Cafes & Wineries

I’m in an Asian restaurant. On one side a party is drinking Gavi on another side Chilean Chardonnay. Across from me the couple is having a Chardonnay from California’s Central Coast. I’m trying a Sauvignon Blanc from Chile. There are no sommeliers to work the floor, but we all make it through the night, our palates intact.

Now it wasn’t a night that I’ll remember forever, but it was one in a string of nights, dining out, where it was just fine.

So what do we need a sommelier for?

With the market shrinking for wine stewards, economic slowdown, hours being cut, positions being eliminated, I have to imagine that there are not just a few sommeliers asking that question too. What am I doing? How do I support my family? Where is this leading? What have I gotten myself into?

Sure there are the Michael Jordans out there, somms who have carved out a niche for themselves. Larry O’Brien, Laura dePasquale, Greg Harrington, Doug Frost. And yes all of these fine folks have risen to the rank of the Master Sommelier, they’ve passed through hell and beyond. But for all those young lads and lassies who are crawling their way up the mountain, what are some of the biggest obstacles in their path?

I’d say that many of the ones I have been encountering lately suffer from the misperception that the world can’t live without them. Listen, the world will use every one of us in whatever way the fates decide. But to the young grasshoppers out there who really care to read to the end of this post, number 1 thing to note: The world doesn’t “need” you.

Sound cruel? Get over it. Get real. Really.

One of the cool things about the wine biz is how everyone talks to one another. Winemakers, reps, distribs, brokers, retailers, restaurateurs, export managers; it’s one extended cocktail party. Kind of like Twitter. It’s ongoing and there is no end to the conversation. And while there will be an occasional dominant thread, there will be no single person or wine who will or can dominate the room. It’s a party, remember?

The next big thing? Gruner, been there done that. Greek wine from Paros? Oh please. Biodynamic wine from Georgia? Yeah, tell that to the young couple who just came in for some spring rolls and a sashimi platter. Get real. Stop trying to discover wine and bleeding all over your customers with your new found close-out that you just “discovered”. And please, stop thinking this is just about you, don’t pout, there are many out there who are thinking this way. Which makes it comical, because here we have these guys and gals going out and thinking they have just found the next “it” wine and there about 20 of them who have just done the same exact thing.

Ok, you say I’m being hard on you? Wake up. Somms have so much more support to learn their trade these days. There are groups, there is the Court of Master Sommeliers, the Society of Wine Educators, the Institute of Master of Wine, various wholesalers and importers have their very own educational programs. Thirty years ago? Good luck getting a wine rep to bring you something from the Loire, or an Italian wine that wasn’t Bolla Soave or Fontana Candida Frascati.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t be interested in new and esoteric wines that are flooding the markets. But let’s put it in perspective. These are not bread-and-butter wines. They cannot sustain a restaurant or a sommelier, indefinitely. And unless you are a place like Catalan Food & Wine in Houston and have the intellectual curiosity of an Antonio Gianola and the traffic in the dining room to support an exemplary program like he has put together, than you need to learn to walk. First.

And one of the main messages that young sommeliers never seem to get, is that they walk tall because of the shoulders they stand upon. And they stand high because the shoulders are those of giants. A friend and a colleague, someone who has carved out their very own niche in this business as a broker (not an easy place, always between a rock and a hard spot) said it best, and I quote: “I’m reminding buyers every single day that they better support the generations of winemakers who created a product for them to even have a ‘career’ these days.”

To even have a career these days, listen to those words, folks. We don’t need any more wine snobs; fortunately, that generation is dying off. And we don’t need any dilettantes. The god of Wine is clear about this; we are all soldiers, we are all one infinitesimal piece of a multi-millennial movement of the grape and humankind, working our way through earth, life and evolution to finer expressions of humanity and vinosity. There is no room for pomposity.

Remember, Columbus didn’t discover America. It was never missing.

So the next time you think you are the first one to have this idea, feeling or inspiration, by all means, be excited. But don’t go putting your byline below it. Or you will have legions of centurions to contend with. Open the bottle, enjoy it, share it, but don’t go thinking you are the god of Wine. Scores of Ancients, from the Greeks to the Romans will attest that is a road which goes deeper than the seven layers of Hell our dear friend Dante wrote about.

Original post by Alfonso Cevola

The allure of Napa is legendary, even clichéd. The wine country lifestyle, or whatever you want to call it, combined with the love of wine has inspired countless people to sell everything they own and head to Napa to try and live their own personal wine dream.

There must be people who simply flounder and fail in these endeavors. Like many of the unfortunate, their stories never surface for most of us. We tend to only hear about those that succeed in turning their dreams into reality. Yet I continue to be astonished at just how many people seem to do just that. As powerful as the pull of Napa may be, perhaps it is often equalled by the passion and drive that generates that attraction in the first place.

Certainly that seems to be the case with Sean Larkin, who by all accounts had a bright future ahead of him as the owner of a union sheet metal fabrication business in New Jersey for 25 years. He wasn’t getting rich, but he was building a business that had legs, so to speak, and seemingly could have just kept on going.

But he started drinking, and then collecting wine. Especially Bordeaux. And perhaps more importantly, he started to have strong opinions about it. Like many wine lovers who become “obsessed” with their newfound love, Larkin hungrily educated his palate and built up enough knowledge and preference to allow him to become a persistent thorn in the side of the owner of his favorite restaurant where Larkin ended up installing air conditioning ducts in the mid 1990’s.

After hearing Larkin complain about the wine list for what was probably the umpteenth time, the owner snapped, “If you think you can do better, why don’t you just go ahead and do it?”

A little more than a year later, the modest list of 50 American wines that Larkin assembled won a Wine Spectator restaurant award, and Larkin had begun making trips to Napa every chance he could find.

Two years of playing sommelier in his spare time, a few vacations to Napa, and Larkin decided he needed out of the sheet metal business, and into the wine business.

And we know the basic plot for this portion of the story… liquidated everything, jumped into the car, drove across the country, and started looking for a job. Larkin landed a job selling wine for the west coast arm of a distributor he had gotten to know in New Jersey, and before he knew it, he had a lead on half a ton of Cabernet Franc for $1200 that he knew was good fruit (mostly because he was selling a wine that came from those grapes).

With some help from none other than Robert Foley, who Larkin had met during his brief stint as an extracurricular sommelier, Larkin made his first wine in 1999 and hasn’t looked back since.

Larkin now makes about 1800 cases of wine, which he says is just about enough to keep him in rent, groceries, and the costs of flying around the country trying to sell the stuff, and he couldn’t be happier. His main focus continues to be Cabernet Franc, made under the Larkin Wines label, but when his son Jack was born on 2004, the same year he got access to some Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from Pritchard Hill, and decided to make a wine that would bear his son’s name.

Made from grapes grown in the Melanson Vineyard on Pritchard Hill and farmed by John Arns, about 144 cases of this Cabernet are made each year. They age in 50% new French oak and 50% used and neutral oak for about 18 months before release.

Tasting Notes:
Dark garnet in color, this wine has a nose of cassis and black cherry. In the mouth it is smooth and velvety with slightly grapey, cassis flavors wrapped around a core of cherry and chocolate. Light velvety tannins emerge as the wine finishes. This wine conveys a sense of being young, but has the raw materials to likely blossom into something quiet nice over the course of a year or two.

Food Pairing:
This is a young wine, whose fruit seems well matched with salty, meaty bits if you know what I mean. Perhaps a well marinated skirt steak?

Overall Score: around 9

How Much?: $75

This wine is available for purchase on the Internet.

Original post by Alfonso Cevola

The Golden Glow
As anyone who has spend more than a little time there knows, wine country is a special place. Sure, during the day it may be teeming with tourists, hot and dusty, and unglamorous as hell. But when the sun dips low on the horizon, things quiet down, and the light turns golden, there’s no place on earth like it. — Alder Yarrow

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Original post by Alfonso Cevola

Analysis Profiles McDonald’s & Starbucks Coffee Drinkers

COLUMBUS, OH–(Marketwire - May 28, 2009) - McDonald’s is waging an all-out assault on the coffee industry, and they seem to be gaining ground in the battle of the baristas. Although Starbucks is still #1 (9.2% of consumers frequent the coffee house most often for their java fix), McDonald’s has consistently grown since May of 2007,

Original post by Robert

Coffee drinks prepared by Starbucks and McCafe failed to impress coffee experts at The Coffee Review, an online publication that rates and reviews coffees. In a recent taste test, the Starbucks′ coffees scored higher than their McCafe equivalents, though neither company’s offerings earned gold stars.

Berkeley, CA (PRWEB) May 28, 2009 — In a recent tasting of McCafe and Starbucks coffee drinks

Original post by Robert

By JENNIFER ERICKSON
We′re in a sunlit room, the atmosphere is convivial, and, judging by the Laguna Coffee Company owner Paul Ackley preparing a coffee cupping at his shop.
snatches of conversation, it could be a wine tasting. “Bolder and full-bodied,” “fruitier, with nutty overtures,” “balanced acidity,” and “winey aftertaste″ are the phrases overheard.

But rather than the fermented fruit of

Original post by Robert

A rosé by any other name is Leonardo. This little guy, who looks strikingly like his handsome dad, Giulio and beautiful mom, Stacy and sister Gia, is Leonardo Galli. He came into this world not long after Jan 1 of this year, but way before he was “due.” At a little less than 2 pounds, little Leo, the young lion, roared into this world. On Mother’s Day weekend, he finally came home to live with his mom and dad and sister in San Antonio. Welcome to the world, Leo! We are so glad to see you, growing up so fast and healthy. I’m going to cry now.

But they’ll be tears of joy.

Somebody open up a bottle of Franciacorta Rosé, preferably Contadi Castaldi.

Good Times!

Original post by Alfonso Cevola

The first week of April I got the opportunity to do an “immersion” course in Washington State wine. No, this didn’t involve repeatedly dunking me in a vat of wine, amusing though that would have been. Rather, it involved attending the annual Taste Washington wine festival in Seattle.

I flew up to Seattle for two reasons. I was asked to give a seminar at the event, which I gladly did, focusing on wineries that made their wine in unconventional places like garages, barns, airplane hangers, fire houses, etc. But mostly I was excited for the opportunity to taste a ton of wine.

Prior to this trip I think I had probably tasted forty or fifty different Washington wines in the course of various tastings, buying off restaurant menus, drinking with friends, or any of the normal ways that an active wine lover might come across wines from a particular region.

Fifty wines is not an education. But two hundred and fifty is a good start. That’s about how many I managed to taste in the course of the day I spent at Taste Washington.

Before I get on to my scores for the wines, it’s important for me to commend the organizers of the Taste Washington event for putting on one of the best public wine and food events I have ever had the pleasure of attending. Yes, it was in a HUGE convention center, which didn’t exactly provide much atmosphere, and yes it was crowded. But the event was impeccably organized, easy to navigate, and perhaps most importantly, the quality of the food on offer was some of the best I have ever had at such a large public event. While I qualify as a member of the press now and get into such events for free, I would gladly pay the $85 to go. Heck, I probably ate $85 worth of Kumamoto oysters while I was there.

More important than my admiration for the event, I came away from my crash course in Washington State wines quite impressed with the wines, and in particular with the value they offer for the money. While I tasted a few wines that rang in at over $100, the vast majority of the best wines I tasted were under $60, and some of the best wines I tasted were under $30.

It’s quite clear, without a doubt, that for the same quality of wine Washington State Cabernet in particular is about half the price of Napa. Need I say more?

While I’ve certainly had a few excellent Rieslings and Semillons from Washington, and there is clear potential to make excellent white wine in the state, I definitely consider Washington to be “Red Country.” The Bordeaux and Rhone blends on offer can be excellent, and they, like all the best made wines I tasted, are marked by excellent acidity, and purity of fruit.

In short, those who love a great Cabernet Sauvignon would do well to explore these wines more thoroughly, especially in these economic times.

So without further ado…

WHITE WINES SCORING BETWEEN 9 AND 9.5
2008 Alexandria Nicole Viognier, Columbia Valley. $20. Where to buy?
2007 DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate Blanc, Columbia Valley. $34. Where to buy?
2007 K Vintners K Viognier, Columbia Valley. $20. Where to buy?
2007 Olsen Estates Riesling, Yakima Valley. $19. Where to buy?
2007 Tamarack Cellars Chardonnay, Columbia Valley. $18. Where to buy?
2008 Whisper Ridge Winery Semillon, Washington State. $18.

WHITE WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9
2007 Boudreaux Cellars Chardonnay, Columbia Valley. $??
2007 DeLille Cellars Roussanne, Columbia Valley. $??
2008 Efeste Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley. $??
2007 Fidelitas Semillon, Columbia Valley. $20
2006 Hogue Cellars Reserve Chardonnay, Yakima Valley. $??
2007 L’Ecole No 41 Semillon, Columbia Valley. $16
2007 Sparkman Cellars Lumiere Chardonnay, Stillwater Creek, Columbia Valley. $32

WHITE WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8.5 AND 9
2007 Barrister Sauvignon Blanc, Klipsun Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $??
2007 Canoe Ridge Vineyard Chardonnay, Columbia Valley. $19
2006 Canoe Ridge Vineyard Gewurztraminer, Columbia Valley. $12
2007 Cedergreen Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, Spring Creek Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $14
2008 Charles Smith Wines Kung Fu Girl Riesling, Evergreen Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $12
2006 DaMa Wines Chardonnay, Grand View and Gamache Vineyards, Columbia Valley. $21
2008 Efeste Riesling, Columbia Valley. $??
2007 Gilbert Cellars Riesling, Yakima Valley. $??
2006 Lodmell Cellars Chardonnay, Spring Creek Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $22
2007 Long Shadows Poet’s Leap Riesling, Columbia Valley. $20
2008 Maison Bleue Winery Old Vine Chardonnay, French Creek Vineyard, Yakima Valley. $22
2008 Maison Bleue Winery Viognier, Art DenHoed Vineyard, Yakima Valley. $22
2007 Three Rivers Winery Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley. $19

WHITE WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8.5
2007 Bunnell Family Cellar Viognier, Talcott Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $??
2006 Canoe Ridge Vineyard Riesling, Columbia Valley. $12
2007 Charles Smith Wines Eve Chardonnay, Columbia Valley. $12
2006 Chateau Ste Michelle Cold Creek Chardonnay, Columbia Valley. $??
2007 Côte Bonneville Chardonnay, DuBrul Vineyard, Yakima Valley. $50
2007 Gilbert Cellars Chardonnay, Doc Stewart Estate Vineyard, Wahluke Slope. $20
2006 Hestia Cellars Semillon, Walla Walla. $??
2005 Kiona Vineyards &amp Winery Estate Chardonnay, Red Mountain. $??
2006 Lodmell Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, Spring Creek Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $22
2008 Stevens Winery Divo Viognier, Dineen Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $21
2007 Woodward Canyon Chardonnay, Washington State. $39

WHITE WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8 AND 8.5
2008 Bergevin Lane Calico White Blend, Columbia Valley. $16
2007 Chinook Wines Sauvignon Blanc, Yakima Valley. $17
2007 Chinook Wines Semillon, Yakima Valley. $15
2006 Januik Chardonnay, Cold Creek Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $30
2008 Shady Grove Albarino, Columbia Valley. $18
2006 Stevens Winery A Second Thought Sauvignon Blanc, Klipsun Vineyard, Columbia Valley.
2008 Syncline Gruner Veltliner, Columbia Valley. $20

WHITE WINES WITH A SCORE UNDER 8
2008 Cedergreen Cellars Chenin Blanc, Columbia Valley. $17
2007 Ward Johnson Winery Counterbalance Chardonnay, Sun River Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $20

PINK WINES
2008 Airfield Estates Foot Stomper Rose, Yakima Valley. Score: 9. $14. Where to buy?
2008 Barnard Griffin Rose of Sangiovese, Columbia Valley. Score: 9. $12. Where to buy?
2008 Syncline Rose, Columbia Valley. Score: 9. $16. Where to buy?
2008 Cedergreen Cellars Rose, Columbia Valley. Score: 8.5-9. $14
2006 Lodmell Cellars Rose, Columbia Valley. Score: 8.5. $??
2007 Buty Rose of Malbec, Columbia Valley. Score: 8. $19

RED WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9.5
1997 Andrew Will Merlot, Klipsun Vineyard, Columbia Valley.
2004 Col Solare Red Blend, Columbia Valley. $75. Where to buy?
2006 DeLille Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley. $50. Where to buy?
2004 Donedei Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley. $35. Where to buy?

RED WINES SCORING BETWEEN 9 AND 9.5
2007 Airfield Estates Mustang, Estate Vineyard, Yakima Valley. $28. Where to buy?
2006 Betz Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Pere de Famille, Columbia Valley. $58. Where to buy?
2005 Col Solare Red Blend, Columbia Valley. $70. Where to buy?
2006 Corvus Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain. $52. Where to buy?
2004 Côte Bonneville Red Wine, DuBrul Vineyard, Yakima Valley. $120. Where to buy?
2004 Donedei Merlot, Columbia Valley. $??.
2006 Efeste Ceidleigh Syrah, Red Mountain. $34. Where to buy?
2006 Efeste Jolie Bouche Syrah, Columbia Valley. $40. Where to buy?
2006 Efeste Big Papa Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley. $44. Where to buy?
2005 Fidelitas Merlot, Columbia Valley. $25. Where to buy?
2005 Fidelitas Optu red wine, Columbia Valley. $40. Where to buy?
2006 Fidelitas Cabernet Sauvignon, Ciel du Cheval Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $58. Where to buy?
2004 Forgeron Cellars Syrah, Boushey Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $46. Where to buy?
2006 Gramercy Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley. $45. Where to buy?
2006 Gramercy Cellars Syrah “John Lewis Reserve”, Walla Walla. $65.
2006 J. Bookwalter Protagonist, Red Mountain. $50. Where to buy?
2002 Kiona Vineyards & Winery Estate Merlot, Red Mountain. $??.
2006 Long Shadows Saggi, Columbia Valley. $45. Where to buy?
2006 Long Shadows Sequel, Syrah, Columbia Valley. $55. Where to buy?
2006 Powers Winery Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Coyote Vineyard, Wahluke Slope. $25. Where to buy?
2005 Robert Karl Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon - H3, Horse Heaven Hills. $30. Where to buy?
2005 Robert Karl Cellars Inspiration Red Blend, Columbia Valley. $55. Where to buy?
2005 Seven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, Klipsun Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $32. Where to buy?
2007 Shady Grove Red Wine, Columbia Valley. $20.
2003 Solena Cabernet Sauvignon, Klipsun Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $35. Where to buy?
2006 Sparkman Cellars Stella Mae Red Blend, Columbia Valley. $42. Where to buy?
2002 Townshend Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley. $26. Where to buy?
2006 Walter Dacon Wines Apperage Syrah, Boushey Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $35.
2004 Whisper Ridge Winery A Voix Basse Red Blend, Washington State. $30.
2006 Woodward Canyon Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington State. $49. Where to buy?

RED WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9
2005 Alexandria Nicole Estate Syrah, Columbia Valley. $25
2006 Alexandria Nicole Block 17 Syrah, Columbia Valley. $42
2006 Andrew Will Ciel du Cheval, Ciel du Cheval Vineyard, Red Mountain. $60
2004 Barnard Griffen Cabernet Sauvignon, Sagemoor Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $60
2006 Barnard Griffin Reserve Merlot, Columbia Valley. $30
2005 Barrister Bacchus Syrah, Sagemoor Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $32
2006 Barrister Winery Merlot, Columbia Valley. $27
2005 Boudreaux Cellars Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Champoux/Loess Vineyards, Washington State. $100
2006 Buty Cabernet, Champoux Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $55
2006 Buty Canlis Syrah, Columbia Valley. $125
2006 Cadence Red Wine, Red Mountain. $55
2006 Cadence Bel Canto Red Wine, Red Mountain. $??
1998 Col Solare Red Blend, Columbia Valley.
2005 Côte Bonneville Carriage House Red Blend, DuBrul Vineyard, Yakima Valley. $50
2006 Fidelitas Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla. $40
2006 Hedges Family Estate Estate Red Blend, Hedges Three Vineyards, Red Mountain. $25
2005 Hogue Cellars Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope. $??
2005 Hogue Cellars Reserve Merlot, Wahluke Slope. $??
2007 JM Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Klipsun Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $??
2006 K Vintners K Milbrandt Syrah, Wahluke Slope. $25
2006 K Vintners M.C.K. Syrah, Columbia Valley. $??
2007 K Vintners The Boy, Syrah, Columbia Valley. $??
2003 Kiona Vineyards &amp Winery Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain. $35
2005 Kiona Vineyards & Winery Merlot, Red Mountain. $??
2006 Kontos Cellars Syrah, Boushey Vineyard, Yakima Valley. $36
2006 L′Ecole No 41 Estate Merlot, Seven Hills Vineyard, Walla Walla. $37
2006 L′Ecole No 41 Estate Perigee, Seven Hills Vineyard, Walla Walla. $50
2005 Lodmell Cellars Syrah, Lodmell Vineyards, Columbia Valley. $??
2005 Long Shadows Chester-Kidder, Columbia Valley. $50
2006 Olsen Estates Syrah, Colombia Valley. $39
2006 Pepper Bridge Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla. $55
2006 Powers Winery Reserve Syrah, Cougar Vineyard, Wahluke Slope. $25
2006 Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Red Wine, Columbia Valley. $38
2006 Robert Karl Cellars Claret, Horse Heaven Hills. $20
2006 Spring Valley Vineyards Nina Lee, Walla Walla. $50
2006 Spring Valley Vineyards Red Blend, Frederick, Walla Walla. $50
2006 Spring Valley Vineyards Red Blend, Uriah, Walla Walla. $50
2006 Stevens Winery Black Tongue Syrah, Dineen Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $32
2005 Tamarack Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley. $32
2007 Tamarack Cellars Firehouse Red, Columbia Valley. $20
2005 Tamarack Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley. $28
2005 Tamarack Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Sagemoor Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $50
2005 TL Cellars L.L.C. Cabernet Sauvignon / Release No. TWO, Les Collines Vineyard, Walla Walla. $50
2002 Townshend Celalr Merlot, Columbia Valley. $21
2006 Va Piano Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley. $38
2007 Walla Walla Vintners Merlot, Walla Walla. $28
2006 Walter Dacon Wines C’est Syrah Beaux, Columbia Valley. $38
2006 Whisper Ridge Winery Syrah, Washington State. $28

RED WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8.5 AND 9
2006 Andrew Will Sorella Red Wine, Champoux Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills. $74
2007 Barnard Griffin Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley. $17
2006 Barrister Winery Cabernet Franc, , Columbia Valley. $27
2005 Bergevin Lane Syrah, Columbia Valley. $26
2007 Bunnell Family Cellar Horse Heaven Hills Syrah, Horse Heaven Hills. $40
2006 Bunnell Family Cellar Syrah, Cliften Hill Vineyard , Wahluke Slope. $40
2005 Canoe Ridge Vineyard Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley. $40
2005 Cedergreen Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley. $36
2007 Charles Smith Wines The Velvet Devil Merlot, Columbia Valley. $12
2005 Chateau Ste Michelle North Star Merlot, Columbia Valley. $??
2005 Chateau Ste Michelle North Star “Stella Maris”, Columbia Valley. $??
2006 Efeste Final Final Red Blend, Columbia Valley. $??
2006 Fidelitas Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley. $35
2004 Heaven’s Cave Cellars Bordeaux Blend/Angel’s Blend, Destiny Ridge Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills. $34
2006 Hestia Cellars Meritage, Columbia Valley. $??
2007 Hightower Merlot, Columbia Valley. $??
2004 Isenhower Bachelors Butter Cabernet Sauvignon, Sagemoor Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $32
2006 Januik Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley. $30
2003 Kiona Vineyards & Winery Estate Sangiovese, Red Mountain. $25
2003 Kiona Vineyards & Winery Cabernet / Merlot, Red Mountain. $??
2006 Kontos Cellars Merlot, Boushey Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $28
2006 Lee Vee Loo Lee Bordeaux Blend, Columbia Valley. $32
2005 Lodmell Cellars Merlot, Lodmell Vineyards, Columbia Valley. $43
2005 Long Shadows Pirouette, Columbia Valley. $55
2006 Lost River Merlot, Columbia Valley. $22
2007 Melms Road Merlot, Columbia Valley. $21
2006 NxNW Syrah, Columbia Valley. $25
2006 NxNW Cabernet, Columbia Valley. $25
2006 NxNW Cabernet, Walla Walla. $35
2005 OS Winery ̷, Columbia Valley. $35
2006 Powers Winery Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Champoux Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills. $30
2006 Ramseyer Vintage Two Red Wine, Columbia Valley. $35
2006 Ross Andrew Syrah, Boushey Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $28
2006 Sheridan Vineyard L’Orage - Bordeaux Blend, Yakima Valley. $40
2007 Syncline Pinot Noir, Columbia Gorge. $28
2007 Syncline Syrah, Columbia Valley. $24
2006 Tamarack Cellars Merlot, Columbia Valley. $28
2006 Walla Walla Vintners Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley. $28
2007 Walla Walla Vintners Sangiovese, Walla Walla. $24
2006 Walter Dacon Wines C’est Syrah Magnifique, Yakima Valley. $42
2006 Walter Dacon Wines C’est Syrah Belle, Columbia Valley. $30

RED WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8.5
2005 Bergevin Lane Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley. $55
2006 Bunnell Family Cellar “A Pic” Rhone Blend, Horse Heaven Hills. $??
2006 Buty BEAST Cabernet Sauvignon, Phinny Hill Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills. $35
2005 Cedergreen Cellars Thuja- red Blend, Columbia Valley. $25
2006 Cedergreen Cellars Merlot, Columbia Valley. $40
2007 Charles Smith Wines Chateau Smith Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley. $20
2005 Chateau Ste Michelle Ethos Merlot, Columbia Valley. $??
2006 Cuillen Hills Cabernet Franc, Sagemoor Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $28
2006 Fidelitas Malbec, Columbia Valley. $35
2006 Gilbert Cellars Claret, Doc Stewart Estate Vineyard, Wahluke Slope. $20
2006 Hard Row to Hoe Vineyards Cabernet Franc, Wahluke Slope. $28
2005 Heaven’s Cave Cellars Syrah “The Dweller”, Destiny Ridge Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills. $24
2006 Hestia Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Dineen Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $38
2006 Hestia Cellars Merlot, Horse Heaven Hills. $??
2006 Hestia Cellars Syrah, Yakima. $32
2005 Hightower Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley. $35
2007 Isenhower Cabernet Franc, Sagemoor Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $29
2005 Kiona Vineyards & Winery Lemberger, Red Mountain. $??
2007 Melms Road Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley. $24
Northwest Totem Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley. $??
2006 NxNW Syrah, Walla Walla. $35
2006 Sheridan Vineyard Mystique - Red Blend, Yakima Valley. $25
2006 Sparkman Cellars WILDERNESS Red Blend, Columbia Valley. $28
2005 Sweet Valley Wines Merlot, Walla Walla. $28
2005 Tasawik Vineyards Reserve (Red), Tasawik Estate Vineyards, Columbia Valley. $34
2006 Va Piano Vineyards Syrah, Columbia Valley. $??
2006 Va Piano Vineyards Bruno’s Blend, Columbia Valley. $??
2005 Ward Johnson Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain. $25
2005 Yellow Hawk Cellar Solstice, Columbia Valley. $24

RED WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8 AND 8.5
2005 Canoe Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley. $28
2005 Canoe Ridge Vineyard Merlot, Columbia Valley. $25
2007 Charles Smith Wines Boom Boom! Syrah, Columbia Valley. $15
2007 DaMa Wines Syrah, Ash Hollow Vineyard, Walla Walla. $18
2006 Dineen Family Vineyard Red Wine, Columbia Valley. $25
2006 Gilbert Cellars Malbec, Doc Stewart Estate Vineyard, Wahluke Slope. $26
2006 Gilbert Cellars Allobroges Rhone Blend, Colombia Valley. $??
2006 Hard Row to Hoe Vineyards Barbera, Wahluke Slope. $35
2006 Hard Row to Hoe Vineyards Syrah, Wahluke Slope. $28
2006 Northwest Totem Cellars Cabernet Franc, Sagemoor Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $??
2006 Northwest Totem Cellars Qu-Ne Bordeaux Blend, Columbia Valley. $??
2006 Northwest Totem Cellars Grenache, Columbia Valley. $??
2006 Sweet Valley Wines Double Barrel Red, Walla Walla. $22
2006 Ward Johnson Winery Syrah, Ranch at the End of the Road, Red Mountain. $30
2006 William Church Winery Syrah, Dineen Vineyard, Columbia Valley. $28
2005 Yellow Hawk Cellar Sangiovese, Walla Walla. $18

RED WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8
2005 Boudreaux Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley. $??
2005 Cedergreen Cellars Thuja- red Blend, Columbia Valley. $25
2007 Chinook Wines Cabernet Franc, Yakima Valley. $22
2005 Chinook Wines Merlot, Yakima Valley. $15
2005 DaMa Wines Cabernet Sauvignon, Les Collines and Conner Lee Vineyards, Columbia Valley. $27
2006 Hard Row To Hoe Miss de Miner Red Blend, Wahluke Slope. $28
2006 Hard Row to Hoe Vineyards Zinfandel, Pheasant Vineyard, Wahluke Slope. $35
2006 Hightower Cellars Murray Cuvee Red Wine, Columbia Valley. $18
2006 Northwest Totem Cellars Low Man Red Bordeaux Blend, Columbia Valley. $??
2005 Tasawik Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Tasawik Estate Vineyards, Columbia Valley. $26
2005 TL Cellars L.L.C. Release No. THREE Syrah, Lewis Vineyards, Columbia Valley. $50
2006 Ward Johnson Winery Merlot, Hedges Vineyard - North Block, Red Mountain. $30

RED WINES SCORING BETWEEN 7.5 AND 8
2005 Ch. Rollat Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley. $62
2006 Kiona Vineyards & Winery Zinfandel, Red Mountain. $??
2006 Northwest Totem Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Elerding Vineyard , Yakima Valley. $30
2006 Northwest Totem Cellars Long House Syrah, Columbia Valley. $??
2005 Sweet Valley Wines Syrah, Walla Walla. $26
2005 Tasawik Vineyards Studio B, Tasawik Estate Vineyards, Columbia Valley. $22
2005 Tasawik Vineyards Merlot, Tasawik Estate Vineyards, Columbia Valley. $24
2007 Yellow Hawk Cellar Red Barn Red, Columbia Valley. $12

RED WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 7
2005 Ch. Rollat Eduoard Red Wine, Walla Walla. $65

Original post by Alfonso Cevola

As these words appear on the page, outside my window the sky has its own idea about what a rosé is. Of course, in the early morning the idea of a rosé is an evolving one. Right now we’re in a Franciacorta rosé moment. As Spring winds down and Summer is setting the stage for its moment, wine lovers love to talk about rosé.

Outside, a helicopter draws away the last of any color from the morning sky. So here we have the elusive moment for rosé. Just when you think its time to sell, drink and share this wine, isn’t autumn announcing its time to put away the toys and get back to the real stuff of wine? Well, here in flyover country we have at least four months before that will happen, and by then who knows what the world will have in store for us?

Copper River salmon are streaming into the local food shops, and at $27 a pound, one cannot always afford a Bandol Rosé from Domaine Tempier. One of my go to wines is the La Scolca Rosa Chiara. I know purists probably won’t agree with me, but they don’t run my life. And I love this wine. It’s lively, had a wonderful color and enough body to go with the salmon I love. Maybe it’s my lack of agenda when it comes to enjoying a wine, but I find pleasure in the enjoyment of this rosé. I love the color. I like the aromas. I like the fruit. And the body. It’s gulpable. And on a picnic in the park, listening to a Beatles or Stones or Texas Swing cover band, it’s pure summer. Not quite tiny bikinis, but enough skin to tempt and tantalize.

Texas foods, like chicken livers and the baked Italian chicken that my aunt taught me to make go well with anything. But if I have a bottle of a deep rosé like one from Abruzzo, Calabria or Sicily, all the better. Three that I like are the Illuminati Campirosa, The Librandi Rosato and the Regaleali Le Rosé. These are more deeply colored and with a fuller body. The spice and the fuller flavors match well with fried foods and again make for a wonderful evening on a porch or a patio, sipping with friends and your favorite warm weather comfort foods.

Seasonal warming brings out the grills and makes for a nice transition to the outdoors, if only for an evening. Here in Texas we are preparing for the onslaught of mosquito season, so while we feast we will also be feasted upon. Fish on the grill reminds me of the Maremma and so a rosé from that area is a great way to sooth oneself. Marco Bacci’s estate near Grossetto, Terré di Talamo, brings some of us his Piano Piano, a Sangiovese/ Cabernet blend (with maybe a little Alicante as well, eh Marco?). Light in color, fresh, in a word, deelish.

Last summer I trekked to Chicago for a few days. One of the highlights of the trip was to make the pilgrimage to one of the great pizza ovens in America, Spaccanapoli. These are pizzas elevated beyond mere comfort food. And to have them with beer, while that might be great, well, we just had to have a little wine. One of the wines I loved with the two pizzas pictured was the Cavalchina Bardolino Chiaretto. Same grapes as Valpolicella (Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara) with a delicate color, light flavors, just one giant bottle of yum.

We started with a sky the color of Franciacorta rosé. For me the morning are serious stuff, so Franciacorta gets the nod for my serious morning rosé fix, if I were on vacation or if I stayed up all night. But a little to the east over in Valdobbiadene the Prosecco folks are jumping on the rosé bandwagon. And our friends at Bisol have come out with this little rosé called Jeio. It’s a perfect wine to sip on the porch while I watch my bees working furiously before the light of the day comes to an end. Here we are, not for me it is time to go to work, selling, not blogging. Getting through another tough month. Ah well, the bees don’t complain, why should I? I’ll just chill a bottle of the Jeio rosé for this evening. That’s reason enough.

Original post by Alfonso Cevola

As these words appear on the page, outside my window the sky has its own idea about what a rosé is. Of course, in the early morning the idea of a rosé is an evolving one. Right now we’re in a Franciacorta rosé moment. As Spring winds down and Summer is setting the stage for its moment, wine lovers love to talk about rosé.

Outside, a helicopter draws away the last of any color from the morning sky. So here we have the elusive moment for rosé. Just when you think its time to sell, drink and share this wine, isn’t autumn announcing its time to put away the toys and get back to the real stuff of wine? Well, here in flyover country we have at least four months before that will happen, and by then who knows what the world will have in store for us?

Copper River salmon are streaming into the local food shops, and at $27 a pound, one cannot always afford a Bandol Rosé from Domaine Tempier. One of my go to wines is the La Scolca Rosa Chiara. I know purists probably won’t agree with me, but they don’t run my life. And I love this wine. It’s lively, had a wonderful color and enough body to go with the salmon I love. Maybe it’s my lack of agenda when it comes to enjoying a wine, but I find pleasure in the enjoyment of this rosé. I love the color. I like the aromas. I like the fruit. And the body. It’s gulpable. And on a picnic in the park, listening to a Beatles or Stones or Texas Swing cover band, it’s pure summer. Not quite tiny bikinis, but enough skin to tempt and tantalize.

Texas foods, like chicken livers and the baked Italian chicken that my aunt taught me to make go well with anything. But if I have a bottle of a deep rosé like one from Abruzzo, Calabria or Sicily, all the better. Three that I like are the Illuminati Campirosa, The Librandi Rosato and the Regaleali Le Rosé. These are more deeply colored and with a fuller body. The spice and the fuller flavors match well with fried foods and again make for a wonderful evening on a porch or a patio, sipping with friends and your favorite warm weather comfort foods.

Seasonal warming brings out the grills and makes for a nice transition to the outdoors, if only for an evening. Here in Texas we are preparing for the onslaught of mosquito season, so while we feast we will also be feasted upon. Fish on the grill reminds me of the Maremma and so a rosé from that area is a great way to sooth oneself. Marco Bacci’s estate near Grossetto, Terré di Talamo, brings some of us his Piano Piano, a Sangiovese/ Cabernet blend (with maybe a little Alicante as well, eh Marco?). Light in color, fresh, in a word, deelish.

Last summer I trekked to Chicago for a few days. One of the highlights of the trip was to make the pilgrimage to one of the great pizza ovens in America, Spaccanapoli. These are pizzas elevated beyond mere comfort food. And to have them with beer, while that might be great, well, we just had to have a little wine. One of the wines I loved with the two pizzas pictured was the Cavalchina Bardolino Chiaretto. Same grapes as Valpolicella (Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara) with a delicate color, light flavors, just one giant bottle of yum.

We started with a sky the color of Franciacorta rosé. For me the morning are serious stuff, so Franciacorta gets the nod for my serious morning rosé fix, if I were on vacation or if I stayed up all night. But a little to the east over in Valdobbiadene the Prosecco folks are jumping on the rosé bandwagon. And our friends at Bisol have come out with this little rosé called Jeio. It’s a perfect wine to sip on the porch while I watch my bees working furiously before the light of the day comes to an end. Here we are, not for me it is time to go to work, selling, not blogging. Getting through another tough month. Ah well, the bees don’t complain, why should I? I’ll just chill a bottle of the Jeio rosé for this evening. That’s reason enough.

Original post by Alfonso Cevola