WINO 101

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

Welcome to the Carpe Vinum Friday Flights announcement! This week we’re tasting the fine and wonderful wines of Washington! Our neighbors to the North! The wine industry in Washington has been blossoming, much like a pretty, pretty flower. It’s been blossoming so much, you could say the wine industry in Washington is booming. . .like.. .um. . an exploding flower.

“So,” you might say, “Tell me something about Washington wines.”

“Well,” I might reply, “Okay!”

Washington is carved up into several different wine regions. The largest you’ll see is Columbia Valley, which covers about 18,000 square miles. It’s situated all East of the Cascade Mountain Range, spanning from the Columbia River in the South, almost to the Canadian border in the North. Within the Columbia Valley, certain areas are being subdivided out of that wine region.

In the Southeast, in a fairly close proximity to each other we find the renowned Walla Walla Valley, the up and coming Yakima Valley, the smallest wine-growing area of Red Mountain (Only about the size of a mountain. A red one, naturally. . .) and the newest certified appellation of Horse Heaven Hills, which was established earlier this month.

Just South of the Columbia Valley appellation is the Columbia Gorge appellation, which runs on both sides of the Columbia River, continuing on the Oregon side. That one is fairly new, and was just added last year. (Also of note is the Puget Sound appellation, just around Seattle and the surrounding islands and hills. Of course, the area isn’t quite suited for intensive vine growing, and although there are over 50 wineries, the region is only responsible for 2% of the grapes grown. They get most of their stuff from the other side of the mountains.)

Indicating that a smaller region has a distinct different wine growing conditions, soil, and climate is the reason for establishing these different new appellations. All of the sub-appellations being added is just a little proof that the wine world is taking notice of the blossoming and booming industry in Washington. They’re also some of my favorite wines, and they’re just out our back door. . .and down the street, around the corner and 3 to 5 hours driving time to the East! (Actual driving time and directions may vary.)

So Friday, August 26th, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Washington! It’s So Good!!
Willow Crest 2004 Pinot Gris, Yakima Valley
Kiona 2003 Chenin Blanc, Columbia Valley
Ryan Patrick 2003 Vin D’Ete (Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon), Columbia Valley
Cascade Cliffs NV Goat Head Red, Mail Box Vineyard, Columbia Valley
Chinook 2002 Cabernet Franc, Yakima Valley

Even More Washington!! Oh, and Even Better!!!
Fidelitas 2003 M-100, Columbia Valley
K Vintners 2003 Syrah, Milbrandt Vineyard, Columbia Valley

A stellar deal at $10 for the First 5, and $6 for the Extra 2 Premium Pours
Hope to see you here!
Seize the Wine!

Next Friday tasting is East-Central Italy (Abruzzo, Molise, Marche. . .etc. . .)!

M

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

Welcome to the Carpe Vinum Friday Flights announcement! This week we’re tasting one of my favorite white wine varietals: Viognier! If you get confused about the pronunciation, the grape does have its roots in France, both literally and figuratively. So to make it sound French, it’s pronounced “VEE-own-YAY”. Notice that it ends with a “YAY!” I don’t think that’s an accident. This is one of the most underrated white wine varietals in the world, and makes a wonderful summer slurper.

Viognier, as I stated earlier, has its humble beginnings in the vineyards of the French Rhone. Often it is found interspersed throughout the vineyards, lending a soothing character to the Syrah and Carignan and Grenache-based (yes, red) blends. This has been repeatedly copied throughout the world, and the Shiraz/Viognier combination is often seen. Of course, I’ve seen some blends with as low as 1% Viognier to the 99% Syrah, which raises the question of why it’s even mentioned on the label. The answer is simple: YAY!

So here are a few old favorites, a few new favorites, and an extra-special selection from K Vintners. You know, the folks responsible for all the really nice Walla Walla Syrahs and the quintessential Magnificent Wine Company’s “House Wine” that has pleased us so well. Their Viognier is something to be had, and soon, since it’s made in such a small quantity and, like their other wines, sells out quickly!

Also notice that “Chardonnay” ends with a “Nay.” So, what’s your vote? “YAY” or “Nay”?

(In a similar manner “Syrah” ends with “RAH” and inconsequentially “Pinot Grigio” ends with “YO” and Pinot Noir ends with “ARRR!”, making it a Pirate wine. “Avarrst, matey! I’ll have the Pinot No-ARRR!”)

So Friday, August 19th, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Viognier!
Yalumba 2004 Viognier, Barossa, South Australia
McManis 2003 Viognier, Lodi, California
Kumkani 2004 Viognier, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Zaca Mesa 2003 Viognier, Santa Ynez Valley, California
Domaine de la Janasse 2002 Viognier, Vin de Pays de Principaute d’Orange, France

Vee-Own-YAY!!
Kangarilla Road 2004 Viognier, McLarren Vale, Australia
K Vintners 2004 Viognier, Columbia Valley, Washington

A stellar deal at $10 for the First 5, and $6 for the Extra 2 Premium Pours
Hope to see you here!
Seize the Wine!

Next Friday tasting is Wines of Washington!

M

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

Welcome again to this week’s newsletter announcement for this Friday’s Tasting!  This week we’re visiting the wines from our neighbors to the South! The far-far-South. Nope. . .even farther South than that. Yep, and pretty far East as well. That’s right! It’s the wines of Australia! It’s a powerhouse of a wine industry making a powerful wines!

I had heard, some time ago, that Australia had surpassed Italy in wine exports. This seemed to be quite a feat, considering the fact that Italy is one giant vineyard. (Okay, that’s not a FACT. . .consider it a theory). We’ve all seen plenty of inexpensive wines coming out of Australia, too. They do have plenty of bang-for-the-buck (read: plonk), with plenty of under-$10 wines that don’t taste like something that would be better used to clean engine parts. Australia is great for this, but we end up seeing endless amounts of the same cookie-cutter wines: shiraz, chardonnay, shiraz, chardonnay. . .

So I’ve collected here a few of the more interesting Aussie wines, with a bit more emphasis on the whites considering the dog-days of summer we’re entrenched in at the moment. We’ve got on the schedule a Chardonnay/Viognier, a Marsanne/Viognier and a Semillon in the perfectly cool white wine section and a nicely chilled Sparkling Shiraz to perk things up a bit. And we finish the tasting off with some big reds since, after all, that’s what the Aussies are best known for! (Paul Hogan, Russell Crowe and Midnight Oil notwithstanding.) (Oh, yeah. . .and that Road Warrior movie. That was great!)

So Friday, August 12th, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Aussie Wines!
Southern Roo 2004 Chardonnay/Viognier, Barossa & Clare Valleys, South Australia
Rutherglen Estates 2004 Marsanne/Viognier, Rutherglen, Victoria
Brokenwood 2004 Semillon, Hunter Valley, New South Wales
Hill of Content 2002 Grenache/Shiraz, Clare Valley, South Australia
Mt. Langi Ghiran 2001 Billi Billi Shiraz, Victoria

More Aussie!!
Fox Creek NV Vixen Sparkling Shiraz/Cabernet Franc, McLarren Vale, South Australia
Two Hands 2003 Shiraz “Gnarly Dudes”, Barossa, South Australia

A stellar deal at $10 for the First 5, and $6 for the Extra 2 Premium Pours
Hope to see you here!
Seize the Wine!

Next Friday tasting is Viognier!

M

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

After 4 weeks of touring France, it’s time to bring things back in a local fashion! So this week, the Tasting of the Week is: Home Grown! Wines of Oregon! It’s no question that we have, over here, some of the best and most sought-after wines in the world. It’s something we can easily take for granted, since there are just so many of these wineries in our own back yards. However, once you step past the borders of Oregon (and Washington), the wines become even more hard to find.

Of course, what we appear to grow the most appears to be Pinot Noir, the finicky grape that loves the soil and climate over here, and gives some of the French burgundies a run for their money. Plus, speaking of money, most of them seem to charge a whole lot of it for these Oregon-grown delicacies; many of the premier Pinots going for $50 and up. The price tag doesn’t seem to waver the public, as the bottles still fly off the shelves. Of course, the big-screen debut of Pinot Noir in that movie Sideways has done wonders for the wine’s image, and exponentially expanded the sales. It’s funny how a little screen time can do that.

Here, in the real world, we can’t really afford the $50 and up Pinots for everyday consumption, and every week I have people looking for bottles under $15. . or even under $20. They’re few and far between, but I have found a few. And yes, they’re good! I’ve got 2 of those in the tasting.

What? Just two?

Yes, well. . .At last count, there were around 300 or more wineries in Oregon. Almost every one of them makes at least one Pinot Noir. Many of them make 10 or 20. So of the thousands upon thousands of Pinot Noir out there. . .yes, I have two of them. Now, consider that if all 7 wines in the tasting were Pinot, that would still be just a drop in the bucket. And we mustn’t forget the fact that we grow other stuff out here too. No. . not THAT stuff, I mean other wine varieties. And although they might not have the screen time that the Pinot did, dare I say that I like them better?

So Friday, August 5th, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Home Grown! Wines of Oregon!
Sass 2003 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley
A to Z 2004 Pinot Gris, Oregon
La Bete 2003 Cuvee Lambrey, Willamette Valley
Rachel’s Cellars 2003 Pinot Noir, Hawk’s View Vineyard, Willamette Valley
Willamette Valley Vineyards 2002 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley

Some More Really Good Wines of Oregon!!
Mystic 2001 Syrah, Columbia Valley
Abacela 2003 Grenache, Umpqua Valley

A stellar deal at $10 for the First 5, and $6 for the Extra 2 Premium Pours
Hope to see you here!
Seize the Wine!

Next Friday tasting is Australia!

M