Zefina Wines A Great Example of Horse Heaven Fruit

Located out in the far reaches of the Horse Heaven Hills is a vineyard named Alder Ridge. It is a beautiful place, although remote, where wine grapes are able to become all that they need to be in order to make great wines. Next door to the most highly acclaimed Champoux vineyards, where some of the Northwest’s most prestigious grapes are grown, Alder Ridge may not have the same geneology, but it isn’t bad either.

Enter a young, highly trained winemaker, whom I’ve written about before concerning his own private label “Thirsty Pagans”. Rob Chowaneitz lives and breathes everything that is Alder Ridge. Under the financial and management support of a great company called Corus, Rob makes wine for the Zefina winery.

As part of the Corus family of wines, Zefina is not open to the public. The only way you can find the wines is by buying them through distributors or grocery retailers. I hadn’t seen the wines before, but found them on a local at my neighborhood Grocery Outlet shelf and decided to give them a try.

I took the time to taste some of the Zefina wines this week, and found them to be very satisfying, and also very affordable. Here are four of the wines I tasted:

The Serience White is chowaneitz’s white blend of 50% Rousanne and Viognier. I will admit that I was a little afraid of this one, because the vintage was a few years old. However, I found the wine to be quite free of oxidation. Bright and straw-like in the glass, the wine offers nice notes of orange blossoms, mineral, and lemon rind. On the palate, I tasted fresh gooseberry and lemon. The acids cleansed the palate nicely.

The 2007 Viognier also offers bright straw colors in the glass. Bright fresh tropical fruit on the nose, with hints of baking spices. The flavors are more of the same. The tropical notes take off and add in a nice cinnamon on the center of the tongue, with added bonus of a little bananas foster on the finish. I would serve this with a nice creamy fish dish. If I had some camerones la crema while tasting this wine I would have loved the pairing!

Next, I tried the Serience Red Blend. Once again this was a 2007 vintage. I think that this was possibly my favorite wine of the night. This blend of 44% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 11% Cinsault, 3% Mourvedre, and 2% Counoise is very rich and smooth indeed. Dark red, leading to purple in the glass it definitely looks like a wine with full-bodied potential. The nose is rich with blackberry, dark cherry, and even a little blueberry with vanilla mixed in for measure. The flavors are rich and very smooth. I loved the careful balance of fruit, alcohol, and tannin. This is definitely a wine to be enjoyed by itself as well as food.

Last, I tasted the 2007 Zinfandel. One of the things I love about Horse Heaven region Zinfandel is that it tends to be rich in flavor, without being too cloying on the finish. This one definitely shows some natural sweetness at the end, but really that is just an afterthought. The wine is deep red in the glass, with the spicy richness of bing cherries and light oak. I enjoyed this wine very much with a Putenesca sauce and pasta.

At $5.99 per bottle each, all of these wines were well worth their price and a whole lot more.

Enjoy!

Canyon’s Edge Tasting Room Opens In South Kennewick

Every day the world gets a little smaller. At least it is in the world of wine. Lately there have been a number of wineries that I haven’t heard from in a long time suddenly coming back into my life again. I guess it goes to show that you should never burn bridges. Your next glass of wine might be coming across that bridge tomorrow.

One such winery that I hadn’t herd from in a while was Canyon’s Edge Winery located out on Aldercreek Canyon in the Horse Heaven Hills. Owned by the Groth family, Canyon’s Edge was known for years mostly for its amazing grapes. The Alder Ridge site is source of thousands of barrels of local wine from the region. Many acclaimed winemakers either mix or use Alder Ridge juice in the making of their wines.

In 2003 the Groths decided to make their own wine, creating a limited bottling of Cab, Syrah, and Merlot as well as a Red Blend and a Rose. Their tasting room in Prosser was always a mandatory stop for me when I was in town. Little did I know that Canyon’s Edge had come to meet me in the Tri Cities until I arrived at the new tasting room yesterday and recognized the name.

I was greeted warmly at the door by tasting room manager Lee Carew, who gave me a tour of the facility and tasted me through their portfolio. The tasting room is a beautiful two level suite with a bar made out of barrel staves, big fluffy chairs, and a fantastic patio.

Canyon’s Edge has added several new wines to their list this year. Their portfolio is extensive, but I want to share some of my favorites.

First, I was impressed with their newly released 2008 Sauvignon Blanc. This one hits the spot. Just enough lemongrass and citrus to cleanse the palate with seafood or cream sauces, but enough creaminess to make it good for just enjoying on a warm evening.

The 2005 Rose’ of Syrah was very pleasant. A bit sweet to the taste, but very low in sugar. Most of the sweetness just comes from the bold fruit flavors of blackberry, cherry, and a hint of herbs that makes the wine jump from the glass. Definitely a porch wine for this spring.

One of the Canyon’s Edge wines that turned my head years ago was the Sagebrush Red. The 2006 vintage lives up to my expectations. Very well priced for what it offers, Sagebrush is a wonderful blend of Cab, Merlot, Syrah, and Cab Franc. A nose and flavors of dark stone fruits, with lots of pepper and baking spices.

Another new wine for Canyon’s Edge is their newly released 2005 Sangiovese. Bright cherry and spices jumped right out of the glass. I took a bottle home and enjoyed it with my spaghetti and spicy meat sauce.

Canyon’s Edge also offers a line up of Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve Cabernet, Merlot, Reserve Merlot, and Syrah. Each was delightful to taste. I would highly recommend picking some up.

Last, the day would never be complete without Jeremiah’s Chocolate. A rich dark port-style wine that opens up and ends with dark rich cocoa finish. Mmmmmm!

For a fun adventure I recommend taking the first Tri Cities exit and visiting the Canyon’s Edge tasting room. While you’re here you can visit Anelare and AVA wine rooms next door as well.

Enjoy!

Forgeron Cellars at Wildhorse

Sometimes, I swear, the stars just come into alignment between this column, the wine world, and the great world of Eastern Oregon. When those stars come into line, I actually get to write about something that will give you an opportunity to taste what I write about within just a few days of reading my ever so eloquent words.

Last week I ran into my old friend Patty Wolk, the Marketing Director for Forgeron Cellars. She mentioned to me that she would be pouring wines as the Winery of the Month at Wildhorse Resort’s Plateau Restaurant on February 3rd.

As many of you may already know, the wonderful culinary staff at Wildhorse each month pick a different winery to feature. They carefully prepare a special menu that showcases the wines from that particular winery. Then, they also prepare a special evening in the beginning of that month to hold a “party” in which they bring winery staff in to pour wines along with some specially prepared dishes for the evening. This is a great monthly event, and at $15 per person for wine and food, a deal that really can’t be beat.

Forgeron Cellars is a Walla Walla winery that has held multiple acclaims for the last several years. I have had the pleasure of enjoying their wines many times over those years, and one thing always holds true…their wines are beautifully elegant and easy to drink.

Celebrated winemaker, Marie Eve Gilla, is a rarity in this region. Her training isn’t local, or even from California. She is a graduate of Dijon, and studied in Burgundy for many years before coming to America to research winemaking. Her intention was not to stay, but remain in this region is just what has happened. Marie Eve and her husband Gilles, famed winemaker at Longshadows, fell in love with the people and the grape growing climate, and have made it their permanent home.

I recently tasted the wines to be featured on February 3rd at the Plateau, and thought I’d share my tasting notes with you.

Chardonnay is Marie Eve’s flagship wine. She is truly a virtuoso with this grape. The 2007 is what I believe to be one of her best ever. The grapes are sourced from throughout the best vineyards throughout Eastern Washington. The wine has aromas of apples and tree fresh peaches. The flavors match the aroma up front, becoming creamy, and then followed with a crisp finish.

Walldeaux Smithie is Forgeron’s idea of a fun “everyday” red blend. But, don’t let the cute label and name fool you. The juice is sourced from some of the most respected vineyards in the United States: Alder Ridge, Pepperbridge, Klipsun, and Boushey. Marie carefully blends different vintage sources and years to come up with the juicy flavors that she wants to showcase in this blend. Aromas and flavors of blueberry, blackberry, and vanilla to open, with a nicely rounded finish of peppercorn and silky tannins make this one of my favorite everyday wines.

Zinfandel is another of Marie Eve’s strong suits. The 2005 is a dark plum color in the glass, with aromas of licorice, blackberries, and white pepper. The flavors are a mixture of dark cherries and blueberries. A long finish makes this a great wine to pair with bison, ribs, or wild game.

I hope you can make it out to the Plateau on the 3rd to taste these wines and the pairings by the Wildhorse chefs. Tell them I sent you!

Enjoy!

San Juan Vineyards Offers Beautiful Grounds and Refreshing Wines

Sometimes I just have to pinch myself. “Ouch!” Ok, I’m not dreaming. I really do live in the greatest country, in the greatest region, and get to do for a living what I love every day. This week is one of those weeks where I really am pinching myself over an over again.

I just returned from a one week school for professional photographers on San Juan Island. My favorite part of the whole week, was on Tuesday evening when we took some time to visit San Juan Vineyards to photograph the vineyards and the staff, eat dinner, and drink wine.

San Juan Vineyards is located on the North Eastern side of the island near Roche Harbor. It is just a few miles from the ferry dock, and easily accessible by bicycle or moped if you decide to leave your car on the mainland. 60 acres of beautiful landscaping and vineyards, with a little church, covered events area, and plenty of room to roam make the vineyard a great event center to host parties or a beautiful wedding.

Owner, Yvonne Swanberg, warmly met us at the tasting room. The vineyard, started by her late husband, and friend Tim Judkins, has been producing wines since 1999. Cutting-edge winemaker Chris Primus joined the winery in 2006. His background as assistant for vintners in Willamete Valley prepared him to create food friendly wines in even cool climates. His whites are bone dry, and his reds are dark and structured.

I had the opportunity to sample through several of Chris’ wines, and thoroughly enjoyed every one. The first that I found to be exceptional was the ‘07 Siegerrebe. Siegerrebe is a cool weather grape varietal that has a lot of characteristics of a Pinot Grigio. It is cool and crisp, with flavors of pear and citrus. With a residual sugar of .06% it is a great wine to pair with fish, or sip on the deck on a summer evening.

The second wine that I found exceptional was the ’07 Madeline Angevine. This is also a fairly rare varietal that is suited to grow well in cool, wet climates. Chris has done an exceptional job in creating a dry wine with flavors of melon and citrus. It tasted to me like I was eating cold honeydew right off the vine. Crisp, yet flavorful, this wine would pair very well with Alfredo or other cream sauces.

The ’07 “Afterglow” is a fantastic Rose’. The wine is a blend of several red grapes from the Horse Heaven Hills AVA, mixed with San Juan Vineyard’s own Madeline grapes. Nicely balanced with good acidity, fruit, and depth.

How does a winemaker in a cold climate create an award winning Merlot? He sources his grapes. Chris created his 2005 Merlot from Alder Ridge and Kestrel Vineyard fruit. This wine has great color, depth, and textures. I especially loved the flavors of cocoa and chipotle mixed into the deep rich stone-fruit of cherries and plum. This wine has won several awards, including a recent double gold.

Next time you are planning a trip to San Juan Island, take the time to visit the vineyards. Tell my friends there that I sent you!

Some Of My Best Friends Are Thirsty Pagans

There are some times in life where you just have to put your religion aside and enjoy life for what it is. One of those times is when it comes to drinking wine.

Being the good Catholic boy that I am, I’m always careful to keep myself away from associating with or getting messed up with the occasion of sin. I say my prayers before meals and at bed time every evening like I was taught. And, I enjoy a good glass of libation, as long as it’s in moderation.

So, what’s a good boy like me to do when I’m met by a stunningly beautiful woman offering me a glass of ruby red wine. I drink it. I smile. I ask for the whole bottle!

Such was the case last week when I ran into my friend Jeannie Inglis-Chowaneitz. She and her winemaker husband Rob Chowaneitz have released their first bottling from their new winery called…(parents cover your children’s eyes)…”Thirsty Pagans”.

The Chowaneitzs, with good friend Crandall Kyle, started Thirsty Pagans in the harvest of the 2005 vintage. Using their combined skills and love of wines, they have created a fantastic micro-winery that they intend will create no more than 250 cases of wine each year. Their location at Alder Ridge, the heart of the Horse Heaven Hills puts them in a prime location to source the regions best grapes year after year.

Rob Chawaneitz is one of the rising stars in the winemaking business. Working as a cellar rat under John Abbott during the Canoe Ridge days, followed by a stint as the cellar master at Woodward Canyon, Rob now is the head winemaker for Corus Estates where he has worked since 2004. His specialties are bone-dry whites and deeply complex reds.

Jeannie Inglis-Chowaneitz is an equally talented wine marketer. She began her career working as Waterbrook’s club manager, and went on to be the PR and Marketing Director for Cayuse. In 2004 Jeannie started her own wine marketing firm, of which she has several very noteworthy Northwest wineries under her watch.

The first vintage created by Thirsty Pagans is their 2005 “Communion” red wine. A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 5% Malbec, and 5% Petit Verdot is thick and rich with the flavors indicative of the Alder Ridge Vineyard that the grapes are sourced from. In 100% French oak for 22 months, and an additional 12 months of bottle aging tells you that they are in it for quality and not quantity. As extra insurance from cork taint, the Thirsty Pagans chose screw-caps to preserve their wine.

Communion features a nose of cassis, sage, blueberries, and plum. It is dark and rich in the glass. Layered flavors of dark cherry, blueberry, pepper, and baking spices fill your mouth. The tannins are long and silky, leaving you wanting more. At $26 at the winery this is a very good price for an excellent wine.

If you want to try Communion I suggest going to http://www.thirstypagans.com/, or by friends requesting them on Facebook. There are several outlets for the wine in the greater region. If you don’t see it, ask for it.

Enjoy!