Wine Roundup

Had a great night in Woodinville for two wine release events last night.


Hands down, my favorite Washington red wine comes from Obelisco Estate.  Doug Long, the owner/founder is a genius when it comes to growing grapes and making wine.  He began his career in 1971 in the Napa Valley with his two brothers, and their first winery, David Arthur, was named Winery of the Decade by Wine Spectator in 2000.  Obelisco currently only makes red wine, but Doug is excited to release a Dry Riesling and a Chardonnay in the spring.  If you're looking for a balanced red that goes with just about anything, try the Syrah ($30). The 2009 Obelisco Estate Electrum Cabernet ($65) recently won Double Gold at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.  It's worth mentioning that all of the grapes are Red Mountain, so you know it's got to be good! (I should mention that I volunteer as a wine pourer at Obelisco, so I might be a bit biased.)


Des Voigne Cellars' release party was complete with Glassy Baby and jewelry from Stella & Dot.  We tasted four wines: San Remo, Solea, The Composer and The Groove. The two that intrigued me were the 100% Malbec, The Composer, and the red blend, The Groove.  In fact, my friend and I bought a case of The Groove to split because it is a GREAT VALUE for a deep, rich red at $16 a bottle.


We stopped by Robert Ramsay Cellars, but the only wine worth mentioning there was a 100% Mourvedre ($35)-- something you don't see much of in the Pacific Northwest -- called Mckinley Springs. It was peppery and earthy like a cab, but it didn't have a long finish like most cabs do.


Finally, we stumbled upon an open release party at Mark Ryan Winery where they were serving Veraci Pizza and two new releases: 2010 Black Love Pinot Noir($52) and 2009 Lonely Heart Cabernet ($80). I'm not certain why Mark Ryan's wine is so expensive, but you can find Washington wines that drink just as good for half the price.