Holiday Releases, Joe Dobbes Update,
Ken Wright Wines for the Holidays, Bergstrom Releases, Trends at the Platinum Awards Judging

In one eventful day this week I had lunch with outstanding winemaker Joe Dobbes, and visited with Gary Andrus (founder of Archery Summit) at his new winery. Last week, Wine Press NW held their annual Platinum Awards judging, and I was fortunate to be invited to attend. My mind is still spinning as I continue to remember and think about the great wines we tried. Then Bergstrom announced their new 2002 Pinor noirs. Phew- lots to report!

Ken Wright Cellars- Surprise!
Wines not to miss

Three Ken Wright wines, available to order now, are perfect for enjoying this holiday season. Don't overlook these excellent wines!

Ken Wright's Celilo Chardonnay 01 $20.00/$18.00 is a wonderfully balanced Chardonnay that dares to show a racy acidity complementing clean, fresh pear and apple scented flavors with mineral and flinty notes. It pairs perfectly with turkey, game, roast chicken, or brie-style cheeses.

Ken Wright's Freedom Hill Pinot Blanc 02 $18.00/16.20 reminds one of the Pinot blancs of Alsace, with a fresh, mineral component and subtle, wafting floral notes throughout the scent and flavors. If you are enjoying fresh Halibut or other white fish this season, this wine is a perfect complement. It also pairs well with Cambozola and other semi-soft cheeses.

Roads End Pinot noir 02 $37.49/33.74 is made by Ken Wright and is a blend of grapes from three of his famous vineyard sites- Canary Hill, Nysa, and McCrone. The wine provides a unique opportunity to try a Ken Wright 2002 Pinot noir. Fruit forward and richly textured, this Pinot sings "Ken Wright" with its sophisticated flavors.

If you purchased Ken Wright Cellars 2002 Pinot noir futures from Avalon, you know that they have arrived at the store and are being shipped out to you over the next few weeks. While some of the wines of the vintage are forward and drinking fairly well, the wines should be cellared for at least a few months before drinking. As you know, shipping often "dumbs down" Pinot noir for awhile-- so cellar them, resist opening them, and try the Ken Wright wines described above this holiday season. Unfortunately, we have sold every last bottle of the 2002's. Dang. None for Jean's cellar.

Joe Dobbes Sighting
Hard working winemaker lands in McMinnville to refuel

Had lunch with Joe Dobbes this week, as he landed in one spot just long enough to visit and provide an update on the latest about Joe Dobbes Family Estate, his new winery, and on his work as a consulting winemaker across the state. Joe is suffering from the classic BATF paperwork complexities, resubmitting some paperwork this week so he can get started selling two Dobbes Family wines eagerly awaited by those fortunate enough to have tried them.

The Dobbes Family Estate wines will be released starting in just a few weeks (that nasty paperwork) and releases will continue next year. Joe has made three special cuvees of Pinot noir: Skipper's Cuvee $35/32.50, in a somewhat lighter, juicy, soft style, and available shortly; Griffin Cuvee, a big wine, reminiscent of the structure and density of Willakenzie's Pierre Leon; and Black Label, Joe's blend of Pinot noir that shows what he loves about the varietal. Joe will also produce a Pinot noir called "Grand Assemblage", a cuvee made from Willamette Valley fruit.

Joe plans three Syrahs, made from Southern Oregon fruit. A "Grand Assemblage" Syrah will be made from selections from several vineyards. A "Sundown" Syrah and "Fort Miller" Syrah are made from single vineyards belonging to Don and Traute Moore (Griffin Creek). Joe's Syrahs will be sold as futures starting in January 2004.

Joe's Viognier 02 $30/27 is the wine most eagerly anticipated by those who have tried it. This Viognier has such complexity, with a full expression of the elusive and hard to craft Viognier fruit and floral character. A floral nose that changes from honeysuckle to jasmine to orange blossom to lime, flavors that echo the scents with addition of crisp pear, lime, lychee, white peach, and a myriad other fruits, long finish with excellent acidity and mineral notes. It's hard not to go on and on about this wine, it's that good.

Joe made wine for a number of wineries this year, managing the Paschal Winery with his sister Renee, and producing custom wines at the Tualatin Winery facility. His possible purchase of Cherry Hill is no longer in the works. He continues to work closely with Don and Traute Moore, but is not involved in the new EdenVale Winery.

Gary, Gigi, and Christine, 11/18/03

Gary Andrus's
"Trilogy of Terroirs"

I visited the charming home and vineyards of Gary, Christine, and Gigi Andrus in Hillsborough, Oregon and tasted his new wines this week. The winery, Gypsy Dancer Estates, has 40 acres of vineyard and two new wines just released. Both wines are delightful, showing Gary's expert winemaking abilities. The "Preview" Pinot noir $34/30.60 was made from 2002 Estate fruit just a few weeks after the Andruses took possession of the site. Gary has produced a rich and interesting Pinot noir that just shows what a great winemaker can do, even when they have not had control over vineyard practices. The Christine Lorraine Pinot gris 02 $17/15.30, mixed with 10% Chardonnay, is reminiscent of Gary's "Vireton" white blend made at Archery Summit when he was owner and winemaker there.

Gary and Christine also own vineyards in California and New Zealand, producing the "Trio of Terroirs" for their Pinot noirs. Expect to see the wines from these vineyards in 2004. Barrel tastings of the unreleased 2002's and the 2003's were superb. Gary has some wines that we're eagerly anticipating. Watch Avalon's site for more news about Gypsy Dancer and Christine Lorraine wines.

Wine Press NW Platinum Awards
Next week, Wine Press NW magazine will announce their "Platinum" awards fir NW wines. These awards recognize the "best of the best". Only wines that have won multiple medals or awards at regional and national events are included in the judging. The wines can win awards ranging from the coveted "Platinum" through double gold, gold, and no award. I was fortunate enough to be invited to be one of the judges, and shared the enviable task of tasting about 225 of the Northwest's best wines in a two day marathon. The chance to try wines in such a concentrated fashion provides a chance to notice trends that might not be so obvious when tasting here and there, as we tend to do while considering wines for the store. We tasted flights of 10-14 wines, all the same varietal, and often several flights within the varietal category. Although I am sworn to secrecy regarding the awards, here are some trends that can be mentioned that I noticed in the wines we tried.

First, Syrah is the up-and-coming varietal for Washington State, hands down. An array of huge, plush, spicy Syrahs at many different prioce points and with many different styles are arriving on store shelves with more to come. Syrah is becoming the new Merlot- or Merlot with a more interesting twist? From less than 300 acres of Syrah in production in 1999, there are now over 1300 acres producing fruit in Washington, with smatterings of vineyard sites in The Dalles area of Oregon's Columbia Gorge and in Southern Oregon's Rogue and Umpqua Valleys. Some of my current favorite Syrahs are the huge Owen Roe Dubrul Vineyard Syrah 02 $42/37.80. the intriguing Viento Syrah Alder Ridge $21/18.90 with its wild and wooly gamey, exotic, earthy flavors, the top rated Canon de Sol Syrah 01 $32/28.80 (rated first out of over 100 Syrahs blind tasted by Wine Press NW).

Next, Chardonnay needs acidity. The Chardonnays we tried were almost uniformly flabby and soft, lacking the racy acidity and Chardonnay fruit flavors that are hallmarks of the varietal. Too often, buttery malolactic oak and an almost powdery finish marred the wines. They might sell well in the tasting room to customers for whom acidity is anathema, but they will not age, and may become cloying when served with food. Oh well, I understand that selling wine at retail in the tasting room is vital to sustaining our wonderful wineries, and I guess if this style supports sales, I can live with it.

Lastly, Pinot gris is no longer an Oregon exclusive. Of the Pinot gris's we tasted, a new trend- Washington State Pinot gris, or Pinot grigio, as it is often called there, showed up in the tastings and won a lot of praise. Two factors to note- the wines were being made in large quantity by big companies (Hogue, Stimson Lane) and the prices were lower in general than the Oregon boutique versions. Just as California wineries (Kendall Jackson, Gallo) are producing huge quantities of Pinot gris for their grocery store labels, Washington is adding to the competition. As greater recognition for Pinot gris is gained by exposure to these wines, consumers may well look to Oregon for better, more complex and individualistic versions of the varietal. But plain old simple Pinot gris at $16 a bottle is an endangered species.

Bergstrom Announces 2002 Pinot noirs

Josh Bergstrom and family (of Bergstrom Winery) are releasing their 2002 Pinots in December, and we are so fortunate to have a small allocation of the wines. As Joe Dobbes said to me at lunch last week, "What's with this guy at Bergstrom? How does he make such great wines?" High praise indeed, from one of Oregon's most respected winemakers.

Well, just how does he do it? We suspect it's in the vineyard that the bulk of the magic is being performed. Josh, like so many of our best winemakers, is usually "out in the vineyard". His hands on, plant by plant, meticulous management is producing remarkable results. He's using some biodynamic principles in his vineyard management (as is Cooper Mountain), he reduces yield by judicious thinning, he follow all the best vineyard management practices, and he has that remarkable genius that sets some winemakers apart from the rest.

The wines are spectacular. Prices are up, but quantities are still miniscule. He made only 200 cases of the Arcus 02 $85. The Bergstrom 01 Arcus was named Oregon's best Pinot noir by Wine Spectator last year, and those few people who get a bottle of this wine may find the 2002 wins the prize again.

Bergstrom's Estate Vineyard produced 225 cases of what can only be called a remarkable Bergstrom Vineyard Pinot noir 02 $60, one that promises to become highly sought after. It is massive- dark, tooth staining color, huge flavors, the inaugural release of a wine that we think will become an annual hallmark for Pinot lovers.

The Cumberland Reserve Pinot noir 02 $32, is made from Hyland Vineyard fruit, and is available in slightly better quantities than the two wines above (520 cases). Texture and complexity are what this wine is about, and loads of sweet black fruit. An inspiring almalgam of Burgundian style and New World exhuberance.

Check out these pages for more new wines:

There are so many new wines, I have not been able to write about them all. For more new, interesting wines and winery info, check out these pages:

For lots of shopping sources, divided every way I could figure out (price, varietal, region, winery, color of the label, color of the winemakers eyes) try our new "SHOP" page.

For the first place new releases show up on the website, try our "New Releases" page. I try to get everything onto that page as soon as we know about it.

For my short list of what I think are the best deals and most remarkable wines out there, try our "Best of the Best" page. It's an admittedly opinionated list of wines that stand out from the rest.

And for Holiday gift giving, check out our new Northwest Wine Packs page. They make gift giving easy, come with an attractive, hand written card, and contain wines we've hand picked as selections that are sure to please.

Read last month's column here

Jean's Sampler Case

If I was to pick 12 different wines to send to a friend this week, to show them what's most interesting and a good deal in NW wines right now, here's what I'd send:

Youngberg Hill PN 2000 $18/16.20
jammy and well balanced- the hit of a recent staff tasting, we kept comparing everything to it, and finding it the best.

Jezebel Pinot noir 02 $20/18
Hedonistic and huge,
Peter does it again. Yummy.

Fielding Hills Merlot 01
$30/27
And worth very penny- so much complexity and structure for a big lush Merlot

Solera Syrah 01 $16/14.40
Just shows you can get a giant juice bomb Syrah for less than $20.

Siduri Pinot Noir
Shaw Vineyard 01 $48/43.20
Because even though it is pricey, it is sooooo good. Just layers and layers of fruit, herbs, toast, true to Pinot noir, long long finish.

Patricia Green Cellars
Pinot noir Shea 01 $32/28.80
Just keeps getting better, there's lots of options from Patty, but this one from 2001 is drinking so beautifully- had it again last week and it was a joy to behold.

Adea
Dean-O's Pinot noir 01
$26/23.40
Because I've always had a soft spot for Harley people, and this wine has a wild free spirit.

Andrew Rich
Cabernet Franc 01 $20/18
Because a customer made a special long distance call to me after trying this wine to make sure I knew how good it is, and because Andrew's wines are so consistently excellent, and I like his dog, Romeo, a lot.

Brick House
Gamay Noir 02 $20
Doug Tunnell always makes about the best Gamay in the state, and the lower price makes it even more appealing. And it proves "organic" and "delicious" go together quite well.

McKinlay Pinot noir Special Selection 01 $30/27
One of the best of the vintage and fascinating for the creamy texture and perfect balance. And it's so good with chocolate.

Seven Hills Pentad 01 $55/49.50
Because this shows what experience, hard work, skill, and planning pays off. Casey's best wine ever, without a doubt, from a winemaker with a string of successes behind him and more to come.

Kiona Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 01 $33.49/30.14
Because they always give great value for the price, although I wish they'd put their regular Cab back below $30, this Reserve is the best deal of their current releases and gives major "Big for the buck".

Andrew Rich Roussanne 02 $18.99/17.10
Because it takes courage to pioneer a new varietal, and to pull it off so well. Unusual, tasty, big, rich, hard to pull off and done beautifully. Andrew excells again.

So there's my "Bakers Dozen". Now what lucky friend am I going to send this case to? Hmmm...

The Avalon
Hot Ten
Best selling Wines
this week

1. Adea
Dean-O's Pinot noir 01 $25.99/23.40
Wine Spectator rating 90 points

2. Brooks
"Janus" Pinot noir
$29.99/27.00
Sent this out to the Pinot Club
and lots of people ordered more!

3. Beaux Freres Pinot Noir 01
92 points in Wine Spectator
$57.99/52.19
FEATURED WINE-
Regular price $69.99

More about Beaux Freres

4. Canon del Sol Syrah 2001
$30/$27 case
TOP SYRAH IN NW
Wine Press NW tasting of over 100 Syrahs!
More about Canon del Sol

5. Penner Ash Pinot Noir 01 $45/40.50
From the ultra talented team of
Lynn and Ron Penner Ash.
More about Penner Ash




6. Colvin Merlot 99
SALE $16.99
regular $25.99
From an up-and-coming
Walla Walla
maker of huge red wines
More about Colvin Vineyard

7. Fielding Hills
Cabernet Sauvignon 00
$30/$27 case
Wine Spectator 91 points
Avalon's hot new find-
less than 100 cases made,
big gorgeous Cab with espresso bean, bittersweet chocolate, rich berry and plum flavors- a cult winery in the making!

More about Fielding Hills

8. Forgeron
Cabernet Sauvignon 00
$29.99/26.99
New favorite Cab for big red drinkers, big and complex,
ageable and balanced.

9. Beaux Freres
"Les Cousines" Pinot Noir 01
$29/$26.10 case
Drinking wonderfully,
Beaux Freres second label!



10. Andrew Rich
Les Vigneaux
Gewurztraminer Ice Wine
92 points in Wine Spectator!
$19.99/16.99