Folks who missed the red wine and chocolate extravaganza a couple of weeks ago at the Yakima Valley wineries can get their sugar fix this weekend during the Columbia Valley Winery Association's Sweet Retreat.
Fourteen Mid-Columbia wineries, including the new Tapteil Vineyards, will take part in the event, set from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Other wineries to visit include Badger Mountain/Powers, Barnard Griffin, Bookwalter, Caon de Sol, Claar, Columbia Crest, Gordon Brothers, Hedges, Kiona, Oakwood Cellars, Preston, Seth Ryan and Terra Blanca.
Sweet Retreat will feature sweet white wines such as late harvest, riesling, muscat and gewrztraminer from the Columbia Valley wineries.
Kiona will offer the first sip of its 2001 chenin blanc ice wine. An ice wine this year in Eastern Washington is rare indeed because of our mild winter. In Canada's Okanagan Valley, which specializes in ice wines, winemakers had to wait until January for weather cold enough to make ice wines.
Wine magazine bestows platinum awards
Wine Press Northwest magazine held its annual platinum tasting recently and announced the results in its spring edition.
Eleven wines of 174 that won gold medals in a variety of judgings in 2001 won platinum awards in the tasting.
Columbia Crest, the magazine's Winery of the Year, won two platinum awards, including a rare double platinum for its 1998 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Its other platinum winner was 1998 Grand Estates Cabernet Sauvignon.
Sister winery Chateau Ste. Michelle matched that with platinums for 1999 Cold Creek Vineyard Chardonnay and 1998 Cold Creek Vineyard Merlot.
New releases
The following wines were tasted by a Wine Press Northwest magazine panel. Tasters do not know the winery nor the type of wine when reviewing the wines. A wine must receive a unanimous vote to gain an outstanding rating.
Eaton Hills Winery 2000 Gewrztraminer, Tucker Vineyard, $8 - On the sweeter side with 4 percent residual sugar. Lots of stone fruit characteristics, peaches, apricots and a touch of citrus.
Arbor Crest 1999 Cabernet Franc, Conner Lee Vineyard, $24 - Outstanding, rich, bold red showing aromas of cedar and mint, luscious dark cherries and lots of bright tannins.
Arbor Crest 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $26 - Spicy oak aromas, black cherry flavors, chalky, dry finish. Good steak wine.
Caterina Winery 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon, Willard Vineyard, $27.95 - Spicy oak with vanilla, chewy chocolate, black pepper, well-managed tannins, smooth finish.
Covey Run 1998 Barrel Select Cabernet Sauvignon, Yakima Valley, $15 - Outstanding concentrated black currant aromas, huge complex fruit flavors and easy drinking, long-lived finish.
Silver Lake Winery 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Columbia Valley, $20 - Berry aromas, slight cough syrup flavors with soft tannins and a good finish.
Silver Lake Winery 1998 Merlot Reserve, Columbia Valley, $20 - Slight prune aromas with overripe cherry flavors, lots of tannins.
McCrea Cellars 1999 Chardonnay, Yakima Valley, $23 - Oodles of flavor and aromas, lemon, oak, butterscotch, good acids and high alcohol at 14 percent. Has 10 percent viognier for added "oomph."
Hoodsport nonvintage Bella Cranberry, Washington, $13 - Outstanding. A delightful berry wine, lush and fruity with dead-on cranberry aromas and flavors. Sweet, tasty and delicious for sipping or with a nice forkful of turkey breast.
Hoodsport nonvintage Stella Raspberries, Washington, $12.99 - Outstanding. A stellar raspberry fruit wine that has it all. Great fruit, sweet, rich and full bodied with nice acids.
Bainbridge Island Winery nonvintage Strawberry, Puget Sound, $12.50 for half-sized bottle - Outstanding. For anyone who wants strawberries in liquid form, this is the ticket. Concentrated strawberry aromas leap from the glass, followed by lip-smacking tasty strawberry flavors. Try it with chocolates. It's a fine dessert wine at 8 percent residual sugar.
Hyatt 2000 Black Muscat Ice Wine, $28.99 for half-sized bottle - Outstanding. A delightful sweet-as-honey drink. Residual sugar is 14.5 percent. Spicy with grapefruit and pear perfume, along with essences of orange. Great balance of sugars and acids.
Hyatt 1998 Yakima Valley Red, Three Rocks Vineyard, $35 - A high-end red blend. Nice toasty oak, tar with hints of bacon and leather. Sweet cherry fruit.
Yakima Cellars 2000 Millennium Red, Yakima Valley, $25 - Outstanding. Opulent aromas and flavors that are over the top on the flavor chart for this first-time effort by a new Yakima winery. Dark blackberries, huge cherries and oak and very cabernet-like qualities.
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