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January 04, 2009

Exploring 2007 Oregon Pinot Noir

Over the past couple of weeks, I have picked up and opened a few entry-level 2007 Oregon pinot noirs with dinner, including Erath, Evesham Woods, and Lange. If these are any indication of what's to come, then the 2007 vintage is going to be my kind of pinot noir. Each of these understated wines offered modest fruit, good acidity, and low alcohol. Put another way, they were a clear departure from their overstated predecessors from 2006, a vintage that produced wines that too often tasted of candied fruit and heat from the higher alcohol. Here's what the Oregon Wine...

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Posted by Thad W. at 03:26 PM | | Comments (0)

January 01, 2009

2009 - Directions in the New Year

With the start of the New Year, some new directions will be taken here at BeyondtheBottle.com. This wine blog will not stray from its core mission, which is to focus on those experiences that connect me to the people and places behind Oregon and Washington wines. Even still, there will be less coverage of some topics, with more emphasis on features that will take readers beyond the bottle. For example, in terms of reviewing wines, a new tasting notes section will be launched, covering any bottle that is opened at our table, good or bad. The wines that truly...

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Posted by Thad W. at 09:38 AM | | Comments (4)

December 31, 2008

2008 - Reflections on the Past Year

2008 marks the first full year I have spent blogging about Oregon and Washington wine. During the last 12 months, over 130 posts were published, covering a variety of topics that include visits to winery tasting rooms, attending wine events, dining at restaurants and wine bars, and reviewing wines served at our dinner table. Along the way, I have shared various perspectives on what it means to experience wine in a way that goes beyond the bottle. As a result of these commentaries, a number of wine enthusiasts and industry professionals have reached out to share their thoughts, introducing...

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Posted by Thad W. at 03:33 PM | | Comments (0)

December 29, 2008

Syncline 2007 Subduction Red

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) A few weeks back, I grilled up some beef tenderloin steaks while Kari prepared a couple of twice-baked potatoes and a fresh zucchini gratin in the oven. The tenderloin was absolutely amazing, seasoned with course salt and fresh ground pepper, then grilled to medium rare perfection. To go with our dinner, I selected a bottle of Syncline 2007 Subduction Red (14.1%), which I purchased at retail for $18. Last Fall, I covered the 2006 vintage of this same wine, finding it a bit hot and astringent on the finish. Even still, I was so...

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Posted by Thad W. at 04:53 PM | | Comments (0)

December 28, 2008

Watermill 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) With a fondness for Walla Walla cabernet and an appreciation for Richard Funk's winemaking skills, I was excited to try his Watermill 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley, a bottle I purchased at retail for $24. You may recall me going nuts over Funk's 2005 Malbec back in October, which he produced under the Saviah label, a winery he founded in 2000. Through that experience, I learned that Funk holds down a second job as winemaker at Watermill Winery, which is located in Milton Freewater, Oregon, a town 10 miles south of Walla...

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Posted by Thad W. at 05:01 PM | | Comments (1)

Christmas Dinner 2008

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) For many years, Kari and I have served a beef tenderloin for Christmas dinner, which is easy to prepare, cook, and carve, especially for a large gathering. This year, we decided to depart from tradition and serve beef bourguignon, for the weather outside had been cold and snowy for so long that this hearty dish seemed appropriate for our dinner celebration. To craft this single pot dish, Kari adapted a recipe from Ina Garden, which by all accounts follows a classic method of preparation. This meal has become a huge hit with friends...

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Posted by Thad W. at 01:20 PM | | Comments (0)

December 20, 2008

Seven Hills 2005 Syrah Walla Walla Valley

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) During consecutive nights recently, we enjoyed two terrific Washington syrahs with our dinner. The first night's wine was a Columbia Valley syrah, which you can read more about in my previous post. On the second night, we opened a Seven Hills 2005 Syrah comprised of fruit from the Walla Walla Valley, a bottle I purchased for $28 during a visit to their tasting room last summer. Seven Hills describes this wine as "truly a valley-wide blend, with grapes from cobble, hillside and terrace microclimates: Seven Hills, Morrison, Dwelley and Double River Ranch vineyards."...

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Posted by Thad W. at 08:32 PM | | Comments (0)

December 18, 2008

L' Ecole No. 41 2005 Syrah Columbia Valley

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) At this time of year, the food we serve at our table becomes hearty fare, and so do the wines that go with it. With winter arriving, there is nothing I like more than to reach for a bottle of Washington cabernet or syrah, especially wines from Walla Walla. And one of my favorite winter meals is a dish Kari crafts by sautéing onions, adding Italian sausage and then her homemade tomato sauce. While this combines in the pan on the stove stop, she starts a pot of soft polenta alongside it. As...

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Posted by Thad W. at 09:50 PM | | Comments (0)

December 08, 2008

Cooper Mountain 2006 Reserve Pinot Noir

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) After enjoying a bottle of Cooper Mountain's 2003 Reserve Pinot Noir (13.5%) last March, I was excited to get my hands on another bottle, this time the 2006 vintage, which I purchased at retail for $23. We paired this Oregon pinot noir with a combination pizza comprised of ham, mushrooms, tomatoes on one half, and prosciutto, goat cheese, tomatoes, basil, mushrooms on the other. It ended up being a great combination of food and wine, with the flavors of the pizza being brought to life by the Cooper Mountain pinot. As I mentioned...

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Posted by Thad W. at 08:02 PM | | Comments (0)

December 01, 2008

Torii Mor 2007 Pinot Blanc

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) The other night, Kari crafted one of her signature Asian dishes, a ginger chicken and mushroom stir fry with steamed rice. The fresh ginger, chicken thigh meat, and fresh mushrooms get mixed together in a food processor and are then cooked up in a large wok. Best of all is the sauce she concocts from scratch. It includes fresh shredded ginger, sesame oil, chili oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and Sriracha sauce. This stuff brings all of the flavors together, offering a decent amount of heat that slowly builds over time, but never...

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Posted by Thad W. at 07:48 PM | | Comments (0)

November 29, 2008

Lumos 2007 Pinot Gris Oregon

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) Last month, I became a big fan of Lumos wines after enjoying a bottle of their 5 Blocks pinot noir. Dai Crisp, owner/winemaker at Lumos Winery, has hit another home run with his 2007 pinot gris, a bottle I purchased at my local wine retailer for $17. As a result, I am even more smitten with this Oregon producer not only for their wines, but also their overall approach celebrating the people and places going into each bottle of Lumos wine. I paired the Lumos 2007 Pinot Gris Rudolfo Vineyard with our dinner...

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Posted by Thad W. at 04:14 PM | | Comments (0)

L' Ecole No. 41 2006 Semillon Fries Vineyard

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) I should have looked closer at the label before opening this wine, for it wasn't until I poured it into the glass that I realized its alcohol was a whopping 14.4%. Yikes! I just don't understand how some folks can craft white wines with that much octane in them. I had received this bottle of L' Ecole No. 41 2006 Semillon Fries Vineyard Wahluke Slope as part of a mixed case prize from Northwest Palate magazine earlier this year. Otherwise, I would not have purchased a white wine like this, as most that...

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Posted by Thad W. at 03:20 PM | | Comments (0)

Milbrandt Vineyards 2006 Traditions Riesling

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) Although this wine may not be one of my favorite Washington rieslings, I am better off for having tried a bottle, which I picked up at my local wine merchant for $11.50. As a result of opening the Milbrandt Vineyards 2006 Traditions Riesling, I was introduced to the larger story that is Butch and Jerry Milbrandt, brothers who extended their farming backgrounds to become winergrowers in the late 1990s. The Milbrandt brothers farm 1,600 acres of grapes in 13 different vineyards, most of which are located in the Wahluke Slope AVA, with a...

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Posted by Thad W. at 01:36 PM | | Comments (0)

November 24, 2008

Upcoming Events in the Willamette and Walla Walla Valleys

For fans of Oregon and Washington wine, there are two events coming up that are worth considering. This weekend (Nov 28 thru 30) is the annual Wine Country Thanksgiving event in the Willamette Valley. Many wineries throughout the valley will be opening their tasting rooms for the public and holding special events during the holiday weekend. For more information, please visit the Willamette Valley Wineries site. The following weekend (Dec 5 thru 7) is the annual Walla Walla Holiday Barrel Tasting in Walla Walla, Washington. Over 50 local wineries will be offering barrel tastings and other activities to celebrate the...

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Posted by Thad W. at 07:57 PM | | Comments (0)

Columbia Winery Small Lot Series 2007 Riesling

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) Although this wasn't officially "drank with dinner", we did enjoy this Washington riesling before our meals on two consecutive nights. The Columbia Winery 2007 Small Lot Series Riesling Yakima Valley (13%) offers a delicious expression of our state's riesling at a reasonable price. I picked a bottle up at a local grocer (Metropolitan Market) for $14.50. Columbia's small lot series is a collection of low production bottlings described on their web site as "wines produced exclusively for our wine club and tasting room". Looks like some cases needed to be moved into the...

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Posted by Thad W. at 07:08 PM | | Comments (3)

November 22, 2008

Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) In my last post, I wrote about a wine that was a case study in bottle label minimalism. With this one, I wanted to highlight a producer at the opposite end of the spectrum, Willamette Valley Vineyards (WVV), who with their labels do a fantastic job connecting the consumer to the people, places, and practices going into each bottle of wine. The back label was the first thing I noticed when getting ready to open a bottle of their 2007 Pinot Gris Willamette Valley ($15) and the 2006 Tualatin Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir...

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Posted by Thad W. at 02:13 PM | | Comments (0)

November 18, 2008

Bethel Heights 2007 Pinot Gris

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) I appreciate minimal intervention in wine making, but when it comes to wine labels, I prefer maximum details and descriptions. At the very least, a bottle's label should offer the consumer a bit about the people, places and practices going into the wine. The Bethel Heights 2007 Oregon Pinot Gris offers a case study in wine label minimalism. Other than the producer, place, variety, and vintage being repeated on the front and back labels, one is left to wonder what went into this wine. Fortunately, there are some insightful winemaker notes at the...

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Posted by Thad W. at 08:43 PM | | Comments (0)

November 15, 2008

A Few Sun Breaks in Oregon's Purple Haze

In a recent Oregon Wine Press guest column, Bill Hatcher, owner of A to Z Wineworks and CEO of Rex Hill Vineyards, wrote about the challenges Oregon pinot noir is facing as a result of too much supply chasing too little demand. Hatcher's commentary, which he entitled, "Under a Purple Haze", suggests that the Oregon wine industry is in a fog of increasing production, while neglecting to build sufficient national demand for its product. Hatcher seems to spare no one in calling out blame for this predicament. At the state level, there is the Oregon Wine Board's paltry spend...

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Posted by Thad W. at 10:21 PM | | Comments (5)

November 09, 2008

Pacific NW Magazine Profiles Wineries and Winemakers

In today's Seattle Times Pacific Northwest magazine, writer Braiden Rex-Johnson profiles a variety of Washington winemakers and wineries with Paul Gregutt providing his annual budget list of mixed case recommendations for the holidays. Wine & Spirits 2008 profiles six relatively new wineries in our region including Brian Carter Cellars (Woodinville), Willis Hall (Marysville), Wines of Substance (Walla Walla), Cadaretta (Walla Walla), Mercer Estates (Prosser), and Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyards (Roseburg, OR). Each profile offers stories about the winemaker and highlights suggested "wines of note". Women winemakers of Walla Walla is a wonderful feature profiling fourteen women winemakers in the Walla...

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Posted by Thad W. at 08:56 AM | | Comments (0)

November 08, 2008

Rex Hill 2006 Pinot Noir

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) The Rex Hill 2006 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley is a large production wine (16,000 cases) crafted by Oregon's largest winery. As such, it can be found in many states and stores outside of the Pacific Northwest, making it one of the more accessible Oregon pinot noirs on the market today. I picked up a bottle at my local grocery for $24, which nets out to be about a $1 for each of the 25 various wines going into this blend. We paired the Rex Hill pinot noir with a simple penne pasta dish...

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Posted by Thad W. at 05:29 PM | | Comments (0)

Capitello 2006 Pinot Noir

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) One of the benefits from shopping at different wine shops is the discovery of new wines. Such was the case with the Capitello 2006 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, a bottle I purchased for $40 at the Portalis Wine Shop and Wine Bar a couple of months ago. Capitello Wines, located in Eugene, is a family owned and operated winery led by Ray Walsh, who was formerly winemaker at King Estate. Ray is a New Zealand native, who got his start making wine in his home country before ending up in Oregon. After several...

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Posted by Thad W. at 04:31 PM | | Comments (0)

November 06, 2008

Kings Ridge 2006 Pinot Noir

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) In 2006, Oregon experienced a bumper pinot noir crop, with wineries crushing over 17,000 tons of grapes. This was 5,000 more tons than in 2005 and twice the size of the 2004 vintage. All of that pinot noir fruit has resulted in more bottles in the retail channel, which is why a variety of "Oregon Pinot Noir" wines have appeared on store shelves this past year. I discovered one such wine, the Kings Ridge 2006 Oregon Pinot Noir(13.5%), while shopping recently at my local wine store. I purchased this pinot for only $16...

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Posted by Thad W. at 07:27 AM | | Comments (0)

November 05, 2008

Chehalem 2005 3 Vineyards Pinot Noir

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) This Oregon pinot noir started out well, then took a bit of slump during our meal, before recovering the next day. On the eyes, the Chehalem 2005 3 Vineyards Pinot Noir (13.2%) was a translucent garnet color. On the nose, it offered red berry fruits including strawberry and raspberry with slight hints of earth and dusty dirt. On the palate, there was cherry and strawberry with balanced acidity. With dinner, the Chehalem 3 Vineyards pinot evolved to show sweet, candied cherry flavors. Kari thought it tasted a bit metallic, almost tinny. On the...

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Posted by Thad W. at 09:36 PM | | Comments (1)

November 03, 2008

A High Compliment to Oregon Pinot Noir

Whether you're a long-standing fan or someone just getting introduced to Oregon pinot noir, you will benefit from watching and reading Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher's recent experiences tasting wines from the state's 2006 and 2005 vintages. There is nothing but high praise coming from this wine columnist duo, who pay a high compliment to Oregon producers for crafting pinot noir with a true sense of place: The winemakers allowed the vineyards themselves, the fruit itself, the terroir itself, to star. This is what makes great Pinot what it is -- an expression of place. When we tasted...

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Posted by Thad W. at 07:53 PM | | Comments (0)

Please be sure to VOTE this week

Whatever your politics may be, I encourage you to exercise your right to vote this week. And for those who will need something to replace the election news cycles after Tuesday, I encourage you to read "Wine Politics" by Tyler Colman. Thanks to all who have voted or are in the process of doing so. PLEASE VOTE!...

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Posted by Thad W. at 07:49 AM | | Comments (0)

October 28, 2008

Cedergreen Cellars 2007 Sauvignon Blanc

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) Last April at Taste Washington, I had the opportunity to meet Kevin Cedergreen and try some of his wines. Cedergreen's booth was my first stop of the day and ended up being one of the more memorable. Not only was I taken with Kevin's riesling, old vine chenin blanc, and sauv blanc, but I really enjoyed hearing Kevin tell his story about how he became a winemaker. Kevin hails from eastern Washington where he grew up amongst apple orchards. About ten years ago, he left his work as a landscape architect to train...

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Posted by Thad W. at 06:52 PM | | Comments (0)

October 26, 2008

WillaKenzie Estate 2007 Pinot Gris

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) This is a wonderful Oregon pinot gris, which I picked up on sale at my local wine merchant for $15. We paired the WillaKenzie Estate 2007 Pinot Gris Willamette Valley (13.8% alcohol) with salmon pasta, an incredible dish Kari crafts with smoked King salmon lox over a bed of linguine pasta that has been tossed in a light cream-based sauce that includes shallots, white wine, garlic, and fresh dill. On the eyes, the WillaKenzie pinot gris is a clear, clean light golden green color. On the nose, it offers pineapple, melon and pear....

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Posted by Thad W. at 12:51 PM | | Comments (1)

October 22, 2008

Trio Vintners 2007 Riesling

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) The Trio Vintners 2007 Riesling Lewis Vineyard Yakima Valley is a wine that executes well on the inside and the outside of the bottle. And it is easy on the pocket book as well, retailing for $16 at the wine shop where I purchased it. We paired the Trio riesling (12.8% alcohol) with a wonderful chicken yakisoba dish Kari crafted, which combined cut up chicken thighs stir fried along with fresh shitake mushrooms, green onions, julienne carrots, and yakisoba noodles. Best of all was this amazing sauce Kari made that pulled it all...

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Posted by Thad W. at 08:44 PM | | Comments (0)