John Bookwalter Wine Tasting at WWWB

"It ends with a finish that's long overdue and I think this would go well with a gun."
- Brad Zimmerman, comedian

Next week we have an incredible line-up of events and winery personalities that will be visiting the Wine Bar.  Not only will you get to drink some of the world’s greatest wines but all week long we have incredible personalities that can tell the story of their wines as well as the wine industry from the point of view that only a professional can.  Next Thursday night September 28th we have one of the top minds from Washington state John Bookwalter at the Wine Bar.

Washington State is one of the most exciting wine regions in the U.S. today.  The state has grown from 300 producers in 2007 to over 850 today and many of Washington's best wines are still not available in the state of Florida.  Wine Watch has been traveling to the Wine Auction the last few years to see firsthand what is happening here and things are progressing at a very rapid pace and the best wines from Washington are on par with the best made anywhere in the world today.

Join us as we taste through some of the new releases with one of the top minds in the state of Washington John Bookowalter, one of the best kept secrets from Washington State.  The fee for this event is $65 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463.

John Bookwalter Wine Tasting at WWWB
Thursday, September 28, 2017
7:30 PM

Bookwalter Couplet White Columbia Valley 2015 
Price: $15.75    Sale $13.86    Case $161

All the grapes were harvested at optimal maturity in late August. Chardonnay was harvested first, then the Viognier juice was added to the fermentation a week later. The grapes were whole cluster pressed and cold settled, then blended and fermented unfiltered in stainless steel tanks. We chose specific white wine yeasts to enhance the flowery notes and fruitiness of the wine. Fermentation was slow at 58 degrees lasting all season, maintaining the delicate aromas and fruit. We prepared for bottling in May to preserve the richness and varietal character.

Bookwalter Notebook Columbia Valley 7NV 
Price: $15.75    Sale $13.86    Case $161

Our sixth Notebook wine is a delicious Cabernet blend with traditional red varieties that flourish in our hot, dry climate. Aromatically rich and delicious to quaff, this dry wine is ready to drink from summer barbeque through to winter meals. There's heaps of youthful red fruits like black cherries, plums, red currants and figs wrapped with cedar, caramel and chocolate. Succulent smooth fruit begins, with flavors of bakers chocolate, black cherry, blackberry, toast, dried herbs, tobacco and cola finish. The combination of long-aged powerful Cabernet Sauvignon and fresh fruity young Syrah from Washington's ripest vintage fill this deliciously affordable wine.
Blend: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Syrah, 2% Merlot.

Bookwalter Protagonist Columbia Valley 2013 
Price: $48.75    Sale $42.90    Case $498

(91 Points) Another outstanding wine is the 2013 Protagonist (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) which spent 18 months in 50% new puncheons. It has a full-bodied, fresh, yet beautifully textured style to go with classic Cabernet notes of cassis, graphite, tobacco leaf and a kiss of bouquet garni. Like most of 2013s from Bookwalter, it’s relatively forward and charming, yet I suspect it will still evolve gracefully for at least a decade. Note, this cuvee comes from vines planted in 1987 and 1988.  The Wine Advocate

Bookwalter Readers Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2014 
Price: $27.50    Sale $24.20    Case $281

These Cabernets were handpicked in the mornings of October 5–25. We hand-sorted clusters, and destemmed into small fermenters for hand mixing. Fermentation completed in barrels and puncheons. We aged on lees reductively developing savory tones complimentary to the powerful fruit. After 20 months, we selected the final blend. We then filtered for purity and aging stability. With the addition of choice Syrah and Merlot for aromatic lift, the blend describes cabernet at its most gorgeous vintage expression. This rich wine will age easily for decade or two and is enjoyable with a host of savory, full flavored foods throughout the range of seasons.

Bookwalter Readers Merlot Columbia Valley 2014 
Price: $27.50    Sale $24.20    Case $281

An outstanding Merlot from Washington’s oldest and most revered vineyards, our Readers blend tips its hat to all exploratory readers of books and wine. Sourced from Conner Lee Vineyard’s old vines of 1992 block Merlot, Dionysus Vineyards’ block 15 Merlot, and Elephant Mountain Vineyards’ high elevation superior Syrah and Cabernet blocks, this powerful wine offers fragrant cherries and chocolate with rich marionberry flavors in this delicious easy-drinking style.

Bookwalter Subplot #32 2015
Price: $20.25    Sale $17.82    Case $207

A blend of 50% Syrah, 35% Merlot and 15% Malbec from Washington's greatest vintage ever comes this delicious red blend filled with everything we love about big red blends. Syrah's delicious rich berry adds to Merlot's fresh plum and Malbec's aromatic spiciness.

Handmade in small vintage fermentations and aged all in French oak barrels, it's delicious and great with foods all year, from winter stews to summer BBQs.

Bookwalter Suspense 2014 
Price: $48.75    Sale $42.90    Case $498

We hand-picked and sorted the Merlot on September 26 and the Cabernet Franc on October 20. We destemmed each into small 2 and 4 ton fermenters. We cold soaked for two days then fermented and mixed for ten days, developing ideal extraction of flavors and tannins. Fermentation finished in puncheons and traditional Bordeaux barrels. We aged on lees in a modern style developing savory tones complimentary to the powerful fruit. After 16 months, we blended and bottled our favorite barrels for this vibrant and youthful blend. Unfined and yeast filtered for clarity at bottling, this rich wine will age for a decade or more. Enjoy with a host of foods throughout the seasons.

Bookwalter Conflict 2013 
Price: $48.75    Sale $42.90    Case $498

A blend of 60% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc.  Dark Northwest blueberries, cherries, and currants with new French oak and savory earthiness fill the glass of this ripe youthful wine. Aromas of coffee and cream brulée complement the dominant ripe merlot flavors. Supported by 5% Cabernet Franc for aromatic brightness, Cabernet Sauvignon’s tannic intensity vies with the voluptuous merlot for attention in this dynamic wine. Expect this wine to last for ten to twenty years and show its best from one year after release.

Menu

Avocado Fries with Roasted Pepper Mayo
Blackberry BBQ Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
Mole Shortrib with Coco nib mash

The fee for this tasting is $65 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.

The story of J. Bookwalter Winery is a story of family heritage, deep roots and a centuries-old commitment to the land.
Ten generations of the Bookwalter family have been involved in American agriculture. But it was Jerry Bookwalter, generation nine and father of current company president John Bookwalter, who led the family into viticulture. After graduating from UC-Davis in 1963, Jerry spent 13 years farming in California’s San Joaquin Valley before moving his family in 1976 to the Tri-Cities in Washington State.
Once there, he firmly stamped the Bookwalter name on the state’s nascent wine industry.  From 1976 through 1982, Jerry helped manage the plantings of three iconic vineyards – Sagemoor, Bacchus and Dionysus.
He eventually became vineyard manager of the famed Conner Lee Vineyard which remains the largest source of grapes for J. Bookwalter wines. And in 1982, he leveraged his vineyard connections and industry knowledge to start J. Bookwalter Winery.
Jerry’s son John quite literally grew up in the vineyards of Eastern Washington, but left in the late 1980s to pursue a successful 10-year sales and marketing career with E&J Gallo, Winterbrook Beverage Group and Coors Brewing Co. In 1997, he returned to Richland with a keen understanding of the winery’s heritage and a clear vision for its future.
Since then, John has made sweeping changes to improve and expand the J. Bookwalter brand.
He hired world-renowned consulting winemakers Zelma Long and Claude Gros to support the company’s winemaking efforts and introduced a sleek new brand identity and award-winning packaging.
In 2014, John turned over most of the winemaking responsibilities to Caleb Foster, who is recognized as one of the top winemakers in the United States by multiple industry experts and publications.
The winery’s flagship tasting room in Richland, named one of the best tasting rooms in the United States by Sunset magazine, now includes a renowned, full-service restaurant, Fiction. J. Bookwalter also operates an attractive, modern tasting studio in Woodinville.
Today, J. Bookwalter has grown from one of Washington’s oldest wineries into one of Pacific Northwest’s most recognized boutique wine brands, relying on exceptional vineyard sources and meticulous winemaking to produce some of the world’s finest wines.