Washington State Wine Tasting at the Edge Steak + Bar at the Four Seasons on Brickell

And Noah he often said to his wife when he sat down to dine,

"I don't care where the water goes if it doesn't get into the wine."

Gilbert Keith Chesterton 1874 - 1936

Wine and Water

I was so impressed with my experience at the Washington State Wine Auction in August of this year that I made plans to go back for next year’s event right after I returned home.  The party that these guys in Washington State put on is second to none in the wine business.  All of the state’s top producers are there in person and very accessible.  It reminded me of the Napa Valley wine auction the first time I was there 20 years ago. 

Chateau St. Michelle is the leading producer in Washington and you can find some of the best wines made in Washington at every price level in their portfolio of wines.  They have teamed up with a few of the world's leading producers to make some great collaboration wines like the Eroica with Germany's Dr. Loosen and one of the most talked about project in the Red Mountain appellation Col Solare with Italy’s Piero Antinori. 

They also over deliver at the low end with their Chateau Ste. Michelle wines and Columbia Crest label but tonight we have all top level wines from this portfolio, including one of the real hidden gems in this portfolio, Spring Valley Vineyards.  '

Also we have a very special price on two of my favorite wines on this offering the Northstar Merlot, which is one of the only wineries in the U.S. that is dedicated to making Merlot and Merlot blends at $25 for the Columbia Valley wine I challenge you to find a better Merlot at this price.  And then there is the Col Solare wine from Red Mountain at $39 per bottle.  Check out the info on both of these wineries at the end of this announcement.

Check out the listing of events posted through the end of the year at the Edge Steak + Bar, we will be here every other Tuesday night for a unique and different wine tasting event.

Chef Aaron Brooks will be sending out a few small courses to accompany the tasting wines. The fee for this event is $35 + tax. For reservations call 305-358-3535 or e-mail: john.drugan@fourseasons.com.

Valet Service at the hotel is $9 for three hours.

 

Washington State Wine Tasting at the Edge Steak + Bar at the Four Seasons on Brickell

Tuesday November 6 2012

7pm

Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling Eroica Washington 2011

Price: $17.75       Sale $15.62          Case $181

 “The 2011 Eroica Riesling exhibits aromas and flavors of white peach, grapefruit and sweet lime with subtle mineral notes. The mouth-watering acidity is beautifully balanced by flavorful Washington Riesling fruit. After more than a decade we have truly found our 'Eroica style,' striving for beautiful bright fruit with crisp acidity and enhanced mineralilty.” - Bob Bertheau, Winemaker

 

Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling Eroica Washington 2007

Price: $17.75       Sale $15.62          Case $181

(91 Points)  Bright and juicy, with bracing acidity against lightly sweet, expressive pear, apricot and quince aromas and flavors, remaining vibrant as the finish persists. A slate character hovers in the background. Drink now through 2017. 24,250 cases made. –HS  Wine Spectator Issue: Jun 30, 2008

Chateau Ste. Michelle Chardonnay Ethos 2007

Price: $45.00       Sale $27

Fresh toasty oak spice on the nose with notes of cinnamon and nutmeg spice and lemon marange, fairly complex bouquet.  A good amount of toasty oak spice to the nose with ripe lemon citrus and tropical fruit on the palate juicy with balanced acidity and good freshness on the finish echoing the spice from the nose through the finish.  Finish 40+ Excellent

Northstar Merlot Columbia Valley 2008

Price: $39.75       Sale $29.75          6pk $150             

A bright, balanced wine with notes of black cherry, spice, and coconut leading to a long, smoky finish.  “Diversity of vineyards and sub-appellations within the Columbia Valley are Northstar’s hallmarks. Fruit is selected from the very best possible sources throughout the Columbia Valley. Winemaker David “Merf” Merfeld works closely with each grower to achieve specific fruit quality and yield parameters. Vines average 15 years old and yield grapes with concentrated varietal flavors of cherry and plum with elegant tannins. Fruit from over 14 separate vineyards and 18 different blocks contributed to the blend.”  - Bob Bertheau, Winemaker

Col Solare Red Blend 2007

Price: $75.00       Sale $49.75          6pk $234

 

(93 Points) The 2007 Col Solare is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. The wine was aged in 85% French and 15% American oak, 100% new. Col Solare has planted a beautifully situated estate vineyard but the fruit is not quite ready to be included. Medium purple-colored, if offers up an inviting perfume of pain grille, pencil lead, espresso, violets, black currant, and blackberry. Structured and dense on the palate, the wine has superb intensity, volume, and balance. It will reward another 5-7 years of cellaring and will deliver prime drinking from 2016 to 2032.  Col Solare is a partnership between Tuscany’s Marchesi Antinori and Ste. Michelle Wine Estates which began in 1995. The 2007 crush was the second in Col Solare’s splendid new winery in Benton City, one hour west of Walla Walla. Wine Advocate #190, Aug 2010

Chateau Ste Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon Cold Creek 2009

Price: $33.75                       Sale $29.70          Case $345

“Cabernet from this iconic 40-year-old vineyard consistently delivers power, structure and rich concentrated black fruit. This is a dense, decadent wine with great aging potential. The 2009 vintage is 100% pure Cabernet with intense dark blackberry and plum fruit flavors and long finish. This is a true steakhouse red!” - Bob Bertheau, Winemaker

Spring Valley Uriah Red Blend 2009

Price: $57                             Sale $50.16          Case $581

(92 Points)  This is focused, ripe, deftly balanced and generous with its dark berry and mint flavors, lingering enticingly against light prickles of tannins on the finish. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Drink now through 2016. 2,500 cases made. –HS Wine Spectator Issue: Sep 30, 2012

Spring Valley Vineyards Cabernet Franc Katherine Corkrum 2009

Price: $62             Sale $54.56          Case $633

A rich wine with a creamy texture and aromas of violet, rose, hay and herbs. A pleasant bouquet of floral notes join on the palate with flavors of raspberry and strawberry.

(88 Points) Has a bit of a tannic grip, but the ripe cherry and berry flavors push through, lingering nicely on the open finish. Drink now through 2015. (web only score) 06/01/2012 Wine Spectator

 

scallop

butter poached scallops, pink lady apple puree, hazelnut butter, green herbs

beef

slow braised beef shin, fried bone marrow, creamy 'hen of the woods' risotto, plum chutney

The fee for this event is $35 + tax. For reservations call 305-358-3535 or e-mail: john.drugan@fourseasons.com.

 

Two GREAT wines at two GREAT prices:

 

We have two wines on this offering that are on SALE at incredible prices.  Both the Northstar Merlot and the Col Solare are offered here at incredible prices.  These prices are only good until the current inventory is gone.

Col Solare Red Blend 2007

Price: $75.00       Sale $39

 

(93 Points) The 2007 Col Solare is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. The wine was aged in 85% French and 15% American oak, 100% new. Col Solare has planted a beautifully situated estate vineyard but the fruit is not quite ready to be included. Medium purple-colored, if offers up an inviting perfume of pain grille, pencil lead, espresso, violets, black currant, and blackberry. Structured and dense on the palate, the wine has superb intensity, volume, and balance. It will reward another 5-7 years of cellaring and will deliver prime drinking from 2016 to 2032.

Col Solare is a partnership between Tuscany’s Marchesi Antinori and Ste. Michelle Wine Estates which began in 1995. The 2007 crush was the second in Col Solare’s splendid new winery in Benton City, one hour west of Walla Walla. Wine Advocate #190, Aug 2010

 

Col Solare Winery:

Col Solare  is the partnership between two influential wine producers who are recognized  leaders in their respective regions: Tuscany’s Marchesi Antinori and Washington  State’s Chateau Ste. Michelle.

From its inaugural 1995 vintage, Col Solare’s mission has been to unite these two unique viticultural and winemaking cultures to produce a world-class Cabernet Sauvignon-based red wine from the very best Washington fruit.

With opening of a new winery and planting of the estate vineyard on Red Mountain in 2007, that vision has evolved to focus on showcasing the Cabernet Sauvignon of this unique AVA and, ultimately, the specific fruit of the Col Solare estate vineyard. While this vineyard is young, Col Solare’s partners and winemaking team have high hopes that it will produce wines to be enjoyed for years to come.

During that trip, Antinori discovered an emerging wine region supported by the zealous leadership of Chateau Ste. Michelle, the Northwest’s oldest and most acclaimed winery, highly regarded for its innovative work within its vineyards and winery.

Antinori’s renowned Solaia and Tignanello wines revolutionized the Italian wine industry in the 1970s with the introduction of Cabernet Sauvignon and French barriques, among other innovations. In Washington, he found old-world character, structure and fruit exspression in the vineyards and cellars. He then turned to Chateau Ste. Michelle to form a partnership, based on the mutual pursuit of grape-growing and winemaking philosophies.

After forming a partnership based on mutual winemaking philosophies, Marchesi Antinori and Chateau Ste. Michelle introduced Col Solare, Italian for “shining hill,” with the 1995 vintage. Cabernet Sauvignon was established as the dominant varietal, and the partners worked closely to forge their two distinct grape-growing and winemaking cultures into Col Solare’s powerful yet silky style.

After spending several years determining the best location to build a winery properly scaled and singularly focused on Col Solare in order to best achieve the wine’s quality potential, Chateau Ste. Michelle President and CEO Ted Baseler and Antinori discovered a site on Red Mountain, where today Col Solare’s winery and estate vineyard reflect the old- and modern-world aesthetics and traditions of the two partners.

When partners Piero Antinori of Marchesi Antinori and Ted Baseler of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates began to look for a site to construct the Col Solare winery, it quickly became clear that Red Mountain, one of the Columbia Valley’s most celebrated sub-appellations, was the ideal spot.

Known for its Cabernet Sauvignon and comprising just over 4,000 acres (about 1,000 acres of which is currently planted with wine grapes), Red Mountain is named for the red-hued native grass that grows on its slopes. Once a backwater eddy during the time of the pre-historic Missoula floods, the soil combination of sand, silt and loam is ideal for growing vinifera grapes.

The tiny Red Mountain appellation is the warmest in Washington state, producing grapes with ripe fruit character, great aromatics, and full tannins. The combination of heat, nutrient-poor soils, low rainfall and cool night temperatures leads to concentrated fruit and wines with amazing structure, power, and elegance – just the qualities we look for in creating every vintage of Col Solare.

Northstar Merlot Columbia Valley 2008

Price: $39.75       Sale $29.75         

(91 Points) The 2008 Columbia Valley Merlot offers up aromas of balsam wood, spice box, tobacco, violets, cassis, and blackberry. Savory on the palate, if slightly austere, another 1-2 years of bottle should fill the wine out. It will drink well through 2023.

David “Merf” Merfeld continues to make outstanding Merlots (and now Cabernets) at Northstar, a winery under the Chateau Ste. Michelle umbrella. Wine Advocate #196, Aug 2011

 

Northstar Winery:

Northstar, located in Walla Walla, Washington, aims to make Merlots that can be considered among the world’s best, using fruit sourced from one of the world’s best regions for Merlot: Washington State.

Merlot is still the best selling red grape variety in America.  Merlot-based wines from Bordeaux’s Pomerol region are generally the most expensive and sought-after wines in the world.  Blending New World fruit with an Old World winemaking style, influenced by Bordeaux’s "right bank," Northstar creates Merlots that are among the most highly acclaimed in the world.

David "Merf" Merfeld is Northstar’s winemaker and has been at Northstar since 2001. Famed California winemaker Jed Steele, Northstar’s consulting winemaker, has been involved with the winery since its first vintage in 1994.

Vineyard diversity is one of the keys to Northstar’s success.  For any given vintage, nearly two dozen unique vineyard blocks from around the Columbia Valley are sourced, with a dozen or so making it through the rigorous selection process into the final blend.  The majority of these vineyards are over 15 years old (vine maturity is important for Merlot and Cabernet grapes) and are farmed to Northstar’s  winemaking team’s specifications.

Northstar produces three wines: their flagship Columbia Valley Merlot; the limited production Walla Walla Merlot, which showcases local vineyards; and Stella Maris, a Columbia Valley red wine blended from wines made for Northstar Merlot but ultimately not selected for the final blend due to stylistic considerations.

Some of their Merlot is grown in Washington state’s Columbia Valley on the eastern side of the state. Summer daytime temperatures are quite warm - typically in the high 80s. Nighttime temperatures are cool. This protects the natural acidity in the wine and gives the grapes extra time on the vine to develop more complexity. Rainfall is limited to 6-8 inches annually, due in large measure to the vast Cascade Mountain range that shields Northstar's vineyards from Seattle’s famous inclement weather. Their vineyard managers have the luxury of using irrigation as a tool to "stress" the vine, which in turn boosts flavor in the grapes.

Diversity of vineyards and sub-appellations within the Columbia Valley are Northstar’s hallmarks. Fruit is selected from the very best possible sources throughout the Columbia Valley. The Northstar team works closely with each grower to achieve specific fruit quality and yield parameters. Vines are an average of 15 years old and yield grapes with concentrated varietal flavors of cherry and plum with elegant tannins. Fruit from over 8 separate vineyards and 10 different blocks contributed to this 2004 blend.  At harvest, grapes were held separately, destemmed and crushed with 25% whole berries remaining. Grapes were fermented on the skins for five days with daily punch downs to extract flavor, colors and fine tannins. The wine was placed into 70 % French and 30% American oak barrels, where it underwentmalolactic fermentation. The barrel rotation included 70% new barrels. The lots aged separately for 18 months with barrel-to-barrel racking occurring at three month intervals.