This year, the annual Holiday Barrel Tasting Weekend was December 7-9. It's the time of year when the wineries and barrel rooms are decorated with lights and greenery. Here are the highlights. 

On Thursday, the 6th, we kicked off the weekend early with a tasting and dinner with Oregon and Burgundy Pinot Noirs brought by our out of town guests. Stu and Barb Vos  came from North Carolina and Jeff and Laurie Freude from Iowa, and Doug and Jan Roskelley from Tero Estates. We had three 2005 Burgundies. The Heritiers Louis Latour Chambertin Grand Cru was outstanding, mature but holding well, with semi dried fruits and a long, complex finish. The 2005 Bouchard Pere & Fils Beaune Clos de la Mousse 1er Cru had an odd aroma, not corked, but still off, maybe brettanomyces. The Domaine de Perdrix Echezeaux Grand Cru was also outstanding, smoky and sultry, redolent of oriental perfumes, and still holding well. I kicked in a 2009 Mongeard-Mugneret Echezeaux which also showed well, with considerable elegance and complexity. There were two 2012 Oregon Pinot Noirs from the Shea Vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton district, one from Ken Wright and the other from Shea Vineyards. Both were deliciously velvety, yet well delineated. The tasting and dinner was preceded by a lovely Roses de Jeanne Champagne Blanc de Blancs and a delicious 2000 Grahams Vintage Port which can easily go another 18 years. 

On Friday morning, I drove over to L'Ecole No. 41 in the Lowden Schoolhouse. There, I was greeted by Marty Clubb and Constance Savage (the new General Manager) who presented me with a Magnum of 2007 Seven Hills Vineyard Estate Merlot in honor of the 10th Anniversary of the Review of Washington Wines. It was inscribed "Rand, Congratulations on 10 years! Marty Clubb." We reminisced about the decades in the wine industry, including Baker Ferguson, the founder of l'Ecole, who was one of my first customers at Esquin in 1970. I also tasted barrel samples of 2017's (see below) and a Library selection of 2015, 2012 and 2008 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignons. 

Friday evening was the Tero Estates and Waters Winemaker Holiday Feast at the Marc. It was a fabulous dinner., starting off with Caramelized Brie and Beets with the 2013 Waters Prelude White, then Smoked Pork Belly wit the 2013 Waters Tremolo Grenache-Syrah Blend. In between, the Marc's famous Tableside Liquid Nitrogen Sorbet was served. The entrée was Coffee Crusted New York Strip with the 2013 Tero Estates Plateau Block Cabernet Sauvignon and the dessert was Flourless Chocolate Decadence with the 2015 Tero Estates Cabernet Franc. 

Saturday morning I visited some wineries for barrel tasting, checking out the 2017 and 2016 vintages (see my notes below). In the afternoon, we stopped at Tero Estates to taste some 2016s and to hear Paul Gregutt sing and play his guitar. In the afternoon, we went to Reynvaan Family Vineyards where Matt and Lauren Reynvaan debuted their second MTR Productions Syrah, the 2013 "Memory Found." It was the kind of wine that is for you,"if you like a brawny, meaty yet elegant Syrah." 19.5/20 points. A full review will be in January 2019 issue of the Review of Washington Wines. 

On Sunday afternoon, we went to Jim and Kim Waddle's annual Open House where there were some delectable offerings, including Serrano Ham from a smoked leg, a delicious creamed wild mushroom bruschetta and authentic pâtes. There were lots of delicious wines being poured as well. This made for a fun cap to the Barrel Tasting Weekend.

Wines Tasted from the Barrel

2017 L'Ecole No. 41 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley - This showed enticing aromas of blackberry, cherry, plum, crushed roses and incense. The flavors showed considerable varietal character with notes of cacao, French roast and minerals. 19/20 points.

2017 L'Ecole No. 41 Ferguson Estate Red Wine, Walla Walla Valley - Composed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 5% Malbec, this showed a deep ruby color and floral aromas and deep, well delineated flavors, marked by dark fruits, coffee and basaltic minerals, followed by a long, long finish. To be bottled Summer 2019 and released Spring 2020. 19.5/20 points.

2017 Reininger Cabernet Sauvignon, Seven Hills Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley - Deep ruby colored, this was a highly aromatic wine - blackberries, cherries plums, crushed roses, incense, with deep, authoritative flavors of dark fruits, cacao and minerals and a long finish. 19+/20 points.

2017 Tero Estates Mary's Block Malbec, Walla Walla Valley - Tasted at Waters, this showed a purplish young color and intense aromas of blackberry, cherry, blueberry, black roses and loads of powerful dark fruits. 19+/20 points, possibly 19.5/20.

2017 Waters Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley - With a backbone from the Cold Creek Vineyard, this displayed an opaque purplish color and a bold, intense nose of dark fruits, roses and. Full and authoritative, with a long finish, this should go to 19.5/20 points.

2017 Saviah Cellars Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, Funk Vineyard - Ruby-crimson colored, this showed seductive aromas of raspberry, blueberry, cassis, roses, lilac, lavender and oriental incense. The flavors were beautifully thick and satiny yet deep and penetrating. 19.5/20, possibly 20/20 points.

2017 Va Piano Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, Eritage Vineyard - Aged in neutral oak, this expressed varietal purity with rich, savory aromas and flavors of wild berrries, violets and incense. The wine abounded with alluring ripe fruits on the palate, simultaneously chewy and satiny.  19.5/20 points.

2016 VaPiano Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope, Rosebud Vineyard - This presented a deep ruby color and an intriguing nose of dark fruits, crushed roses, tobacco, black olives and incense. The flavors were thick and authoritative, yet accessible. To be bottled early 2019 and released Summer. 19/20 points.

2016 Tero Estates Herb's Block Merlot, Walla Walla Valley, Windrow Vineyard - Ruby-garnet colored, this possessed an exotic nose raspberry, cherry, plum, rose petals, tobacco, truffles and incense. The flavors were thick and well structured yet fleshy. The finish was long and chewy. 19+/20 points.

2016 Tero Estates Petit Verdot, Walla Walla Valley - This varietal showed a deep ruby color and a sultry, smoky, perfumed nose of black cherries, plums, crushed roses, tobacco and incense. The flavors were bold and fleshy, yet focused, with a long, spicy finis. Will age well. 19+/20 points.

2017 Dunham Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, Lewis Vineyard - Fermented in new French oak puncheons, this showed a semi opaque purplish color and intoxicating aromas of wild blackberries, blueberries and cassis, with scents crushed roses, sweet tobacco, violets and incense. The true to variety flavors were full bore, with a penetrating long finish. 19.5/20 points.

2017 Dunham Cellars Kenny Hill Red Blend, Columbia Valley - This blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Malbec and 13% Petit Verdot showed a deep ruby-crimson color and a perfumed nose of dark fruits, crushed roses, sweet tobacco, sweet oak and incense. Th e flavors were long and velvety, accented by toasty oak (100% new French) all throttling into a long, long finish. 19.5/20 points.