What's on the Kitchen Sink this week?

The wines, foods, people and places
in NW Wine Country

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Owen Roe wines continued----

Succulent Syrah? Sumptuous Syrah?
Sexy Syrah?- that's it.

The Owen Roe Syrah Dubrul Vineyard/Rosa Mystical Block 02 ($43/37.80) is made with grapes from two vineyards located in what David O'Reilly describes as a "a magical area" in the Rattlesnake Hills in Northern Yakima Valley. Having been there recently for the first time, I can see why he calls it "magical".

The region is eerily wild, with vast expanses of dusty high desert suddenly broken by valleys, high cliffs breaking steeply to the fringe of green along the wide blue gray river. You drive for miles past mile long fields of apple trees, then veer into military test ranges, regimental formations of massive power poles marching into the distance, and occasional tiny pockets of buildings, including one that announces "you are now in the middle of nowhere" with great pride.

Owen Roe's Syrah is uniquely its own style. It has a burly, wild, gamey yes frankly sexy quality that I find irresistible.

David says: "The combination of high elevation, intensive vineyard management, and a small crop yielded superbly balanced fruit. The wine is polished and rich all the while being burly with heady pepper aromas and plenty of structure. A huge Syrah that will reward with a few years of cool cellaring." Yupp. You got it. Gotta have it.

Can't End until This Fat Lady Sings her Praises to some New Wine Releases

It helps to be a fat lady, I just start singing and it's all over. But not quite yet, there are several new releases that will come and go this week.

Canon del Sol is so fast out of the station, few wineries have garnered the awards that only two vintages have produced.

Victor & Kim Cruz, Jerry & Laure Quaresma, and Ron & Bunny Hartmanare owners, and revered consulting winemaker is Charlie Hoppes. The Canon del Sol Syrah 2000 ($30/$27) is a phenomenon- this unknown wine was named "Best of Show" out of over 700 wines from around the world at the 2002 Northwest Wine Summit. The NWWS is very highly regarded, particularly in the restaurant community, and there was stiff competition.

The Canon del Sol Syrah 2001 ($32/$28.80 until the end of September) , just released, was rated "Outstanding" and named the best Syrah of the Northwest by Wine Press NW magazine in a blind tasting of over 100 NW Syrahs.

And a personal favorite of mine, the Merlot 2000 ($24.75/$22.28) has a distinctly silky mouth feel and a depth not often found in Merlot, even from the NW.

The buzz on Sheridan Vineyard's Red Wine 00 ($34/$30.60) keeps growing- I've been getting emails from people who think this is the next Andrew Will/Quilceda Creek - of course it helps that Sheridan Vineyard supplies fruit to those wineries!
And the 92 points in Wine Spectator did not hurt. I heartily recommend this wine if you are into big massive Cabs with plenty of complexity and age ability. I agree with those who've emailed me that they think it's Quilceda cloned and maybe even improved.

Finally, new releases by Patricia Green Cellars, Sineann, and Woodward make this an eventful month, with wines of great depth and quality.

Ok I've sung- and I'm done. Happy harvest to all.... Jean