I realized that January had literally come and gone and I had not made an entry for the month. This evening I was in the mood for something sweet. Fortunately, or not, I noticed that I had nothing sweet to eat in my apartment. I did, although, forget that I had a wine in my basement, and some wine on the sweeter side at that. I didn’t think I wanted a port, and when searching through my wine stock, I found this 2005 Late Harvest Chenin Blanc from Terra Blanca. This wine came in my latest shipment from Willamette Valley Vineyards.
As a reminder, late harvest grapes tend to be those grapes which are left on the vine for a long as possible, sometimes to the first frost of the year the maximization of sweetness of the grape. This particular wine is sold out, so maybe I should not have opened it so soon :-)
I opened the bottle and was again reminded of the nose that I tend to enjoy on Late Harvest Chenin Blancs. The nose is fruity, but not overly, with hints of grapes and pear, and a hint of alcohol. For whatever reason my legs did not show the legs very well, so I cannot give you an accurate detail of what they are like nor how this wine coats my glass. What I enjoy most about this wine is that it is softer on the palate, not over sweet, with a little bite of tartness.
The website makes note that this wine has hints of pineapple, mango, and other citrus which I don’t notice as much, but it could also be because I was eating some peanut butter with wheat bread (no, it wasn’t the tainted Salmonella peanut butter, but I appreciate your concern) because I noticed a difference in my first couple of sips and my sips while I munched.
All the same, this wine can be enjoyed by anyone who likes wine. It is not too sweet, nor is it too tart. While I opted to enjoy it later in an evening with some peanut butter and bread, I imagine it with a light cake, perhaps an angel food, or a cake without frosting.
I would be interested in what others have to say about this one.
Until next time...
Crabs...and some other things.
This weekend was the annual Mo's Crab and Chowder Festival at Willamette Valley Vineyards. A few year ago this was one of the first events that I went to at WVV, and had such a good time that I have made it a point to go every year. Crab and wine, who could ask for a better combination?
We arrived around Noon on Saturday, and despite only being open for an hour the place was pretty much packed already. Luckily Micheal had squirreled away a table for us in a secret hiding space that I won't disclose, and our group was quite comfy. I promptly got one of my very favorite seafood wines, the 2007 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Gris, a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy wine with a 90 rating. This wine is very drinkable, with a crisp taste and a nice fruit basket on the nose. At $16 a bottle, its perfect to keep a few bottles around. Mo's was serving up chilled dungeness crab by the half or whole, with coleslaw, cheesy garlic bread, and the options on clam chowder and shrimp skewers. Their clam chowder may be famous, but I'm a crab guy through and through.
In other excellent wine news, researchers at Oregon State University (disclosure...they pay my salary) have developed an earthquake-proof wine rack in partnership with the Wood Innovation Center. This rack has survived simulated earthquakes of magnitute of 7.1 and is designed primarily for the retail environment. I should think this will become a popular mainstay in California wine country.
Finally, I leave you with good news in the world of Washington wine categorization. One of the initial grape growing regions in the state has gained recognition from the feds as an American Viticultural Area (AVA) -- Snipes Mountain. Located in the Yakima Valley near Sunnyside, this appellation is one of the smallest in WA that's climate is ideal for Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. As an AVA, winegrowers and makers from the area can further distinguish their wine as unique.
Ending 2008 On A Good Note
Last night (New Year's Eve Eve) found me enjoying a glass of wine with my friend Adam. Adam knows that I am a member of this wine blog, and tonight I tried to do 
something a little different. While at Adam’s this evening, I pulled out a bottle of Dedication Two from Cougar Crest Winery. Cougar Crest is a winery in the Walla Walla region of southeastern Washington. This bottle was from the trip some of us from the Oregon Wine Blog took to the region over the summer.
something a little different. While at Adam’s this evening, I pulled out a bottle of Dedication Two from Cougar Crest Winery. Cougar Crest is a winery in the Walla Walla region of southeastern Washington. This bottle was from the trip some of us from the Oregon Wine Blog took to the region over the summer. This is a very special wine in many ways. The daughter of the winemakers was in an accident and was taken to Doernbecher’s Children Hospital in Portland, Oregon. The doctors were successful in healing the daughter of the winemakers and as a result, a portion of the proceeds from this wine goes to Dorenbecher’s at Oregon Health and Science University.
The reason this is called Dedication Two is because this the second release of this wine. The website describes this red table wine as a “complex blend of classic Bordeaux varietals, plus Lemberger, and Syrah.” It is also noted that the Dedication Two has a little bit of an “extra Syrah,” and is aged longer in the barrel.
Tonight while Adam and I drank the Dedication Two, I decided to ask him what some of his thoughts were of this wine and make note of them to see where they might be different from my perceptions, so the evaluation of this wine will be different from others I have done.
Adam’s thoughts:
- Distinctly fermented smell
- Hits strong initially
- More like a strong whiskey finish than a wine, almost “burning”
- Sharp going down, even after a bit
- Color is deep crimson
My thoughts:
- Can taste spices – not sure if it is really because of spices or because of the wood
- Wood taste
- Flavor stays on the front of the tongue
- Warming sensation on the throat
I helped Adam with notice the way the blend coats the glass. I paid attention to the legs are somewhat absent. It should be noted that despite how it might appear, we did both enjoy this wine - the full flavor of it and rich nose - tipping our hats to the winemakers.
Until next time…
A Visit With A Neighbor
Today brought another early end to the work day for me due to Oregon inclement wintery weather. When I got the notice from my University’s President that we could leave at 3:30, I immediately started to think about what wine I could possibly pass the time with this evening.
I arrived home and let most of the afternoon and evening pass me by doing a little bit of work at home before I decided it might get too late to really enjoy the wine if I didn’t just pick one. Anyone who knows me knows that picking a wine to drink is a task that could be quite time consuming. I have to decide if I want a Northwest wine or not? Do I want a domestic or international? Don’t get me started on deciding between
red vs. white. So after about 15 minutes (the clock was ticking against my favor), I decided I would open a bottle from a neighboring winery.
This evening I decided to open a 2006 Oregon Merlot from Eola Hills Winery. Eola Hills located about 10 miles west of Salem, and while it is literally a 15 minute drive from my front door to the winery, I have not been there. I have driven by it many times and made the mental note that I should visit, but after living in the area for about a year and a half, it had not yet happened. Unfortunately, that does not allow me to tell you more about Eola Hills than what is available on their website.
I opened this Merlot and let it breathe for about 45 minutes before I poured the first glass. The color is one that is a rich red-grape in hue, not very transparent to the light. The nose was strong, but not overpowering. I could easily smell the “smokiness” with each whiff. There are light hints of fruits, but I am unable to detect exactly which ones are there. The first sip was surprisingly fruity, again, not overbearing, but clearly noticeable. As I took each supplemental sip, I imagine the flavors landing on my tongue, then spreading out evenly for a very full flavor.
After a while, there is a light aftertaste that I am not completely able to describe. The aftertaste is strong initially, and then subsides. I cannot put my finger on what it is, which I am finding quite bothersome, hoping that it will come to me in the middle of the night perhaps. I would encourage anyone of you to try this Merlot, not to be confused with the 2005, and submit your thoughts on how you would describe the aftertaste.
This is a very enjoyable wine and I highly encourage you all to try it as it could possibly be among my top 10 favorite wines.
Until next time…
I arrived home and let most of the afternoon and evening pass me by doing a little bit of work at home before I decided it might get too late to really enjoy the wine if I didn’t just pick one. Anyone who knows me knows that picking a wine to drink is a task that could be quite time consuming. I have to decide if I want a Northwest wine or not? Do I want a domestic or international? Don’t get me started on deciding between
red vs. white. So after about 15 minutes (the clock was ticking against my favor), I decided I would open a bottle from a neighboring winery.This evening I decided to open a 2006 Oregon Merlot from Eola Hills Winery. Eola Hills located about 10 miles west of Salem, and while it is literally a 15 minute drive from my front door to the winery, I have not been there. I have driven by it many times and made the mental note that I should visit, but after living in the area for about a year and a half, it had not yet happened. Unfortunately, that does not allow me to tell you more about Eola Hills than what is available on their website.
I opened this Merlot and let it breathe for about 45 minutes before I poured the first glass. The color is one that is a rich red-grape in hue, not very transparent to the light. The nose was strong, but not overpowering. I could easily smell the “smokiness” with each whiff. There are light hints of fruits, but I am unable to detect exactly which ones are there. The first sip was surprisingly fruity, again, not overbearing, but clearly noticeable. As I took each supplemental sip, I imagine the flavors landing on my tongue, then spreading out evenly for a very full flavor.
After a while, there is a light aftertaste that I am not completely able to describe. The aftertaste is strong initially, and then subsides. I cannot put my finger on what it is, which I am finding quite bothersome, hoping that it will come to me in the middle of the night perhaps. I would encourage anyone of you to try this Merlot, not to be confused with the 2005, and submit your thoughts on how you would describe the aftertaste.
This is a very enjoyable wine and I highly encourage you all to try it as it could possibly be among my top 10 favorite wines.
Until next time…
