More fallout, Soos Creek shutting down

[David M. Bueker]

Pretty darned good Washington winery that has been around a reasonably long time.

[Jenise]

Yes, sad. Beautifully finessed wines made for us in the less-is-more crowd, especially as compared to most Washington wine. An IYKYK kind of winery and as such not easy to acquire except by winery-direct purchase. I doubt they lacked customers; they just reached the end of their run.

Many years ago (1990s) while on a business trip to Microsoft Mike Wolinski and I went to a Yakima Valley barrel tasting event. I wasn't expecting "barrel tasting" to be taken so literally. Most of the winemakers were obsessed with new oak and aggressive barrel charring. Was this just a phase they were going through?

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

Many years ago (1990s) while on a business trip to Microsoft Mike Wolinski and I went to a Yakima Valley barrel tasting event. I wasn't expecting "barrel tasting" to be taken so literally. Most of the winemakers were obsessed with new oak and aggressive barrel charring. Was this just a phase they were going through?

-Paul W.

To some degree, yes. In some cases they were also trying to cover up the pyrazines occuring because of poor vineyard management. Better practices and palates among modern winemakers have largely negated the need for that. And some, like Soos Creek, were likely better than that to begin with.

[David M. Bueker]

Many years ago (1990s) while on a business trip to Microsoft Mike Wolinski and I went to a Yakima Valley barrel tasting event. I wasn't expecting "barrel tasting" to be taken so literally. Most of the winemakers were obsessed with new oak and aggressive barrel charring. Was this just a phase they were going through?

-Paul W.

Yeah, the late ‘90s (I visited Washington in 1999) were wood central. One winery. (Covey Run - I think they have since closed) kept telling me that aging in new oak was traditional for European Riesling.