Happy November! Thanksgiving is around the corner, which means that you are likely busy planning holiday menus and wondering what wines should grace your table.
For the past several years, I have had the great pleasure of having at least one bottle of Merry Edwards wines paired with my Thanksgiving meal (see especially this post). In fact, I am very grateful to have been able to sample these wines since 2020. They have been a bright spot in what has been a challenging period for us all.
This year (thankfully) is no exception. Yet, rather than wait to taste my final bottle to share my tasting notes with you, I wanted to post this now to encourage you to take advantage of this special offering to ensure that you, too, can enjoy a bottle (or more) of Merry Edwards as part of your festivities.
The folks at Merry Edwards have curated a special Thanksgiving set of wines featuring one bottle each of: – 2020 Olivet Lane Chardonnay* – 2020 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir* – 2020 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir*
The wines also include a wooden etched logo box, making it a very gift-worthy option.
Note: There are a limited number of Thanksgiving Sets available, so don’t delay if you feel the pull. Plus, the shipping deadline for guaranteed Thanksgiving delivery is: Friday, November 11th. –>To purchase, visit their website or call the winery at: 888-388-9050.
Of course, any of the Merry Edward wines would be a great addition to your table now and throughout the year and are perfect gifting wines as well.
*Tasting notes for the Pinot Noirs are included below as is my tasting note for a previous vintage of the Olivet Lane Chardonnay.
TASTING NOTES
Merry Edwards 2019 Olivet Lane Chardonnay, Russian River Valley (CA), USA, $68.00 Aromas of butter and smoke greet the nose and persist on the elegant palate, with apple and citrus flavors, good acidity, medium+ body and very long length. NB: The offer above includes the 2020 vintage; this note is for the 2019 vintage.
Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Russian River Valley (CA), USA, $45.00 This continues to be a favorite Sauvignon Blanc of mine. The wine is fresh, with a pronounced nose of ripe citrus and tropical fruit aromas. The palate is dry, with ripe citrus fruit on the attack, bright acidity, medium+ body, and long length. Overall, it is mouth filling and delicious.
Merry Edwards Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2020, Sonoma County (CA), USA, $48.00 From the larger Sonoma Coast AVA, this wine is sourced from grapes that are grown in the cool, coastal climate. The nose and palate are redolent of fresh and dried herbs, with dark cherry aromas and flavors. It is dry, with medium+ acidity, medium body, soft, ripe tannins, culminating in long length.
Merry Edwards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2020, Russian River Valley (CA), USA, $58.00 From Sonoma’s Russian River Valley, which is situated further inland, these vineyards are warmer than the coast, but still influenced by the fog, maintaining good acidity levels and freshness in the grapes. Concentrated, with ripe, dark cherry fruit, and notes of earth, pomegranate, and a hint of coffee. The wine is layered and complex, with bright acidity and nice length on the palate.
Merry Edwards Meredith Estate Pinot Noir 2020, Russian River Valley (CA), USA, $80.00 Selfishly, I am going to save this to enjoy for Thanksgiving 2022 and will include my tasting note after the holiday.
However, here is my note from the 2018 vintage of this same wine:
Merry Edwards MEREDITH ESTATE PINOT NOIR 2018, Russian River Valley (CA), USA, $72.00 With 20 planted acres, the Meredith Estate vineyard is one of the larger single-vineyard productions from Merry Edwards. This abandoned apple orchard in the Sebastopol Hills was purchased by Merry in 1996 and planted to Pinot in 1998. They practice sustainable agriculture, with the use of cover crops and other earth-friendly farming approaches. Red and black cherries feature prominently on the nose, with cherry and berry fruit, along with notes of wet leaves and an herbal undercurrent. The dry palate provides a decidedly savory note, with medium+ body, high acidity and very long length.
Nestled in the south of France between the French Riviera and the region of Roussillon, the wines of Languedoc are impressive as well as both food and wallet friendly. If these are not on your radar, they should be given their diversity and sheer delight!
I recently had the pleasure of tasting through a selection of Languedoc wines in a guided tasting with Master Sommelier and owner of Corkbuzz, Laura Maniac. Each wine was beautifully (and deliciously) paired with a small bite, underscoring the ease with which these wines pair with a wide range of cuisine. After our time with Laura, we were led on a brief culinary tour of the Chelsea Market, becoming familiar with other vendors in the venue and the opportunity to sample a few more glasses of Languedoc.
Languedoc’s sunny, Mediterranean climate is tempered with cooling breezes and warm winds, which results in ripe fruit that retains its bright acidity. Thanks to the area’s dry nature, the region has one of the largest organic productions in France with over 30% of producers practicing organic viticulture; another 27% are in progress of converting from conventional practices. In fact, Languedoc launched the world’s first all organic expo — Millesime Bio — in 1993. Additionally, many producers are embracing biodynamics as well. And, with a strong research emphasis on viticulture, centered at L’INRA in Montpellier, the region is well equipped to handle climate change. Moreover, today, the area is home to a quiet revolution as winemakers from elsewhere in France are feeling the pull to make high quality wine within its borders.
Yet, Languedoc is not part of some passing fad. The region boasts 2500 years of wine making history and also lays claim to the discovery of fortification (thanks to Arnaud de Villeneuve in 1285) and sparkling wine production (in 1544 with the creation of Blanquette de Limoux).
The 90,000+ acres of vineyards are planted to 26 different grape varieties, with the majority (59%) of wine production given over to red wine. The balance is equally split among rosé and white wines. Within the vast acreage, there are 20 different appellations within Languedoc, but producers can also choose to bottle their wine under the broader Languedoc AOP. Regardless of the appellation, the wines coming from the region include everyday, inexpensive options, but also collectibles that are showing that this is a region capable of producing at the very top levels.
During the Languedoc event, the wines were custom paired by Chef Yovet Calvario of Corkbuzz; David Seigal, Culinary Director of Lobster Place; and Pablo Lopez, Chef Charcutier of Dickson’s Farmstand Meats.
We started off the tasting with a lusciously aged white wine served with lemon butter shrimp, matching the decadent and rich nature of both the wine and the food. The next bite was arancini with mushrooms, which paired well with a fresh, fruity red. Ricotta crostini (using Laura’s grandmother’s recipe for homemade ricotta) showed spectacularly with a more robust red. The next set of reds went well with an eggplant caponata dish, meatballs in a tomato sauce and chimichurri steak.
At Lobster Place, which has been in business for 45 years, we enjoyed raw oysters and grilled shrimp, coupled with a fresh white and a fruit-forward rosé, respectively. Then, at Dickson’s, we had the pleasure of seeing how the range of charcuterie brought out the flavors of the wine — a pale rosé and an intense red.
TASTING NOTES
CORKBUZZ Domaine Les Aurelles, Aurel Blanc 2013, Languedoc, France, $80.00 There are two ex-Bordeaux winemakers behind this wine, which is produced from 100% Roussanne and provides a perfect example of an age-worthy white from this region. Aromas of hazelnut, beeswax and pineapple greet the nose and persist on the dry palate. It is ripe and rich, with good acidity and notes of honey in the long finish.
Cave de Roquebrun, Chemin des Olivettes 2020, Languedoc, France, $13.00 Established in 1967, the Cave de Roquebrun co-op represents 70 winegrowers. This wine brings together 45% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre and 10% Cinsault and displays lots of fresh, red fruit with garrigue/dried herbs, with lavender and pepper especially in finish.
Domaine d’Aupilhac, Lou Maset 2019, Languedoc, France, $23.00 Named for an old, stone hut found in the vineyards of this biodynamic producer, the Lou Maset is intense and angular with fresh, lifted black fruit. A blend of 40% Grenache, 40% Cinsault, 10% Carignan, 5% Syrah, and 5% Alicante Bouchet, it is quite tannic, with lingering notes of dried orange peel, pepper and herbs.
Jeff Carrel, Les Darons 2019, Languedoc, $15.00 Named “Les Darons” which is an affectionate term used in Parisian suburbs for one’s parents, this is a blend of 75% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 5% Carignan. It is lush with red and black fruit, woody notes, good, ripe tannins, lots of spice and full body, culminating in long length.
Devois de Perret, Cellier du Pic 2020, Languedoc, France, $14.00 Primarily Syrah, with 25% Grenache, this wine offers up complex aromas of smoke, leather, and dark red cherry. The medium+-bodied palate is fresh with good fruit character and long length.
Château La Negly, Clos des Truffiers 2018, Languedoc, France, $200.00 Originally called Ancely, Château La Negly dates to 1781. Consequently, this wine is produced from some of oldest vines in the region. Bringing together 80% Syrah and 20% Grenache, this is a stunning wine with layers of aromas and flavors. It is very oak dominant, with spice, dill, earth, leather, blackberry, cherries, floral and minerality as well as being rich in texture and tannin, culminating in long length.
LOBSTER PLACE Château de Lascaux, Garrigue 2021, Languedoc, France, $20.00 This white blend (35% Vermentino, 20% Roussanne, 15% White Grenache, 15% Clairette, 10% Marsanne, and 5% Viognier) offers up fresh fruit and lively acidity with aromas and flavors of unsweetened limeade and tropical fruit with a lovely texture. It paired extremely well with Avelon oysters from Maine.
Gerard Bertrand, Source of Joy 2020, Languedoc, France, $20.00 This organic rosé had a portion of its wine matured in oak barrels, giving it depth and structure on the palate. It shows lots of fresh floral and strawberry notes, with long length.
DICKSON’s FARMSTAND MEATS Domaine du Pas de l’Escalette, Ze Rozé 2020, Languedoc, France, $13.00 This is a much paler, lighter-bodied rosé, which is the result of a direct press and gentle extraction. With barely any color, it resembles a white more than a rosé, especially with its high acidity, but its berry aromas and flavors belie its true identity as a rosé.
Domaine de Nizas, Le Clos 2018, Languedoc Pézenas, France, $21.00 Half of this Syrah blend (60% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre and 5% Carignan) spent time in three-year-old French oak barrels. Displaying lots of character and finesse, it is fresh yet tannic, with red fruit and spice, with long length.
Looking for a new (to you) white wine? While certainly not new – grapes have been grown in the region since 972 CE and specific mention of it dates to 1782 – Gavi is perhaps less well known, but definitely worth getting to know. In fact, at a recent seminar, “The Hidden Depths of Gavi: Ageing Potential of Piemonte’s Great White “, moderator Walter Speller suggested that Gavi can “play at the level of Chablis.”
Produced from 100% Cortese grapes, the wine hails from southeast Piedmont, Italy (the same region known for Barolo and Barbaresco as well as Moscato d’Asti). This high-quality wine benefits from the continental climate where it can fully ripen in the hot, sunny summers, yet maintain bright acidity thanks to the coastal marin wind.
This great grape can be produced in several different styles, all while keeping within the rules and regulations of the Gavi Consorzio: Still (which represents 99% of all production); Semi-Sparkling (Metodo Classico, with six months aging on the lees); Fully Sparkling; and Riserva. In addition to adhering to lower yields, these latter wines must be aged for one year, with at least six months of that spent in the bottle.
Established as an official denomination in 1974, Gavi was promoted to DOCG in 1998. Yet, more historically, Gavi played an important role in trade. First firmly rooted in the Roman empire, the area was home to Libarna, which was founded in 2nd century BCE as an agricultural and viticultural city. Later, it became crucial to the Republic of Genoa, which served as a defense post and was instrumental in the salt route. The Genovese needed a wine that could be shipped from place to place and being due north of Genoa in the Alessandria province, Gavi became that wine.
More critical than its geographical proximity, Gavi was an especially good choice thanks to its stability. As a white wine with far less polyphenols – especially catechins – than others, it could be shipped to other areas without fear of damage to the wine.
Today, there are 1600 hectares cultivated within the Gavi borders, accounting for 60% of all Cortese planted within Italy. The vines are dispersed among 11 municipalities in the foothills of the Po Valley, some of which are designated as crus. There has also been an increasing focus on single vineyards as the producers seek to better understand their terroir. In this regard, they recently completed a comprehensive map of the territory.
Additionally, sustainable practices have been embraced by the Consorzio with an aim toward promoting organic viticulture and preventing erosion. This commitment has been further reinforced by its 2018 initiative, which monitors bee pollen to measure whether sustainable viticulture is actually being practiced in the region.
Within the area, Cortese thrives on the combination of red clays, white soils, with marl and sandstone, which display as minerality in the wines. In general, these are fresh, elegant white wines, known less for fruit and more for their floral, nut (almond) and mineral characteristics. Most of the wines are fermented in stainless steel, but a few producers do use wood and there has been an emphasis on indigenous yeasts since 2015.
Although the majority of white wines are meant to be enjoyed in their youth, Cortese is a grape that can sustain the test of time. In particular, thanks to the same chemical components that make them stable for shipment, these are wines that can develop beautifully with eight to ten years of age, yet still retain vibrant acidity. As evidence, the wines tasted at the above referenced seminar hailed from vintages 2013-2019 and all showed quite well.
VINTAGE CHART
2021 – 5.0 stars
2020 – 4.5 stars
2019 – 4.5 stars
2018 – 4.5 stars
2017 – 4.0 stars
2016 – 5.0 stars
2015 – 5.0 stars
TASTING NOTES
La Raia Vigna della Madonnina 2019 Gavi DOCG Riserva Acquired by Giorgio Rossi Cairo and his family in 2003, La Raia is an organic and biodynamic property, with Demeter certification. Aged in stainless steel, with one year lees aging, this fresh wine displays apple, slight citrus and mineral notes, with high acidity, medium to full body and long length.
Tenuta La Giustiana Montessora 2018 Gavi DOCG del Comune di Gavi Founded in 1250, Tenuta La Giustiana is one of the oldest and historic estates. Montessora is a single vineyard. This is beautiful wine with wet stone, lanolin, orange peel aromas. It is dry, with medium+ acidity, medium+ body, along with depth and richness and a hint of chalk in the finish, with long length.
Morgassi Superiore Volo 2018 Gavi DOCG del Comune di Gavi Established in 1993, this small estate is family run, currently under the direction of sisters Marina and Cecilia Piacitelli. The wine is very tart, with lemon and mineral aromas and flavors, along with medium+ body, high acidity and good length.
La Mesma Vigna della Rovere Verde 2016 Gavi DOCG Riserva Also a family affair, La Mesma is run by the Rosina sisters: Paola, Francesca and Anna. Notes of pear and apple greet the nose. The palate is dry, with full body, slight tidal pool notes and minerality, culminating in long length.
Tenuta San Pietro in Tassarolo Il Mnadorlo 2015 Gavi DOCG del Comune di Tassarolo Named for the Benedictine convent that was located on the property in the 11th century, Tenuta San Pietro, the estate was purchased in 2002 by Corrado Alota, a Milanese entrepreneur. Hailing from a warmer vintage and with seven years of age on it, this wine displayed beautiful development with almond and caramel aromas. On the palate, it is rich and concentrated, with medium acidity, full body, and notes of peaches, beeswax, petrol and hazelnuts.
Villa Sparina Monterotondo 2014 Gavi DOCG del Comune di Gavi Winner of Wine Enthusiast’s European Winery of the Year for 2021, Villa Sparina has been producing Gavi since 1970. With grapes sourced from their cru, Monterotondo, this wine is intense, with a rich nose redolent of pear and showing some development. It is full bodied, with slight hints of woodiness, peaches and long length.
Bergaglio Nicola Minaia 2014 Gavi DOCG del Comune di Gavi This estate has been making wine since 1945 and is run by the son and grandson of founder: Jean-Luigi and Diego Bergalo. Sourced from grapes grown on the hilly Minaia site, situated directly behind the family cellar, the wine offers up honey, floral and lemon aromas and flavors with medium acidity, medium body and long length.
Broglia Bruno Broglia 2013 Gavi DOCG del Comune di Gavi The Bruno Broglia acquired his historic estate – La Meirana – in 1972, which is now managed by his sons, Gian Piero and Paolo. With a commitment to modern technology, it was the first estate to collaborate on clonal research related to the Cortese grape and it continues to conduct other studies in concert with local universities. Despite being nearly a decade old, this wine is surprisingly fresh. It provides notes of citrus and mineral, with an undercurrent of anise, with good acidity, medium body and long length.
As previously reported, Washington wine is hot right now and deservedly so. If you are familiar with Washington wine, it is most likely in the guise of industry leader, Chateau Ste. Michelle, which was a pioneer in the state in the early 1970s, but has since grown to become “the nation’s third largest wine company”. Additionally, “the company accounts for about 60% of all Washington wine sales, by volume.”*
However, it’s important to recognize that 90% of the more than 1,000 wineries in the state produce less than 5,000 cases annually. These relatively small producers are no less important or innovative and, in fact, likely more so, as their size enables them to be nimble and experimental. And, as I like to think of them, they are mavericks in the truest sense of the word – finding their way in a challenging, yet creative, industry, crafting quality wines that appeal to their palate as well as those of their customers.
Mav·er·ick (n.): An unorthodox or independent-minded person
In the words of “Law & Order”, these are their stories…
Bledsoe Family: Dream Job x Two Most people are lucky if they get to have one dream job in their lifetime, let alone two, yet Drew Bledsoe is a very lucky person. After a successful career in the NFL, Drew and his wife, Maura, returned to his roots and found land in his hometown with the aim of growing an estate vineyard. He then recruited “winemaking wunderkind” Josh McDaniels and began making wine as Bledsoe Family Winery. Eager to make his mark and assert his passion despite his lack of experience as a winemaker, Drew found an open ear in Josh and the two jointly collaborated on their Doubleback wine, which garnered top ratings nearly immediately.
Browne Family Vineyards: The Spy Who Loved Wine Browne Family Vineyards was inspired and named for William Bitner Browne, the late grandfather of proprietor Andrew Browne. Bitner Browne served as a spy during World War II and the Browne Family Vineyards Spymaster series of Cabernet Sauvignon wines follow his story, which include: The Farm, London is Calling, Liberation of Paris, The Continent and Homecoming. Plus, how can you resist a wine called Do Epic Shit? Adding to their locations in Walla Walla, Tacoma and Seattle, a fourth tasting room will open in Bellevue in Fall 2022.
DeLille Cellars: Always Wine on the Mind Founded in 1992, DeLille Cellars is the third oldest operating winery in Woodinville, WA and is known for pioneering Bordeaux-style blends from Washington State. In 2019, it moved into a large facility previously occupied by Redhook Brewery, which it thoroughly renovated to exacting standards.
Jason Gorski, Director of Winemaking and Viticulture, has been with DeLille for 11 years and was quick to say that, “I could make wine in Napa Valley, but why would I?” He further added that Washington wine is “the best domestic value since ever.” With over a decade of tenure at the winery, Jason has developed a strong reputation and a high level of trust that extends both within the company and externally. In this regard, there is often an informal nature to collaborations. For example, there is no actual contract with Harrison Hill Vineyard; it’s simply a handshake, but the length of that relationship endures and paperwork is not necessary. Similarly, Jason gets to create smaller batch wines especially for the wine club that permit him to stretch his creativity, experiment with new varieties, test out new vineyards or simply explore new ideas. He does admit that the blessing and the curse is when these small batch productions take off and make it challenging to scale. Yet it continues to be his modus operandi. Among these transformations is his Four Flags Cabernet. Additionally, he has significant latitude to explore outside the Bordeaux box. Case in point, his Riesling.
Clearly he enjoys the challenge of creating new and exciting wines on a regular basis. In fact, Jason jokes with his wife not to ask him about what he’s thinking because, as he notes, in reality he’s always thinking about wine.
Goings on at Goose Ridge With roots in the cattle and orchard industries, the 2200-acre, Goose Ridge estate has been in the Monson family since the early 1900s. After meeting wine consultant, Dr. Walter Clore, Arvid Monson developed a passion for growing wine, shifting the family’s focus from cows and apples to grapes. Consequently, their vineyards were planted in 1998, with its first contract already in place before the soil was tilled – that’s how much potential Chateau Ste. Michelle saw in their land.
Today, they grow 16 varieties, maintain four tasting rooms, and continue to seek out new and innovative projects to expand their offerings. In this vein, they are producing cider from their orchards and recently made vodka from their Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, becoming the only winery in the state with its own distillery. Distilled 24 times, VIDO Vodka is flavorful and has no burn; a gin is coming soon. Other innovations include the use of unconventional packaging such as their still and sparkling canned wines under the Cascadian Outfitters brand and the use of fun and eye-catching designs. Each year, they commission local artists to create new labels for their Wine Club Artist Series.
If all of this wasn’t enough to keep them busy, they helped establish a brand-new American Viticultural Area (AVA), which became official as of July 2021: Goose Gap AVA. This new AVA was essentially superimposed on their property and was established based on the wind conditions and soil type. Here, the temperature is cooler, and the elevation is higher, than the neighboring Red Mountain AVA. despite the proximity; hence the need for this new AVA. They are excited to begin using the new name on their labeling.
Gorman Winery: From Music Maker to Wine Maker Originally from Sunrise, FL, Chris Gorman attended college in Bellingham, WA and aspired to be a musician. Like many aspiring artists, he had to find a day job while he waited to make it big in the industry. In his case, he chose to sell wine and even began making wine as a hobby. He had friends who had wineries and they would do projects together. But, as he jokes, somewhere along the way he became too big for his britches and eventually needed to become legal given the volumes he was creating. Thus Gorman Winery was founded.
In his early stages, Chris was “too cool for school” and did not want to be reviewed by wine critics. But, of course he was and received good scores, ultimately ensuring his success as a winemaker. Today, music is still a passion, but wine is no longer a hobby; it’s his fulltime vocation, yet clearly still a labor of love. Moreover, he is entirely self-taught and considers himself still learning.
Among the wines we tasted with him is Luanne. I asked if this was the name of a former girlfriend, but instead Luanne pays tribute to the wife of Dick Bouchey, a well-regarded, local grower, since Luanne picked the grapes that went into this white Rhone blend. In 2012, he set out to be the (self-proclaimed) Chardonnay King and presently makes six Chardonnays, which he refers to as the tofu of grapes. Big Sissy Chardonnay got its name because, according to Chris, “It is malleable, and you can beat it up.” Perhaps the culprit was his The Bully Cabernet Sauvignon? Most of the Chardonnays are produced under his Ashan Cellars label, which is the Hebrew word for smoky.
Beyond his other passions, Chris loves to cook and is happy to make dishes that take three hours to prepare.
Gramercy Cellars: Have a Dream, Will Travel “A Manhattan-based sommelier tastes some Washington State wines and is so inspired, he sells everything to move across the country to make his own.” If that’s not the opening to a maverick’s story, I don’t know what is. That Manhattan-based somm was Greg Harrington, who moved to Walla Walla in 2005 to focus on “old-world-meets-new Rhône and Bordeaux varietals” and established Gramercy Cellars (yes, that is an ode to New York City’s Gramercy Park). And while the story isn’t over yet, by 2014 he had been named Seattle Magazine’s Winemaker of the Year.
Among his latest ventures is Four Eleven, a wine bar and retail store in collaboration with Josh McDaniels of Bledsoe Family Wines. The two share the philosophy of not wanting to push boundaries with their wines. Rather, they want to maintain freshness and, to this end, they use less new wood and focus on whole cluster fermentation. In tasting his wines, this aim has been realized. Moreover, his Rhone Valley influence is evident in his Viognier, which he refers to as the gateway drug to his reds with its viscous texture, tropical fruit character and full body.
L’Ecole 41: Semillon’s Savior I’ve written about L’Ecole 41 previously, but it was with no less enthusiasm that I looked forward to becoming reacquainted with this winery and its wines on our trip. We met up at Walla Walla Steak Co. for a tasting with L’Ecole 41. No other winery is committed to the Semillon grape variety than L’Ecole 41 and in this regard, it was truly a pleasure to taste their age-worthy 2021 Luminiesce, a 70% Semillon/30% Sauvignon Blanc blend, with fruit sourced from the Seven Hills Vineyard. The 2019 Estate Merlot offered up beautiful plush and lush fruit. Yet, for all of their acclaim, in the end, owner Marty Clubb says we just make wines to drink and and that are well priced. L’Ecole 41 opened a new tasting room in Woodinville in early September 2022.
Patterson Cellars: In Close Collaboration with Community Launched in 2000, John Patterson founded Patterson Cellars with his father, Jack, who has been an instrumental part of the project, helping to support John both emotionally and financially. Today, Patterson produces 20,000 cases of wine utilizing Washington fruit from a variety of well-respected vineyards as well as the 14 acres he purchased in Walla Walla. In fact, John is known for his collaboration and community building, working closely with local growers as well as area wineries and collaborating with more than 40 in Woodinville alone.
Due to the significant growth, they are currently moving their production from Woodinville to Walla Walla since they’ve outgrown the space. This will also allow them to increase case production further. But, the Woodinville tasting room, which has been open since 2007, will continue to operate, along with the other four tasting rooms, including his newest one in downtown Seattle, which opened in 2018.
Here, the emphasis is on affordable prices and hospitality, the former of which is attributed to their good relationship with growers. With a burgeoning wine club of 2,000 members (and growing), they seek to curate high end food and wine experiences and have been working with local restaurants, chocolate and charcuterie partners and have developed a Late Harvest Roussanne gelato with Seattle’s Gelatiamo. In addition, they offer virtual classes. As additional evidence of the community they are building, Heidi West, their Director of Sales & Operations, is a former club member who became so enamored with the wines and the company that she completely changed careers and began working for them, eventually becoming a partner.
Rocky Pond Estate Winery: Getting a Label of the Land Owned by David and Michelle Dufenhorst, Rocky Pond Winery is situated on Lake Chelan and the Columbia River, directly three hours east of Woodinville in what is considered the northern tip of Washington wine. Their winery and two of their vineyards are situated within the latest AVA: Rocky Reach, which was designated in 2022 as Washington’s 20th American Viticultural Area. The Dufenhorsts hired Kevin Pogue, Professor of Geology at Whitman College to help write the petition for the new AVA to help delineate the unique characteristics of the area, which previously fell solely under the much larger Columbia Valley AVA.
In particular, the soils are significantly different with cobblestones and boulders; in fact, they found a 60-foot sized rock in one of the vineyards. These large stones are accompanied by quartz and mica, over a predominantly granitic bedrock, a feature it shares only with Lake Chelan. With lower elevations, and a resulting warmer climate and long growing season, the area is particularly lauded for its Cabernet Sauvignon, although the Rocky Pond grows over 20 different grape varieties.
The family’s further emphasis on their property is reflected in their participation in the Sustainable Washington’s pilot program (now an official certification program), which has been focused on seeing the bigger picture and making sure that everything is sustainable from the very start, not just with regard to the environment, but also with regard to elements such as the economy and safety training. Moreover, they have been able to recruit top talent to the winery, bringing on Elizabeth Keyser from Napa’s HALL Family Wines as well as make important investments in technology such as a recently acquired optical sorter. Adding to these enhancements, they will be opening up a boutique hotel and spa on their property in the near future.
Most recently, Rocky Pond opened a tasting room in Woodinville near Wine Alley. Like many of the tasting rooms they are very serious about hospitality and food and maintain two chefs on staff.
Sparkman Cellars: Damn Fine Wine Founded by Chris Sparkman and his wife, Kelly, a former wildlife biologist, Sparkman Cellars was launched in 2004 with the mantra, “Family. Good Livin’. Damn Fine Wine.” During our visit, we met up with Linn Scott, Sparkman’s Vice President and Winemaker at Walla Walla Steak Co. to taste a selection of foods from the new steakhouse menu as well as several of the Sparkman wines. While Linn advised that, “We make a lot of Cabernet Sauvignon,” interestingly, we tasted Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache and Malbec; not a Cabernet in sight on this particular occasion.
In this regard, the tasting underscored his other point: “Our weaknesses are our strengths, with Washington wine having such a diverse portfolio and no signature grape on which to hang its hat.” In perusing their website, they do have five Cabernet Sauvignons, but they are clearly willing to experiment and take risks. For example, the Preposterous Malbec was launched in 2009 as “a complete shot in the dark.” Yet the gamble paid off in spades: Their receipt of 94 points from Wine Spectator on the 2010 vintage “is still the highest scoring Malbec in Washington State history.” Some might say that’s simply preposterous 😉.
Time and Direction: Taking Direction of One’s Life Originally from Wisconsin, Steve Wells later settled in New York City (and coincidentally briefly lived on the same street as I do) under the tutelage of Master Sommelier, Laura Maniec (now Fiorvanti), at Blue Water Grill and Blue Fin restaurants. There, he developed a true love of wine and service. When he traveled to Washington state as part of the Washington Wine Commission‘s Road Trip Washington Wine in 2008, it was love at first taste. By 2011, he had convinced his wife and kids to make the move and they landed in Walla Walla where he began working in the tasting room at Gramercy Cellars (very fitting given the similarity in their origin stories).
After two years at Gramercy, he had the opportunity to pursue an Associate’s Degree at the Center for Enology and Viticulture at Walla Walla Community College, while also working with Aryn Morell, as a production assistant at M&L Production. In 2016, he launched his own brand, Time and Direction, taking its name from the distinctive tattoos that run the length of each of his arms that mark momentous moments in his life.*
I was initially introduced to Steve through a chance encounter with his 2020 Space Pants Mourvèdre at the Auction of Washington Wines’ Winemaker Picnic. This intriguing label caught my eye and its delicious palate caught my attention further. I then had the pleasure of sitting with him at the Gala Dinner the next night (another coincidence). As a further reflection of his engaging personality, his 2021 ‘1.21 Gigawatts’ White Rhone Blend is a nod to “Back to the Future” and his self-appointed title is Director of Awesome.
*From his website: “The clock and the compass tattoos are of my own design and are full of symbolism and meaning for me. The hands on the clock point to 1:02, the time my daughter was born and the face has her initials and birth date written on it. The compass is a reference to my family and is the reason that I work as hard as I do. The letters on the points may look like directions but are actually our initials and the symbols in the middle are our astrological symbols.”
Despite being in Woodinville for only three days, which included three food-focused events in connection with Auction of Washington Wines, I also managed to enjoy meals (or at least light bites) at three of the area restaurants.
For a casual, yet delicious Italian lunch or dinner, check out Vivi Pizzeria, which is perfectly situated alongside both the Gorman and Patterson tasting rooms in the Hollywood Hills District of Woodinville. Vivi is owned by husband and wife team of Rick and Riesa Ragan, who met and fell in love while they both worked at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue. The pizza was yummy, but I especially appreciated the tip to try to fried artichokes, thanks to Carrie of the Pacific Northwest Wine Life & Style blog.
More upscale, yet still laid back is the brand-new Walla Walla Steak Co., which opened in Woodinville in late July. As I was advised by Executive Chef, Adam Reece, they focus on buying the freshest meat, limiting their purchase windows to certain times of the year. The restaurant is actually a connected restaurant concept with Walla Walla Steak Co. and Crossbuck Brewing each sharing the space, centered around a live-fire grill. The upstairs offers space for private events and group dining.
Finally, the date-night worthy The Lounge is a food porn dream. During the pandemic lockdown, DeLille Cellars did its best to remain solvent and busy by partnering with a local caterer with whom they previously worked. As a result, wine club members were able to drive up to the winery’s Woodinville location and depart with a delicious dinner and accompanying wines. It was a successful venture that they have since parlayed into a full-scale restaurant on site, which has quickly gained a well-deserved reputation. Managed by Executive Chef Michael C. Toni and Chef de Cuisine Taylor Kinnebrew, this gastronomic destination was recently named as the 4th best winery restaurant in the U.S. by USA TODAY.
Our multi-course lunch featured the following dishes:
5 spice yellowfin tuna with compressed watermelon macerated chilies citrus caviar ash farms micro pea shoots
Pork ragu al latte with fresh strozzopreti pasta lemon sage and pecorino
Cascadia Creamery Sleeping Beauty with house made bread crisps and fruit preserves
On a closing note, while we did not dine at the Woodinville Cut Shop, I did enjoy their signage and its nod to Tommy Tutone’s 1980s song. From their website: “The Woodinville Cut Shop is your neighborhood, good-timin’ roadhouse restaurant and lounge located on the Slough in Woodinville, WA. Open seating, order-at-the-bar kinda place. Burgers, sandwiches, salads, ribs, tacos, fries, local craft beers, and the rough stuff done right. Covered & heated outdoor seating, fire pit, big screen TVs and always kid-friendly until we’re definitely not.”
While many people are familiar with California wine, Washington wine might be a new discovery. Moreover, for those that do know that Washington State makes wine, they are likely thinking of damp, rainy Seattle. But, that’s not the real story. Rather, the majority of Washington grapes are grown east of the Cascade Mountains. What that means is that the cold, wet weather we associate with Seattle stays on the West Coast while the state’s interior provides desert-like conditions. In many cases, grape growing is made possible here due to irrigation. There is also a blend of wide, open land, mountains and hence, altitude, all of which impact the climate and growing conditions of these grapes.
Thanks to this climate, this is Cabernet and Syrah country, not Pinot Noir territory, which is a grape more appropriately correlated with Oregon. Consequently, while only three hours away from Seattle, Washington wine is truly a world away from one’s initial conception. Yet, as I recently discovered, there are many opportunities to become acquainted with these wines without having to travel too far.
Moreover, this is an exciting time for the state and its wines as it stands on a precipice for even further greatness. These are well made, balanced wines, representing good value, diversity and innovation. As I spent three days immersed in Washington wine, I grew more and more bullish about what is to come and treasured the interactions with the passionate people who are behind these amazing wines.
The Washington wine industry is definitely one to watch and I strongly recommend seeking these wines out if and when you have the opportunity. Admittedly, many of these wines never make it beyond the confines of the state, but if you find them at a retailer or restaurant near you, I highly encourage you to check them out.
Further, you can create an exciting, wine-oriented weekend (or longer) with visits to Woodinville or even Seattle, without the lengthier drive to the Columbia Valley and beyond.
Where to weekend: The Wonders of Woodinville
Situated 25 miles northeast of Seattle, Woodinville, WA was initially home to a logging industry which was then replaced by agriculture. Yet, today, none of that remains and, instead, the area has been thoroughly converted into the epicenter of Washington wine.
With its tagline, “Where Washington pours,” Woodinville is home to 120 wine tasting rooms representing 19 of 20 AVAs (American Viticultural Areas), 10 breweries and five distilleries. Sixty of those wineries actually produce wine in the Woodinville area while the remainder have their winemaking facilities elsewhere.
What makes Woodinville particularly unique is that it makes the wineries accessible to tourists who might be visiting Seattle for a short period of time such as on a business trip or before or after a cruise. This is a perfect foray into Washington wine with a plethora of tasting rooms and restaurants from which to choose. There is an incredible focus on hospitality and each tasting room has its own unique approach to serving guests, but all are excited to welcome you to taste their wines and enjoy the experience.
Woodinville got its start as a wine-centric town in 1976, when Chateau Ste Michelle established it’s beautiful French-style chateau winery building, vineyards and winemaking facilities there. It took some time for the area to catch on, but it is now in the midst of significant growth and expansion, yielding even more opportunities for people to learn about Washington wine and other state-centric products.
Within the town borders there are four main districts, each with its own personality and focus. Established about 15 years ago, the Warehouse District has become an incubator for up-and-coming producers and small batch productions. This is often a place for hobbyists to get their start. In contrast, the West Valley District has become more industrial and is home to the majority of distilleries and breweries.
Named for an old schoolhouse, which presently serves as the tasting room for Maryhill Winery, the Hollywood Hills District caters to tourism and will soon be home to a 22-acre project in development which will include a 128-room hotel called Somm, under Marriott’s Autograph Collection. The property will also include event space, dining facilities and a custom blending operation. This accommodation will join the existing boutique Willows Lodge, with its Barking Frog restaurant and luxury spa.
Most notably, the Downtown District has seen incredible investment in retail and residential real estate. In particular, the area has seen the building of 1,599 new housing units, including high-end apartments and single-family residences, which appeal to both retirees and young, tech folks. With close proximity to Redmond, Bellevue, Tacoma and Seattle (and thus the headquarters for Microsoft, Space X, Amazon, Costco and more), as well as skiing and other activities, there are many people interested in moving in. There are number of new tasting rooms here, too, such as the brand-new outpost for Rocky Pond Estate Winery.*
The job of shepherding and spearheading promotion of the area falls to Woodinville Wine Country and during my visit, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Adam Acampora, who joined the organization earlier this year as Executive Director. His background is both on target and unusual coming from Tennessee where he ran the state wine program there, not a place most frequently associated with wine. But he is well versed in wine, marketing and hospitality and is well poised to lead the renaissance well underway.
As new restaurants (such as the newly opened Walla Walla Steak Co.*), wineries (L’Ecole 41* coming soon) and hotels continue to make the move to Woodinville, the town will become an even bigger draw for residents and tourists alike. This is truly a wonderful, weekend getaway to immerse yourself in Washington wine.
Where to weekend: Seattle Sips
If you are more pressed for time or simply don’t want to leave the confines of Seattle proper, you still have tasting options. First and foremost, most Seattle-area restaurants feature Washington wines on their menus, both by the glass and bottle. In particular, check out Purple Café, with locations in both downtown Seattle and Woodinville.
The historic Pioneer Square area counts itself as Seattle’s first neighborhood, incorporated in 1869. The area is currently home to two tasting rooms: Four Eleven Wine and Browne Family Vineyards.
The Four Eleven Wine lounge is collaboration between Bledsoe Family Winery* and Gramercy Cellars*, both of the Walla Walla Valley, who looked to find a shared tasting room on the West side of Washington State. The result is Four Eleven Wine. Open daily, the space offers a traditional tasting room experience until 5:00pm and wine seminars on Tuesday evenings, along with a wine bar and full retail selection of local and international wine selections.
Two doors down, situated in the 1906 Sellar Building, designed by architect A. Warren Gould, Brown Family Vineyards* opened their Seattle tasting room in 2017. The winery was inspired and named for William Bitner Browne, the late grandfather of proprietor Andrew Browne. The tasting room offers various tasting flights and is also available for private parties and events.
Just steps from Pike Place Market, The Tasting Room offers a selection of wines from winemaker owned wineries in the state. On any given day, over 60 different wines are available to taste in flights (four one-ounce pours) or by the glass. Open daily, with live music on Friday nights.
And, if you didn’t get enough wine while in Woodinville or in town, there’s always a final hurrah at the airport. Located in the Central Terminal and open daily 12pm – 9pm, Vyne Washington Tasting Room exclusively serves Washington state wines and was awarded “Best New Food and Beverage” full-service concept by the Airports Council International – North America.
Where in the world is Washington wine? It’s at the top of its game and hopefully in your glass. Now you just have to start planning your weekends away!
*NB: More to come in a future story or stories on these wineries and restaurants.
Auction of Washington Wines returned this year for its 35th auction offering up three spectacular events all in support of a great cause. The non-profit organization works in close cooperation with the Washington Wine Commission and brings together the Seattle-area’s philanthropic community along with the Washington wine community, benefiting both. All told, at the end of the weekend, this year’s event secured $4 million dollars in support of Seattle Children’s Hospital, Washington State University’s Viticulture and Enology Program, and Vital Wines.
Coming after two years of the pandemic, people were especially keen to mix and mingle, sip and savor and truly celebrate. In this regard, a brand new event was added: Toast!. Emceed by Linda Chauncey who joked that the evening’s high turn-out was due to a rumor that Bob Betz would be speaking, the night was a veritable list of “Who’s Who in Washington Wine” equally dedicated to recognizing long-time leaders as well as members of the next generation.
Guests were greeted with video welcomes from Honorary Chairs Marvin R Shanken, Editor & Publisher, Wine Spectator and Marchese Piero Antinori, Honorary President of Marchesi Antinori, each representing early outside recognition of the region. On hand in person was Honorary Chair Renzo Cotarella, CEO Marchesi Antinori SpA. Antinori’s Col Solare, produced in partnership with Chateau Ste. Michelle in Washington’s Columbia Valley, has become synonymous with high quality wine since the 1990s.
Then, as the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Bob Betz, MW did indeed take the stage and was eager to relate the history of the state, noting how much progress has been made. In particular, the founder of Betz Family Winery pointed out that Washington State is presently the second largest wine producer in the US and now has a strong position on the global stage.
Betz further shared that, “Today we toss around 98-point Parker scores and AVA names as if it’s nothing, but that was simply unheard of 30 years ago.” In 1934, the area was known for Concord grapes (which are not particularly good for making wine). However, in that year, Dr Walter Clore, now known as the Father of Washington Wine, showed the potential of the Columbia Valley for vinifera grapevines (those most associated with the production of quality wine). While there were only 1200 acres of vinifera vines planted by the 1970s, today this figure stands at 60,000 acres, reflecting significant growth over the past 50 years.
The hero of our story is the Columbia Valley ~ Bob Betz, MW
Further attention was given to the area in 1967 when the well-regarded winemaker Andre Tchelistcheff came to Chateau Ste. Michelle to do proper site selection and also assist with better sanitation techniques, ultimately having an enormous influence on the quality and focus of their wines and the industry as a whole. Additional milestones included the opening of Chateau Ste. Michelle’s property in Woodinville in 1976; pioneers planting grapes in Walla Walla; the establishment of the Washington Wine Commission in 1987; international ventures such as that with the Antinori family; and reaching a count of 1,000 wineries in 2019. Together, these underscore the importance of Washington wine today.
In his closing remarks, Betz said, “The hero of our story is the Columbia Valley,” adding that, “There are no bounds on you,” admonishing his colleagues to do the work and tell our story through wine and the growers.
Coming to the stage a short while later, Honorary Grower, Kevin Corliss, of Ste. Michelle Estates was quick to share that he loves Concord grapes since they put him through college (his dad was a horticulturist at Welches), among his humorous remarks.
Other honorees from the evening included: – Honorary Vintner – John R. Bookwalter, J. Bookwalter Winery – Award of Distinction – Dick Boushey, Boushey Vineyards
What’s in your glass? If you answered Merlot or Chardonnay, you’re only half right. The truth is that wine is a product of grapes and place (and to a slightly lesser extent, people), so what’s in your glass also includes where the grapes were grown and how those who made the wine chose to interpret them.
When I taught consumer wine classes on a regular basis, I used to have my “Great Grape” series, which I affectionately referred to as “Same Grape, Different Neighborhood”. In each class, I guided the group through a selection of wines all produced from the same grape variety (i.e. Chardonnays or Merlots), but which had been grown in different places around the world. The intention was to familiarize them with the general characteristics of a given grape, while providing them with concrete evidence of how climate, soil and winemaking techniques ultimately impacted the finished wine.
So I was extremely excited when I received the unusual invitation to similarly compare and contrast wines from Italy’s Alto Adigewith those from Oregon’s Willamette Valley. I had written about Alto Adige previously, having attended various seminars and also having visited the region, but this was a unique look for sure. The seminar, held at Manhatta Restaurant, was moderated by Laura Williamson, MS and mostly presented by Martin Foradori Hofstatter from Tenuta J. Hofstatter. Davide Ungaro from Cantina Bolzano, Remy Drabkin of Remy Wines and David Adelsheim of Adelsheim Vineyards were also present to share about Willamette and its wines. Overall, the seminar itself was quite technical and, while interesting to the trade, the details of which are likely too mundane to share with the average wine consumer. Yet, it was a wonderful opportunity to use a unique lens to look at two fascinating and fabulous wine regions.
Ultimately, these two winegrowing regions have a lot in common, but, not surprisingly, produce different styles due to the differences underscored during the seminar such as climatic conditions (see chart below). In that vein, fans of one should definitely venture out and try the other. Moreover, they are both equally at home at the table and offer up diversity and a range of styles from which to choose. Love Pinot Grigio? Enjoy Alto Adige’s options tonight and Oregon’s tomorrow. No need to get stuck in a vinous rut.
At the end of the day, it’s all about high quality wines made by real people who are focused on understanding their land to craft the very best wines from it.
BY the NUMBERS… Comparing & Contrasting Top Grapes by Region
Remy Wines Fischerman’s Pinot Gris 2021, Yamhill-Carlton, OR From grapes sourced from the Walker Vineyard, on ungrafted vines, with notes of smoke, higher acidity, fresh, medium body, long length (lovely and fresh).
Cantina Terlano Pinot Bianco 2019 Vorberg, Alto Adige Medium to full bodied, with medium acidity, red apple, slight citrus, and a hint of wood in the undercurrent. Long length.
Adelsheim Vineyards, Staking Claim Chardonnay 2019, Chehalem Mountains, OR Austere and elegant, with medium body, medium+ acidity, minerality, citrus and slight green apple, barely perceptible oak, and a slight reductive note.
Castel Juval Unterortl Pinot Nero Riserva 2018, Alto Adige Val Venosta From the most northly Pinot Noir vineyards of Alto Adige, this wine has aromas of cherries and fresh and dried herbs. Dry and fresh, with medium body, very herbal in undercurrent, earthy in the finish, with long length.
Tenuta J. Hofstatter Pinot Nero 2017, Alto Adige Barthenau Vigna S. Urbano Sourced from older parcels planted in 1962 and 1990, notes of earth, darker cherries and a hint of wood greet the nose. Fresh, fruit driven, with a slight herbal hint in the finish. This is a lighter style wine with lighter body but still good concentration of fruit.
Adelsheim Vineyards, Breaking Ground Pinot Noir 2019, Chehalem Mountains, OR This wine is blend of grapes grown on three different soil types in an effort to figure out how to make great wine. Of the two Adelsheim Pinots, this one is less ripe, with cherries and orange peel aromas. Dry, with medium acidity, medium body, cherry, herbs, and long length.
Adelsheim Vineyards, Quarter Mile Lane Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018, Chehalem Mountains, OR This wine is more ripe, with a sweeter, jammier red fruit nose. The palate offers up riper fruit of rich cherries and spice with fuller body, and long length.
The Lagrein variety is related to Pinot Noir, but not sure of total origin, grape with lots of acid and aggressive tannins.
Cantina Bolzano Lagrein Riserva 2018 Taber Alto Adige This is a single vineyard wine, which underwent two years of aging, one of them in oak. It has an intense nose of black fruit and floral, with firm, medium++ tannins, medium+ body, and flavors of intense, concentrated candied violets and blueberry, culminating in long length.
Peter Zemmer Lagrein Riserva Furggl 2018, Alto Adige As a Riserva wine, this wine also spent two years aging, with six months in large oak vessels and 12 months in barriques. This wine has aromas of smoke and black fruit, and is more tannic with fuller body than the Cantina Bolzano Lagrein.
Remy Wines, Lagrein 2019, Dundee Hills, OR In addition to making wine from traditional Oregon varieties, Remy also focuses on those from Northern Italy, including Lagrein. Hers is floral, with tart cherry fruit, and oak notes, and full bodied with firm tannins.
Additional Wines Served with Lunch (more limited tasting notes)
With the First Course: Snap pea panzanella with grapefruit and pink peppercorn
Tenuta J. Hofstatter Barthenau Vigna S. Michele Pinot Bianco 2020 – tree and stone fruit
What’s the story, morning glory? As written previously, Chile is hot! And, as I discovered recently, it’s Sauvignon Blancs are really cool. These fresh, crisp white wines are a great option for summer especially with the heat waves we’ve experienced recently on both sides of the Atlantic.
But, more importantly, the story is that Chile is defining and refining what it wants to produce when it comes to Chilean Sauvignon Blanc.
Moreover, this grape is going gangbusters. First brought to Chile by Claudio Gray in 1841, it had a slow start. In fact, the variety represented only a small portion of vineyard plantings by the mid-2000s. Yet, it has seen a significant rise in plantings since that time, growing from 18,300 acres (Oxford Companion to Wine, 4th edition, Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding, Oxford University Press, 2015) to 37,614 as of 2019 (Wines of Chile seminar, 7/26/2022). Today, Sauvignon Blanc represents Chile’s second most widely planted variety and accounts for 40% of all white grapes grown in the country with vines found mainly across the Coastal and Central Valley regions. This sustained growth period has been coincident with Chile’s increased expertise and knowledge.
In particular, it was Pablo Morandé of Viña Morandé who, influenced by cool climate whites from California’s Sonoma County, sought to recreate Chile’s own version, noticing how the cool breeze impacted the wines. He selected Sauvignon Blanc as his grape of choice and the Chilean Coastal Range as his terroir.
As more growers have gotten on board with this vision, the country has developed its own unique style of Sauvignon Blanc that is heavily influenced by the cool climate that Chile provides. Specifically, the vast 600-mile wide, Humboldt current that runs from Antarctica to the North Pole is responsible for cool temperatures (52-57°F), fog and morning mist that maintain high acidity, keep the pyrazines (which translate into herbaceous characteristics) and purity of fruit flavors.
Within Chile, the wineries are further delineating their regions and sub regions. As was heard by Sofia Araya of Veramonte (see story), there is a philosophical shift from grape to geography as the climate conditions now take center stage when considering what grapes to grow where and what style of wine is desired.
In this vein, there are three distinct Sauvignon Blanc growing regions: >>Coastal Sauvignon Blanc: Humboldt and Coastal Range These tend to be very herbaceous with jalapeno, grass and asparagus notes and high acid citrus including lime and lemon, along with full bodies with good acidity. >>Inland Sauvignon Blanc: Central Valley and the Andes Slopes A slightly warmer climate, this area produces Sauvignon Blancs with more grapefruit and topical fruit notes. >>Southern Sauvignon Blanc: The Deep South – Patagonia and Bio Bio These wines typically have really high acidity due to the soil and climate.
The finished wines are further impacted by the diversity of soils within the Coastal Range. For example, Casablanca has iron and marcillo soils, while Limari is dominant in limestone and granite.
As a result, there is a recognizable thread that runs through all of these wines, while each has its own unique flavor profile and attributes, due to microclimates as well as different winemaking approaches.
And, as Chilean winemakers seek to produce for the higher end of the market, these are wines with complexity, concentration and balance. Admittedly, they share the same DNA as New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs and Sancerre, but they offer their own, distinct style, character and expression.
At a recent virtual seminar, members of the wine press were given the opportunity to taste through a selection of eight Coastal Range Sauvignon Blancs, learning more about these wines from Joaquín Hidalgo of Vinous.com, an authority on South American wines as well as about Chile’s market in general from Julio Alonso, Executive Director USA for Wines of Chile.
TASTING NOTES
Viña Morandé Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2020 / SRP $20 Pablo Morandé is a pioneer in the area. This is a single vineyard in the warmest part of Casablanca, away from ocean. The wine displays high acidity, with lime, lemon and a slightly woody note.
Matetic Vineyards EQ Coastal Sauvignon Blanc 2020 / SRP $20 This family owned winery practices organic viticulture and is situated in the Rosario Valley of Casablanca. There is black mica in the soils. The wine is predominantly citrus and white nectarine, with some salinity.
Casas del Bosque La Cantera Sauvignon Blanc 2020 / SRP $18 Hailing from the coldest spot in Casablanca, closest to the ocean, this wine is very fresh, concentrated and expressive, undergoing lees contact, with notes of grapefruit and herbs.
Montes Wines Limited Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2021 / SRP $15 With grapes sourced from Leyda, close to the Pacific Ocean, this fresh wine shows very lemony in character with good acidity and minerality.
Viña Koyle Costa La Flor Sauvignon Blanc 2021 / SRP $18 An organic and biodynamic producer, this is situated in San Antonio, Leyda. The wine has more weight and soil presence on the palate, with riper apricot and tropical fruit flavors.
Viña Garcés Silva Amayna Sauvignon Blanc 2020 / SRP $25 Also from Leyda, this wine has well integrated acidity and fresh flavors of citrus, herbs, white flowers with some lees contact.
Ventisquero Wine Estates Grey Sauvignon Blanc 2019 / SRP $25 These grapes are grown in granitic and gravel soils along the Huasco River in the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on earth. The wine is aged over its lees for ten months in large foudres to soften the wine, with offers up lots of lime, minerality and salinity.
Viña Tabalí Talinay Sauvignon Blanc 2021 / SRP $24 Next to the ocean near the Limari River, these grapes are also grown in desert conditions. This wine is citrus dominant with a distinct herbal undercurrent.
Chile is no longer just about cheap and cheerful wines. As my experiences at recent dinners with Chilean winemakers and their wines can attest, Chile as a wine producing country is all grown up and has become quite precocious. While there is still a wealth of options under $20 retail, Chile is starting to craft and export higher end wines, building on its historic vinous legacy.
European grape vines have been grown in Chile since the mid-16th century, when the Spanish conquistadores brought them over with the intention of making Communion wine for their settlers. The vines flourished in the country and continued to be cultivated widely, earning Chile a reputation for quantity over quality in the 18th century.
Yet, an interesting development came in 1830 when the Chilean government created an experimental nursery for botanical selections, which became known as the Quinta Normal. The nursery included vine cuttings of the European species, which would ultimately help combat phylloxera, providing European nations with clean root stock from which to propagate new vines. Moreover, due to its isolation from the rest of the world, along with favorable climatic conditions, phylloxera never became an issue in Chile.
Additionally, while the initial plantings were predominantly Pais and Moscatel, in the 1850s, wealthy Chileans began to plant more classic, world-renowned grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and others. Concurrently, many French winemakers emigrated to Chile to escape the phylloxera crisis, bringing their winemaking knowledge and experience to the Chilean wine industry.
With this boon of clean vines and qualified winemakers, Chile soon emerged as “the world’s only healthy wine industry, both viticulturally and financially…” (Oxford Companion to Wine, 4th edition, Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding, Oxford University Press, 2015). That success continued throughout the 20th century, but the tides began to turn in the 1970s and 80s as domestic consumption waned considerably and vines were ripped out since the industry was no longer the profitable enterprise it once was.
However, this downturn was short-lived and by the late 1980s through the mid-90s, significant plantings and investment were being made. Concurrently, the Chileans began to look externally for markets and soon found success as an exporter, firmly establishing itself in the world wine market.
Today, Chile is the sixth-largest wine producer in the world* and, in 2021, it became the third largest source of imported wines (bulk and bottled) shipped to the U.S.#. And, while much of that success was initially predicated on the low end of the market, things have taken a dramatic shift as of late, as more Chilean wines are competing in the super-premium and luxury categories.
More specifically, as Julio Alonso, Executive Director USA for Wines of Chile, recently stated, “…one of the most significant long-term trends has been the entry of Chilean wines at the luxury level,” which is backed up by the numbers: Chilean wines registered an increase of 56% in the $50-$100 segment (aka luxury category) and 62% in the $100-plus category (Nielsen IQ, 52 weeks through Nov. 6, 2021) super luxury and icon categories. [For a detailed look at U.S. wine pricing segments, see this page.]
So, what’s happening on the ground to drive these changes? A lot. The industry has come of age both vinously and viticulturally. The current crop of Chilean winemakers have the skills, experience and world view, while Chilean wine brands now have proven histories and sufficient resources. Equally important, the vineyards have been carefully cultivated with newfound knowledge as to what does and doesn’t work.
Felipe Tosso and Sofia Araya
By way of example, both Veramonte and Ventisquero have been actively engaged in establishing high quality vines in new terroirs, experimenting with classic and modern winemaking and finding their stride with Carménère.
Ventisquero, founded in 1998 by business man Gonzalo Vial, has always been at the forefront of the Chilean wine industry. The brand encourages its winemakers to pursue an innovative spirit that combines curiosity, creative freedom, a willingness to take risks, and an intense exploration of the senses. Accordingly, its winemakers are given the latitude to experiment and challenge the established way of doing things.
At the helm is Head winemaker Felipe Tosso who was recently chosen as Winemaker of the Year 2022 by Tim Atkin. This year, Felipe celebrated his 22nd harvest with Ventisquero and has an extensive and varied background with stints in Napa, Sonoma, Barossa and Bordeaux, among others. Adding to his expertise, in 2003, Felipe began to collaborate with John Duval, former winemaker of Penfold’s Grange, which has been a beneficial and rewarding partnership for both of them.
Further, as the son of researchers, Felipe approaches winemaking with a scientific view. In this regard, he asked: How do you make wine in the simplest way? Building on this question, he looked to natural winemaking as the answer. He notes that the concept wasn’t as popular when they started, but even though he may not have used that term to describe what they were doing at the time, they’ve always been natural winemakers in practice.
With his depth and breadth of knowledge, Felipe knows how to make wine, but of perhaps greater importance, it is a true passion for him. As he shared, “We make wine for the fun of making wine. When you have confidence, you can create the wines you love.” It is this confidence that shows through in the wines he has been pursuing, which are decidedly at the higher end of the market.
Similarly, Sofia Araya, head winemaker for Veramonte, has been an important force in Chilean wine, most notably as a huge driver in organic viticulture. After graduating from la Universidad de Chile, the Chilean-born winemaker spent her early career working for big name brands, using conventional agriculture. When she arrived at Veramonte, the company began to make investments in the Casablanca Valley. They quickly realized that it didn’t make sense to work these vineyards conventionally, so they switched to organic practices.
Ultimately, it was her strong conviction in the resulting quality that sold her on implementing such practices elsewhere. As she reminded us, “Wine is made in the vineyards.” The transition to organics began in 2012, with full certification received in 2016. Since then, she has been involved with transitioning over 1,235 acres to 100% ECOCERT certified organic vineyards, which accounts for 15% of all organic vineyards in Chile.
Beyond general viticulture practices, Sofia has focused on matching different locations with different grapes and implementing various strategies to ultimately produce the best wines. Her essential aim is to create wines that transmit a sense of place in the glass. While this is true of her entry level wines, it takes on a deeper meaning as she turns her attention to regional expressions, which display more complexity and require more technical applications such as the intricacies of barrel fermentation.
To this end, her Ritual wines are sourced from vineyards in the Casablanca Valley, relying on the cold influences from the Pacific ocean to maintain bright acidity and freshness in the grapes. Here, she sought to overcome preconceived ideas about Sauvignon Blanc in crafting her wine. Additionally, the grapes are hand-picked and kept on their stems to impart structure, develop mouthfeel and be able to take (old) oak during the aging process.
In approaching her Ritual Pinot Noir, she selects grapes from the better blocks and treats them to a native fermentation, yielding a totally different, more elegant wine than previous iterations. Interestingly, she notes that it was the Pinot that showed the most significant changes with the shift to organic.
Like Veramonte, Ventisquero is also taking viticultural innovation to heart. It has vast vineyard holdings and has implemented sustainability practices throughout the entire process and is also exploring the intricacies of climate and soils. In particular, its vineyards run nearly the full length of Chile from the Atacama Desert up north to Patagonia in the south. With plantings situated within six different regions, they are able to explore the unique terroir of each vineyard through precision soil mapping and terroir-focused replanting.
Case in point is their Tara Chardonnay which is produced from grapes grown in the Atacama Desert. While a true desert in its lack of moisture, this is a cool climate region, with significant exposure to the Pacific Ocean due to the lack of coastal range in this area. Consequently, the fog rolls in each morning, keeping the vineyards in the 50-75o F range. The result is a Chardonnay that is not very “Chardonnay-like”. In fact, it tastes more like a Sauvignon Blanc and was originally labeled as White Wine #1. The hand-harvested grapes are pressed by feet, and then matured in stainless steel for 15 months, with sur lie aging. Previously made without sulfites, with the 4th vintage, they are using a small amount to prevent oxidation.
Ventisquero’s Las Terrazas vineyard in the Leyda Valley sits only four miles from the cold Pacific Ocean, serving as the perfect climate for cultivating Pinot Noir. In speaking about his Grey Pinot Noir, Felipe admits that sometimes the decisions you make are not technical in nature, but rather are made by trial and error. With the 2017 vintage, the Pinot Noir was whole bunch pressed and fermented in small vessels with no filtration.
Both wineries have also been at the forefront of establishing the newly minted (as of May 2018) DO Apalta and are two of only six wineries permitted to cultivate on the hillsides here, capturing the sunlight. Located in Colchagua, which is part of the Rapel region, the 1,007 hectares are farmed both organically and biodynamically and reflect the country’s growing focus on defined terroirs.
In addition to the increased emphasis on regional identity, another important shift in the Chilean wine landscape has been the recognition of what grapes are actually being grown in the vineyards. Prior to 1994, Carménère vines were confused with those of Merlot, but now that it has been correctly identified, it is being embraced as a singularly Chilean variety, gaining respect and an understanding for how to grow and produce this grape. Along these lines, Felipe has been an early proponent of the variety, gaining significant experience working with Carménère from its initial discovery and has become the go-to guy for this grape ever since. As Felipe explained, “My soul is Chilean… we have a variety that is unique to Chile and we need to make it work.”
Specifically, at Ventisquero, Carménère is cultivated in the Trinidad Vineyard in Maipo Valley region as well as in the La Robleria vineyard in Apalta. Felipe started making the Grey Carménère from this single block (which is known as #5 and adjacent to the winery), 20 years ago. With its history as a co-planted vineyard, at the moment, the vineyard is 50% Carménère and 50% Merlot, with the vines painted to distinguish each variety since there are only two times a year that the difference is distinctly visible.
Sofia also believes in the value of Carménère and adds that it is a variety that needs time and heat to truly thrive. Older vines, previously mixed in with Merlot, are now being revered for their longevity and quality. In addition, she shared that, “Over time, we have learned to work with Carménère. We really understand it now,” and the resulting wines are not so green and herbal in character as they once were.
Beyond crafting varietally labeled Carménère, both wineries also use it in blends, which was a significant departure from status quo. At Veramonte, the Primus The Blend brings together Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Syrah and was initially created at a time when blending wine was unthinkable. Named Primus, which means “first” in Latin, it was the first “Meritage” wine in Chile.
Ventisquero’s entry in this category is known as Vertice and it’s a special project bringing the Carménère Guy (Felipe) together with the Syrah expertise of John Duval. Named for the vertex of the slope, the vineyard sits at the top of a hillside, surrounded by Chilean oak trees. Felipe and John pursue classical winemaking with whole bunch maceration, a long fermentation, and one month on the skins, followed by malolactic fermentation in the barrel and two years of oak aging. In analyzing the final blend, Felipe focuses on texture while John evaluates the tannin.
Building on these innovative successes, Felipe and Sofia continue to push the envelope in high end Chilean wine. In this regard, Ventisquero’s flagship wine, Pangea, was the first collaboration with John Duval. As they reviewed the La Robleria Vineyard site in Apalta, the two winemakers decided that the vineyard was best for Syrah, not Cabernet Sauvignon, mapping the vineyards and analyzing soil selection. The wine represents the spirit of Syrah and the union of the world in that Syrah has traveled around the world. Moreover, the finished wine is a product of various soil types, more than 20 different fermentations and 20 different coopers, all of which must be agreed upon 100% by both John and Felipe. Curiously, Felipe agrees with John more often than John’s wife agrees with him.
Meanwhile, it took ten years before they finally found the quality of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes they desired and could create the Enclave Cabernet Sauvignon, which they describe as a Chilean Bordeaux-style blend. With their commitment to quality, the wine is aged for two years in barrel and then another four years in bottle before release to give the tannins time to soften.
At its zenith, Veramonte’s Neyen wines are crafted from very old vines on their original, pre-phylloxera root stocks in Apalta. The limited production wine (only 12,000 bottles) features a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Carménère, the proportions of which vary from vintage to vintage. Most recently, they also launched a 100% Malbec produced from similarly aged vines.
As is evident with these wineries and winemakers, Chile has come a long way since it first entered the world wide wine market. Chilean wines are turning heads and palates with high end, high quality wines. Chilean winemakers are returning to their roots and traditional practices, trusting their instincts and are focused on sustainability, all of which has resulted in beautifully, well-made wines that have definitely come of age.
Ritual Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Casablanca Valley, Chile, $21.00 Fresh citrus with a woody, herbal hint, this wine has medium+ body, good acidity, with more citrus than herbal notes, culminating in long length.
Tara Chardonnay 2017, Huasco Valley, Atacama Desert, Chile, $34.00 Displaying lots of minerality and citrus, this wine is very fresh, with medium body and long length.
Ritual Pinot Noir 2017, Casablanca Valley, Chile, $21.00 Herbs and red fruit on the nose. Dry palate with medium acidity and medium body. The wine is lean and elegant with long length.
Gray Pinot Noir 2017, Las Terrazas Vineyard, Leyda Valley, Chile $25.00 Very earthy on the palate, this is a beautiful, elegant wine with good acidity and long length.
Primus Carménère 2018, Apalta, Colchagua Valley, Chile. $21.00 Very herbal, with red fruit aromas and flavors, good tannins, full body, a rich, generous wine, with mocha, cinnamon and a silky texture.
Grey Carménère 2018, Trinidad Vineyard, Maipo Valley, Chile, $25.00 Long aging of 18months, with only 20% new oak, the 2018 is the freshest vintage. Redolent of ripe black fruits and earthiness, with long length.
Primus The Blend, Apalta, Colchagua Valley. Chile, $21.00 Aromas of black fruit and floral notes, with full body, medium acidity, ripe tannins, and long length, the wine is lush and generous.
Ventisquero Vertice 2019, La Robleria Vineyard, Apalta, ColchaguaValley, Chile, $34.00 A blend of 52% Carménère and 48% Syrah, this wine displays depth, power and finesse.
Ventisquero Pangea 2014, La Robleria Vineyard, Apalta, Colchagua Valley, Chile, $59.00 This 100% Syrah is intense and still tannic, but was a lovely expression of Syrah with earth, red fruit and complexity.
Ventisquero Enclave Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, Pirque, Maipo Valley, Chile, $69.00 A blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 4% Carménère and 3% Cabernet Franc, this wine spends two years in barrel and 4 years in bottle before release and is well balanced and well structured.
Neyen,Espiritu de Apalta,Apalta, Colchagua Valley, Chile, $65.00 Bringing together 130 year old Cabernet Sauvignon and and 80 year old Carménère, which are blended before aging, this wine offers up red fruit, with complexity, ripe tannins, oak, power, elegance and long length.
Neyen Malbec 2019, Apalta, Colchagua Valley, Chile, $150.00 Spicy and elegant with aromas and flavors of black fruits, violet and lavender, with good complexity and very long length.
