Drink Northwest: A Wine Blog
Blog Posts matching PINOT:2012 Tasting Games: Round 1: Recap Thursday, February 2nd 2012 by
NW Wine Correspondent - Allie Merrick
Round 1 of the Northwest Wines To You 2012 Tasting Games featured Nicolas Bazan Wines. Allie Merrick, the NW Wine Correspondent, broadcasted LIVE with commentary contributed by the featured Tasting Team. Jim Wiskerchen & the Blue Tooth Wine Society from Arizona represented well with a combined score of 310 points. Three Pinot Noirs, the 2007 Mis Nietos, the 2008 Una Vida & the 2009 Haydee were tasted & talked about. While each had favorable qualities to offer, it was the 2008 Una Vida that was the favorite of the night. A special thanks goes out to Nicolas Bazan Wines & to the Blue Tooth Wine Society for a memorable first round. Join us for Round 2 on February 29th. The sipping will start at 6:00pm PST. Click HERE to learn more. If you'd like to taste along with us, click HERE to get the wine shipped to you. Tweet Pinot Noir, How Do I Love Thee? Tuesday, February 14th 2012 by
NW Wine Correspondent - Allie Merrick
 Pinot Noir, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways... 1. Of all the red wines, you are the best conversationalist. Some are too forward and loud. Others are too laid back and soft spoken. You, however, always have something to say on the palate. And when you speak, you do so with balance worth talking about. 2. I love to dine with you. Don’t get me wrong, when it’s just just you and me with no food involved, you’re great! But when it’s time to dine, you’re mine. Your acid is unrivaled by most any other red. You make every dining experience more memorable. 3. You are great to lay down. Not to go on and on about your acid, but when you are right you are so very right. I don’t feel the need to rush our relationship. I can enjoy laying you down, allowing you to you evolve, and opening you up when you are ready. Whether it takes months or years, you are worth the wait. 4. The fairest of the land. Not only the fairest, but the sexiest too, there is a feminine, elegance you embody. And while I may be dressed in casual attire, it seems you’re always wearing something more formal in style. Please know your fine formality doesn’t intimidate me. Rather, it inspires me to sip slower and enjoy your elegance. 5. Loving you isn’t easy, but it’s what I chose. Many other varietals are far easier to work with. Simpler to manage in the vineyard, they may be, but I’m not looking for easy. Again, I’m all about elegance, and so are you. That is why I love thee. Cheers to Pinot Noir! Allie Merrick NW Wine Correspondent Tweet A Thirst For French Toast Tuesday, February 28th 2012 by
NW Wine Correspondent - Allie Merrick
 Before I got into wine, the words “FRENCH TOAST” made me hungry. Now, it makes me thirsty, as I think of FRENCH oak barrels and the associated TOAST levels used for making wine. FRENCH While Pinot Noir made in the Willamette Valley is Oregonian, not Burgundian, the barrel preference of winemakers in both regions is generally the same. While there are many factors about a barrel to consider such as the staves, grain, thickness, size and the cooper’s techniques used in making the barrel, a more broad and basic decision is centered on a sense of place. When it comes to wine, conversations about terroir include the topic of the barrel. And while oak barrels are sourced from many regions, it is the French and American forests that are the focus. While French barrels tend to be more expensive, they are said to be more expressive with more tannins and flavor components that speak up in the wine with a less “oaky” refrain compared to the American options. That said, some winemakers will take "the best of both worlds" approach and use a formula of barrels from both French and American forests. TOAST When my husband toasts bread, it comes out dark or charred even. For me, I prefer my bread toasted with just a hint of heat and slight tint of light brown. Our preferences and palates are quite different. This sort of comparative can also apply to wine in regard to the toast level of the barrel used. I asked Ghost Hill Cellar’s winemaker, Rebecca Shouldis, to explain to me a bit about a barrel’s toast levels. “The dark the toast the darker the flavors imparted by the barrels. Lighter means more vanilla and caramel vs. chocolate, coffee and richness.” Whether French or American, lightly toasted or heavily charred, barrels offer another option that contributes to the outcome of a wine. I believe Rebecca Shouldis said it best. “Barrels are a great tool when aging wines to create what a winemaker it looking for stylistically. Think of them as the painter's palate of colors or a chef's seasonings for a dish.” Cheers to a thirst for wine driven by “FRENCH TOAST”! Allie Merrick NW Wine Correspondent Tweet 2012 Tasting Games: Round 2: Recap Monday, March 5th 2012 by
NW Wine Correspondent - Allie Merrick
ROUND 2 of the NWWTY 2012 TASTING GAMES was all about the wines from Purple Hands. Winemaker, Cody Wright, joined me online along with the featured Tasting Team - the Washington Cellar Rats. We tasted the Purple Hands 2010 Pinot Noir & the Purple Hands 2009 Oregon Red Blend. If you weren't able to join us, don't worry. We recorded the whole session! Click HERE to see what you missed. Cheers to the Washington Cellar Rats who tallied up 560 points this round! And a VERY special thanks to Cody Wright at Purple Hands Wines. Thanks for taking the time to taste & talk with us! Tune in on March 28th for ROUND 3 of the NWWTY 2012 TASTING GAMES. Next up, our featured wine will be from Biggio Hamina. Winemaker, Todd Hamina will join me online with our next Tasting Team - the Willamette Winos. Cheers! Allie Allie Merrick NW Wine Correpsondent Labels: purple hands wine, cody wright, tasting games, washington cellar rats, allie merrick, oregon, pinot noir
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2012 Tasting Games: Round 3: Recap Monday, April 2nd 2012 by
Allie Merrick - NWWTY Wine Correspondent
Round 3 of the Northwest Wines To You 2012 Tasting Games featured Biggio Hamina. Todd Hamina, the winemaker & owner, joined us while in Las Vegas for this LIVE tasting. Our tasting team for the evening, the Willamette Winos, tasted along and tuned in online. They paired each wine with excellent fare, sharing details that made our mouths water. Fortunately, our palates had the great pleasure of tasting the following wines: Todd explained that he believed "Pinot should be a lady, but not a wallflower." Certainly, NONE of these wines were wallflowers. Each of them had something to say and spoke with eloquence from start to finish. Cheers to a terrific trio of wine & a talented winemaker - Todd Hamina. Allie Merrick NW Wine Correspondent Tweet Welcome to Drink Northwest: A Blog Collective from Premium Northwest Wineries Wednesday, June 8th 2011 by
Northwest Wines to You
Hello readers! Did you know that three common tools in a winemaker's toolbox include dustpans, broom handles, and plungers? And we’re not talking about cleaning. We have seen dustpans (clean and food-grade ready, of course) used in separating fermented grapes and juice from their seeds in a tank, a broom handle in stirring the wine in a barrel (called battonage), and a plunger attached to a long stick used as “punch-down” tool to keep the skins of the grapes mixed in with the juice as it settles during fermentation. At Drink Northwest, you’ll learn more about the quirks, tricks, and gossip from the cellar and vineyard of your favorite northwest wineries. We are proud to serve as a showcase for premium wines of the Northwest, but more so, act as a conduit between the winemaker and wine drinker – allowing you direct access to the producers of small Northwest estates and wineries. We look forward to connecting you to our expanding world of wine and keeping you updated on happenings, news, and events. You’ll get to hear memories, anecdotes, and trivia first-hand from the people behind the wines. Most importantly, you will make that personal connection with the wines and stories that are most interesting to you. Labels: Northwest Wines Pinot Noir Travel Wine Country Oregon Wine Country Washington Wine Country wine Drink Northwest premium wines cellar gossip connecting winemakers and wine drinkers
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Oregon Pours & Points Tuesday, July 26th 2011 by
Allie Merrick
 Contributed by Allie Merrick, My Wine WordsWhen it comes to what's being poured in Oregon, the points given to the wineries of Northwest Wines To You deem these wines winners. Some wines get ribbons & points awarded for simply existing. These wines, however, earn their points with every pour. How do I know? I've tasted them myself. Josh Raynolds represents Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (Wine Access) with words to define a selection of Oregon wines in a way that paints a description on your palate. I quite agree with his summation of the following sip-worthy bottles. Cheers, Allie 1789 Wines Josh Raynolds 2009 Pinot Noir Single Vineyard Chehalem Mountains($48) Bright ruby-red. Seductive bouquet of raspberry, mulberry, star anise and rose oil, plus a hint of musky herbs. Supple and seamless on the palate, with fresh red and dark berry flavors picking up a musky character with air. Fine-grained tannins add shape and grip to the finish, which features a smoky hint of black cardamom. This drinks very well now with some decanting. 91 2008 Pinot Noir Single Vineyard Chehalem Mountains($48) Deep, bright red. Intensely perfumed scents of black raspberry, cherry-cola, sassafras and dried flowers. Juicy and precise in the mouth, offering sweet red and dark berry flavors and a touch of bitter chocolate. The floral note comes back on the very long, penetrating finish, which features a suave floral quality and zesty minerality. 92 Arterberry Maresh Josh Raynolds 2008 Pinot Noir Dundee Hills($25) Bright red. Spicy red berries on the nose, with deeper notes of cherry pit and wilted rose adding complexity. Sappy, deeply pitched red fruit flavors display good energy and pick up a smoky quality with aeration. Finishes dry and precise, with lingering notes of redcurrant and bitter cherry. 90 2009 Pinot Noir Juliard Vineyard Dundee Hills($55) Vivid red. Complex bouquet of red fruit, potpourri and mocha, with a zesty mineral quality adding lift. Dry, mineral-accented redcurrant and bitter cherry flavors pick up spiciness with air and show a linear, tightly focused quality. Unfolds with aeration, gaining sweetness and finishing with very good definition and sneaky length. I'd let this rest for a while longer. 90(+?) 2008 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Dundee Hills($75) Hazy medium red. Raspberry, cherry-cola and spices on the nose, with a sexy floral quality adding complexity. Red and dark berry flavors show impressive intensity and become spicier with aeration, picking up notes of cherry pit and rose pastille. Really stains the palate but there's no excess weight here. The finish is spicy, pure and very long, with a heavy emphasis on sweet red fruit. This is lovely right now. 93 Artisanal Wine Cellars Josh Raynolds 2008 Pinot Noir Adam's Vineyard Chehalem Mountains($28) Deep ruby. Smoky aromas of cherry pit, black raspberry and sassafras, plus a hint of dried flowers. Chewy and a touch bitter, offering cherry and roasted coffee flavors and a brighter note of orange zest on the back half. The sweet finish betrays a hint of warmth, with the cherry note repeating. 87 2008 Pinot Noir Adam's Vineyard Reserve Chehalem Mountains($38) Ruby-red. Aromas of black raspberry and cherry, with complicating notes of anise and dried rose. Rich but lively as well, offering sappy red and dark berry flavors that show good depth and structure. Finishes smooth and gently sweet, with the dark berry note repeating. 89 Carlton Hill Wine Company Josh Raynolds 2009 Pinot Noir Yamhill Carlton District($40) Medium red. Redcurrant and cherry aromas are complemented by herb and smoke nuances, along with a hint of cracked pepper. Tightly wound and a bit tart, with good focus to the lively red berry and bitter cherry flavors. I like this wine's energy but some more flesh would have been nice. The finish is tangy, refreshingly bitter and nicely persistent. 88 2008 Pinot Noir Yamhill Carlton District($40) Bright ruby-red. High-pitched aromas of raspberry, cherry and rose, with an appealing spicecake quality and a hint of vanilla. Juicy, focused and spicy on the palate, offering incisive red fruit flavors that give way to a deeper cherry quality on the back half. Finishes on a smoky note, with very good length and a repeating spice note. Drinks well now but has the balance to age. 90 2009 Pinot Noir Reserve Willamette Valley($50) Bright ruby. Explosively perfumed, oak-accented nose evokes black raspberry, cherry-cola and smoky Indian spices, with a sneaky floral quality building with air. Sappy, densely packed red and dark berry flavors show liqueur-like intensity but are impressively energetic. The spicy quality comes back strong on the finish, which clings with very good tenacity. I'd let this one age for at least another few years. 92 CAW Wines Josh Raynolds 2008 CAW Wines Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton District ($36) Bright ruby-red. Sexy, fruit-dominated bouquet of raspberry and blackberry preserves, potpourri and Asian spices. Sappy, vaguely jammy dark berry flavors show very good depth and a seamless texture, with a hint of smokiness on the back half. Very attractive wine with suave finishing sweetness and very good length. This is delicious right now. Dion Vineyard Josh Raynolds 2009 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley($21) Light, bright red. Bright and fresh, with aromas and flavors of dried flowers, strawberry, raspberry and redcurrant. Crisp and light-bodied, with modest concentration. The brisk finish shows good bit. This is very easy to drink. 87 2009 Pinot Noir Winemakers Reserve Chehalem Mountains($32) Medium red. Red berries and sassafras on the nose, with complicating notes of dried flowers and black tea. Taut and focused on entry, then plumper in the middle, offering juicy raspberry and cherry flavors and a late note of white pepper. Finishes with good cut and a slightly dry edge, the spicy note repeating. 88 Dukes Family Vineyards Josh Raynolds 2008 Pinot Noir Nipple Hill Eola Amity Hills($60) Vivid red. High-pitched aromas of redcurrant, raspberry, spicecake and rose, with deeper cola and vanilla notes slowly building in the glass. Juicy, well-delineated red fruit and floral flavors show an appealing and refreshing spicy character but not rough edges. The red fruit notes repeat on the silky, persistent finish. This is drinking very well right now. 90 2008 Pinot Noir Alyssa Eola Amity Hills($48) Bright red. Complex bouquet evokes wild red berries, spicecake and dried rose, along with a touch of blood orange and subtle smokiness. Juicy and precise, offering tangy red fruit flavors and a hint of bitter licorice. The nicely focused finish repeats the cherry note and clings with very good tenacity. 89 2008 Pinot Noir Bella Willamette Valley($48) Bright ruby-red. Black raspberry, cherry and licorice on the nose, along with exotic notes of allspice, anise and cinnamon. Juicy red fruit flavors are underscored by a zesty mineral quality and show a strong spicy quality. Bitter cherry and mineral notes linger on the firm, nervy finish, which features subtle spice and smoke notes. No excess weight here. 90 Elkhorn Ridge Vineyards & Winery Josh Raynolds 2008 Pinot Noir La Terre Foss Willamette Valley($35) Deep ruby-red. Musky aromas of cherry skin and blackberry are complemented by notes of licorice and smoked meat. Fleshy and broad, with spicy dark fruit flavors joined by smoky, herbal nuances. The blackberry notes returns on the sweet, clinging finish. 89 Ghost Hill Cellars  Josh Raynolds2009 Pinot Noir Prospector's Reserve Yamhill-Carlton District($60) Bright ruby. Intensely perfumed bouquet of blackberry, cherry-cola, black tea, allspice and violet. Ripe and broad on entry, then firmer in the mid-palate, offering sappy dark berry flavors underscored by a smoky mineral quality. Puts on weight with aeration and finishes with resonating smoke and jammy dark fruit notes. A bigger wine than the regular Bayliss-Bower bottling: I suspect that some tasters will prefer that wine's finesse to this one's richness. 90(+?) 2009 Pinot Noir Bayliss Bower Vineyard Yamhill Carlton District($42) Vivid ruby. Ripe cherry and black raspberry on the nose, with complicating notes of smoky herbs, rose and spicecake. Fleshy and smooth in texture, with gently sweet cherry and dark berry flavors picking up a touch of anise with air. Shows the ripeness of the vintage to good effect, finishing broad and long. This will be drinkable soon. 90 Johan Vineyards Josh Raynolds 2009 Johan Vineyards Pinot Noir Estate Willamette Valley ($28) Medium red. Raspberry, cinnamon and white pepper on the nose, with a suave floral nuance gaining strength with air. This spicy, incisive midweight offers lively red fruit flavors and a subtle undertone of candied rose. Dry and tangy on the finish, with a late peppery note. 88 2008 Johan Vineyards Pinot Noir Estate Willamette Valley ($28) Bright ruby-red. Oak-spiced raspberry and cherry on the nose, with a suave gingerbread nuance and slow-building smokiness. Sappy and precise on the palate, with lively red fruit flavors and notes of cinnamon and star anise. Finishes spicy and long but a touch clenched, with firming tannins and lingering smokiness. I suspect that this will open up with a few more years of bottle age. 89(+?) 2008 Johan Vineyards Pinot Noir Nils Reserve Willamette Valley ($45) Bright ruby. Black raspberry, cherry-cola and spicecake aromas show very good clarity and a suave hint of fresh rose. Bright and incisive on the palate, offering tangy red and dark berry flavors and a late note of blood orange. Finishes spicy, energetic and focused. This lithe, sexy pinot clocks in at 12.8% alcohol. 92 Kelley Fox Wines Josh Raynolds 2009 Pinot Noir Mirabai Pinot Noir Mcminnville($35) Light red. High-pitched aromas of strawberry, redcurrant and gingerbread, with a hint of musky rhubarb. Taut and incisive on entry, then silkier and more broad in the middle palate, offering sappy red fruit flavors that show a refreshingly bitter edge. Dry, precise and focused on the finish, which echoes the strawberry note. Very nicely balanced wine that could be drunk now or held for a couple more years. 91 Winter's Hill Vineyard Josh Raynolds 2009 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley($22) Vivid red. An intensely perfumed bouquet displays scents of raspberry preserves, potpourri and incense, with an exotic spicy overlay. Silky and sweet, offering spicy red berry flavors and a palate-numbing lashing of white pepper. Juicy and precise on the finish, which leaves red fruit and floral notes behind. This is flat-out delicious. 90 2008 Pinot Noir Dundee Hills($29) Vivid ruby. Ripe, expansive aromas of dark berries, cherry-cola and violet, lifted by a spicy overtone. Smoky, oak-spiced red and dark berry flavors show impressive depth and pick up sweetness with air. At once rich and energetic, finishing with excellent back-end cut and persistent spiciness. This is really suave and drinking well for a 2008, but it will age too. 91 2008 Pinot Noir Cuvee De Vigneron Dundee Hills($39) Dark ruby. Heady aromas of black raspberry and cola, with smoky Indian spices and vanilla adding complexity. Sappy, penetrating dark berry and floral pastille flavors show striking intensity and depth, with tangy acidity adding lift. Tannins make a late appearance and add shape and grip to the very long, spicy finish. This deserves some patience but it's delicious now with some aeration. 92 2008 Pinot Noir Reserve Dundee Hills($50) Deep ruby. Slow to open, reluctantly displaying cherry and blackberry scents and a hint of licorice. Deeper in pitch and weightier than the other '08s from this producer, with ripe, palate-coating dark fruit flavors and a hint of candied violet. Pretty well shut down right now and somewhat tough to read, but the depth of fruit is obvious. Let this one rest. 90(+?) Source: Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (Josh Raynolds) via Wine Access Tweet The Voice Of Vino Tuesday, October 25th 2011 by
Allie Merrick - NW Wine Correspondent
The voice of reason would suggest that all things have a voice.
And so it is that for every wine sipped, there is something to be said. However, as a bottle of vino can't vocalize for itself, who will speak on its behalf? Not just one, but many. And most will have different things to say. This is where the artistic nature of wine is apparent. Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, perfection is on the palate of the taster. In describing the same wine, there are those who will espouse great points & grandiose reviews, while others will only mention the wine's mediocrity with opposition to expert opinion. Who is right? Both perhaps. And perhaps that's the way it should be. After all, a bottle of wine is like a piece of art. It ignites a conversation. A single thirty second description of wine can lead to an hour of dialogue. Take a look at the examples below: Example #1: Ghost Hill Cellars 2010 Pinot Noir Blanc (described by Rebecca Marie Pittock Shouldis) "...a bewitching bouquet of tangerine & lime with wildflowers..." The flavor profile defined with tangerine, lime & wildflowers was given depth with its manner noted as 'bewitching'. Example #2: CAW 2008 Pinot Noir (described by Norma Coats) "...seamless texture..." I suppose she could have said that the wine was 'smooth', but 'seamless texture' says far more. Today, let's raise our glasses to using words worthy of the wines we love. Let's also toast to opposing opinions that create conversations in which neither side is right or wrong. Cheers, Allie Merrick NW Wine Correspondent Labels: ghost hill cellars, CAW wines, rebecca marie pittock shouldis, norma coats, pinot noir, allie merrick
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