Skip to main content

Wine of the Week - a Personal Favorite Barnard Griffin 2013 Chardonnay @BarnardGriffin

photo

Crowd pleasing style, but not gimmicky. My go to white wine.

The Washington Chardonnay I continue to return to is one I have enjoyed over many years. That is, the Chardonnay made by winemaker Rob Griffin of Barnard Griffin Winery in Richland, Washington.

I've been a fan since, well, at least before they opened their tasting room in 1997. Rob Griffin was the original winemaker for Preston Cellars, 1979 - 1983, and I started drinking those wines in 1986. Then he was the winemaker and GM for Hogue Cellars 1984 - 1991, which I also started drinking in 1986. Rob and his wife Deborah Barnard created their Barnard Griffin label in 1983, which I started drinking in the early 1990's. For me, Barnard Griffin is synonymous with Washington Wine.  I even worked for Barnard Griffin Winery 2005 - 2007. We have a history.

photo
Rob Griffin with daughter Elise.

Today Rob is still the winemaker, his older daughter Elise is now the tasting room manager for the winery. His youngest daughter Megan, is the winemaker for Preston Cellars. And Deborah Barnard has a glass studio attached to the expanded winery and bistro. It pleases me to see a family owned Washington winery continue the family business. Growing stronger and becoming better known. I encourage you to visit the winery and bistro in Richland, Washington. If you see a bottle of Barnard Griffin wine on the shelf, grab it.

photo

Tasting Notes Barnard Griffin 2013 Chardonnay

Color: Gold.
Nose: Toasty pear, melon, hazelnut shell, hint of river rock.
Palate: Brioche, pear, melon, ginger, nutty, fresh, nice tingle on tongue, medium bodied with light spice on the finish. Like.

After 15 minutes: Pear and Chamomile, stony with hints of Mandarin and hazelnut shell on the nose. Delicate creaminess, nutty, pear skin, fresh, flavor concentrated mid-palate, modest tingle on the gums, nutty with lime and pear on finish. Like.

After 2 hours: Nice mineral quality. Nutty pear, fresh, vanilla cream spice, nice lift and splash mid-palate, medium-light body, cinnamon on the crisp, medium finish. Like.

Thoughts: Wonderful after work wine. Not overly complex, lightly oaked, fresh and enjoyable alone or with food. My speed. Pair with your mood and shellfish. Grilled bratwurst with sauerkraut and this Chardonnay, one of my favorite pairings, my comfort food. Recommended + Great Value.

Closure: Nomacorc
ABV: 13.2%
SRP: $14
Purchased locally: $9
Vineyard Locations and AVAs : Caroway Vineyard (Columbia Valley), Arete Vineyard (Columbia Valley), Crawford Vine-yard (Yakima Valley), Lonesome Spring Ranch (Yakima Valley), Conner Lee Vineyard (Columbia Valley), Gunkel Vineyard (Columbia Valley, Eastern Columbia River Gorge)

photo

Barnard Griffin Winery & Tasting Room
878 Tulip Lane
Richland, Washington 99352
Phone: (509) 627.0266
Rob Griffin, Owner, Winemaker
www.barnardgriffin.com

Related Post: db Gallery and Studio Textures in Kiln Class

Cheers!

Popular posts from this blog

My Current State of Wine

"Do I still work in the wine industry?" Like many of you, the Covid pandemic altered my life trajectory. Today, I am going to re-cap where I am in the wine industry. My story will bounce back and forth for context. Remember, I like to connect the dots. The Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center in Prosser, Washington. First, everyone asks me, what happened to the Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center (Clore Center)? Good question. The Clore Center, located in Prosser, Washington, birthplace of Washington wine, opened in 2014 as a not for profit. The primary mission of the Clore Center was to promote " Washington state wine ." I began working at the Clore Center in October 2015. My last title was, Wine Education Coordinator . We finally, sadly, closed our doors in November 2020.  It was my sincerest pleasure to work at the Clore Center for five years. I made many friends in the industry and in the community. I met many people from around the country and from around th

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