Gorman Winery puts the Rock N Roll in Wine Tasting

You ever walk into a tasting room and think, "I really wish so and so was here"? The minute I walked into Gorman, I thought I wish my dad was here. My dad isn't the big wine fan, no no, he is a fan of AC/DC, much like Chris Gorman, the winemaker. In fact, it was all AC/DC all the time, but it never took away from the enjoyment of my experience. (I may be disowned for this, but AC/DC really isn't my type of music, but I digress)

Chris has been making wine since 2002, and keeps the amount limited to about 1500 cases a year. He focuses on the Red Mountain area for his grapes, which for those not familiar with that area, the Red Mountain area is kick ass. I was lucky enough to meet Chris, and I can tell you, he is a NICE guy, laid back... no stuffiness from him. Add to that some good wine, and makes for a highly enjoyable wine tasting experience. On to the wine:

Rose 2008 42-39-56: I am not a huge rose fan in general, but this wasn't bad at all. This would be a perfect picnic wine. Would pair well with a nice bbq, chicken salad, veggies, or fruit. (I apologize but I didn't write any notes on this wine other than the name).

Zachary's Ladder 2006: This was my favorite one I tasted, and I took a bottle home. This is a blend of 65% Merlot, 25% Cab Sav, and 10% Petit Verdot. I know, shocking... it's mostly merlot, and I still like it! This wine a a wonderful inky color, and a nice smoky nose. Will pair wonderfully with some BBQ ribs, coleslaw, and corn on the cob.

Bully 2006: This wine is 80% Cab/10% Merlot/10% Petit Verdot. Another great cab dominant blend coming out of Washington! I would have loved to take a bottle of this home, but it was a little pricey for me. This one will develop more in the bottle, has that wonderful berry/earthy nose, and was delightful to drink.

If you feel like getting your inner rockstar on in Woodinville, go to Gorman. And try the wine while you are there.

Grand Reve is a "Great Dream" for Washington wine fans!

Grand Reve is another MUST TRY in the Woodinville circle of wineries. (To be honest, the tasting room is ACTUALLY in Kirkland, but close enough) Grand Reve is a collaboration of work with several prominent winemakers, with the best of the best grapes from the Red Mountain region. They are planting their own estate vineyards, so I am sure future vintages will be absolutely amazing.

The winemakers involved in this are:
Ben Smith of Cadence
Mark McNeilly of Mark Ryan
Ross Mickel of Ross Andrew
Carolyn Lakewold of Donedei
Chris Gorman of Gorman
Not too shabby of a collaboration.

Onto the wine:
2006 Grand Reve Sangiovese by Mark Ryan McNeilly: This wine is 90% Sangiovese and 10% Syrah. Only 50 cases were made of this little gem. Not the typical big jammy sangiovese you may be used to, but still delicious. Although it does a bit of that jammyness on the palate, the syrah makes the finish a little longer, and a bit more enjoyable. I think that a bit more time in the bottle for this wine will do nothing but improve the body of this wine. (also to note, I am a huge fan of Mark Ryan wines, so this wonderful wine definitely falls into another masterpiece by Mark).
2005 Grand Reve Collaboration Series I by Ben Smith: This is a blend of 62% Cab Sav, 13% Cab Franc, 13% Petit Verdot, 12% Merlot. Now this wine had more cases produced: a whopping 198. This wine had a nice light ruby color, but a big earthy, almost mushroom like nose on it. It's delicious, but again, I would cellar this wine and wait for the true excellence of this wine to be revealed.
2006 Grand Reve Collaboration Series III by Mark Ryan McNeilly: This wine is 100% Syrah with 268 cases produced. Like many other Syrahs, this has the wonderful inky color and a blackberry nose. This has a long finish and is very well balanced.
2006 Grand Reve Collaboration Series II by Ross Andrew Mickel: This wine is 97% Syrah with 3% Viognier. Has a wonderful earthy nose and the small bit of viognier provides a bit floral on the nose. Like many of the other ones it will definitely get better with age. This one was definitely my favorite of the tasting.

I also got to try a Merlot not "on the list" but I didn't even take any notes on it. Like the other wines, it was tasty, but not as memorable. The tasting room is only open on Saturdays from 1-4, but I suggest you go. Now.

I am back, with an apology.

Goodness me... I look at how long it's been since my last post, and I have nothing to say but... I am SORRY!

I have been working in a new wine sales position and it's taking up a large amount of time. Therefore, my pobrecita little blog has been very neglected.

However, I am dedicating a few hours a week now to work on my blog from now on.

Just like a good wine, life has to have the right balance to be successful!

Carly

DeLille is now open to the masses.

Hi everyone! Sorry I have been MIA. I hope those of you who went to Passport weekend enjoyed yourselves and were safe. I know that at my stomping grounds, Brian Carter, it was controlled chaos.... but the masses were well behaved. To that, I say thank you!



OK, so now to the winery... DeLille. It's now open to the public. I suggest you go!



So as my little car bottomed up the precarious hill, I knew I wasn't in Kansas anymore Toto! The tasting room looks like a house you would find in the hills of Napa Valley. You have to open a big, heavy door to get in and then walk up the stairs. I can totally see being intimidated by this. I was a bit hesitant to even go in. But, luckily, I knew one of the pourers... Karen. Whew.



The fee for a tasting is 15 bucks, which by far may be the costliest I have witnessed thus far in Woodinville. I know it's not as steep as Napa fees may be, but still!



Ok, off to the wines:

Doyenne Rousanne 07: This was one of the two whites I tried. A nice light straw color, but wasn't wowed by this Rousanne. In fact, in looking over my notes, both whites basically have nothing. Which is not really a good sign.

So I will move on to the reds!

Signature Syrah (Doyenne): Perfect inky color that I LOVE in a Syrah. Most of the grapes come from the Red Mountain, which turns out a lovely syrah. Perfect steak wine.
Syrah Grand Ciel Vineyard: So you ever try a wine, and go... "hmm... they KNOW this is good". This is one of those. They charge a whopping 75 bucks a bottle for this wine. Its a perfect syrah, not too "spicy" perfectly smooth and balanced. It will hold up in the wine cellar for a few years.
D2: This beauty looks like it may be sold out now. So if you see a bottle of the 2006 vintage somewhere... pick it up! Get this... its 52% merlot, and I like it. Then 38% Cab Sav, 7% Cab Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. Its a fantastic blend, and at 35 dollars, a great value for DeLille. Has a wonderful earthy nose, deep purple color, and smooth on the palette. Let it decant for an hour or so to open up those wonderful flavors before serving.

So all in all, DeLille is a good winery to go visit. However, I noticed a few customers not be allowed in at four thirty, when they closed at five. I kept my mouth shut as they mumbled about the staff being snobby. If you are reading this DeLille, take note.

Adams Bench, a hidden gem.

So this upcoming weekend brings thousands (yes, literally thousands) of wine tasting, passport holding, and at times... less than well behaved masses to the city of Woodinville. Why? The masses are here for Passport weekend... that's why. They will be able to come to taste wine at one of many different wineries, many of them usually not opened to the public. Last year I was able to attend with my friend Jon, and it's really where I fell in love with Washington wines. This year.. I am working it.. and proud to call myself part of the Washington wine industry. Now, to all those are going... behave yourselves!

So tonight, the Hollywood area of Woodinville had a "preview to Passport" which included about 8 of the wineries. It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon, so I decided after work at my other job to head on over to a winery I hadn't been to and check it out. Behold: Adams Bench.

Adams Bench is definitely off the beaten path. You head up a long tree-lined street, up into what seems like a neighborhood.... but there are farms, animals, and best of all Adams Bench! It was beautiful there. They have a cute little barn like area where they conducted the tasting, and were ready to pour! (the pic on this posting is from Adams Bench)

I got to do two barrel samples, which is a treat in itself. (I got to do one at Baer last year and it knocked my socks off)

2007 Myth (Barrel Tasting): Half cab franc and half merlot. Definitely a smooth wine, that will get better with age. The cab franc takes away from the merlot, which is NOT a bad thing. This wine isn't being released til Fall of 2009, and I think that it will develop more complexity in the bottle. It's a wine to watch.

2007 Reckoning (Barrel Tasting): Merlot, Cab, Cab Franc.... yummy yummy jammy goodness. This has a lot of fruit on the palette and would be great with some ribs. Not being released til Fall of 2009.

2006 Reckoning: GOLD STAR!! Cab, Merlot, Malbec. This wine comes together perfectly. The nose on this wine reminds me of European styles: the earth, smoke, fruit. Excellent deep garnet color... and divine on the palette. I left with a bottle of this. I can't wait to grill a nice steak seasoned with salt, pepper... and dollop it with some horseradish.. have some potatoes, and corn on the side. Perfect food friendly wine.

2006 Reserve Cab "V": As noted on the tasting notes, it has a tremendous purity on the nose. The flavors, aromas, and color on this wine are all intense.. and fantastic. This is a wine that gets better with every sip. It's one to bring to a nice dinner party to wow your friends, and won't be too harsh on your wallet. ($42 isn't a screaming deal, but it's worth the price)

Thanks to all at Adams Bench... I am glad I made it out!

I will be back soon blog fans, I promise!

Efeste is rockin, Des Voigne is delish, and Guardian is sellin out!

I am finally back to educate the masses about wine! Sorry for the extended absence. Let's get on it!

Efeste: This is one of the wineries in Woodinville to keep your eyes on. Brennon, the winemaker was just named "winemaker to watch" by Seattle Magazine. Considering there are over 500 wineries in Washington, this is a HUGE honor. They just recently opened an awesome tasting room (see pic on the left). I am a bit biased, since Efeste and Brian Carter produce wine in the same facility, but the wine also speaks for itself.

2006 Evergreen Riesling: With a light straw color, and a small bit of apricot, honey and minerality on the nose, this is a great, approachable riesling. Many rieslings are TOO sweet, but this is a perfect riesling. Very drinkable with a good meal.

2006 Ceidleigh Syrah:The grapes for this Syrah come from Red Mountain, which I think is why I like this wine so much! It has a great deep garnet color, with dark cherry and earth on the nose. It was aged in some French Oak, and would be excellent with a steak.

2006 Jolie Bouche Syrah: So this Syrah's meaning is "pretty mouth". It's a very smooth Syrah.. a little earthier than the Ceidleigh, but with more pepper on the palette. This would be a fantastic wine with gumbo, cassoulet, and yes, steak.

2006 Final Final: This is a FANTASTIC blend of cab and syrah. Its 50% of each, and they work together so well! This is the only blend they make, and it's perfect! Its layered with dark fruit, a tinge of smokiness, and a little earthiness. What to eat with? RIBS! BBQ! They would be fantastic.

2006 Big Papa: BY FAR THE BEST! 100% Cab, 100% perfection. Deep intense cab, smooth finish, and a lush red color. This has such a velvety mouth feel, and I just wanted to relish in my tasting for a while. I put *FAVORITE* in my tasting notes. If you love a good cab, please try Big Papa. It's nothing less than perfection of a straight varietal.

Thanks to Patrick and Daniel... you all ROCK.

Des Voigne Cellars: Just happened to walk by here Sunday, and saw they were open. I loved their "Untitled" blend which the next release will be 2010. But they still have some other gems.

2006 San Remo: A delicious sangiovese! Very smooth, drinkable, and would be delicious with any Italian food. The acidity of tomatoes would work perfectly with this.

2006 The Emcee: It's a merlot with a splash of cab. For a merlot, it's not bad. But as you fans know, merlot isn't my favorite.

2006 The Duke: The 2006 Duke combines Zinfandel, Petit Sirah, Lemberger, Merlot and Syrah. It has a rich blackberry and peppery palette, and would be delicious with a wild variety of foods.

2006 Montreaux Syrah: Dark garnet color, with bold flavor. I think this would stand up well with a big steak, loaded with pepper and even horseradish.

If you ever see a bottle of wine called "Untitled" by Des Voigne Cellars... BUY IT. It's sold out at the tasting room, and I ate at a restaurant and got the last bottle. It's fantastic.

Guardian Cellars: I got to try Guardian Cellars at an event a while back, and what I was really impressed with was Jerry's (the winemaker) passion for his wine, and his love of talking about it with others. He used to be an undercover cop, and then worked over at Mark Ryan winery, before branching out on his own. His wine shows that passion for wine making. Besides that, Jerry is HILARIOUS. He saw me putting down tasting notes and came over to check out what I was writing. I love going to tasting rooms where you can interact with the winemaker. Lets you see who is behind it!

2006 Syrah: This Syrah is from the Wahluke slope area, and its delicious. It has a nice even smokiness, that doesn't overwhelm the nose of the wine. There is also a little spice, and some fruit as well. This one could age for a little more time, but it's super drinkable now. Perfect with some steak.

2006 Chalk Line:Chalk Line is the "kitchen sink" of Guardian Wines, but I LOVE IT. Its mostly Cab (50%) with Malbec (22%) Syrah (17%) and Merlot (11%) that's a light ruby color, and totally drinkable NOW. This would be a perfect wine for a dinner party with an eclectic menu. It will pair well with a lot of food!

2005 Gun Metal: Yummmm. This wine is a blend of cab, merlot, and cab franc. It's aged 20 months in French Oak, and this wine is a smooth blend as well. I think the Cab Franc gives it a nice velvety, rich blend that makes it one of my favorites. It is definitely great on it's own, but would pair well with many foods. I keep going back to steak, but a hearty stew, or even chili would be fantastic.

Thanks to Jerry, Jen, and Lisa Baer (from Baer winery) for making my time at Guardian so enjoyable!

3 courses for $30? In "this economy"? Yes.

I will be heading back into the trenches to work on my blog this weekend, but wanted to suggest you folks in the Seattle area check out some of the great restaurants that are having 3 course meals for $30 this month.

It's a great time to treat yourself to a good meal.

I may suggest the Barking Frog out in Woodinville, that has an amazing Washington wine list as well.

I'll be back in a couple days!