The day was beautiful, which is not always the case at this time of year in Seattle, so I decided to take advantage of the great weather and cook outside on the grill. As I began planning the menu and thinking about those garlic flavored pork chops, I decided to plan around a somewhat Italian-seasoned meal. The menu included salad made with hearts of romaine, garlic seasoned grilled pork chops, roasted garlic zucchini and tomatoes, and pesto spaetzle. Now, the spaetzle is a German egg noodle, but it was seasoned with pesto so I thought, “Why not?”

Again, I referred to my favorite book, What to Drink with What You Eat, by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page and decided to try a Pinot Grigio and a Zinfandel. I headed to a local wine shop with the intention of buying an Italian Pinot Grigio to go with our Italian-themed meal and a Washington State Zinfandel since we love to feature Washington State wines. I ended up selecting the 2008 Tiefenbrunner Pinot Grigio and the 2008 The Pines 1852 Old Vine Zinfandel, which it turns out is actually an Oregon wine.

When I arrived at the shop, I asked the shopkeeper for directions to the Washington Zinfandel section, and once I was there I found the The Pines Old Vine Zinfandel. I specifically asked about it being in the Washington section since the label indicated it was an Oregon winery.  I was told that the winery is in Oregon, but that the vineyard is in Washington in the Columbia Valley. Upon returning home and doing some research, I discovered that the vineyard is located in the Columbia Valley of Oregon. So, we had an Oregon Zinfandel rather than one from Washington. Disappointing to not get what I was expecting, but the wine does come with a good story and even an Italian connection. The Pines Vineyard is one of the oldest in the Northwest and was planted by an Italian stone mason in the late 1800’s.

While we enjoyed both wines, the unanimous choice as to which paired best with the pork chops was the Zinfandel; although, we all agreed that, on its own, we preferred the Pinot Grigio.

Bon Appétit!

2008 Tiefenbrunner Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie IGT (Alto Adige, Italy): Greenish straw yellow in color. Pears and hay come through on the nose; more pears on the palate. Medium-bodied and crisp with a long finish. A slight fizz on the back end. A refreshing sipper.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle), $13.99; Available elsewhere, $10 to $18

2008 The Pines 1852 Old Vine Zinfandel (The Pines Vineyard, Columbia Valley, Oregon): Deep ruby red in color. Aromas of butter, buttered popcorn, oak, and cinnamon lead to flavors of red fruits and cocoa. Good fruit but not overly fruity. Medium-bodied and lively with medium, very drying tannins and a long finish. A bit of heat on the back end.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle), $38.99; Available elsewhere, $39

Challenging Wine Pairing: Grilled Pork Chops was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

The trio of winemakers responsible for Trio Vintners, Steve Michener, Denise Slattery, and Tim Boushey, all cut their winemaking teeth at the Institute for Enology and Viticulture at Walla Walla Community College. Husband and wife Steve Michener and Denise Slattery moved to Walla Walla with their two young boys to pursue their winemaking dream. Steve is a Registered Nurse, and Denise has a freelance marketing strategy and writing services business. While studying at the Institute for Enology and Viticulture, they met Tim Boushey who continues to work as a sales engineer by day.

All three of the Trio partners contribute to the whole winemaking process, from spending time in the vineyards to helping sell the final products. Steve, Denise, and Tim feature the Wallula Gap, a prominent geographical formation in the region, on some of their labels as a nod to the “sense of place” they feel in Eastern Washington.

Recently, we had the opportunity to taste two of their wines in a samples tasting, the 2007 Trio Tempranillo and the 2007 Trio The Riot Red Wine. As I’ve mentioned before, Tempranillo is really starting to show some promise in the State of Washington, so we were thrilled to discover another excellent example of this emerging varietal. Credit goes to Steve and Denise’s sons for the name of their red blend, who pointed out that the letters in “Trio” mixed up spelled “riot”. A somewhat unusual blend of Sangiovese, Syrah, and Mourvedre, The Riot is a very good wine. And best of all, both wines deliver good bang for your buck. I encourage you to give either of these wines a try if you have the chance.

2007 Trio Vintners Tempranillo (Les Collines Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 83% Tempranillo, 9% Carmenere, 8% Sangiovese. Deep red in color and very aromatic. Cinnamon and vanilla come through on the nose; black cherry, spice, and coffee on the palate. Medium-bodied and lively with medium tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $28; Available elsewhere, $26 to $28

2007 Trio Vintners The Riot Red Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): 52% Sangiovese, 36% Syrah, 12% Mourvedre. Deep ruby red in color. Aromas of popcorn and licorice lead to flavors of cherry, blueberry, and a hint of smoke. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $18; Available elsewhere, $18

Trio Vintners: One of the Walla Walla Incubator Wineries was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:40 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Official definition from Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion to Wine:
Old vines are reputed to produce grapes which make better quality wine. The concept that older vines make better wine is much used in marketing wine in the Old World and has more recently been adopted by some California and Barossa Valley producers. Conversely, some winemakers observe that young vineyards produce their highest-quality wine in the first year or two of production, perhaps at least partly because yields are relatively low at this point.

Layman’s terms from Kori:
Old vines is a term typically used to imply a wine is of high quality. However, while mature vines can produce excellent wines, it is certainly not a given. And since there is no legal definition of the term, there is really no way to know whether a bottle labeled as old vines is made from 20 year-old vines or 120 year-old vines. The French term for old vines is vieilles vignes.

Wine Word of the Week: Old vines was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Most white wines see no oak at all, Chardonnay being a notable exception. Most red wines get some treatment in oak, though not because oak is an inexpensive storage medium; in fact, it is not. Oak barrels are very expensive as compared to stainless tanks, but oak gives off desirable aromatic qualities, and its porous nature allows slow oxidation that softens the wine.

French oak has traditionally been the gold standard for oak barrels, but its cost, more than twice as expensive as American oak, has had a growing minority of winemakers looking for suitable alternatives. The tighter grained French oak produce subtle aromas and add more tannins. The wider grained American oak adds bigger, bolder vanilla and, some say, coconut aromas. Toasting the inside of the barrel adds further aromas, from the natural wood flavor of light toast to the caramel-like flavors of medium toast to the charcoal-like flavors of heavy toast.

Obviously, the first year a new barrel is used, it provides the most aromatics to a wine. However, this impact fades with each year of use. By its fifth year of use, a barrel is considered virtually neutral, not imparting any unique flavors to the wine. Many winemakers not only use some combination of French and American oak, but new and older barrels to get just the right combination of wood flavors that they want in their wine. In order to further reduce costs, some winemakers today are flavoring wine produced entirely in stainless tanks by soaking it with oak chips, shavings, or barrel staves without the expense or effort of using wine barrels at all.

Just like you selecting the right bread to toast with breakfast, it’s important for the winemaker to select the right barrel and toast it just right.

Toast: It’s not just what’s for Breakfast; it’s what’s in the Barrel was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$15
• Must be widely available

Regular readers know that as far as white wines go, we Wine Peeps love Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. But as far as Mom (LaGayle) is concerned, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is the best wine period. Therefore, today, in honor of Mom’s birthday, I thought it was fitting to feature one of her favorite go-to wines.

The Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc is consistent from vintage to vintage and widely available. It is crisp, refreshing, and an excellent sipper no matter whether you are sitting on the deck on a sunny afternoon or curled up with a book on a winter’s evening.

In the 1940’s, Nikola Nobilo emigrated from Croatia and planted some of the first commercial grapevines in New Zealand. He was one of the pioneers responsible for the worldwide popularity of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

“Light yellow in color with green hues and brilliant clarity. A distinctive bouquet of ripe tropical and citrus fruit. Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc is bursting with flavors of lemon, passion fruit, and melon. Crisp and zesty, the palate has excellent weight and balance, lingering in a full, refreshing finish.” –Winemaker’s notes

2008 Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand): Greenish straw yellow and very aromatic. Gorgeous aromas of grapefruit, grass, lemon zest, apricots, and melon come through on the nose; grapefruit, lemon, and green apples on the palate. Light-bodied, extremely crisp and refreshing. Well-balanced with a long finish. A classic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $9.99; Available elsewhere, $9 to $14

A Wine for Tonight: 2008 Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Markham Vineyards is one of the oldest wineries in California’s Napa Valley. Originally established as Laurent Winery by Bordeaux immigrant Jean Laurent in 1874, Bruce Markham purchased and renamed the winery in 1978. Today, Markham Vineyards is one of the brands in the Terlato Wines International portfolio.

Each year, Markham Vineyards awards two $25,000 grants to individuals or groups in the U.S. who are committed to philanthropic efforts in their neighborhood, town, or city. The winners are awarded the Markham Mark of Distinction. The 2006 inaugural vintage of The Philanthropist and The Altruist are dedicated to the 2008 Mark of Distinction winners.

Both wines are single-vineyard, limited production, estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon. The Philanthropist is sourced from Markham’s Yountville Estate Vineyard, located on a hillside benchland in the Mayacamas Mountains range. Meanwhile, The Altruist is sourced from Markham’s Calistoga Estate Vineyard, located further north at the base of Mt. St. Helena.

While both are excellent, well-made wines that received a Quality rating of 4 stars, I personally gave a slight edge to The Philanthropist which is just a bit bigger and more fruit-forward. I encourage you to give either of these wines a try if you have the chance.

2006 Markham Vineyard The Philanthropist Cabernet Sauvignon (Yountville Estate Vineyard, Napa Valley, California): Medium-deep red and very aromatic. Cinnamon and spice dominate the nose; blackberries, black cherry, black plums, and spice come through on the palate. Fruit-forward, medium to full-bodied, and lively with drying tannins. Well-balanced with a very long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $55; Winery, $55

2006 Markham Vineyards The Altruist Cabernet Sauvignon (Calistoga Estate Vineyard, Napa Valley, California): Medium-deep red and aromatic. Aromas of wood and vanilla lead to flavors of red and black fruits and spice. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $55; Winery, $55

Markham Vineyards: Cabernets and Philanthropy was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

For those of you who will be attending Taste Washington for the first time, I’d like to share some tips for making the most of the event. Taste Washington is a huge event and can be overwhelming if you are not prepared. You will be wise to plan a strategy ahead of time.

Whether you attend the Grand Tasting which lasts three hours or pay extra for an additional two hours of tasting, it is impossible to visit every booth and taste every wine being poured and every bite being served.

First, I suggest that you visit the Taste Washington website to preview the list of participating wineries. Make a list of the wineries that you’d like to visit, and then prioritize that list. Start with the ten you don’t want to miss, then mark the next ten you’d like to visit if you have time and so on. According to the Washington Wine Commission, the event program should be posted on the Taste Washington website sometime next week which will include a map of where the winery booths will be located. I encourage you to print it out so you can plan your route. It really gets crowded during the general admission hours, so you might not get to as many wineries as you’d like. But if you visit only ten winery booths and try all three wines they are serving, that’s thirty wines right off the bat. Then depending on time, crowds, etc., you can try more if you’d like.

If you’re looking for suggestions of which wineries you should be sure to try, I encourage you to take a look at our “go-to” list of Washington wineries for 2009.

Once you have determined which wineries you’d like to try and you are actually at the event, there are several things to keep in mind to make sure you make the most of the event while tasting responsibly. These tips are important to remember for wine tasting newbies and veterans alike.

• Remember the Taste Washington motto: It’s Hip to Spit! This is extremely important. We always spit when we attend large tasting events like this or are visiting wineries. Otherwise, you end up drinking too much which won’t feel good the next morning and you won’t be able to really tell which wines you like and don’t like after the first few you taste.
• Drink water. Alcoholic drinks dehydrate your body so it is important to drink lots of water to help your body rehydrate.
• Eat. Be sure to eat a good meal before the event begins so that you are starting with a full stomach. Then, once inside, stop at the restaurant booths to keep your stomach full. Try to eat something at least between every fifteen to twenty wines you taste.
• Make safe transportation arrangements. After you’ve enjoyed this fabulous event, we want to make sure you get home safely.

And last, but certainly not least, have fun!

Tips for Taste Washington was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Pomum Cellars, founded by Javier and Shyla Alfonso, is located in Woodinville, Washington. Javier was born in Sunnyside, Washington, but was raised in Ribera del Duero, Spain, the home of his father’s family. He returned to Washington to attend college. Now, he spends his days as an aerospace engineer and his spare time as winemaker for Pomum Cellars. Given his Spanish roots, it is no wonder that he has decided to try his hand at producing a Tempranillo blend here in Washington. Pomum’s vineyard sources include vineyards in the Yakima Valley and the Horse Heaven Hills.

Columbia Crest, located in Paterson, Washington, is the largest producer in the state. Regular Wine Peeps readers know that we have long been fans of Columbia Crest. Head winemaker Ray Einberger and his team continue to pump out great wines. Well-known for their Grand Estates, Two Vines, and H3 lines, it is their Reserve line that puts them in the league with the premier producers in the state.

This was a fun tasting. Both wines are very good, and the Pomum Tinto delivers the “most bang for your buck” as well.

2007 Pomum Tinto (Columbia Valley, Washington): 72% Tempranillo, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 12% Merlot. Deep, dark purple. Very aromatic with blackberry, licorice, and bacon coming through on the nose; black cherry and raspberry on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity that seems tart on the mid-palate, medium tannins, and a long finish. Well-balanced.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $22

2006 Columbia Crest Reserve Tempranillo (Wahluke Slope, Washington): 83% Tempranillo, 8.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 8.5% Merlot. Deep, dark purple. Some funky, gamey aromas along with maple syrup lead to flavors of cherry cola, seaweed, and leather. Medium-bodied and lively with medium tannins and a long finish. Improves with food.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery [Fall 2009 Wine Club selection], $35

Private Tasting: Washington Tempranillo was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Official definition from Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion to Wine:
Carbonic maceration is a red wine-making process which transforms a small amount of sugar in grapes which are uncrushed into ethanol, without the intervention of yeasts. It is used typically to produce light-bodied, brightly coloured, fruity red wines for early consumption, most famously but by no means exclusively in the Beaujolais region of France.

Layman’s terms from Kori:
Carbonic maceration, also known as whole-berry fermentation, is the process that places whole grape clusters in an oxygen-free environment to break down the grape sugars to create alcohol without adding yeast.

Wine Word of the Week: Carbonic maceration was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 15:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining

I first came across the writings of Rex-Johnson in Wine Press Northwest, where she writes a food and wine pairing column. I’ve passed on several of her columns to LaGayle, our Wine Peeps food and cooking expert, and she has been impressed as well. I’ve also read about a Texas connection, I believe it was her father-in-law, and that always wins points with me.

While I was familiar with most of the wineries she mentions in the book, I really liked the way she organized them geographically and found many winemakers who are also great cooks or who have a related restaurant on their property with a great chef. Rex-Johnson and her husband, Spencer, did over two years of research seeking out the best winemaker-cooks, chefs and restaurants, bed and breakfast inns and other neat places in the Pacific Northwest that combine good food and good wine.

The photos by Jackie Johnston really bring the stories to life and make it a great coffee table book for anyone interested in the Northwest lifestyle. I really like this book, and I believe that you will, too. My mouth begins to water when I think about some of my favorites from the book, such as Canlis classic prawns with off-dry Riesling, flank steak roulade with Syrah, pesto-glazed halibut with Sauvignon Blanc, buckwheat-honey pancakes and ice wine peaches, and the list goes on and on.

If this isn’t enough, there are also some great personal stories about Northwest winemakers. My favorite was about how Bob Betz went from managing a Spaghetti Factory restaurant (I guess that’s why he’s such a good home cook) to becoming a Master of Wine and owning his own Betz Family Winery. I could tell you more, but just go out and buy the book for yourself.

Have you already read Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining? If so, please leave a comment and let us know what you thought of it.

Book Review: Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining by Braiden Rex-Johnson was originally posted on Wine Peeps on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:00 UTC. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.