Another Fine Syrah from Rob Griffin

2005 Barnard Griffin Syrah Tulip Label

I’m a huge fan of Washington Syrah. No winemaker seems to make Syrah alike. Half the fun of wine tasting in Washington is discovering how each winemaker interprets this varietal; not everyone does a great job in my opinion. Someone who knows Syrah well, and excels in its interpretation, is Rob Griffin. After all, he's made wine in Washington since 1977 and Rob makes an amazing for the price Syrah. I’m speaking of his Tulip label Syrah.The 2005 Tulip label Barnard Griffin Syrah leans towards a soft elegance. A little time in the bottle has done well for this wine. The wine has opened up nicely over the last 6 months.

Tasting notes: soft nose, lightly fragrant of violets, hints of licorice as the wine opens up and some vanilla too. The longer this bottle is open, the better the wine tastes, nice acidity with gentle tannins. The finish has lengthened: delicious dark fruit flavors, blackberry, plum, and raspberry jam. Very tasty, open at least an hour before drinking. I think Turkey would pair well with this wine, perhaps a turkey & Swiss sandwich, use good crusty bread, a pickle on the side and some sweet potato fries too - kind of a mini Thanksgiving. I have food on the mind.

Cheers!

4722 cases – I have occasionally found this wine at Costco for about $13.

www.barnardgriffin.com

Review: Sho Chiku Bai, Unfiltered Sake

Last month in Seattle, I purchased a bottle of Nigori sake at Uwajimaya. Uwajimaya is one of the largest Asian grocery retailers in the Pacific Northwest. I’ve been visiting Uwajimaya for almost 40 years. When I was much younger, I’d buy model ship and plane kits, Japanese comic books (manga) and I never left without at least one steaming Humbow in hand. Today I buy the manga for my son; while I still enjoy the tasty steamed Humbows, now I never leave without at least one bottle of Sake in hand. Uwajimaya has a terrific selection of imported sake. This most recent visit, I left with a bottle of Sho Chiku Bai Nigori sake. Nigori sake is generally the sweetest of all sakes, with a fruity nose and a mild flavor, making a great drink to complement spicy foods or as a dessert wine. Typical sake is usually filtered to remove grain solids left behind after the fermentation process; however Nigori sake remains unfiltered, resulting in a cloudier beverage. Before serving, the bottle must

A Special Oregon Pinot Noir with Eastern North Carolina Inspired Ribs #OTBN #winePW 10

Open That Bottle Night - A great excuse for a Wine Pairing Weekend. February 28th was Open That Bottle Night - I selected a bottle of wine I helped blend using barrel samples of Pinot Noir from R. Stuart winery in McMinville, Oregon. I was saving this bottle for a special occasion and knew it was likely time to open and drink. I hoped it had improved. "Blending wine is no task for mere mortals." - William Pollard Jr. Our Wine Pairing Weekend group decided Open That Bottle Night would be an appropriate occasion to pair our selected bottle of wine with something special as well. After some consideration, I decided North Carolina ribs would likely pair well with my special bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir. For this post I'll review the wine first, then provide the recipe, and wrap up with the results of this wine + food pairing. *Note: What is Open That Bottle Night? Wife and Husband columnists Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher invented Open That Bottle

Spirit Review: Ole Smokey Tennessee Moonshine White Lightnin' @OleSmoky

Today I have crossed the line from wine to spirits. At 100 proof the Ole Smokey Tennessee Moonshine is definitely turning up the volume (ABV 50%). "Moonshine, white lightning, mountain dew, hooch, and Tennessee white whiskey are terms used to describe high-proof distilled spirits, generally produced illicitly...The word "moonshine" is believed to derive from the term "moonrakers" used for early English smugglers and the clandestine (i.e., by the light of the moon) nature of the operations of illegal Appalachian distillers who produced and distributed whiskey." Source Wikipedia My family is no stranger to Moonshine. That is, my great-grandfather and grandfather were not strangers. Evidently the family occasionally produced their own spirits on their Oregon ranch. My grandfather told me about his younger brother getting into his dads stash with predictable results. Grandmother also told me stories about midnight runs and secretive deliveries d

William Pollard Jr | aka: Wild 4 Washington Wine

Search This Blog