So many tasting rooms to visit in Woodinville

Last weekend I had the opportunity to go down to Woodinville, WA and try the wines from 4 different wineries. I’ve been travelling down to Woodinville every few months and going to a different set of wineries’ tasting rooms. I think I’ve counted about 96 tasting rooms, so going to 4 per trip will take me 24 trips.

Where is Woodinville?

It is located just north of Seattle.  By car from Vancouver, excluding border wait, you should reach Woodinville in about 2.5 hours.

A great resource that shows you the location of the wineries and tasting rooms in Woodinville is “Guide to Woodinville Wine Country“.  Click on the link for the listing plus a Google Map of the locations!

Which Wineries Did I Visit?

The 4 wineries I visited were:

• Novelty Hill / Januik
• Facelli Winery
• Baer Winery
• Barrage Cellars

Novelty Hill Januik winery barrel room

These wineries varied in length of time in business and in size.  The first winery was Novelty Hill / Januik.  This is one of the larger wineries in Woodinville.  It has it’s own custom built building with a huge barrel room, and a very nice tasting room and small restaurant producing hand made pizzas.  Novelty Hill and Januik produce high quality wines.  The difference is that the wine maker, Mike Januik owns the Januik label (and produces the wines), while Novelty Hill uses Mike’s wine making skills to produce their wines.  It can be a bit confusing.  I went through many of their wines and here are my favourites:

• Januik 2010 Cold Creek Vineyard Chardonnay (US$30) – These grapes come from a Chateau Ste. Michelle vineyard. Medium golden in colour with light pear aroma and sweet spices and oak. Medium body, dry and crisp on the palate. Creaminess with laser like precise acidity.  Pear and vanilla flavours.  Very elegant, not overly oaked.
• Novelty Hill 2008 Stillwater Creek Vineyard Merlot (US$28) – Light garnet colour.  Smoky, raspberry and mocha nose.  I really enjoyed the aromas from this wine.  Medium body with red cherries and some oak.  Fine tannins.  Light and lingering fruit flavours on the finish.
• 

  Novelty Hill Late Harvest Semillon 2007

  Novelty Hill 2007 Stillwater Creek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (US$30) – A bit deeper garnet, compared to the Merlot.  Lots of cassis aroma along with vanilla, juicy black fruit and a hint of dark chocolate. As the wine breathed in the glass I detected some capsicum aroma too. Full body, dry with fine tannins. Eventhough it was very full bodied it felt light in your mouth. Ripe red and black fruit flavours with a peppery finish.  It had a medium level of acidity to make this Cab very lively.

• Januik 2010 Bacchus Vineyard Riesling (US$20) – Light golden colour.  Nice peach, melon and citrus aromas. Light body, round with medium plus acidity. Citrus and stone fruit flavours up front, with apples mid palate.  Crab apple flavours on the finish.
• Novelty Hill 2007 Late Harvest Semillon (in the $20 range) – This is a high quality late harvest wine, but you must enjoy sweet wines, as this one is a bit sweeter than the average late harvest.  Waxy, lemon, vanilla and mint aromas. Medium sweetness, very round mouth feel with apples, stone fruit, vanilla and some citrus.

Louis and Sandy Facelli with a bottle of their Barbera wine

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Facelli Winery was my next winery, just down the road from Novelty Hill.  This winery is the exact opposite of Novelty Hill.  It is family run, with the husband, Louis Facelli, being the wine maker, and the entire family, children included, working the tasting room.  I had the pleasure of speaking with Louis and Sandy about their wines.  I picked o visit their winery because I saw that they have some Italian varietal wines, Barbera in particular.  In my visit to Wind Rose Cellars in the Olympic Peninsula, there is very little Barbera planted; approximately 28 hectares (70 acres) around Red Mountain in 2011 (info from Washington Vineyard Acreage Report 2011).  They produce wines from several Italian grape varieties as Louis is part Italian descent. Louis likes to over deliver on their wines compared to price, so you are going to get good value for any bottle you purchase.

It is interesting to note that Facelli is the 3rd winery to be established in Woodinville, some 30 years ago.  The first winery was Chateau Ste. Michelle, and the second was Columbia Winery. They do not sell their wines through any outlets; you have to go to their winery to purchase their wines.  It is well worth the trip in my opinion.  Here are my wine picks from Facelli:

• Facelli Pinot Grigio 2010 – Watery straw colour. Lots of stone fruit on the nose. Quite round mouth feel.  Medium body, dry with light acidity. Stone fruit flavours.
• Facelli Barbera 2008 – Medium ruby in the glass.  Light cherry, licorice and some floweriness on the nose. Nice minerality on the palate, along with smokiness, cherries and some oak.  This wine has lots of flavour. Medium length, light body, low tannins.  I picked up a bottle and can’t wait to enjoy it with friends. My favourite wine from Facelli.
• Facelli Sangiovese 2008 – Pale garnet colour.  Light strawberry, cherry and plum aromas. Light body with plums, strawberries and cherry flavours.  Higher acidity with low tannins.  A hint of smokiness on the finish and some pepperiness on the tip of your tongue.
• Facelli Primitivo 2008 – Pale garnet in colour. Smoke and raspberry on the nose.  Medium minus body, dry, cherry, raspberry leaf and smokey flavours.  Higher acidity.

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Baer Winery Ursa 2009

Baer Winery started in 2000, so is one of the newer wineries in Woodinville.  It is run by the Baer family. They produce two wines; both are red blends.  Ursa 2009 is a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Franc, with lesser amounts of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc, and Malbec, while Arctos 2009 is another Bordeaux blend, with Cabernet Sauvignon as the primary grape, followed by Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.  By the time I reached the tasting room, they had poured all their Arctos for the day, so I only had a chance to try the Ursa.

• Baer Ursa 2009 – Nice medium ruby colour.  Cedar, blueberries and ripe dark fruit aromas. Full body, dry with medium tannins.  Ripe black fruit, plums and vanilla flavours with some cocoa on the mid palate. Quite a plush mouth feel.  Medium length.

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Barrage Cellars Rose, Nuclear Blonde, Trifecta, and Outcast wines

I was introduced to Barrage Cellars in November 2011, during the Taste of Tulalip event. Barrage was selected as the winery to produce a special blend for this event, held at the Tulalip Casino (Early bird tickets are on sale for the 2012 event.  I suggest buying them as it is a top notch wine and food event.).  I remembered the quality of their wine, and sought out the winery on my next trip to Woodinville.  I was happy to meet and talk with wine maker and owner, Mr. Kevin Correll about his wines.  He produces red, white, and rose wines.  Here are my picks:

• Barrage Rose 2011 – This is a blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot and 20% Syrah.  Quite a blend.  Pale cherry colour.  Very nice red summer fruit nose. Light body with soft mouthfeel.  Strawberry flavours. Off dry.  Very nice to sip for the summer.
• Barrage Nuclear Blonde Chardonnay 2009 – Watery lemon colour in the glass. Light citrus and lees greet your nose. Light body with soft creamy texture.  Dry with pears, citrus, and a bit of spice on the finish.  Very elegant.
• Barrage Trifecta Merlot 2008 – Pale garnet in colour. Lots of violets on the nose as well as cloves. Medium body, round with lots of ripe plums, cassis and cherries.  Round mouth feel, with soft tannins and medium acidity.  Cloves and spice on the finish.  Very tasty.
• Barrage Double Barrel Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 – The grapes for this blend come from 4 separate vineyards.  Deep garnet in the glass.  Light cassis, mocha and red fruit nose.  Nice flavours of anise, plums, blackberries and blue berries.  Round and dry in the mouth with medium acidity.  Vanilla on the finish.

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If you have never been to Woodinville, I highly recommend the trip.  There are so many wineries to choose from, and they are all fairly clustered so it is an easy drive, or an easy walk, to many of them.  If you have a favourite Woodinville winery, please post your comment.  I love to get feedback.  Enjoy!

My Recommended White & Sparkling Wines

• 

  Babich Sauvignon Blanc 2011

  Babich Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, 2011 ($19.75) – This is  a very tasty wine for sub $20. Pale lemon coloured. Nice herbal and gooseberry aromas.  Light body, dry, high acid, with citrus, herbal, and gooseberry flavours.  Lots of pineapple on the nice.  Enjoy this one for the summer!

• Babich Black Label Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, 2011 ($23.99) – This is a more restrained, balanced wine, compared to it’s younger sibling.  It has a light herbal and citrus nose. Dry, with medium acidity, and a nice balance between citrus and herbal.  There is also some wonderful guava notes.
• Elephant Hill Estate & Winery Viognier, Hawke’s Bay, 2010 ($29.99) – This was one of my favourite white wines of the fair.  Very nice light orange aroma.  Round, light body but with a viscous mouth feel.  Sweet spices, stone fruit, some leafiness / herbal edge.  Very tasty.
• Huia Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, 2011 ($24.99) – The grapes for this wine are certified organic, with the winery working toward biodynamic certification. 15% of the grapes for this wine are from indigenous yeast (aka wild ferment), which hopefully adds some additional complexity to the wine. Nice lime nose. Dry, light body and light acidity with lime and gooseberry flavours.  Elegant.
• Jackson Estate Stich Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, 2011 ($21.99) – Watery lemon colour with a light stone fruit nose.  Light body, light acidity with pretty flower and herbal flavours. Dry with a medium length.

• 

  Oyster Bay Chardonnay 2011

  Matua Valley Estate Paretai Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, 2011 ($29.99) – Nice light gooseberry aroma. Higher acidity, dry, with tasty gooseberry, asparagus, and herbal flavours.

• Oyster Bay Sparkling Cuvee Rose NV ($24.99) – This is a blend of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir. Watery with a pink tinge to it. Light citrus, creamy nose. Citrus, with high acid with light bubble.
• Oyster Bay Chardonnay, Marlborough, 2011 ($19.99) – Light lemon colour.  Light apple, lemon and lime nose. Light body with medium acidity.  Round, stone fruit and some sweet spice on the palate.
• Sileni Cellar Selection Parkhill Pinot Gris, Hawke’s Bay, 2010 ($18.99) – Half of the grapes for this wine was fermented in barrel for added complexity.  Medium lemon colour with light vanilla and stone fruit aromas. Round, with upfront, but not overpowering oak.  Smokiness and stone fruit flavours.

My Recommended Red Wines

• Akarua Pinot Noir Bannockburn, Central Otago, 2010 ($26.99) – This wine has a nice raspberry nose.  Medium body with ripe raspberries and cherry flavours, and some spiciness.  Dry with low tannins.  Nice, but I think this wine would be best served with food.
• 

  Jackson Estate Vintage Widow Pinot Noir 2010

  Jackson Estate Vintage Widow Pinot Noir, Marlborough, 2010 ($29.99) – Medium translucent ruby colour.  Raspberries and nutmeg aromas.  I enjoyed nosing this wine.  Light body, with flowers / violets, cherries and raspberry flavours. Higher acidity and low tannins.  Very tasty.

• Staete Landt Map Maker Pinot Noir Rapaura, Marlborough, 2009 ($27.99) – Pale cherry colour with a light strawberry nose.   Light body, with cloves, strawberries and cherry flavours.  Dry with low tannins.   Try other wines from Staete Landt.  They produce a wide range of quality wines.
• Villa Maria Cellar Selection Pinot Noir, Marlborough, 2009 ($34.99) – Watery ruby in the glass.  Interesting nose of chocolates and cherries.  Dry, light body with a soft mouth feel.  Light cherry flavour.
• Waimea Pinot Noir, Nelson, 2009 ($24.99) – Pale garnet.  Nice strawberry and violet aromas.  Light body, dry and round, with strawberry flavours and a bit of spice that lead into cherries and vanilla flavours mid palate.  Medium length. I really liked this wine.
• Whitehaven Pinot Noir, Marlborough, 2010 ($23.99) – Light translucent ruby colour.  Light smokey strawberry nose.  Light body, higher acidity, with smoky strawberry flavours.  A nice wine.

If you enjoy New Zealand wines and specifically Pinot Noir wines, why not attend Pinot Noir NZ 2013?  This is New Zealand’s Premier Wine event.  The event covers four days and has an international forum to talk about Pinot Noir.  Taste the wines of more than 100 wineries from 5 distinct regions in New Zealand.  There will be over 300 New Zealand Pinot Noirs at the show, so have fun.  To find out more about this event, visit the Pinot Noir 2013 website.  Enjoy!

New Zealand

While Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc are the “signature” grapes for New Zealand, the wine makers also want you to learn and try their other wines.  In this tasting, the wineries brought together a flight each of:

• Riesling
• Pinot Gris
• Gewurztraminer
• Syrah

Let’s go through these wines and see what New Zealand has to offer.

New Zealand Riesling

• 

  Mt Difficulty Riesling 2011

  Mt. Difficulty Target Riesling, Central Otago, 2011 ($27) – Light straw in colour.  Flowers and orange aromas. Off dry with nice acidity, soft citrus flavour and a hint of lime.  Medium minus length.  Nice.

• Forrest The Doctors’ Riesling, Marlborough, 2010 ($19.99) – Citrus, lime and lees on the nose.  A little bit of flowers and petrol too. Off dry plus, light acidity, with apple and citrus flavour.  Light body and round mouthfeel.  A bit sweeter than I prefer, but you may like a bit more residual sugar.
• Waimea Dry Riesling, Nelson, 2006 ($18.99) – Pronounced petrol, some waxiness and citrus aromas.  Round with higher acidity.  Dry with petrol and citrus flavour.  Medium length.

Of these 3 wines, I think my favourite was the Mt. Difficult Target Riesling.  This would be from Central Otago, which is the coolest climate region for these 3 wines.

New Zealand Pinot Gris

• 

  Sileni and Hunters Pinot Gris

  Waipara Hills Pinot Gris, Waipara, 2011 ($16) – Pale pear skin colour.  Light stone fruit and some mushroom aromas.  Light body with light acidity.  Dry with light stone fruit flavour and a streak of minerality.  Some spiciness on the finish.

• Hunter’s Pinot Gris, Marlborough, 2011 ($21.95) – Also pear skin colour.  Light asparagus and herbal notes on the nose, but with a stone fruit undertone.  Medium plus acidity, quite fruity, peachy with a herbal edge. Nice.
• Sileni The Priestess Pinot Gris, Hawke’s Bay, 2010 ($17.99) – Mainly melon but also some citrus aromas. Light body soft mouth feel with low acidity.  Light stone fruit flavours.

In this flight of wines, my favourite would be the Hunter’s Pinot Gris.  I really liked the more complex nose and the fruit / acidity on the palate.

New Zealand Gewurztraminer

• 

  Spy Valley Gewurztraminer 2011

  Spy Valley Gewurztraminer, Marlborough, 2011 ($28.99) – Very aromatic with flower, lychee, and cinnamon spice. Light body round with lots of cinnamon and nutmeg spice and flowery flavour.  Off dry. Medium plus length. Nice.

• Astrolabe Voyage Gewurztraminer, Marlborough, 2009 ($22.95) – Light lemon colour with a greenish tinge.  Light sweet spice nose.  Visible legs in the glass, so there would be higher alcohol content, but I did not get any hotness on the palate. Light body, round, and very viscous. Dry and soft on the palate.  Light stone fruit and flowers with some herbal leaf edge on the finish.
• Coopers Creek Gewurztraminer, Gisborne, 2010 ($18.95) – Light sweet spice and stone fruit aromas. Medium body, round, low acidity with stone fruit flavours.

The Spy Valley was my favourite Gewurztraminer of the three wines.  I really enjoyed the spice from this wine and the flower and lychee aromas.  Try other wines from Spy Valley as they all tend to be very good.

New Zealand Syrah

• 

  Trinty Hill Homage Syrah

  Coopers Creek Reserve Syrah, Hawke’s Bay, 2010 ($28.95) – A medium vibrant ruby colour in the glass. Ripe purple fruit, vanilla and light sweet spice aromas. Dry, medium body with medium minus tannins.  Round mouth feel with ripe black fruit and cinnamon flavours. Medium length.
  

• Villa Maria Cellar Selection Syrah, Hawke’s Bay, 2009 ($34.95) – This wine also has that same vibrant ruby colour in the glass. Nice restrained nose with cassis and blueberry aromas. Medium minus body, soft and dry.  Oak and blueberries with some cassis leaf.  An elegant Syrah.
  
• Bilancia La Collina, Hawke’s Bay, 2008 (pricing not available) – Medium ruby with an earthy nose.  Dry, with sweet spices and cherries.  Medium body and medium minus tannins.  Vanilla, cherries and pepper on the finish.
  
• Mission Estate Jewelstone Syrah, Gimblett Gravels, Hawke’s Bay, 2009 ($41.99) - Opulent medium ruby colour. Light black fruit and vanilla nose.  Medium pepperiness, vanilla and plum flavours. Quite dry. Medium length.  I really enjoyed this wine.
  
• Trinity Hill Homage, Gimblett Gravels, Hawke’s Bay, 2009 ($94.95) – Medium translucent ruby in the glass. Nice, interesting nose.  Meaty, ripe fruit, vanilla, pencil leads and cassis aromas. Fully body, dry with medium minus soft tannins.  Nice ripe black fruit, pepper, spice and vanilla flavours. Medium length.
  
• John Forrest Collection Syrah, Gimblett Gravels, Hawke’s Bay, 2007 ($59.95) – Deep ruby colour.  Ripe dark fruit with a hint of cedar on the nose. Dry, medium plus body, with lots of cassis. Vanilla flavour builds as you aerate the wine in your mouth.  Medium-firm tannins.
  
• Man O’ War Dreadnought Syrah, Waiheke, 2009 ($50) – Medium translucent ruby.  Meaty, minty, smoky nose. Medium plus body, medium minus tannins, dry and round in the mouth.  Black fruit with smokiness on the mid palate and ripe cherries on the finish. 
  

The choice of favourite wine for this flight is more difficult as there were more to choose from. I think I have to pick two wines.  The first being the Mission Estate Jewelstone Syrah and the second being the Trinity Hill Homage.

In Part 2 I will cover my favourite wines of the Fair. Enjoy!

Where and what is the Naramata Bench?  This is a raised long, relatively narrow strip of level or gently inclined land that is bounded by distinctly steeper slopes above and below it.  For the Naramata Bench, the area below it is Okanagan Lake.  As the lake is so close the water helps to moderate the temperature for the grapes.  The Bench is located on the eastern side of the lake so that it gets the afternoon and evening sun, and is located just north of Penticton, so it is an easy wine destination to visit when you are in Penticton.

What were my interesting wine picks from this evening’s event?

White Wine Picks

• 

  LFNG Blind Trust White 2011

  Poplar Grove Pinot Gris 2011. This Pinot Gris was really surprising.  It had none of the peachy / stone fruit flavours that I normally expect from a Pinot Gris. This wine instead had lots of pine needles, herbal, and gooseberry aromas.  Light body, with herbal, gooseberries, apples and oranges on the palate.  More like a Sauvignon Blanc.  Interesting to try.

• Red Rooster Riesling 2011. Light citrus nose but delivers with lively citrusy acidity on the palate.  Tangerine, citrus and a hint of petrol on your tongue.  Nice.
• Red Rooster Gewurztraminer 2011. Apples and yellow plum aromas in the glass.  Light body, off-dry, with stone fruit and a touch of sweet spices on the palate.
• LFNG Blind Trust White 2011.  This is a blend of Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, and Viognier. Pale lemon in colour.  Nice stone fruit aromas.  Medium minus body, round and dry.  Some acidity in the background to keep the wine refreshing.  Citrus, stone fruit and a hint of vanilla, with cinnamon showing up mid palate.  I really liked this wine!
• Nichol 9 Mile White 2011.  Another white blend.  This one is Gewurztraminer and Riesling, two aromatic Alsatian varieties. Lychee and roses on the nose. Medium minus body, dry with medium acidity.  Herbal and citrus flavours.
• Misconduct Wine Co. Suspect Series Chenin Blanc Viognier 2009.  This blend is 69% Chenin with 31% Viognier. Light peach blossom and slight orange on the nose.  Medium body.  Nice round mouthfeel. Nectarine and citrus flavour with a bit of sweet spice. Long length.  A classy white.
• 

  Upper Bench Pinot Gris and Chardonnay 2011

  Upper Bench Pinot Gris 2011.  This is one of the new wineries on the block.  They had a line up of at least 5 different wines.  The Pinot Gris was bright medium lemon in colour.  Very aromatic with juicy, ripe stone fruit aromas. Full body, dry with tropical fruit up front, spice, and some herbaceousness on the mid-palate. Very tasty.

• Van Westen Vineyards Vino Grigio 2010. This is a Pinot Gris.  Light flowery nose.  Medium minus body with fairly high acidity.  Round mouthfeel with pear and honeysuckle flavour.
• Van Westen Vineyards Viognier 2010. This is probably my favourite white of the evening. It had a very nice aroma of apricots. Medium body, dry with medium acidity.  Apricots, jasmine and honey flavours.  Highly recommended.
• La Frenz Riesling 2011. Light herbal and honey aromas on the nose. Light body, dry with light acidity.  Light herbal and citrus flavours.  Elegant.

Red Wine Picks

• 

  Poplar Grove The Legacy 2007

  Van Westen Vineyards Vivre la Vie 2008.  This wine is 100% Merlot.  Medium garnet in the glass.  Currant, plum and cloves aromas.  Medium body, round mouthfeel with blueberries, black berry, leather and vanilla.  Very complex flavours. Medium tannins with a very dry finish.

• Van Westen Vineyards Voluptuous 2007. A red blend.  Plums and chocolate on the nose.  Medium plus body with very firm tannins.  Ripe cherries, cassis and vanilla flavours. Buy and let it age for at least a year.
• Van Westen Vineyards Voluptuous 2008. It’s always nice when you have two or more years of a particular wine to compare at the same time.  This younger vintage has raspberry, toffee, chocolate and cloves on the nose. Quite interesting aromas.  Medium plus body, dry with firm tannins.  Black berries, cassis, and ripe cherry flavours.  This tannins are too strong to enjoy this wine right away.  Put it down for at least 3-4 years.
• Upper Bench Pinot Noir 2010. Medium translucent garnet.  Smoky strawberry aroma.  Light body with high acidity and medium minus tannins.  Smokey, cherry, strawberries and vanilla on the palate.  A good quality Pinot Noir.
• La Frenz Reserve Pinot Noir 2010. Pale garnet colour.  Toasty and red fruit aromas.  Nice mouthfeel. Light body, with cherries and sweet spices.  Exploding vanilla / oak over top the fruit flavour in a good way.  Medium plus length.
• Poplar Grove Merlot 2008. Translucent medium garnet in the glass. Slight capsicum along with chocolate and ripe plum aromas. Medium body, dry with soft tannins.  Red apples, plums and cherry flavours, with capsicum on the finish.  Soft tannins. Nice.
• Poplar Grove Legacy 2007. Dark garnet colour with some bricking. Cassis, toffee, plum and cherry aroms.  Full body, dry with medium plus tannins. Cherries, ripe black fruit and vanilla flavours with a hint of capsicum. Medium plus length.
• Perseus Invictus. Sorry I did not get a vintage on this wine, nor did I see one listed on their website. This is a Bordeaux blend with 49% Cabernet Sauvignon making the majority of the blend. Medium garnet in colour. Cedar, cassis and some capsicum on the nose. Full body with more cassis, cedar, and black berry flavours.  Very juicy fruits with some pepperiness. Round mouthfeel with soft tannins.  Medium length.

It is interesting to note that I picked more white wines than red, considering that the Naramata Bench is better known for their red wines.  Enjoy these wines in a restaurant, at home or maybe at the winery over summer.

Cheeses of Lombardy

Some of the cheeses you may have heard of, and tried, from the Lombardy region include;

• Grana Padano
• Parmigiano Reggiano
• Provolone
• Gorgonzola
• Taleggio
• Quartirolo

and more.  I did get to try a few of these cheeses.  Two that I liked a lot, and went well with a sparkling La Travaglina Oltrepo Pavese DOC Pinot Nero (white) was the Carozzi Tomina di Capra and the Carozzi Capriziola. The former a light flavoured, soft goat cheese, and the latter a blue cheese, similar to Cambazola in flavour intensity, but firmer in texture.

Carozzi Tomina di Capra

Carozzi Capriziola

Wines of Lombardy

In the north of Italy, you would expect cooler climate whites, and possibly Pinot Noir.  You would be partly correct.  Besides having Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and Chardonnay, for whites and Pinot Noir, you will also find Croatina, Bonarda, and Barbera (and other grapes too).   What you would not expect, or at least I didn’t expect, was to find many sparkling or off-dry red wines.  The first time I heard about sparkling red wines was sparkling Australian Shiraz, followed by learning about Italian Lambrusca.  But today’s tasting really surprised me with sparkling Barbera and sparkling Bonarda!

Ca Montebello Sangue di Guida

In the title of my post you will see the name of a wine by Ca’ Montebello “Sangue di Guida“.  This translates to the Blood of Judas, in reference to Judas from the Bible and the colour of the wine being blood-like.  This red wine is a blend of Croatina and Barbera.  Nice light ruby colour and light cherry and apple aromas.  In the mouth, this wine is off dry, light bodied with slight effervescence to it.  Apples and cherry flavours.  Interesting, but what would you drink with this off-dry red? Asking the Ca’ Montebello representative, he said in Italy it could be an aperitif on it’s own, would go well with a flavourful cheese, or with a dessert. (7% alcohol you can enjoy this wine without getting too tipsy.)

Other wines I enjoyed:

• Gravanago Brut 2009. This sparkling wine was light lemon in colour.  Light waxy, lemon and honey aromas. Dry on the palate with cherry, citrus and nutty flavours. Medium body, medium acidity with light bubble.  Very enjoyable.
• 

  La Travaglina Le Zolle Dacarro Sparkling Bonarda DOC

  La Travaglina Oltrepo Pavese DOC Bonarda Le Zolle.  This is one of the sparkling red wines at today’s event. Deep ruby in colour with cherry, red fruits, and some floweriness on the nose. Light body with light body and medium acidity. Dry with a light cherry flavour.  Nice.

• Gravanago Oltrepo Pavese DOC Bonarda. This is another sparkling Bonarda, deep ruby in colour.  Interesting nose with dark fruit and something similar but not quite cassis. Light bubble with medium plus acidity.  Sour cherry flavour.  A dry sparkler. Very tasty.
• Gravanago Moscato. Most moscato I taste has an orange aroma and flavour to it, but none was to be found here.  I was really surprised at this wine and really enjoyed it. This wine was watery straw coloured. Nice nose with lychee and apple aromas.  Light body, off dry with lots of lychee on the palate, along with a hint of citrus.
• La Travaglina Oltrepo Pavese DOC Pinot Nero. Watery lemon colour in the glass.  Light citrus aroma. Medium bubble with lees and citrus flavours. Dry, light body with medium length.
  

Before signing off on this blog post, may I remind you that the Bonarda that you get from Argentina, comes from the vines brought from Lombardy.  Which now leads me to wonder, are there any sparkling Bonardas in Argentina?  Enjoy.

California Wine Fair 2012

The California Wine Fair 2012 Canadian Tour came to Vancouver this past week.  It is highly anticipated and always delivers.  There were so many wines to try, from what you expect, like Napa Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, but also the unexpected, like a Chenin or a Cabernet Franc.  California has wines of all different styles and at all different price points.  I estimate there were around 120 wineries pouring their wines this evening with each one having at least 3 wines, so there were at least 360 wines to try in 3 hrs.  That works out to 1 wine per 30 seconds.  So I’m sure I missed a bunch of nice wines.  I did find a few that I would like to share with you so that you can enjoy them for your next party or get together with family or friends.  And always, if you attended and had a wine you liked, please post your comment below.  I love to get feedback.

My Wine Picks

• 

  Birichino Malvasia Bianca

  Birichino Malvasia Bianca 2010, Monterey. Have you ever tried wine from the Malvasia grape?  It is well known in Italy, but also is found in other Mediterranean countries, and of course in Italy.  Malvasia bianca grapes tend to be round and have a soft mouthfeel. Common aromas are peaches, apricots and white currants. This wine was watery lemon in colour and had a nice lychee nose.  More lychee on the palate along with citrus and a herbal note mid palate.  Nice round mouthfeel with slight acidity.  I really enjoyed this wine a lot.  In my Twitter post I mistakenly wrote Bonny Doon before the Birichino.  That is incorrect.  Birichino is a separate winery.

• Domaine Chandon Brut Rose, NV.  A sparkling rose that will treat your tastebuds.  Light orangy cherry in colour.  Lees and strawberries on the nose.  Lots of light small bubbles in the glass.  Quite creamy mouthfeel with strawberry and cherry flavours.
• Cline Cellars Viognier 2010, North Coast. Quite aromatic with lychee and peach aromas.  Medium minus body, dry with medium acidity.  Lychee flavour and some spiciness.  Easy to sip.
• Deep Sea Wines Chardonnay, 2008, Santa Barbara County.  This isn’t your typical oaky chardonnay.  Much more nuanced.  Light lemon colour.  Interesting marmalade nose.  Marmalade on the palate as well as flowers, vanilla and some spice.  There were many layers of flavour as you enjoy this wine.  Really enjoyable.
• Deerfield Ranch Winery Pinot Gris, 2010, Mendocino County. This wine is 100% stainless steel fermented and is very small production.  Only 220 cases. Medium pear skin colour. Light stone fruit nose.  Off dry, medium body with juicy peachy flavours and a mineral edge.
• 

  Deerfield Red Rex 2007

  Deerfield Ranch Winery Red Rex 2007, Sonoma County. This wine is a blend of 7 varieties but mostly Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet in the glass with a sweet cassis nose.  Full body with soft tannins.  Juicy black fruit and also a mineral streak through it.  Medium length.

• Elyse Morisoli Zinfandel, 2008, Rutherford, Napa Valley. Medium garnet colour with a dark core. Ripe raspberry nose.  Fully body, dry with ripe raspberry, cherry, and vanilla flavours.  Medium acidity. Tannins kick in at the end providing a very dry finish.
• Elyse 7 & 8 Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, 2004. There was also the 2007 to compare this wine against.  The 07 was opaque, full of dark fruit and very tannic.  Needs aging, which leads to the 2004.  The colour had lighted to a medium garnet.  Leathery nose.  Capsicum, sweet black fruit and vanilla flavours.  Quite nice for a bit more bottle aging.
• Esser Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc, 2010, Monterey. Light lemon in colour.  Jalapeno peppers on the nose and on the palate. Dry with a medium body.  Nice.
• Foppiano Vineyards Petite Sirah, 2009, Russian River Valley. Opaque ruby.  Dark fruit and cherry nose.  Smooth mouthfeel with dark fruit, vanilla and medium tannins.
• 

  Foppiano Vineyards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2009

  Foppiano Vineyards Pinot Noir, 2009, Russian River Valley.  Light cherry colour. Smoky strawberry aromas, which some people call cherry cola.  Light body, dry with cherries and vanilla flavours.  Soft tannins.

• Honig Vineyard & Winery Sauvignon Blanc, 2011, Napa Valley.  Watery colour. A very nice herbal, jalapeno pepper, and gooseberry nose. Medium acidity.  Herbal, jalapeno and flowery flavours.  I really enjoyed this wine.
• Kenefick Ranch Cabernet Franc, 2007, Napa Valley. Deeper garnet colour in the glass.  Cherries, flowers, and raspberry aromas. Dry with medium plus body. Nice raspberry and cherry flavours.  Soft tannins with vanilla and cherry on the finish.
• Thomas Henry Wines Chardonnay, 2009, Sonoma Valley. Quite an elegant wine.  Medium lemon in colour.  Light oak and tropical fruit aromas.  Medium body with nice mouth feel and flavours of tropical fruit, lime, vanilla and some spice on the finish. Long length. This wine is part of the Meadowcroft Wine Family if you are searching for it.
• Patz & Hall Wine Co. Chardonnay, 2010, Dutton Ranch – Russian River Valley. A single vineyard Chardonnay. Tropical fruit and vanilla on the nose.  Dry with medium body. Round with an acid backbone.  Tropical fruit flavour with some vanilla and toast.  Spice on the finish.  Another elegant Chardonnay.
• 

  Peju Provence NV Rose

  Peju Provence, 2010, California.  Here is a rose to impress your friends on the patio this summer. Watery cherry colour.  Nice nose of soft sweet strawberry and rhubarb pie. Medium plus acidity. Dry, light body with cherry and apple flavours.

• Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs, 2008, North Coast.  Here is a top quality bubble made from the Chardonnay grape.  Whenever I taste this wine I am never disappointed.  Enjoy it when you can. Medium lemon in colour.  Nice bready, red delicious apple aromas.  High acidity on the palate.  Dry with red delicious apple, and apple core, with citrus flavours backing it up.
• Schug Carneros Estate Winery Pinot Noir, 2009, Carneros.  My favorite Pinot Noir of the tasting. Light cherry colour.  Vanilla and cherry aromas. Nutmeg and cherry flavours.  Dry with light body.
• Schug Carneros Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008, Sonoma Valley. Deep garnet colour.  Slight capsicum on the nose, along with vanilla and cherry. Medium body, round and dry with acidity to support in the background.  Cassis and spice flavours.
• Siduri Pinot Noir, 2010, Russian River Valley. Light garnet colour. Nice nose with nutmeg, cherries and strawberries. Dry, light body, with raspberry, raspberry leaf and nutmeg flavours.  Tasty.
• Thomas George Estates Estate Wine, Pinot Noir, 2009, Russian River Valley. Nice violet and cherry aromas. Light body with cherry flavours.  Medium acidity.
• Whitehall Lane Winery Merlot, 2008, Napa Valley. Deep garnet in the glass. Vanilla, spice, and milk chocolate aromas. Round and smooth in your mouth, with dark chocolate, black cherries and some oak/vanilla.  Very nice.

As I write up these notes, I note that many of the wines I like are from the Russian River Valley.  There are a fair number of Pinot Noirs, and not as many Cabernet Sauvignons as I would have expected.

This event was in support of the Arts Club Theatre Company in Vancouver.  Learn more about the Arts Club Theatre Company on their website.  Enjoy the Arts and the wine!

Concrete egg fermenter with wine maker Michael Bartier from Okanagan Crush Pad.

Last year, 2011, was a banner year for newly licensed wineries in BC.  21 wineries were licensed.  Who are they and where are they?  Most of the ones listed below I have not heard of, except for Okanagan Crush Pad Winery, Serendipity Estate Winery and 40 Knots Estate Winery.  Here is a review I did of Okanagan Crush Pad in the past. I bumped into Serendipity Estate Winery during one of the Naramata Bench events in Vancouver last year.  40 Knots Estate Winery I heard through the grapevine   As you will see below, the greatest growth has been in the Okanagan, but there are also more wineries popping up on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.  I look forward to trying the wines from all these new wineries.

Okanagan Wineries

• Ancient Hill Winery, Kelowna
• Adega on 45th Estate Winery, Osoyoos
• Gold Hill Winery, Osoyoos
• Heaven’s Gate Estate Winery, Summerland
• 50th Parallel Estate, Lake Country
• Hidden Chapel Winery, Oliver
• Intersection Winery, Oliver
• Okanagan Crush Pad Winery, Summerland
• River Stone Estate Winery, Oliver
• Serendipity Estate Winery, Naramata
• SummerGate Winery, Summerland
• Sunnybrae Vineyards & Winery, Tappen
• Terravista Vineyards, Penticton
• 3 Mile Estate Winery, Penticton
• Time Estate Winery, Oliver
• Tyler Harlton Wines, Summerland

Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island

• Domaine Jasmin, Thetis Island
• Little Tribune Winery, Hornby Island
• 40 Knots Estate Winery, Comox
• Highland House Farm Winery, North Saanich
• Unsworth Vineyards, Mill Bay

Thank you to Orchard & Vine Magazine Pre-Spring 2012 edition for compiling this list.

Madam Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle from the Grand Marnier family in France owns and runs the Casa Lapostolle winery.  Based in the high altitude Apalta region in Santa Cruz, Casa Lapostolle’s goal is to produce a world-class Bordeaux blend red wine, they call Clos Apalta, along with many other exceptional wines such as the Cuvee Alexandre Chardonnay. Clos Apalta was launched in 1997. Produced in limited quantities from fruit grown in Casa Lapostolle’s Apalta vineyard, a region increasingly dubbed the ‘Pomerol’ of Chile, this premium cuvée, a blend of Merlot, Carmenère, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot, has won a number of international awards and accolades. The winery is dedicated to organic and biodynamic vineyard practices (which I enjoy and can note that it really does make a difference in your glass), and produces some very nice wines. I was able to visit Casa Lapostolle 3 years ago, 1 year before the major earthquake in the area.  I hope to visit Casa Lapostolle and the other wineries again.

In this video Andrea Leon talks about the new release of their Cuvee Alexandre Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 in Vancouver.  She as well discusses how/why she thinks their wines fit with our exciting food culture here in Vancouver. Enjoy!

You can read about my experiences visiting wineries in Chile here.

Taste Washington

As you may know, I take regular trips down to WA state to visit wineries and tasting rooms (in Woodinville) to learn more about Washington State wines and to pass along that information to you.  I had not had the opportunity until this year to make it down to Seattle to Taste Washington.  What a wonderful event I must say.  In previous years it was only held one afternoon.  This year they expanded it to two afternoons, Saturday and Sunday, from 2-5pm.  The ticket prices were really reasonable too.  $75 for one day or pay $99 for a weekend pass!

Palomino Restaurant with crab and bacon sliders

Another thing that I really liked about it was that food from different restaurants were interspersed throughout the venue, so you could have a sip of wine and then take a few steps sideways and you were able to have a crab with bacon slider from Palomino Restaurant, try several raw oysters on the half shell, or a canape of some sort from another restaurant to enjoy with the wine. As I mentioned there was fresh raw oysters from the Pacific Northwest, and the fresh crab with bacon slider.  But there was also foods from other parts of the world.  I enjoyed a few Thai curries as I wandered the tables.  And to finish, you could have a quality coffee courtesy of Fonte Coffee.

Awesome.

Wines I Enjoyed at Taste Washington

White and Sparkling Wines

• Cairdeas Winery Nellie Mae 2011.  This is a blend of 60% Viognier with 40% Roussanne.  100% fermented in stainless steel.  Light lemony green.  Light stone fruit with a bit of flintiness/smokiness aromas. Medium minus body.  Lots of tropical fruit flavours and some citrus.  Medium plus acidity.
• 

  Ani Che Cellars Lizzy and Sirius wines

  Ani Che Cellars Come & Go 2011.  This is 100% Albarino.  Pale lemon in colour with a light citrus/flowery nose.  Dry with nice apple, citrus, orange flavours.  Very tasty.  Refreshing acidity.

• Ani Che Cellars Lizzy 2010. This is a 60% Roussanne, 40% Marsanne blend. I do enjoy Rhone blends.  This one had a light stone fruit nose.  Medium minus body.  Off dry and quite fruity with peaches and pears. Nice roundness too.
• Barrage Cellars Nuclear Blonde 2009.  You can’t tell by the name, but this one is 100% Chardonnay, fermented in neutral oak and left on it’s lees for 13 months.  Pale lemon in colour with nice apple aromas and a fino sherry type aroma coming from the lees.  Dry with lots of lees and green apple flavours.  Medium acidity.  Tasty and refreshing.
• a Maurice Cellars Viognier 2009. This wine has a light elegant nose with stone fruit and orange aromas. Medium body, dry with stone fruit flavours and some spiciness.  Medium plus length.
• Chateau Ste. Michelle EROICA Riesling 2010. This is a joint venture wine made with Dr. Ernst Loosen from Germany, and doesn’t disappoint.  Very nice lime and flowers on the nose.  Off dry, high acidity with a hint of petrol on the palate.  Citrus and apple flavours.  Very well rounded.  Medium length. Yum.
• Treveri Extra Brut Chardonnay.  It took lots of searching but I eventually found a winery producing sparkling wines.  Treveri had an Extra Brut, a Brut and a Sparkling Syrah.  The Extra Brut was my favourite of the three wines.  It was pale lemon in the glass.  Citrus, red apples and lees aromas.  Medium bubble with red apple flavour.  Dry with light body.  In Australia they serve Sparkling Syrah with roast turkey, so maybe try some for your Easter dinner this weekend.

Red Wines

• 

  Dunham Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

  Forgeron Black Smith Syrah 2009.  Deep ruby in the glass with blueberry and dark cherry aromas. Nice minerality with blueberry flavours.  Medium plus body, dry with soft tannins.  Coffee flavour on the finish.

• Fall Line Winery Boushey Vineyard 2008.  This is a Bordeaux blend with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Medium garnet in the glass.  Red berries on the nose.  Medium body with raspberries and cherry flavours.  Medium acidity and low tannins.
• Dusted Valley Stained Tooth Syrah 2010. I visited this winery’s tasting room about a year and raved about their Grenache, which I found out at this tasting is not made every year. So no Grenache at the tasting table this day, but I did really enjoy their Syrah. Dark ruby in colour with lots of blueberries and some vanilla on the nose. Full body, mineral with blueberries. Soft tannins, dry, very tasty.
• Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon 2008. Dark garnet in colour.  Nice nose with ripe black fruit, vanilla, oak, and chocolate notes. Medium plus body, smooth.  Ripe black fruit and coffee flavours.  Medium acidity.  Medium length with dark fruit finish.  Very nice.
• Gamache Vintners Estate Syrah 2007. Opaque ruby in the glass.  Ripe dark fruit and blueberry aromas. Full body with dark fruit flavours.  There is a hint of spice on the tongue too. Tasty.
• Foundry Vineyards Artisan Blend 2007. A Bordeaux blend, mainly made with Merlot.  Medium garnet in colour.  Nice vanilla, purple fruit and blueberry aromas. Ripe, juicy purple fruit, blueberries and vanilla on the palate too.
• Guardian Chalk Line 2009. Another Bordeaux blend, mainly made with Merlot.  Their other wine was called Gun Metal.  I inquired about these names and found out that the wine maker is a police officer.  This wine had a light intensity dark fruit nose.  The flavour really hit me.  Smokiness, peaty, meaty, dark chocolate and coffee.  Dry with medium minus tannins.
• Revelry Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2009.  This is a premium wine with only 9 barrels being made; that works out to 220 cases.  Deep garnet in colour.  Nice ripe dark fruit nose.  Soft mouth feel,medium body, spicy with dark fruit and vanilla flavours. Spice on the finish.
•  
  

  Va Piano Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

  Rotie Cellars Northern Blend 2010. If you know about the Northern Rhone Valley in France you would be able to guess the two grapes that go into this blend.  If you don’t it is 95% Syrah, and 15% Viognier.  Yes that is a blend of red and white grapes. Very traditional.  The Viognier brings out more colour from the Syrah (they are co-fermented) as well as can add a flowery component to the wine. This wine was light garnet in colour. Dark fruit and plums on the nose. Full body with soft tannins.  Medium minus acidity.  Dark fruit, cocoa and coffee flavours. High acidity on the finish with a long length.  This wine should have good longevity.

• TRUST Cabernet Sauvignon 2008.  It also has some Merlot and Cabernet Franc blended in.  Nice nose of vanilla and plums.  Full body, round with ripe black fruit, vanilla, and some chocolate coming in mid-palate. Dry tannins on the finish.
• Va Piano Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2008.  Dark garnet in the glass.  Nice nose, with aromas of dark fruit, vanilla and some capsicum. Full body with juicy black fruit and vanilla.  Medium plus tannins.  Round mouthfeel. Very tasty.

There were many more wineries to sample but not enough time in the day.  If you attended and found a gem that I haven’t listed, please post a comment.  I enjoy hearing from you too.

I encourage you to attend Taste Washington next year. If you are in Vancouver, BC, it is only a 3.5 hr trip. Stay overnight and attend Saturday and Sunday.   Here is the Taste Washington website.  Enjoy!