Believe the Hype...Jon Martinez and Maison Bleue Winery

I'm ashamed to admit I didn't know about Maison Bleue wines before four or five months ago. I learned about them when I did a post on some of the amazing white wines Kana Winery has been making. A reader sent me an email to tell me that if I didn't know the Roussanne that Maison Bleue was making, I didn't know diddly. I hate to admit this, but it would seem that at the time, I didn't know diddly. But I'm a quick learner.

I contacted Jon and asked about buying his Roussanne; they were all sold out in Seattle and I couldn't get my hands on one. Jon did me one better and sent me samples of six wines, opening up a can of elegant Rhone tradition whoopass on my ignorant palate. The wines Jon sent me included two bottles of Syrah, two bottles of Grenache and one bottle each of Viognier and Roussane. Believe me when I tell you that Maison Bleue is making some of the best Rhone style wines at their price point in the state of Washington, and maybe some of the best such wines regardless of price. All of the wines Jon sent me were 2008s. Given that, I can only imagine how Jon's earlier releases are drinking right now.

Jon's wine and his philosophy show a deeply respectful nod to tradition while also showcasing the excellent terroir of Washington. His mission is "True dedication to purity of fruit and distinction of site." That results in single-AVA and mostly single-vineyard varietals from sites within the Yakima Valley, Horse Heaven Hills, and Snipes Mountain AVAs. Jon is using acclaimed vineyards Alder Ridge, Boushey and Olsen Estates, to name a few.

All of this commitment to tradition would lead you to the conclusion that Jon's wine education came from a legendary wine experience in the old world. You'd be close. Jon got his start in Kansas, as a dentist. So it's pretty much the story you're used to.

The two Syrahs, the Liberte ($39) from Boushey Vineyards and La Roque ($25) from Alder Ridge and Wallula Vineyards, were two very different expressions of 2008 Washington Syrah. The Boushey fruit brought the characteristic beauty of Washington Syrah, while the Horse Heaven Hills Syrah was a bolder, spicier exemplar of what is traditionally a hot site, even in a cool year. Jon's Syrahs are more refined than you will often find, and I was very impressed with what he did with this HHH fruit. These are the first of 2008 Syrah that I've had the pleasure to drink and I was really impressed where these wines were in such a short time.

The Grenaches were a real treat. Jon sent the 2008 La Montagnette ($25) from Alder Ridge and the Le Midi ($29) from Boushey Vineyards. Both of these wines were blended with a tiny bit of Syrah for color, which also adds to the structure of the wine. These were two of the most deep garnet and beautiful wines I've laid eyes on. The balance on the wines and the acidity made them incredible with food.

The whites were both amazing wines, the La Vallee du Soleil ($25) Roussanne from Olsen Vineyard and the Notre Vie ($20) Viognier. The Viognier is one of the best I've had, and at $20, it's phenomenally priced. It's got brighter fruit notes, which are typical of the varietal, and hails from a vineyard I've never heard of: Art Den Hoed Vineyard. The Roussanne, which is what prompted me to contact Jon, was really special. The Olsen vineyard fruit recommitted me to my opinion that Roussanne is the quintessential white wine for red wine drinkers. The Roussanne had more savory notes, as opposed to some of the bright fruit you get from other white varietals and the complexity was all there.

Jon set out to "make ultra premium wines from designated vineyards and appellations across Washington." He's certainly accomplished that goal. Jon has done some magic, though, in keeping his wines priced in the $20-$30 range. That's a real treat because while it may not be your budget for an everyday wine, Maison Bleue wines will give you a wine experience that is easily worth two to three times the price, proving that not all wine experiences need come with a hefty price tag.

Washington Syrah; A Tasting of Terroir (Part 1 of a 2 Part series)

Washington grows wine that can stand up to wine from anywhere else, and our Syrah is no exception. We all have particular expectations of what we'll get from a glass of Syrah. Though Syrah grown in France will be quite different from a Syrah grown in Washington, the Syrahs grown in Washington have elements in common. Within those commonalities, however, are subtle differences that come from the growing regions spread across the state.

I wanted to invite some friends over to explore the subtleties that exist in four different Washington Syrahs, all from 2006. The Syrahs came from of Walla Walla valley, the Wahluke Slope, and two examples of Yakima Valley: Red Mountain and the Boushey Vineyard. A friend, Craig Nickel, happens to be Cellarmaster for DeLille Cellars, and agreed to lead us through the tastings and give us the dirt on Washington's terroir. (Oh, that's a good one.)

We were lucky enough to have the cooperation of four wineries for this event; the wines were provided by Delille Cellars, K Vintners, Laurelhurst Cellars and Fielding Hills. Today's post will cover the Walla Walla Valley and Wahluke slope Syrahs; tomorrow we'll talk about the Yakima Valley Syrahs.

We started out in the Wahluke Slope. Wahluke is the Native term for "watering place," and it is Washington's 8th AVA. Originally dominated by Riesling and Chardonnay, the Wahluke Slope trademark sandy and gravelly soil now boast 80% red wine varietals, including some of the best Merlot in the state. The 2006 Fielding Hills Syrah ($40) from the Riverbend Vineyard represented the Wahluke Slope. Fielding Hills is a family owned winery that has been in operation since 2000, making small lot premium wines that are given lots of care and attention. They have developed an excellent reputation as one of Washington's fine winemakers.

The Fielding Hills Syrah was a very nice example of the trademark Wahluke Slope characteristics. The wine had a beautiful ruby color, slightly lighter than the other three Syrahs we'd taste, with smoky berry notes to match. It was as the most peppery of the Syrahs we tasted, which Craig pointed out is a trademark of Syrah that is even more present when the weather is quite hot. (Wahluke Slope is the warmest grape growing region in Washington.) Some guests noticed notes of chocolate and ripe red berries. This wine was well balanced and had an excellent finish that kept us coming back.

We moved from Wahluke Slope to Walla Walla Valley and the K Vintners Morrison Lane Syrah ($45). Walla Walla is known as the "Napa of Washington" and in many ways is the re-birthplace of the Washington Wine industry. The Walla Walla Valley AVA is in the southeastern-most corner of Washington and is marked by a wind blow silt deposited loess soil. K Vintners is one of the original winemakers in Walla Walla and their Syrah is an example of classic Walla Walla, where the fruit typically hangs longer to produce a "shrivel". That level of ripeness produces a concentration of flavor in the fruit. The wine it produces is well-balanced with excellent acidity and well structured tannins.

The first noticeable difference between our first two wines was color. The K Syrah was very dark in glass, nearly black, and had a more fragrant nose with floral notes. On the palate, it was much darker fruit with prunes and dark cherries. While the spice and pepper mingled with the fruit, they weren't as overt. The K Syrah exhibited dark earthen tones on both the nose and the palate. This is a big shouldered rich wine.

Tomorrow we'll talk about the Yakima Valley Syrahs; the Laurelhurst Cellars Boushey Vineyard Syrah, and the Delille Cellars Grand Ciel Syrah.