This week: Frenchman's Gulch Ketchum Cuvee, Ste. Michelle wins best white at Riverside, cook with Bobby Flay, up next: Spokane, upcoming spring wine fests, events, Hellams Vineyard picks, Wine Knows blog.
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May 6, 2008
Vol. 9, No. 19
Wine Press Northwest's Wine of the Week is an independent opinion based on double- and single-blind tastings.
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Pacific Northwest Wine Of The Week
Frenchman's Gulch 2005 Ketchum Cuvee
Appellation: Washington
Sun Valley's Steve McCarthy shines again with this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (52%) from Alder Creek and Matador vineyards, Merlot (28%) from Dwelley Vineyard and Cabernet Franc from Chandler Reach. It leads off with aromas of cordial cherries, cedar, pencil shavings, a chip of slate and a pinch of earth. It's all chocolate, cherries and tar from the lips to the throat, carried with tremendous balance. Rated "Outstanding" by Wine Press Northwest magazine.
Price: $20.
Cases produced: 550 cases . Look for this in wine shops or groceries or order directly from the winery.
Food matches: This luscious red wine will pair well with grilled or roasted meats and vegetables or hearty Italian dishes.
Frenchman's Gulch, 360 Ninth St. E. Ste. 9, Ketchum, ID 83340, 208-726-0118, http://www.frenchmansgulch.com
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Recent wines of the week
-- L'Ecole No. 41 2006 Chardonnay, Columbia Valley
-- Owen Roe 2006 The Kilmore Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District
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Best Buys
-- Lone Canary 2006 Barbera, Wahluke Slope, $15
-- Magnificent Wine Co. 2006 Fish House Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $10
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More about Frenchman's Gulch
Steve McCarthy owns the only winery in southern Idaho's Sun Valley area. The region best known for skiing and Ernest Hemingway is not known for grape growing, though the bulk of the Snake River Valley appellation is not too far away.
McCarthy sources his grapes in Washington's Columbia Valley. Because of federal laws, he cannot list any appellation other than "Washington" on the label. Until recently, he received grapes from Matador Vineyard, which was purchased by the owners of Quilceda Creek last year.
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Ste. Michelle wins best white at Riverside
Chateau Ste. Michelle not only makes the most Riesling in the world, but it also makes some of the finest, as evidenced last weekend when the Woodinville, Wash., winery's 2007 Dry Riesling won "Best White Wine" at the highly regarded Riverside International Wine Competition in Southern California. The wine retails for $10.
Ste. Michelle also won a gold medal for its Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon.
Willamette Valley Vineyards of Turner, Ore., and Maryhill Winery of Goldendale, Wash., each won unanimous double gold medals.
Also winning gold medals from the Northwest were: Willamette Valley Vineyards, Canyon's Edge, Volcano Vineyards, Robert Karl Cellars, Coeur d'Alene Cellars, Kiona Vineyards Winery, San Juan Vineyards and Walter Dacon Wines.
See the entire list of medal winners at:
http://www.winepressnw.com/medals/story/9773496p-9694460c.html
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Cook with Bobby Flay
Celebrity chef Bobby Flay and Columbia Crest are teaming up for a recipe contest called "Flayvors of Washington." All you need to do is come up with an original recipe that uses ingredients from an approved list and pairs with a Columbia Crest Grand Estates wine.
The winner gets a trip to New York to cook with Flay and dine at one of his restaurants. The contest runs through May.
More information, including the list of approved Washington ingredients:
http://community.winepressnw.com/node/834
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Up next: Spokane
A dozen Spokane wineries will fling open their doors to Mothers Day weekend visitors this Friday-Sunday.
Spokane has become a hot bed for top-end wineries using grapes from Washington's Columbia Valley. Of particular interest to you should be Barrister, Robert Karl, Townshend and Lone Canary. Also check out longtime wineries such as Arbor Crest, Caterina, Knipprath, Mountain Dome and Latah Creek, as well as newcomers Vintage Hill and Nodland.
For more info, go to:
http://www.spokanewineries.net/
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Upcoming spring wine fests, events
The annual Yakima Valley Spring Barrel Tasting weekend unofficially marks the beginning of the wine-touring season in the Pacific Northwest. Here's a quick rundown so you can begin mapping out your strategy:
May 1-10: Okanagan Valley Spring Wine Festival
May 9-11: Spokane Spring Barrel Tasting
May 16-18: North Central Washington Barrel Tasting
May 24-26: Willamette Valley Memorial Weekend in Wine Country
May 24-26: Olympic Peninsula Spring Barrel Tasting
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Hellams Vineyard picks
Wine Press Northwest correspondent Jon Bauer met with Jeff Hellam, owner of Hellams Vineyard, a wine shop in La Conner, Wash. Jeff talked about some of his favorite Washington wines (at the moment).
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
The Wine Knows, Wine Press Northwest's blog, is getting updated almost daily (and sometimes more than daily). Recent highlights include:
-- Leonetti tests alternative closure
-- You and Bobby Flay
-- Walla Walla weekend
-- Vineyard coming along
-- Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling tops Riverside judging
-- NW wineries fare well at Riverside judging
-- 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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Pacific Northwest Wine Shop Directory
OLY'S WINE CELLAR
402 N. Tower Ave., Centralia, WA 98531. Great NW wines, tastings, gifts, wine art & accessories
360-736-2857
CORNELL WINE COMPANY, Portland
14740 NW Cornell Rd. #90. Open Tues - Sat 10-7 pm. Tastings: Friday & Saturday
(503) 531-3981
mick@cornellwine.com
http://www.cornellwine.com
