Williamson Vineyards A Great Southern Idaho Oasis



The front door of the Williamson Winery. 
Left takes you to the fruit.  Right takes you to the Juice!


No matter where I travel I make it a real point to visit the local wineries. It has been something that my wife and I have done for many years. Just our way of being touristy I suppose.
This last week when we were in the Boise Valley I wanted to make at least one stop in Idaho wine country. It being a Monday, I knew that most of the self respecting places would be closed, recovering from the busy Independence day weekend.

However, we did luck out as we drove toward Lizard Butte outside of Marsing, Idaho. Litterally a driveway away from the Ste Chappelle Winery that I wrote about a few weeks ago, was a winery owned by the Williamson family.

For those of us from the Boise Valley, we grew up knowing that there were basically three major families in the fruit business from that region. The Symms, the Saxtons, and the Williamsons. Little did I know that over all these years, the Williamsons, like the Symms, have gotten very busy in the wine industry.

The Williamson's Many Wine Awards

Williamson Fruit celebrated 100 years in 2009. Originally a homestead of Lillian Williamson and her husband George Gammon. The farm has grown from having to deliver water by horse and trailer to water the trees, to being a major producer of tree fruit in the region.

The Williamson Family got into the wine business about 20 years ago. They saw the success of their neighbors and decided that putting in some vines wouldn’t be a bad idea. A few years ago they entered into an agreement with Rob Koenig from Koenig Winery, which is just down the street about 200 yards.

With Koenig at the winemaking helm, the Williamsons have done very well for themselves. They have acquired many trophies, ribbons, and accolades over the past decade.

We pulled into the fruit stand/winery at the end of the day. The very friendly winery staff actually came out to greet us, and tasted us through their portfolio. Once they found out who I was they even opened a couple of “special” bottles for us to try.

I can’t share with you the notes from the entire portfolio, but these are the notes on my favorites.

The 2011 Dry Riesling is done in an Alsace style, using german yeasts. It is an off-dry with a 1.86 residual sugar, which allows the fruit, spices, and creaminess come through from the malolactic fermentation. This would have been great with a nice buttery scallop.

Williamson’s Rose’ is called Blossom. Made from the 2011 vintage of Sangiovese grapes, this wine is subtley sweet and spicy. The wine shows flavors of wild strawberry, white pepper, and melon.

The 2006 Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon were both very drinkable. I particularly liked the characteristics of the syrah, with dark berries, black cherry, and pepper. The finish was very nice on this wine.

As a special treat I got to taste the 2006 Reserve Petite Syrah. This wine shows great potential for ageing, The nose is rich with dark berries, and the flavors of blackberry, blueberry, pepper, and tobacco make this wine fantastic!
Last, the winery offers several late harvest wines and a nice port. I suggest trying them, as they are all very nice.

You can find Williamson Orchards, and a map to their tasting room at www.willorch.com. I suggest making a stop in the next time you travel through Southern Idaho.

Cheers!

Beautiful View, Nice People, and Great Wine at Kitzke Cellars

Being a wine writer has its benefits, however, I'm usually met with clenched teeth behind the smiles when I visit a tasting room. This was clearly not the case with my visit to Kitzke Cellars this week. As a matter of fact, I received a nicely done e-mail, a phone call from my old friend Robin who now works with Kitzke, and a very warm greeting at the tasting room door by none other than Vickie and Paul Kitzke, the owners.

Kitzke Cellars is located just off Dallas road in West Richland. The easiest way to get there is take Interstate 82 to the Dallas Road exit. Go North, past Goose Ridge winery about 500 yards and you will see the signs on the west side of the road. The winery is located among several nice homes, at the top of the hill overlooking the entire Tri-Cities, Hanford, and the Columbia Reach. The view from the front of the tasting room is truly breathtaking.

The Kitzkes opened their tasting room officially 2 months ago. The family has been actively involved in orchards in the region since the 1970s. Slowly over recent years their orchards have been transformed into vineyards, and now they've started producing their own wines.

As I mentioned, I was met at the door by a very gracious Vickie Kitzke, soon followed by other tasting room staff, and last but not least, Paul.

First to taste was the winery's “Upside Down” label. It is a fun red-blend of Merlot, Cab Sauv, Syrah, and a balance of Cab Franc. Made and labeled in honor of their professional snowboarding son, the wine has flavors of plum, blackberry, and spice. A nice wine for $10.

Next I got to meet the Kitzke's beautiful daughter Janaina, and the wine that her parents named after her. Janaina Sensacao 2006 is a delicate red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc. The wine is ripe with berry fruit, rhubarb, peppery spices, and a soft tannic finish.

Beyond their blends the Kitzkes have an enormous selection of single varietals as well.

The Sangiovese offers a nose and mouth-full of bright cherries, raspberries, and spice box. The light fruit mixed with a nice level of acidity blends well with the short tannins and alcohol to produce a great food wine. I would love to have this with putanesca sauce and penne pasta.

One of my weaknesses is for a good Cabernet Franc. It is hard to do Cabernet Franc well, and I think that the Kitzkes have done a great job with this one. Dark, ripe fruit is balanced nicely with herbs and floral accents. Soft tanins mix with the herbal qualities to give this wine a nice finish.

Next, I tasted the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine offers a nice delicate mouth feel. I could clearly taste the fruit, the mocha on the mid-palate, and the lightly herbal finish to this wine.

I've saved my favorites for last. Kitzke's Syrah and Nebbiolo are definitely the stars of their lineup. My hardest time with these wines was choosing which one I was going to buy a few bottles of. The Syrah offers bright fruit on the front, dark berries on the mid-palate, and a soft finish of spice and lingering fruit. The Nebbiolo is complicated and beautiful. Anise and dark fruit on the front of the palate, mixed with herbs, violets, and finishing with dark cherry and vanilla.

Enjoy!

Barossa Valley Versus Red Mountain…Which Shiraz Stacks Up?

Frequently I’m asked about the difference between Shiraz and Syrah. When I’m asked, I always ask the questioner which one they prefer. They usually can’t really say, but most have a suspicion that the Shiraz is better. The surprise comes when I tell them that they are the same grape, just under a different name.

Actually, Syrah and Shiraz are a branch of the Rhone Noble Varietal Hermitage, who’s name is protected by the French wine growing region by that name. Syrah and Shiraz, although different in name, are by and large, the same grape variety regardless of the region they are from.

However, after several years of pondering, I decided to compare two relatively famous Syrah/Shiraz regions of the world. One local, the other not so local, to see what differences really exist between them.

Locally, I decided on a 2005 Terra Blanca Red Mountain Syrah. The other wine that I chose was a 2005 Cameron Hughes lot 39, from the famed Barossa Valley of South Australia.

Red Mountain, located just outside of Benton City, Washington sits between 500 and 1500 feet above sea level. The Barossa Valley is almost exactly the same altitude range. According to Google Earth they are 13,015 miles away from each other. Also, According to Google, the best way to make this trip is to Kayak from Seattle to Hawaii, to Japan, and then to Australia. Traveling by these means would require 54 days and apparently some good sunscreen.

Both wines were relatively the same price, falling in the just above $10 range. (I wanted this price range because I wanted everyone to be able to replicate my study without going broke.) You can certainly use wines that are much higher in price and quality than what I chose. Some of the most famous vineyards from the Red Mountain Region are Klipsun, and Ceil du Cheval. Penfolds makes a Barossa Valley vineyard that has scored well into the upper 90’s several times over the past decade.

There were differences in the bottles. Terra Blanca uses a Rhone bottle with a real cork, and the Hughes is a Bordeaux bottle with a screw top. The Hughes is 14.5% alcohol and the Terra Blanca is 13.5%.

Upon opening the Terra Blanca, I noticed the familiar smells of dark berries and vanilla. It poured into the glass a dark inky purple. Flavors of dark berry jam layer on the tongue, and finish long and smooth, with fruit and tannin carefully balanced. There is definitely a nice lingering flavor of anise.

The Cameron Hughes poured out of the bottle possibly inkier and darker than the Terra Blanca did. Basically closer to black than purple. Even the bubbles created by pouring were inky. The nose was more veggie, like a bowl of fresh green beans and sliced eggplant. The flavors of fruit were dark, ripe plums.

My decision after virtually traveling over 26,000 miles, and tasting wines from both skilled winemakers on each side of the world, was that both were quite delicious for their own qualities. The Terra Blanca definitely was more berry in its profile, with the Hughes showing more veggie qualities. Both will taste great on their own, or with food.

Personally, I would suggest the Hughes with a Porterhouse, and finish of the night with dark chocolate, gorgonzola, and the Terra Blanca.

Enjoy!

Quality Not Always Easy To Guess by Price

So, I’ve been on a rampage lately. I’ve been working hard for all of you to understand this whole price verses quality thing. By working hard, I mean drinking a lot.

What prompted me to do this was a recent opening of a new grocery store near my neighborhood. Well, actually it’s in the bad part of town a little too close to my neighborhood. This grocery specializes in “cheap”. Not exactly poor quality by any means, however, nonetheless, “cheap”.

I have written other scathing articles over the past few months concerning the proprietary wines from 7 – 11, WalMart, Safeway, and Rite Aid. Don’t even get me started on “Two-Buck (actually now Three-Buck) Chuck” at Trader Joes.

On the other hand, I’m just like everyone else out there. I love a good bargain! If I can find a good wine that won’t drain my bank account I’m all for it.

So, I picked up a few bottles of wine from this store. Excitedly, I cooled them all to the respected temperatures and got out the glass and the opener. In the name of scientific research of course.

The first was a 2007 Sylvester Sauvignon Blanc, a winery out of Paso Robles, California. I pulled the cork and was greeted with the expected nose and flavors that come from a 3 year old white white. The wine was pretty good but far from outstanding. Not bad for $2.99. Served with a killer Ceviche, I didn’t mind it at all.

Next, I poured the 2007 Rose’ from Sylvester. The nose was quite nice, with lots of bright fruit. The flavors were…It tasted like last year’s Easter egg shells. Not saying that’s bad if you’re into that sort of thing. Once again $2.99.

My third bottle was a 2003 Waterbrook Primarius Syrah. I figured I was in for a real treat! I love Waterbrook. Their Melange is one of the best under $10 blends on the market. For $2.99 I was tempted to buy a case. Good thing I didn’t. That wine was really “hot” from having too much alcohol in the balance. Dang near tore my head off!

Last, I bought up and purchased a bottle of Vinos Magali 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon from Argentina. Right away, I noticed the year and knew I needed to breathe this one. At first I was a little scared. The wine was very ruby in appearance and smelled musty. But, as it opened up in my glass it turned out to be a fantastic buy! Dark and rich, with a nice balance of tannin and fruit. Some oxidation, but really not bad for a 2000 production wine. For $5.99 I felt like I hit the jackpot!

Still looking for a few good buys I drove down the highway to Gooseridge winery. They are offering a limited supply of Riesling for $60 a case. This semi dry is rockin’ good for $5 a bottle. Light hints of petrol open up to spiciness, lots of bright fruit, and a nice acidic finish. Awesome with food or by itself.

So, I guess the moral of the story is you can find many good wines for under $10. You just have to look, and know what you’re looking for. Buy a bottle, and if you don’t like it then pour it down the sink. If you love it, go back and buy the whole lot!

Enjoy!

New Wines Available In Eastern Oregon

One of the benefits of writing this column is that I get to taste new wines as they are introduced into the region. This week I tasted some new wines and new vintages that I am excited about sharing with you.

First, I want to talk about Stella Fino Winery. My friend Marlene Steiner and her husband Matt have just opened their new winery with the releases of a 2006 Sangiovese, A Tuscan red blend called The Boot, and their 2007 Pinot Gris.

Matt and Marlene named the winery after Matt’s great-grandmother who’s name was Stella Fino, an Italian immigrant who raised her family in the Bronx, New York. Her Italian ways and culture have encouraged Matt’s culinary and wine influences throughout his life. When he and Marlene decided to move west from New York to engage in the wine business, they decided that they would focus on making great Italian style wines in her name.

As is usual with new vintners, the Steiners have produced a limited amount of wine for release to the open market. The wines are fun and engaging at a reasonable price for a Walla Walla producer.

The 2006 Boot is a blend of 50% Sangiovese and 50% Barbera. It starts out with a nose that is mossy, and reminds me of early mornings on the Tucanon River trout fishing. The flavors are full and bright with fresh red raspberries and white pepper. This will pair very well with a meatball or sausage and pepper sandwich.

The 2006 Sangiovese is made with 100% Sangiovese juice that was sourced from a mixture of Pepperbridge in Walla Walla, and Candy Mountain just outside of West Richland. The wine features flavors of dark cherry, menthol, and fresh tobacco leaf.

Last, the 2007 Pinot Gris was a bright and fresh wine, with overtones of pear and citrus salad. It would be perfect with seafood or soft cheeses.

Another winery that I tasted this week was Garrison Creek. I can truthfully say that I was blown away. The bottles read 2001 and 2002, which concerned me as they were being opened. Usually vintages of that age are already headed for oxidation. But not these beauties.

Garrison Creek is a winery that has been a long time coming in the Walla Walla region. Michael Murr, the owner, and David March, the winemaker have put many painstaking years into building their winery and their wines. Currently they make Cabernet Sauvignon, a Syrah, Red Blends, and are getting ready to release a Zinfandel.

I tasted the 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon. The nose was full and rich with plums, dark fruit, and leather. Flavors of plum, vanilla, anise, and dark cherries filled my senses. If I hadn’t known better I could have sworn I was sitting in Napa Valley drinking a local Cabernet. If you like big, strong, but gentle Cabernets I highly suggest that you try these wines.

If you want to purchase any of these wines I suggest getting out to the usual haunts in Pendleton or Hermiston. If they don’t have them now, they should in a few days or weeks. Be sure to ask if you don’t find what you’re looking for.

Have a great weekend, and enjoy!

I Drink Your Wine Dot Com Goes Online Today!

I just got back to my studio from shooting a video with my friend Dan McCool at www.idrinkyourwine.com . His video blog launched today with a visit to Desert Wind Winery in Prosser.

I suggest that if you have an axe to grind, a stump to stand on, or a product or service that you want people to know about, and you are within at least a reasonable trip to Richland, Washington, you should talk to Dan about being on his site.

The video that I shot with Dan today will be aired on the 6th. We taste one of my favorites, an 05 Syrah from my friend Jay Dewitt at Dumas Station in Dayton, Washington. Jay's wine is available at fine wine establishments throughout Washington. You can visit the tasting room by appointment or purchase online at www.dumasstation.com

In the video I give a demonstration on the proper technique for opening a wine bottle. We also talk briefly about AVA Wine Room in Kennewick, Washington.