Nice to see you BB some Wa State wines, Gary V! Now, you need to do a show with 3 or 4 wines from Cayuse. You haven’t had a bottle on your show for three vintages!!
QOTD? Best WA wine is the 2005 Cayuse Cailloux ‘Neutral Barrel’. Only bottled in magnums and the only wine I’ve ever scored 100 (two out of the three times I’ve had it)!
Worst as far as QPR goes, would have to be Cote Bonneville. Not that is was a bad wine but tasted more like a $50 wine not a $200 wine. Cheers
Anonymous
Forgot to post my note for the Cayuse NB…Here it is…
This is when the party really got started. Christophe was generous enough last year to send us a mag of this mythical beauty but decided we needed three mags this year. Thank you! As much as I liked this wine last year, it is in another league this year. The first whiff buckled my knees like a Dwight Gooden curveball circa 1986. It possessed every smell I love. Herbs, seaweed, dried pineapple, roasted berries, rare meat, sausage, blood, soy, violets. I literally sat there and smelled it for an hour. At this point, people were threatening to kick my ass if I didn’t finally take a drink. I acquiesced and was blown away. Layers of flavors. Pineapple, smoke, dark fruit/berries, black pepper. Makes you think it’s massive but conveys no excess baggage. Seamless and silky tannins along with the layered flavor and aromatics make the finish last for what seems to be hours. Otherworldly. 100pts
Of course the Scarlet A is sold out! 🙁 Love the brown bags though so keep them coming.
I want to see the triple bag of widely available Italian reds since it’s the beginning of the Fall season and tonight I’m having a Badiola which is quite nice paired with my sausage and rigatoni dish.
QOTD 1:
Best: Columbia Crest Walter Clore Reserve
Worst: Washington Hill (really bad) and Covey Run is not my cup of tea
Hmm, thought I had posted this, but checking back I must have not finalized the post:
The website cannot handle the current offer of free shipping on a case, but if you put “Free shipping on case order” in the comments section of the online order form, we can hand-process the shipping discount. However, the website will still misquote you on the final price (that is, it will include a shipping charge). Alternatively, you can email our tasting room manager at patty@amavicellars.com to place an order, or call in your order. Thanks for your interest!
Fantastic show GV. Washington reds are my go to, and it was fantastic to see this all come down blind. Hate to admit I AGREE with you in the NxNw. That wine is everywhere, and I find it to be simple at best.
As for my favorite, I love the Andrew Will Champoux blend.
Least favorite, hard to say. Never had a truly BAD wine from there, but I’ve been underwhelmed by Red Diamond as well as North Star for the price.
Alexandre-CF
i´m loving this brown bags.
GREATTTTTT
QOTD: I never had one, in Brazil we don´t get much wine from Washington State yet. 🙁
Nice to see you back in the saddle & crankin’ V.
QOTD: Col Solare was one of those special wines for me and I will put it up against Napa meritage any day of the week.
Anonymous
By the way, the NxNW is made by King Estate which doesn’t seem to be mentioned anywhere. I actually live about 20 minutes from them and have now worked at two “rival” wineries. Not that there’s any hate towards them, but they’re like the Columbia Crest of Oregon. So it’s a bit of the small guy vs. King attitude for me. Oh plus I applied for a job there and they never got back to me whatsoever hired a bunch of crappy candidates and let half of them go in them middle of harvest I believe, which I thought was hilarious.To sum all of that up, kind of funny to see them lose and do so terrible. However, I was pouring at an event that King was at too. After things cooled down all the pourers were drinking each others wines, and I the NxNW Cab definitely wasn’t terrible, not good…but not a 77.
Anonymous
GARY!!!!
Another great show! Loving WLTV
QOTD: Charles Smith would be pissed off if I didnt mention Walla Walla and say The Creator! 😉
xoxoxo
Anonymous
Nice. As I thought, that Amavi is one good wine. I bought a case of that very same last fall upon release and haven’t cracked one yet. I visited WW two years ago and thought they were one of the top outfits out there. And, yes, their semilon is right up there w/their Cab.
QOTD: So many. The Amavi is certainly right there. Szygy is another low volume, high quality. Reininger, WW Vintners, Abeja, etc, etc. As far as a bad one…I had a very over oaked Tamarak merlot recently that really put me off.
Anonymous
Try the H3 Chard. Solid stuff.
Anonymous
Sing it with me … THUNDER!!! (a la AC/DC)
QOTD: Best, either 2006 K Royal City (speaks for itself) or recently had 2007 Gramercy Cellars Walla Walla Syrah. Huge nose, delicious stuff. kind of new world meets old world b/c it is very fruit driven, but has some vegetal elements that remind me of Northern Rhone.
Worst, honestly, I can’t think of anything off hand. I have been enjoying Washington quite a bit these days. This probably coincides with my growing appreciation of Syrah.
Anonymous
GV, great program as usual, I’m new posing comments on your web, but not new watching your program.
Let me share something with your gang: 2008 APOTHIC Red.
I’m having this wine now with a steak. Absolutely a find. Juicy full of dark berry flavours,
Soft Tannins. No bite what so ever, smooth and silky and the price is right under $12. A blend of three distinct grapes, with the dark fruit flavors of Syrah, brambly spice of Zinfandel, and smooth elegance of Merlot.
Apothic Red reveals intense fruit aromas and flavors of blackberry and dark cherry layered with hints of mocha, chocolate and brown spice. The plush, velvety mouthfeel and smooth finish round out this intriguing, full-bodied red blend.
Here’s what Robert Parker say’s about the previous vintage:
I am breaking my own rules about only reviewing Napa wines in this report simply because this is one of the greatest bargains I have ever tasted from California. Made by the Gallo family, it is a blend of 45% Syrah, 44% Zinfandel, 9% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon that comes from primarily Lodi as well as Sonoma, the Central Coast, and Napa. A hedonist?s dream, this fruit-bomb exhibits loads of berry fruit, pepper, and spice, silky tannins, and an attractive mouthfeel. Neither heavy nor overly alcoholic, there are 15,000 cases of this beauty, which will provide enormous relief for weary, recession-challenged wine consumers. It should drink well for 1-2 years. Bravo to Gallo!.
Cheers.
VinoMiami
Anonymous
I hope it’s not Wine Chateau. I would stay FAR, FAR AWAY from them. I had probably the worst customer service experience of my life with them. Although the entire order was messed up on several different levels from start to finish, my favorite was when they “replaced” two different Fino Sherry’s with the same brand’s Cream Sherry. I tried to explain that this was an abomination and akin to replacing Chardonnay with Cabernet, but I don’t think they understood. It then took me several months and about five phone calls to get my money back. To all reading this, you have been warned!
Oakmon’s BF
I’m becoming a fan of the bags. A $22 wine can get high praise from Gary, but without the bag I don’t think a $22 wine can get a 93 point score.
Anonymous
Love the brown bag!
QOTD: Have not explored WA much but pinots seem thin and the cabs have been average at best. Every state deserves a 2nd chance…maybe blends are the next stop!
GARY…sorry I missed you in MN today…cannot believe it actually! Not sure how I missed…hope MN makes it on your next book tour!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cool episode… love the Brown Bags!!! Keep them COMING!!!
QOTD: For my work, I travel to Seattle every now and again and go to a place in Renton called Melrose Grill… traveling alone, they have nice half bottle selection… and used to have a Reserve Cht. St. Michelle cab… lovely little bottle…
have a leg up on most…as I am IN the great state of Washington…
and to pakman01 below me…Wa Cabrents average at best…seriously…Look at who the only winery to get perfect 100’s for the last 4-5 years EVERY year…oh yeah..Washington…
If anyone wants to try and test us in Washington State,,I say…Bring It On”….we are and will be for many years to come…the World (yes I said World) leaders in Red Wine!!…too bad the Snobbery will not agree!
Syrah is the number 2 behind Cabernet here….we are Rocking it in Washington Baby!
and as for K Vineyard…pure Rock-Star!!
Anonymous
,,if you liked the Walter Clore,,,,you should have been lucky enough to get the Reserve Cabernet(#1 two years ago),,,it is/was/will be for many years…pure Heaven!!
Anonymous
CAyuse is Legend!
Anonymous
Boneville…really…whew..glad I didn’t get any when I had a chance to!
Anonymous
I love Washington Wines, especially Cabs., and Dunham Rules! And good for you, GV, at equal price points blind, you did pick the Walla Walla fruit! Though I’d never heard of Amavi, I will be looking to see if it’s here, in my new state. I tasted a NxNW, and agree, it was less than I’d expected ,by all I saw on the label, per meticulous sourcing – it looks more like they’re slap-dashing together what they can get for production runs. I will look to taste again. Dunham, on the other hand, I bought for my location, all the 1/2 bottles available one year, of the Cab, and the Trutina. And Three Legged Red was a fave.
QotD – So many crazy good wines up there, but w/ out making a big list, Andrew Will, Cayuse, Cadence, etc. Weakest would be some of the earlier Northstars.
Anonymous
I am with you bro…the Sleight of Hand stuff has gone WAY down hill…
Anonymous
Mark McNeily is one of the best dudes EVAR…..and he makes great wines over at his Label(Mark Ryan)….BTW…did you know he has a “Second Label” now….???
Never tried any Washington juice but I’m only 6 months into the game (ckc age 23) but watching this makes me want to go try some!
P.S. Sanchez will have a 3+ int game within the next 3 weeks and Jets fans will be all over him
Anonymous
i feel like you have a good story about miami somewhere in your past haha
Anonymous
Charles Smith IS Sammy Hagar making wine! Love that WL episode too. 10 AM and Charles downs half a glass of his without batting an eye – perfect!
Anonymous
zing
Anonymous
I was pretty sure you were as you are pretty much legend here. I also wanted to warn anyone else that may think about ordering from that disaster that calls themselves a wine company (kind of a little revenge play from me for all of the hours of my life they cost me 😉
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luca bercelli
90/100
line of the day – ‘It’s like a Southern Belle form the 60’s who got a littler freaky when disco come out.’
Classic line of the day and good show due to the brown bag surprise