Revisiting The Reserve

Those of you who are regular readers of The Oregon Wine Blog know that it's rare for us to come across that wine. You know, the one you are still talking about months later... On April 1, 2010, Rick shared with the world one of those experiences that could be described as simply transformative; our foray into [yellow tail] The Reserve 2008 Shiraz.

A few weeks after our fateful stint as The Oregon [yellow tail] Blog, a box of mystery and intrigue showed up on our doorsteps. Among the treasures in the box we found the new lineup of [yellow tail] Reserve Wines, a Chardonnay and a Merlot -- with a new and improved label. Knowing we couldn't do justice to the Chardonnay and knowing our friends Peggy and Tom enjoy the varietal, this was a prime opportunity for a GUEST BLOGGER REVIEW! Peggy and Tom enjoy wine and have well-refined culinary palates, however, this represents their first wine review.

I'll let Peggy take it from there:

Tonight we planned a special dinner to go with the wine, since we were going to be serious about tasting it. We had potato wrapped halibut cooked on the panini with green beans, fresh strawberries and a green salad, and used our special fish plates. The first taste was not what I expected out of a chardonnay (my favorite is Bethel Heights Chardonnay so that’s my gauge for any chardonnay over $10 a bottle). It was sweet (Tom will give you his commentary in a moment). We tasted it with the strawberries and it leveled it out a bit, but it was still sweet. I don’t like a sweet chardonnay, if I want to drink fruit juice I’ll buy that – it’s much cheaper than wine. There is more than a hint of citrus – which I couldn’t identify until I tried it with a tomato. The label lists flavors like melon, peach and tropical fruit with notes of vanilla – probably what makes it so sweet. It should be labeled Chenin Blanc. “Pairs well with people watching” - you bet. Women (who don’t normally drink wine) will drink this like it’s a lemonade or other fruit juice and get quite drunk, quickly. All in all for me – Corbett Canyon is better for an everyday chardonnay than this one – it isn’t sweet (most of the time). I wouldn’t pay $10 a bottle for this, buy fruit juice instead.

Who else is excited by the potato wrapped halibut cooked on a panini grill? [Peggy, when are we coming over for dinner?]  Peggy's husband, Tom, didn't mince any words in sharing his thoughts:

The label says smooth and subtle, it is neither. It has a citrus bite to it that you have to kill by taking a bite of strawberry before each sip. It is smoother than the regular YT chard, but not enough to make me like it. The label was written not by the wine maker but by the marketing department who probably doesn’t drink wine. At least there is no evidence on the label that the person who wrote the label drank the wine. Maybe a pinch of vanilla, but only after a bite of strawberry because the citrus note wiped out all of the other flavors. You’ve heard of drink in 6 months, drink now, Too young for the moment? This is a don’t drink. To be fair, a year of aging might help it out but I do not think it will age well after that.

There you have it, friends, a review from those who identify with the very market [yellow tail] is reaching out towards.  Best paired with fish?  Maybe not.  Will it get chicks drunk?  You bet!

Seattle Summer calls for Cotes du Fremont Rose (509 Wines)

One of Seattle's urban winemakers 509 Wines is releasing a new wine this week. The Cotes du Fremont Rose is hitting the streets - just in time for summer. The owner and one of the winemakers, Kevin Conroy, told me he was inspired to make this wine last summer while hanging out on an Eastlake neighborhood balcony, "There's nothing like summer in Seattle; I need to make a summer wine." Cotes du Fremont was born.

509's location on the shore of Lake Union and at the base of the Hills of Fremont lends the wine it's name. The Syrah-based Rose continues in 509 Wines Rhone-style varietal wheelhouse and is another step in the movement of legitimate winemakers trying to undo the damage those brainiacs in California did with White Zinfandel. I was given a bottle of the Cotes du Fremont by Stacey at 509 a few weeks ago and told to "sit on it" but not like that lady Flo from Mel's Diner, more like, "the wine was just bottled days ago, please give it due time."



The wine has a beautiful nose with summer all over it; full of grapefruit, field grasses and cut rhubarb. The pallet on the wine is strawberries and apricots, with a stony minerality and well-balanced acidity. This will be a good wine to sip on it's own or with any number of the foods summer brings us. If you're like me, you're ready for the grey skies to give way to the summer we know and love. While the weather has yet to get here, Friday will mark the arrival of the wine made for Seattle summertime. Let's just hope Mother Nature is a wine drinker.

(Get to the Rose release party this Friday, May 7th at 3pm in Fremont.)

Upcoming Event: Sonoma Jazz + Wine and Song Around the Plaza

Close your eyes (okay, well just pretend to close your eyes so that you can actually read on), it’s a warm, sunny Saturday afternoon and you’re walking around historic Sonoma Square. You pass by a small café and you hear sounds coming from what can only be described as angels singing. Your curiosity gets the best of you and you pop inside to inquire as to the source of these heavenly sounds only to be greeted by a glass of wine. Looking around you discover that the music that drew you inside is coming from a local jazz band. After listening for awhile and enjoying your wine you make your way back to the square. Just as you begin to think you could never experience something so amazing again, you walk by the next café and have the worst (or best?) case of déjà vu imaginable. Sound too good to be true, not at Sonoma Jazz+ Wine and Song it isn’t.

Presented by Sonoma Jazz +, a non-profit aimed at preserving jazz music through world-class festivals and education programs, Wine and Song Around the Plaza is a way to experience the best that Sonoma has to offer, all in one concentrated location. So leave the car at home and make your way to the Sonoma Square on May 22nd and 23rd.

This fantastic event, taking place on both Saturday and Sunday from 1:30-5:00pm, will feature over 20 participating wineries and 9 participating venues, each with their own band or musician rockin’ the day away. Tickets for this event are just $65 per day and get you 12 wine + song tastings, 4 food tastings, a complimentary water, tote, and souvenir wine glass. To experience all of these wineries individually would easily cost more than this so coming out to Wine and Song is not only a great price but a great way to experience some of the best wineries in the area.

If you can’t make it to the daytime activities (heck, even if you can), Sonoma Jazz + continues the fun into the night with some world class musical acts. Headlining on Friday May 21st, the evening before Wine and Song Around the Plaza kicks off is Crosby, Stills, and Nash. As we move into the weekend, Earth, Wind, and Fire will be sure to get the crowd groovin’ on Saturday and Elvis Costello will wrap up the festival on Sunday night. As with all concerts, tickets vary based off location but any seat under the tent is sure to be a great one.

If all this sounds like the way you want to spend a weekend in Sonoma in late May, Sonoma Jazz + Wine and Song is right up your ally. If I still haven’t convinced you to go or you are unable to make it, I will sacrifice my weekend to attend and write about it here on The Oregon Wine Blog.

Wined and Dined...at Burgerville?

About a year ago we, at The Oregon Wine Blog, got word that Burgerville, a chain of restaurants exclusive to the Northwest, would be serving wine at one of their restaurants near to us. When I heard about this, I pleaded to be able to do this review, and my colleagues conceded. I kept waiting for the perfect moment to go to Burgerville, but it didn't present itself until just recently.

A couple of weeks ago, on a Friday, Zac came into my office at 3p and asked if I was interested in going for a drive after work. I said sure, and he mentioned he was thinking of going to Seattle, as he had never been there, and while taken aback, I was game. He also mentioned that it would be the perfect time to go stop at Burgerville and make that post I needed to do. Nothing like a co-worker to remind me of my wine blog responsibilities. I had to find out from Josh exactly which Burgerville was serving wine, and at 6p, we were on our way for an adventure.

To share with you a little bit about Burgerville - they pride themselves on providing their customers with the best possible food while getting their products from local farmers and growers. There are currently about 40 restaurants scattered throughout Oregon and Washington. Parts of their menu will vary based on what is in season. As an example, when Walla Walla sweet onions are in season, that becomes part of the menu. Another example is that strawberries are currently in season, and as a result, they are part of the
seasonal menu. I have been a fan of Burgerville since I moved to the NW and was introduced to them 6 years ago, and am really glad that there is one a mere 20-25 minutes from me. It is a nice treat to have every once in a while.

I currently only know of one Burgerville that serves wine, which is the one in Salmon Creek, just about an hour and half north of Salem. Some information about Burgerville #21 is that: "Originally built in 1979, this restaurant has recently been replaced with a re-designed restaurant configuration, nearly doubling its volume. This restaurant serves two nearby hospitals, as well as the WSU Vancouver campus. It is the only Burgerville with a sunroom that can be used for community meetings." They also have free Wi-Fi.

Zac had never been to a Burgerville, and he was excited to see what this was all about. We both ordered the same thing, unintentionally, and I got the lucky fortune of adding something more to my order, a glass of 07 Lenore Syrah from Corvidae. I had never heard Corvidae and figured that if I was having a familiar burger, I had to try an unfamiliar wine. Based on their website, Corvidae specializes in wines that are under $20 per bottle. They appear to be an offshoot of Owen Roe Winery. The 07 Lenore Syrah that I had was paired perfectly with my pepper bacon cheeseburger.

Zac and I both liked the nose on this wine. It was full and had a bit of sweetness tied to it. But when it came to the palate, I definitely liked it more than Zac. I found the taste to be nice and full while it was also subtle. Zac on the other hand, having tried my drink since he was the one driving, thought
there was a disconnect between the nose and palate. He didn't think the way it was on the tongue mirrored what was on the nose. In his own words, "If I like the name better than the wine, that is a problem." While he and I disagreed with the palate of this Syrah, I could potentially see where he would anticipate this to be more full throughout. I, on the other hand, enjoyed that it wasn't overwhelming, and went down smooth. Oh well, to each his own.

I doubt this will be the last time I head up the road to Salmon Creek, and I would definitely recommend it for you to try for yourself as well, and please let us know what you think. I do hope that Burgerville will be able to expand wine to more of their restaurants as well.

Until next time...