Try Argentina's premier white varital - Torrontes. Great notes of citrus and oftern times grapefruit. These wines can be purchased for under $10 per bottle and I'm certainly giving the Bodega Privada 2008 Torrentes my vote for best value white wine for April.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
What's Pairing with Dinner Tonight?
2007 Athena Zinfandel -Columbia Valley
Rich rasberry flavor with a long finish.
Pair with beef tenderloin or standing rib roast.
Natalie's Estate Winery is located in the foothills of the Chehalem Ridge in the North Willamette Valley in Oregon. 145 cases were produced.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
What is Meritage?
Meritage wine is made from a blend of Bordeaux grapes. There's Red Meritage and White Meritage. To use Meritage on a wine label, winemakers must be a member of the Meritage Association.
Red Mertitage is made from a blend of two or more of the following grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Carmenere, St, Macaire and Gros Verdot
White Meritage is a blend of of two or more of the following grapes: Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Sauvignon Vert.
No single variety can comprise more than 90% of the blend.
Washington State has approximately 20 Meritage members, Oregon has 4 members, Idaho has 1 member and British Columbia has 6 members. Contrast this to California which has approximately 131 members.
Membership consists of a total of about 200 wineries, in six different countires: Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, Mexico and the United States.
Meritage is a combination of two words: "Merit" and "Heritage"
Thursday, March 5, 2009
What's great with dinner tonight!
Torii Mor 2006 Pinot Noir. An amazingly complex yet smooth pinot from Dundee Hills, Oregon. Winemaker Jacques Tardy. Torii Mor is translated as Earth's Gate.
"Through this Torii Mor, this earth gate, we step, to make glad the soul with the wine."
This Pinot has the flexibility to pair well with a wide varity of foods and I would especially recommend pairing with tappas, goat cheese and salmon. The flavors in the wine are that of barrel toast and cocoa with aromas of boysenberry and dark cherry. Sells for around $29 a bottle.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Syrah, also know as Shiraz, Hermitage and Marsanne Noir
Originally from the Rhone area in France
While Syrah is only Washington States 5th most widely planted grape, it is rapidly approaching the signature wine in the state. The possibility of Washington State as the premier grower of Syrah in America may soon be a reality.
Popularity for this vatietal has expolded and Washington has seen double digit increases in sales over the past few years years. California still leads over Washington in production in the United States.
Washington State Syrah ripens well in eastern Washington's long, hot growing season, and the vines thrive in its rocky soils, which are similiar to the Rhône region.
When pairing foods with a wine that requires a robust, spicy, heavy character consider Syrah as a great choice.
Watch out Australia. You can call it Shiraz in your country, but we call it kick-butt production of Syrah of the finest quality here in Washington.
Looking That Special Northwest Boutique Wine?
Check out Northwest Wine Quest at http://www.northwestwinequest.com/
Check out Northwest Wine Quest at http://www.northwestwinequest.com/
Lynnell's Top Picks for Wines 2008
Special Wines
Gorman “Bully” 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon (Top Pick for 2008 Tasting) Woodinville, WA Red Mountain, AVA Winemaker: Chris Goreman
Yakima River 2001 Merlot – Prosser, WA, Yakima Valley AVA, Winemaker John Rauner
Vidon Vineyard 2006 Pinot Noir Chehalem Mtn. AVA Willamette Valley, OR. Winemaker Don Hagge
Benagas Lynch 2002 Meritage – Benegas Family, Mendoza, Argentina
Col Solare – 2004 Red Wine, Columbia Valley,WA. A celebration between Tuscany’s Marchesi Antinori and Washington State’s Chateau Ste. Michelle
Sterling Vineyards 2004 Diamond Mtn. Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 St. Helena Napa, CA
Longevity- JM Cellars 2005 – 100% Merlot. Magnum only.
Woodinville, WA, Columbia Valley AVA
Great Value Wines
Sterling Vineyards 2005 North Coast Zinfandel Napa Valley, CA
De Beaumont Cellars 2007 VSR White Meritage – Sonoma, CA
Alamos Vineyards 2007 Torrontes, The Wines of Catena, Salta, Argentina. This is Argentina’s signature white grape.
Signorello Vineyards 2006 Zinfandel, Luvisi Vineyard, Napa, CA
Special Wines
Gorman “Bully” 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon (Top Pick for 2008 Tasting) Woodinville, WA Red Mountain, AVA Winemaker: Chris Goreman
Yakima River 2001 Merlot – Prosser, WA, Yakima Valley AVA, Winemaker John Rauner
Vidon Vineyard 2006 Pinot Noir Chehalem Mtn. AVA Willamette Valley, OR. Winemaker Don Hagge
Benagas Lynch 2002 Meritage – Benegas Family, Mendoza, Argentina
Col Solare – 2004 Red Wine, Columbia Valley,WA. A celebration between Tuscany’s Marchesi Antinori and Washington State’s Chateau Ste. Michelle
Sterling Vineyards 2004 Diamond Mtn. Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 St. Helena Napa, CA
Longevity- JM Cellars 2005 – 100% Merlot. Magnum only.
Woodinville, WA, Columbia Valley AVA
Great Value Wines
Sterling Vineyards 2005 North Coast Zinfandel Napa Valley, CA
De Beaumont Cellars 2007 VSR White Meritage – Sonoma, CA
Alamos Vineyards 2007 Torrontes, The Wines of Catena, Salta, Argentina. This is Argentina’s signature white grape.
Signorello Vineyards 2006 Zinfandel, Luvisi Vineyard, Napa, CA
Zinfandel in Culver, Oregon?
You got it! Produced in Oregon from Zinfandel grapes mainly from Mendocino, California. Maragas Winery, Doug Maragas winemaker, Culver City, OR. And to top if off, Maragas 2005 "Legal Zin" takes a Gold Medal in the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. Great wine Doug! Congrats!
You got it! Produced in Oregon from Zinfandel grapes mainly from Mendocino, California. Maragas Winery, Doug Maragas winemaker, Culver City, OR. And to top if off, Maragas 2005 "Legal Zin" takes a Gold Medal in the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. Great wine Doug! Congrats!
Northwest Wine Trivia Quiz (First Edition)
By Lynnell Morgan
1. Oregon’s most dominant grape variety is _______________________________________
2. Cabernet Sauvignon is a Bordeaux grape. T F
3. The prized grape growing region of Red Mountain is located in: Washington or Oregon
4. The late David Lett was known as Papa Pinot in which valley ?_______________________
5. AVA’s are wine growing region in the Northwest. AVA stands for? ____________________
6. Vineyards on the east side of Washington’s Cascade Mountains comprise 99% of Washington’s wine grapes T F
7. What state ranks 2nd to California in wine production in the US? ____________________
8. Horse Heaven Hills is an AVA is which state? _____________________________________
9. A clone is essentially a subdivision of a varietal grape. T F
10. In the Northwest the white Pinot grape is known as _______________________________
11. The Columbia Gorge AVA lies in both Oregon and Washington. T F
12. There are many Northwest Boutique wineries located near the towns of Newberg and Dundee. Which state are these two towns located in? ______________________________
13. The number of wineries in Oregon has doubled in the last decade. T F
14. Last year a new AVA received federal approval- the Snake River AVA. Most of this AVA
is located in which state? _________________
15. The Okanagan Valley and Similkameen Valley growing regions are located where? _______
16. The number of wineries in British Columbia in 2009 are approx. (choose one) 170 110
17. The top red grape of British Columbia (by acreage planted) is Malbac T or F
18. Snipes Mountain AVA became official on Feb 20, 2009 and is located in which state? ______
19. The largest AVA is Washington State is the Columbia Valley AVA T or F
20. The top white grape of British Columbia (by acreage planted) is Chardonnay T or F
By Lynnell Morgan
1. Oregon’s most dominant grape variety is _______________________________________
2. Cabernet Sauvignon is a Bordeaux grape. T F
3. The prized grape growing region of Red Mountain is located in: Washington or Oregon
4. The late David Lett was known as Papa Pinot in which valley ?_______________________
5. AVA’s are wine growing region in the Northwest. AVA stands for? ____________________
6. Vineyards on the east side of Washington’s Cascade Mountains comprise 99% of Washington’s wine grapes T F
7. What state ranks 2nd to California in wine production in the US? ____________________
8. Horse Heaven Hills is an AVA is which state? _____________________________________
9. A clone is essentially a subdivision of a varietal grape. T F
10. In the Northwest the white Pinot grape is known as _______________________________
11. The Columbia Gorge AVA lies in both Oregon and Washington. T F
12. There are many Northwest Boutique wineries located near the towns of Newberg and Dundee. Which state are these two towns located in? ______________________________
13. The number of wineries in Oregon has doubled in the last decade. T F
14. Last year a new AVA received federal approval- the Snake River AVA. Most of this AVA
is located in which state? _________________
15. The Okanagan Valley and Similkameen Valley growing regions are located where? _______
16. The number of wineries in British Columbia in 2009 are approx. (choose one) 170 110
17. The top red grape of British Columbia (by acreage planted) is Malbac T or F
18. Snipes Mountain AVA became official on Feb 20, 2009 and is located in which state? ______
19. The largest AVA is Washington State is the Columbia Valley AVA T or F
20. The top white grape of British Columbia (by acreage planted) is Chardonnay T or F
Check out by blog next week for the answers to this quiz and to view the 2nd Edition of NW Wine Trivia Quiz.
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