Washington State Wine Tasting

Washington State Wine Tasting – Episode #307

September 4, 2007

Gary Vaynerchuk sure has been yapping a whole lot about Washington State and today he does a little tasting on 4 wines from the wonderful North West!

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Comments on this episode(235) Leave a comment ›

“As a lifelong Washington resident, Im glad to see the wines bringing s…” by Dessert Wine Nerd
“first comment. live in seattle love the washington wines. love the sh…” by David
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Wines tasted in this episode:

2005 Chatter Creek Cabernet Franc Alder RidgeWashington Cabernet Franc
2004 L’ecole 41 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia ValleyWashington Cabernet Sauvignon
2004 Pepper Bridge MerlotWashington Merlot
2004 Delille Doyenne SyrahWashington Syrah

235 Responses

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September 5, 2007

Jayhitek
QOTD: Don’t know if I’ve had a Washington State wine. I think I’m waiting for Drew Bledsoe to fade from my aweful memory before I try one. (Huge Pats fan)
September 5, 2007

JerseyGirl turned CNY vayniac
QOTD: Haven’t had too many Washington wines… I have had Covery Run 2003 Syrah before though. It was one of the first wines I ever tried, and at that time i didnt like it, but I had it once since then and enjoyed it with some good spaghetti and sausage.
September 5, 2007

cdhayes
wow. it’s nice to see washington on the show. i just moved from there a few months ago. i’ve tried many but don’t really had a favorite. one that does stick out was a gewurztraminer from leavenworth. i think that’s wenatchee valley. not normally what i go for but it was a hot summer day and went over really well with everyone.
September 5, 2007

mcj
QOTD: The only Washington wines I can think of off the top of my head are a few Chateau Ste. Michelles.
September 5, 2007

Alex Hillman
Gary,
Thanks just ONE MORE TIME for coming to Philly on your labor day weekend to throw down with Viddler at ForkYou, at IndyHall. You bringing the thunder to our holiday weekend and grand opening throwdown made everything totally rule! IndyHall loves GaryVee and the VaynerNation!

p.s. the crowd tells me NEVER play Werewolf with Gary. He’s a pro.
September 5, 2007

glenn
my computer connection has been totally on the fritz so i missed a few shows – glad to have caught this one! through the knowledge of a few forum members i just bought a mixed case to break my closet’s WA cherry!

great show and i am peering up and to my left too late i’m afraid!

QofD: Cayuse Syrah i had @ a dinner party in Napa like 2 years ago that blew away every other wine on that table. recently had a Stevens Bordeaux blend that was just so balanced and top tier i was shocked.
September 5, 2007

Winenerd
Hi Gary,
The burnt match smell you mentioned, describing the Pepper Bridge Merlot is often associated with sulphur dioxide addition in the winery. What happens is that in the winemaking progress there is SO2 added to stabilize the wine ( protects it from oxidation and kills remaining yeasts and bacteria ). Too much SO2 and an anaerobic ( â€œwithout oxygenâ€ ) storage may cause this smell which is considered a flaw. Decanting the wine for a couple of minutes will make the smell vanish. Next time you better decant this wine before drinking!
Other than that did I enjoy the show.
Konst
September 5, 2007

Your downunder friend
My name is Tim Wilson and I am/was a lurker. If this was not bad enough I have been a lurker for 2 months… I know, shameful. Every time Gary pointed the finger at the camera his finger extended down into the pits of my soul. I have come for redemption : )

As an Australian in Sydney it is hard enough to find California Cabernet, let alone Washington State Cabernet. Sadly Australia is still very insular in its wine outlook. I think Gary needs to establish an wine outpost here and teach us Australian to look beyond $5 Lindemans and Yellow Tail (that is right, we drink it here to).

Saying that I am a little annoyed that Barossa Shiraz/syrah is always what is associated with Australia over in the States. Please, please please look at cooler climate Victorian Shirazs (such as Heathcote), cooler climate South Austrlian shirazs (such as eden valley and clare valley) and cooler NSW (such as the hunter valley)- I PROMISE YOU, there are fewer fruit bombs and far more violets and black pepper to be found here.

Finally, thank you for teaching me so much already Gary and may I say my hellos to WLTV community.
September 5, 2007

CraigV
QOTD : Since I really enjoy dessert wines, this one is simple … Blackwood Canyon 1988 December Harvest (Riesling), closely followed by the Blackwood Canyon 1986 Pinnacle (also Riesling), which pours out of the bottle about like maple syrup. The December Harvest was easily everyone’s favorite wine when I served it at a little gathering this last spring, beating out several other wines, including the Royal Tokaji 2000 Red Label, which was #46 on WS’s list of top 100 last year.

I never pass up the opportunity to stop by Blackwood Canyon when passing through the Benton City area. It does help to have a designated driver along though, as the tasting sessions can become quite lengthy, but never boring.
September 5, 2007

YoungDave
YES Washington!!

QOTD: I gained a new love for truly structured Merlot, thanks to a few Washington producers, if I’m not to name any one particular wine.
September 5, 2007

fatdoi
Interesting show GV, ….. sounds like washington is similar to Pyrenees in Victoria with colder climate (old world) type wines…… one that reminds me is the Dalwhinie wine…. it smelled dirty but really nice, unlike real old world like rhone but with more fruits……

QOTD…… didn’t have any… can’t get’em in aust…….
September 5, 2007

KenP
Last
September 5, 2007

Panoca
As usual, great episode!
QOTD: Cayuse baby! All the way!!!
September 5, 2007

Indy
The wines that really bring the thunder out of washington are Mark Ryan (Dead Horse and Long Haul) and Gorman Winery (Evil Twin and The Bully)
September 5, 2007

portland guy
GV – Enjoyed this episode. Not much ranting, you were focused — until the dirty diaper comment. NO MORE dirty diaper notes, GV, unless you a panning the suckiest wine ever!

You need to do more WA and OR wine tastings.

QOTD — For those I find good value: Rober Karl Cab and CSM Indian Wells Cab.
September 5, 2007

Matt from Barossa
Love to try one of these but not here in OZ… Sorry.
September 5, 2007

mike l.
only really interested in a countdown until the next free (or even discounted?) shipping. my wine habit has gotten too pricey thanks to wltv and i had to cancel my last wl order when 6 of the 12 bottles in my cart werent in stock anymore (??). anyway ill buy like 3 cases or more when free shipping comes up, but until then im out of action…
September 5, 2007

wildebeest
267, huh? Good gawd, I sure hope it doesn’t take that long for you guys to whip Cork’d into shape!

QOTD: I honestly can’t remember if I’ve had anything from WA, but I was born in Pullman (WSU). Maybe I should try to find some ‘79 WA vintage and see if it’s aged any better than I have.
September 5, 2007

wildebeest
Oh man, that diaper stuff really grossed me out. I grew up on a cattle ranch, and it was not uncommon for me to be covered in manure by the end of the day. Manure doesn’t gross me out at all; it’s just highly processed grass. But diapers are another matter entirely. My little brothers were eight years and twelve years younger than me, so I’ve spent plenty of my childhood and adolescence surrounded by the inescapable stench of baby. It’s not the human feces that bothered me. I can handle shit, and I can handle manure. But the smell of both baby-powder and diaper-rash ointment are enough to make me sick, even to this day.
September 5, 2007

Brian
Well, I just learned of this website yesterday. I’d never even heard of Gary Vaynerchuk until about 36 hours ago. Technically, I was a lurker, and now I’m registered. I’m finishing off a Meridian 06 PN – I reviewed it at Cork’d, for what it’s worth to anybody else (I’m a novice, but I know what I like). So far, I can only really talk intelligently about two bottles of wine – both pinots – and maybe not even that intelligently, but I’m still getting my feet wet. On the plus side, my in-laws are wine LOVERS, and an annual trip to Napa is pretty much guaranteed. My next venture will be a good, cheap shiraz. And so ends this pointless comment.
September 5, 2007

Ferrigno

had several low end washington state, not too too bad
September 5, 2007

Moselman
Wondered what peeps were talking about with Dr. Loosen as a WA wine! Wasn’t aware of the association. However, I was astounded to find the Dr’s riesling as a special at a local shop for $20. Yum-eee! Will have to watch for it again and take a closer look for the WA connection.

QOTD Not observed: On a ’southern’ trip across Washington a couple of years ago, we were disappointed with the choice of local wines offered in the restaurants we visited. I’d done some research and was excited about what we might get to try. Stopped in Leavenworth and Yakima, stayed over in Wenatchee and Spokane. Only in Spokane did we find a little bistro sort of place with a good list of Washington whites.
September 5, 2007

Mike S.
QOTD: Never had one (as far as I know) Why? dono.

BUT I do have a question for YOU (and It’s not about the quickly approaching Temecula episode). . . . . If I wanted to try my first Washington wine, what would you reccommend it be?
September 5, 2007

matty H
I have trouble believing that a dirty diaper can be appealing, Gary, I guess it’s one of those subtle things that makes sense within the context of the fact that the liquid in question is still composed of grapes, and not feces…Although Pomegranate sounds good.
September 5, 2007

Seth
Great show! Love to see some more Cab Francs! QOTD: 2004 Rockblock Syrah. It’s from the Walla Walla Valley. Good stuff!