National
Magazine Recognizes Best of Northwest
By Bob Woehler
Every year about now, Wine Spectator, the nation's largest wine
magazine, lists its top 100 wines of the year.
The list usually is heavily weighted with California wines. And
any Northwest selections often are hard to find.
In the past, Woodward Canyon and Leonetti wineries in Walla
Walla County have made the list, but their wines are often
unavailable to most of the wine-buying public.
But this year, two wineries with wide distribution of
lower-priced wines are on the list - Columbia Crest of Paterson
and Chateau Ste. Michelle of Woodinville.
That's a boon for those of us who would like to get one of
these top 100 and compare our own opinions with those of Wine
Spectator's experts.
There are six Pacific Northwest wines on this year's list:
- No. 33 - Archery Summit 1998 premier Oregon pinot
noir at $39 a bottle.
- No. 37 - Columbia Crest 1996 estate series cabernet
sauvignon at $16.
- No. 59 - Chateau Ste. Michelle 1996 cabernet
sauvignon Cold Creek Vineyard at $25.
- No. 76 - Chateau Ste. Michelle 1999 Dr. Loosen
riesling at $20.
- No. 79 - Columbia Crest 1998 chardonnay estate series
at $12.
- No. 83 - Columbia Crest 1997 merlot estate series at
$16.
***
Chateau Ste. Michelle has come up with probably the rarest,
most expensive wine ever produced in the Pacific Northwest, a
trockenbeerenauslese-style late-harvest riesling.
It probably will never find its way to my lips because it costs
$200 for a half-size bottle, and only 576 bottles were produced.
The wine is so rare that only members of Chateau Ste.
Michelle's Connoisseur Circle will be able to buy it and then only
in a lottery-style drawing.
Its official name is 1999 single berry select. It was made by
winemaker Erik Olsen in collaboration with Ernst Loosen, one of
Germany's most famous riesling winemakers.
Just what is trockenbeerenauslese?
It is the sweetest, most expensive of the German rieslings,
even sweeter than an ice wine.
What makes it so rare and intense is that individual grapes are
selected from clusters to get the highest concentration of sugar.
As the riesling grapes hang on the vines well past normal
maturity, they shrivel to near-raisin conditions, making their
juice thick and sweet.
It took 600 hours of staff time to pick the berries for 75
gallons of juice.
Wine Spectator scored this wine 97 on its 100-point scale,
saying no other American white wine had scored that high in the
last 25 years of the magazine.
Wine Spectator described the wine as "extremely sweet and
intense, a glorious mouthful of honey with caramel and spice,
dried apricots and pineapple balanced by great acidity."
While this particular wine - at 37 percent residual sugar - won't
find its way under many Christmas trees this year, there is hope
for future vintages. Chateau Ste. Michelle was able to make a 2000
vintage version, and there should be more available. It's expected
to be even sweeter when it's released in a year.
***
Wine Press Northwest magazine is offering a free weekly e-mail
newsletter, which includes its Northwest Wine of the Week feature
as well as wine-related events and other information. To sign up,
go to http://www.winepressnw.com.
New releases
Hyatt 1997 cabernet sauvignon Yakima Valley - Dark, rich
color with flavors of chocolate and cherries. Loaded with fruit.
Rich and complex with a chalky Bordeaux finish. An outstanding
wine. $20.
Hyatt 1997 merlot Yakima Valley - Another outstanding
wine by Hyatt. Loaded with fruit, spice and herb flavors and
aromas and a long, satisfying finish. $20.
Nelms Road 1998 cabernet sauvignon Columbia Valley -
Woodward Canyon's second label and a best buy. Good oak with
currant flavors and a smooth, milkshakelike finish. $22.
Trey Marie 1998 merlot-cabernet sauvignon Columbia Valley -
From a Walla Walla winery connected with the Dunham family. Lots
of black fruit and cedar showing off its 75 percent merlot and 25
percent cabernet. A very drinkable wine. $30.
Snoqualmie 1999 white riesling Columbia Valley - Nice
balance of sugar and acids. Like biting into a crisp, sweet apple
or peach. Residual sugar is 3.7 percent. $7.
Pend d'Oreille 1997 cabernet franc Columbia Valley -
Light cherries with bright fruit, bits of spice and sweet oak
aromas. $17.
Pend d'Oreille 1999 pinot gris Columbia Valley - A
delicious wine judged outstanding with pears and citrus flavors, a
good balance and a nice, crisp finish. $12.
Snoqualmie 1999 chenin blanc Columbia Valley - Excellent
apricot flavors and aromas with bits of melons and peaches. Crisp,
with nice 2 percent residual sugar. $7.
Woodward Canyon 1998 Artist Series cabernet sauvignon -
Berries and mocha chocolate with hints of cedar. Good structure,
tasty, very drinkable. $37.50.
L'Ecole No. 41 1998 merlot Walla Walla Valley - Dark,
ripe berry aromas laced with oak and fine tannins for a lingering
finish. $36.
Gordon Brothers 1998 late-harvest gewürztraminer -
Peachy with 8.5 percent residual sugar and soft finish. $10.
Willow Crest 1999 black muscat, Yakima Valley - Inviting
aromas with delicious grapefruit tingle and hints of apricots. A
bit taut on the finish. $7.50.
Covey Run 1998 cabernet sauvignon, Yakima Valley -
Intense oak and fruit characteristics, black pepper, cherries and
chocolate. A big finish. A blend of 80 percent cabernet sauvignon
and 20 percent cabernet franc. $13.
Bob Woehler
has been writing about grapes and wines of the Pacific Northwest
since 1978. His columns appear twice monthly in the Tri-City
Herald in Tri-Cities, Wash. and in Wine
Press Northwest.
Send
e-mail to Bob Woehler
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