rosé was also among my favorites – you can find the Anthem’s tasting notes and musings on the history // transformation of American Rosé from the #handsomeman here. 

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