September 2009

First Washington State Food & Wine Magazine Winemaker of the Year

Every year for the last eleven

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years Food and Wine Magazine has selected a Winemaker of the Year. This is an extremely prestigious award, and it marks the winemaker in question as creating some of the very best wines North America offers. This year, for the first time ever, Food and Wine Magazine has selected a Washington winemaker their Winemaker of the Year. Charles Smith is a relative newcomer to the Washington wine scene, but he's already made his mark in terms of Washington wine that's unabashedly characteristic of the state.

Sagebrush Sauvignon Blanc 2008

We picked this up

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on a whim at the local bargain grocery store. It's a very new vintage, from a winery I've never heard of; the bottle says "Sagebrush Vineyards, Pasco Washington." I can't find out anything at all about this wine, or the winery. There was a hand-written sign on the shelf under the bottles that said it was from Gordon Brothers Winery. I have no idea on what basis, but I note that the Gordon Brothers do make a rather well respected Sauvignon Blanc. The Sagebrush was a surprisingly sweet—almost dessert-wine sweet wine, but it was light, with a distinct aroma of roasted peaches, and just very slightly citrusy. It was quite enjoyable, to my surprise; it was the "youngest" bottle of professionally made wine I've ever had. Frankly, I half-way expected it to be pretty bad.

Gordon Brothers 2006 Columbia valley Rose

This is another bargain grocery store wine. It's also a bit of a mystery; except for the winemaker's own Website, this is, apparently, a nonexistent wine. The 2005

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Rose is easy to find, as are a number of positive reviews; the 2006? Not so much. That's a little surprising; the Gordon Brothers and their winery are extremely well-respected.; I had their Kamiak wines in Los Angeles, where they were presented at a catered dinner for a "cause" and selected by the host as premium domestic wines. I remember him telling me conspiratorially (I was staff, not an attendee) that he totally scored on the purchase, and had even bought two cases for himself.

Washington Wine Month: The Real Thing

I will admit to some disappointment. I was hoping not only for some good prices, but most especially, for some wines from the smaller wineries. There are lower prices, and yes, the lower prices do qualify for a case discount, and I do appreciate that. But even the "special wines" available for the month are from the larger and very well distributed wineries like Avery, Kiona, Washington Hills, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Crest, and Hogue.