A Correction about Upland Estates

In the September issue of the Review of Washington Wines, the website for Upland Estates at the end of the article was erroneously listed as www.uplandvineyards.com. This takes you to a site "under construction." Although Upland Estates is the name of the winery and the vineyards on Snipes Mountain are called Upland Vineyards, the correct website domain name is www.uplandwinery.com. Upland Estates wines are very well made and are worth seeking out. A list of places where the wines can be found is on "Find Us" in the website.

How I Evaluated Maison Bleue's New Releases

I first tasted Maison Bleue's 2010 white wines on June 9th. It was just before they were to be bottled, and the wines were still somewhat cloudy (they were about to be clarified with bentonite, which pulls out particles still suspended in the wine). I tasted them with Jon Martinez and took extensive notes to use for reviews. Later, when I wrote up and scored the wnes, I noticed that the 2010's scored lower than the 2009's did a year earlier, and that the descriptions were less nuanced, especially for the 2010 vintage, generally a stellar one for Washington whites. I realized that this was due to the timing of tasting. They were tasted too early. I then sent Jon an email with my preliminary descriptions and scores. He replied that "In regards to your preliminary scores, I would agree. I really shouldn't have shown you those wines so soon."

Then I replied, asking if there would be any way I could get them retasted by August 14th, in time for the September issue of the Review. Jon responded by saying he could bring the wines to Walla Walla on the 12th. I then came up with the idea of our meeting at Catie McIntyre Walker's Wild Walla Walla Wine Woman ("W5") shop. I sent out emails to set it up, and Catie was thrilled with the idea.

So Jon and I met with Catie and her assistant, Thomas, at W5 on the afternoon of August 12th. In addition to the three 2010 whites, Jon brought his newly released 2009 "Le Midi" Grenache and "Liberte" Syrah, both from the Boushey Vineyard. Catie, being her usual chatty self, kept the conversation going while I, seated on a comfortable sofa, sampled the wines one by one. I took extensive notes and scored each wine on my U. C. Davis score sheet (see the Review blog of 7 September, 2010 to learn more about the 20 Point System - to find it, go to the bottom of this page and click on page 10). Meanwhile, Catie and Jon scheduled a tasting to be held at W5 in early November. At the end, I had scored all the wines 19 points or higher, with the Liberte Syrah receiving a perfect 20/20 points. I subsequently rewrote my reviews of the whites and added those of the reds, and emailed them to Jon, commenting, "It was really beneficial to re-taste the wines, and as a result the reviews are more detailed and the scores higher." Jon replied: "It was great sitting down with you at Catie's. Good idea, that was a nice comfortable meeting place. I am glad we re-tasted some things as well. I am also very privileged to be one of three to receive 20/20 points. It is the best effort I have had and shows exactly what I am trying to achieve in Washington State with Syrah. The tasting notes are impeccable and so detailed as usual."

A Couple of Red Wine Bargains

I was in Esquin a few days ago, and spotted a couple of potential bargains which I picked up. At their respective prices, they are not to be missed.

2008 Cor Cellars "Momentum" Red, Horse Heaven Hills ($15.99 - Regular, $20)

A blend of 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Petit Verdot, and 21% each of Merlot and Malbec, this wine offers a deep ruby color and rich aromas of cherry, blackberry, cassis and rubbed sage. The flavors are full and generous, marked by tones of licorice, dark chocolate and Horse Heaven earth, followed by notes of roasted nuts and dried orange peel on a chewy moderate tannin and acid finish. 18/20 points.

2007 Saviah Cellars Big Sky Cuvee, Columbia Valley, Stillwater Creek Vineyard ($19.99 - Regular $35)

Composed of 69% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cab Franc, 3% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot this is Saviah’s flagship red. It exhibits a deep ruby color, and aromas of raspberry, cherry, plum, crushed roses, eucalyptus, jasmine and black tea. The dark fruit flavors are redolent of stony minerals, licorice, bittersweet chocolate and coffee grounds. The thickness continues on the back, with squeezed juices mixed with roasted nuts, savory spices, and leads into a sweet-dry tannin finish. 18.5/20 points. (January 2011 issue)

Note: I have also seen this wine at Metropolitan Market in West Seattle.