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2021 Kobayashi Winery Marsanne-Roussanne Boushey Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Rattlesnake Hills (12/25/2022)
A good 6 hrs of air /decant. In the immortal words of Mr. Spoc: ‘fascinating’. So true. The nose has that trait that is so clear cut to my brain, model airplane glue, which I often get with Marsanne and or Roussanne. A wine for contemplation vs the Kobayashi Viognier (while being exceptional, it’s charms are obvious and delights in a more traditional way). Here, you have to work for it, but it’s well worth the effort. The first half is more saline in nature, a bit of tire rubber, low acidity all of which sounds odd but it works. The back half shows some sweetness, Meyer lemon, a touch of cream, any a very impressive mineral component. One trait I found a constant on both the nose and the palate was saffron. Yep, plan as a day on this one. A Kobayashi white has been served with the main course (Julia Childs Santa Barbara Fish Stew) on Xmas Eve for three years straight and I don’t see any reason to buck this trend. Excellent. (94 points)
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The $10 legend. Last bottle. When my wife likes a red and it is $10 wish I would have bought all they had left before promoting
it.
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2014 Davenport Cellars Mr. B - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley (12/25/2022)
Day 1: Still going strong with blueberries, menthol, dark cherries, spice, coffee beans and minerals. Concentrated effort and shows like a $100 Napa Cabernet. 93 points
Day 2: A bit better with blueberries, minerals, menthol, exotic spices, mild oak, coffee beans, floral notes and earth. A truly epic wine that will always be top 10 of all time based on the cost of just $10.00. 94 points
Recommendation: Cherish your bottles as this is one of the best QPR wines of all time!!! (94 points)
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Enjoyed this 2015 Spring Value Vineyard Uriah on Christmas day as our “cooking wine” in between pre-dinner bubbles and dinner Cabernets. Really nice!
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We had a magnum of 01 Baer Ursa with Morgan standing rib roast.Pretty nostalgic for me since Lance was a good friend.Can’t believe it has been 15 years since his passing.The wine was mature but not past its prime by any stretch.The roast was spectacular as usual, 250 in the oven for 4 hrs. Rest for 45 min then back in the oven for 10 min at 500. Perfect med - 140 throughout.Saving the bottle since Lance signed it.A special Christmas dinner for sure.
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I worked at CDC with Dani at the time, so drank Baer quite a bit back then as she helped him get it up and going. Like anyone his age, his passing was sad and too soon.
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Kris
There is another signature on the bottle, I think it is Matt Loso sister Jamie if memory serves.I think she did the etching .Does that ring a bell?
I don’t recall Jamie, but do remember Matt doing Matthews, then consulting in WA and working with Barons and Rollat while opening his own winemaking business.
A wine for St. Stephen’s day!
Block Wines, NV extra brut pinot noir rose, Marchant vineyard farmhouse block, WA state sparkling wine. Light pink/salmon color. Dry cherry, very nice PN almost effusive fruit on nose and palate, a hint of toast, acidity just right to liven and cleanse the palate. I had few expectations for this but there’s a lot to like. What an overachiever. Comes from a vineyard in Yakima valley, which I’m guessing must be at the cooler (west) end and higher elevatio with a 2021 disgorgement iirc. Sold by Full Pull for $25 this is a terrific buy and will become annual buy for me now if they keep offering it. 3+ (out of 5).
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We drank one of these on Christmas with turkey, etc… Very nice in that setting too. My 4 from first release became a 6 pack buy the second time a few weeks ago. The new release is 2022 disgorgement. This is made by Treveri, but is drier and crisper than their “standard” Treveri branded rose, I think.
This was an order from last summer thus the 2021 disgorgement. I must have missed the last release, unfortunately.
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It was listed in the Dec 23 “ring out the year” post. Probably still available.
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Had a couple of Washington wines over the last week
2020 Dunham Shirley Mays Chardonnay. I am usually underwhelmed by most WA chardonnays, but this was very enjoyable - good balance of fruit and acidity, medium body, complexity provided by some smoky/flinty/reductive notes. Very nice.
2013 Cadence Bel Canto. This was good, but I was distracted by a note of dill that I usually find in wines that have American oak. I thought Cadence was all French oak, but maybe not? Otherwise, very balanced with ripe fruit and mellowed tannins. Enjoyable, but not typical a Cadence to me.
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2019 Eight Bells Old Salt Red Willow Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley (12/27/2022)
67% Sangiovese/33% Cabernet Sauvignon (Red Willow Vineyard)
Day 1: Very nice featuring floral, dust, peppercorns, cherry, burnt toast, earth and spices. Very fragrant wine and quite complex. Great value wine under $30.00. 92 points
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2013 was a weird year. Lots of areas had a sugar spike without the equivalent phenolic move which ended up with some green flavors…not bell pepper green, but along the savory herb spectrum with slightly elevated alcohols. Everyone says it cooled down just in time for harvest, but WA knows so much more even a decade later in dealing with solar years.
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Interesting- thanks for the insight. Yeah it reminded me somewhat of a the dill you might find in an older Silver Oak which I automatically associated with the oak. But I suspect you’re right that it may have been the weather impact on the fruit.
John, I’m going to have to find some Eight Bells to try. I’ve been meaning to, but haven’t bit yet. Thanks for the useful TNs.
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From Dec. 23
TN: 1989 Woodward Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon Dedication Series
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1989 Woodward Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon Dedication Series - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley (12/23/2022)
I bought this wine directly from the Herb Farm Restaurant in Woodinville, WA when they were selling some of their cellar to survive through early Covid. The bottle was pristine with a fill into the neck. The cork was great, removed with ah-so. I'm going from memory, so no specific flavors or aromas that I should record at this point. The wine was absolutely fantastic. Blind, I would've guessed it to be early 2000s-age. Lots of beautiful fruit, but all of those lovely mature aromas and flavors too. Long finish. This was so vibrant and alive and it was a pleasure to enjoy with family celebrating my wife's birthday.
Posted from CellarTracker
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A few miles from my brother’s house in Seattle. Love the urban winery tasting room vibe.
Funny they made a Marquette wine which was a University of Minnesota creation. They need to stick to creating new apple varietals in our colder climate region.
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2015 Eight Bells Marquette - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley (10/20/2016)
Interesting making a cold climate wine in a great wine region. Drinkable but money could be spent elsewhere. (82 points)
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The story I remember about Marquette is that Paul Champoux planted some in tribute to his High School, LaSalle du Marquette in Yakima. I thought it was at Champoux, H3, but Yakima AVA is a possibility too.
Edit to add story…
Edit 2. I have the school name wrong. It is St Joseph Marquette school which is a primary school. La Salle is the high school. Close enough. And they planted at both Champoux and Red Willow.
I have had a number of Eight Bells wines. Always solid stuff!
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Had the 2020 Kobayashi Viognier on Christmas evening. Not quite as much rock and energy as the 21 Marsanne/Roussanne but plenty good. Orchard fruit and white flowers balanced out with a subtle creaminess that was a pleasure to drink. Luckily for me, it was my brother-in-law’s bottle so I still have three! 93pts.
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