Straight from the Barrel in Yakima, Yo.

A few weeks ago, I detailed the first day of my visit to Yakima Valley Spring Barrel Tasting with every intention of part 2 following within a few days. Well, it didn't, and there was much sadness in the universe. Wipe those tears away, friends, because your wait is over.

I woke up bright and early on Saturday morning after a very restful sleep in the lovely Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites in Pasco with a belly rumbling from hunger, a head in need of some coffee, and a palate salivating in anticipation of some awesome wine. I made my way down to the breakfast bar at the hotel, very pleased to find a full breakfast buffet for all guests - complimentary, my friends, meaning it is included in your rate! After grabbing a healthy serving of cinnamon rolls, bacon, oatmeal, and coffee, I sat down to focus on the logistics of the day. I was to meet my brother Chris in an hour in Richland, ready to hit the wine trail. Chris, being a relative newcomer in the world of oenological goodness, was depending on me to lead the way. I faced the eternal debate: go to wineries I knew and loved, or, take a little more of a risk and hit some newbies. Wanting a new experience to share with you, I made the decision to focus on wineries I had not been to yet. I sketched out a map, picked up Chris, and to Red Mountain we went.

Behold, a chronicle of our journey and the wine that deserves a place on your rack:

• Hightower Cellars:A winery that sources fruit from Horse Heaven Hills, Red Mountain, and Walla Walla, Hightower opened on Red Mountain in 2002 and their vineyards are beginning to produce estate fruit. Boasting a female winemaker, Hightower makes some tasty big reds true to their appellations. We sampled a Petit Verdot straight out of the barrel, and both Chris and I agreed that we would have bought a bottle had it been available. Unfortunately, it was indeed still in the barrel so we'll have to wait.

• Tapteil Estate: Planted in 1985, Tapteil's vines are grandfathers in the Red Mountain family. Producing estate big reds, Tapteil was the biggest surprise of the weekend for me - in a phenomenal way. After barrel tasting two different Syrah's (and loving both), we proceeded to the tasting room to try the rest of their lineup. I walked away with a Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon and a Yakima Valley Syrah, and am waiting with baited breath for the release of the next vintage. They're for real.

• Terra Blanca: Sharing the amazingness of TB with my brother was a must, and we found probably the best organized tasting process of the weekend. Staff and wine was spread among 10 tasting stations, taking customers through a progression to please the palate. The Barrel Select Syrah resonated with my brother, and I walked away with one of my favorite wines ever - the Pantheon.

• Goose Ridge Estate Vineyard and Winery: Off the Red Mountain path, Goose Ridge was the final stop for the day as we headed back towards Richland. With Charlie Hoppes as the winemaker, you can't go wrong with any of their juice. I particularly enjoyed the Estate Merlot and my brother enjoyed most everything he tried.

As I drove up I-82 towards Prosser the first night, I took a moment to reflect on just how special of a place the Columbia and Yakima Valleys are. Spring being the best time of year in the area, I felt a sense of place that was much more laid back and at-home than my trip to Sonoma and Napa a month before. I hope the Red Mountain and Prosser area never lose that atmosphere, strongly rooted in a down-to-earth agricultural history. World class wine up a dirt road, in the middle of some sagebrush, rattle snakes, and great people.  Oh, and the sunsets...

All in all, Spring Barrel Tasting provided a wonderful opportunity to taste upcoming new releases and visit wineries not typically open to the public. As the day went on, crowds grew and I had to remind myself that it wasn't a race to try as many wines as possible - that trying the wine was the experience, versus completing a checklist. The nature of this type of weekend doesn't leave a lot of time to chat with winery staff or winemakers, but it definitely was well organized and resonates with many consumers. I'd recommend Friday if you'd like to avoid some crowds. Oh, and be safe.

StoneCap 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon

This last week has been quite the long week for me, and this current week is shaping up to be just as long.While running some errands one day during the week I stopped by my neighborhood Grocery Outlet. The Vice-President of my division knows about my affinity for wine and has lately shown me the extent of their wine selection. The only downside to their wine selection is that there are not a lot of Northwest wines, but other than that, their choices are very impressive. But I digress.

I found a couple of bottles of a 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon from StoneCap, a place I had never heard of. I did some reading of the bottle and some website research and found that this wine actually comes from Goose Ridge Vineyards in Kennewick, Washington, located in the Columbia River Valley. Based on the website, “StoneCap Wines are handcrafted entirely from estate grown grapes from the renowned Goose Ridge Estate Vineyard in Washington State's Columbia Valley. This expansive (1300 acres) and highly regarded vineyard allows the Monson Family to produce stunning quality wines while remaining sensibly priced.”

This particular wine is cork-less. I do recall some conversations being had about a movement about wineries going cork-less. I think part of it can be attributed to situations like Josh described in his post below. More commonly, some wine makers are moving away from corks due to cork “tainting.” An August 22, 2007 Time Magazine article writes about this movement here. I will admit that there is a stigma associated caps verses corks (I am sometimes guilty of falling into that stigma, but I am getting better). I tried to find anything on the StoneCap website about why their wines might be cork less, but to no avail.

I opened this bottle of Cab Sauv and let it sit for over an hour while I did some work in my apartment. Upon pouring this vine for my first glass, I caught the very deep rich cherry red type color that came from the bottle into my stem-less glass. Secondly I was struck by the scent of this wine. I was sitting on my couch and had the wine bottle and glass on my coffee table, at least a foot away and I could start to smell this wine. While not overly strong yet (I have not brought the glass to my nose), I can smell the fruit of this wine. When I bring the glass to my nose, I smell a full wood scent. I can smell the grapes, but not in a fruity way. The nose of this is very full. The swirl and legs on this Cab Sauv are thick and somewhat even.

All of the previous things led me to have quite high hopes for what this wine will taste like. I will admit that Cabernet Sauvignons are really hit or miss with me, so I acknowledge that potential bias. But what I am finding I like about this wine is that I like it because it isn’t an overpowering wine on the palate. It isn’t completely bland, but it isn’t this outstanding wine, although I think it is great because you can really just sit and enjoy it. I don’t feel guilty about drinking this while just munching on some crackers and doing some work. This is a great wine because it just is. The nose, and hue, and way it rests on the palate make this a great just everyday kind of wine. And for me, this proves to be a good way to put a cap on a long week, and laying a stone in the foundation of a week to come.

Until next time…