Last weekend (June 4-5) I made a couple of winery excursions. On Saturday, I drove to Woodinville and visited some wineries. Then on Sunday, Lynn and I went to a McCrea Cellars tasting.

 

My first stop in Woodinville was at Chateau Ste. Michelle. The newly-released 2010 Horse Heaven Hills Sauvignon Blanc is a winner - one of the winery's best yet - with fresh, fragrant aromas and bright, crisp flavors. The winery tasting room also has some limited release wines that are well worth visiting for. Here are two striking ones, made from varieties originating in the Rhone Valley.

 

2008 Ch. Ste Michelle "Limited Release" Grenache, Columbia Valley ($25 - winery only)

Brilliant ruby colored, this wine emits attractive aromas of crushed raspberries, cherries, dried roses, lavender and incense. The palate brims with rich, chewy bright red fruit flavors that are underlain with licorice, milk chocolate and minerals. The sensuous fruits persist on the back, accented by orange peel, followed by ripe, smooth tannins. 18.5/20 points.

 

2008 Ch. Ste Michelle "Limited Release: Cinsault, Columbia ($25 - winery only)

Medium ruby colored, this offers an intriguing nose of strawberry, cherry, mulberry, anise, orange peel and oriental perfumes. The exoticism continues on the palate with medium-bodied, yet penetrating, flavors of dried cherries, pomegranate juice and basaltic minerals. The back picks up sensations of currant liqueur, dried orange peel, toasted hazelnuts and a touch of creme brulee on a satiny tannin finish. 18.5/20 points.

 

My next stop was at the Hollywood Hill Vineyards tasting room. Steve and Becky Snyder have turned out some beautiful new releases: a 2010 Horse Heaven Hills Roussanne and two Syrahs, one from the Rattlesnake Hills and one from Red Mountain. These will be reviewed in the August issue of the Review of Washington Wines. In addition, I tasted an intriguing limited supply red from Stretch Island in Puget Sound (which is one of the Washington AVAs).

 

2009 Hollywood Hill Vineyards Regent, Puget Sound, Nelson Family Vineyard ($28)

Regent (of German origin) is most likely the only red variety that can successfully be grown in Puget Sound. Deep ruby colored, this wine exhibits an intense nose of black cherry, black currant, incense and violets. On the palate, the dark fruit flavors are penetrating, intermixed with dried cherries, cocoa powder and graphite. The back picks up dark concentrated fruit juices that are accompanied by tones of bitter orange peel and roasted almonds, followed by an intense yet silky finish. 18.5/20 points.

 

After Hollywood Hill, I drove over to JM Cellars where Paige Leighton poured some new releases, including the "Bramble Bump" (named for the knoll where the winery sits atop) blends.

 

2010 JM Cellars "Bramble Bump" White, Columbia Valley ($17)

This is a vivacious blend of 50% Viognier, 30% Chardonnay, and 10% each of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. It emits aromas of pear, melon and peach, with scents of jasmine and orange blossoms. The fruit compote flavors are fresh and lively, with a hint of tropical creaminess, counterpointed by squeezes of grapefruit and mandarin orange juices on a crisp, faintly honeyed finish. Not much was made, so it may be sold out by mid summer. 18/20 points.

 

2009 JM Cellars "Bramble Bump" Red, Columbia Valley ($22)

This is an engaging blend of 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Petit Verdot, 20% Syrah, 17% Malbec and 13% Merlot. It offers rich, smoky aromas of blackberries, cherries and plum, with thick, chewy, generous, yet focused, dark fruit flavors that show undertones of licorice, chocolate, and coffee bean. The finish is imbued with sensations of grape skin, mocha and spice. 18/20 points.

 

JM Cellars has also released a fine 2008 Longevity Bordeaux-style Red and a gorgeous 2008 Tre Fanciulli Cabenet-Merlot-Syrah blend. Both will be reviewed in August. Winemaker-owner John Bigelow gave me a deep-colored 2009 barrel sample from the winery's Margaret's Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley which showed wonderful aromatics and lavish flavors.

 

I also visited Davenport Cellars where Jeff and Sheila Jirka showed their new Intuition and "R.H.D." reds, which will be released and reviewed in August. Shannon Jones' Hestia Cellars had a deliciously fresh 2010 Chenin Blanc (I call it "Shannon's Chenin") and Rod and Leslie Balsley's William Church Winery turned out a finely fruited and extracted 2010 Viognier (the latter two also to be reviewed in August). Efeste had just released the 2008 "Big Papa" Cabernet Sauvignon which will be in the August issue.

 

On Sunday, Lynn and I went to McCrea Cellars' Private Tasting at co-owners (with Doug and Kim McCrea) Bob and Susan Neel's home in West Seattle. A full range of white and red Rhone-style wines were poured. Some of these will be reviewed in the August issue, but here are three wines that merit your immediate attention.

 

2009 McCrea Cellars Grenache Blanc, Yakima Valley, Boushey Vineyard ($25)

Dick Boushey was the first grower to plant Grenache Blanc in Washington State, and this is a fine rendition. Pale gold colored, it imparts aromas of Bosc pear and Crenshaw melon, with scents of lilac, pear blossoms and anise. The white fruit flavors are well extracted and and richly textured, with undertones of minerals, grape skin, orange peel and melon rind, followed by a crisp, juicy passion fruit and grapefruit imbued finish. 18.5/20 points.

 

2009 McCrea Cellars Viognier, Yakima Valley ($25)

This wine (blended with 12% each of Marsanne and Grenache Blanc) steers a mid course between the tropical and Chardonnay-like styles of Viognier. Light gold colored, it exhibits aromas of pear, melon and peach, with scents of acacia flowers, orange blossoms and jasmine. The palate reveals an array of fruit compote flavors, accompanied by touches of minerals, coconut and grapefruit on a lingering finish. 18.5/20 points.

 

N/V McCrea Cellars "non sequitur" Red, Washington State ($20)

A blend of 37% Syrah, 31% Mourvedre, 25% Cinsault and 7% Grenache, this would make a nice barbecue red. Deep ruby colored, it offers rich, spicy aromas of blackberry, raspberry and plum, with whiffs of tobacco and lavender. The flavors are full and generous, marked by notes of licorice, chocolate and minerally earth that hold on through the warm, well spiced finish that shows moderate tannins and acids. 18/20 points.

 

 

Correction to Last Week's Blog - In my blog of June 1, I reviewed the 2009 Fidelitas Semillon. It turned out that it was a stray bottle, and that the wine being offered at Esquin was of the 2008 vintage. The '08 is a bit less fresh and lively than the '09, but is still a terrific buy at $9.99.

 

Next Week's Blog Goes On Line Friday - Tomorrow, we are stopping in the Yakima Valley for two days on our way to Walla Walla. So upcoming blogs will be posted on Friday, June 17th, and the next two Fridays, with the July 1 post going on line simultaneously with the July issue of the Review of Washington Wines.