Add Market Vineyards To Your Portfolio



Market Vineyards Merlot



Back in 2008 three executives from Wadell and Reed financial were sitting in the dining room of Hotel Beijing overlooking the forbidden city. They were beyond talking about their day jobs, and were ready to talk about something that they all loved dearly. Wine. Not just any wine, but really really good Bordeaux styles wines.

Matt Reisenweber, Daniel Schulte, and Steve Anderson formed Market Vineyards in their minds that night, and soon added Bob Bertsch to their dream. With two of the partners being right here in the Tri-Cities region they were sold on making sure that the wine was sourced and made here. They looked high and low for just the right winemaker, and decided that the only man for the job was Charlie Hoppes from Richland, Washington.

If you haven’t heard about Charlie Hoppes, and his fantastic wines you are obviously not into wine. Charlie either currently makes, or has made wines for just about every top winery in this region. He is quite possibly the Godfather of Washington wine. His reputation and accolades are miles long.

This week I had the opportunity to visit my friend, and Market Vineyards salesperson Erin Sagadin at the Richland tasting room. I’ve known and worked with Erin and her husband Christopher for many years and it was great getting to taste through the wines and get to catch up with her.

Market Vineyards wines are all given financial names in accord with the partner’s background. The first that I tasted was their 2010 Liquidity. The wine is a 50/50 blend of Viognier and Roussanne that was sourced from Gamache Vineyards. Liquidity offers a light gardenia and pear on the nose and palate with a long acidic finish. Serve with anything creamy or buttery.

The 2007 Benchmark is the winery’s first Merlot. It is 100% Merlot sourced from Stillwater, Weinbau, and Conner-Lee. This wine has fantastic dark stone fruit, and a wonderful velvet texture that finished for me like buttermilk.



Erin Sagadin serving customers in the tasting room.



Market Vineyards 2008 Benchmark is sourced at Stillwater Creek and Conner-Lee. This wine is extra large with tons of deep complexity. I loved the baking spices mixed with the dark berries that make this wine go boom.

Basis Points is the name of the winery’s blend. The 2008 is 58% Cab Sauv, 17% Merlot, 17% Cab Franc, and 8% Malbec. Once again sourced from some of Washington’s greatest vineyards. This wine shows a nose of black pepper and mineral, opening to black cherry and currant, moving on to spice box, and finishing with berry pie notes. Very long and complex with soft tannins.

The 2008 Arbitrage is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is sourced from Gamache, Stillwater Creek, and Red Mountain. This wine hits all of my flavor profile and is one that I could drink all night. Full of fruit, spices, and delicate tannin.

Last, I tasted the 2008 Acquisition. This is Market Vineyard’s member’s only wine. Sourced of 100% Red Mountain fruit, this wine offers tons of dark fruit, earthy notes, and spicy complexity. Absolutely fabulous!

Located in Queensgate Villiage in Richland, the winery is open late on weekends and nights when they offer music, so make this one your last stop. You can also pick it up where fine wines are sold throughout the region.

Enjoy!

Social Media Is Changing The Way We Drink Wine

Last night I went to a great wine tasting event. I met a lot of new people and had a great time laughing and comparing notes with the 100 or so other people in the room. I wore my workout shorts and t-shirt, and when it was all over I went upstairs and went to bed.

So, now you’re probably wondering what wine bar I live above? I don’t, unless you want to call my dusty basement closet a wine bar. No. Last night I went to a wine “tweet up”.

After dragging my feet on Twitter ,Facebook, blogging and every other type of social media out there, I have slowly been coming around to the whole concept. I started tweeting officially sometime around Christmas and now have just under 400 wine drinking friends.

The amazing thing with Facebook and Twitter is that I can read articles, opinions, and reviews not only once a week, but all day and night every day of the week. The discussion is open ended. I can read someone else’s opinion, and then turn right around and give my own. Input is usually relegated to short sentences, so I’m not forced to listen to someone’s long, boring diatribe.

With Facebook and Twitter, both have extensive lists of vintners and their employees. You’re not always getting the public PR scoop from the marketing department. You are able to talk directly to the cellar rat or the tasting room employee who has their feet on the ground every day.

In several cases here locally you can reach out and have a personal conversation with the actual winemakers regularly. I have daily conversations with Charlie Hoppes, Neil Cooper, Rich Funk, Marie Eve Gilla, and Cameron Kontos. I know when Robert Smasne is in town, or at his tasting room in Woodinville. I know when the new release of Bookwalter Cabernet Sauvignon comes out immediately, and where the release party is going to be.

Over the next few weeks there are going to be several wine tweeting events. Some are being held at wineries such as Desert Wind Winery in Prosser. Taste Washington in Seattle the last weekend of this month will be a huge “tweet up”. I’ll be there, and would love to see you at the event.

These events are options for people to physically get together, meet, and establish friendships over a glass of wine. Afterwards, you can keep that relationship going by tweeting with those friends on an ongoing basis.

Another option is to attend a tweet discussion. I will be the guest “specialist” in a tweet discussion happening between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. on March 10th. The way to join the discussion is go to go to www.twitter.com and signing up for an account. You can follow me by searching @onerichwineguy. Once you’ve found me click in the “follow” box. I’ll then follow you in return!

On the 10th at about 6 p.m., once you’ve got your account, type in #socialwine in the search window on the right side of the screen. Grab a glass of wine and join the conversation. If you want to add in your own thoughts just type #socialwine in the body of the status sentence and it will be listed for the group to see. Cool huh?

This event is in an interview format. I encourage you to send me questions through my blog at www.onerichwineguy.blogspot.com or you can direct message me on Twitter before the event.

See you there!!

Goose Ridge Winery A Perfect Place For Ending

This week’s article starts with a bittersweet farewell to a friend. Yesterday I attended the funeral of Bob Dykes. If you are a frequent visitor to tasting rooms in the Columbia Valley, you’ve probably run into Bob and his beautiful wife Kathleen. Bob worked in his retirement for several years in the Barnard Griffin tasting room, and Kathleen has represented different wines and wineries as a distributor for many years. Many people were touched by Bob’s sense of humor, knowledge of wines, and his famous gourmet chili.

Several hundred people, including some of the winemaking elite from the region gathered at Goose Ridge last night to remember Bob. One of the reasons why the reception was held at Goose Ridge was because Bob would only want his friends drinking the best. With that, I’m going to share with you my tasting notes from Goose Ridge in his honor.

For those not familiar with Goose Ridge Winery, it is probably one of the easiest Washington wineries for those living in Eastern Oregon to get to. Simply drive north on I-82 until you reach the Dallas Road exit in the Tri-Cities. Take a right and go 200 yards off the exit to reach the winery entrance.

Owned by the Monson family, Goose Ridge’s winemaking is left up to the fine hands and mind of one of the greatest winemakers in the region, Charlie Hoppes. Charlie, while working on his own Fidelitas brand, and helping out several other fledgling wineries, has spent considerable focus over these past years creating beautiful wines for the Monsons.

As for the wines, I’ll start off by talking about the 2008 Pinot Gris. The wine has a slightly floral aroma with bright citrus flavors mixed with honey and melons. It reminds me of Easter Brunch as I swirl it in my glass. The acid levels in the wine make the finish just the right length.

My experience of the 2007 Chardonnay was just as pleasant. Tropical scents on the nose, with flavors of pineapple, pear, crisp apple, and vanilla. The finish is creamy and smooth showing just the right amount of malolactic fermentation mixed with the right amount of time on the oak.

The 2007 G3 Red Blend is a mixture of 48% Syrah, 28% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, and topped with 2% Malbec. This wine lifted from the glass with a nose of currants and blackberry jam. Flavors of cherries and vanilla give it a hearth-like warmth, with a long delicate finish.

2006 was a good year for Merlot in the Columbia Valley. The 2006 Estate Merlot is a perfect example of what this grape is capable of in the right conditions and good treatment. Currants, black cherry, and vanilla on the nose translate directly to the tongue with an addition of baking spices on the back of the palate. A long silky caramel finish makes this Merlot quite memorable.

Last, the 2005 Sol Duc is one of my favorites from this region. Made by Charlie Hoppes for Goose Ridge, and distributed through Precept Wine Brands, this wine is simply fantastic. Blackberry and dark cherry jam on the nose, with flavors of cassis, blackberry, and cherries mixed with rich vanilla and baking spices.

I hope you take the time to visit Goose Ridge soon. In the mean time I know it is available through many stores and restaurants in Eastern Oregon and Washington.

Enjoy!

Fidelitas Wines Consistently Good

In every industry there is someone who just simply hits it out of the ballpark every time. You know that person. They are the one with the Midas touch. No matter what they do, no matter what they produce, it is always just simply better than the others. People try to imitate their style or their products, but can never create at the same level that they do. These people are simply artisans of their craft.

One such person is Charlie Hoppes, the owner and winemaker for Fidelitas Winery. I’ve known and followed Charlie for years. I’ve even sat behind him in church on Sundays. Not that I’m a stalker. We just happen to live somewhat parallel lives.

What impresses me consistently about Charlie and his winemaking is his clean and no nonsense approach to the business. Every bottle, whether highly acclaimed or his quiet work as an advisor to other wineries, is absolutely beautiful. There is no “just bottle it” mentality that you see with other vintners. If it isn’t Charlie’s best, you aren’t going to taste it.

The other thing you’ll soon note about Charlie, once you get to meet and know him, is that he is a genuinely nice and sincere person. His word is as good as his wine.

Last week I attended a tasting at the AVA Wine Room in Kennewick that featured several Fidelitas wines. For a small fee of $20 we enjoyed four different Fidelitas wines and hors d’ vores. A fifth wine, his newest vintage of Merlot, was poured as a thank you gift from Charlie and appreciated by all.

We started the tasting with the 2007 Semillon. This clean, dry Semillon is simply beautiful. Multiple layers of citrus and floral scents and flavors lead to a wonderfully crisp finish. Perfect with soft cheeses, salads, or spicy foods.

The first red we sampled was the 2005 “Eight” Syrah. Eight is Charlie’s selection of his best eight barrels of Syrah from each vintage. Highly limited in production, and truly divine, the 2005 Eight features flavors of bright cherry, raspberry, and licorice. If you like really good Syrah, you better get this one while it lasts. The 2005 is Charlie’s finale to Syrah, never to be made again.

The 2006 Columbia Valley Cabernet is a perfect example of what Columbia Valley fruit is supposed to offer. Flavors of Black Cherry and Licorice fill the mouth. A gentle mouthfeel and long tannins on the finish.

Next, we enjoyed the 2006 Ciel Du Cheval Cabernet. Just awarded a Wine Spectator “94”, the Ciel has a wonderful palate of blueberries, cola, and dark chocolate. This bottle was absolutely fantastic!

Last, we enjoyed a special treat of Fidelitas 2005 Columbia Valley Merlot. Dark stone fruit flavors, black cherry, mocha, and cassis fill the palate. A delicate and long lasting finish with just enough tannin to balance the fruit make this wine a favorite of mine. Yum!!

If you want to try any of these wines, I know that they are fully distributed in both Pendleton and Hermiston. You can pick them up at any of the local wine shops, and at several of the finer dining establishments.

Enjoy!

New Vintages Rolling Out Of Area Wineries

Hooray! We are now in one of my very favorite times of the year. The bulbs are breaking through the soil. The days guarantee sunshine broken every few moments by torrential rains or even wet snow. Everything is just on the edge of coming out of winter hibernation. Most important to me is that the region’s wineries are releasing their new vintages and retiring the old ones.

At Terra Blanca, Keith & Renee Pilgrim just held their annual Onyx release weekend. If you haven’t ever attended this annual gala, I can truly tell you that you are missing out. Keith & Renee pull out all of the stops, sharing their wine with the public. This includes even their special library wines at unbelievable prices.

My wife and I had a wonderful time at the winery’s Onyx dinner. The entire meal, catered by Leo’s Blue Moon, was entirely paired with red wines, which I considered brilliant!

I was very impressed with the 2005 Onyx. Keith makes every other vintage immediately drinkable, opposed to a vintage that must lay down a few years. This year’s Onyx is a little tight in the bottle, but with a little swirling of the glass opened up beautifully with plenty of stone fruit and spice, slight tones of lavender, leather, and a wonderful balance of tannin.

Charlie Hoppes has also released his newest vintage of Fidelitas M100 and 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon. I ran into Charlie the other night at a tasting, and enjoyed several wines from his portfolio from his Semillon to his 2004 Malbec.

The 2007 Fidelitas M100 is named after Hoppe’s Grandmother Mary who was honored with the label on her 100th birthday a few years ago. Mary’s name lives on with this amazing Bordeaux blend. Filled with beautiful, jammy plum and dark fruit flavors, laced lightly with cedar and smoke. This new vintage is every bit as drinkable as it is affordable.

The Fidelitas 2006 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is another of Hoppe’s amazingly artistic treats. His steadfast dedication to Bordeaux wines is clearly evident by the way he continues to make really good Cab. Like the 2005, I was impressed with the flavors of black cherry, blackberries, and licorice. It has a long, lingering finish with a beautiful balance of fruit and tannin.

Fidelitas 2006 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon fills the nose with blackberries and herbs. This dark, rich wine shows all of the best of the LaTour and Windrow vineyards that the grapes were sourced from. I especially enjoyed the long finish and silky mouthfeel.

The great thing about both of these wineries and their wines is that they are readily available throughout Eastern Oregon. You can find any of these vintages at local wine shops and establishments.

Economy Having A Dangerous Effect On Local Wineries

The wine business, much like every other industry that profits off of people’s extracurricular spending, is being greatly affected by the current economy. This is being seen here in the Washington and Oregon AVAs especially these past few months.

Last summer, when I walked into most winery tasting rooms, I was usually lucky not to stand in a long line of drinkers waiting to sample the wares. Nowdays, I can walk into the tasting room and pretty much enjoy the entire facility to myself.

Tasting room staff, winemakers, and owners throughout the Northwest are telling me that they aren’t seeing the boom of tourists that they’ve enjoyed in the last few years. Walla Walla wineries seem to be the hardest hit, as Seattle residents aren’t making the treks that they had been to spend long weekends enjoying fine wines and foods.

The truth is that people aren’t willing to spend 50 to 100 dollars on a bottle of wine, like they did one or two years ago. The wineries who offer nothing but expensive blends and varietals are getting hit the hardest. Membership only wineries are losing members from their lists faster than you can say “corkscrew”. People are still enjoying wine. Most just aren’t willing to be as frivolous as they were a few months ago. This environment is leaving a wonderful gap for innovators and smart winemakers to profit even in these times.

I’ve had the opportunity in the last few weeks to taste some amazing wines that fit this gap. Importers are having a heyday right now by bringing in absolutely fantastic wines at ridiculously low prices. Some of the wines that I’ve been enjoying are stunning. And, as I look at the bottle, I wonder how they even got such nice glass and corks, much less really great tasting juice for the prices that they are offering.

One importer that I’ve become acquainted with is Southern Wine Group. They specialize in wines from South America. The other wine importer that has been doing a fantastic job of supplying really good imports for years is Palm Bay. Palm Bay has holdings in several continents and countries.

Another group that is using the same concept on a regional level is a company called Precept. They are creating and offering local wines, often made by award winning local winemakers such as Charlie Hoppes, Victor Cruz, and Charles Smith.

The following is a list of my must try wines from these suppliers. If you haven’t had them already, I suggest you give them a sip. From Southern Wine Group I suggest GLAM, Carlos Basso Signature Blend, and Marchiori & Barraud Cuartel Dos Malbec.

From Palm Bay, I suggest trying Citra Montepulciano. It is available in most grocery stores. Also, I am very impressed with Stracalli Chianti, Col d’ Orcia, and you’ve already head my raves about Gosset Champagne.

As for Precept Brands, look for fun labels such as Pine & Post varietals, Huck, House Wine, and the Waterbrook varietals and blends. These are all available at grocery stores and restaurants in the area.

I hope you enjoy trying these wines. If you can’t find them, please ask at your favorite wine shop. By the way, if you enjoy my article, I invite you to join my new blog. It is at http://www.onerichwinegy.blogspot.com/ . I look forward to hearing from you there.