Tag: Washington

Posted on

2014 Pinot Noir (Chehalem Mountains) by Lachini Vineyards, Oregon

Tonight’s occasion: 2014 Pinot Noir (Chehalem Mountains) by Lachini Vineyards, Oregon

Beautiful clear ruby color. Bright nose out of the bottle, with subtle berries, dusty slate-like mineral essence and a honeysuckle so faint it could be missed. Swirling vigorously unlocks even more mineral leather, red berries and sweet cherries. Just gorgeous!

Bright body with good acidity on the attack. Dry berries, cherries and subtle, crisp, clean oak vanilla follow closely, adding great dimension, a pinch of structure and lush mouth feel. This quickly exits the stage, leaving behind a slightly bitter, dry mineral underlayment. This marks the transition to finish which results in thin but firm, dry tannic grip, slightly moist tingling lips and an ever increasing heat in the chest.

This Pinot has lots of personality. A very classy execution without being boring or predictable. It is a beautifully made Pinot. I love it!

See more about my visit to their location in Woodinville below.

Posted on

2016 Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley) by Panther Creek Cellars

Today’s occasion: 2016 Pinot Noir (Schindler Vineyard – Willamette Valley, OR) by Panther Creek Cellars, Woodinville, WA.

Rich ruby color. Out of the bottle, nose is a little shy with notes of damp slate, and a touch of ripe berries. Swirl vigorously to unlock bursts of sweet cherry, damp leather consistent with sedimentary soils, and a crisp caramel consistent with neutral oak so faint, you’d likely miss it.

Body is balanced right from the start. Light, bright but restrained acidity goes hand-in-hand with thin, crisp tannins reminiscent of dark cherry. This provides a measured amount of structure and good balance. Oak renders a silky mouth feel while minerality and fruit conspire to create dry, tart, slightly bitter cola-like essence upon the palate. This marks the transition to finish as the palate wrestles between dry and moist eventually ending dry with a subtle spicy tingle. Wet rock mineral essence permeates the entire experience. A subtle but notable star anise becomes more pronounced as it opens up over 1-2hrs.

Of their entire lineup of amazing Pinot Noir, I can see why this stood out the most – Terroir. It is terroir driven, front and center, start to finish. This is the mark of a great winemaker – a mere costodian of the grapes, allowing the vines to fully express themselves so intricately. At 100 cases, this is precisely the kind of wine I obsess over. I highly recommend stopping by if you are in the greater Seattle area.

Nicely done Panther Creek!

Read more Panther Creek Cellars on WineSnob.

Be sure to check the out the Panther Creek Cellars, website for occasional bundles, specials and opportunities. They are currently offering a Holiday Bundle. It’s a great opportunity to explore their signature wines. See link below.

Wine.com affiliate links are provided for your convenience. WineSnob.blog may receive a commission when you use the affiliate link below. See Affiliate Disclosure page for more info.

Shop Panther Creek Cellars wines on Wine.com

Posted on

2018 Minuit by DeLille Cellars

Tonight’s occasion: 2018 Minuit (French for Midnight) by DeLille Cellars, Woodinville, WA

70% Malbec, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, Yakima Valley

Deep dark as midnight. Out of the bottle, nose is slightly shy, warm, with a healthy dose of ripe plums and blueberries which only intensify when swirled. A faint caramel butterscotch lingers in the back. Terroir is expressed in the form of a dusty silty leather, so subtle it could be missed. A faint anise makes an appearance in the distance. I briefly picked up very faint herbs. I like it! This is clearly a Malbec, very nicely complemented by Cabernet Sauvignon. After about an hour, the Anise is more intense and pronounced.

Body is absolutely gorgeous! Not as heavy as the color and nose would suggest. Balanced from front to back. It begins with a suggestion of acidity while ripe plums and blueberries rush in to balance it out. Slightly restrained tannins provide great structure while a very clean oak expression softens the edges, creating a clean plush mouth feel. This act quickly vanishes, giving way to thin blackberry and cola as it transitions to a finish characterized by crisp, dry tannic grip and a warm spice that descends down into the chest. There is a subtle freshness rendered on the palate like a mint-eucalyptus. My lips a left dry, yet moist. After an hour the tannins turn dusty and this texture permeates the entire experience.

Now I remember what caught me about this wine when I visited them not long ago. Very nicely done DeLille!

Explore more Delille wines on WineSnob.

Wine.com affiliate links are provided for your convenience. WineSnob.blog may receive a commission when you use the affiliate link below. See Affiliate Disclosure page for more info.

Shop DeLille wines on Wine.com

Posted on

2016 Mailbox (Red Mountain) by Glacier View Cellars

Tonight’s occasion: 2016 Mailbox (Red Mountain) by Glacier View Cellars, Woodinville, WA

Deep rich semi opaque color. Out of the bottle nose is a little restrained with primary notes of a tight crisp tart plum, secondary notes of anise, very distant woody tertiary notes and a honeysuckle so faint it likely goes unnoticed. Swirling vigorously unlocks a burst of nectar-like sweet dark cherry. Terroir is almost neutral but for a slightly wet sedimentary essence. I like it!

Dark plum turns slightly sweet and ripe on the attack, along with a burst of acidity. Soon after they agree to play, a healthy dose of spice makes an appearance. The three permeate the entire experience through the finish. A measured dose of tannins provides great structure without dominating. As it opens up, a subtle bouquet of spice notes linger. A measured amount of oak emerges to render a melange of various background notes. Hours later the finish is dominated by black currants anise and firm tannic grip. This Bordeaux style blend is young yet showing so beautifully. I can’t help but wonder what it would look like in another 5-10 years.

I stumbled upon Glacier View Cellars through casual mention while out exploring the local wine scene in the greater Seattle a couple weekends ago. Stephanie, Owner/Winemaker so accurately embodies what I live to explore – the small artisan winemaker off the beaten path. Her style is mature beyond her years, her execution has a certain precision and restraint to it.

Nicely done Stephanie!

WineSnob TV:
You can watch more about my visit to this winery while tasting in Woodinville here:
Off The Beaten Path – Woodinville, Seattle, Washington

Posted on

2016 Cabernet Sauvignon (Heritage) by Browne

Tonight’s occasion: Cabernet Sauvignon (Heritage) by Browne Family VineyardsBrowne Family Vineyards, Columbia Valley, Washington.

Deep dark opaque color. Out of the bottle nose is a little shy for a Cab. I was curious to see how the milder climate affects this otherwise big, bold grape. Nose has a good balance of dark, slightly ripe plum. A subtle leather reminiscent of sedimentary terroir. Very faint sawdust and mushrooms linger in the distance. You would almost miss them.

Body is where you can see the difference this region and its climate makes. I expected the bold fruit and aggressive profile typical of a California Cab, but this is not the case. It is very nicely balanced and restrained from front to back. Slightly tart plum is softened by a touch of oak which softens the whole experience giving it a hint of caramel towards the back. Tannins are almost secondary in their expression, providing good structure that almost blends in completely. Transition to finish is fairly seamless and characterized by subtle caramel, black currant, and a slight dry tannic grip which eventually overcomes an otherwise moist palate. A hint of spice lingers for a moment.

This is a gentle Cab with a very broad appeal. I can see it appealing to an intermediate, even beginner palate while still maintaining enough complexity to keep an advanced palate interested. This… is no mean feat.

Nicely done folks! 🍷😁👌🏽

 

Posted on

2016 Cab Sauv by Canvasback

Tonight’s occasion: 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon by Canvasback, Red Mountain [AVA], Yakima Valley [AVA], Columbia Valley [AVA], Washington State.

Dark rich color. Long dark legs. Crisp, clean nose with lots of berry and plum. This is a Cabernet Sauvignon. Lots of good fruit up front along with a healthy dose of restraint. A hint of oak in the back.

Body has very good crisp, clean structure and balance. Not as fruit forward as the nose would suggest. The oak while still restrained, is a touch more pronounced. Expression of the terroir is muted and more mineral if anything. I think this may be the reason for its crisp, clean posture.

It has a great mouth feel. It’s so easy for a Cab to get out of hand and overbearing. This one is extremely well behaved and tamed. I suspect the climate in the region may have something to do with it. Firm tannins lead to a smooth finish dominated by their ever tightening grip. A hint of tobacco, smokey oak and moderate enduring dry spice wrap up the experience.

Most wines have a certain aristic flare to them. This wine feels like it was made with a healthy dose of OCD. It feels like there was great attention to detail and a strict adherence to core principles. This is my first time tasting wine from this little know region. I am very impressed by the quality of the wine and craftsmanship.

Nicely done Canvasback!

Reader Notes

Opened it 10 minutes ago and poured it into the glass. It has a dark ruby red color with viscosity. Its shy on the nose initially but I get some spicy fresh aromas of dark currants, plums, dried herbs. It has mild acidity and good fruit with some roundness on the palate but it has peppery notes on the palate. It has mild to moderate tannins but a smooth very long finish.

My wife has an incredible palate. She is going to taste it soon. Its definitely drinkable without food but I can see it as food friendly. I’ll let you know when I have it with food.

The tannins are not intense. It’s a very well balanced wine. Definitely approachable young compared to Napa cabs. Wifey felt it also has a taint of tobacco leaf and I agree. I think that comes once it’s open longer.

~ Dr Cruz-Romero

 

Thanks to wine.com and their extensive library, you can now access most of the wines I review on here. You can use the link below to have Canvasback wines delivered to your doorstep.

Shop Canvasback wines on Wine.com