Wines Tasted In January

2000 Columbia Crest Chardonnay USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Nice everyday wine. Would purchase again.

2004 Gallagher U Brew Zinfandel USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi - Still a bit young. Could use some more time in bottle. Try again in three months.

2001 Seven Hills Syrah Walla Walla Valley USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley - Inky black. Lots of smoke and earth on the nose. Smoke continues on the palate with a good dose of mint. Dense wine with good mouthfeel. Would purchase again.

2002 Red Truck Winery USA, California - Nice everyday wine. Losts of dark fruit flavors. Drink young. Would purchase again.

2001 Atalon Merlot USA, California, Napa Valley - Nice, but not exciting. Lots of dark fruit flavors. Pleasent, but not complex. Not to be saved for a second day. Lost all fruit and was so tannic that it was nearly undrinkable. Open bottle and drink up.

2005 Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay USA, California, Sonoma County - Initially served too cold, which muted the nose and flavors. After it warmed up it came back to it's reliable standard. Light on the butter this vintage with more elements of crisp apple. Decent acidity. Would purchase again.

2006 Rulo Combine USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley - This wine had almost no color to it. There was very little nose or palate on this. It was almost exclusively about the acidity. Nice crisp mouthfeel and razor sharp acidity. Not much else. Would not purchase again.

2005 Bota Box Shiraz USA, California - Took a while out of the box to come around. Initially there were lots of fake fruit aromas. Almost like drinking liquified candy. After about an hour in the glass there was a distinct smell of just lit match. A bit of smoke on the back end of the palate. Next time will probably decant a bottles worth and then pour from there to see if it opens the wine up a bit more. Would purchase again.

2006 Isenhower Cellars Cabernet Franc Road Less Traveled Weinbau USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Drank over two nights. First night popped and poured. Tons of sweet fruit on the nose along with copious amounts of toasted oak. The palate was dominated by flavors of raspberry preserves. Wine was enjoyable but a bit over the top with the fruit and oak for my tastes. On the second night the oak had really started to integrate into the wine. The fruit was still there but not slapping you around quite as much. There was also a bit of baking spice on the back of the palate. Will wait at least another year before popping the next bottle. Would pruchase again based on the impressions of the second night.

2004 Owen Sullivan Cabernet Franc Champoux Vineyard USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Horse Heaven Hills - Light in color and very cloudy. Looked like cranberry juice. Took a while to open up. Aromas of green pepper corns and green bell pepper, slight hint of oak. Light mouth feel with tart fruit flavors on the palate. Tannins are nicely resolved. Short finish. Would purchase again.

2002 Silver Lake Chardonnay USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Past it's prime. Quite a bit of sediment in the bottle, but this was due to the fact that we had bottled this one ourselves at the winery. Not much fruit left on either the nose or the tongue. Opened up after about an hour, but it only gave you a little bit of oak as the dominant flavor. Cool to have a bottle with our personal lable on it, but would most likely buy this wine from the winery pre bottled in the future. Definitely a young drink.

2006 Seghesio Family Vineyards Zinfandel Sonoma County USA, California, Sonoma County - Seghesio is back to par on this vintage. '04 wasn't so good, '05 was better and the '06 was in a word "nummy". Very dark color. Nose of blackberries, oak and just a hint of milk chocolate. On the palate there was lots of dark fruit flavors along with a healthy dose of tannic structure. Finish was medium length. Would have liked a little bit more weight on the mouthfeel. Tannins stay with you for a while. Sitting in bed writing this review an hour after having my last sip and my mouth still feels a bit dry. Would purchase again.

2004 Estampa Assemblage Chile, Central Valley, Rapel Valley, Colchagua Valley - Better than the last time. Maybe last bottle was flawed? Still a simple non complex quaffer. Good mid week pizza wine. Acid level is a bit high.

2005 Nefarious Cellars Riesling Antoine Creek USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Really enjoyed this wine. Color was starting to golden a little bit. Fairly complex nose, a little floral, some tropical fruit and one other really prominent aroma that reminded me some something but couldn't put my finger on it. Just a hint of sweetness on the palate. More tropical fruits. Medium short finish. Would purchase again.

2001 Landmark Pinot Noir Sonoma County USA, California, Sonoma County - Tasted very much like a high end Burgundy. Nose of forest floor and rasberries. Had a hint of Zinfandel. On the palate it was very light. I have not aquired the taste for pinot noir yet, but can tell when one is good. Had with pork tenderloin in mushroom sauce. Would purchase again if I were having pinot fans over for dinner.

2003 Fattoria di Petroio Chianti Classico Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico - Very muscular right out of the bottle. Needs about 15 minutes to mellow out. Good solid Chianti. Would purchase again.

2002 Piety Flats Mercantile Red USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley - Great mid-priced wine. Notes of char, vanilla and cherry. Still fairly oaked, could use a little more bottle time to settle down a bit.

2004 Chelan Estate Chardonnay/Viognier USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Refreshing. Enjoyable. Better a little colder than cellar temperature. Would purchase again.

2003 Sam Hill Winery Pinot Noir USA, Oregon, Yamhill County - None of the forest floor that I like, oh well. Good aroma but could not put a finger on what it was. Candied strawberries on the palate. Nice mouthfeel. No tannins to speak of. Not sure how long the second bottle will last.

2002 Forest Glen Zinfandel USA, California, Sonoma County - Bought this for cooking wine, with the idea that the little bit left could be consumed. Undrinkable!

2002 Ravenswood Zinfandel Lodi USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi - Bottle needs about 45 minutes to an hour to open up.

2003 Covey Run Chardonnay USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Very low oak level (if any). My wife found this crisp and refreshing, but I thought it was a bit dull. I tend more towards a Cali Chardonnay. Would purchase again if I needed multiple bottles at a good price for a party.

2002 Columbia Crest Two Vines Sémillon-Chardonnay USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Still drinkable. Starting to oxidize a bit. Aromas of overripe peach and oak. mouthfeel was a bit heavy, but also flat. Pretty much all of the flavors remaining can be contributed to the oak. Would purchase future vintages.

1999 J Vineyards & Winery Vintage Brut Russian River Valley USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley - Nose was somewhat closed, kept getting really nice whiffs of something but I couldn't put my finger on it. The palate was much more giving. Somewhat yeasty, nice flavors of green apple. Finish was crisp and clean. Went well with poached halibut. Would purchase again.

2002 Columbia Crest Merlot Two Vines USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Quaffable. After a three and a half hour commute home through the snow I just needed something to put down. It was tasty, but couldn't tell you anything about nuance. Would purchase again.

2006 Airfield Estates Pinot Gris USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley - crystal clear with just the faintest hint of color. On the nose there were elements of pear and cinnamon. The palate had more pear. Balanced acidity to keep it refreshing. Really enjoyable bottle of wine. Would purchase again.

2005 L'Ecole No. 41 Sémillon USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Served it a little too warm. Not as smooth as other vintages I have had of this wine. Almost a steely component. Fruit was muted but that may be due to the temperature of the wine. Still quite enjoyable. Would purchase again.

2004 Stevens 424 USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley - Popped, poured and paired with beef stew. Still a very fruit forward wine. Aromas of black cherries on the nose. Tons more cherry and tart raspberries on the palate. Good balance of acidity. Tannins were a bit soft on the front end, but got crisp on the finish. Flavors lasted a good long time. Would purchase again.

2002 Morrison Lane Sangiovese USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley - Similar to good Chianti. The nose is full of dried flower petals. Nice acid structure and drying fruit on the palate. Would purchase again.

2003 Rulo Combine USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley - Wow, Wow, Wow, Wow, Wow! This was like being on a tropical beach surrounded by fresh cut pineapples. Powerful and refreshing. The level of acidity just cut right through the food. Had this with Spicy chicken breast with salsa verde and feta. Each sip cleaned the food away and gave you full force of the wine. Then you would have the next bite of food and it was like a brand new flavor each time. Think that I have found my new favorite white. Will definitely purchase again.

2005 Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay USA, California, Sonoma County - Going to have to go purchase more of this. Good solid everyday white. Nothing exciting, but tasty. Not as much butter as prior vintages and has a bit more steel to it. Crisp fruit and good acidity. Would purchase again.

2003 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Syrah Del Rio Vineyard USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley - Decanted, though the wine threw no sediment. Lots of red and black berries on the nose right out of the bottle. Wine developed a smokey tobacco aroma after a little while in the decanter. Still had an underlayment of blackberry and boysenberry. On the palate there was a bunch of sweet oak and mouth watering tannins. There was also a level of spice that you couldn't pick one flavor out of. Very enjoyable wine. Would purchase again, though it would have to be on sale as the QPR is a bit high on the price side.

2004 Gallagher U Brew France, Rhône - Needed a cup for cooking. Nose fairly closed and not giving up much. Touch of sweetness on the palate. Hoping that this will integrate a little bit over time. Tastes a bit too much like juice right now.

Non Vintage Domaine Ste. Michelle Blanc de Blancs USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Great for mimosas. Dry and pleasent. Would purchase again for large group setting.

Non Vintage Domaine Ste. Michelle Blanc de Blancs USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Great for mimosas. Dry and pleasent. Would purchase again for large group setting.

2003 Rulo Combine USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley - Consistent notes from the other day. Had to share a bottle with some friends.

2001 Ravenswood Icon USA, California, Sonoma County - Nice Value. Would purchase again.

2007 Stevens Viognier Divio USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Heavy aromas of apricot with just a hint of pineapple in the background. On the palate the apricot just kept going and going. Good mouthfeel with plenty of crisp acidity. Had some left and revisited it two days later. Still just as good as day one. Would purchase again.

Non Vintage Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs - Methode Champenoise USA, California, Sonoma County, Carneros - Very Dry. Nice, but the nose was a bit closed. Would purchase again if there weren't other options available.

1998 Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir Willamette Valley USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley - Love that pinot funk. Wine decanted for about an hour before it really opened up. When sitting in the glass there was a lot of oak, but give it a good swirl and the funk comes through. The flavor was not nearly as exiting, but pleasent. Did not seem like it had any age on it at all. Went well with roasted chicken and sage cream pasta. Would purchase again.

2005 ÀMaurice Cellars Malbec USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - This wine was made for tired vampires. The nose was a combo of half roasted coffee and half blood. After a couple of hours in the decanterthe oak started to come through. Can't say that I picked up on any one flavor in the wine, but it was very tasty. Would purchase again.

2007 Sleight of Hand Cabernet Franc Magician's Assistant Rosé Frenchtown Vineyard USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley - Can't pick much out of this wine tonight, but it is tasty. Would purchase again.

2001 Seghesio Family Vineyards Zinfandel Veragold USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley - Corked. Not happy about this. Can't return to Winery.

2002 Roland Lavantureux Petit Chablis France, Burgundy, Chablis, Petit Chablis - Crazy levels of minerality. High level of acidity that needs food to cut through. Decent floral aromas. Think that this is an acquired taste and have to pair it with the right food. Would not purchase again.

2005 L'Ecole No. 41 Sémillon USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Really enjoy this wine year in and year out. It is my Chardonnay alternative. Nice light golden color. Nose had copious amounts of caramel and creme brulee. On the palate the attack was pure butter, oak and cream. Then the wine changed as it hit the back of the tongue to more of an acidic apple and pear profile. Really enjoyable wine. Would purchase again.

2004 Gallagher U Brew France, Rhône - This has been relegated to the cooking wine section. Nose was very medicinal. Not much palate to speak of. Finish was fakey and bitter.

2006 Stevens Yes USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley - Just a hint of buttered roasted corn on the nose, which is an element I find in Tim's wines. Simple yet bright fruits on the nose. Flavors were very nice with lots of red fruits. Weight on the palate is a little light, though not unexpected at this price level. Really great mid week bottle of wine. Would purchase again.

2002 Piety Flats Muscat USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley - This died a long time ago. My fault, kept it way too long. Went down the drain after one sip.

2005 Seghesio Family Vineyards Zinfandel Sonoma County USA, California, Sonoma County - Back on track after a down 2004 vintage. Loads of spice and a good dose of sweet oak. Still a bit too young for my liking so will leave the rest alone for at least another six months. Would purchase again.

2004 Gallagher U Brew Zinfandel USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi - Nose is still a bit off putting. Flavor has improved slightly but it is still a cooking wine for the most part.

2002 Waterbrook Mélange USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Really starting to come into it's own. Nice balanced flavors of dark fruit and spices. Tannins have integrated and the finish is getting longer (20 sec). Would purchase again.

2006 Boudreaux Cellars Frangiovese Desert Hills Vineyard USA, Washington - Decanted, drank over two nights. First night The nose was interesting, but a bit disjointed. Aromas of green pepper corns and violets, with a heavy dose of menthol. Seemed like the wine couldn't decide which varietal should dominate. On the second night the franc was the dominant element. Think that this needs to take some time in the cellar and settle down. Would purchase again.

2006 Animale Zinfandel USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley - Not what I was expecting based on my experience with Zinfandel. Very light wine that I would have guess was a Pinot Noir if it was served blind. Nose had elements of strawberries and black pepper. Very subtle wine that lets the fruit come through without covering it up with high alcohol or oak. Would purchase again.

2002 Yakima Cellars Cabernet Franc - Lemberger USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley - Still young. Needs time in the bottle to shed some of the tannins. Not sure if the tannins settling down will help the wine. Tasted more like port to me. Heavy raisin and alcohol flavors.

2004 Stevens 424 USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley - Decanted, though not much sediment if any. Sweet dark fruit aromas jumped from the decanter. Medium red coloring with just a hint of orange. Nose started out very sweet with black cherries, tobacco and French oak. As the evening wore on the fruit started to fade a bit and the toast on the oak started to come out more. Nice velvety mouthfeel with just enough tannic structure to give the wine some weight. Good finish, the wine hung on the palate for a minute or more. Not sure about the longevity of this wine as the structure is a little light. Drinking really nicely right now. Would purchase again.

2005 Pomum Cellars Shya Red USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley - Decanted, very little sediment. Let the wine open for about an hour before the first glass. Wine was very primary at first with an aroma similar to a mixed fruit compote. Really sweet (in a good way) on the palate. The wine changed about an hour in with the nose picking up an element that reminded me of freshly shucked oyster. Fruit on the palate started to settle down and the oak joined the party. Another hour in and the nose got dark (black cherry, plum) with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. Mouthfeel had a godo amount of weight without feeling too heavy. Finish was smooth and lasted a good 30 seconds. Would purchase again.

2003 Lake Chelan Winery Stormy Mountain Red USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Have had this wine about a half a dozen times. It's nice, but somewhat unremarkable. And tonight it suffered from a case of the girl next door hanging out with a group of supermodels. All by herself she's really sweet, but in the present company she just get's overlooked. Nose had some toasty oak with a little bit of tobacco. A bit of nondescript red fruit on the palate. Tannins were in balance with the acid. Finish was tart and on the short side. Nothing bad about the wine, just not all that memorable. Would not purchase again.

2005 Cadence Ciel du Cheval Vineyard USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain - Could use some more bottle time. Nose of leather and toasty oak. Good flavors of dark fruits, but they were overshadowed by the tannins at this point. This has the stuffing to be a great wine down the road it just didn't want to play nice tonight. Would purchase again.

2005 Covington Cellars Tuscan Red USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley - Have had prior vintages of this and I think that the winemaker is going in the right direction, but is not quite there. This is what I would call a baby chianti. A little dirt and flowers on the nose. Cherries and wild strawberries on the palate. Finish was way too short. Unfortunately I think that you can get much more impressive wines from Italy that deliver all of the elements that this is going for at a much better price point. Would not purchase again.

2002 Maghee Cellars Merlot USA, Washington - Darkest colored wine of the evening with a blackish purple core. Nose had a balsamic vinegar aroma (not like VA, but more towards the aged stuff you'd put over strawberries). Flavor profile was like cooked fruit (take a batch of cherries and raspberries and smash them into a pot together and then boil the lot until it sticks to a spoon). They may have gone a little over the top on the ripeness of the grapes originally. Finish lasted for a minute or more. This wine has a great structure to it with just the right balance of tannins and acidity. Would purchase again.

2005 Benson Vineyards Sangiovese USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - My wine of the night from a uniqueness standpoint. However, most of the other wines were bordeaux varietals so this would stand out as differentiated. Really nice nose with elements of spice and dried rose petals. Aromas were just jumping from the glass. On the palate there were flavors of sweet pie cherries dipped in milk chocolate. Nice acidic balance and the finish was well structured. Would love to pair this with some simple tomato gravy. Would purchase again.

2003 Stina's Cellars Cabernet Franc USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Didn't spend nearly enough time with this wine to give it a proper assesment. The nose was not very distinctive and I was getting a fairly one dimensional flavor of cranberries. Unfortunately I have had a couple of mind blowing cab francs from Washington and I probably set the bar too high for the rest of them. This wasn't singing to me and so I moved on. My bad!

2006 Wynn Cellars (Dave Butner) Paragon USA, Washington - Really impressed with this first effort from an up and coming winemaker. Think that we can expect great things in the future. Nose was somewhat closed. Aromas of oak dominated. Nice mouthfeel with a slightly overly tannic bite that I think will settle down with some more age. There was more oak on the front of the palate but a vibrant flavor of Ludens cherry cough drops on the finish. Would purchase again.

1998 Chateau Ste. Michelle Merlot Cold Creek Vineyard USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Wet basement. Think that this has a slight TCA taint. Hard to get past nose. Starting to dry up a bit, though it had a nice flavor of sweet pipe tobacco. Tannins had resolved well and gave the mouthfeel of the wine a powdered sugar grit element that I enjoyed. Have a feeling that a different bottle of this could still be very tasty without the corked issue. Would not purchase again.

2004 Betz Family Clos de Betz USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Notes of buttered corn on the cob and freshly shredded kahlua pig. In the background I kept picking up a scent of burned rubber. On the palate were flavors of raspberry preserves and black cherries. Tannins were a bit too much at the forefront for my personal tastes. Would like to see this wine in another couple of years to see how everything integrates. Lots of fine elements, but a little bit disjointed at this point. Would purchase again.

2004 Quilceda Creek Red Wine Columbia Valley USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Unfortunately I think that QC wines need a bit more time in the cellar before they start to open up. This wine was starting to show some positive attributes at the end of the evening (3 hours in) but I will get to those later. Nose was somewhat closed at the beginning of the evening. I was getting what I can only describe as aromas of a pumpkin pie dropped in the mud (not a bad thing). Nose was a bit hot and liquered. I wanted more of the spice and dirt, but each time I'd give it a good sniff it felt like I was burning my nose hairs. Initial taste was dominated by tannins. This needs more time. Fruit was hiding and the finish was clipped. By the end of the night altough the nose was starting to close up, there were elements of blueberry pie starting to come out on the palate. The tannins (though ever present) were beginning to provide structure to the overall profile. Would purchase again and let rest in the cellar for 2-3 years before I started to drink them.

2005 DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate Blanc USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Not sure on the % breakout of this wine, but would imagine that the Sauv Blanc is the dominant force. Color was bordering on a St Patrick's Day parade, very green tint. On the nose there was a briny mineral element that I associate with oyster shells. This was counter balanced perfectly with razor sharp flavors of kiwi and pineapple. The finish was memorable and lasted for quite a while. The acid level was a bit low for my liking and so even though the flavor went on and on, it became somewhat heavy on the back palate. Overall a nice bottle of white, but next time I would pair it with food that had a touch of lemon as to add some acidic balance to the wine. Would purchase again.

2004 Boudreaux Cellars Merlot USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Wine was decanted for one hour and then put back in the bottle. Was then opened for tasting an hour and a half after that. Initial hot nose reminiscent of high alcohol. this is a quality I have found in Boudreaux reds even though the alcohol levels tend to fall in the 13-14% range. Blew off after a little time in the glass. On the nose there were elements of baking spices (primarily cinnamon) as well as a light roast coffee. Somewhat of a subdued fruit level on tha palate, but was picking up bits of blackberry and boysenberry. Tannins were in check. As always the mouthfeel was like heavy cream. Finish was a bit short which detracted from the overall enjoyment of the wine. Would purchase again.

2004 Boudreaux Cellars Chardonnay Bishop's & Homestead USA, Washington - Crisp acidity right off the bat that was very palate cleansing. Touch of vanilla from the oak that combiined well with the pineapple and star fruit flavors. My biggest takeaways from Boudreaux wines is that Rob is able to coax amazing mouthfeel into his wines. Wine starts out like a tropical creme brulee and then the focused acidity creates a clean finish. Would purchase again.

2002 Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay USA, California, Sonoma County - Fading fast. The cream and butter were taken over by a more acidic feel. This should be drank within two years of vintage tops.

2004 Walla Walla Vintners Cabernet Franc Columbia Valley USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Popped and poured. Started very green, thought that the fruit might be underripe, but at 14.5% alcohol not sure how. Over an hour the wine improved slightly with more smokey notes. However, the green element never really went away. Tannins were present but not overwhelming. Not much fruit to speak of. Was hoping for more and I got dissapointed. Would not purchase again.

2002 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Sangiovese Two Rivers USA, Oregon/Washington - Singing this evening. Popped and poured, though could have used a decant to open up a bit. Rose petals and spice with a good dose of tannins. Pair with a roast leg of lamb. This wine goes wonderfully with lamb. Still a very big wine with lots of life ahead of it. Would purchase again.

2002 Château de Valcombe Costières-de-Nîmes Prestige France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Costières-de-Nîmes - Very young and tannic. Opened and decanted, drank with dinner 48 hours later. Still had a lot of tannins left. Had some interesting notes under the tannins, but at this point they are overshadowed. Would not purchase again without trying an older version to see how it evolves.