Washington State's Finest Wine Tasting

"It’s just booze - drink it!" Charles Smith

This week and next week are Washington State wine appreciation week and I always think of Washington State this time of year. The Auction of Washington state wines is always the second or third week in August, I attended three years in a row a few years back and have fond memories as well as a few signed big bottles!  We have the Cayuse etched 3 liters bottles on this offering, the first year under the tent the 10 signed bottes sold for $35,000!

Thursday evening on August 29th we will be putting some older vintage Washington State wines on the table for a seated tasting with all high-level wines from the 2007 – 2012 vintage so we can see how these top level Washington State wines are aging in the bottle.

We have two Wine Advocate 100-point wines for this event and just for some added study value we will be showing these wines blind at this event.  The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $175 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.

Washington State's Finest Wine Tasting
Thursday, August 29, 2019
7:30 PM

2005 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Washington Average Price $284

(100 points)  From a hot vintage and incredible any way you look at it, the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon has that laser-like focus of a cooler year, yet the voluptuousness and richness of a warmer year. Smoked black fruits, coffee, truffle and pen ink-like aromas and flavors all emerge from this massive, incredibly full-bodied effort and on the palate, it carries itself perfectly with a weightless, yet decadent texture, masses of polished tannin and blockbuster length. More classic and textbook than the 2007, it is every bit as good. Enjoy it over the coming two decades or more. Drink now-2033.    Wine Advocate #207 Jun 2013

2007 Cayuse Bionic Frog Syrah Walla Walla Average Price $315

(95 points) The Cayuse 2007 Syrah Bionic Frog emphasizes sappy, bittersweet, dark berry and herbal concentrates on a palate whose plushness, viscosity, and fine grain of tannin resemble those of Cailloux from the same vintage tasted alongside. Brown spices, peat-like smokiness, and medicinal elements that straddle the borders of mineral, herbal and fruit character all lead to a superbly long, soothing finish that contrasts with the burst of enervating finishing energy in the corresponding Cailloux. I suspect this will hold up well for at least another 6-8 years. Wine Advocate #204 Dec 2012

2009 K Vintners Syrah Royal City Stoneridge Vineyard Columbia Valley
Price: $170.00    Your Price: $149.60 Quantity in Stock: 1

100% Syrah, Man this is it! You name it, it's got it. Hickory, black cherry, Venezuelan chocolate, pie crust, camphor, beeswax and suede. It is complex. It is elegant. It is Royal City. Two bad boys of Washington are serving Syrah tonight so they should be easy to pick out in the group but will the student beat the master?  Christophe Baron is one of the reasons that Charles Smith started his wine label.

2010 Leonetti Reserve Red Wine Walla Walla Average Price $250

(100 Points) Even better than the straight Cabernet Sauvignon, with additional richness and texture, yet without any added weight or heaviness, the perfect 2010 Reserve is comprised of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 9% Malbec that spent 22 months in new and used French oak. Inky purple in color and gorgeously rich and pure, it slowly gives up notions of smoked black currants, espresso, liquid flower, licorice and graphite that flow to a full-bodied, concentrated, plush and seamless 2010 that is perfectly balanced, has no hard edges and an incredible finish. It’s a monumental bottle of wine that will drink well at an early age, yet age effortlessly for two decades or more. Drink now-2030.

Located in Walla Walla, made by Chris Figgins and a benchmark estate, Leonetti Cellars produces seriously rich efforts that have a perfect blend of power and finesse, with gorgeously managed tannin, seamless textures and awesome purity. While the 2010s here are some of the greatest wines of the vintage, the 2011s are more fresh, up-front and will be approachable at an earlier stage. Wine Advocate #207, Jun 2013

2010 Corliss Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley Average Price $90

One of my favorite producers from Washington State that is under the radar and Wine Watch feels Corliss is one of the best producers in Washington and deserves to be among these great wines- that's why we have these tastings!! You will be the judge and just for fun we will host this tasting blind!!  I bought this wine at the Barrel Auction at the Washington State Wine Auction 5 years ago, time to try the first bottle out of the case to see how it’s drinking.

2010 Januik Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Columbia Valley Magnum Average Price $55/750ml

This is another one of the ringer wines in this tasting Michael Janik is one of the legends of Washington state and this is one of the best values in all of the world!! We will disguise the bottle so you will not know which wine is served out of magnum.  These magnums of reserve are only available at the winery!!

2011 Sleight of Hand Archimage Columbia Valley Magnum Average Price $55/750ml

(91 points) A blend of almost equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the 2011 Archimage comes from vineyards in Red Mountain and Walla Walla. Aged 23 months in 34% new French oak, it offers fabulous complexity with notions of blueberry, plum, smoked peat, lead pencil shavings and spice emerging from the glass. Medium to full-bodied, nicely textured, balanced, with excellent mid-palate depth and ripe tannin, it’s a gorgeous effort to drink over the coming 8-10 years. June 2014 Wine Advocate, Reviews by Jeb Dunnuck

2011 L'Ecole Ferguson Vineyard Walla Walla Release Price $50

In 2014, the first inaugural 2011 vintage of our Ferguson red Bordeaux blend won the International Trophy at the Decanter World Wine Awards for Bordeaux blends over £15, surpassing the best from Napa Valley and Bordeaux itself.  In 2016, the 2013 Ferguson won the International Trophy for New World Bordeaux Blends at the Six Nations Wine Challenge in Sydney, Australia.

2012 Passing Time Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills Release Price $75

This is the first vintage of Dan Marino and Damon Huard's venture into the wine business and to me one of the best celebrity athlete wines to hit the wine scene ever.  It will be interesting to see how this wine stands up to the competition in this blind tasting event!

2012 Seven Hills Pentad Walla Walla
Price: $75.00    Your Price: $60.00    Quantity in Stock: 3

Pentad represents our highest achievement in winemaking, a wine of wholeness, balance, and ever expanding complexity. It is a wine bottled only in the most exceptional vintages. The 2012 vintage is our first release of Pentad in three years, only our 8th vintage ever produced. The 2012 vintage was slightly warmer than average and produced generous, plush wines with already well integrated tannin and acid structure that are deceptively approachable yet capable of ageing in the cellar.

The color of the 2012 Pentad is very dark ruby. The aroma reveals a spectrum of fruit and savory components from black cherry and blackberry to leather, cocoa bean, marzipan, rose petal, and roasted coffee. On the palate the wine is remarkably supple, with well integrated tannins, dark cassis, plum, and cherry fruit accented with fig, mocha, mineral, and herbs. The wine is surprisingly accessible already, but capable of ageing well for 10-15 years from vintage. ONly 310 cases produced.

A blend of Vineyards: Seven Hills, McClellan Estate, Morrison and the varietals are 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot, 8% Merlot, 7% Malbec, and 7% Carménère.

Menu

Selection of Cheese and Charcuterie

Caramelized onion, Huckleberry, Apple and Rainier Cherry BBQ Beef Short rib with Theo Chocolate dusted mashed potatoes and Cabernet Natural Sauce accompanied by Avocado fries with Soy mayo and roasted pepper aioli.

The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $175 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.  Please let us know when you make your reservations if you have dietary restrictions or if you just don’t like beef and chef Toni will be happy to make you chicken or something.