Epic, at least, for my neighborhood!
QUILCEDA CREEK:
The '15 Cab was beautiful, and so different from the '16 CVR that followed. The wines were so different stylistically, it was as if they were by two different winemakers.
2015 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley
Cocoa, leather, licorice, cassis, dark cherry, tobacco and a little pepper. Terrific balance. As another reviewer notes, more elegant than hedonistic. Those who judge current-day QC's by the more extracted, Parker-pointy style of the early 2000's do it an injustice.
2016 Quilceda Creek CVR Columbia Valley Red Bordeaux Blend
Probably the biggest young CVR I've ever had. Ripe, dense, and a touch alcoholic. Too much so, especially after tasting the svelte 2015 straight Cabernet.
LOUIS ROEDERER:
2009 Louis Roederer Champagne Brut Nature Cuvée Starck Champagne Blend
The zero-dosage seems to rob this wine of adequate balance. It was the vinuous equivalent of a blank stare. As someone who enjoys austerity (or thinks she does) I was surprised to find nothing here I liked.
2009 Louis Roederer Champagne Brut Millésimé Champagne Blend
Interesting to taste this immediately following the no-dosage Brut Nature. Before the tasting would have bet I'd prefer the latter, but no.
2008 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut Champagne Blend
Effusive, young nose of yeast and green apple. Exquisite balance. One of the best young Cristals (like I taste these all the time--NOT!) I've ever tasted.
DOUBLEBACK:
Former NFL player, Washington State football star alum, wine fan and all-around great local guy Drew Bledsoe created this winery. I don't believe he's making the wine yet (could be wrong) but he's in it for the long haul and is currently building his own winery/tasting room.
2016 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley
Only wrote down one word: outstanding. Wine's not available until the spring release, will run over $100/bottle.
2016 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon Flying B Walla Walla Valley
Named after Drew Bledsoe's grandfather's Flying B ranch in Ellensburg, rich red fruit with superb red-dirt kind of minerality like that I associate with aged Monte Bello's.
PASSING TIME:
Passing Time is jointly owned by former NFL players Dan Marino and Damon Huard. Damon's apparently a Washington native and now a Director of the football program at UW. He poured the wines and seemed amazingly awake considering that he'd just flown in from Utah where he'd been up all night celebrating UW's qualifying win for the Rose Bowl
2015 Passing Time Red Wine Columbia Valley Red Wine
A Cabernet/Merlot blend. Very attractively androgynous, both fem and masculine at the same time with violets on the nose, cassis and black cherry on the palate, chocolate and spice from 60% new oak. Concentrated, elegant. I bought. We also got a preview of:
2016 Passing Time Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon
Sweet and earthy. Will have no trouble getting the $82/bottle expected when the wine's released in the Spring.
BETZ:
The Betz winemaker poured one Betz wine and three from his personal side project, Simpatico.
2016 Betz Family Bésoleil Columbia Valley Red Rhone Blend
Good blend, Grenache-driven, no new oak. Nothing wrong with this, but between it's youth and the tiny pour in a crappy tasting glass, I just couldn't find anything here to be excited about.
2015 Simpatico Cellars Coalesce Red Mountain Red Blend
Balanced and restrained, minimal oak. Quite good.
2017 Simpatico Cellars Fanatic Columbia Valley White Blend
Mostly albarino but with just enough viognier to elongate the finish and without introducing any old lady perfume to the aroma.
