Drink Northwest: A Wine Blog
Blog Posts matching ALLIE: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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Is tasting blind better? Tuesday, April 17th 2012 by
NW Wine Correspondent - Allie Merrick
 Let's do it blind! Yes, you heard me. Let's sip without sight. Is tasting blind better? We'll find out. And we invite you to find out as well, by joining us on April 25th at 6:00 PM PST (9:00 PM EST). You are invited to taste and talk with me and the Northwest Wine Anthem Annex tasting group. as we do a blind tasting of three wines from Northwest Wines To You. Let's taste & talk together! All you need to go is GET THE WINE & GET ONLINE. Cheers! Allie Allie Merrick is the NW Wine Correspondent and co-host of My Wine Words. Labels: savor, three blind bottles, tasting games, allie merrick, my wine words, wine tasting, virtual tasting, blind tasting
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2012 Tasting Games: Round 4: Recap Friday, May 11th 2012 by
Allie Merrick - NWWTY Wine Correspondent
NWWTY 2012 TASTING GAMES: ROUND 4 The Wine: Three Blind Bottles The Team: Northwest Wine Anthem Annex The Score: 280 Points Labels: savor, three blind bottles, tasting games, allie merrick, wine tasting, virtual tasting, blind tasting
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Happy New Vintage! Tuesday, January 3rd 2012 by
Allie Merrick - NWWTY Wine Correspondent
 With the New Year comes a new vintage. And what will this one bring? That song is yet to be sung. With 2011 still in barrel or held in bottle and 2012 in the vineyard, the only tales that can be told are those from previous vintages. Here is the tune of Oregon’s 2011 vintage, as hummed by Harvey Steiman (Wine Spectator): “For four months, 2011 vintage looked like a disaster waiting to happen for Oregon vintners. The vines produced a huge crop and it didn't look as if conditions would ever get warm enough to ripen it. It was, in the end, the latest vintage in Oregon history. Most wineries didn't start picking until after Oct. 15, and were still picking in the first week in November. Most of the grapes were brought in under warm, sunny skies. Rain was forecast in late September and early October, but only a few showers materialized. Alcohols were low, about the same as in 2010, but color and flavor surprised vintners with their depth. They are calling it a miracle vintage.” The lyrics of the new vintage were sung out in this exclusive vineyard report with Rebecca Marie Pittock-Shouldis (Winemaker at Ghost Hill Cellars). Listen to audio captured onsite at the Bayliss-Bower Vineyard. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. If this cliche holds true, Oregon's 2011 vintage will be one worth singing praises to. Let us await what comes with glasses half full (not half empty) with the fruits of labor we have in hand. As we ring in the new vintage, let's reflect on vintages past one bottle at a time... 2005 Anthony Dell Cellars - 2005 Rio Red 2006 Artisanal Wine Cellars - 2006 Pinot Noir Adams Vineyard Reserve 2007 Kelley Fox Wines - 2007 Pinot Noir Momtazi Vineyard 2008 AlexEli Vineyard - 2008 Riesling 2009 Stag Hollow Wines - 2009 Dolcetto Yamhill Carlton 2010 Purple Hands Wines - 2010 Purple Hands Pinot Noir Cheers to vintages those old & those new! Something old. Something new. When it comes to wine, both will do. As we wait for the new vintage to come at last, Let’s enjoy what we sip from vintages past. Santé, Allie Merrick NWWTY Wine Correspondent Labels: 2011 Vintage, Northwest Wines To You, Purple Hands Wines, Stag Hollow Wines, AlexEli Vineyard, Kelley Fox Wines, Artisanal Wine Cellars, Anthony Dell Cellars, Rebecca Marie Pittock-Shouldis, Ghost Hill Cellars, Allie Merrick
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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 In The Vineyard: Carlton Hill Wine Company Monday, October 10th 2011 by
Allie Merrick - NW Wine Correspondent
Raising a vineyard is much like raising a child, in that it requires a lot of work. While the work requirement is great, the reward is too. And the more you give, the more you'll get. It's not a matter of nature vs. nurture. It is more a matter of nurturing nature in a variety of ways in the vineyard. This is a lesson I recently learned from David Polite, the owner & winemaker at Carlton Hill Wine Company. From lowering the number of shoots by selection to raising the hight of catch wires by hand, the workload is high. Watch & learn about what's involved for rearing the vines for a wine you can raise your glass to. By: Allie Merrick
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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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