You heard me right, I said Washington. It’s a region we haven’t spoken about enough here at WineExpedition. The state up in the Northwestern corner of the country that’s known for its apples and evergreens has been making some noteworthy wine for years. Cabernet and Syrah is what you’ll hear about most, but today I’m gonna tell you about a glass of white wine that recently got my attention. Read on….

With summer right around the corner, it’s time to stock up on good barbecue wines. Sauvignon Blanc instantly comes to my mind – a refreshing, zingy white wine – perfect for a lazy, Sunday afternoon.

But the bottle that came across my desk this week from L’Ecole Nº 41 in Walla Walla Valley isn’t a mere Sauvignon Blanc. As a matter of fact, the ‘08 L’Ecole Nº 41 Luminesce blend is only 30% Sauv Blanc, with the other 70% being Sémillon. Yup; somehow this Bordeaux grape has found its way into the Walla Walla valley, and L’Ecole winemaker/co-owner Martin Clubb is making it his own.

I was curious about this one, which the good folks at L’Ecole Nº 41 sent us a few months ago, but I was saving it for warmer weather (January in Los Angeles can get pretty chilly, and I don’t like drinking white wine whilst bundled up in a hoodie.) So, this weekend I decided to pop the cork and enjoy it as a Sunday afternoon aperitif wine.

The wine has a nice pale yellow hue in the glass, with aromas of sweet pineapples that hit me as I lifted the glass to my nose. On the palate, tropical flavors are everywhere: along with a dash of melon and a layer of creamy peach. The creaminess is a nice surprise, provided no doubt by the Sémillon. Don’t get me wrong, it still has that crisp Sauv Blanc finish that we all know and love, but the heart of the palate is rich and creamy, with hints of honey, mint and spices hanging out on the back of my tongue. If you want to try a white wine with an unexpected twist, the L’Ecole Luminesce is a good call, especially at only $19.

By the way, it’s not just me- Wine Enthusiast scored ths one a 91.

Until next time…

I don’t think I could make a scientific case that certain wines are better served on Father’s Day. This post is less about father’s day-specific wine and more about a few bottles that I’ve enjoyed in these recent weeks leading up to Father’s Day. Whether you are a father, have a father or know a father, you might want to try these as well…

There’s been a lot of white wine in my glass recently. It’s warming up and I’ve been trying to eat nice, healthy salads and seafood; thus the color of my wine.

The first bottle was sent to us by our friends at Pasternak Imports, the 2008 Domaine de la Perriere Sancerre. Sancerre is an appellation in the eastern Part of France’s Loire Valley, and most of the wine produced there is 100% Sauvignon Blanc. This was a nice, elegant wine with a light, floral nose and flavors of lemon, citrus and a vein of minerality. A crisp acidity with a decent finish, it was a nice pairing with my arugula & crab (and by crab I mean krab) salad and baked brie. It retails for $23.99.

Next up is the ‘08 Catena Chardonnay from Mendoza in Argentina, which was sent to us. We love Argentina in general for good wine values, and the Mendoza region is at the heart of the Argentinian wine industry, producing two thirds of the countries wines. This wine has a distinct tropical nose with notes of sweet spices. Those tropical flavors, along with pears, apples and a glimmer of minerals continue on the palate. It’s a nice, creamy mouthful of medium-bodied chardonnay with a nice crisp acidity. A good deal at under $20 and it scored a 91 from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and a 90 from Stephen Tanzer.

Another value-wine-producing-country we love in the Southern Hemisphere is Chile. We were sent a bottle of white from Bodegas Renacer, the 2009 Punto Final Sauvignon Blanc. This one hails from the Casablanca Valley which is a hot spot for Sauv Blanc in Chile. While this one didn’t knock my socks off, it was an easy-drinking, refreshing burst of citrus. It had hints of herbs, with a zesty acidity- best served nice and cold. It retails for $11.99.

Meanwhile, back up here in the Northern Hemisphere, I was pleased to find a bottle of the pink stuff on my doorstep. Of course I’m talking about rosé, pink being the other color of wine that gets poured a lot when the temperature rises. This one was from the Russian River Valley area up in Sonoma- the 2009 Foppiano Vineyards Estate Rosé. One of Foppiano’s specialties is Petite Sirah, and this rosé is a blend of 55% Petite Sirah and 45% Pinot Noir. It’s not a grape that’s often seen in a rosé, and the result is crisp, fun and complex (much like myself). The nose is sweet strawberries, and the palate is strawberries, cherries and a dash of spice. It has a nice, creamy body and a bright acidity. A great summertime wine for about fifteen bucks.

By the way, if you want to get your dad a father’s day gift he’ll never forget, the lovely wine bottle tie pictured above is available at www.vinodeco.com. Happy Father’s Day!

Last week, we participated in the latest online blogger tasting from our friends at Wines of Chile. As always, it was a blast: good wine, good information via webchat with the eight winemakers and great comments and feedback from our fellow wine bloggers. A good time was had by all (and I’m still recovering). Read on for the lowdown…

I had received my tasting kit several weeks ago, and all eight bottles were chilled and ready to go. While I had hoped to have some of the suggested food prepared (ceviche and the like), my mid-week work schedule proved to be an insurmountable obstacle to the preparation or acquisition of said grub, so I settled for some nuts and crackers. I laid out the glasses and bottles, got out the corkscrew and logged on. The tasting, moderated by wine educator and Master Sommelier Fred Dexheimer, had begun.

Here, in order, are the eight wines we tasted and our thoughts…

…a new game I just invented. Put a map of Spanish wine regions over the dart board of your choice. Apply blindfold and throw your dart. Wherever it lands, find a bottle from the nearest region and enjoy. Last official count I got on the number of Spanish DO’s was 70, and according to our friends of the Wine Academy of Spain, a new DO could appear at any time (a new one was announced during our Spanish wine course this past summer).…so I played a little game of Spanish darts last week and swung by K&L Hollywood to grab three bottles.

The first bottle I picked up is from the Montsant region, which is known for their fantastic Grenache and Cariñena based red wines. However, this one is a white wine made from white Grenache (Garnatxa Blanca to you and me), and is from the good folks at Celler el Masroig.

This is an interesting wine. It has a sharp minerality on the nose with notes of honeydew and fennel. On the palate, there are subdued flavors of honeydew and peaches, but with the mineral backbone. It has a nice acidity and good balance. Robert Parker gave it a 91 and I got it for under twenty bucks.

Bottle #2 is the 2007 Bodegas Volver Tempranillo from the La Mancha region. This bottle is a perfect example of why ‘Tempranillo’ has become the buzz word in American wine bars and why Spanish wine in general is getting such a good rap. Solid performance at a good price.

The floral nose is big and full of fruit- blackberries and cherries, along with smoky coffee. Full-bodied and complex on the palate with lots of ripe berries with finish-o-plenty. 90 points from Robert Parker and I paid a whopping 13 greenbacks. SOLID.

Last but not least, we’ve got the 2005 Mas Estela “Quindals” from the region known as: Empordà Costa Brava. This DO which you may or may not have heard of, is in the northeastern corner of the province of Girona, on the coast of the Mediterranean and on the Southern border of France. The area is known for its Rosé wines, but this little gem of a wine made from 90% Grenache, 5% Syrah, and 5% Carinena is a bad-ass red.

The nose is dark berries and blueberries all day long with an oakey/minerally thing floating around. On the palate, it’s complex with layers of those same dark berries with a dusting of spice and oak and healthy tannins. A nice long finish and at $17 it was a steal. Robert Parker gave it a 90.

What’s the point you ask? Get out there and explore! Try a wine from a region you’ve never heard of. If you’re not sure where to start, pick Spain. There are A TON of different regions and LOTS of tasty wines at prices that won’t break the bank.

If you have a dart board and a color printer, you know what to do…

Yes, once again I’ve ignored my own advice; I posted a list of wine suggestions for the holiday and I wound up with a bottle of something ‘off the list’. So if you read my “5 Wines for the Fourth of July” blog post, just pretend it was called “6 Wines for the Fourth of July”, and pretend the the 2007 Conundrum was #6.

I’ve long been a fan of  Conundrum.  It’s a great summertime white wine.  A great sweet, floral nose (from the Viognier) and a complex, flavorful palate, from everything else.  It’s worth mentioning that this wine is made by the good folks at Caymus.  Also worth mentioning that Conundrum got a nod in the movie Sideways when Miles’ agent tells him:  “…“Richard Davis at Conundrum liked your book.”

The wine is a blend of sauvignon blanc, muscat canelli, chardonnay and viognier, and some of it is fermented in oak barrels and some in stainless steel. The resulting wine is a plethora of flavors:   melon, citrus, peaches, apples and minerals with hints of vanilla.  It’s got a great creamy mouthfeel with a nice touch of  acidity.  I drank it with BBQ’d chicken and pasta salad, and then drank it again all by itself as the summer sky went dark and then went light again, filled with fireworks.

If you like a white wine that’s a bit different than the usual Chard or Sauv Blanc, give the Conundrum a whirl.  A great summertime wine and it’s usually around 20 bucks.

Yes, another holiday is upon us, and God forbid I don’t find a way to associate celebration with wine (the two go hand in hand after all).  So without further ado, here is WineExpedition’s list of five wines for the Fourth of July.

2006 Rosenblum “Richard Sauret” Paso Robles Zinfandel When I think of the 4rth, I think barbecue, and when I think barbecue, I think Zinfandel.  They’re generally big, bold, zesty and fruity which is a good match for a zesty barbecue sauce.  Rosenblum has become synonymous with Zinfandel, and this one is made from fruit from Paso Robles, a wine region near and dear to my heart.   This wine is big- full of dark fruit, pepper and vanilla.  The 14% petite sirah that’s mixed in gives it a nice touch of berries.  Normally about 20 bucks, but right now on sale at K&L for for $12.99.  If spicy BBQ is on the menu, pick up this or simillar California zin and you’ll be set.

2008 Etude Carneros Pinot Noir Rosé When it’s hot outside and your at an outdoor cookout, you can’t go wrong with a bottle of  rosé to cool off and get things started.  This one is a good one; light and fresh on the nose and lots of strawberry and berries on the palate.  Crisp, dry and picnic-food friendly.  It averages $17.  Few rosés will cost you more than that, and most are less, so it’s a good call for cooling off and saving a buck at the same time.

Crisp, cold white wines are always welcome this time of year, and this one from Spain is a good call indeed:  2007 Bodegas Angel Rodriguez Martinsancho Verdejo.  Crisp, citrus-y, floral…  Crack a bottle before the sun goes down and enjoy.   Sixteen bucks more or less.  Verdejo grapes are grown mostly in the Rueda area of Spain, so look for another verdejo if you can’t find this one.  Another good bet for a hot day is a Sauvignon Blanc from California, Chile or New Zealand.

Another white option that I’ve been getting into lately is Gewürztraminer , particularly those grown in California.  So on that note, the 2007 Thomas Fogarty Monterey County Gewürztraminer is one that I just my open myself on the 4rth.  Slightly sweet, this one’s loaded with tropical flavors, floral notes and spices, all wrapped up in a nice crisp acidity.  Good with food or good with fireworks;  around fifteen dollars.

I think it’s safe to assume that most of us will be doing some kind of barbecue on the fourth, or at least eating hearty, summertime fare, so another wine that comes to my mind is Syrah (Shiraz if you’re down under), which brings us to the 2007 Strong Arms Shiraz.   Like a zin, syrah’s tend to be big and fruity and thus work well with some bbq’d ribs splashed with a zesty sauce.  This one has berries o’ plenty with spices and earthy notes.  A great glass to have with your burger and to keep sipping when the sky lights up.  $12.

Last but not least, I chose to mention one more white, because when it’s summer time I tend to like to cool down with a glass of white wine.  In LA, it will no doubt still be warm after the sun goes down, so I may be sipping a glass of 2007 Miner Family “Simpson Vineyard” Viognier.  Viognier is another unexpected white wine that delivers lots of interesting floral notes and pairs well with summer food.   This one from California is rich and summery with flavors of peaches and tropical fruit and subtle layers of honey and vanilla.  Again, good with food, but good to sip while watching the fireworks, and about $17.

Whichever wine you choose, enjoy your fourth of July.  May it be safe and sane…

I’ve been awash in new-world Sauvignon Blanc as of late, if you’re following the blog, you’ve no doubt noticed posts on Sauv’s from Napa, Chile and New Zealand. So the other day when I was visiting my buddy Steve Greer at K&L Wine Merchants in Hollywood, he said “give this one a try… one of my new favorites”. And for $13.99, I couldn’t argue with him.

This one was from France, but it wasn’t from Sancerre, which is the area in France known for crazy good white wines made with the Sauvignon Blanc grape (if it was from Sancerre, it would have most likely been more than $13.99). Rather, this wine was from Touraine, – further west in the Loire Valley region of France. It was the 2007 Jean-Francois Merieau Sauvignon Blanc, 100% organic and 100% Sauvignon Blanc.

Its a delicate, light straw color, and has aromas of grapefruit and herbs. Once it made it into my mouth, it was light and crisp, with faint flavors of lemon, grapefruit and a strong mineral background. The fruit definitely is quiet, more subdued than my recent samples of new-world Sauv Blancs. A very enjoyable wine, and for under $15 it’s an inexpensive wine journey to France.

Note to self: It’s time for a side by side tasting of Sauv Blancs from the old world vs. some from the new world. Coming soon to WineExpedition.com…

…no, not all of them. Just this one white wine actually…

More specifically, the 2006 Vinedos de Ithaca ‘Odysseus’ Garnacha Blanca. It’s a most interesting white wine from the Priorat , or Priorato region of Spain. The area is known for it’s prestigious red wines and its red and black volcanic slate soils.

This bottle o’ white is made from Garnacha Blanca which is known in France as Grenache Blanc and is the main grape involved in white Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines. The vines are 80 plus years old.

Shockingly, I was perusing the sales rack and found this bottle there.  It was in my fridge in the blink of an eye.  I pulled it out on a weeknight after dinner, and the adventure was about to begin.

I served it nice and cold and observed a nice golden hue in my glass. The nose is complex… there’s sort of a pear/plum fruit thing along with some vanilla, and a sort of bitter undertone. On the palate:  mild flavors of pears and peaches with some creamy butter and honeysuckle, and a pronounced nut flavor that resonates and lingers for a beat. The mouth-feel is thick and chewy- it’s really not like any white wine I’ve had.   It would have paired nicely with a herb roasted or broiled chicken dish.

FYI: Steven Tanzer gave it a 90.

By the way, in my research I discovered that Priorat is also known for its production of hazelnuts- the culprit no doubt for the flavor I detected.  I’m always amazed at the characteristics that wine picks up from the soil its grapes are grown in.  It’s really kinda nutty…

…so I was at my buddy Michael’s house talking about wine (just another Saturday afternoon), and my Napa trip came up. Michael suddenly lept from his chair and could barely contain himself as he asked “Dude! Did you go check out the Scholium Project?” I was like… “I beg your pardon?”

It sounded like a science-fiction story by Ray Bradbury, bu as it turns out, Scholium Project is a small winery just East of Napa, run by wine maker Abe Shoener. According to Vinfolio, Schoener’s specialty is partnering with small growers with eccentric terroirs throughout Sonoma and Napa. And Scholium by the way is Greek for school or scholar, though my research revealed that Abe doesn’t follow the books when it comes to making wine.

According to this great article by Eric Asimov at the New York Times, “No winery in California is more unconventional, experimental or even radical than Scholium. Half the wines it makes in any given year are exquisite. The other half are shocking and sometimes undrinkable. All of them are fascinating, which is exactly the way Mr. Schoener wants it.” He describes the range of the wines produced at Scholium “..from massive and far out to almost classically delicate” and says “…to call Scholium Project a winery and its proprietor, Abe Schoener, a winemaker is a little like calling Salvador Dalí a painter. It’s true, but it does not begin to capture his visionary character.”

Now mind you, this is all information I found out after my taste of the 2008 Scholium Project Riquewihr, Lost Slough Vineyard, which is a Gewurztaminer bottled in little brown 500ml port bottles. I furrowed my brow upon Micheal’s popping of the cork.

I don’t consider myself a ‘gewurzt guy’, I’ve had a couple here and there at Thanksgiving etc. But I’ll always take a taste. I poured myself a glass of this one, and life would never be the same.

The nose was like no wine I’ve ever smelled before. There were sweet peaches, but it was thick and somehow chalky? I furrowed my brow again. I took a good sip and swirled it around… This wine is HEAVY in your mouth.. thick and heavy-cream-like. The flavor was sort of a citrus-y peachy honey thing, with a finish that lasts about an hour and a half. As I type this, I’m not sure how that reads, but to be clear: I LIKED THIS WINE. ALOT. It was pretty rad, actually. Between the heaviness and the flavors and the funny little brown bottles, I couldn’t help but think of lambic. But that’s not really accurate… All I know is that I finished my glass as did the two gents tasting with me.

If you can get a hold of one of these bottles, do so. Abe only made 280 cases of the little guys. Oh, and by the way: 15.8% alcohol. Yup.

We had some time to kill in Napa, and one of our favorite Napa wineries has always been St. Supéry. So we decided to stop and taste…

It’s a beautiful property, with the old Victorian home on your right as you walk to the tasting room. My very first Napa tasting trip started with a visit at St. Supéry. I’ll never forget it; in addition to it being the beginning of my career in wine-drinking, it was the first time I had a good Sauvignon Blanc, and I just remember how I walked away with the intense flavors of grapefruit in my mouth. I was a permanent Sauvignon Blanc fan after that and also a permanent St. Supéry fan.

Like that first tasting trip, this last Saturday was a warm day in the Napa valley and after the drive back up to Rutherford, we were ready for a cool tasting room. We weren’t there to shoot a webisode… just to have some of their fantastic wine.

Jeff, myself and WE team member Adrian descended on the tasting bar in our WineExpedition T-shirts, looking rather snazzy if I do say so myself. We were thirsty and feeling a bit rowdy, but we were no match for Laurie at the tasting room bar, and she quickly filled our glasses and kept us in check.

There are so many good wines at St. Supéry;  their Cabernet is great as is their red blend  Élu and their white blend Virtú.  Jeff is a big fan of their Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

I was warm, so I kinda hung with the white wines.  One of my favorite Sauvignon Blanc’s on the planet is St. Supéry’s exclusive Dollarhide Ranch Sauvignon Blanc.   As always, it did not disappoint:  aromas of grapefruit and apricots were followed by a mouthful of grapefruit with a nice mineral undertone.  A zesty yet refined Sauv Blanc.

I also had a taste of the Semillon.  This is a trippy wine… It’s thick on your tongue.. creamy and textured; the nose is peachy and the palate is chewy/creamy/citrusy.  A lot going on and I enjoyed it…

They say their Moscato ‘…is like summer in a glass…’ and I have to agree with that statement.  The nose has notes of peaches and apricots, and as soon as it hit my mouth I was hit with flavors of apricots and a tad of orange peel. It’s sweet, but at the same time it’s light and refreshing.  I brought a bottle home- I think my wife might like this one.  A great wine for a hot day.

After all the light/white/foofy wines, I had to have one red before we left.  The obvious choice was the Dollarhide Cabernet Sauvignon.    This is a big, bad cab.  Hearty aromas of dark berries and plums with hints of oak lead into a mouthful of blackberries and currants with layers of oak, chocolate and coffee.  It’s a mouthful and it finishes with some good tannins.  This one’s a keeper for sure, and it was a good way to finish up the tasting.

We waved goodbye to Laurie and hit the road; more adventures lay ahead…