Deep Red Cellar

Memorable Wines…

I wouldn’t say I’m one of those people who had a lightning bolt moment when I discovered wine. You know the scenario…Jenny drank a glass of 50-year-old Château Lafite Rothschild at her Uncle Doug’s retirement party when all of the sudden time stood still, angels sang and she knew from that moment on she would dedicate her life to wine. Definitely not me. That being said, there have been a couple of wines that made an impact on me as I have navigated through my stages of wine enjoyment and learning.

…And it’s not that the wine(s) were necessarily grand. It’s more they spoke to me at the perfect time in my wine journey to make an impact. So you wanna know what they are?

The first “A-ha” moment was when I tasted a bottle of Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia. I was living in Italy, it was my anniversary and I was dining with my husband at an oceanfront, rooftop restaurant in Possilipo. It was dusk when we arrived and the setting was…well, you can probably fill in that blank, it was movie-edited romantic. I realize that is a pretty impactful package even if I was drinking milk but I believe the memories tied to wine play a big role in the way we look at wine. Our waiter helped us decide on the Sassicaia. I had heard of this illustrious wine but wasn’t ultra familiar with it. I knew it was iconic and special but not sure what grapes were even in it or why it was so special. In fact, I can’t even remember the vintage we drank, thinking it was either a 2002…or 2005. I do remember taking my first sniff and first sip. It was so incredibly complex, unlike anything I’d ever had before. It was the first time I had ever smelled or tasted what I call a “meaty” wine, it was a wine I could almost chew. It was like drinking the best spicy beef stew I’d ever tasted with loads and loads of earth-driven aromas and flavors all gushing forward like kids pushing their way to the front of an ice cream line. It was the first time I realized wine was capable of actually sparking emotion.

My second impactful wine was a 2007 Petite Sirah from Niner Wine Estate. The moment was not fancy or special, I was just meeting my friend, Jen, for dinner. I was the mom of a then 7-year-old (whose 17 today) and my husband was in the midst of a seven-month deployment so this was honestly a “morale dinner” (one of my survival mode tactics). We went to what was then a relatively new restaurant in Coronado, CA called Leroy’s Kitchen + Lounge. I don’t know what I had to eat nor why we chose the Niner Petite Sirah but I do know, it was the first time I had ever heard of and drank Petite Sirah. I could not believe how it felt, how it tasted and how classy the bottle looked – I’m a sucker for a good looking bottle. The wine felt like velvet had turned into liquid magma and coated every nook and cranny of my mouth. I became keenly aware of the role weight played in wine. Prior to that, I had not thought of wine having weight or mouthfeel. The wine tasted sensational. Because of that bottle, I’ve been a big fan of Niner Wine Estate ever since. Not that all of their wines fall in the “sensational” category but it’s easy to sit in their corner when their wine made such an impact in my journey.

I will never forget either that Sassicaia or Niner Petite Sirah. My experiences and palate have changed and broadened a lot since then. I’ve been fortunate to have tasted many more fantastic, high-quality wines. But the fact remains, those two wines had stand-out moments for me and will be preserved in the halls of my brain that are dedicated to wine. Assuming brains have halls…and dedicated spaces for things like wine.

Jumping into Rosé Season

It’s pretty easy to jump into rosé season. With the release of rosé comes warmer weather, chirping birds and people clawing out of their winter holes.

For me, it also means a delivery from Lauren Ashton Cellars (LAC). I love the opportunity to write about Lauren Ashton rosé because every year it is perfection in a bottle and every year LAC kick’s off this wine with their Release The Rosé party in conjunction with a charitable cause. It’s their opportunity to give back locally and to get the community involved.

This year LAC owner/winemaker Kit, wife Riinu and the team have chosen Bellevue Lifespring as their charitable recipient. A portion of the proceeds from the release weekend sales will go to Bellevue Lifespring, a local, non-profit organization that helps children through programs that provide food, clothing, education and emergency assistance. That means food when children are hungry, clothes when children go back to school, and scholarships to help students stay on track….just to name a few.

So what’s this wine all about….

To me this wine screams Provence (style). It’s fresh, crisp, dry and highly pleasant. A well thought out blend of grenache, mourvedre, counoise and cinsault with a nose of bubblegum, strawberry and delicate floral. The palate is a combination of juicy watermelon, raspberry and strawberry. Pink grapefruit and a hint of minerality hit on the back while bright acid along with composed tannins bring the wine into balance. A vibrant expression of summer in a bottle.

If jumping into rosé season is your thing (and it should be), you can do so at Lauren Ashton’s Release the Rosé party. Bring your friends, enjoy some wine and help a great cause April 13, noon – 8pm & April 14, noon – 5pm. If you’re not in Washington, don’t fret. You may miss the party but the wine is still releasing to you too!

Release the Rosé Party, Lauren Ashton Tasting Room: 14545 148th Avenue NE, Suite 211 Woodinville, WA 98072, Phone: 425-445-7171

website: http://www.laurentashtoncellars.com

Grappa di Passito

It was a dark and stormy night….no, it really was. The power threatened to go out during the day but thankfully did not. I threw a small and fully operational dinner party in the midst of hollowing winds and sheets of rain.

Our drinks for the evening were Italian specific. Not due to planning but coincidentally we started and ended the evening with Falanghina. Appetizers with Vino Spumante, a couple hearty, old vintage Italian reds with dinner (ooey, gooey, lasagna – yum!) and grappa as the culmination. That’s right, I said grappa! Dare I say, it was the rock star of the evening. I’m not usually a lover of distilled spirits but due to the rave reviews of my dinner guests, I took a few swallows to confirm what the others were saying – this stuff was GOOD!

The sentimental part of me loved that the grappa was the star of the evening. We brought it back from Italy about 9 years ago from Cantine del Mare, our favorite small, family-owned winery in Monte di Procida. It came with a tag, that had No. 161 handwritten on the bottom. Unfortunately, I don’t remember any background information but like to think it was a special small batch production for the maker as well.

A little back ground, grappa is a digestivo from Italy (and the part of Switzerland by the Italian border). It is made by using brandy to distill pomace (leftover skin, seeds, stems and pulp from winemaking) and usually comes in around 35-60% abv. It was originally created to prevent waste but now is deemed legit all on it’s own.

Our digestivo was Monté Grappa di Passito Falanghina – passito means the grapes were dried on mats concentrating the sugars and making for an absolutely delectable grappa. Aged in neutral French oak barrels for 8 months, the grappa had a harmonious and elegant structure, soft on the palate. The age was seen through the beautiful, amber color, rich and luxurious. Flavors of butterscotch, almond, sweet tobacco leaves, honey and spice swirled around the palate culminating in an evident 40% abv warm lingering sensation in the throat and chest.

The warm grappa, warm house and warm fellowship somehow made the rain and cold go away for the evening…until we opened the door. We said goodbye to our guests and watched them brave the dark and stormy night hoping the lingering warmth of the grappa somehow made the pelting rain a little less obnoxious.

A Vertical Tasting of Casanova di Neri

I brought back 3 bottles of Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino from Italy in 2010 and put them (along with about 400 other bottles) in wine storage for safe keeping. It was not until I moved back to California in 2016 that I flew down to San Diego, pulled my wine out of storage, rented the biggest SUV I could find and drove the entire inventory to my home wine cellar in Central California (full disclosure – my husband did the driving). Just as good as presents under the Christmas tree in case you were wondering!

The vintages of the Casanova di Neri were 2003, 2004 and 2005. Not ancient but aged enough that I started wondering how they were doing. I bought a Coravin just for the occasion.

Tasting Notes –

2003 – Intensely colored garnet, with flavors of red currant, black tea leaves, and eucalyptus. A masculine wine with woodsy flavors alongside cigar and leather. Tannins were still very pronounced and the finish long.

2004 – Luscious with black cherry, plum and red fruit seeds. Interesting flavors of baking spices sprinkled on tomatoes, and earthen clay pot planted with herbs. The tannins were in-your-face fury in the most pleasant way.

2005 – Prominant red fruit alongside smoked paprika, red cedar, and caramelized mocha. Beefcake aspects included leather, cured meat, and campfire wood. The clay pot was not planted with herbs but flowers that had dried. Beautiful round tannins and an engaging, lingering finish.

A couple take-aways….

If you’ve ever thought about purchasing a Coravin, let me just say, I can not believe it took me so long to get one. The perfect tool for the task.

I shouldn’t have been but was surprised how well these wines held up. We deduced the 2003 was appropriately aged so we enjoyed the rest of the bottle. The 2004 and 2005 were fantastic but not at prime “show off” status so we put them back for now. It will be with great anticipation and excitement to revisit them and see how they’ve changed. A nice reminder that wine is exciting, ever-changing and mystical.

*Thank you to Wine Folly The Essential Guide To Wine by Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack always a great reference source.

Old Bubbles

It was Friday, I worked late and showed up to a dinner party way past what would be considered “fashionable.” I expected everyone to be well into their entree but instead, they waited on my rude a%# to make an appearance. Though embarrassed, I was so happy they were such patient hosts because the evening kicked off with the most amazing bubbles I’ve ever tasted – Equinox, Blanc de Blanc, Methode Champenoise Sparkling Wine, 1995, Santa Cruz, California.

I know some people go ga-ga over bubbles and consistently select it as their drink of choice, but I’ve never been that person. I don’t like the full feeling I get from bubbles and seem to have a lower consumption capacity than I do for still wine. This old vintage sparkling wine though has me re-evaluating my stance on bubbles.

The smell had a very distinct honeycomb aroma that made removing my nose from the glass an exceptionally difficult decision. Upon further analysis, aromas of fine aged cheese, and ripe yellow and green apples rounded out the bouquet. The palate was even more impressive. Perfect, completely uniform (both in size and space), tiny bubbles danced on my tongue in a well-choreographed mix of honey, apples, apricot, and pastry. The apricot became even more prominent and the bubbles again, perfectly placed when I drank the sparkling wine with dessert – apricot pie alongside vanilla ice cream. Seemed like a well-calculated pairing but think it was more extraordinary luck.

If you haven’t done the math, the Equinox was 23 years old. That’s almost as old as my marriage, much older than my 16 year old daughter, who seems like she’s always been in my life, and was made when I was in the 4th of the 15 houses I’ve lived in. The structural integrity was so intact and clean and precise it was absolutely mind blowing! If only I held up as well as those amazing bubbles.by

A Delivery From Washington Wine Country

I received a couple bottles of wine from Lauren Ashton Cellars that will be released exclusively to their wine club on October 14, 2018. Consistency reigns with Kit Singh’s winemaking skills as both of these wines are a delight to drink. If your mouth starts watering while reading this post, you have a few more days to sign up for their wine club and receive exclusive bottles.

2016 ASHTON TROY COLUMBIA VALLEY CUVÉE DU SOLEIL

The Cuvée Du Soleil is a blend of 45% Sauvignon Blanc and 55% Semillon. To me, the Semillon is the show off in this duo. The nose has aromas of honeydew and peaches with whipped butter and beeswax. On the palate, all the aromas are present with the addition of lemon, matcha, slate, saline and just a suggestion of jalapeño. The flavors on the palate are pleasantly carried by the whipped butter and beeswax.

2014 LAUREN ASHTON UPLAND VINEYARDS CABERNET SAUVIGNON

The nose on this Cabernet Sauvignon is out of this world! It is so good I wish I could re-bottle it as linen and room spray. The aromas consisted of blackberry, boysenberry and prominent black olive, with an intriguing essence of rose petals and patchouli which mingles perfectly with all the aromas and brings everything together. Once I finally pulled my nose away from the glass, the palate tasted like blackberry and boysenberry jam with just a hint of black olive. Graphite, present specifically on the front palate, gave way to cocoa that melted away when swallowed. The finish is long (14.7% abv) and the wine balanced. This Cabernet Sauvignon is a truly beautiful wine.

Ready to join the wine club? Click here.

Coravin Love

I have poured wine with a Coravin in a tasting room for over a year and regularly proclaimed that I did not have any use for one in my personal life. Then I got to thinking…..

In my cellar, I have a small collection of high-end wines – a few of which are the lovely wines of Gaja (#lovethem shout out). I also have a vertical of wines that really started my cogs turning and contemplating the Coravin. These bottles, a 2003, 2004 and 2005 Brunello di Montalcino, have been laying in my cellar waiting for the proper gathering of the proper people to open and celebrate their greatness. As they lay there, no proper gathering was happening and besides bumming about my lame social life, I wondered if they were ageing and improving or fading. I finally came to my senses and decided a Coravin was the answer to my wine-centric life.

My thoughts on the decision? I can not believe it took me so long to get one! It is such a great tool that has already paid for itself in the short time I’ve owned it. It gave me the freedom to check on that vertical….the 2005 and 2004 went back in the cellar but the 2003 was ready to rock and thoroughly enjoyed. Also, I can have a glass of “nice” wine without the pressure of having to drain the bottle in one evening.

A couple things to know – Coravin has an excellent support system. The website is chocked full of informative videos and information. If you can’t find answers to your questions on the website, you can send a note and they quickly follow up. Besides the wine preservation system, Coravin has all kinds of fun accessories. One of my favorites is the silicon screw caps, for all those screw cap wines in your life. Coravin systems and accessories are readily available in stores and online and the prices for the products are Coravin set so you do not have to worry about getting gouged. The price on Amazon is the same price I sell the Coravin for at work (going for world record of saying Coravin the most times in one post 😉 ).

If you are on the fence as to whether or not you need a Coravin in your life, let me assure you, you do! If you’ve never heard of one but have wine sitting on the counter for more than a day, you should really consider one. And just so you know, last week I not only had a glass of Brunello di Montalcino, I also had a glass of Amarone on a Wednesday…because I could!

Sauvignon Blanc Comparison

I received a couple bottles of Sauvignon Blanc from Prothro Family Wines a few weeks ago. I’m a huge fan of Sauvignon Blanc – I always say, “I haven’t met a Sauvignon Blanc I didn’t like.” Since I love this wine so much, I thought it would be fun to not just review Prothro Sauvignon Blanc, but to put it up against 2 others that have been in regular rotation in my world lately.

To be totally unbiased, I blind tasted the wines and established my preferences before the reveal. Then to be extra sure of an unbiased outcome, I blinded my husband and a couple of wine enthusiast neighbors. The results were resounding in consistency with all four of us ranking the wines in the exact same order.

John and Laurie, wine enthusiast neighbors

Wines Reviewed –

Justin Sauvignon Blanc, Central Coast 2017 – $11.99 to $18.99

Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc, Griva Vineyard, Arroyo Seco, Monterey County 2016 – $26.99 to $30.00

Prothro Sauvignon Blanc, Morgaen Lee Vineyard, Yountville, Napa Valley 2017 – $32.00

Justin Sauvignon Blanc

The nose was quite unique. I wanted it to be another one of those “funky” wines but in the end, the aromas were slightly off-putting. The palate was much more pleasant with predominant savory flavors and an herbacious zing followed by grapefruit, ripe peach and a hint of minerality. This was the 3rd place holder.

Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc

Quintessential Sauvignon Blanc in the most delightful way. Prevalent green bell pepper and grassy notes mingling with citrus fruits on the nose. The palate tasted bright with flavors of melon and gooseberry along with a zesty citrus smack. This was the 2nd place holder.

Prothro Sauvignon Blanc

An elegant Sauvignon Blanc with subtle aromas and flavors brought forth in the most balanced way. The nose was intriguing, almost timid, begging to be on the palate. Flavors of honey dew and pear graced with subtle nuances of ginger, lemon, lime and a delicate floral glimmer. A Sauvignon Blanc in the most upscale way. This was our 1st place holder!

I had the pleasure of meeting Bruce and Ronda Prothro a few days after I started writing this post. They are lovely and genuine people with a devotion to producing wines that are notable and pleasing from the beginning of the palate through to the end.

I still haven’t met a Sauvignon Blanc I didn’t like…but apparently there are ones I like more than others.

Ashton Troy Wines

Ashton Troy Wines is a fun off-shoot of Lauren Ashton Cellars (LAC). Fun because the wine is inspired by, Ashton (whose middle name is Troy), the 8 year old son of LAC winemaker Kit Singh and wife Riinu Rammal. Ashton wanted his own label so Kit and Riinu ran with the idea. Ashton Troy wines are created and marketed exclusively for restaurants with intentions to draw in a new fan base. Distribution is currently in Washington with plans to expand across the United States. If you hang out in Woodinville, you may see these wines make rare appearances at the Lauren Ashton Cellars tasting studio. One white and four reds make up the labels profile. The wines are purposefully bold to pair with restaurant fare. I had the opportunity to taste two of these wines and true to the Lauren Ashton reputation, they were a pleasure to drink.

Ashton Troy Bisou 2014, Columbia Valley

Grapes picked from Stillwater Creek, Upland, Quitessence, Les Collines and Dineen Vineyards located throughout the Columbia Valley AVA in Washington. A blend of 64% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Petit Verdot with 50% of the berries left whole and uncrushed for an initial partial fermentation. The wine was drained and pressed then fermented in French oak, undergoing malolactic fermentation before being racked and returned to the barrel to age for 28 months. The wine was then blended and bottled. Bisou was a luscious mouthful of boysenberry, plum, black cherry and black currants tailed by red pepper and masculine notes of earth and meat. Full bodied with a whole lot of character. This wine was lovely to drink on it’s own but would pair well with meat dishes.

Ashton Troy Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Columbia Valley

Grapes harvested from Quintessence, Ambassador, Dineen, Sagemoor and Upland Vineyards in the Columbia Valley. A single varietal wine undergoing it’s makeover the same way Bisou did with bottling occurring after ageing 28 months in French oak. This wine is a powerhouse with emboldened flavors of juicy cherry, ripe plum, black currant and candied crab apple preserves integrated with baking spices. Sweet tobacco, vanilla, violet and mint are pleasing subtletys that sneak in as the wine sits on the palate before ending in a gratifying, drawn out finish. It drank very well and shows potential for even more rounding out in another 6-12 months. Restaurants (and their guests) will have the opportunity to see this wine improve with age.

Washington Riesling

You may have noticed Washington has emerged as a world class growing region for Riesling. In fact, to date Washington is the largest producer of Riesling in America (subject to change…as we all know). The Columbia Valley’s hot summer temperatures and cool evenings coupled with average temperatures during off months (only slightly higher than those of Alsace and Germany), create crisp, acidic characteristics that make for exceptional quality Riesling. In addition, the diversity among the vineyard sites of the Columbia Valley produce a wide range of styles from bone dry to botrytis sweet desert wines. Riesling is not only popular for it’s bright fruit and floral flavors but also because it pairs so well with fresh seafood and spicy dishes.

There are many great producers of Washington Riesling, the most prominent being Chateau Ste. Michelle. Although I cannot confirm, I’ve heard that Chateau Ste. Michelle is the worldwide leader in the production of Riesling by volume! They produce several variations, their most prestigious being Eroica. Eroica is a collaboration between winemaker Bob Bertheau from Chateau Ste. Michelle and Dr. Ernst Loosen from the Dr. Loosen Estate on the Mosel River in Germany. These two talented producers combine Old World tradition, modern techniques and Washington grapes to produce outstanding, award winning wine.

Riesling can have an exciting range of aromas. Expect things like apricot, peach, orange blossom, lime, and honey, along with minerals, spice and petrol. As mentioned earlier, Riesling can run dry to sweet. If the wine is low in alcohol (below around 9% abv), you can assume it’s on the sweeter side and will taste as such. Often Riesling with 10% abv and higher may taste sweet but will have very little residual sugar, thus showcasing not sweet as much as fruit. The bright notes and aromatics of riesling make it a fantastic wine for summer so enjoy while that sun is still shining!by