2021 Mark Ryan "The Dissident" Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Saturday!  Our crazy weather has continued this week, going from snow and the 30s to the 80s and back to rain and the upper 30s this weekend.  Needless to say, I did  not get all of the yard work done that I'd hoped this weekend, but at least there is good food and wine!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from Mark Ryan Winery, the 2021 "The Dissident" Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (83%), Merlot (10%), Cabernet Franc (3%), Malbec (2%) and Petit Verdot (2%) from some of the premier vineyards in the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this big wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with the look of a big bold Cabernet.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of  blackberry, cherry, leather and oak, a bit more subdued that some of the current range of big Cabs.  Take a sip and you're greeted by a rush of ripe black fruit with a range from blackberry and cherry to currant and plum, that transition easily to some notes of vanilla bean and cocoa powder midpalate.  The tannins are velvety smooth providing for a long, lush finish that will have you reaching for another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a solid Cabernet that is very approachable in its youth.  This wine would pair well with a range of hearty dishes, from hard cheeses and charcuterie to grilled steaks and chops.  Tonight I am pairing this wine with a rare grilled prime New York strip that I picked up at my local market, topped with Béarnaise along with some bacon roasted Brussels sprouts.  Cheers! 

2008 Tero Estates Windrow Vineyard Hill Block Cabernet Sauvignon

Well, it's the first Saturday of the month, and that means it's Cellar Saturday!  That glorious time when I raid the cellar for something at least a decade in waiting.  Tonight I've opened a bottle that I bought on one of my many trips to Walla Walla, though I can't be sure which one, perhaps I brought this back from the 2014 trip.  In any case, tonight's wine is the 2008 Tero Estates Cabernet Sauvignon from the Hill Block of the Windrow Vineyard, a historic vineyard in the AVA first planted in 1981, though the Hill Block is relatively new, having been planted in 1998.  I remember buying a few bottles from the Tero/Flying Trout tasting room on the first floor of the Marcus Whitman Hotel and quite enjoyed the wine I tasted (I think this was before their combining with Waters and 21 Grams).  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (94%) and Cabernet Franc (6%) for a bit of polish.  So let's see how well this wine has developed over the past decade!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you might expect from a nice Cabernet.  The nose presents aromas of dusty limestone, with start mineral aromas over mild hints of blackberry, cassis and hints of lavender.  The taste is a complete departure from the stark mineral aromas you just experienced, as it's a rush of ripe, sweet black fruit, blackberry, cherry and plum that transitions beautifully into some notes of mocha, dark chocolate and a bit of pepper on the finish.  The tannins are very well structured, providing ample backbone for the long, smooth and very dry finish that just lingers on the palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a fabulous Walla Walla Cabernet that could pair well with a broad range of dishes.  I would enjoy this wine with steak, but I don't see this a primarily a steak wine, rather it would be wonderful with some lamb with herbs provencale, Copper River salmon or a variety of hearty Italian pastas.  The latter is what I'm enjoying tonight as I've paired this wine with a new concoction of jambalaya pappardelle, which consists of cherry tomatoes with andouille sausage and shrimp and a bit of fresh basil and oregano and fire roasted hatch chiles.  The hit of the spice and pasta with the ripe fruit of this wine is a fabulous combination.  Cheers!

2017 Bledsoe Family Wine

Happy New Year!  I can't believe the teens are almost over and we will soon be in the roaring 20s, but at least for now we will enjoy 2019, which of course will mean plenty more wine and food to enjoy.  Tonight being a holiday and a rather subdued one at my house, I thought I'd open a bottle of 2017 Bledsoe Family wine to enjoy with dinner tonight.  This wine is quite interesting as it is a blend of many of the same grapes used for the the high-end Doubleback Cabernet, including Cabernet, Malbec and Merlot from the Healy and McQueen Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley.  This wine comes in very cool 1L bottles that make this a crowd favorite.

This vintage is still quite young as it was released a bit early (the 2016 vintage was released in the spring of 2018, but this wine was just released several weeks ago).  The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, characteristic of the heavy Cabernet influence.  The nose is soft, with elegant fruit aromas intermingled with earthy notes of leather and a hint of lavender.  The taste is a rush of soft, ripe fruit, raspberry, cherry and black currant that transitions nicely to some white pepper spice midpalate, before kicking it back to a reprise of some floral notes just ahead of the finish.  The tannins are still a bit tight, but well integrated for the long, but somewhat sharp and dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a very nice everyday drinking red wine from a quality producer.  This wine would pair well with a broad range of foods, from steaks and chops to barbecue and pizza.  But since New Year's falls on Taco Tuesday, I am enjoying this wine with some bean and chorizo tacos with all the trimmings.  Cheers!

2016 Pepper Bridge Winery Walla Walla Merlot

Happy Saturday!  It's been a crazy busy month for me, and I've barely had time to enjoy a glass of wine much less blog about it!  But hopefully I will have a little breathing room before the year is over, I just got back from New York and got my Christmas trees today, so it seems like there are some things coming together for the holidays.  One side effect of being so busy is that I haven't had much time to drink all the wine that's been arriving almost daily it seems from all the wine clubs I belong to, and such is the case for tonight's wine, the 2016 Pepper Bridge Winery Walla Walla Merlot.  This wine is a blend of Merlot (78%), Cabernet Franc (14%) and Malbec (8%) from the Seven Hills, Pepper Bridge and Octave Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley.  So let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a beautiful, deep garnet color in the glass.  The nose presents inviting aromas of cherry, raspberry and leather with subtle mineral undertones of graphite and smoke.  The taste is wonderfully fruit forward, with a rush of blueberry, cherry and currant - all somewhat candied fruit - that transitions smoothly to some notes of mocha and tea leaves midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured providing a great foundation for the velvety smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, though I am convinced this one is ideal for aging and I'd be happy to revisit this wine after a half decade or so in the cellar.  This wine would pair well with lamb, steak, or a variety of hearty, earthy dishes.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled New York strip, grilled asparagus and a big old baked potato with butter, sour cream and scallions.  Cheers!

2016 DaMaNation

Happy Saturday!  Have you ever had one of those projects around the house that should have been quite simple but suddenly it completely spun out of control?  That happens to me a lot, which probably says a lot about my home improvement skills.  Today it was a fence post that rotted and needed to be replaced, but it was more complicated since it was also the post where the gate was attached.  No problem I thought, I got a post, bought some new screws for the hinge, this should be easy.  Then I found the concrete that the old post was mounted in, and I proceeded to break it up with a sledge hammer and a wedge.  I made it down about two feed and couldn't swing anymore, so I borrowed a 30-pound hexagonal bar that my friend had, apparently it was once used on the railroad for laying track.  So another quick job that will last until tomorrow, but tonight I really could use a glass of wine.  I've decided to open a bottle of 2016 DaMaNation, a wonderful blend of Grenache (48%), Syrah (36%) and Mourvedre (16%) from the Lonesome Spring Vineyard in the Columbia Valley of Washington.  So let's see if this one will provide some relaxation after a frustrating day in the yard!

The wine is a lighter ruby color in the glass with nice clarity, classic for a quality GSM blend.  The nose presents inviting floral aromas of rose petals and lavender with undertones of ripe black fruit and basalt.  The taste is a rush of cool fruit, black plum and blueberry with a bit of tart cherry that transitions almost unnoticed to earthy flavors of olive, white pepper spice and a hint of rosemary.  The tannins are quite smooth, providing a great start to the velvety smooth and very dry finish that seems to linger.  This wine is to my mind very comparable in old world style to the many high quality GSM blends from the Southern Rhone Valley of France.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's an approachable and easy drinking wine that's quite versatile from a food pairing perspective.  I actually brought a bottle of this to Thanksgiving dinner and we enjoyed it with classic turkey dinner (something that's a challenge to pair with a red wine), but it would also pair well with hearty stews, lamb or risotto.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some panko crusted center cut pork chops, cheese risotto and steamed broccoli and red peppers.  Cheers!

2015 DaMa Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Wine Wednesday!  It's been a while since I've posted on a Wednesday, so this is a treat.  And speaking of treats, tonight I have a bottle from my latest wine club shipment from DaMa Wines.  I am a big fan of Mary and the folks at DaMa, as they are just good people who make really good wines.  The 2015 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon is a very limited production (68 cases) of 100% Cabernet from the Walla Walla AVA, so let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep, inky purple in the glass, classic Cabernet.  The nose is a lovely combination of earthy elements, green grass, ripe blackberry and cherry intermingled with some floral notes and a hint of leather.  The taste is a rush of big fruit, cherry cola, blackberry and plum that transitions to some notes of vanilla bean and mocha midpalate.  The chewy tannins provide a nice base for a finish that is long, well structured and exceptionally dry, ideal for sipping in front of a fire on a chilly fall evening.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a lovely Walla Walla Cabernet, but could likely use a few years in the cellar before it really begins to shine.  This wine would be ideal with a variety of hearty dishes, from Italian sausage with onions and peppers to truffle mac and cheese to a seared tuna steak.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime filet mignon with some steamed asparagus and a big baked potato with sour cream and scallions.  Cheers!

2014 Forgeron Walla Walla Merlot

Happy Sunday!  It's been a bit of a break today after a couple weeks of seemingly non-stop busyness, today I relaxed, did a bit of work and a lot of laundry and some de-cluttering around the house.  So, as always I'm ready for a nice dinner and a glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from Forgeron in Walla Walla.  I have a lot or admiration and respect for Marie-Eve and the wonderful wines she produces, and this one is no exception, the 2014 Walla Walla Merlot.  This wine is 100% Merlot blended from the Birch Creek (75%) and Minnick Hills (25%) vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA.  So let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is deep, inky purple at the center with bright garnet along the edges, more similar to a fine Cabernet, but still quote fine for Merlot.  The nose is a cascade of wonderfully earthy Bordeaux-esque aromas, leather, peat, tar and green grass intermingled with ripe blackberry and black currant.  The taste is just beautiful as the silky smooth mouthfeel envelops your tastebuds with blackberry, cherry and floral notes before transitioning to dark chocolate and mocha notes midpalate.  The tannins are balanced with wonderful acidity, providing for a luxurious, smooth and exceptionally dry finish that seems to go on and on.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a pleasure to drink and quote frankly, one of the nicest Merlots I've had in quite some time.  This wine is ideal for fall, and would pair quite well with steak, lamb and a broad range of stews.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime filet mignon, with some grilled asparagus and a bit ol' baked potato with sour cream and scallions.  Cheers!

2015 L'Ecole No. 41 Apogee

Happy Friday!  I have to admit, the past couple weeks it's felt like I've been packing two weeks of work and other activities into every week, and this week is not different.  So, I guess it's time to relax a bit with a nice bottle of wine, and tonight it's a good one.  From a recent wine club shipment from a winery that I first visited way back in the early 2000s, the 2015 L'Ecole No. 41 Apogee.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (25%), Malbec (10%) and Cabernet Franc (5%) all from the Pepper Bridge Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley. So let's see how this one stacks up!

The wine is a deep, inky purple in the glass, with bright ruby along the edges, a not to the heavy Cabernet and Merlot in the blend.  The nose is full of ripe fruit, black cherry, blackberry and currant intermingled with earthy aromas of leather and basalt.  The taste is wonderfully fruit forward with a rush of tart cherry, currant and cassis that gives way to some notes of green grass and Asian spice midpalate.  The tannins are well structured and nicely integrated to form the foundation for the long, smooth and very dry finish that lingers on.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's another great Bordeaux style blend from Walla Walla, but it's clearly a second place finisher to my favorite blend, the Perigee. This wine is ideal for big steaks, lamb, or hearty fall dishes, and tonight I am enjoying this with a wonderful Costco dinner I picked up on the drive back from Detroit today - a rare prime filet mignon, big ol' baked potato with sour cream and scallions and some grilled asparagus.  Cheers!

2016 Born of Fire Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Wine Wednesday!  It's been a busy week and I have no idea how we've already blown past hump day and the weekend is almost here, but at any rate I've decided to open a bottle of Washington wine tonight.  I've not tried any wines from Born of Fire before, but my local market was having a wine sale last weekend, so I could't resist getting a 20% discount which made this 2016 Born of Fire Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon a bargain at just $12.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (90%) and Malbec (10%), from a new area of the Columbia Valley called "the Burn" which lies between the Columbia River Gorge and the Horse Heaven Hills.  So let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a deep purple color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a Cabernet.  The nose presents aromas of blackberry jam, rose petals and tar.  The taste is much less fruit forward than the strong aromas of blackberry would suggest, with a rush of green grass and dusty limestone that slips into some nice black fruit flavors with a hint of peppery spice midpalate.  The tannins are well balanced and provide a nice foundation for the long, smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's not really spectacular, but its a classic value, Columbia Valley Cabernet suitable for everyday drinking.  This wine would pair with a broad variety of dishes, from steaks and burgers to barbecue and pizza.  Tonight I am going a little off on pairing and enjoying this wine with a panko crusted halibut filet with steamed carrots and rice.  The fruit and mineral qualities really make a nice foil to the halibut.  Cheers!

2016 Stolen Horse Syrah

Happy Sunday!  I spent the afternoon reading and doing laundry after a day of yard work yesterday, so now I'm ready to relax with a nice glass of wine.  Tonight I'm opening a recent wine club selection from the Bledsoe Family Winery, the 2016 Stolen Horse Syrah.  I've been a fan of this Syrah for a while so I'm looking forward to seeing what the latest vintage has to offer.  This wine is a Syrah (93%) that was co-fermented with viognier (7%) from the Loess and Lefore Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley.  So let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a deep violet color in the glass, with a bright fuchsia along the edges.  The nose is a lovely combination of blackberry, blueberry and plum, intermingled with some wonderful dusty mineral and smoke.  The taste is a rush of fruit up front, blueberry cobbler, blackberry and plum that transitions wonderfully to some earthy notes of leather, dusty limestone and a hint of mint midpalate.  The tannins are well developed, but youthful, providing a solid base for the long, smooth dry finish which features just a bit of black pepper spice at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's drinking well now, but it will likely improve considerably with a year or two in the bottle.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from steak to barbecue to tacos, but tonight I am going in a completely different direction.  I am enjoying this wine with an alder planked coho salmon filet with lemon and dill, some oven roasted candy stripe beets and a four cheese risotto.  The earthy flavors of the wine really complement the salmon, while the rich fruit and acidity are perfect foils for the richness of the risotto.  Cheers!

2015 Spoken Barrel Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Friday!  Tonight I've opened another bottle of wine that I bought last weekend at my local supermarket's 15% off wine sale, the 2015 Spoken Barrel Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  This one had an interesting look, I'm a sucker for painted labels, so I thought I'd give it a try.  Plus it was pretty inexpensive, so what do I have to lose?

The wine is a deep inky color in the glass with some nice garnet along the edges, just as you'd expect from a Cabernet.  The nose is fairly standard Cabernet, with some aromas of leather, cherry, smoke and oak.  The taste is a brief rush of black fruit, which transitions to some notes of cassis and vanilla midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat subdued, but still supportive of the smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it's a quite pleasant drinking wine, but not spectacular (though it was a pretty good value at just $17).  This would be an easy sipper for a weeknight house red wine and would pair well with a broad range of foods, from pasta or burgers, to steak or barbecue.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic steak dinner, rare prime bone-in ribeye with tater tots and grilled asparagus!  Cheers!

2013 Gramercy Cellars Lower East Columbia Valley Syrah

It's been raining quite a bit here over the past few days, so I've suddenly found myself in a Pacific Northwest sort of mood for some odd reason... At any rate, tonight I've decided to finally try a bottle of Syrah from Gramercy Cellars, a producer about whom I've heard many great things, but unfortunately I've only had the opportunity to try by the glass with dinner in Walla Walla.  So tonight I've opened a bottle of 2013 Lower East Columbia Valley Syrah, so let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a beautiful garnet color in the glass and the nose provides a rather pleasant combination of wonderful earthy aromas of green grass, dried flowers and some peppery spice that adds to the intrigue.  The taste is wonderfully fruit forward, with a rush of blueberry, cherry and strawberry with just a hint of sweetness that transitions to some notes of white pepper spice and tobacco midpalate.  The tannins are supple and provide a nice kick to the long, smooth and very dry finish.  I was noting with some friends the other night that Syrah can be a very challenging varietal that may exhibit a variety of taste profiles, some with more fruit, some with more spice and some with great funk.  This one clearly is on the fruit and spice end of the spectrum, making it ideal with food in my view.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a really nice example of the varietal that's drinking quite nicely five years in.  This wine would be great with a variety of Mediterranean cuisine but I couldn't resist pairing this with a classic Northwest salmon.  Tonight I'm enjoying it with an Alder planked wild sockeye with some cilantro lime rice and fresh green beans almondine.  The lovely dark fruit is just ideal with the richness of salmon, cheers!

2014 Spring Valley Vineyard "Muleskinner" Merlot

So I keep reading in different places that this is Merlot month or something like that, so I figured since I'm always late to the party it might be good to open one of these wines of the month.  So tonight I've opened up a bottle that's been in my cellar for a year or two, the 2014 Spring Valley Vineyard "Muleskinner" Merlot. This particular wine is 100% Merlot from the Spring Valley Estate Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA.  2014 was a somewhat warmer vintage, but not as warm as the following two vintages, so let's see how this wine tastes.

The wine is a deep inky purple at the center, with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is very inviting, with aromas of leather and ripe black fruit, blackberry jam, plum and currant over a hint of dusty limestone.  The taste is rich, ripe and wonderfully smooth, with a rush of ripe fruit up front, black cherry, plum and current that transitions to some notes of green herbs and minerals midpalate. The tannins are quite subdued, leading to a lush, ripe and velvety dry finish that just beckons you to take another sip.

A little pre-cooked image tonight!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's really a wonderful example of a quality Merlot with some nice aging potential.  This wine would be great with hard cheeses, steak, chops or barbecue, but tonight I am totally going Fred Flintstone and enjoying this wine with a big bone-in, USDA Prime ribeye that was on sale at Costco today, along with some grilled asparagus and corn on the cob.  It's been really hot out the past two days, so it seems appropriate to have a mid-summer dinner tonight, cheers!

2016 Seven Hills Walla Walla Carmenere

Happy Wine Wednesday!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle from a recent wine club (I think?) shipment from one of my favorite Walla Walla producers of one of my favorite varietals, the 2016 Seven Hills Walla Walla Carmenere!  Carmenere is one of those often overlooked varietals, which is unfortunate as it's an exceptionally food friends and easy drinking wine that everyone should enjoy!  So let's see how this latest vintage stacks up!

The wine is a beautiful garnet color in the glass.  The nose presents aromas of wonderfully ripe black fruit, blackberry, plum and currant over aromas of green herbs and light floral notes.  The taste us just a pleasure to behold, with a rush of ripe blackberry, plum and currant up front that transitions gracefully to notes of green herbs and a hint of white pepper midpalate.  The tannins are youthful but well developed, providing for a smooth, velvety dry finish with a reprise of tart cherry at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a pleasant drinking wine that would be good with just about anything, or even plain!  This would pair well with Italian, steak, barbecue, tacos, tapas, literally about anything, but tonight I'm enjoying this wine with some hot Italian sausage with onions and peppers and some spaghetti with garlic and olive oil, perfect combination of fruit from the wine with the spice of the dish.  Cheers!

2014 Gilbert Cellars Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Saturday!  I know I missed national wine day, well I guess I was alive yesterday so I didn't actually miss the day, I just didn't have a blog post to celebrate.  Today was one of those Murphy's Law sort of days, so after that, I'm ready for a nice dinner and a nice glass of wine, and tonight I've opened a bottle of wine from the Columbia Valley, a little west of where I normally imbibe, this being a wine from Yakima!  The 2014 Gilbert Cellars Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, I found at the House of Pure Vin in Detroit (the folks there were wonderful and they had a surprisingly robust selection of Washington wines.  So, back to the wine, let's see how this one tastes!

This was one of those wines where just opening it you get a solid whiff of something delicious and you can sense right away that this is going to be good.  The nose is a wonderful combination of leather, black cherry, cassis, layered with some light floral notes.  The taste was a rush of ripe fruit that was bright at first, but left me somewhat flat in the end.  Midpalate, there are some lingering fruit notes intermingled with earthy elements of peat and dusty limestone.  The tannins are somewhat robust, bringing you back a bit for the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it was a good cabernet, but honestly I thought there was going to be a bit more to this.  Still, it would be a very good steak wine, and tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime ribcap topped with a fried egg and sriracha (because I said so!), with grilled leeks and asparagus.  And of course, after dinner, I'll be sure to enjoy another glass on the patio, cheers!

A Long Weekend in Walla Walla - Part III: The After-Party!

After the pre-party (aka winemaker dinner at Pepper Bridge) and the main event (the Reveal Walla Walla wine auction) it was now time for the after-party!  In my case I had a wonderful lunch and reserve tasting at Seven Hills Winery (thank you Julie, Casey, Danielle and Bobby!) and then I was off on a new adventure with Cia, who works at Reininger.  Other than my various adventures at Pepper Bridge, I really haven't spent much time at the wineries on the south side of town, so now was the time to rectify that!  We first stopped at Isenhower Cellars where we tasted some wonderful GSM blends and I ordered a half case of wine for a friend back home. 

The next stop was a place I've been wanting to visit for more than a year since Julie Titus recommended their Psychedelic Syrah, yes, we went to Sleight of Hand Cellars! 

They really love old vinyl records and Pearl Jam (who doesn't?) and their tasting room always has something playing.  The wines we tasted were some of the best Syrah I've had in the Valley, and so of course I ordered a bunch to be shipped home.

I saw Trey earlier in the day at the Reveal Barrel Tasting, but I can only imagine how fun a tasting at Sleight of Hand would be if he were there!

Next we were off to Doubleback's new winery and tasting room and I have to admit I was incredibly impressed!  The winery has the overall look and feel you'd expect give what Drew Bledsoe has done with his wines over the past decade.

The winery is set amid wonderful vineyards with the beautiful valley scenery surrounding you.  I can't imagine having a bad day here!

The tasting room is just stunning, with fantastic views and that's just the beginning.  There is a rooftop deck up above that's perfect for summer tastings.

We had a nice tour of the barrel room (I am sill drooling!) including some barrels of the next reserve vintage (I need to get some next year).

Then back upstairs for some tasting of Doubleback Cabernet and Healy Rose.  I had a chance to meet and talk a bit with Josh McDaniels, the winemaker at Doubleback and he even shared a bottle of 2010 Pomerol from he personal cellar.

The next morning I was back on the road, heading to Portland for my flight back to Midway, which of course meant another drive through the Columbia Gorge.  This time I got to stop and Multnomah Falls.

As the drive for one last photo op couldn't be denied, I took a slight detour up to the top of the Gorge to get a great photo of Crown Point.  And alas my long weekend really was too short.  Cheers!

A Long Weekend in Walla Walla - Part II: The Main Event!

Having enjoyed a wonderful winemaker dinner at Pepper Bridge Winery the night before, it was time to get up early and head over to Corliss Estate's tasting room for barrel tasting of the wine lots in the auction.  A big thanks to them for hosting this great event, and they have such a beautiful tasting room, it's worth the trip all by itself!

The Main Event at Corliss Estate!

It was so much fun to taste these unique wines and talk with some of my favorite winemakers in Walla Walla!  Here are a few of the folks at the tasting and some comments on their wine lots:

Trey Busch is such an interesting winemaker.  I follow him on Instagram just to see where in the world he is at the moment and what awesome thing he's doing.  We chatted a bit about his recent trip to Wisconsin last winter and how cold it was, but there is never a dull moment with him (you should see his tasting room in Part III tomorrow)!  Here he is holding a bottle of the 2016 Psychedelic Syrah that was in the auction and a rock from the Stoney Vine Vineyard in the Rocks District where I think some of the best Syrah in the valley comes from.  I tasted this wine and is was stunning, certainly better than the 2015 vintage and perhaps better than the 2014!

Bobby and Danielle from Seven Hills Winery.  Bobby is the assistant winemaker and his work with Casey McClellan has resulted in some of my very favorite wines over the past few years.  The Seven Hills lot was from the 2016 Summit View Cabernet Sauvignon, which I loved, I've barrel tasted it earlier and it is certainly on par with the 2014 and 2015 vintages.  Unfortunately I am a novice at wine auctions and since this was the first lot it went for an insane price, but lesson learned, next year I won't be fooled again!

Chuck Reininger is one of my favorite folks to visit when I'm in Walla Walla.  This visit I didn't have time to visit the tasting room on old US 12, but at least I got to say hello to Chuck and LynLee, the wine club manager.  And the wine, Oh my!  Chuck had the 2016 Cabernet Franc from the XL vineyard, a 100% Cabernet Franc that was just stunning.  I bid aggressively for this lot but alas I was the underbidder so I'll have to wait and hope I get some next year!

Mary Derby from DaMa Wines wines is such a treat, I remember the first time I met her a few years ago when I stumbled into her tasting room on Main Street.  I have been a big fan of her wines ever since and this lot was no exception.  The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon blend was made of Cabernet Sauvignon (90%) and Merlot (10%) from the Heather Hill and Seven Hills Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley.  This was a solid Cabernet that stood toe to toe with some of the big names in Cabernet in the room!

Jean-Francois Pellet, or JF is a wonderful winemaker at Pepper Bridge Winery, and always a pleasure to talk to or just enjoy a glass of wine with. I met him at a winemaker dinner in Walla Walla last year and was very impressed, as he has a wonderfully French approach to making some fantastic wines at Pepper Bridge.  Their lot was the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, which I found very approachable despite its youth, so I am excited to get some of this wine next year!

And Soon it was time for the auction to begin in the barrel room at Corliss.  Again this was such a wonderful venue for this event and I appreciate all the hard work that everyone at the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance put forth to make this such a great event!

I was ready with my auction paddle, but as a wine auction novice I wasn't sure what to expect from the bidding.  There were at least a half dozen lots that I would love to win, but would they go for a few thousand each or $10,000?  These were 60 bottle lots, so for $50 wines that might mean $3,000 and I wasn't ready to commit $18,000 to this adventure, so I stayed conservative and alas I was a loser!  The only bottle of Reveal wine I came home with was a bottle of 2015 Otis Kenyon Merlot that I picked up at the wine bar at the Portland Airport!  Stay tuned for tomorrow's conclusion of my adventure with the after-party!

A Long Weekend in Walla Walla - Part I: The Pre-Party!

Three weeks ago today, I had the pleasure of spending a long weekend in Walla Walla for the Reveal Walla Walla wine auction to help benefit the schools in Walla Walla.  I am so fortunate to be able to spend some time in this fantastic wine region, and occasionally I am able to participate in some wonderful events like Reveal Walla Walla, thanks to my friends in the industry, this time a special thanks goes out to Casey McClellan and Julie Titus from Seven Hills Winery, who were so kind to invite me, I am ever so grateful to them!

The Seven Hills Tasting Room in Walla Walla

I spent a total of three days in town, but since there was a lot of travel involved I'll divide this into three posts, so check for Part II tomorrow and Part III on Monday!  So on with the show!

The Columbia Gorge is one of the most beautiful places on earth!

On this trip rather than flying into Walla Walla I decided to fly Southwest into Portland, mainly because I hate flying out of O'Hare and thankfully Southwest flies from Midway.  But once I arrived in Portland I had a fantastic 4 hour drive through the Columbia Gorge in order to get to Walla Walla.  I actually got off I-84 a bit early and took the scenic route along the river to US 12 before heading into Walla Walla, and although it was a little slower, it was worth it!

This is the Columbia River north of I-84 as you head into Washington.

When I arrived in Walla Walla, just about all the tasting rooms were closed, so I checked into my hotel and had dinner at the Saint and the Sinner (it used to be the Ox and Cart) and they had some wonderful halibut tacos!

Halibut tacos at the Saint & the Sinner, very yummy!

The next day I had the chance to visit a number of tasting rooms including Mark Ryan (I just got a case of wine delivered from them!) and enjoy some lunch at Graze, they do such awesome salads and sandwiches, I highly recommend them!

Had the banh mi sandwich and lemongrass salad at Graze

Then it was off to Pepper Bridge Winery for the winemaker dinner, which was just a wonderful event all around.  It was somewhat dreary weather with some rain showers, but even with gray skies, it's amazing how beautiful Walla Walla is!

The view from Pepper Bridge Winery, even with the clouds it was gorgeous!

We had the chance to meet with many of the wine makers that would be participating in the auction the following day.  Many brought wonderful library selections to taste and it was such fun to talk with the folks that put so much of themselves into the bottles we enjoy every day.

So many wonderful wines to try!

Some of the highlights for me in the reserve tasting were: Doubleback's 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon (just singing at this point!), Dusted Valley's 2008 V.R. Special Cabernet Sauvignon, L'Ecole No. 41's 2007 Perigee (I have a few bottles left of this beautiful blend), Leonetti's 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, Otis Kenyon's 2008 Merlot (I have one bottle in my cellar!), Pepper Bridge's 2007 Reserve Red Blend, Reininger's 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, Seven Hills' 2010 Merlot (I think I have a few bottles of this one, so good!) and Sleight of Hand's 2010 Funkadelic Syrah (this was a sure standout for the Syrah fans!).

Dinner amid the tanks!

And of course there was some wonderful food as well, served family style so we all had the chance to talk and get to know one another.

The nicoise salad, baby beets, fingerling potatoes and quail egg, YUM!

And did I mention the food?  So much delicious food and wine, it's a wonder I made it home...eventually!

 Main course was a sous vide prime tri tip, glazed carrots and horseradish potato pave.

The next day would be the big day of course.  As we wake up early (like 9:00) and get to taste the lots of wine that would be the subject of the auction and meet all the wine makers.  Stay tuned for Part II tomorrow and Part III on Monday to see the conclusion of my fabulous weekend in Walla Walla!