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.

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.

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.

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??without 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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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)

Great show thanks for the pre tape.The dirty diaper bit had me laughing pretty hard.QOTD I’ve had several wines from washington but can’t say any stand out as a clear cut front runner. However the next trip to the wine store will hopefully produce one, I’ll let you know on cork’d.Thanks Gary and WLTV crew

QOTD: for everyday drinking Kiona Riesling. For special occasions the Cayuse Caillox Syrah. So Delicious!

Washington State was a great show. When’s Oregon?

good episode. I’m a big fan of WA wines. Love Spring Valley Frederick and Uriah, Quilceda Creek, Betz, Leonetti on the high end and enjoy CSM and Columbia Crest on the low end.

OK – how did you train your pallet for the POOP! LMAO….

Everyone – take a look at the green guy on the right – and then watch Gary taste and rate the Pepper Mill…You will see that they look just like each other! LMAO Again!!!

Pouring wine back into the Diaper??? UGH! Send it my way before doing that….HAHAHAH

Nice Show Gary!
Rich

1. 1998 Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauv.
2. 2001 L’ Ecole No. 41 Pepperbridge Vineyard Apogee
3. 2003 K Vinters “The Creator” Walla Walla Valley (I believe a GSM)

No question Washington is my favorite region in North America, and I agree, and fear, that it might become too hot-headed, too full of itself. Still, I think the rocky terrain and soil of Walla Walla is ideal for Syrah and the winemakers there (Charles Smith of K, and Christopher Baron of Cayuse) are making some of the best terroir driven wines in the “New World.” You made it seem like Washington is soooooo “new world” which it very well is headed in that direction, however I still think it is way ahead of anything from California or Oregon as far as being terroir driven and “Old world”-esque. The wines are big in alcohol, much like Aussie Shirazs, but something makes them different (baby diapers for example.) and that difference comes from the excellent rocky terroir.

Solid episode. Washington in the house.

Good show! I’m now living in Washington and have tried a few of the local wines. So far so good, looking forward to trying Gary’s reccomendations; he is right on the mark with his reviews.

QOTD: Hard to say about a favorite Washington State wine. I haven’t had nearly as much of it as I would like. Locally (in Chicago), the WA wines seem to be either fairly low end or out of my price range. An inexpensive Syrah I have liked is Snoqualme.

A few years ago, on vacation in Seattle and willing to pay vacation/restaurant prices, the wines were very impressive. We were lucky enough to be in town for a winemaker dinner at Restaurant Zoe featuring DeLille Cellars — 6 courses and 5 wines introduced by DeLille owner/partner Jay Soloff. That was a memorable night. Another memorable evening was spent at Assaggio with an osso bucco and a 2000 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon.

QOTD: I’ve only had one wine from Washington and can’t remember the vintage but it was a Chateau St. Michelle Cab Sav. It was back in my CKC days cira 1997 and was one of the first few bottles that really got me into wine. Unfortunately, the LCBO in Ontario Canada does a dreadful job of stocking wines from this area. We get the odd Columbia Crest Grand Estates (at $20 where I understand it’s $6 in the US) and that’s about it.

Great episode.

Gary: Favorite Washington wine! Amavi 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Walla walla. The sister wine of Pepper Bridge. Complex and multi-faceted. Flavors just keep changing! Roland

Thanks for spotlighting Washington – which I know very little about.

QOTD = I’m clearly a moron for not looking into Washington…

QOTD: I have been using the Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Chardonnay (04, 05 and 06 vintages) as a house chard for a while. It is tough to beat the QPR at ~$12. Plus I don’t cringe when Grandma Boehm drops the ice cubes in the glass. For a few more bucks the CSM Cold Creek and Canoe Ridge chards are also great but I wait to find them heavily discounted.

QOTD: Have not had the chance to taste lots of it. I do like some of Hogue as well as Ste Michelle, and Columbia Crest… But L’Ecole 41 still stands at the no. 1, if my memory does not betray me.

Cheers

QOTD – I stay away from Washington wines because it seems the cooler climates leave a stronger anise type flavor in the red wines that I do not enjoy. I prefer the hotter climates of Napa and Bordeaux.

The Jets will not defeat the Patriots this year, period. Pats: 34 Jets: 13

Karl B.

Yo Gary!!
Thanx for bringin’ DA THUNDER, as usual!!!
A vast quantity of treasures in Washington
to bo sought & enjoyed! Dat Poop/Fart Bomb
sounds like a “must-try”!!!!!
walla..walla..walla..walla..walla..walla.. 🙂

QOTD: i looooove da Semillon from L’Ecole 41!!