Wednesday, May 22, 2013

#WineWednesday: 2010 Esterlina Cole Ranch Rosé

By Jesse Andrews 5/22/2013 , , , , , ,

As you may have seen on Twitter, each Wednesday is dubbed #WineWednesday and provides the opportunity to give mention to those that have something to do with wine. I am bringing that idea to WestToast  and will be bringing you my thoughts on a recent bottle I drank on each #WineWednesday.

With the weather turning nice it means that we do a lot of grilling. It also means that we drink a lot more white wine and rosé. The other night we decided to grill some burgers and corn on the cob and whileI was originally thinking a lighter red wine like a Pinot, Katie was thinking more of a rosé, which provides the selection for this week’s #WineWednesday, the 2010 Esterlina Cole Ranch Rosé

We first visited Esterlina Vineyards on our way home from a weekend of covering Winesong! up in Mendocino County. The tasting room is quite remote and we had to travel up this winding dirt road for awhile to get there. I am glad we didn’t turn back because we found a real gem in Esterlina. We sat on the 2nd story deck of the house sipping through their wines while overlooking the breathtaking Anderson Valley. Instead of breadsticks, Cheetos were provided....yep, the artificial orange colored Cheetos.

The 2010 Rosé comes from the Cole Ranch AVA, which is the smallest AVA in the United States at just over 250 acres, all owned by Esterlina. I wasn’t sure how the rosé would stand up to all of the grilled food and thought it might be too light. I was pleasantly surprised by it though and it actually worked really well. There was enough body to it that it stood up nicely with the grilled food and it was quite refreshing since it was still 90 degrees outside.

This was such a nice rosé and I wish I had purchased more than the one bottle. I was able to taste some strawberry and watermelon and the color was just stunning. It makes me happy that winemakers are working with rosé and doing some really great things to try and eliminate the perception that all rosé are sweet wines and/or a jug of white Zinfandel.

Cheers!

Jesse
 
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Friday, May 17, 2013

Falling into The Abyss

By Josh Gana 5/17/2013 , , , , ,
As black as a cold russian night, *it* tantalizes the drinker from the instant it hits the table.

Deep, dark, intriguing.  Imperially.  Stouty.

Just a finger of dark tan head, with a bubble formation that reminds me of a pelican on the top.  Cute bubbles, really.

I want to stare into the depths of The Abyss' eyes all night long.  That would be stupid, though, because its too damn special to look at for too long.

A heavy roasted malt odor wafts up to my beautiful nose.  Hints of bourbon and barrel round it off as my excitement builds.

The first sip is a sensual experience.  My face gets a little flushed, and a tingly feeling surges through my extremities.  It may be the 11% alcohol by volume talking, but damn this beer is something.

The dark chocolate, molasses, and bourbon.  God, the bourbon.  Brewed with licorice and molasses, aged in oak and oak bourbon barrels.  It's delicious.  Dreamy. 

Orgasmic.

Deschutes Brewery has hit the mark with the 2011 The Abyss.  A year of aging has treated it well, and Seattle Beer Week has brought it to my local watering hole, The Noble Fir.

Don't just take my word for it, The Abyss rates a perfect 100 on RateBeer.com and BeerAdvocate.com.   Two perfects make a perfect brew.

And if that weren't enough, The Abyss has been named one of the "Ten beers that will make you a man -- if they don't kill you first." In that article, Denver Westword said it better then I ever could:
The Abyss doesn't care. It just keeps winning medals and awards, but do you know what it does with all that hardware? The Abyss melts it down in the fires of hell, pounds it on a blazing anvil and recrafts it into the sledgehammer that it will hit you over the head with, Missy. At 11 percent ABV, this immeasurably dark beer tastes like molasses, wood, licorice and the soul of mankind. Deschutes claims on its website that the Abyss pairs well with caramelized onions and cream cheese on pepper crackers. Bullshit! The Abyss pairs better with the nine horsemen of the Apocalypse riding steeds made of granite. Enjoy.
Don't worry, it's for the ladies too.

So now that I've had my moment, you should too.  Seattle Beer Week continues through this weekend and if you're really lucky, you may run across some The Abyss.  If not, demand it at your local bottle shop.

I said demand.
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Wednesday, May 8, 2013

#WineWednesday: 2008 Frick Winery C2

By Jesse Andrews 5/08/2013 , , , ,
As you may have seen on Twitter, each Wednesday is dubbed #WineWednesday and provides the opportunity to give mention to those that have something to do with wine. I am bringing that idea to WestToast  and will be bringing you my thoughts on a recent bottle I drank on each #WineWednesday.
I actually didn’t open a lot of wine this week as I was frolicking around Disneyland this past weekend for my nephew’s birthday. However, I was pleasantly surprised to come home last night after a long night of teaching class to find that Katie had opened a delectable bottle of wine. This week I’m talking about the 2008 C2 from Frick Winery. 

This wine is a blend of Carignane and Cinsault, two grape varieties that are quite rare, especially in California. The wine had a deep rich ruby color and a great nose of red fruits and I also picked up on a little sweetness in the air. The wine was absolutely delicious and I think it was benefitting from being opened for awhile so it had plenty of time to breathe. I picked up mostly on dark cherry and plum initially but then noticed some great spice on the finish. I was drinking the wine without food and although the wine had medium body, the tannins were light enough that it was still enjoyable on its own. I go for a blend like this when I want a wine that has some weight to it but isn’t so overwhelming or will dry out my mouth with overbearing tannins. The C2 is a great balance of those two things.

I always enjoy opening a bottle of Frick wine because I recall the first time I met visited the winery and met Bill. My in-law’s had visited him and recommended the wine to me so Katie and I went out years ago....we were still “The Oregon Wine Blog” at the time. Bill and I had a great conversation as he told me about the rare Rhone wines he was producing. I didn’t know much about them at the time but Bill never made me feel bad about that. He was so willing to educate and walk me through his wines. His tasting room is a quaint and he is typically the one pouring. I always love going to a tasting room where the winemaker is pouring. I have sent so many friends and family to Frick since discovering it and no one has ever told me they didn’t enjoy their time. It is always on my recommendation list for those looking to try new things.

Until next week...cheers!

Jesse
Twitter: @JesseRAndrews
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Monday, May 6, 2013

Seattle Beer Week: Coming to a Pub Near You!

By Josh Gana 5/06/2013 , , , , ,
Cinco de Mayo is over, and if you're like me, you've had enough marginal Mexican beer and *gag* tequila to tide you over for 364 days.

We've also made it over the hump of the Kentucky Derby and the awesomeness that is mint julep season.

So what's next?  Seattle Beer Week, that's what.

More than a week, really, Seattle Beer Week is a 10-day extravaganza throughout the City of Seattle and environs bringing special tastings, promotions, guest appearances, and an opportunity to drink some fantastic beer from the tap that typically never makes it into the pubs up here.

In it's fifth year, this year's SBW will bring more than 200 events at more than 80 of your favorite beer venues throughout the Seattle area.  Seriously, check the map, you'll certainly find something within stumbling distance.  If you'd rather browse by event versus venue, you can do that too.

Now that we've dispensed with the "facts", on to the WestToast Seattle Beer Week recommendations.   While you can find 3 - 4 events on each of the 10 days that look awesome, these are the ones on my must-do list:

Saturday, 5/11:

  • Kegs n' Eggs:  I think the name speaks for itself, but if not, Brave Horse Brunch and awesome beer?  What a way to kick off the week.
  • BrewGrass 2013:  Here's our altruistic plug.  A benefit for Northwest Harvest, Brewgrass brings beer and music to Hale's Ale.
Monday, 5/13:
Tuesday, 5/14:
  • Deschutes Brewery Night:  A chance to try the Black Butte XXIV and 2012 The Abyss on tap at Ballard's Noble Fir.  Simply awesome beers.
Friday, 5/17:
  • Eugene vs. Corvallis Night!  Corvallis is going to win, duh.  Fremont's The Sixgill will be pouring brew from Oakshire, Block 15, and Flat Tail for a side by side comparison.  Pretty sure this is the first time that Block 15 has been poured in these here parts.
Saturday 5/18:
There's my lineup. Andrea will surely have a few more to add to the list as I focused on triangulating awesome events with navigability via pedestrian means or public transport.  Close to home or close to work?  Check.

Oh, one more thing...each year, SBW asks a local brewer to make a beer all special like for the week  This year it's Fremont Brewing and they've done what sounds like a very nice Pale Ale.  Get it while you can.

See you around Seattle next week!

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Wednesday, May 1, 2013

#WineWednesday: 2011 Colagrossi Duetto

By Jesse Andrews 5/01/2013 , , , ,
As you may have seen on Twitter, each Wednesday is dubbed #WineWednesday and provides the opportunity to give mention to those that have something to do with wine. I am bringing that idea to WestToast and will be bringing you my thoughts on a recent bottle I drank on each #WineWednesday.

This week’s wine comes from Colagrossi Wines, located in Sebastopol, CA. However, because they are a small producer, roughly 600 cases a year, they pour out of the Inspiration Vineyards tasting room in Santa Rosa. Currently they produce some single variety wines like their Gli Amici Cabernet Sauvignon and the Duetto, a 100% Pinot Noir. They also make several blends like the Vino Bianco, a Viognier/Rousanne blend, and the L’inizio which is a white Rhone blend. This #WineWednesday I will be talking about the2011 Duetto.

On the nose were aromas of cranberry and cherry with a bit of licorice. The nose of the wine was quite inviting and taking the first sip I noticed some similar fruit flavors. A medium body coated my tongue and the tannins weren’t so intense that it dried out my mouth. I picked up on the cranberry from the nose with a few other hints of red fruit. On the finish the wine turned a bit savory and I noticed a bit of vanilla at the very end. The color was a medium deep red and definitely richer in color than many Pinots from the northwest.

Overall I really enjoyed the Duetto and found it to be a great food pairing wine but also easy to drink on its own, which is how I enjoyed it. Even in this 80-90 degree weather, when I would normally go for a Sauvignon Blanc or a nice Rose’, I gave this wine a chance. By putting it in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to cool it down a bit, the Duetto was just as refreshing as any white wine. 

Until next week...cheers!

Jesse
Follow me on Twitter @JesseRAndrews
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Monday, April 29, 2013

White Wine Month: Rhone Whites

By Jesse Andrews 4/29/2013 , , , , , , ,


About a month ago I went to the Rhone Rangers event in San Francisco. This collection of American Rhone producers is a great event to enjoy the wines you already know but more importantly try new wines, some you’ve never heard of. William Allen of Two Shepherds Vineyards first introduced me to Rhone whites and I am thankful that he did. With California Chardonnay still reeling from its oaky, buttery past, I needed to find some new white wines to enjoy when the weather turns warm. Breaking from my usual approach of tasting through geographic areas, this year while covering the event I decided to focus solely on Rhone whites. These are just a few of the standouts from the event this year.

Acquiesce Winery 2012 Picpoul Blanc


This is one of the lesser known of the Rhone grapes but one that I sure hope finds some appreciation and gets a little more recognition. Translating literally to “lip stinger” this was such a wonderfully light wine, made even better by a 12.5% abv. On the nose were aromas of pineapple, lemon, and a hint of jasmine. In the mouth this wine maintained bright acidity common with its French style but I also found it to be a bit savory. I imagine sitting on my patio with a cool glass in hand as the sun begins to set. I have only had 100% Picpoul from a couple producers but whenever it is on a tasting list it is always worth trying.


Acquiesce Winery is located in Acampo, CA which is just outside of the city of Lodi. They benefitted from being the very first table on the right side and their unique bottles drew me in. I asked winemaker Susan Tipton why she only made white wines and quickly responded with “Why not?” I imagine she gets the question a lot. I can appreciate it though. She has found the wines she has a passion for and works to make the best white Rhone wines she can, instead of spreading herself too thin by trying to make dozens of wines.


Truchard Vineyards 2011 Rousanne

This was one of the wines that was making a consistent appearance on the twitter feed during the event. I had heard about the Truchard Rousanne but never had a chance to try it until the event. I love finding 100% because it is used so commonly as a blending grape. This particular one sent my senses all over the place. I picked up some stone fruit, specifically apricot on the nose. The mouth was such a surprise as it was slightly creamier than I anticipated but that texture really highlighted the flavors of melon and more stone fruit. It was balanced with great acidity that allowed for a nice long finish. Safe to say that had they been selling their wines at the event I would have picked up a couple bottles.


Miner Famly Vineyards 2011 Viognier

Of the Rhone whites, you may be the most familiar with Viognier. If you aren’t, I hope the next time you are shopping for a nice white wine to have with dinner you will consider finding a nice Viognier. The one from Miner Family displayed citrus and honeysuckle on the nose and filled my love for stone fruit in the mouth. I think Viognier is a great food wine and often use it instead of an unoaked Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.


There are so many great white wines out there beyond Chardonnay. Many are made by smaller producers who put such incredible passion into their wine and love exposing the everyday wine drinker to new and different wines. Just because you’ve never heard of it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it a chance. With summer right around the corner, broaden your horizons and try something new.

Cheers!

Jesse
 
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Tuesday, April 23, 2013

White Wine Month: 2011 Plum Hill Estate Pinot Blanc

By Rick 4/23/2013 , , , ,

Cole (one of my best friends) is a man with refined taste.  He likes his Budweisers light, his tacos from establishments adorned with bells, and condiments from only the free-est of packets.  Ok, so maybe he doesn't always have the world's most refined tastes, but he has his moments.  Case in point; I have Cole and his wonderful wife Shannon to thank for introducing me to Plum Hill Vineyards in Gaston, OR.

It all started with a weekend trip to Forest Grove for some wine tasting and general relaxation.  Cole and Shannon are wine club members as Plum Hill and wanted to stop by to pick up a shipment, so of course I was down for another stop.  Cole is also kind of a bullshitter too, which was great because the owners of Plum Hill are hilariously receptive to that and dish it right back.  If any winery were similar to walking into an episode of "Cheers," this is the one.  It really feels like you're invited into their living room and they're going to make sure you're enjoying yourself.

A few pours down,  Keith and Trudy (owners) mention that they have a Pinot Blanc for wine club members only, but that they'll graciously pour one for me since they like Cole and Shannon so much.  Usually this works the other way around, but I wasn't about to say "no."  I really enjoyed it (as well as pretty much all of their whites) and kept it in mind until it was time to settle up.

In general, Plum Hill's vision is to make delicious wines that are almost exclusively below the $20 threshold.  A few of theirs go above that, but by and large every wine they produce is solid and absolutely priced below where it probably could be.  You can tell it is a labor of love, well, unless you're their grand daughter and are put to work slapping on wine labels.  For everybody else, though, love.  

Fast forwarded to settling up.

"I'll take a bottle of the French-oaked Pinot Gris if..."

"If?  If what?" Keith replies.

"If I can also get a bottle of that Pinot Blanc." (insert grin)

"Fine.  Honey!  Go outside in the freezing cold and grab this young man a bottle of Pinot Blanc from the cellar.  They're all on the top rack too."

And so she did.


Plum Hill's Pinot Blanc pours quite a bit lighter than Josh and I anticipated with an almost effervescent quality to it.  The nose is kind of a mix of minerals and tropical fruits such as pineapple and kiwi.  Upon tasting, much of the nose comes through exactly as anticipated.  This is a very subtle wine that brings with it the expected hues of a pinot blanc that would go wonderfully paired with a big chunk of pineapple on a hot summer day.  While you may not be able to get this exact pinot blanc going into the summer, it is definitely a reminder that pinot blancs are a wonderful choice if looking for a white to sip on.

A big thanks goes out to Cole, Shannon, Josh, and everybody at Plum Hill for making this post possible.  I highly recommend stopping by their tasting room and trying a few for yourself if you're wine tasting around Forest Grove.
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