Great Buys for Washington Wine Month at Esquin

 

March is Washington Wine Month and there are some great buys out there. From Esquin's current newsletter, I have found these wines which are on sale at substantial price reductions which make them extraordinary values. They are not to be missed.

 

2008 Waters Interlude Red, Columbia Valley ($30) - July 2010 issue - Now $26.99

This Merlot (55%) Cabernet Sauvignon (44%) blend is impressive. It offers a rich, sultry wild blackberry and cassis nose with scents of rubbed sage and mint. On the palate, the flavors are well fleshed and saturated, with admixtures of huckleberry juice, graphite, cocoa powder and spices (nutmeg and coriander). The ripe tannin finish shows admirable fruit-acid balance. 18.5/20 points.

 

2007 SYZYGY Red Wine, Columbia Valley ($24) - August 2010 issue - Now $21.99

Here, Zach Brettler has put together a savory, flavorful blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec. It exhibits a deep ruby color, a rich nose of blackberry, cherry, tobacco and lavender. The dark fruit flavors are deep and fleshy, abounding with roasted berries with tones of bittersweet chocolate and mocha. On the back, it is thick and saturated, well lashed with licorice, earth, roasted nuts, spices and integrated sweet-dry tannins. 18+/20 points.


2007 Januik Red Wine, Columbia Valley ($22) - August 2010 issue - Now $17.99

This Merlot dominated (62%) wine offers a rich raspberry, blackberry and cassis nose with scents of tobacco and sage. The flavors are full and direct, but with an appealingly savory character that continues through the back along with notes of licorice, cola, bittersweet chocolate and roasted coffee, followed by chewy tannins and moderate acids. 18/20 points.

 

 

2009 Maison Belue Jaja White Wine, Yakima Valley ($17) - September 2010 issue - Now $13.99

“Jaja” is a southern French expression for a great everyday wine. Composed of 67% Roussanne, 28% Chardonnay and 5% Marsanne, it offers engaging aromas of green apple, star fruit, lilac and orange blossoms. The flavors are crisp and lively on the palate, with notes of white peach, pear and melon. On the back, the wine picks up a hint of creaminess from partial malolactic fermentation and sur lie aging. On the finish, wet stone tones and a tang of pineapple juice add character. 18.5/20 points. This is the highest score I have given to a dry white for under $20


2008 Obelisco Estate Red Blend, Red Mountain ($30) - January 2011 issue - Now $19.99

Deep ruby colored, this blend of 70.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 4.5% Malbec, offers rich, smoky aromatics of blackberries, cherries and plums, crushed roses, tobacco, sandalwood and incense. The macerated berry flavors are deep and chewy, yet svelte, marked by Red Mountain scorched earth and silty minerals. On the back, there are tones of licorice, bittersweet chocolate, medium roast coffee, and touches of toffee, roasted nuts and savory spices on a sweet-dry tannin finish. 18.5/20 points.


2008 Nine Hats Red Wine, Columbia Valley ($25) - March 2011 issue - Now $19.99

A blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 10% each of Cab Franc and Petit Verdot plus 2% Malbec, from Long Shadows, this wine displays a deep ruby color and smoky, sultry aromas of blackberries, cherries, cassis, cigar box, crushed roses, violets and rubbed sage. The dark fruits are mouth encompassing, redolent of licorice, bittersweet chocolate, mocha, roast coffee and graphite. On the back, the dark fruit flavors march on, intermixed with kirsch liqueur, orange peel, roasted fruits and nuts, and followed by a ripe chewy tannin finish. Hats off to Gilles Nicault for putting this together. 18.5/20 points.


Highly Recommended Wines from TL Cellars at Deep Price Reductions


As you may have read from postings in my Review of Washington Wines blog, Troy Ledwick has moved his TL Cellars out of Hence Cellars. As a result, he is selling his wines out of his home in Walla Walla. In order to stimulate more sales, he is offering his Releases No. Five and No. Six at deep price reductions. As you will see from the reviews below, these wines are outstanding. At $35 per bottle, they are real bargains, considering the quality levels they represent. To order, email Troy at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call him at 509 301-3896.


2008 TL Cellars “Release No. Five” Grenache, Walla Walla Valley ($65) - September 2010 issue - Now $35

Here, Troy Ledwick has turned out the best rendition of this up and coming variety that I’ve seen so far. Sourced from the Minnick Vineyard, it displays a deep brick red color and an intriguing nose of raspberry, Marion berry, wild cherry, crushed roses, orange peel, sandalwood and incense. The entry shows richly berried, medium bodied textures, followed by a tapestry of lavish fruits that are intermixed with loamy, silty earth, milk chocolate, gently macerated fruits, toasted nuts, licorice and mocha. The deep, finely wrought back palate shows impeccable fruit-acid balance (.62 total acidity) and is deftly dusted with clove, nutmeg and cinnamon bark laid on a sultry (15.2% alcohol) lingering smooth tannin finish. 19+/20 points.


2006 TL Cellars “Release No. Six” Petit Verdot, Columbia Valley ($65) - September 2010 issue - Now $35

Deep ruby-crimson colored, this wine, produced from the Boushey Vineyard, emits terrific aromatics: wild blackberries, mulberries, cassis, crushed blueberry, oriental perfumes, violets and incense. On the entry, the palate shows dark, macerated berry and cherry fruits, followed by sensations of kirsch liqueur, a distinctive basaltic minerality, dried berries, and touches of licorice, bittersweet chocolate and vanilla bean. All this is followed by fine, penetrating fruit acids that are composed of slightly tart squeezed berry juices, recurring kirsch, and a twist of orange peel. The finish culminates in a deft touch of French oak (one year old Vicard) and satiny sweet-dry tannins. In sum, this is the most alluring expression of Petit Verdot (seldom bottled as a varietal) that I’ve ever seen. 19.5/20 points.