Washington State Wine Tasting at Cafe Maxx

Double Header Washington State tastings At Café Maxx

These tastings at the Cafe Maxx for $35 are the best value of any event that we do. You get to try 8 different wines at the same time, pre-poured so they have a chance to open up and so you can go back through the line-up to get a second and third look at everything. This is how you learn about wine and with master chef Oliver Saucy sending out a few small courses to accompany the wines, you get a taste of Cafe Maxx and an education in wine all at the same time. A great way to spend happy hour!!

Tonight we will feature wines from the state of Washington State, one of the best placed in this country for Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varietals along with Syrah being one of the new stars.   This is a pre-poured sit down tasting and is limited to 25 tasters, the fee for this tasting is $35 + Gratuity + tax for reservations call 954-523-9463.

Washington State Tasting at Cafe Maxx
Wednesday, October 29th
7pm

2012 Hedges CMS White Blend

 Price: $13.50       Sale $11.88          Case $138

A blended white wine with Sauvignon Blanc dominating over 75% of the wine, this was one of the original malic-acid friendly white wines released from Washington State. Rounding out the blend is a touch of chardonnay accompanied by just a pinch of Marsanne. Beautifully structured with wonderful Sauvignon Blanc fruit character, the mouth feel has a delicate balance of acid angularity and defined herbal sophistication.

2012 Woodward Canyon Chardonnay    

 Price: $43.50       Sale $407.88       Case $444

This 2012 Washington State Chardonnay was produced from Woodward Canyon Estate chardonnay (Clone 108) in the northwest corner of the Walla Walla Valley and chardonnay (Wente Clone) grown at Celilo Vineyard in the Columbia River Gorge. The grapes were harvested by hand, sorted and whole cluster pressed. The yield averaged 3.3 tons per acre, with all grapes harvested by middle of October. This Washington State Chardonnay reflects the warmer and slightly larger vintage from which it came. The Walla Walla Valley influence is noticeable given the percentage of fruit from the Estate Vineyard while the Celilo Vineyard continues to bring elegance and balance to the wine.

2012 Owen Roe Abbott's Table Red ( Zinfandel/ Lemberger, Malbec/ Sangiovese, Merlot

 Price: $27.00       Sale $23.76          Case $276

Reminiscent of the bold Abbot's Table blends of past vintages, this 2012 bottling is predominately blended with the following varietals (Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Malbec, Lemberger and Merlot). This Yakima Valley red wine has mouthwatering aromas of plum, raspberry, white pepper and herbaceous undertones. The mouth-feel has lovely depth and richness with bright acidity, rounded out with hints of vanilla, dark cocoa nibs, robust violet and spice.

2010 Woodward Canyon Merlot

 Price: $45.00       Sale $39.60          Case $459

The wine shows extraordinary complexity with higher toned fruit with nicer acidity than several recent vintages. The Weinbau Vineyard has produced a complex flavor profile of generous cherry, spice and coffee while the Woodward Canyon property offers more earth; I pick up notes of toasted coconut and vanilla in the aroma. Rich fruit and fully mature tannins make this wine generous and balanced enough for drinking now, yet with the proportion and structure enough to age well for six to eight years.

2012 Ex Umbris

2011 Owen Roe Syrah Em Ubruix

 Price: $34.50       Sale $30.36          Case $352

(91 points)  (mostly Yakima Valley fruit, from numerous parcels; just 10% new oak): Deep bluish-purple color. Sexy perfume combines boysenberry, black raspberry, kirsch, cocoa powder, coffee and violet. Juicy and light on its feet; more savory than sweet, boasting excellent floral lift to its sharply defined dark berry, spice and licorice flavors. The loess soils included in this blend yield a fruitier, high-pH style, notes O'Reilly. This is a lot of wine for the price. (12/ 2013)   Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

2012 Corvidae "The Keeper" Cabernet Franc

 Price: $22.50       Sale $19.80          Case $230

2012 yielded Columbia Valley Cabernet Franc with plush richness and gorgeous fragrance. The cool spring gave way to a wonderfully long and warm summer and fall contributing to full ripeness and exuberant flavors.

The Keeper is an incredible value; it’s plush and full-bodied, and is approachable now but will age beautifully. Perfectly ripened grapes give this wine notes of savory spices, cigar box and black fruits. On the palate, a rich mouthful of blackberry, cassis and black tea commingle with a velvety, luscious mouthfeel and a long, generous finish.

2011 Hedges Family Estate Red Mountain

 Price: $25.50       Sale $22.44          Case $260.00

Harvest notes: As in 2010, 2011 was another excellent but slightly unusual vintage in Washington State. The La Nina current again made for cool spring temperatures, which delayed bud break and slowed early season growth. When combined with a warm but not particularly hot summer, veraison was one to two weeks late, which meant Syrah, a mid-season ripening variety, came off during a cooler time of year than usual, resulting in expressive, concentrated fruit and color, lower alcohol and wonderful acidity.

2012  Canvasback Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain

 Price: $45.00       Sale $39.60          Case $459

Dick Boushey is the vineyard manager, Brian Rudin is the winemaker and this is the latest thing from the folks at Duckhorn. This wine has 15% Merlot in stock, has a good hand of that dirt from this region with red and black currant, blueberry fruit, herbs, exotic spices, licorice and more, very complex bouquet of aromas. This wine sees 16 months in 100% French oak, a mixture of new 64% and old 36% older neutral oak. Plump and juicy fruit here on the tongue this is a warmer year in Washingotnn but has that hallmark freshness of wines from this area also with a good hand of spice and a lot of that red mountain earth through the finish, tobacco spice, still very young this wine needs a bit of time to come together. Finish 45+ Excellent +

This is a pre-poured sit down tasting and is limited to 25 tasters, the fee for this tasting is $35 + Gratuity + tax for reservations call 954-523-9463.