Ryan Patrick Wines, Woodinville, WA

Posted on July 3, 2018 by melsmosaic

Another winery/tasting room I had the opportunity to visit in Woodinville was Ryan Patrick Wines. This year they are celebrating their 20^th birthday (dang, not even drinking age!). At this one it’s a $15 tasting free for your choice of 4 wines (waived with a $30 purchase). But once again, you go in there, it’s slow, you talk to the great people about their great wine, you get more than 4.

Rock Island Chardonnay, 2015, Columbia Valley, $20

Enjoy this at your next gathering. This Chardonnay is the perfect accompaniment to a cheese and charcuteries board. (First Place Wine Press NW Chardonnay Competition (tied with Milbrandt, 145 entries) 91 Points, San Francisco International Wine Competition)

-Oaked, with crispier bite at end, but wouldn’t consider it a Chard if I hadn’t seen the label.

Reserve Chardonnay, 2016, Wahluke Slope, Weinbau Vineyard, $35

Enjoy this during your next picnic or boating adventure. This refreshing Chardonnay is the perfect summer wine. (New release)

-All I can say is that it was oakier than the first one, it is truly a Chard.

Rose, 2017, (no spec on location), 75% Syrah, 14% Mourvedre, 9% Grenache, 2% Sangiovese, $15

Enjoy this now! Spring is the official start of Rose season and now is the perfect time to enjoy a glass! (New release)

-As I was told before tasting – ‘the nose is sweeter than it is’ – totally right! There was rose (the flower) on the nose then a light subtle powder taste. Totally a summer time rose to enjoy outside.

Rock Island Red, 2015, (no spec on location), 73% Syrah, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot), $20

Enjoy this with friends. Our Rock Island Red Blend is a crowd pleaser and enjoyed on its own or with food. (94 Points, Gold Medal Winner, Savor NW Wine Awards)

-WOW, ‘BFF Wine’ – per the pourer and I agree 110%! Had the ‘good’ maraschino cherry taste in there (just totally can’t remember the name of them. This was amazing. I left with a bottle to enjoy while in town. This is one I have to get more of.

Reserve Syrah, 2015, Red Mountain, Red Heaven Vineyard, $35

Enjoy this at your next BBQ. This Syrah pairs perfect with barbequed meats like pulled pork and ribs. (Gold, Wine Press NW).

-100% Single Vineyard. Would be so perfect with BBQ’d food. Not sure I would spend $35 on a bottle for a BBQ, but still very good.

Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, 2015, Rattlesnake, Elephant Mountain Vineyard, $45

Enjoy this with dessert like chocolate molten lava cake or coffee ice cream with red berries.

-Good medium body, pretty sturdy.

I had such a great time at this place. Talked to the ladies pouring the wine for a while. Learned a lot about that wine region and what they’ve done at the vineyard. As mentioned before, I picked up a bottle of the ‘BFF’ wine, or Rock Island Red. Absolutely amazing stuff. Another one that I hope gets distributed in CO sooner than later so I won’t have to order it and have it shipped.

Cheers!

J. Bookwalter Winery

Posted on July 3, 2018 by melsmosaic

Was in Seattle a bit ago and knew that not far north was a great small wine region. I had a day to do nothing so it was the perfect opportunity to check it out! Woodinville, here I come (this is where Chateau Ste. Michelle is).

I checked out the map and it has several areas you can visit. I was there about a decade ago so was aiming to go to a new section. Come to find out the (new to me) parts I wanted to go to are only open on the weekends, and this was a Friday. So I just went back to the ‘old’ ones.

When you park in one place pretty much everything is walkable. Perfect! The first tasting room I checked out was J. Bookwalter Winery, from Columbia Valley. They were established in 1983 and produce roughly 30,000 cases a year. For their Classic Wines they work with co-distributors to bring great grapes to the bottle.

Nice little shop/tasting room and pretty quiet. The tasting was $10 (refundable with a $35 bottle purchase)

The tasting is 5 wines…but like any great place, they don’t give you just five wines…so here we go.

2016 Readers Chardonnay, $20
76% Chardonnay/24% Viognier

Our Readers Chardonnay, previously Couplet, continues to be an outstanding 100% stainless co-fermented blend, which offers aromas of fresh citrus, honeysuckle, and peaches,. The symphony of fruit on the palate echoes the aromas and is accented by minerality, quince and chamomile flowers.

-Yes, totally stainless steel!! Love it, no oak Chard taste!! Almost like a Pinot Grigio.

2015 Double Plot Chardonnay, $28
100% Conner Lee (100% Chardonnay)

The Classical style Conner Lee Vineyard Chardonnay with Asian pear, Meyer lemon and crème brulee aromas. A restrained young wine, it opens to shows abundant sweet fruit and rich persistent lemony flavors. The purist of Chardonnay fruit is the focus, with clean flavors in a rich smooth textures puncheon ages chardonnay.

-Oak, but not brutal! Not buttery. Liking it for a change.

2014 Readers Cabernet $28
50% Conners Lee | 40% Dionysus | 10% Elephant Mountain (75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 10% Syrah)

90 points Wine Enthusiast

A stunning Cabernet from Washington’s older and most revered vineyards. Sourced from Conner Lee Vineyard’s old vines from ’97 and ’88 blocks, Dionysus Vineyards’’ old block 18 and Elephant Mountain Vineyards’’ high elevation superior Cabernet blocks, the powerful wine offers fragrant blackberries, mocha and mineral complexity, all built into this fantastic old vine Cabernet’s delicious style.

-Nose from heaven! So smooth.

2015 Readers Merlot, $28
80% Conner Lee | 10% Dionysus | 10% Elephant Mountain (90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet)

An outstanding Merlot from Washington’s revered old vineyards Conner Lee and Dionysus. Our Readers blend tips its hat to all exploratory readers of books and wine. Blending Conner Lee Vineyard’s 1992 old block Merlots and Dionysus Vineyards’ block 15 Merlot combines two super character vineyards. Elephants Mountain Vineyards Cabernet bring spice and complexity to the blend. This powerful wine offers fragrant cherries and chocolate with rich marionberry flavors in this delicious easy drinking style.

-Smells ‘Italian’. WOW. Have to drink it to understand this amazing work.

2015 Antagonist, $45
100% Elephant Mountain (95% Syrah| 5% Cabernet Sauvignon)

Our 2015 Antagonist is a dark and concentrated wine that will deserve to see the inside of a cellar for several years. Aromatics bursting with flowers, oak and dark fruits lead into black cherries and black berries plus smoke, and meat, sandalwood and sweet spices. The smooth fruit profile is nearly identical on the palate as it is aromatically with sweet dark fruits taking center stage.

-I give it crisp and smooth.

The extras I got to taste were their:

2017 Scarlet Hexflame Rose, $24
100% Columbia Valley | 100% Conner Lee

Vintage 2017 was long in the Columbia Valley. Success of our Washington state vintage was due to our desert’s cool nights during ripening in August. A long history with this old vineyard afforded us a predictable harvest of flavorful early fruit. Harvested in August and early September, mainly Cabernet Franc and Malbec, the fruit was full of flavor early with balanced acidity. We protected the fruit from sun burn with a full canopy of leaves. Overall intensity and depth of flavor are the hallmarks of this outstanding vintage.

-It was sweet, but not killer.

2015 Suspense, $60
100% Columbia Valley | 100% Conner Lee

Our most floral reserve wine displays the ripe cassis, cherries and dried rose petal aromas of perfectly ripened Cabernet Franc. Generous and smooth textured, our lucious blend shows off the best of our 2015 vintage Cabernet Franc supported by its classic Merlot complement.

-I got a lot of pepper on the nose and tongue, a bit different than their description

Very much worth the visit. I did not buy anything at the time because I was flying back and was not going to check a bag but they are very high on my list to order from. They are not yet available in my area, but hope they will be eventually.

Cheers!

Post Winery, Arkansas

Posted on November 22, 2017 by melsmosaic

When driving across the country you learn and see a lot of things. For me, one of those was that it is really true that all states have wineries. Found this out even more with research while writing this — check it out. One of the wineries that I visited was Post Winery in Arkansas. Oh yes, Arkansas. Post Winery has been making that grape juice since 1880.

Per the site, they are ‘the largest winery in Arkansas and the first commercial vineyard to produce here, and the first to bring you 100% Muscadine Juice and that famous Muscadine Wine. Post Familie Vineyards is our sustainably managed farm in the foothills of the Arkansas Ozarks, altitude 780 feet, straddling the first plateau above the Arkansas River valley.’

They have a decent selection of wines. For the (free) tasting, you can pick what you’d like to sample. I will say, they weren’t from Napa or Bordeaux. Most had a taste close to Welch’s. There wasn’t anything there that I needed to leave with, but it was nice to check a winery state off the list.

Lost Creek, Leesburg, VA

Posted on September 12, 2017 by melsmosaic

A friend and I explored some local wine country on a beautiful DC day in August. What is upper 70s in this month?

We went to The Vineyards & Winery at Lost Creek in Leesburg, VA.

This winery has been in the works since 1998 and has 16 acres of land. My friend and I split a tasting which included the following, for $15.

2016 Vidal Blanc. 100% Estate Grown. Tropical Fruit. Stainless Steel Aged. $22. Unique, had a bit of oak on it.

2014 Chardonnay. 100% Estate Grown. Bright & Crisp. Stainless Steel Aged. $24. I tasted beef jerky and tire?! Then some lemon meringue. Ok, odd.

2015 Reserve Chardonnay. 100% Estate-Grown Whole Cluster Pressed. Ten months French Oak. Best of Class SF Chronicle Harvest Club Wine Only. $29. Not too yellow for an oaked Chard.

2016 Rose. 11% Zinfandel Dry Rose Blend. Barrel Aged 6 months. Food friendly. $24. Watermelon nose. Definitely dry. Very nice. Ended up getting a glass to enjoy later.

The following 3 are their Bordeaux Blends.

2015 Trinity. 43% Cabernet Sauvignon/36% Cabernet Franc/8% Merlot/13% Petit Verdot. 16 months French Oak. $36. This is the 3^rd blend they’ve made. Peppery.

2015 Genesis. 62% Merlot/16% Cabernet Sauvignon/16% Cabernet Franc/6% Petit Verdot. 16 months French Oak. $40. 1^st blend for them. They gave it that name because genesis means ‘new beginnings.’ Very smooth. My favorite.

2015 Provenance. 45% Cabernet Sauvignon/30% Merlot/20% Cabernet Franc/5% Petit Verdot. 16 months French Oak. Premium Selection. $42. Heaviest of the three. Nice nose.

As mentioned, I decided to enjoy a glass of the Rose. My friend and I sat outside in their very nice garden/pavilion area. Tables, chairs, where you can sit back and relax. We didn’t need anything to eat, but they have quite the menu. This is a place where you cannot bring your own food.

The staff was quite knowledgeable about the wine and they were all quite good for VA wines. It’s so nice to see how VA wines are getting better and better each time a winery is visited, and the difference between various VA wine regions.

Flying Fox Vineyard, Afton, VA

Posted on September 5, 2017 by melsmosaic

Visited the Monticello wine region in Virginia and got to find some new adult grape juice. Started with Flying Fox Vineyard.

They started growing their grapes in 1999. Lynn & Rich, who opened the vineyard, bought the grapes with Veritas, which are located in the Shenandoahs.

2015 Pinot Gris. Dry and crisp with key lime and citrus notes. A perfect summer wine. Produced from Ridge Run Vineyard grapes planted just for us in the Shenandoah Valley. $18. Was a bit sour for a Pinot Gris.

2015 Viognier. Our Viognieris produced from Ridge Run Vineyard grapes. With aromas of honeysuckle, apricot and pear this wine is a lovely Virginia classic. $19. Tasted sweet/sour.

White Table Wine. A lightly sweet blend of Pinot Gris, Traminette, and Viognier – great with spicy food, an after dinner cheese platter or just sitting on the front porch. 6% Traminette, 64% Pinot Gris, 30% Viognier. $17. Blend of the first two wines and sweeter than the first two wines. Not my favorite.

2015 Rose. Dry, crisp and refreshing- an elegant Rosé. This lovely wine smells and tastes of fresh strawberries, nutmeg, and marzipan. And will be a perfect complement to all of your summer picnics! Cabernet Franc 50% – Merlot 50%. $17. Ok.

2014 Cabernet Franc. A classic Virginia Cabernet Franc: Light oak flavors compliment but not overwhelm the taste of red fruit and cherries along with a bit of black pepper spice. Aromas of baking spices, cardamom and cherry pie make this our favorite summer red. 80% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot. $24. Pepper notes, nice wine.

2014 Merlot. An elegant Bordeaux-style Merlot. Plum, cherries and a hint of mocha on the palate. Enjoy now or cellar to drink later. $22. Not good.

2014 Trio. Trio – our harmonious blend of three wines, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot is our vineyard in a bottle. An elegant wine with lovely color and balance. 50% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot. $27. Nothing stands out.

2014 Petit Verdot. Dark and intense, this wine shows flavors of black cherry and blackberry fruit. Our favorite with game. This wine shows firm tannins and good acidity. It will age nicely. 80% Petit Verdot, 20% Merlot. $28. Heavy but not weight bearing. Definitely had the cherry and blackberry.

Red Table Wine. This wine is an off-dry blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Soft and smooth, this wine appeals to both red and white wine drinkers. Chilled in the summer, warm and spiced in the winter, always appropriate. $17. Sweet for a red.

Nice range of wine to sample in a different region than the (relative) northern Virginia ones I normally locally get closer to home.

Red Tail Ridge Winery, Finger Lakes, NY

Posted on September 5, 2017 by melsmosaic

While in the Finger Lakes, another winery visited was Red Tail Ridge.

This one is a decade old and they have about 50 acres of land on which they grow their grapes. They produce smaller amounts of wines so they can focus on quality vs. quantity. Their tasting is $5 for 6 wines (then you tend to get a bit more).

I checked out these guys:

2016 Dry Rose. Tart cherries, cranberries and fresh mint with the minerality of seashells on the nose. Softer notes of apricot and fresh strawberries follow. The palate brings out red raspberries, fennel and mandarin oranges. e heavy mid-palate is cut with a phenolic bitter note and a slightly tacky sensation to finish, $20.95 – I got a sweet chalk on the nose and strawberries when I sipped it.

2016 Sans (without) Oak Chardonnay. The wine opens up with Bosc pears, tart apples, undertones of stoniness and hints of citrus. The palate begins with white cherry, golden delicious apples, and bouncy citrus notes all highlighted with a slight spritz mouthfeel to keep the wine lively. Minerality and lemon oil notes linger, $13.95 – No nose, though after awhile it finally opened up bit. Tasted oaky to me, but maybe it was the Finger Lake grapes?

2015 Dry Riesling. Crisp pears, starfruit and limestone on the nose, followed by lemongrass and soft floral accents. The palate adds peaches, creamy lemon curd, and bright yellow apples. Minerality comes mid-palate with a puckering acidity to cut the fattier mouthfeel and leave fresh notes of lemon and lime zest, $18.95 – Genuinely dry.

2016 Good Karma. Light notes of candied ginger, white peaches and lemon oil on the nose. Stoniness and orange blossom add to the aroma with honeysuckle. On the palate, more peaches with slight spice and pears along with sweet lime. Nice acidity rounding out the mouth to finish with lingering notes of citrus oil. (2.3% rs) *Good Karma is Riesling sourced from Seneca Lake, $13.95 – Sweet and thick on the nose, syrupy. Almost like drinking peach schnapps. The person pouring it was not happy with the comment at all.

2015 Pinot Noir. On the nose: coco dusted cherries, sweet tobacco, forest moss, and chocolate mint leaves. The palate begins bright with rhubarb notes that lead into deeper earthy mushrooms, black cherries and savory fennel. Mid-palate the deeper notes give way to the tingly acidity with fresh raspberries and wild strawberries. The acidity elongates this wine leaving your palate watering for more, $24.95 – Light body, got some chocolate and earth notes.

2015 Dornfelder. Earthy mushrooms fill the glass with a slight meatiness followed by dark fruit: currants and plums. On the palate, more dark earth notes emerge but give way to juicy fruit as the wine opens up in the glass. Boysenberries burst with dried stems of blackberries and soft vanilla. The wine has an umami note mid-palate with brininess and tart cherries to finish, $24.95 – Dark, NICE nose and taste. Definitely got the mushrooms. Had a good body, too.

2014 Blaufränkisch. Piercing blackberry, and black cherry fill the nose, followed by oregano, white pepper, allspice and worn leather. On the palate: ripe wild blackberries, warming vanilla and boysenberry. Rounded mid-palate but chalky, grippy sensations on the edges of the tongue. Darker earth notes with solid acidity and youthful tannins linger in the finish, $22.95 – Very light nose and body. Didn’t get anything from it. Wouldn’t buy it, especially for the price.

Serenity Vineyards, Finger Lakes, NY

Posted on September 5, 2017 by melsmosaic

Another stop on the Finger Lakes wine tour (Day 2) was Serenity Vineyards.

The grapes were planted in 1977 and the tasting room opened in 2011. This is another vineyard where we split a couple tastings, one white, one red. The tastings here were $3 for 5 wines and you received $1 off if you made a purchase.

The winemaker, Bernard Cannac, provided an amazing amount of information. He’s originally from France and brought his knowledge to the Finger Lakes to make wine. One of the things he mentioned was that the betterness/growth of Finger Lakes wine truly depends on information and weather.

The wines we enjoyed included:

2013 Chardonnay. Toasted walnuts, pear, butter and lemon zest with a long finish, $14.99 – Just couldn’t place the taste.

2016 Seyval Blanc. Ripe white and green apple on the nose. Refreshing acidity in the palate. Common on East coast of South England, $13.99 – Totally got the peach.

2014 Dry Riesling. Gooseberry, flint stone honeydew melon and lime with a lively acidity, $14.99 – VERY dry, not bad at all.

2015 Dry Riesling. Caramel and apricot followed by white flower notes. Soft and complex mouthfeel, $16.99 – These grapes were on the vine for 2 weeks longer. Noble Rot, nose is sweeter than the prior Riesling.

2011 Pinot Noir. A light Pinot, highlighted red cherry, clove, caramel, smoke and oak, $21.99 – Made with French oak. Cool vintage, ages faster. Made with French oak. Like port on nose, overall it’s like a ‘light’ port.

2012 Pinot Noir. Ripe red cherry and cedar aromas with flavors of oak and red currant, $26.99 – Made with French oak. Hot and dry year. Darker color, earthier on nose. NICE. I preferred this one to the prior Pinot.

Note from Bernard – Hot & dry temps are best for Pinot Noir.

2013 Cabernet Franc. Eucalyptus and red berries aromas. Peppercorn leading to plum, leather and tobacco with smooth tannins, $19.99 – Port nose. Unique spices in it, definitely got the peppercorn. good body and nice nose.

2013 Mirth. Blend of Cabernet Franc (50%) and Merlot (50%). Blueberry, coffee beans and earthy notes with young tannins, $23.99 – The earthiness was very subtle. Good body and nice nose. Ended up leaving with a bottle of this.

2012 Merlot. Rich, earthy aromas with dark fruit flavors and vanilla. Soft tannins, $29.99 – WOW! Very unusual for the Finger Lakes.

This was definitely my favorite winery, and we randomly chose it. Thanks for the vino, Serenity Vineyards.

Billsboro Winery, Finger Lakes, NY

Posted on August 31, 2017 by melsmosaic

As I was checking out some wineries in the Finger Lakes, another one visited was Billsboro Winery.

They are “committed to crafting dry classic European varietal wines grown by Seneca Lake’s best vineyards. We are dedicated to focusing on small scale production, allowing us to devote more attention to providing a high quality product for our customers. Our commitment to quality is evident both in the glass and the experience we provide in our tasting room.”

It was quite busy when we were there and we had to wait in line for a bit to get up to the tasting station. We were close to leaving, then finally got a spot.

They charge $5 for a tasting and we also chose to each taste different wines so we could cover the menu together.

2016 Mousseux

A Billsboro first! This sparkling dry Riesling pops with aromas of lime and bright citrus, followed by a surprising burst of black cherry and nectarine across the palate. Brilliant acidity and intense fruit flavors follow right through to the finish. This bubbly, dry Riesling is our recommendation for your next celebration! $18 – This wine uses 2 Riesling (grapes). Doesn’t taste like Rieslings, fun with the bubbles.

2016 Pinot Gris

This 100% Pinot Gris has aromas of orange blossom and honeysuckle, giving way to crisp Golden Delicious apple and mouthwatering honeydew melon that lasts right through the finish. With its zesty and refreshing acidity, this Billsboro favorite pairs well with fish tacos, lobster rolls, or roasted chicken. $17 – Very good fruit, smooth and dry.

2016 Sauvignon Blanc

Crisp and fruit forward this Sauvignon Blanc bursts with ruby red grapefruit. Notes of lemon zest and peach dance across the palate in this cool climate wine. Enjoy this wine with fresh oysters or local goat cheese. $18 – Not much nose and not overly citrusy. Just very crisp.

2015 Chardonnay

Back by popular demand, this bone dry Chardonnay is fruit forward at the start followed by undertones of oak balancing out the finish. A highly constructed wine, 30% of the grapes were fermented on their skins in an Orange Wine style. The remaining fruit was pressed with 56% of the juice sent directly to the tank to ferment, and the remaining 14% spending the next 9 months fermenting and aging in neutral French oak barrels. Pairs well with pan seared salmon or Moroccan spiced chicken. $18. – No nose, was nice that it was more of a non-oaked Chard.

2015 Barrel Fermented Dry Riesling

This special release Riesling is 100% barrel fermented and aged for 8 months in neutral French oak barrels, giving this wine a weighty mouthfeel and roundness on the palate. Subtle citrus and slate flavors abound. $20 – No thanks, that’s all I can say.

2016 Kashong White

This perfect lakeside sipping wine is 100% Vidal Blanc. A crisp and fruity wine with notes of grapefruit and lime zest. Enjoy this wine with Asian stir fry or Pecan Crusted Goat Cheese Salad with Raspberry Dressing. $12 – Subtle notes of citrus. Nice crisp bite.

2014 Riesling

This medium-sweet Riesling, offers a whisper of sweetness amid vibrant tropical fruit. A versatile food partner, this wine is a natural for taming the heat of spicier foods while leaving a touch of sweet on the palate. Try pairing this wine with pulled pork or spicy Thai coconut soup. $17 – Super sweet.

2016 Dry Rose

This classic representation of Finger Lakes rosé opens with crisp acidity balanced intense fruit for a refreshing finish that is sure to invigorate the taste buds. These grapes were destemmed and soaked for just 6 hours on the skins. Pair this versatile wine with a sharp Italian cheese or asparagus and prosciutto. $17 – Had a subtle smoke note to it. Very nice.

2015 Pinot Noir – Sawmill Creek Vineyards

Warm cedar delicately frames notes of smoke and clove, followed by a burst of cranberry across the palate. A hint of truffle lingers as it finishes. Pair with Wild Mushroom and Burrata Bruschetta or Garlic and Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin. $25 – Very light, was almost ‘cheesy’.

2015 Cabernet Franc

A toasty bouquet precedes complex notes of ripe raspberry, orange zest and clove, followed by a savory and peppery finish. Pair this Bordeaux varietal with Wood-fired pizza or duck breast with a cherry reduction. $25 – Light, not much to it.

*90 points, Wine Enthusiast Magazine

2014 Cabernet-Syrah

This unique blend (66% Cabernet Sauvignon and 34% Syrah) projects a fragrant nose of dark fruit and vanilla bean. The palate is a generous mix of lush plum with an underlying hint of Applewood smoked bacon and spice. $30 – Heavier, not bad.

*90 points, Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Not bad but not great. Regardless, very fun to check out.

Mercer Wine Estates

Posted on May 23, 2017 by melsmosaic

Another winery visited in the general Yakima Valley area was Mercer Winery. Their physical location is in Prosser. Their first vintage was in 2005 and six years later the owners received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers.

We opted for the basic tasting for $5 (vs. $10 for reserves).

2016 Estates Rose
This bone-dry Rosé is perfect pool-side, brunch-side, or wedding-side. We also, just love it glass-side. A great wine for a wide variety of people and dishes, it’s pretty, pink, and delicious. Notes of fresh strawberries, white tea and cranberries combine with a beautiful balance of acidity and alcohol. Price: $15.
Horse Heaven Hills AVA|Blend: 100% Grenache|Alcohol: 12.5% |T.A.: 0.61g/100mL | pH: 3.22|Dry
*Very crisp, definitely a summertime wine.

2013 Chardonnay
Notes of vanilla, creamsicle, juicy pear and pineapple greet you on the nose. The voluminous fruit continues in the mouth with flavors of sweet pineapple juice and fresh pear with a drizzle of sweet butter. The lush fruit is balanced by clean, bright acidity that leads into a long, lingering finish. Price: $13.
Columbia Valley|Blend: 96% Chardonnay, 4% Viognier|Alcohol: 13.9%|TA: 0.6 g/L|pH: 3.53
*1/2 oaked, 1/2 un-oaked. Nice and crisp. Really liked this one.

2014 Mercer Canyons Riesling
This off-dry Riesling (about 1.5 residual sugar) explodes with beautiful aromas of lychee, orange blossom and tangerine from the glass. The palate is full with apricot and peach notes drizzled in honey. The finish is refreshing with enough bright acidity. Price: $13.
Yakima Valley | Blend: 100% Riesling | Alcohol: 13.3% |T.A.: 0.68 g/100mL |pH: 3.02
*I got lots of honeysuckle on this. Yes, it’s a Riesling.

2013 Estates Merlot
Cherries and blackberries mingle with warm baking spices on the nose. Touches of oak, coffee and cocoa with lush fruit and velvety tannin on the palate. One of our favorite wines–enjoy with any red meat dish, tomato based pasta dishes, or just as a perfect sipping wine next to a warm fire. Price: $25.
Horse Heaven Hills |Blend: 80% Merlot, 17% Syrah, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Alcohol: 14.5%|TA: 0.59g/100mL|pH: 3.68
*This had some definite chocolate notes to it. Very nice wine. There are good Merlots out there.

2013 Petit Verdot
Whoa-Nelly–this is a big, bold wine! Big jammy flavors of blackberry jam, vanilla, and a hint of pie crust. This wine will age well, or if you need to impress someone with a high impact wine, or have a smoked brisket that needs a ‘pardner’–we suggest putting a few of these in your shopping cart.
Horse Heaven Hills| Spice Cabinet Vineyard| 100% Petit Verdot| Alcohol: 14.4% |
TA: 0.63g/100mL | pH:3.97
*White pepper is what I found to be the most prominent note.

Fun place to visit. I’m sure it’s another one that will keep growing. Love visiting more less-known, Washington wineries. Cheers!

Hogue Cellars (reserve)

Posted on May 9, 2017 by melsmosaic

When checking out Yakima Valley awhile back, in the Prosser Region, we visited a relatively well known (I assume, because I see it fairly often) winery/wine maker — Hogue Cellars.

Now jumping ahead a bit, I like splitting tastings because when you hit several wineries a day you’re going to taste a lot and drink a lot. You’re going to lose your taste and obviously have some alcohol… And somebody has to drive. But then, you start talking to these people. It’s a quiet day and they talk and talk, understand your love of wine and say ‘Oh, but you have to try this. And oh, but then…’ You don’t end up splitting a tasting.

We arrived, fairly quiet and opted to split the Reserve Tasting, for $5. You chose 5 of 9 wines you want to sip. These aren’t the wines you see on the store shelves with the label in the logo as noted above. They hold these labels:

We opted for:

2015 Terroir Viognier, Wahluke Slope — Our Viognier opens with fresh flora and exotic fruits aromas. Peach cobbler, citrus and a touch of pineapple intertwined with tropical mango and starfruit. It features a mouthfeel that is clean and crisp with soft acidity. $20 — Very nice nose, a bit sweet, definite starfruit taste (because you know, we know this off the bat because we eat it everyday).

2014 Terroir GSM Lonesome Springs Vineyard — 21% Grenache/40% Syrah/39% Mouverdre. In the glass, the wine is young purple in color with a tint of red on the rim. Lively aromas of black raspberry, black pepper and spice with touches of vanilla cream. $28 — A bit oakey, chocolatey.

2013 Reserve Merlot Columbia Valley — This wine opens with aromas of wild strawberry, cherry, blueberry and dark meaty plum. Rich and weighty on the pallet with great structure and integrated oak. Flavors of black cherry, raspberry, vanilla and a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg linger with a lasting finish. $30 — NICE!!!! Bought a bottle for later. Fruit on the nose. Very fresh and fruity on the tongue. I have always avoided this varietal because of the movie Bottleshock and I wish I didn’t have that in my mind. This grape can be good.

2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain — Our Cabernet Sauvignon has amazing color and depth, along with some unique and exciting fruit flavors. Dried cherry, cocoa, fig and nutmeg balance the huge earthy, minerality Red Mountain wine. $32 — Nice and light for a cab.

2013 Terroir Petit Verdot Horse Heaven Hills — The inky Petit Verdot has a pleasantly massive richness and vibrant acidity. This wine starts out with black fruit, plum and cassis. Gamey undertones, bacon, black pepper and spice round out the mid-pallet along with flavors of dark chocolate and creamy coffee. Silky tannins with a chewy finish. $32 100% Petit Verdot. This is an ooohhhh so smooth wine. Very creamy. I didn’t find that it had a very chewy finish. You tasted this wine from start to finish. Very nice.

These were the first 5 and then I didn’t scribble down notes on the balance of them. We were poured at least 3 or 4 more. In the end, my friend ended up joining the Wine Club, option for the 3 bottle option. With that you get 3 bottles of wine from the exclusive Terroir and Reserve tiers on a quarterly basis. Cheers to that. We also got our $5 tasting fee refunded. Cheers!