Bob Woehler has been writing about
grapes and wines of the Pacific Northwest since 1978. His columns appear
twice monthly in the Tri-City Herald in Tri-Cities, Wash.
My hobby is tasting
Pacific Northwest wines, and as hobbies go, it's hard to beat.
So, to pick out a few favorites of the 700 to 800
wines I tasted in 2001 isn't an easy task. But I'll take a stab at it.
What makes is so difficult is that the wines keep
getting better and better each year.
Some on my list are still available in the marketplace,
and some readers may have one or two of the others tucked away in their
wine cellars.
My favorites in no particular order are:
Columbia
Crest 1998 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon,
- A stunning red, winner of a gold medal at the Tri-Cities Wine Festival
judging and many other accolades in other competitions. Huge fruit, rich
berries with smooth, supple flavors. Great spice and vanilla overtones
introduce this tasty wine.
Hogue
Cellars 2000 Johannisberg Riesling Columbia Valley,- An outstanding
riesling and a benchmark for this variety. Inviting floral aromas followed
by classic orange, apple and peach flavors and a delightful, crisp farewell.
Residual sugar is 1.7 percent. Great from start to finish.
Kiona
Vineyards Winery 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon, Rich, fruity cabernet with complex aromas and flavors and a long
finish. Great structure and tannins. Won a gold at the Los Angeles County
Fair.
Barnard
Griffin Winery 1999 Fumé Blanc, Always a classic, great
balance with delicious tropical fruit flavors and a flinty, crisp finish.
Won gold at the Indiana State Fair.
Cayuse
Vineyards 1998 Cobblestone Vineyard Syrah, - A great syrah from
Walla Walla, loaded with plums, black pepper and blackberries. Rich flavors,
great tannins and a smooth finish. Won a gold at the Oregon State Fair.
DiStefano
Winery 1998 Cabernet Franc, - A beautiful, outstanding red with
full fruit flavors and smoky oak aromas. This wine has a multitude of
complex components that are rich and satisfying.
L'Ecole
No. 41 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley - A cabernet with
a great pedigree from old block 1972 Sagemoor Vineyards and from Klipsun
Vineyards. There is a lot of depth, chewy with complex flavors and a distinctive
richness.
Columbia
Crest 1999 Grand Estates Chardonnay,
- Great integration of vanilla oak and ripe fruit makes this a big, buttery
chardonnay with a long, satisfying finish. Voted in top 100 in the world
by Wine Spectator magazine.
Reininger
Winery 1999 Syrah, - Won a double gold at the prestigious San
Francisco International Wine Competition and a gold at the Northwest Wine
Summit at Mount Hood. It is big and fruity, with flavorful berry jam qualities
with a long, lasting finish.
Tamarack
Cellars 1999 Merlot, - It was awarded the coveted outstanding
designation by the Wine Press Northwest magazine tasting panel for the
second vintage in a row. Great fruit, nice vanilla and spice aromas. The
flavors are ripe plums and cherries with a good mouth feel.
Leonetti Cellar 1997 Sangiovese, - Aromas
of tar and oak. Beautiful mouth feel loaded with cherries and a great
tannins finish. A super Tuscan.
Preston
Premium Wines 2000 Gamay Beaujolais Rosé, -The epitome
of picnic wines. Wonderful raspberry aromas and flavors, candy fruit middle
and good acids at the end. Great with turkey and ham sandwiches.
King
Estate 2000 Reserve Pinot Gris,- Big citrus and spicy aromas leading
to nice tangerine, tropical fruit flavors. Solid acids and lingering aftertaste.
Dunham
Cellars 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon,- Big, outstanding toasty oak
red, showing off great blackberries and dark cherries. The flavors go
on and on, as does the jammy finish.
L'Ecole
No. 41 1999 Merlot, Seven Hills Vineyards, - An outstanding Merlot
with lush cherry vanilla aromas, creamy, inviting flavors of berries and
bittersweet chocolate, huge depth and a tasty finish.
Bob Woehler has been writing about grapes and wines
of the Pacific Northwest since 1978. His columns appear twice monthly
in the Tri-City Herald in Tri-Cities, Wash.
This is the best guide, bar none, to Oregon's
wines. Insightful articles, interesting reviews, in depth interviews- you'll
find them all here. Worth every penny if you're interested in Oregon wine.
