Shift in Columbia Crest Winemakers Doesn't Sacrifice Taste
By Bob Woehler
Winemaker Doug Gore of Prosser has never sacrificed quality for
quantity even though he oversees production of more than 3 million
cases of wine a year.
That was evident at a recent tasting at Columbia Crest, where I
sampled new Columbia Crest and Chateau Ste. Michelle vintages with
several colleagues from Wine Press Northwest magazine.
Gore, formerly head winemaker at Columbia Crest since 1987, was
promoted last year to senior vice president of winemaking operations
for Stimson Lane, the parent company of Columbia Crest and Chateau
Ste. Michelle.
In his new job, Gore doesn't do much hands-on winemaking but
helps six head winemakers and 12 others on the Stimson winemaking
team do a better job.
Included are Snoqualmie, Domaine Ste. Michelle sparkling wine and
Northstar wineries, plus specialty brands Col Solare and Eroica.
Like a new coach who has stopped playing, Gore was anxious to
show off some of his team.
On hand were Ray Einberger, who replaced Gore at Columbia Crest
in Paterson and Bob Bertheau, the new maker of white wines at
Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville.
Bertheau comes from California, where he worked for Chalk Hill
and Gallo Sonoma wineries. He said although he's working on white
wines at Chateau Ste. Michelle, he loved to make Zinfandel in
California.
My group sampled four of Chateau Ste. Michelle's 2003 whites.
"Last year produced wonderful ripe fruits with great flavors, and
the key was not to let the sugars race ahead of the flavors,"
Bertheau said.
Here's what we found:
Chateau Ste. Michelle 2003 Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley, $15
— Huge aromatics, lots of tropical components, melon, honey, bananas
and lime. Excellent acidity.
Chateau Ste. Michelle 2003 Dry Riesling, Columbia Valley, $9
— Floral with delicate nutmeg spice. Flinty with lots of orchard
fruit and crispness. A great food wine.
Eroica 2003 Riesling, $21 — A rock-solid Riesling in
collaboration with noted German winemaker Ernst Loosen. Made in the
classic German style with delicate floral aromas and delicious
apricot and apple flavors. There is a lot of harmony in this beauty.
Chateau Ste. Michelle 2003 Gewürztraminer, Columbia Valley, $9
— Grapefruit and lilac aromas with a nice crisp grapefruit flavors.
Good 1.6 residual sugar. I would have preferred a bit more spice
aroma, but it's a great patio sipper.
Einberger has been making wines at Columbia Crest for 10 years
and took over the top job when Gore was promoted.
His forte is super-premium wines, but like Gore, he also has made
delicious everyday wines.
Columbia Crest 2002 Grand Estates Chardonnay, $13 —
Well-stated oak and vanilla aromas with classic buttery richness.
Tasty tropical fruit flavors. The winery makes 250,000 cases of this
wine and sells out each year.
Columbia Crest 2001 Grand Estates Cabernet Sauvignon, $13
— Stands up in competitions to some of the great cabernets in the
world. Lots of power yet delicate and soft. Oak, chocolate and
vanilla aromas with currant flavors and plenty of tannins for aging.
Aged 70 percent in American and 30 percent in French oak barrels.
Columbia Crest 2000 Grand Estates Merlot, $13 — The winery
sells 300,000 cases of this. It has French oak aromas, plus
blackberry and plums, great balance and a tasty cherry chocolate
finish.
Columbia Crest Reserve Syrah, Columbia Valley, $28 —
Einberger adds a wee bit of Viognier to add character, which gives
this wine a unique spiced peach aroma. Luscious jam flavors and
impressive tannins. Ripe blackberries and roasted coffee.
Columbia Crest 2000 Walter Clore Private Reserve, $35 —
The top of the Columbia Crest reds, this Bordeaux-style blend shows
dark, delicious plum and toasty oak aromas, smooth flavors of
berries and plums that literally soak into the palate and a
chocolate and spice aftertaste. 
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.
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