Wine Tasting

We will be tasting new releases of Argentine Cabernet Sauvignon, for inclusion on our list. Argentina is currently the world's fifth largest wine producer by volume – after France, Italy, Spain and the USA in that order – a position it has held for many years. High volume, low quality vines are being replaced by premium varieties. Formerly struggling bodegas are attracting the backing of major international wine companies. Product quality is soaring, and every year the industry balance shifts further from cheap table wines towards exquisitely crafted drops that are increasingly recognised as being amongst the best in the world.

The Argentine wine industry is reaping the benefits of its heritage - old vines, unique geographical conditions - with new technology and a mix of modern and traditional methods. It's come along way since the first vines were planted in Mendoza more than 400 years ago. The reason for this was that the indigenous Huarpes of the region had, many years earlier, developed and built a complex and sophisticated system of irrigation channels to bring water from the Mendoza river to the arid plains. The desert climate and advanced irrigation system gives Mendoza's grape growers a unique advantage. With complete control over the watering of their vines, and in combination with the hot daytime temperatures and cool nights during the grape ripening seasons, conditions are almost ideal for growing grapes with ripe, intense fruit characteristics and good acidity levels. Cabernet Sauvignon fares best in warmer climates, and benefits from a long ripening season.

In Argentina Cabernet Sauvignon is usually picked towards the end of the harvest, in late March. A small, robust, thick and dark-skinned grape, it imparts considerable tannins, body, and colour to its wines. Aromas and flavours most often ascribed to Cabernet Sauvignon are black fruit – blackberries and blackcurrants. The format will be casual, walk around with cheese and bread.

The wines featured will be:

Santa Julia, “Reserva”, Mendoza 2008
La Puerta, Famatina Valley / La Rioja 2009
Bodegas Salentein, “Finca el Portillo”, Valle de Uco / Mendoza 2007
Crios de Susana Balbo, Mendoza 2008
Ben Marco, Mendoza 2008

A sign-up sheet will be available at the front desk (253-5742 or 800-826-7000) and there will be a $15.00 fee per person.

We will be tasting new releases of Washington State Merlot, for inclusion on our list. Large-scale irrigation, fueled by runoff from the melting snowcaps of the Cascade Mountains, arrived in Eastern Washington in 1903 unlocking the dormant potential of the rich volcanic soils and warm, sunny desert-like climate. Italian and German varietals were planted in the Yakima and Columbia Valleys and wine grape acreage expanded rapidly in the early part of the 20th century.

The first commercial-scale plantings began in the 1960’s. Early commercial producers, mentored modern winemaking in the state. The resulting rapid expansion of the industry in the mid-70’s is now rivaled by today’s breakneck pace, where a new winery opens every couple of weeks. The trend started by a few home winemakers and visionary farmers has become a respected and influential industry. It may not be the “it” grape it once was, but Merlot’s not going away, especially in vineyards where it grows particularly well, like much of Bordeaux, parts of California, Long Island, and Washington.

Many producers have found success blending Merlot together with Cabernet Sauvignon and that third Bordeaux variety, Cabernet Franc, plantings of which have expanded dramatically in the past few years. A typical Washington Merlot is medium to full-bodied and well-structured, with dry tannins and well-balanced acidity; some portion of the wine may be aged in American, as opposed to French, oak. Dark fruit notes (blackberry, black plum) are common, along with some smoke, chocolate, or vanilla touches. Only a handful of Washington’s wineries don’t work with Merlot in some capacity or another. Even some of the newest producers, who typically focus more on Rhône varieties, seem to find Merlot cropping up in their portfolio either as a varietal wine or in a Bordeaux-style blend. The format will be casual, walk around with cheese and bread.

The wines featured will be:

Charles Smith Wines, “The Velvet Devil”, Columbia Valley 2008
Canoe Ridge Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills 2005
Helix by Reininger, Columbia Valley 2006
Kiona Vineyards, Columbia Valley 2005
Chateau Ste. Michelle, “Canoe Ridge Estate”, Horse Heaven Hills 2006

A sign-up sheet will be available at the front desk (253-5742 or 800-826-7000) and there will be a $15.00 fee per person.

We will be tasting new releases of Northwest Pinot Gris, for inclusion on our list. John Fagan of Calmont Beverage, will be on hand to discuss the wines and answer any questions. Pinot gris (or pinot grigio, as it is known in Italy) probably is the best-known "white" variant-clone of Pinot Noir. Ripe pinot gris grapes may be described as having colors from bluish grey to light pinkish brown. Clusters with a variety of colors are not unusual.

Many Oregon wineries, have had good success and are moving steadily away from making Chardonnay while increasing production of Pinot Gris. In the 2000 vintage, Pinot Gris total plantings (1270 acres) and quantity crushed (2917 tons) surpassed Chardonnay (1125 acres, 2523 tons) for the first time. Viticulturally speaking, Oregon is a Cool Climate Region, one in which moderate temperatures and a gradual progression from budburst to harvest protects delicacy and nuance in the resulting fruit. Consistent temperatures that allow the fruit to fully ripen, but not too quickly, are ideal. Rainfall in Oregon’s winegrowing areas occurs primarily in late fall and winter, with the Willamette Valley actually having less precipitation during the growing season than the Burgundy region of France.

Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio is usually delicately fragrant and mildly floral with lightly lemon-citrus flavors. Depending upon ripeness at harvest and vinification technique, Pinot Gris can be tangy and light, or quite rich, round and full bodied. Made in an appropriate style, it is one dry white wine that may even age well. The format will be casual, walk around with cheese and bread.

The wines featured will be:

King Estate, “Signature Collection”, Oregon 2009
O’Reilly’s, Columbia Valley 2008
Elk Cove Vineyards, Willamette Valley 2008
Ponzi Vineyards, Willamette Valley 2009
Sineann, Oregon 2009

A sign-up sheet will be available at the front desk (253-5742 or 800-826-7000) and there will be a $15.00 fee per person.

We will be tasting new releases of Ribera del Duero Reds from Spain, for inclusion on our list. Officially, the Denominación de Origen (D.O.) of Ribera del Duero was founded on July 21, 1982 by an organization of wine producers and growers who were determined to promote the quality of their wines and enforce regulatory standards. In practice, winemaking in Ribera dates back over 2,000 years to the Roman era, as evidenced by a recent find, a 66-meter mosaic of Bacchus, the god of wine, unearthed at Baños de Valdearados.

The climate of Ribera del Duero is unique and ideally suited to growing quality red grapes. Mediterranean with Continental influences, the Ribera climate is characterized by extremes; the region has the highest average elevation in Europe for growing red wine grapes, hot summers, cold winters, a short growing season, minimal rainfall, and a diversity of soils. Soil conditions in Ribera are near-perfect, with a great diversity of soils extending from the banks of the Duero to the steepest slopes. Closest to the river, soils are alluvial with sand and reddish clay. At higher elevations, alternating layers of limestone, marl and even chalk are a notable feature, even with many outstanding plantings on limestone sites.

The main grape variety of the Ribera region is Tempranillo, known locally as Tinto Fino or Tinta del País. Tempranillo, an early-ripening variety, (from “temprano” meaning “early”), is ideally suited to Ribera’s shorter growing season and extreme conditions. Widely planted and cherished throughout Spain, Tempranillo produces red wines that are well-balanced in sweetness, color and acidity and yields fresh and fruity characteristics with appealing aromas such as black plums, cherry, and licorice. In Ribera del Duero Tempranillo yields smaller berries, loose clusters and tougher skin, which encourages more skin-to-juice contact and promotes full-bodied, powerful wines that still retain the grape’s renowned elegance.The format will be casual, walk around with cheese and bread.

The wines featured will be:

Fescenino, “Tempranillo” 2005
Vizcarra, “Senda del Ora” 2008
Valdunes, “Crianza” 2003
Mibal, 100% Tempranillo, “Seleccion” 2004
Casajúsm, “Vendimia Seleccionda” 2006

A sign-up sheet will be available at the front desk (253-5742 or 800-826-7000) and there will be a $15.00 fee per person.

We will be tasting new releases of Austrian Zweigelt, for inclusion on our list. Matt Horowitz of Artisanal Cellars, will be on hand to discuss the wines and answer any questions. The vineyards in Austria cover 51,000 hectares which, for the most part, lie in the east and southeast of the country. Amongst the wines produced here, white wines unquestionably make up the larger portion – cultivated in 70% of the vineyards are 22 white wine varieties permitted for high quality wine production. Nevertheless, red wine (13 varieties) has come to represent 30% of the vineyards in recent years.

Zweigelt is Austria's primary red wine grape and is a crossing of Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent. This variety was named for the Austrian plant-breeder Prof. Fritz Zweigelt, who created this successful cross of Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent. As new wine the Zweigelt has a pronounced fruity bouquet that becomes rounder and finer with ageing. It ranges in quality from a light table wine to be enjoyed in its youth to powerful wines for ageing. The sturdy Zweigelt vine produces good results in all of the domestic red-wine areas and is thus considered Austria’s great red-wine prospect.

Zweigelt makes an excellent food wine. Its acidity, moderate alcohol, and low tannins make it an excellent red for fish dishes, and the low tannins also make it a viable red choice alongside spicier cuisine, especially Mexican or even Chinese food (overly-oaky examples may have problems here, however). It’s at its best with white meats like veal, pork, or turkey. Like Barbera, Zweigelt is flexible, with enough presence to go with many meats or stews, but not overwhelming for fish and some starters. With a freshness that suits summer temperatures, lighter examples even drink well with a slight chill. The format will be casual, walk around with cheese and bread.

The wines featured will be:

Paul D., Weinland 2009
Michlits, Burgenland 2007
Strauss, “Classic”, Steiermark 2008
Steininger, “Novemberlese”, Kamptal 2008
Netzl, “Rubin Carnuntum”, Carnuntum 2007

A sign-up sheet will be available at the front desk (253-5742 or 800-826-7000) and there will be a $15.00 fee per person.

We will be tasting new releases of French Chablis, for inclusion on our list. The Chablis region is the northernmost wine district of the Burgundy region in France. The grapevines around the town of Chablis are almost all Chardonnay, making a dry white wine renowned for the purity of its aroma and taste. The cool climate of this region produces wines with more acidity and flavors less fruity than Chardonnay wines grown in warmer climates.

The wines often have a "flinty" note, sometimes described as "steely", due to the soil which is mostly Kimmeridge clay with outcrops of the same chalk layer that extends from Sancerre up to the White Cliffs of Dover. In comparison to the white wines from the rest of Burgundy, Chablis has on average much less influence of oak. Most basic Chablis is completely unoaked, and vinified in stainless steel tanks. The amount of barrel maturation, if any, is a stylistic choice which varies widely among Chablis producers. Many Grand Cru and Premier Cru wines receive some maturation in oak barrels, but typically the time in barrel and the proportion of new barrels is much smaller than for white wines of Côte de Beaune.

The Grand Crus, the best vineyards in the area, all lie in one small southwest facing slope located just north of the town of Chablis. As was the case with many of France’s oldest wine regions, the Romans were likely the first to introduce viticulture to the Chablis region. These early plantings were used to sustain the Roman garrisons but they soon became a holding of the local peasantry who made wine for daily and family use. During the Middle Ages the Catholic Church, particularly the Cistercian monks, became a major influence in establishing the economic and commercial interest of viticulture for the region. Chardonnay was believed to be first planted in Chablis by the Cistercians at Pontigny Abbey in the 12th century and from there spread south to the rest of the Burgundy region. The format will be casual, walk around with cheese and bread.

The wines featured will be:

Chablis, Gilbert Picq & ses Fils 2007
Chablis, Francine et Oliver Savary 2007
Chablis “Les Truffières”, Domaine Costal 2006
Chablis Premier Cru, Joseph Drouhin 2007
Chablis Premier Cru “Vaulorent”, Jean Marc Brocard 2007

A sign-up sheet will be available at the front desk (253-5742 or 800-826-7000) and there will be a $20.00 fee per person.