Another very nice bottle from my auction “mystery pack”:
2008 Woodinville Wine Cellars O.M.O. - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley (1/17/2023)
14.8% abv. Purchased from a "mystery pack" at a recent auction. 67% Petite Verdot, 33% Malbec. Only 76 cases produced. Cork came out in one piece and was barely stained at all. Very good showing, as this was open and generous (unlike the note from 2012). Unfiltered fleshy mouthfeel, as evidenced with lots of fine, suspended particulates. Rich and ripe fruit with plenty of depth that was fully integrated in a way that only age can bring. Plenty of tart acidity, falling just short of aggressive, but this gave freshness and lift, especially on the second day (vacuum sealed overnight at room temp). Flavor profile speaks of Bordeaux, but with telltale new world ripeness. Really enjoyed this. In a great spot now, but should hold for a few more years at least if well stored. (92 points)
The Substance cab is outstanding at that price point. The Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc were disappointing. I really enjoy the Chateau St. Michelle Horse Heaven Hills SB for $10.
Well, you win some and you lose some. This wasn’t bad perse, just not what I was hoping it would be.
TN: 2013 Walla Walla Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley
2013 Walla Walla Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (1/23/2023)
I was really, really excited to open this bottle. I like the 2013 in Washington for Cabs and Cab-blends a lot, and 7-10 years is a great window for most WA Cabs, for my palate. Unfortunately, this disappointed. There was nice fruit, which was expected and enjoyed, but the oak really stuck out. I'm typically pretty oak tolerant, but my wife and I found this to be too much, and in a way that I don't see getting any better with more bottle time. It was, however, elegant and well-balanced with regard to fruit, acid, tanning, and alcohol. It was just too oaky, darn it. Drink now.
Opened another fantastic bottle of Delille Chaleur Estate White over the weekend:
2011 DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate Blanc - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley (1/28/2023)
This was absolutely delicious. The color was still a light, pale yellow and didn't show any obvious signs of age. The nose and palate also belied its 11/12-year bottle age. The only giveaway was a delicious peach/stone fruit note amidst the lemon and jasmine notes. Absolutely delicious and in no sign of decline. Age these! (93 points)
2010 Maison Bleue Gravière Upland Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley Snipes Mountain (1/28/2023)
This was just awesome, and right at peak I think. That said, the structure of the wine will most certainly support further development, as there is still also strong fruit. Not decanted. The nose and palate were so complex on this: a myriad of spices, blackberry, plum skin, and some herbal/earthiness underneath. The 2010 wines from Washington continue to shine...I wish there were more frequent "cold" vintages, as they're just awesome when done well. Sad this was my lone bottle of this. (93 points)
2020 Two Vintners O.G (extended maceration Gewürztraminer) Olsen vyd, Yakima Vly AVA
Clear very light-orange tinged with yellow. Classic gewürztraminer lychee, rose water, floral with a somewhat more phenolic character than usual no doubt due to the extended maceration. Skin contact character is not at all overdone. Very similar to the 2019 from what I recall. Absolutely delightful and a real joy to drink. I would buy this every year if I could. 4- (out of 5).
I’ve had the 2019 and 2020 versions of this wine, multiple bottles each, and I’m really impressed by it. I’d love to see more winemakers in WA trying extended skin contact. Morgan Lee, who I have to think is one of the top ten WA winemakers, hit it out of the park coming up with this cuvee.
NV Treveri Blanc de Noirs light salmon color with a nose of strawberry, rhubarb, and red apple. Palate is bright with red fruits and good acidity.
2013 Boudreaux Cellars Wallula Syrah nice melange of red and black fruits with medium acidity and a palate with medium tannins and notes of black fruits and olive.
Had a few more WA wines with some age on them over the last week.
2009 Efeste EMMY Stone Tree Vineyard a blend of 67% Mourvedre with balance Grenache, then Syrah. Brennon was making Efeste back then so seemed like a good glimpse of his vision under the B. Leighton label with some age for Mourvedre in WA. Showing a bit of age with plum leading the fruit profile, with dark cherry, and chocolate. Good fruit and earth on palate with a bit of barrel spice. Drink over next 5-7 years.
2011 Efeste NANA Red a blend of Merlot from Red Willow and Cabernet from Angela’s. Purple fruits, flowers, coffee, and a saline element intermingle with resolved tannins and a hint flowers and spice. Drink over next 3 years.
2014 Kevin White Red from the Yakima Valley with 54% Syrah and equal parts Grenache and Mourvedre. Blueberry, raspberry, and plum with smoke, leather, and some herbs. Mid-weight on palate with integrated tannins and good acidity. Drink over next 8-10 years.
2015 K Vintners Syrah Powerline Estate - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (2/14/2023)
Not decanted, consumed using GlassVin Universal stems. The appearance was ever so slightly muddy looking, almost as if I had disturbed a bunch of sediment. That didn't detract from the enjoyment, however. Very pretty nose with blackberry, licorice, and a touch of pepper. There was a very slight detraction of alcohol on the nose, but not enough to be offensive. On the palate, this had a very unmistakable kalamata olive note playing with the rich dark fruit (plum, blackberry). This isn't a meaty Syrah in the style of Rocks Syrah, but more of a briny, saline type of Syrah, which I really enjoyed. Drink now, but this will also hold for 5-7 years easily. Delicious and interesting wine. (92 points)
2019 Idiot’s Grace sauvignon blanc/semillon (73%/27%). 12.1% abv. Columbia Gorge AVA.
Served quite cold and of course the acidity was too much, got much better as it warmed but nevertheless good steely acidity. Detectable but muted SB character with gooseberry and hay but rounded by the semillon in texture and with notes of wax, lanolin. A surprisingly deep golden color given its ABV. The color and the fact that the SB was toned way down makes me think this may have had some longer than normal skin contact (SB seems to lose some intensity with extended maceration wines). While nothing to ponder over, this was a very good food wine that I’d be content to pour with a casual dinner at home or out. 3 out of 5. (In my scale 3 = a good representation of the region/variety offering pleasurable drinking without flaws or faults, not as exciting or interesting as better or best examples of this variety/region).
2018 Block Wines Ankleroller syrah, Stones Speak vyd, WW vly AVA. This is just a great wine with beaucoup WW rocks terroir character. Hugely captivating savory complex assault on the olfactory sense without sacrificing fruit and with plenty of balance and structure. I’ve got a few more somewhere and I’ll definitely be following them over years. Wish I bought a case. 4 (out of 5) now easy — I’m thinking will get even better.
2009 Betz Pere de Famille, Columbia Valley AVA. A red Bordeaux style blend. Both bottles I’ve tried, one in 2023 and one a few years prior, have been somewhat disappointing. Just lacking interest that other vintages have such as the 2010 for example which was excellent. Nothing negative but it’s just sort of “there” and is not a case of just being closed. I don’t see how this develops into anything better. Find another vintage if backfilling. 3- (out of 5).
IIRC department: Block Wines is a production by the folks at Full Pull in Seattle with the wine made by Morgan Lee of Two Vintners, easily one of WA State’s top 10 wine makers. The Stones Speak vineyard is less than a quarter of a mile due east of the Cayuse’s Cailloux vineyard in the WW rocks so maybe it’s not at all surprising the Ankleroller is such terroirific. I’d like to fine out who else makes wines from the SS vineyard.
2009 in WA is a bit akin to 2013 where it got warm and sugars spiked and it wasn’t a uniform vintage. Some producers did well, but I consumed all mine in first 6 or 7 years.
Interesting you say that. I just went back and looked at my notes on 2009s and found about an equal number of hits and “meh” wines with a surprising number of comments like “just didn’t develop into anything interesting” especially prevelent in the cab/merlot/cf blends. The real 2009 hits, meaning oustandingly good wines, all tried at about 10 years, were:
-K Vintners Morrison Lane syrah
-Gramery Cellars WW syrah
-Betz both Cote Patriarche and Serenne syrahs
-Sleight of Hand Funkadelic syrah
-Reynvann Stonessence syrah
