You Can Find Me In the Club...

50 Cent is, in some people's eyes, an icon. He was shot a bunch of times and lived through it, he also made a song out of the classic nursery rhyme "you can find me in the club, rub a dub dub, three men in the tub." But this post has nothing to do with him, except the title. The last thing I want is to get into a "beef" with 50 Cent. The guy has massive pectorals and guns, and I don't have either. While classic hip hop beefs have only augmented an emcee's career (see Nas, Jay Z, Kool Moe Dee, and Big Daddy Kane) others have ended in tragedy. The most compelling and tragic ending being that between Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G. Basically I wrote this post to begin a discussion about wine clubs, and now here I am going down a tangent that could get me shot. On to wine clubs, then.

Wine clubs serve a variety of purposes for wineries and winemakers. Neil Cooper of Cooper Wine Company gave me the skinny on what wine club members mean to him. For one; they provide a stability in sales. Wine clubs often have various tiers of commitments, but even the lowest tier often commits a member to a case of wine annually. For smaller production wineries who typically have a nominal marketing budget, this guaranteed and repeat customer base certainly helps you sleep better at night. At a recent wine club launch by Laurelhurst Cellars, who only make a couple hundred cases of wine per vintage, there were about 60 people in attendance. New club members were in committing to either one case or two with Laurelhurst Cellars, which means they sold somewhere between 20 and 25% of their release just on this club launch.

Another thing that Neil talked about is having club members act as "brand ambassadors." Club members are obviously invested and as such, they're likely to spread the word about your wine to their friends. If I believe in something to the point that I’m willing to make a substantial commitment, I'm likely to share it with my friends and even passersby, whether it's the wait staff at a restaurant or diners who may have taken note of the bottle. Neil says that club members are also more likely to buy more wine simply because they come by the tasting room more often and purchase wine above their club commitments. Another element that you may notice is that club members often develop a relationship with the wineries and the staff. That relationship, particularly in the case of the smaller production wineries, is a very personal one. While they're financially invested they're often emotionally invested in the success of the winery or winemaker and so they bring friends, coworkers and acquaintances to a brand of wine.

As a customer and someone interested in a wine club, the question I asked was which club should I join? I know and have lots of great personal relationships with several winemakers. For the past four years I'd been a member of one wine club, as a gift from my brother-in-law. The Barnard Griffin Reserve wine club was a great club of which to be a member. The wines were very good, particularly their Merlot, and they did a lot of things really well, including offering club member-only wines. They make such a variety of wines, and the reserves are all so good that it provided a really well-rounded experience.

What was missing for me, however, was the personal relationship. The people in the tasting room were very nice, but as they’re in the Tri-Cities and given their size, I never got to know those folks. The other missing component was exclusivity. Excepting the member-only wines, the reserve wines I received in my shipment were also available at the state store and local groceries. Finding the wines in grocery stores for less than I paid as a club member didn't necessarily make me very happy. Having said all that, I enjoyed my four years as a member, particularly the year my brother-in-law paid for.

I recently changed clubs and am now a Silver Level member of Laurelhurst Cellars. I made this decision for a few reasons. For one, they offer different levels of commitment and I can afford one case of wine a year while still having a wine budget with which to sample other wines. Secondly, they're going to do wine club member-only releases and first offerings. These guys are only making a couple hundred cases and they sell through all of their wine each year. My membership guarantees me access. Thirdly, I have a personal relationship with them. I met Greg, Gabe and Dave through the course of writing a piece for the blog. Their story is inspiring, and it's easy to relate to them because they're a small operation and they're likable down-to-earth guys. Fourthly, as an additional bonus, they're not far from my house. I can get to the club events; I can pick up my wine and avoid shipping costs; and while I know I can find their wine around Seattle, I'm not going to see it deeply discounted.

So what wine club is right for you? How the hell am I supposed to know? I write a wine blog, I'm not a psychic. I'd certainly recommend the Laurelhurst Cellars club. If I had an unlimited budget, there are a few others I’d definitely join. Some clubs of note: Syncline Wines, Anam Cara Cellars, and Kiona. The first two because they make such great wines, and Kiona probably has a leg up on everyone when it comes to awesome club shipments. Their Spring 2010 shipment was all Merlot, 1993, 1996, 1999 2001 and 2005 Merlots. Awesome.

Seattle's Urban Wineries Part 5: Hidden Gem; Laurelhurst Cellars

Two observations about Laurelhurst Cellars are apparent before you even get to taste the wine. First, Greg, Gabe and Dave are incredibly nice and down to earth guys. Also, the barrel room is harder to find than you would imagine. Thank you Tom Tom.

I contacted Gabe Warner, the winemaker at Laurelhurst Cellars, about the Washington Syrah Terroir post I recently did. Gabe invited me down to Laurelhurst to pick up the wine and he said "...plan on staying awhile and we'll taste through some of the barrels."

This is where I say sure, see you when?

When Gwynne and I found the "tasting room", Gabe invited us in and explained a little bit about how Laurelhurst Cellars got started. Gabe got his start making beer in California studying at UC Davis and working at a Bay Area microbrewery. When he moved to the Seattle area, Gabe brought his beverage and chemistry background to the creation of the Laurelhurst wines. Gabe partnered with his neighbors from the Laurelhurst neighborhood: Greg, an experienced wine afficionado, and Dave Halbgewachs, an experienced wine buyer.

The three started out making wine for each other and their friends. The first three years were in Gabe's basement. They quickly outgrew that space, and moved to the back room of Greg's business, their current location. Laurelhurst Cellars is up to their 7th vintage with their 2009 wines in the barrel.

We got around to the tasting and we had a hell of a good time. The Laurelhurst guys took us through a good chunk of their 08s. We started out with a Cabernet Franc followed by a Boushey Vineyards Merlot. They've made an effort to really focus on varietals as opposed to blends because they want to showcase the excellence of Washington fruit. When they do blend, they've put a lot of effort into figuring out the balance of how to best highlight a particular varietal.



We moved on to the amazingly inky and dark Zephyr Petite Sirah from Horse Heaven Hills AVA, part of only 80 acres of Petite Sirah in Washington state. From there we moved on to Klipsun Vineyards Merlot. To date, Laurelhurst Cellars has been using 100% new French oak, but as they've accumulated barrels, they're moving towards blends of new and neutral oak, though they do love the vanilla and toasty elements that the oak gives their wine.

As we tasted Gabe and Greg explained that an important part of their winemaking process is the conflict that the three of them go through when they decide on the blending ratios. They discuss and taste and hash out the balance and structure until they arrive at what they're looking for. Greg, though, is a little old school in his analysis: he knows that the wine is right when it gives him goosebumps. As they've gone through their blending process, they've noticed distinct changes in their palates that have affected how they make their wines. These changes have only been for the better and we'll get to benefit in the long run.

You can find Laurelhurst Cellars in a number of Seattle area retailers, and pouring their wines at the SSAW events. Do yourself a favor and check out their wines.

Washington Syrah: A Tasting of Terroir (Part 2 of 2)

This is a continuation of yesterday's post on our tasting of four 2006 Syrah from four of Washington's finest AVAs and vineyards. Our first two Syrahs were from Fielding Hills in the Wahluke Slope and Walla Walla Valley's K Vintners Morrison Lane Syrah.

Our third Syrah moved west from Walla Walla Valley deeper into Yakima Valley to Laurelhurst and their Boushey Vineyards Syrah. The Boushey Vineyards, which are nearly smack dab in the middle of the Yakima Valley, have a more moderate climate than the vineyards of the Wahluke Slope and Red Mountain. The Boushey Vineyards are mostly a sand and loam soil combination and the Boushey fruit is sought after and is often looked at as fruit that personifies what Washington Wine can and should be.

The Laurelhurst Cellars Syrah ($37) had aromatics of earth tones and oak with cherry notes and an earthen quality which is typical of Boushey fruit. We also noted the definitive dark cherry and pepper notes that we have come to expect of a Washington Syrah. Most of us also picked up on the vanilla accents in the wine, which Craig guessed came from their use of new oak. Laurelhurst winemaker Gabe Warner later confirmed that the Syrah spent 22 months in 100% new French oak. The wine was the "hottest" of the four initially but the alcohol quickly breathed off, revealing a well balanced Syrah with good acidity. Laurelhurst Cellars is a relatively new urban winery located in South Seattle, producing wine in small lots, and using tight grain French oak to accent the wines.

Our final wine of the evening was DeLille's Doyenne Gran Ciel Vineyard Syrah ($72) from Red Mountain. Red Mountain, Washington's smallest AVA at 600 planted acres, is so named because of the red color of the cheat grass that covers the area. The Red Mountain is marked by a gravelly soil high in alkaline and is primarily planted with classic Washington red varietals: Cabernet, Syrah, and Merlot on southwestern-facing slopes that get more sunlight hours than any other Washington AVA.

The DeLille Syrah 98% Syrah was blended with 2% Viognier to emulate the Rhone style. Craig explained that the blend creates an "ethereal" kind of result that combines the dark fruits and pepper of the Syrah with a floral and citrus element of the Viognier. This wine was built to lay down but was already displaying loads of character and nuance. The Doyenne GC Syrah had by far the most interesting and complex finish of the wines we tasted. The Syrah was big and jammy, with blackberry and plum flavors, and you could certainly detect the Viognier in what Gwynne referred to as orange blossom. This wine made it clear that it was going to go from delicious to extraordinary. The acidity and structure of this wine make one daydream of what it will be in ten years.

All of these wines were delicious. Sampling wines with 100% single vineyard fruit allowed us to really appreciate the character of the varying terroirs of Washington state. The variety and subtlety of the sources of the grapes allowed us experience how soils and climate can show up in the wine, through the nose and the taste. Most premium wines are made in a similar manner, though there are variances in oak and time spent in the bottle. What we taste in well-crafted wine is the ability of the winemaker to highlight the fruit and terroir that makes it special.

They say that the wine is made in the vineyard. I think these four wines proved that in the hands of a good winemaker, great fruit can become better wine.

The wineries:
Fielding Hills
K Vintners
Laurelhurst Cellars
DeLille Cellars

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.