Spring Release Weekend in Walla Walla, May 4 - 6, was one of the busiest in recent years. The tasting rooms everywhere were busy and sales were brisk. Here are some highlights.

On Friday morning, Lynn and I first stopped at Bunchgrass, where we tasted the new 2009 Founder's Blend and 2009 Malbec, to be reviewed in July. In the afternoon, we went to Long Shadows where we met up with Bob Kaplan, a Lakeside School classmate (our class will be getting together for our 50th Reunion in June). There, we tasted a fine 2011 Poet's Leap Riesling and 2008 Feather Cabernet Sauvignon (July issue). After that, we went to Abeja where we sampled the new releases: 2011 Chardonnay, 2010 Merlot and 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon (July). Then we drove out to the end of Cottonwood Road to Reynvaan where we revisited the 2010 Syrahs, along with the newly previewed Foothills in the Sun Estate Reserve (to be reviewed in June). Later in the afternoon, we attended the Corliss Winery Event. In the evening, we attended the Robison Ranch Cellars Club Party where a good time was had by all.

The next morning, Bob and I went to Leonetti where we tasted the 2010 Merlot and 2009 Cabernet, and Bob picked up his allocation. Then we drove out on Mill Creek Road to Walla Walla Vintners (new 2010 Sangiovese and Cab Franc) and aMaurice (2010 Viognier, 2009 Syrah, Malbec and "Cummings" Red), all to be reviewed in July. After that, we went to Figgins (a new Figgins family project - see the May issue for the 2008 Red, July for the 2009 vintage). We had learned that Canoe Ridge had reopened in the old Railroad Freight Station on West Cherry Street, so we checked that out. In the evening, we went to the Tero Estates / Flying Trout Winemakers' Dinner at the Marcus Whitman Hotel. The five course dinner, created by Master Chef Antonio Campolio, was sumptuous, paired with both wineries' new releases (watch for the June issue). After dinner, we walked back under the fullest new moon of the year.

Watch for the June and July issues of the Review of Washington Wines for reviews of the above wines.

For those of you who are heading over to Walla Walla for Spring Release this weekend, here are some tips on where to visit. Also, check the April and May issues of the Review of Washington Wines for previews of some of the new releases.

Sleight of Hand has a new 2010 "Enchantress" Chardonnay, plus the 2009 Archimage and Illusionist and 2010 Funkadelic Syrah, to be reviewed in June.

Gramercy Cellars has some new 2009's: Tempranillo, Lagniappe Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, all highly impressive.

Tero Estates / Flying Trout have new releases, including a 2009 FLT Mary's Block Malbec and 2008 Tero Estates Single Block Cabernets (see last week's blog below). Also, don't miss the Winemakers' Dinner at the Marcus Whitman on Saturday.

El Corazon just came out with some new 2010's: "First Base" Cabernet Franc, "Pistolero" Bordeaux blend, and Rotie/El Corazon "Swordfight" Rhone-style blend.

Rotie Cellars will also have new 2010's and a 2011 "Southern White." Reviewed in the May issue.

Cadaretta opened a new tasting room on Main Street last fall, where it will be pouring the new 2011 SBS White, 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2009 Windthrow Rhone-style blend.

Walla Faces (also on Main Street) will have new vintages of their Walla Faces artist labels.

Rasa Vineyards will be open over the weekend on Powerline Road with its new 2009 "Limelight" Petit Verdot and other releases (see the February issue).

Tranche Cellars will be presenting its new releases (see the April issue) at the winery on Berney Road on Saturday, with a bonfire in the evening.

Trio Vintners - Karen LaBonte will be pouring a new 2009 Barbera and 2009 "Plaisir" Rhone-style red at her newly-redecorated tasting room downtown.

L'Ecole No. 41 and Woodward Canyon - See the May issue for new releases from these two wineries on Highway 12.

Stella Fino will be debuting its new 2010 Pinot Noir at Petit Noirs in Milton-Freewater (see the May issue).

Spring Valley Vineyard is worth the ten mile drive up the Middle Waitsburg Road to meet Dean and Shari Derby on Saturday.

Long Shadows is well worth the $20 tasting fee (refundable with purchase) to sample stellar wines.

Also Reccommended: Robison Ranch Cellars (north of WW); Otis Kenyon, Sinclair Estate Vineyards, Mackey Cellars, Forgeron, Don Carlo, Locati Cellars (Downtown); Buty, Adamant Cellars, SYZYGY Kontos Cellars, CAVU (Airport); Waters, VaPiano, Amavi, Pepper Bridge, Castillo de Feliciana, Balboa, Fjellene, Gifford Hirlinger, Basel Cellars (South Valley); Reininger and Glencorrie (West of WW); Walla Walla Vintners, aMaurice, K Vintners (East of WW); Zerba Cellars, Watermill (Milton-Freewater) also Su Lei on Beet Road just north of Stateline Road.

Kerloo Cellars, an up and coming is sold out and will be reopening the first weekend of June with its 2010's.

A few days ago, Doug and Jan Roskelley gave me samples of three Cabernet Sauvignons from different blocks of the Windrow Vineyard in the southern part of the Walla Walla Valley, a few miles northwest of Milton-Freewater. These wines are to be poured at the winery's winemaker's dinner at the Marcus Whitman on Saturday, May 5. They will be initially for Club members only. Here are my tasting notes, together with Doug Roskelley's descriptions of the vineyard blocks.

2008 Tero Estates Cabernet Sauvigon, Walla Walla Valley, Windrow Vineyards, Hill Block ($53)

"Hill Block is the youngest of our Cab plantings (1998) and is 3.4 acres on the side of the bench that Windrow sits on. Exposures vary from due south, swinging to west and then back to southwest. Trellised to VSP [vertical shoot positioning]. The soil (loess and silt loam) is shallow, having been scoured by the wind and has limited water holding capacity. Average yield has been 2.8 tons per acre."

My notes: Blended with 6% Cabernet Franc, this wine shows a deep ruby color and intriguing aromas of roasted blackberries, black cherries, cassis, dried roses, pipe tobacco, eucalyptus and sultry oriental perfumes. The dark fruit flavors are wrapped around a full-bore core, underlain with bittersweet chocolate, black licorice, dark roast coffee bean and scorched loess minerals. The back reveals sensations of macerated berries, cherry liqueur, roasted nuts and fruit confit, with notes of mocha, cinnamon bark, toasty oak, and glycerin. The strength extends on to the long, ripe, concentrated sweet-dry tannin finish. 118 cases produced. 19.5/20 points.

2008 Tero Estates Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, Windrow Vineyards, Plateau Block ($55)

"Plateau was planted in 1996 and sits on top of the bench and is planted on fairly level ground running southeast to northwest. Acreage is 3.8 acres. The soil is deeper having deposits that resulted in part from the soil that was scoured from the hillside. Trained to the Scott Hendry trellis design (4 cordons, two above two). Average yield has been 2.9 tons per acre."

My notes: Also combined with 6% Cabernet Franc, this displays a deep ruby color and smoky aromas of blackberry, cherry, damson plum and freshly brewed coffee, with scents of mulberry, crushed rose, cigar box, black pepper and spiced incense. The roasted dark fruits are mouth-encompassing, with notes of dark chocolate, black licorice, French roast and silty earth minerals. The intensity continues on the back with notes of macerated berries, dried cherries, roasted walnuts, cocoa powder, cinnamon bark and ground clove, all gliding effortlessly into a lingering finish, marked by dryish tannins and spicy oak, juxtaposed by a touch of lanolin. 185 cases produced. 19.5/20 points.

2008 Tero Estates Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, Windrow Vineyards, Old Block ($57)

"Old Block was part of the original planting of Seven Hills dating back to 1981. It sits on fairly level ground and is planted N-S using the Scott Hendry trellis design (4 cordons, two above two). It is 8.6 acres and average yield has been 2.6 tons per acre. Soils are primarily loess with various depth and excellent drainage."

My notes: Again blended with 6% Cabernet Franc, this exhibits a deep purplish ruby color and aromas of wild blackberry, huckleberry, and black currant, with scents of attar of rose, mulberry, and a hint of mint. The flavors are a bit more expansive than the other two, yet deep and pervasive, interwoven with notes of Belgian chocolate, black licorice and ground roasted coffee beans. On the back, sensations of macerated berries and dried cherries emerge along with tones of toasted hazelnuts, mocha, graphite, light spices (coriander, cardamom) on a deftly oaked finish with near-perfectly integrated tannins and acids. 110 cases produced. 19.5/20 points.

These three wines are superb expositions of terroir-driven South Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and are highly recommended. I urge you to join the Tero Estates wine club so you may be sure to obtain these wines.

State Liquor Stores Auction Winners Announced

The big news yesterday was the Washington State Liquor Contol Board's announcement of the winning bids on the state's 167 liquor stores which netted $30.75 million dollars, nearly double the early estimates of 16 million. Apparently, the bidding was all about location!, location!, location! with the highest bids going for the choicest locations and the lowest for the least desirable ones. One of the high bid stores was the one in Walla Walla on South 9th, which went for $340,000. It will be the only free-standing liquor store in Walla Walla County. The only other liquor stores are small contract stores in Waitsburg and Dayton (in Columbia County). The Walla Walla store, with much more available floor space for liquor and wine, will be able to offer a far wider selection than Super 1 across the street, or even Wal-Mart a few miles south. It looks like a smart investment.

While the winning bidders will be gearing up for the openings of the newly-privatized liquor stores, other retailers are also getting ready for June 1. I was at Esquin a week ago, and saw that the shipping room in back was being turned into what will become the spirits department, in order to meet the 10,000 square foot floor space requirement. In West Seattle, Trader Joe's has opened a new store on Fauntleroy Way, with space already reserved for spirits.

A correction: An artilcle in this evening's Walla Walla Union Bulletin states the bid for the Walla Walla liquor store as $180,400. The $340,000 price was reported in one of the Seattle TV stations' news website.

Last week, Lynn and I were in Santa Fe, New Mexico for a vacation. The scenery of Georgia O'Keefe's country (we visited her studio and Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu) was gorgeous, and went to numerous galleries and museums. We ate out at a number of fine restaurants, but usually had a Argentinian Malbec or Chilean Carmenere, for South American wines seemed to go well with the flavors of Southwestern American dishes. The only New Mexico wines we had were the Gruet Winery's sparkling wines. We found the Blanc de Noirs especially charming: pale pink-orange colored, with aromas and flavors of strawberry and watermelon, followed by a crisp, nicely fruited finish (18/20 points). It sells for around $30 a bottle in restaurants and for under $20 in supermarkets. I was curious about other New Mexico wines, but I talked with an art gallery owner who had worked at Sherry-Lehman in New York and at a winery in California. He said New Mexico wines range from "very good to simply awful."

My experience with finding Washington wines on restaurant lists was mixed. The Compound, one of the top restaurants on Canyon Road (the art gallery road), had an extensive international wine list that was devoid of Washington wines. It was a very upscale place and could easily have had Leonetti and Corliss on the list. One fine restaurant, though, was the 315 Restaurant and Wine Bar that had DeLille Cellars, L'Ecole No. 41, and a few others on the list. In a liquor store, I found a L'Ecole Perigee and a Spring Valley Uriah. So there is a Washington wine presence in Santa Fe, but one that indicates there is an awareness and marketing challenge for the state's wine industry in New Mexico as well as other parts of the country.