Member Ian Shane presented wines he had selected from excellent suppliers in Washington State, an up-and-coming US wine region, the second largest in the US after California. Some were from the rare 2018 vintage, and several are unobtainable now, even in the US.
Ian provided helpful information on the area. He introduced us to its American Viticultural Areas, AVAs, geographically defined regions. Washington State currently has 21, which vary significantly by size, climate, terroir, and the grape varieties planted. We also had a map, vintage chart, and a note of the terroirs, weather and day temperatures in the different regions. There are over 1,000 wineries and 400 grape growers
Lu & Oly, We Sat Down by the Ocean, 2018, €38 (prices paid for wines in American dollars)
Viognier 60%, Chardonnay 40%. The 2018 vintage was notably warm in much of the growing season. There were ideal weather conditions at ripening and at harvest. “Big colour, big flavours,” said one winemaker.
An easy drinking wine, medium bodied with a long finish. Aromas of pear and apple, and the palate shows tropical fruit and stone fruits, balanced with a little oak.
Delille Cellars, Sagemoor Vineyards, Riesling 2022, €37
An agreeable Riesling, fresh and full bodied. Top of Form
Owen Roe Abbot’s Table 2021, €30
Sangiovese 38%, Zinfandel 28%, Blaufrankisch 18%, Grenache 10%, Malbec 6%
An unusual, even odd, combination for this blend. Red fruit aromas and palate. Great fruit and balanced acidity, with some tannin – there was discussion about whether it was too tannic or not enough. Not unlikeable but of course it was hard to place: “confusing” was one comment!
DeLille Cellars, Le Dessein, 2022, $47
This was a more familiar blend of Grenache 47%, Mourvedre 34% and Syrah 19%, and generally we felt it was more successful than the previous wine. More overt than Rhône wine from these grapes. Bursting with fruit. A little sweetness on the palate. and a lengthy, spicy finish. Tasting well now, it would keep for several years.
Pollard, Merlot, 2018, $36
Merlot 79%, Cabernet Sauvignon 21%. Another wine from the 2018 vintage. A complex bouquet with plum, cherry and black fruits, and a savoury taste. Integrated tannins.
Andrew Will, Two Blondes Vineyard Red, 2018, $82
Merlot 64%, Cabernet Franc 20% , Cabernet Sauvignon 12%, Malbec 4%
Two Blondes is a single-vineyard site, planted with these Bordeaux varieties. Again, the 2018 vintage.
Dark fruit, spice, and a “leaf” taste, “autumnal”, from the Merlot. Fruit forward. Still tannic. Nicely proportioned, full bodied with a long finish. It will last.
Gramercy Cellars, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2018 $60
This and the next wine from Gramercy Cellars are their premier wines. They said: “To say the 2018 vintage is exceptional would be an understatement…. near-perfect”.
We found complex aromas and palate, including red fruit, dark cherry, graphite, spice. Still developing. It showed balanced tannins, elegance, structure and depth.
Gramercy Cellars, John Lewis Syrah, 2018, $149
We had hoped for much, but sadly this wine, at least this bottle, disappointed us and was not generally liked. We got practically nothing from the nose and the taste was unappealing.
Stuart Leaf from the US, who is a member of the IWFS Wines Committee, joined us this evening. He kindly brought a bottle from his own cellar:
Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, 2010, $250
Mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, a tiny dash of Merlot. A high ABV at 15.2%, Opulent, full bodied, concentrated fruit, yet refined, multi-dimensional and balanced. It’s a classy wine, and was a splendid conclusion to the tasting.
Our appreciative thanks to Ian Shane for sourcing the wines and presenting this tasting, and to Stuart Leaf for generously sharing the last bottle.
Rachel Burnett