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August 20, 2008

Looking for a good Oregon wine?

According to the Oregon Wine Board, there are 393 wineries and 792 vineyards in the state, most of which focus on Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties. There are over 17,000 acres planted in Oregon, producing about 39,000 tons of grapes, which result in 1.7 million cases of wine. What makes Oregon unique relative to its northern and southern neighbors is the disproportionate number of smaller wineries, with most producing less than 5,000 cases of wine. The state has also distinguished itself by focusing on sustainability, with 23% of the vineyards certified sustainable, organic and...

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Posted by Thad at 10:43 PM | | Comments (0)

August 14, 2008

Looking for a good Washington wine?

According to the Washington Wine Commission, our state is now home to over 540 wineries, producing wine from more than 20 varieties of grapes cultivated on over 31,000 acres of vineyards. This adds up to a lot of bottles, which represent an ever expanding selection of wine for the consumer. It is easy to become overwhelmed by it all, as evidenced by the confused and confounded faces I often see at the grocery or wine store. There is hope for those needing help in choosing a Washington wine that suits their personal taste, for there are several bloggers who...

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Posted by Thad at 11:39 AM | | Comments (2)

August 12, 2008

Westrey 2006 Pinot Noir

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) With wild king salmon and fresh asparagus on the grill, I opened a bottle of Westrey 2006 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley (13.5%) to see if this wine measured up to the billing it received on the back label: Westrey wines are styled to be mouth-filling and generous in a context of rich texture and balanced acidity. Winemakers Amy Wesselman and David Autrey craft distinctive wines while allowing each bottling to express its vineyards of origin. In keeping with the philosophy of minimal handling, this wine has been bottled unfiltered. For the salmon, Kari...

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Posted by Thad at 01:33 PM | | Comments (0)

August 11, 2008

Erath 2006 Pinot Blanc Willamette Valley

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) The Erath 2006 Pinot Blanc ($13) offers yet another addition to my growing list of delightful, inexpensive wines to enjoy this summer. We paired this pinot blanc with a simple meal of grilled chicken thighs, broccolini, and rice pilaf, while enjoying it as an aperitif beforehand. Overall, the Erath's balanced acidity and moderate alcohol (13.8%) offered a nice complement to the Caribbean-style chicken marinade. In fact, it clearly lived up to the promise of the back label, for it is pure fruit enjoyment as a result of being steel fermented: ...a crisp, dry...

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Posted by Thad at 08:13 PM | | Comments (0)

August 08, 2008

Wine Recommendations

Here is an expanding list of Oregon and Washington wines we have enjoyed while dining either at home, in a restaurant, at a winery, or in a wine bar. After experiencing each of these wines paired with a meal, I would definitely buy another bottle (or two) to serve again, even it means getting a more recent vintage. I hope you are able to experience the joy we got out of each of these wines at your table sometime soon. Oregon Wine Recommendations Adelsheim Auxerrois Willamette Valley (2005) Andrew Rich Pinot Noir Cuvée B (2005) Argyle Brut Sparkling Wine (2002)...

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Posted by Thad at 11:31 AM | | Comments (0)

July 19, 2008

Hatcher 2004 Pinot Noir

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) For me, a good wine is measured not only by what is experienced inside the bottle, but also on the outside through labeling. Inside, the wine should delight the eyes, the nose, and the palate. Outside, the bottle's labeling should in some way connect me to the people and places behind the wine. Granted, it's not always that I expect a wine to fulfill expectations in both areas. There are many inexpensive wines that do well on the inside, but don't always have to deliver on the outside. However, my bar is set...

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Posted by Thad at 05:52 AM | | Comments (0)

July 15, 2008

Syncline 2006 Celilo Vineyard Pinot Noir

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) To their credit, Syncline describes their 2006 Celilo Vineyard Pinot Noir (13.8%) accurately on the back label, with the emphasis on "flavors of pie cherry". This wine does taste like one of those Dolly Madison cherry fruit pies. This is not my style in pinot noir, but I am excited to see a Washington producer taking a stab at this varietal with Columbia Gorge fruit. "Situated on a bluff overlooking the Columbia River Gorge, Celilo Vineyard's deep volcanic soils are the origin of this provocative Pinot Noir. Intense perfume of black cherry and...

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Posted by Thad at 08:39 PM | | Comments (0)

July 02, 2008

L'Ecole No 41 "Walla Voila" 2007 Chenin Blanc

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) Whenever I stumble upon a bottle of Washington or Oregon wine that is made from a varietal that is off the beaten path, I will always buy it. No matter what the chance it might be poured down the drain, these wines are worth a try. Why? You just never know when one of these easily overlooked varietals might become a newly discovered favorite. Such is the case with the L'Ecole No 41 "Walla Voila" 2007 Chenin Blanc ($12.99), which was described on the back label in the following manner: A trademark of...

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Posted by Thad at 07:25 PM | | Comments (1)

June 29, 2008

Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl 2007 Riesling

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) After wondering if summer would ever get here, it came on strong this weekend in Seattle with temperatures yesterday in the high eighties and today hitting ninety degrees. For me, there is nothing better on a hot evening than enjoying spicy food washed down with a cold, crisp wine. Whenever dining on Asian fare, it is a Washington riesling that usually accompanies it. Tonight it was going to be Korean barbecue with a bottle of Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl 2007 Riesling ($12.99). Kari had a tri-tip steak marinating since Friday, which I...

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Posted by Thad at 07:49 PM | | Comments (1)

June 28, 2008

Cottonwood 2004 Marina Piper Pinot Noir

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) The other night, Kari cooked up a batch of pappardelle pasta with beef ragu, which was made from a chuck roast slow cooked in a broth with wine and tomatoes. A fresh, red leaf lettuce salad tossed with sliced pink lady apples provided a colorful complement to the main dish. I was tempted to pull an Italian nebbiollo or sangiovese, but decided to try a bottle of the Cottonwood 2004 Marina Piper Pinot Noir ($26.99) from the Dundee Hills of Oregon. This was one of several '04 pinots from Oregon that had recently...

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Posted by Thad at 03:39 PM | | Comments (0)

June 21, 2008

Tertulia Cellars 2006 Viognier

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) With pork chops and onions grilling, a pot of Spanish rice cooking, and fresh avocados ready to be sliced, I pulled from the refrigerator a bottle of Tertulia Cellars 2006 Viognier. This wine immediately reminded me of the visit I enjoyed at the Tertulia Cellars winery in Walla Walla last spring, which was where I purchased this bottle for $18. The Tertulia '06 Viognier (14%) is comprised of 76% viognier and 24% roussanne. Some of the viognier and all of the roussanne was sourced from the Lonesome Spring Ranch in the Yakima Valley...

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Posted by Thad at 01:10 PM | | Comments (0)

June 19, 2008

Maysara Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) During last week's visit to Tulsa, we enjoyed a taste of the Pacific Northwest with fresh Copper River sockeye salmon and Dungeness crab joined by a pair of Maysara 2006 wines, a pinot noir ($21.99) and a pinot gris ($16.99). Overall, the seafood was fantastic, while the wine fell a bit short. I grilled the salt and pepper seasoned sockeye on a plank of cedar along with a batch of fresh asparagus. It was joined by a filet of wild King salmon, which went straight on the grill. In addition, we had rice...

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Posted by Thad at 08:40 PM | | Comments (0)

June 13, 2008

Living On Tulsa Wine

This week, my wife, Kari, and our two daughters, are in Tulsa, visiting my mother, siblings and a lot of cousins. With Seattle colder than Siberia these days, this trip offers us an opportunity to get a jump start on summer time weather (it's 90 degrees with 100% humidity here). Whenever traveling out this way, we like to bring a taste of the Pacific Northwest with us, especially for my mom, Terry, who is from Oregon. But with luggage restrictions and security issues discouraging us to carry on seafood and wine, we decided to ship some Copper River salmon...

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Posted by Thad at 10:53 AM | | Comments (0)

June 10, 2008

Ponzi Vineyards 2006 Pinot Noir

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) With this being an unusually cool and rainy spring in Seattle, we've started planning meals around the weather forecast so we can get outside and grill. So it was with the promise of good weather the next day, that Kari marinated a few thick pork chops in a brine that included garlic, peppercorns, and all spice seasoning. Fortunately, the forecast for decent weather came true, thus we were able to enjoy a grilled meal outside. Before cooking, we dried the chops and then rubbed them with a mix of brown sugar, cummin, cayenne...

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Posted by Thad at 06:10 AM | | Comments (0)

June 08, 2008

Broadley Vineyards 2005 Bergstrom Pinot Noir

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) If there is one Oregon pinot noir that has been imprinted in my memory, it is a bottle of Broadley Vineyards wine. It was a turning point for me, in that it was the first Oregon pinot noir that captivated me like no other wine before it. In May of 2006, we were celebrating the birthday of my father-in-law, Bob, by dining al fresco on a beautiful spring evening in Seattle. We enjoyed a grilled salmon dinner with a bottle of 2004 Claudia's Choice pinot noir. I will never forget that wine nor...

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Posted by Thad at 07:13 AM | | Comments (0)

June 07, 2008

Amity Vineyards 2006 Riesling Willamette Valley

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) As part of my Northwest Palate prize, I received a bottle of the Amity 2006 Riesling. I was glad to get this bottle in the mixed case, as I really enjoy riesling, especially that produced in the Pacific Northwest. And I was really excited to try a bottle of Amity, a winery started in 1974 by one of Oregon's early wine pioneers, Myron Redford. Before opening the bottle, I was glad to see the approach Amity took in detailing the who, what and where of this wine on the back label. In fact,...

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Posted by Thad at 01:48 PM | | Comments (0)

May 28, 2008

Syncline 2007 Rose Columbia Valley

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) Syncline describes their rosé as a "wine for warming up the grill, watching the sunset, or packing a picnic". Last night, we not only warmed up the grill, but cooked a delicious wild king salmon on it, which we enjoyed eating outside while a bright spring sun set slowly on the horizon. This dinner was extraordinary for several reasons. It's been a rare occasion when the weather has been warm and sunny enough to enjoy eating dinner al fresco. And with wild king salmon at $30 a pound, it has to be a special...

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Posted by Thad at 08:25 PM | | Comments (0)

May 14, 2008

Seven Hills 2006 Pinot Gris Oregon

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) One of the nice things about living in the Pacific Northwest is having access to a wide assortment of local wines. This access enables us to try new Washington and Oregon wines on a regular basis at our dinner table. It's a rare occasion when we repeat a bottle, for there are just too many new producers or new releases in our region to sample. However, there are dinners when a decent everyday wine is worth repeating. Such is the case with the Seven Hills 2006 Pinot Gris. At $15 retail, it is...

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Posted by Thad at 08:11 PM | | Comments (0)

May 13, 2008

Otis Kenyon 2005 Syrah

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) Ever since several readers had recommended a visit to Otis Kenyon winery in Walla Walla, I have been eager to try one of their wines. It was rather fortuitous that I received a bottle of Otis Kenyon 2005 Syrah (14.3%) in the mixed case prize from Northwest Palate a few months back. With some steaks to grill, I thought it was an opportune time to pull the Otis Kenyon from the cellar and give it a try. Our dinner consisted of grilled tri-tips with caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, and twice baked potatoes....

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Posted by Thad at 04:45 PM | | Comments (0)

May 12, 2008

Fort Walla Walla Cellars 2003 Syrah

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) Last July, I paid a visit to the downtown tasting room of Fort Walla Walla Cellars, where I ended up having a memorable experience sampling their wines and learning more about this winery (read the review here). After tasting their wines, I decided to purchase a bottle of the Fort Walla Walla Cellars 2003 Syrah Walla Walla Valley (13.8%). It's too bad I didn't purchase more than one bottle of this wine, for it was a terrific syrah. We paired the Fort Walla Walla Cellars syrah with an Italian sausage and white bean...

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Posted by Thad at 06:57 AM | | Comments (2)

May 11, 2008

Fidelitas 2005 m100 Columbia Valley

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) I love a wine with a good story behind it, especially when it is shared directly on the bottle's label. There is nothing more effective at connecting you to the people and places behind a wine than a label that shares something about the who, what and/or where. I found this and more in the Fidelitas 2005 m100 Columbia Valley ($20), a bottle given to me by my father-in-law, Bob (a.k.a., Pappa Rosso). What immediately captivated me about this wine was the winemaker notes on the bottle's back label: Let’s raise a glass...

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Posted by Thad at 02:56 PM | | Comments (0)

May 10, 2008

Mixing things up with dinner

Any regular reader of BeyondtheBottle.com might surmise that only Washington or Oregon wine is served at our table. This is true for many nights of the week, but not every dinner is matched to a local wine. In fact, there is an occasional week when no Pacific Northwest wine is poured, allowing us to mix things up and experience varietals from other regions and countries. So, what do we enjoy when it's not an Oregon or Washington wine? Recently, we've been drinking wines from Italy, Spain, France, Argentina and New Zealand. From Italy, we enjoy dolcetto, barbera, and nebbiolo from...

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Posted by Thad at 05:00 PM | | Comments (0)

May 03, 2008

Argyle Nuthouse Pinot Noir: 1997 vs. 2004

While on a trip to the Oregon coast eight years ago, Kari and I spent a day visiting wineries in the northern Willamette Valley. It was our first trip to Oregon pinot noir country and to be honest I came away unimpressed with the wines. Looking back, I know why this was the case, for it was in that year, 2000, that I was fully immersed in full-bodied, high octane wines such as California zinfandels, Australian shiraz and Washington syrah, just to name a few. On that fateful trip, I purchased a bottle of Argyle 1997 Nuthouse Pinot Noir...

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Posted by Thad at 12:48 PM | | Comments (0)

April 30, 2008

WIDWD: Apolloni 2005 Pinot Noir

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) Here's a Willamette Valley wine that probably wasn't the best match with the grilled pork loin, fennel and asparagus meal we prepared with a rice pilaf on the side. I decided on a pinot noir to go with this meal, but paid no attention to the back label of the Apolloni 2005 Pinot Noir (13.7%). If I had, then I might have put it aside for another style of Oregon wine. Why? The bottle states that this wine "greets you with toasted vanilla and berries then opens up with black cherry, dark fruit...

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Posted by Thad at 06:26 AM | | Comments (0)

April 29, 2008

WIDWD: Boedecker Cellars 2004 Athena Pinot Noir

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) While shopping for wine, I am always on the lookout for any 2004 or 2005 Oregon pinot noirs that I have yet to try. Such was the case with the Boedecker Cellars 2004 Athena Pinot Noir (13.9%), a wine I discovered at Esquin Wine Merchants a few weeks back. Unfortunately, I recall little after having this wine with dinner, while forgetting the meal entirely. Goes to show the downside of forgetting to write anything down. I guess it was due to being somewhat neutral on this wine. The label describes the wine as,...

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Posted by Thad at 05:56 AM | | Comments (0)

April 28, 2008

WIDWD: Six Vineyards 2005 Pinot Noir

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) This Oregon pinot noir is crafted by Lemelson Vineyards based in Carlton. Other than the suggestive brand, "Six Vineyards", and the note on the producer, no other details are provided as to what went into this wine. In fact, I checked the Lemelson web site and nothing is available on this or previous vintages. What gives?!?! Regardless, one thing is clear, this is a wine that was surprisingly good relative to its price point of $21.99. Kari and I really enjoyed the Six Vineyards Pinot Noir (13.5%) with our grilled Jamaican jerk chicken...

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Posted by Thad at 05:48 AM | | Comments (0)

April 27, 2008

WIDWD: Francis Tannahill 2004 The Hermit Pinot Noir

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) More often than not, it is a bottle of Oregon pinot noir that graces our dinner table each evening. My wife, Kari, and I have a preference for the style Oregon viticulturists and winemakers bring to crafting pinot noir, preferring them over their California and French counterparts. We like the expressive yet elegant style that Oregon pinot brings, as these wines tend to be more fruit-forward than the Old World style yet not over-ripe like California pinots can get. While enjoying a number of Oregon pinot noirs these last couple of weeks, there...

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Posted by Thad at 02:25 PM | | Comments (0)

April 19, 2008

WIDWD: A Few That Fell Short

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) As I have stated before, there's no joy in writing about wines that don't meet the bar, or better put, make it to my table. Which is why commenting on these wines gets put off, while more favorable experiences take priority. To make this easier on both of us, I will keep this brief, as I would rather invest time and energy in writing about the positive. The tasting notes for the Hedges 2006 CMS Red Wine (13.7%) were honest in describing the wine with a "sweet, round entry, ripe darker fruit, and...

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Posted by Thad at 01:52 PM | | Comments (0)

March 23, 2008

WIDWD: A Pair of Evesham Woods

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) With each of bottle of Evesham Wood wine enjoyed at our table, I am becoming a more devout fan of this Oregon producer. Back in October, I opened an Evesham Wood 2006 Pinot Noir and was quickly taken with this wine along with their story. So it was with some anticipation that I opened two bottles of Evesham Wood during the week, a 2005 Le Putis Sec Pinot Noir and a 2006 Blanc du Puits Sec Pinot Gris/Gewurztraminer. Both wines are comprised of fruit from Evesham Wood's estate vineyard, Le Puits Sec, which is...

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

March 22, 2008

WIDWD: Caramba Carabella!

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) A couple of weeks back, Kari prepared a wonderful dish of slow cooked chicken thighs in chipotle sauce, which were served with steaming tortillas along with fresh tomatoes, avocado, and cilantro. I decided to pair the meal with a Carabella 2005 Pinot Noir (14.2%), a bottle we had enjoyed very much while dining at Tilth restaurant. The Carabella is a full bodied pinot noir and matched very well with the spicy chicken. The '05 Carabella is made of five pinot noir clones sourced from their 27 acre estate vineyard, which is located in...

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Posted by Thad at 08:06 PM | | Comments (0)

March 16, 2008

WIDWD: Wines That Didn't Make It To The Table

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) There's a saying, "life is too short to drink bad wine". Over the last week, life started to seem way too short, as there were several white wines that never made it to our table. Instead, each one ended up getting tossed down the drain. It was strange to have gotten three strikes in one week on these wines, all of which came from Oregon and Washington. If I open a bottle that is corked, tainted with Brett or has some other fault, then I will seal it back up and return it to...

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Posted by Thad at 12:40 PM | | Comments (1)

March 12, 2008

WIDWD: Cooper Mountain 2003 Reserve Pinot Noir

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) Last Saturday night, we were entertaining my brother-in-law, Kris, who was visiting from London. Kari cooked up a big batch of pasta all’ amatriciana (tomato-based sauce with pancetta) along with a leaf lettuce salad in an olive oil and wine vinegar dressing. To accompany the meal, we served a bottle of wine that Kris's mother had brought us a while back, a Cooper Mountain 2003 Estate Pinot Noir. It offered a pleasant surprise for Kris to learn that the wine in his glass was a gift from his mother. The Cooper Mountain pinot...