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A Rocks District Gem to Rock Your World

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Ah, Syrah… one of the world’s great noble varieties. It can sneak across the stage in the background: dark, cloaked, brooding, and mysterious, but it can also slide out onto front and center stage screaming its head off, shredding an electric guitar at a dizzyingly fast pace. And then, everything in between. It can be so many different styles, depending on where it is grown, and how it is vinified.

Que sera sera, or rather, Que Syrah, sera. What Syrah is, it will be.

I need “Que Syrah, sera” on a t-shirt or bumper sticker. 🙂

You think you know Syrah? Think again. Have you ever been fortunate enough to taste a Syrah borne out of the Milton-Freewater Rocks District in Oregon? Well, my friend, let’s chat….

Wines from the Rocks District AVA (American Viticultural Area) have gained acclaim for their distinctly savory and mineral characteristics, which make them taste especially unique.

Let me give you a quick geography lesson….

Take a glance at this map of Washington state wine AVAs and below it the Oregon state wine AVAs:

As you can see on the Washington map, the Walla Walla Valley AVA includes land in both Washington and Oregon states. The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater (#22 on the Oregon map) is situated WITHIN the borders of the larger Walla Walla Valley AVA, but is completely on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley AVA.

The only wineries that can put Rocks District AVA on the label have to produce AND bottle their wine in the state of Oregon, which is where the Rocks District AVA is. However, many Washington producers, even though they may source grapes from the very nearby Rocks District, are producing and bottling wine in Washington STATE, so they can only label their wines with the Walla Walla Valley AVA.

So, chances are high I’ve very likely had a Syrah from Walla Walla that contained Rocks District grapes. But with a Washington winery, it wouldn’t necessarily indicate so on the label. On the Washington side, digging deeper is required (sorry for all the rock puns, they’re gonna come flying). 😉

There. Clear as alluvial silt? Hopefully that didn’t hurt your brain too much. If so, take a sip of wine.

So, what makes the Rocks District soil unique? Why all the fuss? In a nutshell, tons of basalt cobbles spewed from a volcanic eruption and deposited by flood waters.

There is literally no topsoil which forces the vines to go DEEP into the earth, to struggle, and this causes the grapes to be lower in number of clusters and smaller in berry size (leading to more powerful, concentrated wine).

These topographical and climatic conditions result in some jaw-droppingly incredible wine, not just with powerful body and tannins, but with aromas and flavors of meat and brine.

Incidentally, if you’d like to read a bit more about minerality in wine from a winemaker (it’s very interesting and not too long), check out winemaker Matt Brain’s  (no, not a typo for Brian – I triple checked) 🙂 article on minerality in wine. Basically, according to Brain,

“… minerality in the soil does not seem to be the major contributor to minerality in the glass. Soils that are thin or deprived of organic matter, however, may contribute to a less fruity and floral grape, allowing mineral characters to be more easily identified.”

Hence why Rocks District wine aromas and flavors come across more pronounced on the mineral spectrum than the fruit/flowers/herbs/spices/etc. spectrums.

This particular Syrah is one I fell in love with at the McMinnville Wine + Food Classic in Oregon. It has rocked me to my molten core every time I’ve tried it and I’ve held on to my one bottle for long enough now. Time to pop the cork and relive the magic!

Rue Cler Rocks District Syrah

Rue Cler Rocks District Syrah

  • $48/bottle
  • 14.4% ABV
  • Sourced from Noble Rock Vineyard in Milton-Freewater, Oregon, Rocks District AVA
  • Winemaker’s notes: “2019 Rocks District Syrah is soft and subtle but lookin’ sharp. Black fruit takes a backseat to savory meats, crushed violets and brine. A charcuterie for the senses! Huckleberries and wet stone give great acid that lingers on the finish. Decant to discover layers of earth and umami in your glass.”
  • Medium ruby color
  • Black plum, soft violet floral component, boysenberry, minerals
  • Very full and soft, not as much punch as I recall it having
  • Aromatic complexity that blew me away initially was not as strong at home
  • Tannins are there but not overpowering
  • Some acidity but very discreet
  • The complex fruit seems to vanish quickly
  • Still, a delicious wine I would buy again

While I was a little surprised this wine didn’t have quite as much acidity as I remember it having when I had it at SIP, it nevertheless delivered much pleasure. Wine is constantly evolving, and it’s highly susceptible to the different environments we drink them in (hello, dinner cooking in the kitchen with poor ventilation) and the various physical states WE consume them in (time of day, hormone levels, and so many other things ALL influence how a wine tastes to us).

This wine is a wonderful introduction to the Rocks District Syrah genre. It is a wine to savor and explore, and I would absolutely buy this wine again.

I hope to unearth some more red wines (especially Syrahs) from The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater. These are something phenomenal and extraordinary. I’m hooked!

Here is a cheat sheet of other wineries using Rocks District fruit if you’d like to go on the hunt for some fine bottles o’ wine: Rocks District Wineries.

Have you ever tried a Rocks District Syrah? Comment!

Crazy for Counoise: Holiday Dinner Wines Part I

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A merry Monday to you, readers! We just got back from an epic family adventure in Disneyland. I had hoped to get my Thanksgiving wine recommendation out to you a little earlier but thinking I would have time to write while on vacation was foolish optimism. The Disney experience is not for the faint of heart; you literally go all day and then all night. Fun, but hard. Us adults all required moderate doses of Advil most days. And since the Happiest Place on Earth is also the Germiest Place on Earth, we are now all dealing with various levels of a cold (because who really is going to stay away from Disney after sinking thousands of dollars into a vacation?). Thankfully, mine is barely a whisper of a cold. Viruses encounter my immune system, see I’m carrying, and run for it. Heh heh heh. 🙂

Anyway, thus begins Part I of my Holiday Dinner Wines Series.

a festival of gourdsI was flipping through a Costco magazine recently, and came across a typical “wine pairings for your Thanksgiving meal” article. I skimmed over the list. The wine and food pairing recommendations were great (doesn’t Moscato d’Asti with apple pie sound yummy?), but, unless you’re a wine geek/snob/swimming in money, do you really pair a DIFFERENT wine with SEVERAL COURSES at your gatherings??? Not only is that a ton of wine to buy, that is a ton of alcohol to drink.

At our extended family holiday meals, at least, here is the wine sitch: everybody brings wine, plops it on a designated drinks counter, and then everybody just drinks the wine they brought, unless someone (like me) insists others try what they brought (which I am always doing, so pushy). We don’t care too much about how well it matches the food – we just enjoy the wine we enjoy alongside the food we are eating. And let’s face it, the star of the Thanksgiving show is the turkey dinner, with the multiple traditional side dishes. So it seems to me what we MOST need is a wine that will play well with the major stars of the meal and be a fabulous team player. It will be delightful and welcome, but its welcome it shall not overstay.

While there are many wines clamoring for your attention, I picked this wine especially with Thanksgiving turkey dinner in mind: it partners exceptionally well with other foods, and is beautifully unique. It’s utterly delicious and I can’t think of any reason why anyone would not like it.

The wine you need, ladies and gentlemen, is Bacovino Winery’s… Counoise.

First of all, Counoise is not a weird French clown (although he could be? Hmm). Counoise (pronounced “COON – NWAHS”) is one of the red grape varieties allowed in the famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape blends of the Rhône Valley in France. Bacovino sources its Counoise from Washington state’s highly venerated Red Mountain AVA and lets it stand solo.

Here are my tasting notes for Bacovino’s 2021 Signature Counoise:

  • 100% Counoise from Red Mountain AVA
  • $30/bottle
  • A younger, lighter drinking wine
  • Kind of a cross between a dessert wine and a light-bodied red like a Pinot Noir or Frappato
  • Medium garnet/dusty crimson color with clear edge/rim
  • Highly aromatic! Bright and full of cherry, strawberry, raspberry, spice, hazelnut
  • 14.9% ABV
  • Off-dry, so a touch of sweetness
  • Rich, sweet mouth-filling fruit like black cherry, plum, strawberry preserves
  • Very background tannins (wallflowers?) to give a little structure
  • Tart acidity to keep you coming back for more
  • Amazing, warm, lingering finish
  • Serve slightly chilled, but not so chilled you can’t appreciate the aromatics

For those of you in the greater Seattle area, you can probably snag this wine in time for Thanksgiving. And if you’re not, go ahead and order some in time for Christmas; the same sorts of traditional holiday foods will work well with this wine. And even if you don’t celebrate any holidays or pair wines with foods, you still need to get this wine. No excuses (hint hint, it’s wonderful in the summer, too!).

No need to buy half a dozen or more different wines to try and pair with every last item on the menu (although if you are going to do that, please tell me what you did and how you liked the pairings!). Keep it simple, and surprise your loved ones with a delicious and delightful red like Bacovino Counoise.

Just be sure to buy more than you think you’ll need… it’s that good, and Christmas is coming up soon, too, after all. 😉

P.S. Bacovino is opening up a second location on the Seattle Waterfront very soon! Go check it out or see them in the mean time at their Tukwila winery and tasting room.

Sangiovese grapes fermenting at Bacovino Winery

Sangiovese grapes fermenting at Bacovino Winery in Tukwila, Washington. Owner and winemaker Randy Brooks let us help with punch down on one occasion. Talk about a workout!

Related Posts on Bacovino:
Sangiovese
Dessert Wine
Viognier

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling: A GSM to Steal Your Heart Away

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Disclosure Statement: This post contains affiliate links. When you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I receive a commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own.

Happy Pi Day, readers! It’s hard to believe it’s been one month already since Valentine’s Day. I don’t have any pie recipes for you today (see my Valentine’s Day post on grape galette), but with St. Patrick’s Day looming, I thought I would pull out a cherished bottle from my wine cellar with an utterly fitting name: Irish Eyes. Cue the Bing Crosby song.

This lovely bottle came home with me after a Saturday out tasting solo in Woodinville (a city in Washington state with a bajillion wineries). This wine was not part of the tasting flight that day but I am sure glad my server poured it because it stole my heart and I had to go home with it. As a matter of fact, both wines I purchased that day from two different wineries were not on the flight menu, including a ridiculous Cab Franc that I need to write about soon.

For those of you who don’t know, GSM stands for the three red grape varieties of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. These three varieties comprise a famous red wine blend you’ll find traditionally in France’s Rhône Valley and also Spain’s Catalonia region. There is a reason these three grapes are frequent bottle-fellows. Here is a quick snapshot of what each grape variety is like and what each typically contributes to a blend:
Grenache: raspberry, cherry flavors. Medium body, low/medium tannin and acid, high alcohol.
Syrah: blueberry, plum, smoke, pepper, meat flavors. Full body, medium tannin, alcohol, acidity.
Mourvèdre: dark fruits, chocolate, velvety texture. Deep, dark, inky color. Full body, high tannin, medium high alcohol, medium acidity.

Together, they make some of the world’s greatest wine blends. 🍷

Irish Eyes is made by Tinte Cellars, and named in honor of the owners’ Irish parents. Tinte Cellars crafts premium Washington state wine, as evidenced by this exceptional bottle. But not only are they making award-winning delicious wine, they are engaged in a wide range of charitable activities. The family-owned business operates to give back generously to the community through a robust philanthropic program. Check out all the cool things they are doing here. All the more reason to visit them for a tasting, take home a bottle (or a few), and maybe even join their wine club. It sounds like they have a lot of fun doing good. ❤

Here’s their take on a GSM blend:

Tinte Cellars Irish Eyes Red Wine

You’ll be smiling once you sip this wine.

Tinte Cellars 2018 Irish Eyes Red Wine Columbia Valley

  • $48/bottle
  • Composition: 41% Grenache, 39% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre
  • Alcohol: 14.8%
  • Color: Deep ruby
  • Aromas: Raspberry, Blackberry, Plum, Pepper, lavender/rosemary, smoky, touch of leather, orange peel
  • Flavors: cherry jam, orange pekoe tea
  • Tannins: Very soft, gentle, velvety, in the background
  • Body: medium
  • Acidity: Moderate. It’s there to play enough of a role but it’s super even-keel.
  • Finish: Not super long. But not super short, either.
  • Winemaker’s Notes: “Aromas of mixed berries and black tea give way to cherry jam and orange zest on the palate. The finish treats you to berry punch and a hint of butterscotch.”

This wine is delicious on its own so it does not need any food to go with it. I happened to drink some of this along with my dinner of Smoky Lentil Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, and it was very tasty.

I don’t think you can go wrong pairing this with corned beef and cabbage. It certainly has the structure to handle juicy beef and other typical St. Paddy’s Day fare. We are having our Irish feast on Sunday, and my mouth is watering just thinking about the menu. I’ll even be whipping up my Bailey’s Irish Cream cheesecake for dessert. 😋

Have you tried this wine? What did you think? Let me know in the comments.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, and Happy Almost Spring! 🍀

Spring mix from my yard

Spring is springing! My daughter’s “salad” made from weeds and grasses pulled from our yard – I love all the shades and textures of green.

NatGeo Award Classics Campaign

Wine in Sacred Places

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In Which I Discover Phenomenal Cabernet from Mosquito Fleet Winery

Do you have those sacred places on earth where you feel at home, or somehow closer to heaven because of the beauty of the place? Is it a beach, a mountain, a cute small town? Hood Canal, WA is one such place that holds a special spot in my heart. My great-grandparents built a cabin out on a piece of property right on the water, and it’s still standing and in the family! It has been a huge part of my life, from childhood through parenthood. It’s been a refuge, especially during the pandemic when we were isolating and being careful. A place to fully relax and be.

Hood Canal

My sacred place… Hood Canal

In recent years, every time my husband and I would drive out for some down time at the cabin, we would pass by a tasting room in Belfair with “Mosquito Fleet Winery” printed in elegant script across the building, tempting us with the prospect of delicious wine. A wine-tasting room to me is like an iPad to a kid – very very hard to resist! 🙂 Every time we passed it we said to ourselves, “We’ve got to stop in there sometime.” But with young children in tow, and often on a tight schedule, it just didn’t happen.

Mosquito Fleet Winery SignageWell, we finally DID stop in – last summer, I believe. Our kids were with us but they are older and better able to handle the occasional wine tasting with Mom and Dad every once in a while. It’s not like it takes all day to sip 5 or 6 wine pours… it’s good to learn some patience and that the day is not just about what they want to do. The people working at the tasting room were very kind and even gave the kids some popcorn and juice for a snack.

I should pause a second and give you a quick bit of history on the winery’s name. And I must say, it’s nice to have a Washington state winery pay tribute to local history rather than donning an awkward mock French name like Château Belfair or Domaine du Canal. 🙂 Also, while there are literal fleets of mosquitos at Hood Canal (I wish they didn’t love me quite so much – must be the wine in my bloodstream?), the name has no connection to that ecological fact. 😉

For those of you unfamiliar with the name, Mosquito Fleet refers to the fleet of various steamboats that transported people and cargo throughout the many waterways of Washington state, from the inlets of Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands, from the 1840s until about the 1950s. Mosquito Fleet Winery honors the spirit of bringing people together through their wines. I love it!

Anyway, hubby and I each did a tasting and enjoyed the wines presented. We wound up going home with a gorgeous bottle of Mosquito Fleet Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2019. To me, this was a standout wine – the kind of excellent Washington Cabernet Sauvignon you can pull out and enjoy with an equally excellent steak dinner, or simply to savor uninhibited. Perfect for Memorial Day BBQ fare, I may add.

Here are the details of this particular wine:

Mosquito Fleet Winery Cabernet Sauvignon

Divine wine from Hood Canal: Mosquito Fleet Winery Cabernet Sauvignon

355 cases produced
$45/bottle
13.8% ABV
95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc
From the winemaker: “A beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon with notes of blueberry, blackberry and anise. It has a beautifully full mouthfeel with nice, juicy acids and beautifully rounded out tannins that linger. It was aged predominantly in new French oak barrels which lend a nice aroma of oak and elegance.”
My impression: superb fruit, rich yet elegant, appealing texture, noteworthy balance – a wine of outstanding quality! ❤

Mosquito Fleet Winery prides itself on producing wines that are “hand-crafted with time-tested ‘Old World’ winemaking techniques of centuries past. This small lot, labor intensive approach helps produce memorable wines and memorable times for any occasion.”

As someone who just purchased a very disappointing bottle of cheap-sad-crap-red from the grocery store for our latest excursion to the Canal (I’ll blame the economy, whether I’m justified or not), I understand and appreciate the effort that goes into crafting fine Cabernet Sauvignon using the best fruit, the best winemaking techniques, and new French oak barrels. There is such a difference, and while I can’t afford to drink higher-priced wines every day (let’s be real, I don’t drink wine every day), if I want to experience real pleasure from a wine, I usually have to spend a bit more. But it’s well worth it. There truly is nothing like a truly fine wine. Truly. 🙂

Hood Canal is a beautiful place to relax and unwind, especially with a visit to Mosquito Fleet Winery thrown in. Go try it sometime. Maybe it will become one of your special places. ❤

Drinking wine at Hood Canal

Full disclosure: this was not Mosquito Fleet Cab, rather, ’twas a bland and mediocre substitute, but I was still determined to enjoy my time at the beach! 🙂

Let’s toast to those who made the greatest sacrifice on this Memorial Day 2023. ❤

American Flag and MoonSpecial thanks to Jacquie for your assistance in answering my questions!

Nat Geo Wines of the World

Hooray for Viognier!

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To my white wine drinking readers, let me offer my sincerest apologies… the last several posts have all been on BBRs (big bold reds). You are no doubt growing impatient as you wait for me to recommend a great white that is not a shark. Tell you what: we’ll change things up today and shift gears with a BBW (big bold white), how ’bout? 🙂

Hooray for Viognier! Today is International Viognier Day, and boy am I excited. Viognier (vee-ohn-yay) is perhaps my favorite white wine ever, and if you haven’t tried this wine yet, hold on to the edge of your seat, because you are in for a treat! 🙂

Viognier is a grape that almost didn’t survive. That would be a miserable world, let’s not think about that. But there were only a scant number of acres of it hanging on for dear life in the Rhône Valley in France in the 1960s when some erudite drinkers smacked themselves up the sides of their heads and said, “Wait a second, this cannot and shall not be!” Good on them for rescuing this lovely grape from virtual extinction.

While Viognier is still not terribly common, it is now cultivated around the world. In the USA in particular, California and Virginia are well-known regions for growing Viognier. Oregon and Washington also grow excellent Viognier. In France, Viognier wine is known as Condrieu (remember, many European wines are named by place not by grape variety).

When I learned International Viognier Day was rolling around, it did not take me a single moment to decide which Viognier to write about: the 2020 Signature Viognier from Bacovino Winery (see my post on their incredible Sangiovese). Sourced from Walla Walla Valley grapes, it is fragrant, rich, and full-bodied but still with pleasant, refreshing acidity.

Bacovino Signature Viognier Walla Walla Valley

Bacovino Signature Viognier Walla Walla Valley

Here are the details and my impressions of the wine:

  • $27/bottle at Bacovino Winery
  • Fermented in 100% stainless steel. Whole cluster press, settling for one day, cold fermentation in stainless, lees stirred weekly, traditional cold stabilization in stainless, then bottle aged for 3 months
  • 14.5% ABV
  • Pale straw color
  • Rich, full body, supple mouthfeel, honey-like texture
  • Medium acidity
  • Enchanting aromatic bouquet: honeysuckle, grapefruit, stone fruit (peach or nectarine), and some tropical fruit also (kiwi and/or lychee)
  • Refreshing citrus and melon flavors on the palate

I love wines from the Walla Walla Valley AVA, so I asked Bacovino winemaker Randy Brooks why he chose this particular AVA for Viognier grapes. He responded:

“Walla Walla is perfect for growing Viognier, warm days and cool nights preserve the natural acidity of the grape while allowing the gentle development of both aromatics and body. Viticulturists in Walla Walla have a wealth of experience growing some of the highest quality Viognier in the world, allowing us to make a well-balanced wine that is expressive and can be enjoyed throughout the year.”

Randy likens his Viognier to a warm spring day and notes that it “pairs exceptionally well with Thai food.”

There you go, folks! We just solved your Friday night dinner and drink dilemmas: Thai food and Bacovino Viognier for the win! 🙂

So how do we get our paws on this wine? the ravenous white wine drinkers demand. Well, you can order it through Bacovino’s website or purchase directly at the winery.

Sadly, Bacovino has low stock of this wine right now, and is not planning on making any more Viognier for the time being (noooooo!).

So, as Janis Joplin sang, get it while you can! Because once it’s gone, it’s gone!

Do you love Viognier as much as I do? Comment!

PS: Go taste wine at Bacovino soon! Or if you can’t get there in person, you can order their wines online. Here are all of their new releases (see website for several other current releases). Plenty to keep you busy, and let me tell you, they are fantastic! ❤

Signature Chardonnay – Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley
Signature Rivalon (blend) – Columbia Valley
Signature Counoise – Red Mountain
Signature GSM – Red Mountain
Vintner’s Merlot (extended oak aging) – Yakima Valley
Vintner’s Cabernet Franc – Columbia Valley
Vintner’s Petit Verdot – Red Mountain
Reserve Syrah – Red Mountain

Drink 96 Cedars for Arbor Day

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Planting trees is good work. So is making wine. Happy planet, happy humans. As a nod to Arbor Day this coming Friday, I found the perfect wine for you to enjoy: Auclair Winery 96 Cedars Washington State Red Mountain Red Wine. This wine is an homage to the exceptional grapes of Washington State (specifically the Red Mountain AVA) and to the trees that keep our Evergreen State verdant and beautiful.

I bought this delicious Bordeaux-style red blend a few years back at Costco for around $20/bottle. The 2016 vintage was comprised of 38% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Franc, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Petit Verdot. A large part of the reason I bought it was I got the chance to taste it in the store, along with another Auclair wine they were pouring. I wish more stores did in-store tastings; it’s effective and leads to increased sales. My notes from the time declare, “Very, very good! Will buy again.”

Let’s have the winemaker share with us about this bargain bottle from the 2019 vintage:

Auclair Winery 96 Cedars Washington State Red Mountain

The ultimate Arbor Day wine: Auclair Winery 96 Cedars Washington State Red Mountain

“This wine is a classic Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, all grown on Red Mountain. The nose starts out with rich dark fruit, a floral element and some nice interesting spice notes. Allowing this wine to open up (and it does need time!) will bring depth and structure to complement the rich, dark fruit. The palate is rich, and full with dark plum, rich cherry, blackberry liquor, vanilla, and spice all show up for your enjoyment. The finish is dark, smooth and very, very long. This wine is structured and can be laid down for some time or you can enjoy it young in its youthful fruit forward stage.”

So why is this wine called 96 Cedars? For Earth Day 2007, Charlie and Debbie Auclair purchased 100 cedar saplings for planting on their property: “4 were planted at our home. 96 were designated for our mountain lot. Little did we know the work we had signed ourselves up for! This wine is dedicated to those trees and the work we put in that day planting them. Enjoy!”

My brief search on Costco.com leads me to believe they no longer carry it, but I could be wrong. Your local Costco warehouse might also prove otherwise.

You can sample 96 Cedars and other fantastic looking wines at Auclair Winery’s Woodinville tasting room by arranging an appointment here.

Your best bet is to purchase directly through Auclair Winery.

And purchase it you should! 🙂

Willows Lodge Secret Supper Series at Barking Frog with Côte Bonneville Wines

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Disclosure Statement: This post contains affiliate links. When you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I receive a commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own.

Spoiled. Utterly spoiled to the hilt. That was my March 2023, and I am not complaining. I hit every single possible type of wine event last month – a wine festival, a tasting, a seminar, a wine club event, and an unforgettable, luxuriously indulgent multi-course wine and food pairing dinner, generously provided by my exceedingly gracious in-laws. That dinner was the Secret Supper Club at Barking Frog Restaurant, featuring Côte Bonneville wines.

About Barking Frog/Chef Dylan Herrick
Willows Lodge is a luxury hotel in the heart of Woodinville (WA) wine country (which boasts over 130 wineries!), and Barking Frog is its signature restaurant. Here is what makes Barking Frog special:

“Barking Frog is a culinary experience known for innovative seasonal menus, award-winning global wines and its signature ambiance. When you pair this with our exceptional service it is easy to see why it is one of the most widely desired restaurants on the eastside.

In collaboration with local farmers, food artisans and foragers, Executive Chef Dylan Herrick has built a talented culinary team that draws its mastery from modern and classic techniques, creating dishes that are inventive yet timeless.”

In addition, Barking Frog has received Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence for five consecutive years. No bad wine here!

The Secret Supper Series is an opportunity for Chef Dylan Herrick to be creative and come up with some fantastic dishes that he pairs with the equally fantastic wines of a featured winemaker; in this case, Cote Bônneville Winemaker Kerry Shiels. The collaboration between a chef and winemaker is akin to a dancer and a musician working together – two diverse but essential elements needed to create a masterpiece. The congruity of the food and wine was outstanding. Mind and taste buds blown.

About Côte Bonneville Wines/Winemaker Kerry Shiels
Côte Bonneville is an estate winery located on world-renowned DuBrul Vineyard in Sunnyside, WA, in the Yakima Valley AVA. In 1991, Hugh and Kathy Shiels (parents of current winemaker Kerry Shiels) purchased some land and tore out the existing apple orchard. In 1992 they planted DuBrul Vineyard. According to their website, DuBrul Vineyard is “consistently recognized as one of the top vineyards in Washington State…. DuBrul Vineyard designated wines, from Côte Bonneville and others, have consistently been well received by critics and sought after by consumers world wide.” Grapes grown here have unique flavors and structure that put them in the class of ultra-premium wines. Côte Bonneville Winery was founded in 2001 to “produce classically styled wines that best express our particular site.” Learn more about DuBrul Vineyard and Côte Bonneville.

Kerry was great to talk to and learn from. A former engineer turned winemaker, she received her master’s degree in viticulture and enology from UC Davis. After gaining winemaking experience in California, Australia, and Argentina, she came home and got to work as head winemaker at Côte Bonneville in 2009. She brings exacting precision, immense knowledge, excellence, and the utmost care to her winemaking and her wines show it.

An interesting fact I learned about Kerry’s vineyard crew is that they are all women. This is unusual since over 75% of winery workers are male. She told me they tend to be “more nurturing and detail-oriented in the vineyard. They take great pride in helping grow some of the best grapes in the state!”

The Dinner
This was so much fun! There were only 9 of us guests total, 11 counting Kerry and Dylan. In my opinion, this is the perfect group size for an intimate evening, and being able to actually talk to each other and get to know each other proved very pleasant. It was also nice to be able to hear the discussions, and not be trying to shout above the din, like at a loud, crowded event. We were able to ask questions of Dylan and Kerry, and had great conversations. The service was impeccable so a big thank you to the team that served our group that evening.

Every wine I tried was pure loveliness and went beautifully with the food pairings. It was a flavor celebration from start to finish. I probably moaned, rolled my eyes, and made hand gestures a lot, but I can’t help it when I have amazing food and wine!

Here is the menu and my review of the meal. I am missing a description and photo for the starter, but it was super tasty. I did not photograph the wines, but I assure you I drank them (I think you can imagine what a glass of cab or chardonnay looks like)! 😉

Roes & Rosé
Cured Salmon/Trout Roe/Citrus Panna Cotta/Local Honey Espuma
2022 Côte Bonneville Rosé

Roes and Rose course, Barking Frog Woodinville Secret Supper, March 2023

Roes and Rose course, Barking Frog Woodinville Secret Supper, March 2023

The Rosé is made from Cabernet Franc grapes that are grown specifically for becoming Rosé wine, not for making Cab Franc wine or to be blended with other red grapes. Deep, beautiful fruit aromas, medium body, bright acidity. An intriguing wine and perfect pairing with the salmon and trout roe. Welcome spring!

Five-Spice Sakura Pork
Indian Curry-Spiced Romesco/Pomegranate/Arugula/Pineapple Kombucha Caramel
2019 Côte Bonneville Chardonnay

Five-Spice Sakura Pork course, Barking Frog Woodinville Secret Supper, March 2023

Five-Spice Sakura Pork course, Barking Frog Woodinville Secret Supper, March 2023

Holy cow (or should I say, holy swine). This was my favorite food of the night. I am going to have to get creative and re-create this flavor palette at home sometime. Classy, rich pairing with the chardonnay. Hats off to Chef Dylan on this one!

Roasted Wild Mushrooms
Currant/Chimacum Valley Chimatomme/Potato Glass/Toasted Rice Oil
2012 Côte Bonneville Cabernet Sauvignon

Roasted Wild Mushrooms course, Barking Frog Woodinville Secret Supper, March 2023

Roasted Wild Mushrooms course, Barking Frog Woodinville Secret Supper, March 2023

My absolute favorite wine of the night had to be the Cabernet Sauvignon. There were zero faults with this wine: it was smooth, full, rich, pure, balanced, complex, elegant – basically every positive adjective you can throw at a fine wine. Because it’s an epic $200 bottle of wine, it probably won’t make my acquaintance again for a while. I didn’t know the price of the wine until I looked it up afterwards, but I could definitely tell I was drinking something extremely special in a whole other league of wine. Brava, Kerry!

Intermezzo (a palate refresher between bites)

Intermezzo, Barking Frog Woodinville Secret Supper, March 2023

Intermezzo, Barking Frog Woodinville Secret Supper, March 2023

The Intermezzo was one of the more memorable things I’ve consumed in a long time. This is not a complete list, but it did include kiwi juice, pop rocks, basil seeds, foam, etc. It hit every last pleasant taste bud receptor on the tongue and every food texture sensation. Wow and yum! I can still taste it.

Whey-Braised Lamb Shoulder
Vanilla Scented Parsnip/Fennel Two Ways/Cocoa Nib Hummus/Yogurt Drizzle
2014 Côte Bonneville Syrah

Whey-Braised Lamb Shoulder course, Barking Frog Woodinville Secret Supper, March 2023

Whey-Braised Lamb Shoulder course, Barking Frog Woodinville Secret Supper, March 2023

Another delicious dish with delicious wine. The lamb, with the cocoa, vanilla, and yogurt flavors played very well with the Syrah.

Lemon Pound Cake
Chamomile Noodles/Citrus Salad/Mandarin Caramel/Lemon Curd
2009 Côte Bonneville Late Harvest Riesling

Lemon Pound Cake course, Barking Frog Woodinville Secret Supper, March 2023

Lemon Pound Cake course, Barking Frog Woodinville Secret Supper, March 2023

I am a chocolate lover so the dessert I could have easily passed on (and I’ll be honest, the look of the noodles was a bit off-putting), but the flavors did make for an excellent pairing with the Riesling. The Late Harvest Riesling reminded me of Tokaji (toe-kai), the famed Hungarian dessert wine. Just enchanting. ❤

News/In Sum
If you love wine (check) and food (check) and pairing the two (check), Barking Frog will soon be rolling out some new food and wine pairing menus, presumably featuring slightly smaller food portions similar to this multi-course dinner format. The aim is to present foods that will complement featured wines and deepen their enjoyment through pairing. I would love to go back again, if not for a winemaker dinner, then at least to try these new pairing menus. Keep tabs on their happenings here.

If you’d like to know more about Barking Frog’s Secret Supper Club, you can request an invitation by emailing barkingfrogevents@willowslodge.com. These events are not published on their website so you will need to be on their email list. Expect to spend approximately $285/person plus tax and gratuity.

Check out Côte Bonneville’s current releases – they can be shipped around the country. Information on their tasting room hours can be found here. You can also purchase their Carriage House Red Blend through my affiliate link at wine.com.

A tasting out at Côte Bonneville is a must on my spring or summer to-do list!

Special thanks to Rich and Dustin for snapping pics while I lived in the moment. 🙂

Blind Tasting Seminar: Washington vs. the World

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UFC fanatics thrill when two top contenders have a highly anticipated match. With similar fervor, oenophiles get excited over blind wine tastings. Which Sauvignon Blanc will come out on top… the Chilean or the Washingtonian? Should Bordeaux from France hold the keys to the chateau, or does victory belong to another rival? There’s nothing quite like squaring off two anonymous glasses of vino to see what they’re really made of.

I had the great fortune to attend a blind tasting seminar in Seattle at Taste Washington, the state’s premier food and wine festival. For those unfamiliar with blind tasting, it simply means being able to see, smell, and drink a glass of wine but not knowing any details at all about the identity of the wine until the very end of the tasting. In this seminar, called “Washington vs. the World: The Ultimate Blind Tasting,” several of the best Washington wines were pitted against several of the best wines of other famous world regions. Here was the course description:

“Washington wine continues to captivate a global audience. From incredibly high scores from critics, and growing international investment in our state, this has become THE place to make wine. The number of those considered ‘legends’ in Washington wine is increasing at a rapid clip, and the wines they produce continue to cannonball onto the world stage. This is your chance to get into the heart of the action with the winemakers, themselves, and take a deep dive into some of our state’s most chart-topping wines. We’ll even take it one step further by putting some of them up against the best from around the world so you can decide for yourself where Washington stands.”

Taste Washington 2023 Blind Tasting Seminar Panel

Members of the panel for the Taste Washington 2023 seminar, “Washington vs. the World: The Ultimate Blind Tasting”

The seminar was moderated by Doug Charles, owner of award-winning wine shop Compass Wines in Anacortes, WA (on my list to visit!). The rest of the panel included Washington winemakers and a wine educator/writer, all of whom were also tasting the wines blind:

  • Peter Devison | Devison Vintners
  • Jason Gorski | DeLille Cellars
  • Devyani Gupta | Valdemar Estates
  • Justin Neufeld | JB Neufeld
  • Alex Stewart | Matthews
  • Elaine Chukan Brown | Award-Winning Global Wine Educator & Writer

We went through each wine one by one, with plenty of time to swirl/sniff/sip/savor/spit (if needed), jot down notes, and listen to the panel share their thoughts on the wines. It was also open to audience participation, so we were able to ask questions and share feedback. The whole event ran for an hour and a half.

Here were the wines we tried (order in picture: 1-5 is bottom row left to right, then 6-10 is top row left to right):

  1. Château Picque Caillou, Blanc, Pessac-Léognan, 2017, $42
  2. DeLille, Chaleur Blanc, Columbia Valley, 2021, $42
  3. Devison, Above the Flood, GSM, Boushey Vineyard, Yakima Valley, 2020, $54
  4. Sadie Family, Soldaat, Piekenierskloof, 2021, $92
  5. Matthews, Reserve, Columbia Valley, 2013, $55
  6. Château La Fleur, Grand Cru, Saint-Émilion, 2019, $146
  7. Grgich Family, Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, 2018, $75
  8. JB Neufeld, Old Goat Cabernet Sauvignon, Yakima Valley, 2016, $55
  9. Valdemar, Syrah, Blue Mountain Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley, 2020, $75
  10. Porseleinberg, Syrah, Swartland, 2016, $102
Wines used in Taste Washington 2023 seminar, "Washington vs. the World: The Ultimate Blind Tasting"

Wines used in Taste Washington 2023 seminar, “Washington vs. the World: The Ultimate Blind Tasting”

I enjoyed each wine for different reasons, but if I had to pick a couple that really stood out to me, I’d pick #3 and #9. These are wines I would pour a nice big glass of and relax with on the couch, or pour for company to savor together. Both featured wonderful Washington Syrah (from Yakima Valley and Walla Walla Valley, respectively), and I appreciated getting to try a couple different producers I’d never had before.

Thanks to all my studious drinking, I did happen to guess all of the Washington and other origin wines correctly (not the other locations specifically, just that they were clearly not Washington). It has definitely helped that I have been trying wines from around the world through The Everyday Guide to Wine course (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases) so some of these flavor profiles and styles were not completely out of left field. I also know my own backyard Washington wines well enough by now to be confident in my assessment. This was a really great exercise for me to do and it was worth the investment ($95 for the event). Considering several of the bottles sampled were very costly, it was a small price to pay for the chance to try these wines and others, and to hear experts discuss them simultaneously. I hope to attend another seminar next year.

A few things I learned from this experience:

  • A couple wines reeked on the nose but tasted amazing on the palate. That was surprising. I’ve had wines with Brett (Brettanomyces yeast) – the funky barnyard/Band-Aid smell – and I usually appreciate it, but not everyone does. I did not mind it in the #7. The other unusual trait I hadn’t encountered before was volatile acidity (I think – I am not 100% certain on this – my notes failed me). All I know was that one of the wines had a highly unusual, pungent note on the nose, but on the palate was delicious. Funny how that works.
  • Washington wine is insanely brilliant and is perhaps my all-time favorite wine region. So many fantastic iterations and interpretations. So good it’s scary.
  • I will never learn everything there is to learn about wine… it is endless. Perfect material for a blog! ❤

Have any of you ever participated in blind wine tastings? Or did anyone attend Taste Washington this year (2023)? Comment below!

World Taste Tour – Only $59.99 for 12 globetrotting wines, BONUS bottles and glasses

Out of the Shadows, Ex Umbris Syrah

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Here is an Irish blessing for you:

Remember to Forget

Always remember to forget
The things that made you sad.
But never forget to remember
The things that made you glad.

That is something I handle well with wine… I never forget to remember the wines that made me glad. 🙂

While today’s wine is not Irish, it’s made by a gentleman named David O’Reilly at a winery named Owen Roe (I’m guessing there’s some Irish there). 😉

Since it is still Washington Wine Month, it’s only fitting I introduce you to another of my tried-and-true go-to wines (wow, that was a heckuva lotta hyphens): Owen Roe 2020 Ex Umbris Syrah Columbia Valley.

The first time I had Owen Roe wines was at a now defunct wine bar in Fremont. This was among my earlier wine tasting experiences and I just loved every single Owen Roe wine I had, and took home most of them, including the Ex Umbris Syrah. Ex Umbris is Latin for “out of the shadows.”

Here were my tasting notes on the 2010 Ex Umbris:

“Virtually flawless Syrah. Delectable. I want more!”

And, amazingly, I still share those same sentiments in 2023!

According to the winemaker, Ex Umbris was first made in 2002 “… after a wild fire struck the vineyard’s surrounding hillsides. The residual ash and smoke resonated in the Syrah grapes, creating a very memorable wine.” Thus they produce this Syrah every year in keeping with the style of the first vintage. Just to be clear, this does not mean you taste wildfire smoke, not at all.

This is one of my all-time favorite Syrahs, Washington or otherwise. I keep going back to it because it is consistently great and at a very comfortable price for such a high quality wine. Everyone I’ve recommended it to or gifted it to has loved it. And the wine doesn’t lie – winemaker David O’Reilly carefully selects only premium Syrah grapes from top Washington vineyards in Columbia, Yakima, and Walla Walla Valleys for this wine.

Owen Roe Ex Umbris Syrah wine

I love the script on the label. Brings back memories of taking calligraphy in middle school.

Here are the details and my impressions of the wine:

  • $17.47/bottle at Total Wine, slightly less at Costco, $21.00 at winery
  • Deep ruby color
  • Full body, 14.1% ABV, mostly dry
  • Aromas/Flavors: Plum, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, pepper, clay, floral
  • Lush, full fruit flavors, touch of spice, vanilla on the palate
  • Soft yet strong background tannins that offer good support in the wine
  • Good, balanced presence of acidity
  • Long-lasting, gentle finish

In sum, this is a fantastic introductory teaser to the epic level of quality that Washington Syrah can achieve.

I really need to do a road trip and visit their tasting room in Wapato, WA. Not only do they specialize in Washington reds like Syrahs, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc., but also in Oregon reds like Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs. Some of the best of both states, and my top favorite types of wine. But alas, when? Think I’ll go pine away for now….

Anyway, you can purchase Ex Umbris Syrah at Total Wine and certain Costco locations, and obviously through the winery itself. In fact, if you’re a really big fan, you can purchase a case of Ex Umbris directly through the winery and each bottle comes to about $12.42/bottle (before tax, etc.). Unbelievable! (Sadly, this option is sold out at the moment). 😦

So for those of you who prefer red wine to green beer, Guinness, or Bailey’s, raise a glass of Ex Umbris Syrah and proclaim, Sláinte!

Sources
1. Cavoto, Erin, “50 Best Irish Blessings to Read Aloud on St. Patrick’s Day”, The Pioneer Woman, March 1, 2023, accessed March 15, 2023, https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/holidays-celebrations/g35219151/traditional-irish-blessings-prayers/?slide=14

Three Noble Reds, One Outstanding Blend: Skagit Crest Railroad Red

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Railroad Red Marries Three Noble Reds Together in One Outstanding Blend

March is Washington Wine Month, a month celebrating the state’s abundant delicious wine and a not so subtle way of trying to get you the consumer to buy more coveted grape juice. 😉

As I sit here reflecting on what I love most about Washington wine, two things come to mind: outstanding quality for the value and uniqueness of place. For Washington Wine Month, although I have plenty of great recommendations to share, I want to introduce you to a unique, truly outstanding Washington wine that encapsulates these values.

Like many people, I enjoy certain value wines at the grocery store (there is a time and a place for everything), but there is not always a distinct sense of place in some of those wines, as many are blended from where ever the winemaker could get decent grapes, and many times they are highly modified and manipulated to cover up poor quality grapes or simply to keep a consistent product.

Every once in a while, it’s good to get up and challenge our palates with something on a different level – to go digging for some true Washington treasure.

Ready for something fun? Here you go!

Skagit Crest Vineyard and Winery is one of my all-time favorite Washington wineries, owned and run by Chuck and Donna Jackson in the Puget Sound AVA. They grow and vint Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, and a Rosé of Pinot Noir, on their estate in Sedro Woolley, Washington. They also have a tasting room in La Conner, about a half an hour or so away. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of their wines, and I will definitely be posting on more in the future.

They have a red blend consisting of a rather unusual cast of characters that are not typically cast all together: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Pinot Noir. These are noble grape varieties, meaning they are among the most popular and widely planted grapes around the world and still largely retain their character even in different growing regions and treatment by winemakers. That’s why a Cabernet Sauvignon from France and a Cabernet Sauvignon from Washington will still both share a lot in common, even though there are various differences in the final product.

If you’re an oenophile (lover of wine) or a Francophile (lover of France) or both (Francoenophile? Ah, how about vin-ophile?), you have probably heard of these famous places. These are three of France’s top winegrowing regions:

  • Bordeaux (famed for blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, etc.)
  • Rhone (famed for blends of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvédre, etc.)
  • Burgundy (famed for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, etc.)

These regions have been growing these particular grapes for centuries, and each region is known for being the absolute best place to grow certain specific varieties. Basically, winemakers from these regions are allowed to make wine only from approved grapes grown in that place and never blend from other regions. French wine laws tend to be very strict in that regard, in order to protect the reputation of their unique wines.

But that’s France, this is America. We go about our winemaking in ways similar and vastly different from France, in part because we are not bound by as many rules and regulations.

Leave it to winemaker Chuck Jackson to shrug at the traditional rulebook on red blends and throw three wonderful reds together in his signature Railroad Red Blend.

I asked Chuck what originally inspired him to create this blend, and this was what he told me:

“In the early planning days of the winery I wanted to offer a Bordeaux blend (likely Cab, Merlot and Cab Franc) and/or a Rhone style blend (likely Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre) to our eventual line up of wines both of which I really love. After our first harvest from our vineyard it quickly became apparent that was a bit of a pipe dream. Making our own wines and adding Cabernet and Syrah from Eastern Washington was logistically a challenge enough. Adding the other varietals would have meant up to 4 more trips over the hill for grapes and stress our winery for space to make and store the wines for aging. So that dream died.

There was still a desire to have a red blend and I puzzled over just how to do that without stretching us too thin. It finally dawned on me that a potential blend was right in front of us. With three red wines in hand, why not try it. Thus with the 2017 reds we put together our “red blend”, one barrel worth. It was delicious and Railroad Red was born.

The name was Donna’s inspiration given we have a Burlington Northern railroad line running by the west side of our property and vineyard going north to Sumas at the Canadian border. I was subsequently tempted to rename it Trifecta being a blend of Burgundy,  Bordeaux and the Rhone wines. Donna was stuck on Railroad Red so it stands.”

Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah both require a different growing climate (lots of warmth and sunshine), so the Syrah is sourced from the Yakima Valley AVA (specifically Crawford Vineyard near Prosser) and the Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from the Horse Heaven Hills AVA (specifically Martinez Vineyard right across the street from the famed Champoux Vineyards). The Pinot Noir is from their own estate grapes (the Puget Sound AVA). Those of you in the know are aware that Pinot Noir is challenging to grow and make into wine (I call it the “picky princess of the grape family”) and the fact that Chuck can create superb Pinot Noir in Western Washington is a testament to his high knowledge and skill.

Skagit Crest Vineyard & Winery Railroad Red

Railroad Red: a genius blend of Washington reds.

So let’s take a closer look at the  Skagit Crest Vineyard & Winery 2019 Railroad Red. Three distinctly delicious Washington wines from three different locales, happily carousing in one blend:

  • $30/bottle
  • 13.5% ABV
  • 2019 Blend is 50% Pinot Noir/30% Syrah/20% Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Deep ruby color, full body, dry
  • Well-integrated gripping tannins
  • High, mouth-watering acidity
  • Aromas/flavors: cherry, strawberry, dusty plum, red flower (hibiscus or geranium?), vanilla, touch of chocolate, baking spice, earth (clay or rocks)
  • Finish/length: bright finish, but long, warm, complex, unfolding, lovely

The wine description reads, “Bright berry and cherry aromas with light hints of oak. Cherry and plum on the front to mid-palate. Peppery tones with gravelly earthy flavors in the back palate, lingering bright finish.”

The photo above is of the 2018 label. I love the 2018 blend and also enjoyed the 2019 blend, although they are very different. The 2018 was very round and plush and juicy, but still with that great structure and overall balance I love. That year’s blend consisted of 50% Pinot Noir, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% Syrah.

The 2019 blend is wonderful. Because of the high acidity, the 2019 could age a few more years and become really interesting and “gentler” but it’s great to drink now, too. Give your bottle a day or so after opening and that will soften the acid a bit and open up more flavors.

I cannot recommend this blend enough. Make haste and visit their tasting room in La Conner or arrange for a private tasting and tour at their Sedro Woolley Vineyard and Winery (available by appointment only). I’ve done both and suggest you do the same!

Hint hint! April is the month of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival – so make your plans now to see the gorgeous tulips and sip the gorgeous Skagit Crest wines.

Cheers! 🙂

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival bloom

You have to see it to believe it. A bloom I snapped at the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in 2022.

A special thank you to Chuck and Donna Jackson for answering my questions. 🙂