WineFoot

Named after the famous martyr, Staint Laurent is a relatively new winery on the Washington wine scene and has seemed to have done a good job of ramping up quickly when it comes to producting quality wines. He was the staint of the poor and in that tradition, Saint Laurent winery celebrates that tradition with good food and wine on August 8th.

Staint Laurent has an incredible story to its 80-acre vineyard which dates back to the mid 1800s - its originator had a passion for wine and even the original irrigation ditch is still in use today.

It’s 2004 Merlot is priced around $18 and is aiming at hitting that $12-$20 sweet spot for wine sales as anything over the $20 mark is a tougher sell unless you have a mass cult-like following.
Color: Deep purple

Nose: Sweaty sock, some blueberry, leather glove, toasted nuts, tar, tobacco, blackberry, dark plums,

Taste: Black peppered, homemade strawberry jam mixed with dark chocolate, some asphalt and tobacco. It’s not as velvety as I’d hope for based on the nose and overall flavor profile but still does a decent job of lingering.

Finish: Pretty good, nice and medium-long….but a bit too hot for me.

Summary: There are other wines in this price category I think I’d rather spring the money for which do a better job of delivering a better finish and overall experience. This wine is clearly not a bad wine at all, however, just not my first pick given its price.

I put up a new poll today that I’m hoping you’ll really take the time to participate in. As some of you know, I’ve been debating some time now about whether or not to start scoring or rating the wine I write about. Part of me feels it’s entirely too subjective to put a score on something like wine yet the other part of me understands that we live in a culture that feeds off of them for some reason.

Please vote in the poll and let me know the direction you’d like to see us go into. Thanks!

Farm bill may help growers

New law is helping some VA wineries to get back into business

Wine grape prices increase

Who leads the points derby in Napa?

Can music enhance the wine experience?

Chalk Hill downsizes and Furth refuses to move

Some CA vineyards going to dry farming methods

Our friend, Jeff Hellam, owner of Hellam’s Vineyard wine shop was recently interveiwed by the folks from Wine Press Northwest Magazine - he’s a good guy who knows his stuff. I first met him a number of years ago, when he was working for Kestrel:

Today, Ken Evenstad, founder and owner of Domaine Serene Vineyards & Winery, announced that winemaker Tony Rynders has left to pursue other interests.

Drew Voit, former Associate Winemaker at Domaine Serene from 2004 until April, 2008, will return as consulting winemaker and oversee interim day-to-day operations as Domaine Serene considers potential head winemaker candidates over the next several weeks.

“This is a natural evolution for Domaine Serene,” says Ken Evenstad, “We are speaking with many exceptional candidates who share our commitment to quality, and I assure that once we have filled the position it will be with the right person for our program. In the meantime we have the utmost confidence in Drew as our consulting winemaker, and our strong winemaking team is well prepared to manage this transition.”

ABOUT DOMAINE SERENE
Domaine Serene Vineyards & Winery, founded in 1989 by Ken and Grace Evenstad, is located in the Dundee Hills of Oregon and produces ultra-premium Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from their three estate vineyards.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register proposing to establish the 4,145-acre “Snipes Mountain” viticultural area in Yakima County, Washington. TTB designates viticultural areas to allow vintners to better describe the origin of their wines and to allow consumers to better identify wines they may purchase.

Written comments must be received on or before June 27, 2008.

You may send comments on this notice to one of the following addresses:
• http://www.regulations.gov (via the online comment form for this notice
as posted within Docket No. TTB–2008–0003 on Regulations.gov, the Federal
e-rulemaking portal); or
• Director, Regulations and Rulings Division, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax
and Trade Bureau, P.O. Box 14412, Washington, DC 20044–4412.

Judge halts moth spraying in Monterey County

USA threatens to block all Brunello imports

Rhône Rendezvous

Frost could boost Monterey County wine grape sales

Terrior-izing California Wine

Alcohol Sales linked to Neighborhood Violence

Just got this note from the fine folks up at Nefarious Cellars - if you’re up in the Lake Chelan area this weekend, make sure to stop by and try their wine:

It is finally sunny and beautiful…. just in time for Spring Barrel Tasting Weekend at the wineries of the Lake Chelan Wine Valley.  If you’ll be in town or are looking for a fun adventure this weekend, please come by and join us as we break out some of the ‘07 barrels for a little sampling and try our newly released 2007 estate-grown Viognier.  This Saturday and Sunday, May 17-18.

 

Hope we see you,

Dean, Heather, George, and Lucy

Charlie Hoppes is without a doubt one of the State of Washington’s top winemakers. His passion for wine, love for people and know-how in the cellar room truely help him shine as one of the state’s prominent wine guru’s.

A few years ago, he started up his own winery called Fidelitas and has done a brilliant job of producing quality wines form that brand which generally do a good job of delivering the various aspects we love about wine at each of their respective price categories.

 

2000 was his first year of making wine at Fidelitas and at that time he introduced a flagship wine (later to become known as Optu) called “Meritage”. Staying faithful to Bordeaux, this bottle of wine containts fruit that is all based from that region.

Composition - 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 7% Malbec
Oak Aging - 24 months -50% French and American Oak
Alcohol -14.3%
Production - 660 cases
Release Date - March 1, 2004
Price - $35

Smells like: musty book with sweaty sock, celery stock, asparagus tip and pretty much the entire produce section from your local grocery store - tons of green here.

Tastes like: dark chocolate, black cherry, dr. pepper, black licorice. cedar chest.

Summary:
Old-world wine fans would easily gravitate towards this wine - there are a TON of veggies going on with that good ol’ granny’s cedar chest up in the attic holding books printed over 50 years ago.

This wine is starting to show that it’s not quite capable of aging as gracefully as I had hoped for, but with that said, it’s an excellent offering which has rewarded my patience over the past few years of laying it down.

Foods I’d pair with:
- Cedar plank salmon topped with a basil aioli
- Peppercorned New York Steak
- Fresh mixed green salad with marinated flank steak pieces

California grape grower settles for $500k settlement

Justice to hear PA. Beer battle

Behind the scenes of Idaho’s wine industry

China will be the leading wine producer or 2058?

Vineyard fire sparked by downed power line

Cabernet Sauv traced back to ancient Greece?

The do-it-yourself sommelier

Here’s a great Ted Reader-inspired dish idea.

We did a little going-away dinner at our place last night for my brother, Darin, who’s moving his family to Alabama (I don’t get it either) - I wanted to make an appetizer that was both savory and sweet at the same time, so I grilled this little number.

The end result is a dish that meet both of the criteria I had - a gooey middle with savory cedar notes all over the cheese, sweet raspberries and honey with good texture from the almonds and some freshness from the herb - needless to say, his family destroyed it.

We paired it with a raspberry dessert wine called Framboise from Boony Doon Vineyard out of Santa Cruz CA:

1 Round of Brie
8-10oz of Fresh Raspberries
2-3 Tablespoons of Honey
1 Tablespoon of a fresh herb - in this example, I used Oregano
6oz of shaved almonds
1 water-soaked cedar plank (untreated)

To all the moms out there and to my own mother, I wish you the best of Mother’s Days! You deserve it - the sheer amount of thankless work you do throughout the entire year needs to have a day which spotlights all your efforts! The rest of us thank you from the bottom of our hearts and could never repay you.

Days like this - to me - is what Wine and food are all about - family and friends. Take a special bottle today and share it with your wife or other favorite mom!

There was a time not too many years ago when I (like many of you) had a slogan of “A.B.C.” - anything but chard - and we can largely thank the state of California and its parade of over-oaked fanboys for that. chardonnay is a gorgeous grape which has been a staple around the world for centuries. There are many reasons for this, however, I think it’s because chardonnay one of the more approachable white grape varieties available by an overwhelming majority of both wine drinks and folks new to wine.

Thankfully, there are wineries out there who’ve heard the cries of us who’ve been stung by the over-oaked, over-saturated chardonnay’s and have aimed to put their grapes on less oak. This 2004 Estate-grown chardonnay from Terra Blanca is an excellent wine for well under $12 which means it’s very price-competitive to the over-oaked, “grocery brands” so many folks are buying.

TECHNICAL DATA
Harvest: Sugar - 22.3º Brix
Titratable Acidity - 0.75g/100ml
pH - 3.34
Bottle: Titratable Acidity - 0.72g/100ml
pH - 3.39
alcohol - 13.5% by volume
2004 Chardonnay
Red Mountain Estate Vineyard
100% CHARDONNAY

I emailed Terra Blanca’s Owner/Winemaker, Keith Pilgrim, about this chardonnay because I wasn’t picking up much oak at all and here was his reply:

Chardonnay is probably the varietal that the styles produced on the west coast from Washington to California have changed or evolved more than any other wine.  When we made our first estate Chardonnay in 1997 from grapes planted on the only slightly cooler spot on our Red Mountain site (it slopes slightly to the east and north rather than south and west as the rest of the property does) the wine was 100% barrel fermented in all French oak with about 40% of the barrels being new and the remainder 1 to 3 years old and the wine was 100% ML. 

At the time the market was hung up on 200% new oak Chardonnays that you needed a chainsaw rather than a glass to get through.  Ever since that first vintage we have been slowly reducing the oak profile of the wines, first through selection of French coopers that imparted less vanilla and butter flavors and selection of ML bugs that produced very little of the butter flavor.  By 2000 we were starting to ferment part of our Chardonnay in stainless then blending the stainless and barrel fermented fractions to complete the wine.  We have continued to lessen the oak impact on our estate Chardonnay and the 2004 vintage represents 50% stainless fermentation with no ML blended with 50% barrel fermented in all French oak barrels from 5 different coopers (down from about a dozen) with 100% ML, of which 1/3 of the barrels were new. 

But that’s not the whole story, we have also sorted the coopers for the barrels to those that produce more mineral, flint and toasty flavors, eliminating those that were more dominate vanilla and butter flavors, the result is wine that shows more of the red apple and tropical flavors supported by mineral and and slight toasty notes.  Our estate Chardonnay has continued down the same trend and is now 65% tank fermented with no ML and 35% barrel fermented with 100% ML and about 30% new French Oak from 2 coopers (the majority of the barrels are Latour).  We also have continued to make a small lot of Chardonnay from the same fruit that is called Block 5 Chardonnay and uses 100% new oak (all Latour barrels) that produces an almost Chablis like mineral flavor with some toasty notes on the finish.  Prior to the 2004 Chardonnay releases, most guests would assume that the estate Chardonnay with at the time almost half stainless and the remainder less than 50% new oak to show more oak than the Block 5 Chardonnay which has always been 100% new oak, but all the more minerally Latour French Oak barrels (aka Chateau Latour, they make there own barrels and sell a small number on allocation).

If you’re one of those Kendall Jackson-type folk - I do beleive there is professional help available now to help get that oak-plank off your tongue.

Nose: Grapefruit skin, apple, pear, toasted marshmellow, elderberry, fresh pea gravel.

Taste: A slight toasted nuts component, hint if kiwi, pistachio, lemons, slight butter with obvious tropical fruits and light spice on the finish.

Summary:
Keith nailed this wine - it’s an excellent bridge-wine for those who need to stop with the Kendall Jackson B.S. and get with the program. It’ll still have some of the toastiness those folks think they like yet introduce them to much more of the gorgeous fruit flavors of the chardonnay grape.

If you love chardonnay, buy more of the budgeted wines and want to taste some excellent fruit from Red Mountain, then go out today and snag a bottle or two of this wine.

This is my opinion, however, you really need to try this wine and form your own - remember, it’s all about embracing your own palate, not mine.

I’d easily pair this with the following foods:- Shrimp scampi
- Classic Ceasar salad
- Dried fruits with stinky cheeses and nuts
- Chicken parmesan
- Fetucinni Alfredo

Located at the northern end of the Williamette Valley is La Dolca Vita Vineyards - a small winery which prides itself in growing top-shelf fruit and crafting wine in very small lots. Like so many other wineries in Oregon, this one focuses squarely on Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris - staple grapes in Oregon which has a great climate for them.

 

Stats:
100% Steel barrel fermentation
Price I paid: $11.99
Residual sugar: less than 1%

Smell: A funky nose on this one - I’m getting some match flint, mixed with a hint of rose pedal, yicima, lemon drops and a splash of eucaliptus. Granny’s footlocker in the atic. Musty peach fuzz..

Taste: Bigtime steely taste mixed with fresh light fruit, such as lemon peel, some star fruit with a hint of mango. Bone-dry finish that feels as if someone took an xacto knife to the tongue and scaped off your tastebuds.

Summary:
This wine will ultimately appeal to those who enjoy one of the more dry white wines I’ve ever had - it’ll leave your tastebuds helpless and make some folks feel they need to pucker a bit. I’m not personally a huge fan of this wine as I feel there are other wines in its pricerange which bring its sense of dryness without turning your face into looking like a prune from so much puckering.

This is my opinion, however, you really need to try this wine and form your own - remember, it’s all about embracing your own palate, not mine.

Saviah Cellars, based in Walla Walla WA, makes some very nice vino and has been doing so a number of years now. It’s owner and winemaker, Richard Funk, shares the funk in this funky phone call.

Yes, we’re aware of some of the audio issues - sorry, the connection wasn’t always the best, however, there’s some great information in here from Richard.

Download mp3

WineFoot Podcast

The Washington Wines Festival announced today the “2008 Wine Weekend to benefit Camp Korey and Hole in the Wall Camps.” This exclusive event featuring two days of fun, relaxation and entertainment will be held July 11 & 12, 2008 at the future site of Camp Korey at Carnation Farm and will raise funds to ensure children with serious illnesses have a place to play and “just be kids.”

Camp Korey was founded by Tim Rose, father of the late Korey Rose who passed away in 2004 at the age of 18 after being diagnosed with bone cancer. Korey’s father learned about Hole in the Wall Camps after watching a video shown to him by executives from Newman’s Own, one of the companies he works with in his position at Costco.

Rose has been working on Camp Korey for the past three years and his board recently announced the purchase of the historic 818-acre Carnation Farm from Nestlé last summer. This event is the first major fundraiser for Camp Korey and will feature multi Grammy-award winning recording artists Amy Grant and Vince Gill, an exclusive acoustic performance by platinum-selling recording artist Lisa Loeb, as well as dinners with celebrity chefs, recreational activities, wine tastings featuring top Washington State wines, a major wine auction and tours of the facility.

“In addition to drinking award-winning wines, bidding on one-of-a-kind items and experiencing performances by such major music stars, our ultimate goal is to raise significant funds to benefit the family of camps and finish the improvements and buildings needed to officially open Camp Korey,” said Event Chair Jim Rose (and brother of Tim). “All children should have a safe, friendly, medically sound and most of all fun environment for them to let loose and enjoy the summer camp experience.”

Camp Korey is currently working with the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps to meet the necessary requirements to become a member of the family of camps. A limited number of tickets are available for this event. For more information and to purchase tickets, please go to www.washingtonwinesfestival.com.

Hole in the Wall Camps are the dream of actor Paul Newman, who started the first camp in 1988. Today, Hole in the Wall Camps is the world’s largest family of camps for children with serious illnesses and life threatening conditions. Children with cancer, sickle cell anemia, HIV/AIDS, and many other medical conditions attend Hole in the Wall Camps to experience the simple joys of childhood, without compromising any of their medical needs. To date, more than 114,000 children with serious illnesses from all 50 states and 32 countries have attended Hole in the Wall Camps free of charge. Currently there are camps, programs and initiatives all over the world, including the United States, France, Ireland, United Kingdom, Israel, Hungary and Italy. Each camp and the Association is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization totally supported by charitable contributions. The Association and the Foundation serve as the umbrella organizations uniting the family of camps, supporting the shared interests and activities of existing member camps, and fostering the responsible development of new camps and programs. To learn visit www.holeinthewallcamps.org.

The Washington Wines Festival is a nonprofit organization that was created to support the Washington Wine Industry through education and to raise funds for specific charitable organizations. The Washington Wine Education Foundation exists to provide funding for world-class enology and viticulture research, education and training programs specific to Washington State.

US Wine critic gives 2007 Bordeaux a thumbs down

Bringing Wine Home

Neal Newsome’s grapes - coveted by top Texas wineries

Australia: Climate pact for wine industry

UK: Bread, wine and honey feel the worldwide burn

D.C. Bill would let leftover wine be taken home

Sonoma hit with apple moth quarantine

I was gone all day in a business meeting up in Seatac and didn’t realize the server had taken a dump - simple reboot and we’re back in business.

In light of Traci’s recent ideas for nettles, I felt compelled to throw together a little list of wines I’d easily recommend to go with them:

- Poet’s Leap Riesling
- Pacific Rim Dry Riesling
- Saintpaulina Vintners Sauvignon Blanc
- Mill Creek Gewurztraminer

Ricotta - Nettles Filling for Ravioli

Ingredients:
3 cups Ricotta
1 cup cooked nettles (or spinach)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
salt-pepper to taste

PREPARATION:
Plunge the nettles or spinach into boiling salted water; remove it 30 seconds later. Drain, cool and squeeze out all excess water.
* can be prepared up to 2 days before and refrigerated.

Put all the Ingredients in a food processor fitted with a blade and mix until completely combined.
* can be prepared up to 2 days before and refrigerated.