Wines Tasted in February

2004 Owen Sullivan Cabernet Franc Champoux Vineyard USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Horse Heaven Hills - Really nice bottle of wine. Color was the color of strawberry jam and it was completely cloudy. Had a hard time picking out any one element in the nose, but they were all working together in harmony. Good heavy mouthfeel. Tannins were present but really balanced with the rest of the wine. Smoothe finish. Would purchase again.

2003 Cougar Crest Merlot Estate Grown USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley - I have a feeling that this wine was fined and filtered to the maximum allowable levels. The color in the glass was redish purple and the surface of the wine was like a deep undisturbed lake. Could have used it as a mirror. Interesting nose, a bit of sweaty sock. Also, the heat was coming through on the nose though not on the palate. Good dose of oak with sublte hints of black fruits. Nice wine, but not sure about the price point. Would not purchase again.

2000 Nuvola Vecchia Toscana IGT Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT - Very closed at first. Not much nose and the taste was blank. After about two hours the nose softened up and there was a nice aroma to the wine. The taste was still very flat. Wouldn't purchase again.

2004 Boudreaux Cellars Chardonnay Bishop's & Homestead USA, Washington - Great stuff. Great balance of oak, fruit and minerals. Full mouthfeel almost like cream. Good bit of acidity to keep the wine from being too heavy. Would purchase again.

2005 Canon de Sol Viognier USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Was a bit worried that this might be on the downhill side, so figured it was a good night to open it up and see. It was singing! Powerful nose of honeysuckle and jasmine flowers. Also detected a slight aroma of pan seared scallops. Beautiful mouthfeel somewhere between honey and cream. Flavors of peach and pear. balanced yet crisp acidity. Would purchase again.

2002 Soléna Zinfandel Woolridge Creek USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Applegate Valley - Still a bit hot on the palate. Nice flavor but may be able to use a little more time in the cellar to calm down some more. Lots of dark fruit. Interesting but there are other Zins a lower price points that deliver a better QPR. Would not purchase again.

2002 Kirralaa Shiraz Bushvine Australia, South Eastern - Tasted against syrahs from California. Not as much up front fruit as the CA's. Very good, but complex. Good wine to think about. Would purchase again.

2004 Owen Sullivan Cabernet Franc Champoux Vineyard USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Horse Heaven Hills - Strawberry jam jumps from the glass. Light purple color. Bit of spiciness. Really enjoyable. Would purchase again.

2002 Amavi Cellars Syrah USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley - Paired with a med rare ribeye steak. Good depth of flavor, nice and rich. Smokey with a good amount of fruit. Dark fruit flavors. Tannins have integrated nicely. Would purchase again.

2003 Challenger Ridge Pinot Noir USA, Washington, Puget Sound - Strawberry and oak on the nose. Not much on the palate. Easy drinking, but nothing all that memorable. Would not purchase again.

2003 Boudreaux Cellars Merlot USA, Washington - Very complex but smooth wine. Lots of dark fruit on the nose. Hard to pick out one aroma. A little bit of cherry, some blackberry and cocoa powder. On the palate there was a hint of herbaceousness. Still had some nice tannic structure. The finish was silky and lasted a good long while. Would purchase again.

1995 Il Mandorlo Chianti Classico Riserva Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico - Had at a small italian restaurant on their half priced wine night. Bottle had the most sediment I have ever seen. Unfortunately I didn't get to see this until after the bottle was poured. Wine was poured like coca-cola. Heavy sediment in glass affected texture and taste. Due to the size of the glasses and how much was poured there wasn't much nose. Barring those issues the wine was very flavorful. The tannins were very resolved. Flavors of blackberry and raisin(think this had to do with the sediment). This would be great with an hour of decanting and proper treatment.

2006 Mark Ryan Chardonnay USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Yellow coloring with just a hint of green. On the nose there is cinnamon, vanilla and pineapple. Good acidity and viscous mouthfeel. On the palate it tastes like a pineapple upside down cake with some vanilla buttercream frosting on top. Really wonderful chardonnay. I don't typically enjoy WA chardonnays, but this one is on par with my other local favorite Boudreaux. Would purchase again.

Non Vintage Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs - Methode Champenoise USA, California, Sonoma County, Carneros - Nice quaffer. Decent price for a sparkling wine. Wouldn't use it for a significant milestone, but if you want something bubbly on a standard night this works fine. Would purchase again.

2001 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley - Very good pinot. Popped and let sit out for an hour. Smokey, cherry scents with lots of cherry on the palate. Nice clean finish with well integrated tannins. Would purchase again.

2005 Merry Cellars Sangiovese USA, Washington - Nose was a bit closed at first. got a bit spicier with time and paired well with a boglonese sauce. Alcohol level was really high for this (14.9%) and you could tell from the heat on the palate. Thinking that this wine was made in a "big" style. not any of the suble floral elements of Chianti. For the price point there are better expressions of Sangiovese out there. Would not purchase again.

2004 Mission Hill Shiraz Reserve Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan Valley, Okanagan Valley VQA - Really nice the first hour, but then goes downhill fairly quickly. Right out of the bottle there is a huge freshly cracked black pepper nose. Lots of spice and little fruit, not that that is a bad thing. Paired well with stew. Would purchase again.

2004 Gallagher U Brew Zinfandel USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi - Used predominantly for cooking with one glass left over for drinking. Still a bit of the funkiness on the nose. Think that is just what you get with the homemade wines. It's wine and that is about all.

2006 Ravenswood Zinfandel Lodi USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi - Good for a weeknight, but doesn't live up to prior vintages. Nose was very subdued for a zin. Really nice that the alcohol was in check. Enjoyed for what it is. Would purchase again.

2001 Plum Creek Cabernet Franc USA, Colorado - Surprisingly good. Bought this when I was out in Colorado so that I would have a wine from there. Didn't taste beforehand. Was very smoothe. Could be cellared for a few more years. Would purchase again.

2003 Stevens 424 USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley - I think that i could pick one of Tim's red blends out of a blind lineup due to the distinct buttered corn aroma. This bottle was no different. Dark purple color. the dark fruits that once dominated the nose of this wine have retreated into the background. What's left is a cornucopia of secondary aromas. A little bit of tobacco, some mint, black pepper and spices. Flavors are dominated by the sweet toast of the oak, but not so much to be overpowering. Nice finish that lasted a while. Would purchase again.

2004 Nefarious Cellars Pinot Noir Vista Hills USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley - Beautiful bottle of wine. Color was ruby with a hint of orange. Nose had all the funky pinot characteristics that I love. There was a healthy dose of wet earth and mushrooms, a little bit of strawberry twizzler and some baking spices from the oak. Mouthfeel was silky. Would purchase again.

2002 DiStefano Sogno USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Decanted one hour prior to tasting. Should have been two hours. Started off very heavy on the oak, but with time it mellowed and allowed the fruit to come forward. Paired with sirloin fondue. The salt and fat on the meat really smoothed out the wine. Would let this sit in the cellar a couple more years to see if the oak will intigrate more. Would purchase again.

2003 Stevens Cabernet Sauvignon XY USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Drank with a valentines dinner of chocolate espresso rubbed steak. This wine is more of a girlfriend wearing leather as opposed to your wife wearing lace. The wine jumps out of the glass with black fruits and sweet tannins. Slaps you around a little bit and tells you to come back for more. Doubt that this will be a long lived wine, but in its youth it's fun. Would purchase again.

2000 Waterbrook Meritage Red Mountain USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain - On the way downhill. Decanted due to lots of chunky sediment. Maybe let this sit int he decanter for a bit too long. Didn't have dinner for an hour and by the time we got to it there was just a flash of fruit left. After another half an hour the wine was dry and a bit lifeless. Not much nose to speak of. Palate had high acid and a sour taste. Finish was short and clipped. Should have drank this a while ago. Would purchase again in it's youth.

2002 Stevens Cabernet Sauvignon Big Easy USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Fist bottle ever purchased from Tim. We thought about keeping this for posterity, but wine is not an item to be collected...It is designed to be consumed and enjoyed. Color still had a dark core with just a hint of bricking at the edges. Decanted, with just a bit of sediment in the bottom. ose was fairly closed tonight, not getting much. On the palate there was lots of tart raspberries and bitter chocolate. The wine still had some very strong tannins and the acidity kept it fresh and lively. Would purchase again.

2002 Columbia Crest Two Vines Sémillon-Chardonnay USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Good wine for the money. Green'ish gold color. Sour apple nose and palate. Good wieght with a nice to just heavy acidity level. Would purchase again.

Non Vintage Roederer Estate Brut Anderson Valley USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley - Very dry. Lots of yeast, and mildly biting mouthfeel. Was nice for a gifted bottle, but would probably choose something smoother for a personal purchase.

1998 Sterling Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve USA, California, Napa Valley - It was good. Sitting in the decanter there were elements of bacon fat. When swirled it brought out aromas of licorice and blackberry. The tannins were very smoothe. This is drinking very nicely right now. Would purchase again for a special occasion.

2002 Brian Carter Cellars Tuttorosso USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley - Maybe could have used a bit more time to settle down. Still quite tannic and overpowering the fruit. Typically I look for rose petals in my sangiovese, but this was more about big than subtle. Plesant wine but never developed into anything memorable. Would not purchase again.

2005 Red Sky Sémillon Rosebud USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - It was good. Just the right balance of floral, butter, and acidity. Smooth with a great mouthfeel. Paired well with chicken alfredo. Would purchase again.

2004 Waving Tree Sangiovese Estate USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Paired with lamb chops. Nice tasting wine, but as with prior bottles it fades very quickly. Need to drink this within an hour of opening. Bit of rose petal and spice on the nose. Would purchase again.

2006 Hence Cellars Riesling USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Nice dry riesling. Balanced acidity, clean nose and lots of tropical fruits on the palate. Softened the heat of the Thai food we were eating. Would purchase again.

2001 Pontin Del Roza Sangiovese Angelo Pontin USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley - Decant...This young wine throws so much sediment. Color...Pinkish/red with orange tones towards the edges. Earthy floral scents and bright flavors. Best domestic Sangiovese I have ever tasted. And no one seems to know that this wine exists. Well, that just leaves more for me.

2005 Benson Vineyards Viognier Estate USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Notes of honeysuckle and pineapple. Nice bit of acidity but still smooth. Don't chill too much or it brings out too much of the acidity. Paired nicely with roasted salmon and an avacado salsa. Would purchase again.

2006 Stevens Viognier Divio USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - I really do just adore Viognier. Just enough acidity for food. Plenty of foral notes, primarily honeysuckle. Good mouthfeel. Finish could be a bit longer. Would purchase again.

2000 Travignoli Chianti Rufina Riserva Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Rufina - Paired with truffle and mushroom risotto. Aromas of rose petal and rosemary. Nice bit of acidity to cut through the food without being overly obtrusive. Still tasted young and fresh. On the palate there was a slight hint of pomegranate. Would purchase again.

2004 Cedergreen Cellars Thuja Conner Lee - Radar Hill USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - The oak monster came out to play tonight, but he was in a very good mood. There was just the right balance of sweet vanilla and fruit on the nose. The palate was a bit racy with more sweet oak and fine grained tannins. The wine was dominated by oak, but in all the right ways. Think of the difference between an old oak tree being turned into cabinets at Home Depot or being hand done by a master carpenter. Would purchase again.

2003 Columbia Crest Shiraz Two Vines USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Dark color, really stained the teeth. Bit of a minty nose with lots of dark sweet fruit flavors. Not bad for the price but definitely uninspiring. Would purchase again for mid week pizza night.

Non Vintage Tefft Cellars Nebbiolo Dual Century 1999-2000 USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley - Still very tight. The tannins have a long way to go. Tasted over a three day period. On the third day it was still somewhat tight and very dry. Needs a few more years to soften up.

2001 Buty Rediviva USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley - Decant. At least a tablespoon of sediment in the bottle. Extremely complex wine. Was not able to pick out any specific flavors, but it all went together nicely. Pair this with a rich cut of meat, the fat helps take the wine to the next level. Would purchase again.

2002 Columbia Crest Two Vines Sémillon-Chardonnay USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Golden color. A bit one dimensional, but very good for the price point. Decent mouthfeel with balanced acid. Would purchase again.

2002 Columbia Crest Merlot Two Vines USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Dark color. Lots of fruit and heavy on the sweet toasty oak. Not complex by any means but it is tasty. Would purchase again.

2004 Stevens Cabernet Sauvignon XY USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Drinking wonderfully right now. Nose of buttered corn, a bit of mintiness and black fruits. Mouthfeel was awsome. Tannins are resolving quite nicely and there is just enough acid to keep it from being flabby. Great wine, would purchase again.