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I've spoken to a half-dozen winemaker in the past two days and asked each how the grapes were looking. I heard a lot of long sighs followed by concerns about when - or if - the grapes would ever ripen in the Northwest.
Ste. Michelle Wine Estates’ operating profit rose 30 percent to $14.8 million in the second quarter, according to a securities filing by its Connecticut-based parent company, UST.
This week: Heymann Whinery Cab. Syrah fading? WPNW columnist launches food blog. Web changes in works. Wine list competition. Vineyard update. Wine Knows blog.
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July 15, 2008
Vol. 9, No. 29
Wine Press Northwest's Wine of the Week is an independent opinion based on double- and single-blind tastings.
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Heymann Whinery 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation: Yakima Valley
Go ahead. Make fun of this winery's spelling, but this Centralia, Wash., outfit has a serious side, seen with this production from Harold Pleasant's vineyard in Prosser. Cassis, blueberry, tobacco leaf and anise aromas take form on the palate with nice elegance. The fruit is jammy yet balanced by restrained tannins and alcohol, even-handed barrel management and a pinch of black pepper in the finish. Rated "Outstanding" by Wine Press Northwest magazine.
Price: $21.
Cases produced: 68.
Food matches: Pair this with lean cuts of beef, such as flank steak.
Heymann Whinery, 108 N. Tower Ave., Centralia, WA 98531, 360-623-1106, http://www.heymannwhinery.com
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-- Ponzi Vineyards 2006 Vino Gelato, Willamette Valley
-- Novelty Hill 2005 Stillwater Creek Vineyard Merlot, Columbia Valley
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-- David Hill Winery & Vineyard 2006 Estate Sweet Simplicity, Willamette Valley, $10
-- Claar Cellars 2005 White Bluffs Cab-Merlot, Columbia Valley, $13
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Heymann is a newer, smaller producer that hit my radar earlier this year with, of all things, a fruit wine.
Typically, the best fruit wines we see are made from raspberries. Yet the Heymann wine was a cranberry wine with amazing purity of fruit that I have seen unmatched.
It is nice to see this winery producing equally superb grape wines, and that bodes well for its future.
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In this week's Northwest Winecast, winemaker Charlie Hoppes mentions that he bottling his last Syrah for Fidelitas as he focuses his winery on Bordeaux varieties.
This, however, speaks to a trend we're seeing with the excitement for Syrah dulling just a bit. Columnist Dan Berger has noticed this same trend in California, where it's getting really difficult to sell domestic Syrahs in the face of inexpensive imports from Australia.
Three years ago, I thought Syrah would continue to push forward and increase its market share in the Northwest red wine market. Now, I'm not quite so sure. As Charlie says in this week's video show, Syrah still is an easy sell in the state, but it gets a little more difficult outside of the Northwest.
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Braiden Rex-Johnson, our food-pairing columnist, has launched a food-centric blog, focusing on Northwest cuisine.
The blog is called Northwest Notes and can be found at:
http://www.northwestwininganddining.com/pages/northwest-notes/
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Awhile back, I made mention of some significant changes we're making to our Web site (http://www.winepressnw.com) and this weekly newsletter's format. Those changes appear to be imminent, and I hope to have them launched late this week or early next.
Amid the changes will be:
-- A searchable database of the more than 8,000 Northwest wine reviews we've written since 1998.
-- Searchable databases of Northwest wineries and wine shops.
-- A change in format of this weekly missive to HTML from text (finally, after nine years).
-- A lot more content online and in a better-organized format.
It's all still a work in progress, so we'll likely have a few details to work out after re-launch. Keep an eye on The Wine Knows blog for updates.
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It's time for us to judge the 10th annual Great Northwest Wine Lists Competition.
If you run a restaurant, send a PDF of your wine list to edegerman@winepressnw.com or send a hard copy to:
Great Northwest Wine Lists 333 W Canal Dr Kennewick, WA 99336
Deadline is Friday.
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Late last week, we caught up with Charlie Hoppes, owner/winemaker of Fidelitas Wines on Washington's Red Mountain. We met him at Goose Ridge Vineyards to talk about his take on the growing season so far, as well as a new project with Goose Ridge.
You can watch the Northwest Winecast two ways (both free):
On our Web site:
http://www.winepressnw.com/video/vodcast/
On YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/WinePressNW
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The Wine Knows, Wine Press Northwest's blog, is getting updated almost daily (and sometimes more than daily). Recent highlights include:
-- New food blog to bookmark
-- A tasting of Northwest Italians
-- Is interest in Syrah fading?
-- A cautionary tale of overpriced wines
-- Honoring a legend
-- Rose rising
-- And more.
Be sure to check out the blog daily to read updates on the Northwest wine scene. If you are into RSS feeds, you can easily get blog updates throughout the week.
http://community.winepressnw.com
If you are into RSS feeds, you can easily get blog updates.
The URL for the RSS feed is:
http://community.winepressnw.com/node/feed
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Wine Shop & Wine Bar Seattle. 1520 NE 177th. European wines & wine dinners.
206-365-4447
ncwshop@qwest.net
JACKSONVILLE INN WINE & GIFT SHOP
Extensive list of hard-to-find wines. Dinner guests can select from over 2,000 wines
(541) 899-1900 or (800) 321-9344
http://www.jacksonvilleinn.com
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