2000 Bordeaux Tasting

The Wine Tasting Circle of Vancouver

Vancouver in August can be a garden of riches; the surf rolling gently into Spanish Banks, the warm glow of fading sunlight bathing West Vancouver in the evening, and of course the new Wine Tasting Circle held in the private dining salon of Cibo restaurant/Uva winebar downtown.

Poetic license taken too far?

Perhaps – but these were certainly my thoughts as I sat at the bar of Uva with a friend and waited for the evening to begin. Beautiful people walked past on their way to the beach, or a perfectly situated patio to savor the setting sun and the delicious warmth of summer. We watched and began to lament the lack of well-constructed wine tastings; where oenophiles of every level could come and grow their wine knowledge… banter over a good glass of vino, a plate of tidbits to nosh on, and a cozy corner to do it in.

But that was why I started this Tasting-Circle in the first place! If you hunger for something, and you can’t seem to find it, don’t be afraid to create it yourself. And what a decidedly strong start to our new monthly regime:

2000 BORDEAUX

6 wines from 6 AOC

We started with a classic Haut-Medoc; Bernadotte. www.Chateau-Bernadotte.com The more I learnt about the winery in my research, the more impressed I became! Owned by Madame de Lencquesaing, the owner of prestigious Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, the property has had millions upon millions of Euros invested in it over the past 15 years.

Of particular interest to me was the intense scrutiny they placed upon their soil-analysis. Of course, we say that it makes sense! A grape grows because of it’s soil, but I also know that not all wineries take the time, the energy, the investment of money to create a fully developed analysis. And what was the result of their work? 35 HA of vineyard sub-divided into plots that are picked (by hand, naturally) by a brigade of 75 professionals.

2000 Bernadotte

91 points

50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot

Maturation: 12-16 months in 30% new French oak

Production: 11,000 cases

• visual: solid garnet core with substantial brick/orange in the rim
• nose: medium+ youthful characteristics of sous-bois (forest-floor), bright red berries, musky wood tones
• palate: medium+ to full young red currant/red raspberry acid, medium+ grippy tannin, medium intensity and developing palate that matches the nose well. Very good balance, very good structure and medium+ length. Alcohol at 13% was particularly well integrated
• conclusion: If you have this, drink it now! We found the berry-notes, so energetic upon opening, faded to nothing in the matter of an hour. After two hours, the wine was lack-luster and suitable for cooking

Then we moved onto a small, old-school producer in St Estephe: Croix de Marbuzet. Tragically (for me), even my exhaustive research could dig up very little that was truly of interest other then the fact that this is a small producer, with limited sales outside of niche-boutiques in England and France.

2000 Croix de Marbuzet

91+/92 points

60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon

• visual: light ruby core with substantial orange/brick rim
• nose: medium concentration of fresh red berries, some wood and gravel tones… this wine really needed some coaxing and was the one wine that merited a solid one-hour decant minimum. For aeration I would have run twice through the aerator into a decanter. After an hour to an hour 30, we discovered the wine was revealing layers of fresh and drying fruit, complex minerality, savory musky wood tones… truly delightful
• palate: much the same on the palate; 15 minutes after decanting the wine seemed innocuous/flaccid, but after 90 minutes was evolving into a graceful creature: restrained and yet intact medium red and black currant acid, medium chewy tannin, medium- alcohol (12.5% ABV), medium+ concentration of developing flavors that are perfectly inline with the bouquet. Very good balance, excellent structure, medium+ length
• conclusion: the sleeper of the bunch! All of us we much impressed with how elegantly it kept developing for hours. I would say that this has years left in it, but will not develop further. Enjoy 2013-2018

From St Estephe we moved East to Listrac-Medoc and the eminently respectable Fonreaud ( www.ChateauFonreaud.com ). As my regular readers as well aware, environmental sustainability in the wine industry is particularly dear to my heart. As such, it was encouraging to learn of the long history in the vineyard of the “Cousine Methode” which, to me, is just a form of ancestral farming/viticulture.

In fact, this vineyard is so old (by North American standards) that when the AOC system was created, it actually split the vineyard in two; dividing it betwixt two different AOCs. This particular portion is placed on a high gravel terrace with a thick clay and limestone sub-soil which is particularly beneficial in dry summers.

2000 Fonreaud

89 points

All lots picked, fermented and matured separately, then blended

12 months in new French oak (percentage unknown)

• visual:   solid ruby core, slightly brick rim
• nose:   medium+ to fully intense and developed bouquet of savory herbs, musk, spice tones, warm earth, a myriad of berry tones: red and black cherries, raspberries
• palate:   medium- to light raspberry acid, medium- silky tannin, medium- developed flavors that match the aromas but with less vigor, good balance, very good structure, medium- length
• conclusion:   once again, a great vintage to drink now should you have any left. The acid is fading, the tannins are mostly gone as is the concentration. Still a beauty, but a fading one. 

From Listrac-Medoc we moved to an under-represented AOC in the BC market: Premier Cotes du Bordeaux. One of the largest AOC, it runs from the beautiful river-port city of Bordeaux south for about 50 km to Cadillac (home of the famous oak forests). About 5 km wide at it widest span, the Cotes contains a plethora of soil types; from limestone to clay to gravel and everything in between. Geography is everything! And one of the most interesting things about this area is the diversity in grape varietals; from the expected Cab-Sauv and Merlot to the rambunctious Cab-Franc and Petit Verdot to one of the last areas still planting Carmenere in Bordeaux. Carmenere of course, finding great success in Chilean soil, is a delight and though I couldn't find any hard evidence to support my theory, I believe there was/is some in this next wine...

2000 Chateau Saint Yves
90 points

• visual:   very pale ruby core with highly oxidized brick rim
• nose:   medium+ developed aromas of warm musky wood, forest-floor in Summer, Winter spices
• palate:   medium+ raspberry acids, medium meaty/chewy tannin, medium+ concentration of developed flavors that match the nose exquisitely, excellent balance, great structure, medium- length
• conclusion:   this wine held it's own quite well after being open for two+ hours. For that reason, in collusion with my tasting notes, I would guess several years of life left - though no further development. Enjoy 2013-2016

And then we crossed the river... from Left Bank to Right Bank is sometimes viewed more as a shift in philosophy, a subtle (or not so subtle) re-alignment of ideology, rather then a geographical movement. From the Cab-Sauv dominated blends of the Left; filled with pencil shaving-graphite aromas and flavors of old leather, warm earth and crisp red berries we enter the world of the Right; full and nuanced red fruit compote bouquets mixed with subtle wild-herbs and tea-leaves.

And if one thinks of the best of the Right Bank? One must then think of iron-rich pockets of sandy-soil, bringing to these (fairly) Northerly wines a roast-beef tinge similar to the best of that wildly famous Southern cousin: Chateauneuf du Pape.

Here I found myself in luxury; a small producer from Pomerol who happens to have that blessed mixture of iron and sand top-soil ( http://www.jbaudy.fr/#/monregard/ ). The 1.3 HA vineyard has been a family project since its purchase in 1924, and is proud to state categorically that they hold 7,500 vines of Merlot. Not one more, not one less! This is a wine to the dilettantes who rant from their pulpits that the Merlot grape is incapable of producing true depth, true substance.

2000 Chateau Monregard la Croix

91+ points
consultants: Michel Rolland and Christian Veyrey
average vine age: 35 years
maturation:  18 months in 30% new French oak
production:   500 cases

• visual:   medium+ ruby core, light cherry/oxidized rim
• nose:   medium+ to full concentration of developing classic aromas of ferrous/iron/roast beef, warm cherry compote with a trail of scrub-brush on a warm day
• palate:   medium red cherry acid, medium+ chewy/grippy tannin, medium+ concentration of developing flavors that are very much in line with the nose; the bright red berry tones dance on the palate, followed by warm savory sous-bois tones.... continually evolving! A natural to pair with dark chocolate :) ...  Great balance, great structure, medium+ length
• conclusion:   Yes, you can hold onto this wine for several years - but why? This is drinking so sublimely, and kept doing so for well over an hour... Enjoy this wine at it's prime, can drink 2013-2017+

Almost done.

Our magical evening was coming to a close, but we still had one wine left. One more chance to taste the labor of a families work, from a spectacular vintage, over a decade ago. What were you doing in the Summer of 2000? I remember that year, that Summer, and smile. I was on top of the world and had no idea that it could ever be better.

Now I'm an older man - debatably more mature man. Now I have a family of my own, and I can see the fruit of my labor. I have a home that is filled with love, and family, and friends. Now, perhaps, I'm ready to taste the work of these other families and tell their story with sincerity and conviction... for I know how hard it is to leave my daughter in the morning; hear her tell her mother that she needs to "go to work with Daddy" with tears in her eyes. Whether its to the vineyard, the factory or the desk, we all of us know the power that lies in sacrificing a little of our personal wants to develop our lifelong needs and goals.

The Massonie family of Lalande de Pomerol know this as well as any, for they've been working this land since 1890 ( http://www.chateauperron.com/histoire-chateau-perron-perron-la-fleur-vignobles-mp-massonie.pdf ). Starting as negociants in northern France, the family developed a brand that has inspired a cult-following. At least 10% of all of their production is sold immediately to personal clients; mostly in the areas surrounding Reims, Bethune and  in Belgium.

2000 Chateau Perron
90+ points
80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignion, 10% Cabernet Franc
soil:   sand and gravel subsoil with iron pockets
average vine-age:   45 years
harvest:   100% a-mains (manual), 2 triages
maturation:   12 months, 30% new French oak
production: 12,000 cases

• visual:   deep ruby, almost garnet core with slight cherry rim
• nose:   medium+ Pomerol-like qualities; less musky then Pomerol, but tons of baked earth aromas, baked fruit compote
• palate:   medium+ cherry acid, medium- fine yet chewy tannin, medium concentration of developed flavors that are in-line with the nose; warm berry tones, old leather, good tobacco. Good balance, good structure, medium+ length
• conclusion:   a delicious example of region, a superb choice to open tonight as it seemed to be peaking that very evening. No need to rush, but will not develop further, enjoy 2013-2018

And like that - POOF - it was done! The room cleared of people, the servers came to set for the next day, and I was left with the empty relics of our thoroughly enjoyable evening. I was sad then, just for a moment, to see it end.

But then I remembered that Wednesday, 04th September, we'll be delighting in the 2005 vintage of Bordeaux and suddenly I felt on top of the world again! Please come and join us - tickets are available on www.LocalWineEvents.com 

As always, I look forward to your thoughts here, or on Twitter @ AStudentofWine

CINCIN~!!!    SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!

Veranda Beach Cellars, Washington State

http://www.verandabeach.com/

Jim Hammond, developer and principal behind the concept of Veranda Beach, Oroville, Washington, remembers growing up on the great plains of Saskatchewan. Specifically, he reminisces on those eternal Summer evenings where lazy melded with moonlight and decks became festooned with hammocks, sleeping bags and air-mattresses in an attempt to beat the heat. Childhood talks, carried by breezes, spoke of new bicycles, where the fishing would be good, and who was a better swimmer.

I remember those nights too.

Growing up in Edmonton, Alberta, I had a great-uncle who had a farm in the (then) small community of Fort Saskatchewan. My parents would drive us out in the heat of the day and we kids would pick strawberries and Saskatoons for dessert, eating as much as we put in our buckets. Then we'ld slump on the wrap-around deck with gallons of lemonade whilst the fruits of our labor (literally) were turned into pies, tarts, or simply covered in cream in deep bowls to be devoured.

That was a good time to be a kid; riding my bike along the highway in the morning (I was only 6 or 7) on Brave Adventures... coming home only to eat, and then back out again to Forage in the Wilderness. We were scamps, we were feckless, we were a force without reckoning.

And now, many years later, I watch my two-year old growing up in land where she will perhaps never know such wild abandon, such freedom to discover. And I thought of this even more as I tasted the wines from Jim Hammond's development.

Styled as a throwback to the 50's and showcasing over a mile of private beach on what must be the warmest lake in Canada, Veranda Beach is a beacon to that lifestyle. Today though, let me tell you more about the wines then about the resort... For as much as the place itself deserves to be advocated, the wines are articulate and well-crafted, meriting a champion. (insert Kristof as said Champion)

I first came across the wines of Veranda Beach on a decidedly far too warm private coach ride from Lake Chelan, Washington to Penticton, British Columbia and the 2013 Wine Bloggers Conference. It was June and the bus had failing air conditioning and yet on-board came our brave adventures from the resort with beach balls, bottles of chilled wine, and unfailing joie-du-vie. They laughed as they poured and we wine-writers responded with good manners and more then a cursory interest in the wine.

How could we not? Crisp, clean, great concentration and yet refreshingly easy to enjoy on their own - but I digress. For to tell the story of the wines of Veranda Beach, one first needs to tell the story of Katy Perry.

???

Yes, friends, Katy Perry. Just not that Katy Perry. The one I speak of is a tenured winemaking professional, with a pedigree that would do any cellar proud:

This uber-professional has not only a degree in viticulture from famed UC Davis, but also in eonology. This means the lady has smarts - real smarts. But there are many types of smart, right? Katy knows this as well, so she went to Australia and worked with the former winemaker from Penfold's before going to world-class Yalumba on a stint. But even Aus wasn't big enough to hold Katy and so she flew back to America to work with the pantheon known as Stag's Leap, and then a foray into boutique production in Carneros AVA.

But we all know that there's no place like home, and home beckoned to Katy one fateful day when she was asked to speak at an event in Lake Chelan, Washington. She fell in love with the area, and then that minxy mistress Fate dropped in and Katy was being asked to take on the role of winemaker at Woodville for Chateau St Michelle. This is a dream-job for many, and so on forged our brave Katy, working alongside Eric Olsen and Ernst Loosen to create the first iconic vintages of "Eroica".

Now Katy and her husband have their own vineyard and winery in Lake Chelan; Tildio Winery (  http://www.tildio.com/ ) and Katy is firmly in-place driving the wines of Veranda Beach to greater heights with the able assistance of vineyard manager Finis Hale.

We all know that winemakers agree; 80% of the work done with wine is done in the vineyard, so Finis has a lot on his plate if he's going to keep the vineyard matching the pace of Katy - right? One small (potential) hitch: the vineyard is in the development. Yup - that's right, your cottage at Veranda Beach may in fact be one of those that's surrounded by Sangiovese or Cabernet Franc. A nice way to wake up, if you ask me, but I could see challenges getting the picking equipment between the parked station-wagons (lol).

Actually, vehicles aren't allowed at the cottages, which means the kids can run as free as they want to - which brings me back to how I started this article: I started tasting these wines and remembering what it was like to be filled with the freedom that (seemingly) only children possess. I wanted to ensure that my daughter had that as she grows up.

Perhaps, just like smarts, there are many types of freedom. What is Freedom if it isn't a young Paleontology assistant becoming winemaker in her own winery and at the same time in another World-Class resort just down the road? What is Freedom if it isn't a boy from Saskatchewan growing up to build a resort where kids can run free and parents can relax on wrap-around decks whilst sipping sinfully seductive Riesling?

And speaking of Riesling, I almost forgot to review the wines@! Here you go my friends...


2012 Regatta Rose

90+ points

50 cases produced
Double-Gold; www.SeattleWineAwards.com

• visual:   clear; medium solid raspberry/cherry core with watery rim and silver highlights
• nose:   clean; medium+ intense and youthful aromas bursting with fresh red berries; strawberries, cherries, red raspberries and currants abound followed by a savory/muskiness and a clean, precise line of minerality
• palate:    clean; medium+ red raspberry acid, light+ body, medium+ alcohol (13.1% ABV), medium intense and youthful flavors perfectly inline with the bouquet; a stunningly bright/fresh mineral note washes through with a kaleidoscope of red berries, a light savory tinge completes.Very good to excellent balance, very good to excellent structure, medium- concentration.
• conclusion:   drink now, drink slightly chilled, drink often. This wine will not develop with time but will last in the cellar for a few years with ease; enjoy 2013-2016
• FOOD PAIRING:   so crisp, so clean, I really want to serve this to start a meal and open the palate~! Consider prosciutto wrapped spot prawns, mesquite grilled, with Okanagan peach-heirloom tomato-basil salsa... the salt of the prosciutto will love the berry tones in the wine, and the sweet/salty prawn will do the same... the basil enhances the natural herbaceous qualities and brings them forward to balance 

So you remember that perfectly pretty girl in school/work? The one that you soooo wanted to dislike; she was curvy, she was athletic, she wore clothes that made her look like a rock-star. You were so sure that she was a ditz, and how you would savor trumping her in brains! Ah.... then you found out that she was a straight A student as well, and... she was really nice. Crap.

You found yourself liking her, despite your best intentions. In fact, she may have become your best friend (or your wife - lol).

This next wine is alot like that for me; from the first whiff of the ripe, stonefruit-and-honey laden aromas I thought "Oh - another pretty girl who can't chew gum and walk at the same time." Oh how I was wrong! Layered with goodness and dimension, this is a wine that expresses not only varietal correctness, but is an excellent candidate to showcase what the South Okanagan is capable of for World-Class whites. This makes me hungry to try a late-harvest from the vineyard... and seems a natural for Spatlese or Auslese style. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sp%C3%A4tlese )

2012 Lakehouse (Riesling)

91 points

102 cases produced
whole-cluster pressed
100% stainless steel
Double-Gold; www.SeattleWineAwards.com

• visual:   clear; pale straw core with watery rim, silvery/golden highlights
• nose:   clean; medium+ intense and youthful bouquet; intoxicating (forgive the pun) layers of honeyed raisins, warm apricot compote, little white Summer flowers dripping with pollen... so sweet it smells like there must be Muscat in the glass
• palate:   clean; off-dry, medium- white grape acid, medium- body, medium- alcohol (12.4% ABV), medium+ intense and youthful flavors perfectly inline with the aromas; lusciously ripe stonefruit is cut by an almost Burgundian (read: Masterful) wet-slate minerality, floral notes are diverse like warm-climate Viognier and the finish is crisp, semi-sweet. Excellent balance, excellent structure, medium+ length
• conclusion:   I would love to watch this wine develop it's aged characteristics, but is sheer pleasure to drink now! Enjoy 2013-2020 and possibly beyond
• FOOD PAIRING:   I want to drink this whilst on a boat - a yacht... I want a loaf of fresh French bread, baguette, even a green-olive ficelle, with soft brie, smoked chicken (or turkey, or duck) thinly sliced, some pickled purple onions and a dab of Rainier-cherry relish.... don't be deceived~! This wine has dimension and depth to handle complicated dishes (Thai, Filipino and Vietnamese foods will adore this wine) but I will savor it's nuances with simple foods, as rich with flavor as it is.

And then we came to the end of the tasting... an innocuous bottle named "Collage". Immediately, crafts-classes from Grade 1 came springing to mind in a most unfashionable-manner. I thought that perhaps this was the end of my lucky-streak of finding rare wine-gems... little did I know~!

I love Washington-State Sangiovese. And when I say love, I mean love in the purest sense! This isn't an infatuation, this isn't puppy-love where I try a bottle and say "oh this is looovely" and then never write about it again. No my friend, Washington-State Sangiovese is worthy of time, of consideration, and most of all; worthy of your money. This is the second time in a month that I've tried it and been stunned. 

2010 "Collage"

70% Barbera, 20% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Franc

92 points

250 cases produced
Silver; www.SeattleWineAwards.com

• visual:   clear; full garnet core with slightest cherry rim, no bricking
• nose:   clean; fully intense youthful bouquet of buttery/creamy wood tones, ripe red fruit at the height of Summer, nuanced sous-bois (forest growth) and woody/musky sandalwood, slight eucalyptus/menthol finish
• palate:   clean; dry, full red raspberry/currant acid, medium+ fine tannin, medium- body, medium alcohol (13.8% ABV), medium+ youthful expressions that match the aromas brilliantly! Crisp/tight red berry/fruit tones cavort with a herbaceous undergrowth, whilst a musky backdrop reveals itself. This wine has layers upon layers. Very good balance, stunning structure and medium+ to long length.
• conclusion:   almost a tragedy to drink now - if you must, then decant a minimum 1 hour or double-aerate. Enjoy 2015-2020
• FOOD PAIRING:   this is a wine suited for a prince. Live like a prince for one meal! Chorizo and roasted walnut stuffed partridge breast, cranberry Manitoba wild rice, chevre-stuffed fresh figs torched with "Fireweed" honey, cranberry and fresh thyme essence... yes, perhaps a little overboard, but, don't you deserve it?? This wine needs a little fat to balance those overactive acids and the chorizo will provide just that - but the wild red berry tones will cosy to wild meats and partridge is gamey without being "too" gamey. Cranberry tones enhance the bright red berry tones already there and the fig is a dark fruit which balances. Chevre balances with fat, but a savory fat, and the wild thyme enhances the slight herbaceous tones. Delightful~!

And that, as they say, is that. There are plans to develop the property, and expand the vineyard. But plans are just that: plans. They sometimes go astray and oft lead us to places we never expected. I sincerely hope that your plans, well-laid or not, lead you to Oroville, Washington soon so you can tell me your thoughts on these brilliant wines. The proof is in the glass!

As always, I look forward to your comments, here or on Twitter @AstudentofWine

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!

Lifford Wine and Spirits Winery of the Week: Staete Landt, New Zealand

www.LiffordWine.com

www.StaeteLandt.co.nz

Ruud Maasdam is a great fellow; jovial, quick-to-smile, enthusiastic when he speaks and rarely cross, and so I naturally found myself liking him as he and I spoke at the 2013 Lifford Wine tasting at the Stanley Park Pavilion in Vancouver, BC.

I must say that I actually owe Ruud an apology: I recorded our conversation for podcast, but there was so much ambient sound that it made my recording unpublishable. Anyways! So Ruud is a great guy, and we were having a fantastic discussion on wine, but why oh why is this important to you?

Because Ruud makes World Class Wine. Period. You and I may instinctively think of New Zealand and make associations with Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, but what if I told you that one of the most exciting Chardonnay I had all year was from Staete Landt, from New Zealand?

New Zealand Chardonnay? My friends, if you haven't had the pleasure of trying some of the absolutely brilliant product that never leaves the country (because the Kiwis drink it all!) then you must, definitely must try some. And soon!

And so when my good friends at Lifford Wines sent me a quick email saying that they were choosing Staete Landt as their Winery of the Week, I simply had to re-post. This is a winery easily on par with the very best from that country, and most certainly worthy of your time and attention. But I will defer to my colleagues at Lifford to say what they've managed to coax out of the Maasdam family and into our over-taxed country.

FULL DISCLOSURE: This is an email from Lifford Wines intended for restaurants and Independent Wine/Liquor Stores, not the general public. The views here-in are Lifford Wines', not my own.

Staete Landt is a boutique family owned and operated vineyard and winery. They are focused on producing ultra premium wines that represent the unique terroir of the famed “Golden Mile” in New Zealand’s most important wine region, Marlborough. The Golden Mile is a special strip of land in the sub region of Rapaura; a unique micro-climate (close to the Wairau river) creates the region’s best wine growing conditions. It’s home to some of the oldest and most famous Marlborough vineyards. Staete Landt wines are estate grown and made with the firm belief that the best wines are wines with character, complexity and great balance. Other Cool Stuff: A wine family we love… a lot. Ruud Maasdam and his wife Dorien, Dutch by birth, moved their family to a New Zealand apple orchard in search of producing the country’s best wines. Incredible passion and dedication to quality: in depth soil analysis led them to identify 24 different blocks within their small vineyard. Each block is picked separately according to slight variations in maturation. The name, Staete Landt, references Dutch explorer Abel Tasman who discovered New Zealand in 1642 and proclaimed it “Staete Landt”, land for the Dutch state. Although that didn’t work out, the Maasdam family carries on the legacy of Tasman in the heart of Marlborough. Okay okay we know SAUVIGNON BLANC. Yep, theirs is elegant, nuanced and complex, WE KNOW. But have you tried the Chardonnays?! OR the Syrah?! OR the Riesling?! Sensational.  §   Map Maker Sauvignon Blanc 2011 *spec, SKU 889444 12 x 750 mL $17.99   "Annabel" Estate Grown Sauvignon Blanc 2011/2012 *spec, SKU 638403  12 x 750 mL $27.99   Estate Grown Riesling Auslese 2010 *spec, SKU 364117 6 x 750mL $34.99   "Josephine" Estate Grown Chardonnay 2010 *spec, SKU 402198 6 x 750 mL $34.99     Map Maker Pinot Noir 2010 *spec, SKU 519280 12 x 750 mL $29.99   "Paladin" Estate Grown Pinot Noir 2009 *stocked spec, SKU 401547 6 x 750 mL $39.99 "Arie" Estate Grown Syrah 2010 *spec, SKU 620807 6 x 750 mL $39.99   § Please contact your Sales Agent if you require more information. Plamen Velikov – plamenv@liffordwine.com Joe Dobbie – joed@liffordwine.com Nick Waggott – nickw@liffordwine.com Niki Randall – nikir@liffordwine.com If you would like to taste any of these wines between August 12th and August 23rd, email igala@liffordwine.com and he will be pleased to arrange an appointment.

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As I said my friends, this is a winery on the same level as many from the same region charging far more per bottle. Excellent wine but stunning value, and, you get to support a really fantastic fellow :) ... If you're looking at making room in your portfolio for: more New Zealand, a new Chardonnay, etc-  then this will be worth your time.

The proof is in the glass!

As always, I welcome your thoughts and comments, either here or on Twitter @AStudentofWine

CINCIN~!!!      SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!

Wine Tasting Circle, Vancouver

Well all, just a moment to toot my own horn~! I've been lucky enough to be able to start my own wine tastings in the beautiful Moda Hotel downtown, in the private dining salon of Uva winebar/Cibo restaurant (www.uvawinebar.ca).

The Chef and The Grape.com

Wine Tasting Circle

A series of wine tastings featuring rare vintages

and unique wines to the BC marketplace.

These tastings are designed for professional wine stewards/sommeliers, wine-merchants, writers as well as the serious amateur. Involving food components rather then full dishes, this is designed to allow participants to evolve their understanding of how flavors will affect, marry and contrast with each other.

Held in the private dining salon of Cibo/Uva @ the Moda Hotel (900 Seymour st) @ 7pm the first Wednesday of each month, participation is limited to 12 people. Payment can be made through the Paypal link @ www.TheChefandTheGrape.com

August 07th, 2013
2000 Bordeaux $99/person

1. Chateau Perron (Lalande de Pomerol)
2. Chateau Saint Yves (Premier Cotes du Bordeaux)
3. Fonreaud (Listrac-Medoc)
4. Monregard la Croix (Pomerol)
5. Croix de Marbuzet (St Estephe)
6. Bernadotte (Haut-Medoc)

Chef Kristof
Journeyman Chef, Wine Steward, FWS (student)
604.339.6921 (cell)

Schug Pinot Noir, Carneros, Sonoma Coast, California

www.SchugWinery.com

www.CrushImports.com (merchants in Western Canada)

If you don't know who Walter Schug is, then you my friend need to learn one more name today. Herr Schug is, to me and many others, a veritable pantheon in the wine industry, in American wine, and in the nonsensical world of Pinot Noir.

Walter Schug was born with his feet stained red from the grapes... at least, that's what he told me at the 2013 Vancouver International Wine Festival (http://vanwinefest.ca). You see, Walter's Dad was also in the wine industry and used to take young Walter, when he was very, very young - to the vineyards and into the cellar. Walter told me, with his infectious grin, that they were some of his absolute fondest memories. And Walter has lead quite a life~!

How do I begin to tell the story of this man? Do I start with "Insignia"; the inaugural, iconic Bordeaux-styled blend that set the bar - - - and set it higher then most have been able to reach since? Do I start with Syrah?? Walter was the first winemaker to work with it in the USA. Do I start with late-harvest techniques? Once again - trailblazer. Perhaps you're expecting me to start to tell Walter's story by saying that this year marks his 60th vintage as a winemaker.

You would be wrong.

Of all of the things that there are to respect and admire about Walter Schug, perhaps the greatest- (asides from his steadfast devotion to his childhood grape varietal Pinot Noir which was quite out of fashion during the 80's)- yes the greatest characteristic I admire is his commitment to family. Walter has built everything that we see; built reputation, collaborated to create a community,  crafted a winery from a modest 2,000 cases/year to over 30,000 cases - for family.

Daughter, daughters' twin, son, daughter-in-law... all working in the family business. I come from a big family and I know that families don't always see eye-to-eye, and yet all three children work in the winery. How can this be?

Well just as I said in my last article, I believe in Reaganomics; I believe in trickle-down-theory. Someone at the top in this company (not saying who) must have laid down a foundation of respect, acceptance and even - love. Love? "You must be thinking ardor or passion" I hear you thinking. But, you would be wrong. For I mean love.

Walter crossed from Germany to California in 1961, and he came with his wife Gertrud. His blushing-bride also had a wine-maker as a father and so she knew the lifestyle she was getting herself into... crossing the ocean to the (then) unknown wilderness of central California. There were less then 50 wineries in the entire state at the time. Now there are over 450 in Sonoma County and 700 in Napa Valley. Gertrud came for love.

And it is an Old-Fashioned kind-of-love that lets a husband and wife work together as well as live together. Gertrud became Chief Financial Officer for Schug Wines in 1980 and remained in that onerous position until she passed away in 2007. She and her husband were willing slaves to the promise that they were building something for their children (and now grand-children).

I was reminded of my mentor/inspiration James Conaway (New York Times best-selling author @ http://cjonwine.blogspot.ca/) when I read about Walter and Gertrud packing their 3 kids into the car and moving to the rural community (at the time) of St Helena, Napa Valley in 1966... The Judgement of Paris was still a decade away, Chateau Montelena and Stag's Leap Wines? Kids just learning to walk... and this was where Walter wanted to bring his kids. This was where he wanted to build their future.

And why? Yes, for love. But also, in Walter's words

“It was the great potential I saw here, and the opportunity to be part of its development, that convinced me to come to California.”

Bravo my friend. Your wines speak for themselves;

2009 Carneros Pinot Noir

92+ Points
$30 USD, winery club price $24 USD

• visual:   clear; medium ruby core with slightly bricking wide and light ruby/cherry rim
• nose:   clean; medium+ to fully intense and youthful bouquet of red cherries and raspberries, cherry blossoms, wild herbs such as thyme/sage/savory, a little forest aroma (French call this sous-bois), dark tea notes and a hint of menthol/eucalyptus
• palate:   clean; dry, medium+ crisp red currant acid, medium+ chewy tannin, medium- body, medium+ alcohol (14% ABV), medium+ intense youthful flavors that are much in-line with the aromas; a bright red burst of young berry flavors is carried by waves of savory herbs, dense wood tones and a strong presence of dark tea minerality. Before today I have never paired tea with mineral, but in this instance the two flavors are nigh congruent and to me deserve to be spoken of as a pair. Excellent balance and structure, medium+ length
• conclusion: to be enjoyed now. This is a (in my opinion) an excellent expression of Carneros and is just hitting its prime; enjoy 2013-2018
• FOOD PAIRING:   the presence of wild herbs and sous-bois in the wine really make me want to pair this with Pork; slow roast bacon wrapped pork loin with maple-mustard glaze, sweet potato pave, fresh English peas... the pork is a natural for Pinot Noir, the sweet of the maple balances slightly hot alcohol, the mustard cuts through it, the sweet potato enhances natural fruit flavors and the bright green notes of the peas play counter-part to the savory/herbaceous qualities

2010 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

93+ Points 
$24 USD, winery-club price $19.20 USD

• visual:   clear; light ruby core fading quickly to lighter ruby/cherry rim, no bricking
• nose:   clean; fully intense youthful spicy savory herb bouquet; every herb under the sun~! Thyme, rosemary, Italian parsley, sage, savory... a kaleidoscope mixed with musky wood tones like sandalwood, the minerality is a delicate thread of spun steel that threads throughout
• palate:   clean; dry, full red currant acid, medium grippy tannin, medium- body, medium alcohol (13.5%), medium+ to fully intense youthful flavors perfectly in-line with the aromas; the quick burst of red berry tones quickly gives way to a rich abundance of savory herbs and musky wood tones... the minerality which seemed delicate in the nose shows it's full force here and is finessed as much as it is puissant. Excellent balance and Stunning structure, medium+ to long length
• conclusion:   still a babe; drink now once through the aerator or a 30-minute decant. Enjoy 2015-2020++
• FOOD PAIRING:   be big, be bold, because this wine most certainly is as well~! Consider an authentic lamb/venison Poblano mole over Manitoba wild rice pilaf, Chiliwack corn succotash, steamed collard greens (Swiss Chard)... you  might never have thought of Pinot Noir and chocolate (and neither did I for a long time), but in some instances.... Magic!!!

Schug Carneros vineyards

Wine is more then passion, it is more then devotion, it is even more then love. Wine is also business.

And Walter Schug knows that as well, if not better, then anyone. Walter took years - literally years - to discover the place that was going to be best for him to work with the grapes that his father had introduced  him to when he was a child in Germany. Pinot Noir; the heart-break grape. It is his passion, even if it was Chardonnay that paid the bills for many of those first years of the winery.

Walter knew he had found the place at last when he came to the Carneros appellation, just south of the town of Sonoma. It's a place where the fog is replaced at midday by summertime winds that come rushing through  the Petaluma Gap. It's this wind-stress that causes the skin of the grapes to thicken, particularly the higher Pinot Noir plantings, a characteristic that adds pepper and spice nuances to the wine. Perhaps it also toughens the skins of its inhabitants, allowing them to work side by side with family which must be a stress all of it's own... yes, the wind comes and does this all so that you and I get to taste this World-Class wine for pennies, and the Schug family gets to keep building a future. Together.

As always, I welcome your comments here or on Twitter @ AStudentofWine

CINCIN~!!!    SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!

Mud House single vineyard Pinot Noir, Otago, New Zealand

www.MudHouse.co.nz
www.renaissancewine.ca (merchants)

I believe in Reaganomics. I believe in "trickle-down" theory and that whatever happens at the top will make its way to the bottom.

grapes at Mud House harvest

So when my friend and colleague from Renaissance Wine Merchants came over for our ritual bottle (or two) of wine and a good cigar, I felt inspired to find out who was leading the charge at Mud House Wines. I've never claimed to be an expert on Pinot Noir... oh sure I love a good one as much as the next wine-geek, but sometimes the subtleties escape me.

Nothing escaped my attention when I tried this wine. It's big, bold and beautiful, lined with a precise minerality worthy of Burgundy, and yet the expression is pure New Zealand. My researcher instincts got me asking the usual Who, What, Where, When and Why. Of course, I already knew everything except for the Who. Or did I?

Ben Glover is one of the two winemakers for this winery that exemplifies holistic and sustainable viticulture. I almost wasn't surprised when I found out that Ben was selected as the New Zealand representative scholar to the inaugural Lee Evans Tutorial ( http://www.lenevanstutorial.com.au ). If you've never heard of this outrageously high-powered week of wine tastings and seminars, fret not, only a dozen applicants are selected to participate from the entire World of Wine and this years' attendees include a Master of Wine and a Master Sommelier...

The list of wines these fine folks get to swirl, sip and spit (or not) would make any budding oenophile dizzy with jealousy: Haut-Brion, Salon, Chave Hermitage, Romanée Conti... I was completely humbled when I started reading the list. And by the end? By the end of the list I think I understood Ben Glover and his wine-making a little bit better.

Now that I've been writing about wines for over three years, many of the wines I scored in my first 6 months I might score differently now. It's not that the wine has changed, but my point-of-reference surely has. Perhaps it's the same for a wine-maker? I hear so many of them say time and time and time again "If you want to make great wines, you need to drink great wines."

And so here is a man, Ben, who whilst helping his wife to raise their four children (when do you sleep man??) takes a week sabbatical to the wine-Mecca. Or maybe the wine-MIT is more accurate as the Len Evans Tutorial is really about expanding knowledge! Well Ben had to go - right? As a board member for both Wine Marlborough and the great Pinot Noir 2013 Celebration, Ben had an obligation to go develop his lexicon of wine.

Yet Ben would probably be the guy first to say "Mud House making great wine is about more then just me!"

You're absolutely right Ben, but like I said; I believe in Reaganomics. I believe in trickle-down theory. I've seen what happens when great people put in the effort for someone at the top who just isn't as passionate as they are. You know what happens, right? Not very much.

There is a driving force behind Mud House wines that is creating its own ecosystem of passion, ambition and dedication. Ben Glover may only be one cog in the machinery, but what does it say about the people operating the machine that they can attract leaders like Ben?

Try a glass and find out!

2009 Mud House SWAN Pinot Noir

Riverlands Estate

Marlborough, Central Otago, New Zealand

92 points

in Canada, contact www.renaissancewine.ca

• visual:   clear; full garnet core with ruby/cherry rim, slight bricking
• nose:   clean; fully intense youthful yet developing aromas of thyme and lavender infused cherry compote, red flowers (roses), peppercorns, warm earth, new leather
• palate:   clean; dry, medium+ red cherry acid, medium+ grippy tannin, medium- body, medium+ alcohol (14% ABV), medium+ youthful flavors that are in-line with the bouquet; the fresh red berry-tones are awash in wild herbs and a savory-scrub-brush serious sous-bois undertone, minerality is a keen presence as the palate finishes with warm earth and wood notes. Very good balance, excellent structure and medium+ length
• conclusion:   at 4 years old, this wine is still in the bloom of youth. Integrated tannin, balanced acid, concentration and layering all yield a score into the low 90's. Enjoy now with or without decanting, or cellar and enjoy 2013-2017
• FOOD PAIRING:   these crisp red berry tones will delight with fresh fish; consider fresh BC Albacore tuna tataki with sambal-infused Kewpie mayo and miso-glazed soba noodle salad ... a little fat from the mayo, some spice to balance, the salty-miso contrasts and earthy soba noodle enhance the natural earthy tones

As always my friends, I look forward to your comments; here or on Twitter @ AStudentofWine

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!

Silverback Vineyards, Columbia Valley, Washington State

Silverback Vineyards, Walla Walla Washington

www.silverbackvineyards.com

The Columbia Valley AVA in Washington State (www.columbiavalleywine.com) is a sprawling 11,000,000 acres of land - making it almost 5 times the size of the largest wine producing region of France: Bordeaux. A comparison of the two areas may seem far-fetched, but follow me on a little exploration...

Bordeaux is a "master artist" if you will; the wines of this region have been inspiring winemakers and wine-drinkers alike for decades piled upon centuries. The cousin-across-the-water Bordeaux has actually 3 times the amount of acres planted with vines, and I'm stunned by the vast difference in the number of wineries (Bordeaux has over 8,500 producers). In 1981, all of Washington State put together only had 19 wineries. Today they can claim over 750 wineries within State boundaries, exporting to over 40 countries, with a production level second in the USA behind "The Great State of" California.

Still- a dwarf beside mighty Bordeaux.

And yet, might one day young David topple the seemingly invincible Goliath?

Columbia Valley AVA

The Grande Dame of the wine-world, Jancis Robinson, has rated several Washington State wines as being truly world-class, and the man who (arguably) started the Bordeaux craze in the '80's (Robert Parker) has scored several Washington wines as worthy of the prestigious 100-point perfect score. These items alone bode well for Washington's future as a producer of serious wines.

But there's the human element, the part of the French equation of terroir which can never be predicted; for good or for bad. And here's where I enter the story~!

At the recent 2013 Wine Bloggers Conference in Penticton, BC (http://winebloggersconference.org/america/)  I had the great pleasure of organizing and moderating a panel-led discussion on BC terroir and how one uses that sense in judging/scoring wines. The lecture went incredibly well, the week was a blur, and on the final night I thought to myself "Enough work Kristof - time to relax and enjoy a few too many glasses of wine with friends!" And so I put my ear to the ground, found out where the coolest after-parties were, and prepared my liver for a bit of a long night.

Little did I know what I was in for; because when I got the VIP suite in question I was greeted at the door, shady-late-nite-club-style, by a big man in casual clothes demanding to know why I was there.

"To drink wine." I responded innocently.

... a moment passed uncomfortably...

"Ok. Come on in." he waved with a grin starting to emerge. "Hey Monique!" he bellowed into the suite, "this guy's here to drink wine!"

I tried my best to squeeze past the unexpected bouncer (who brings a bouncer to a Wine Conference?) and scanned the room for a familiar face. No luck. Instead, a decidedly curvy and unnervingly beautiful short blond slid up to me in high heels.

"You wanted to try some wine?"

I decided to play this situation cool - - real cool. "Um. Yeah. Wine."

She was totally enthralled by my masterful command of the English language and brought me a splash of Chardonnay in a Riedel glass. Riedel? These cats knew how to party! I prepared myself for some god-awful-liquid-oak-infused-over-cropped-crap-from-the-bottom-of-the-cellar. But then I smelled it...

Damn.

Double-damn, but this was real wine. I swirled, I sipped. I couldn't have spit that wine if I wanted to - it was too good. I had to smell that wine again, but something was buzzing

"I asked if you liked it?" she murmured.

"Shhh... I'm smelling the wine."

I almost heard, like from a dream, the bouncer ask the blonde "Well does he like it?"

I couldn't stop smelling the wine, and the only thing better then smelling it was tasting it - in small sips so that I could savor it forever. I was tired of the distractions though.

"This... this is so good. Would I - could I have a bit more?" I felt like I was facing Fagan and it was the proverbial bowl-of-gruel, but Oliver Twist never had it this good.

"This is Charles. He's the owner and the winemaker." I heard that cat-like murmur again at my side. What? I thought to myself; The bouncer is the owner? I'm too tired, this isn't making sense!

You see my friends, if ever there was a wine introduced to me under poor circumstances, this would be that occasion. It turns out that Charles Herrold, the owner/winemaker, is a fantastically friendly and chatty fellow - we ended up sipping wine and talking long, long into that night. And the curvy blonde with the velvet voice? A certified sommelier no-less, who showed me with grace that she knew a thing or three about wine. A genuine lady and fellow wine-lover.

And the Chardonnay? They sent me with some wines to take home and make notes on;

2011 Chardonnay

Wallula Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills AVA

91+ Points

Barrel fermented in Burgundy Barrique and Puncheons 8.5 months, aged sur-lie

185 cases

• visual:   clear; light gold core with watery rim, silver highlights
• nose:   clean; medium+ to fully intense youthful bouquet reminiscent of Mersault; ultra-precise and defined minerality, warm hay, young golden apples, little white summer flowers, off-set by a hint of wild-thyme and a light finish of spicy pepper. Oak is a presence.
• palate:   clean; dry, full golden apple acid, medium body, medium+ alcohol (13% ABV), medium+ concentration of flavors much in-line with the nose; crisp young apples are off-set by a hint of wild herbs and summer flowers, but it is the precise minerality which enthralls the palate, holding it captive as the flavors evolve. Very good balance, excellent structure and long length. 
• conclusion:   this is a wine worth watching!If I could have scored just on bouquet alone this would have earned 93/94 points! This caliber of craftsmanship will yield truly world-class Chardonnay in the future and already should be on the "must-taste" list for anyone who appreciates Burgundian style. Enjoy 2013-2018+
• FOOD PAIRING:   Washington wine with Washington food; consider poached Pacific salmon with fresh tarragon remoulade, steamed nugget potatoes/sweet corn/edamame salad... the salmon's natural fat will balance the active acid, the fresh tarragon will enhance the light herb-notes, the sweet corn will play off the savory characteristics

after a Chardonnay like this, I couldn't wait to try the Syrah and so planned a decadent Summer bbq at home with glazed meats, steamed and grilled veggies, and my new creation; balsamic-truffle grilled Crimini mushrooms... they're almost too much of a good thing. Almost.

Ribeye steaks and fresh rosemary from the garden

2010 Syrah

89 Points
Sara Lee and Shiraz #7 clones
blended and aged for 25 months in second fill French oak
149 cases

• visual:   clear;   fully intense garnet core with ruby/garnet rim
• nose:   clean; fully intense youthful yet developing aromas of white pepper, savory underbrush, wild thyme, stewing dark berries such as blackberry/black raspberry, currant undertones
• palate:   clean; dry, full+ red currant acid, full chewy tannin, full body, medium+ alcohol (14.8% ABV), medium intense youthful flavors speaking of young vines; tart red berry flavors abound, but there is little in the way of dimension. The palate is disappointing after the highly expressive nose. Good balance, decent structure, medium+ length
• conclusion:   I would like to think that this wine is suffering from young vines and a difficult year (2010 was not great for the Pacific NorthWest). That being said, the nose and palate aren't in unison and to me that is a basic challenge. This wine will not develop appreciably with time and with such mediocre concentration on the palate - is best consumed sooner rather then later
• FOOD PAIRING:   high acid, rich aromatics, low concentration on the palate... consider this for the cheese course 

2011 Syrah Reserve

91 Points

Sara Lee clone

100% free run juice used in a single 500 litre puncheon and left on the lees for fifteen months

55 cases

• visual:   clear; fully intense garnet core with cherry/ruby rim, light sediment
• nose:   clean; fully intense youthful bouquet of blackberry/blueberry/saskatoon, wild thyme/sage, old leather, wood tones/ sandalwood, black and red Tellicherry peppercorns
• palate:   clean; dry, full+ red currant acid, medium+ to full soft/chewy/meaty tannin, full body, full alcohol (15% ABV), fully intense youthful flavors much in-line with the aromas; opening with eager red fruit flavors, the palate has depth and dimension carried by wild herbs, leather and wood tones. Good balance, very good to excellent structure and medium+ length
• conclusion:   this is a wine with definite cellaring potential. If you must drink it now, I advise double-decanting/double-aeration. Enjoy 2015-2019+
• FOOD PAIRING:   play off of the wines' strengths~! The rich berry tones and wild herbs will cosy up to wild meats/venison but the full acids must be balanced with some fat. Consider venison cassoulet to be a natural in this instance

And so the Syrah, whilst good, were not on the same level as the wines I had tried that magical night in Penticton. Did I dream it all? Was the blond an enchantress? A siren luring men to their doom on the rocky shoals of wine? Or was I just that tired?? I went back to the second wine I tried in the VIP suite; a sexy little Sangiovese

2010 Sangiovese
92+ points
Aged in American oak puncheons for 24 months with 9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Syrah added 
185 cases

• visual:   clear; full garnet core with ruby rim and the barest hint of bricking, light sediment
• nose:   clean; fully intense youthful bouquet like a world-class Brunello; warm spicy earth is carried by buttery oak tones, layers of savory herbs and tomato leaves drying in the Summer sun, dark cocoa background mingling with a playful peppercorn finish
• palate:    clean; dry, fully intense red currant/raspberry acid, medium+ intense chewy/grippy tannin, medium+ body, medium alcohol (highly integrated 14.2% ABV), fully intense youthful flavors much in-line with the nose; bright red fruit dominate this young wine and are chased by wild herbs, old leather, buttery oak. Great balance and structure with medium+ length (long finish but a tad mono-dimensional after the mid-palate)
• conclusion: still a baby! This wine was still tight after a 24-hour decant; this will live for years so, if you must drink it now, run it three times through an aerator. Enjoy 2015-2020+
• FOOD PAIRING:    big wine? Big food~! Consider this for a traditional dish served in multiple formats all over Italy; grilled sausage, bell pepper and fresh basil baked with tagliatelle pasta, garden-fresh tomato sauce, Fontina and Asiago cheese... don't forget, a wine with acid like this wants some fat - so give it fat~! But it has depth and dimension to allow for a greater expanse of flavors on your plate to match it and enjoy discovering the multiple layers

I saved the best (?) for last of course; the Bordeaux-styled blend they call .... I'm going to be doing my Bordeaux-Master program late this year and, as such, have a great passion for those blends. I don't care where they come from, or what the price is - I care about the quality. I care about balance, I care about expression, I care about integration... let's see how Silverback Vineyards and the vast expanse of the Columbia Valley measured up (in my eyes):

2010 Reference (Bordeaux-styled blend)
Wallula Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills AVA
90 points
Cabernet Sauvignon (43%), Merlot (31%), Petit Verdot (12%), Cabernet Franc (9%), and Malbec (5%) were blended after thirteen months and re-barreled into 500 litre French puncheons for an additional year to amalgamate into our complex, flagship wine. 85% free-run juice was used 
270 cases

• visual:   clear; medium garnet core with cherry rim
• nose:   clean; medium+ youthful aromas of candied cherries, cherry blossoms, roses, red and black currants, old leather, wild thyme
• palate:   clean; dry, full red currant acids, medium+ chalky tannin, med+ body, full alcohol (13.9%), medium+ intense and youthful flavors much in-line with the aromas; a generous burst of red berries is followed by earthy/woodsy notes against a backdrop of wild herbs and fresh flowers. Good balance, great structure and medium+ length
• conclusion:   richly concentrated, this wine just needs the vines to mature. The acid will soften over time, bringing it more into balance and so I advise enjoying 2015-2018+
• FOOD PAIRING:   this wine has decent concentration and depth (though slightly off-balance at present)... I would take one note from it and make the food accentuate; ancho-honey slow braised beef shortribs on rosemary infused gnocchi, strawberry-cucumber salad ... ancho or chipotle will enhance this wines' intense red berry notes but beware of pairing spice with high alcohol wines as the alcohol intensifies the sensation of alcohol (hence the honey for balance)

And so a decidedly excellent showing from the first vintage of a new winery. It's obvious that Charles Herrold knows what he's doing, and as these vines mature - scores in the 90's will become the standard for this winery. 

Perhaps a comparison of Bordeaux and the Columbia Valley was foolish; Bordeaux-the-Master obviously has more wineries, more awards, more prestige, more presence in the International Arena then Young-Columbia-Valley. The only area where Bordeaux does not surpass Columbia Valley is in passion; focused passion from the current generation of winemakers that are striving day-in and day-out to allow the fullest expression of their vineyards. In this, the two regions are equals.

And no perhaps about it.

As always, I look forward to your comments here or on Twitter @AStudentofWine

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!