* Gramercy Cellars, Walla Walla

Taste Washington! 2012 Recommended Wines.
* 2nd Runner Up – Gramercy Cellars, my 3rd Favorite Winery at Taste Washington! 2012.

I'm beginning to realize that there are several wineries in Washington making wine the way I like/love Washington wine. Honest expressions of terroir and true passion communicated via delicious bottles of wine (my spell checker wants to use “deliciousness”). Gramercy Cellars is on my list of favorite Washington wineries. Their “The Third Man” red wine blend was one of my overall favorite wines at Taste Washington! this year – love that name. I enjoyed visiting with Greg Harrington, Founder and Winemaker. Bravo Greg! You guys rock! You are on my must visit list. Give me a call if I don't call first.

Greg Harrington and Brandon Moss, Gramercy Cellars.

Gramercy Founder and Master Sommelier Greg Harrington, spent his career overseeing some of the most prestigious wine programs in the country. Gramercy's first harvest was in 2005. Walla Walla Valley native Brandon Moss, Assistant Winemaker, joined Gramercy Cellars in 2009.

The Lovely Wines:

2011 Olsen Vineyard Rose.

2011 Olsen Vineyard Rose - Cinsault mostly, light, fruity, more orange than pink color. 50% Cinsault, 25% Grenache, 25% Syrah, cases produced 90, retail price $25. Recommended.

* Favorite: 2009 Minick Vineyard Columbia Valley Syrah – Wine club only. No new oak. Great nose. 100% Syrah, cases produced 70, retail price $50.

2009 Lagniappe Columbia Valley Syrah.

* Favorite: 2009 Lagniappe Columbia Valley Syrah - Lot of care taken on this wine. Fabulous finish. 100% Syrah, cases produced 352, retail price $45.

2009 Syrah Walla Walla Valley, Les Collines Vineyard.

* Favorite: 2009 Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, Les Collines - Meaty, funky, dark, great core, sharp, funk finish. 100% Syrah, cases produced 605, retail price $45.

2009 Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
The red strip indicates for Wine Club Only.

2009 Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - Wine club only. Good. Not huge. Like finish. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, cases produced 145, retail priced $65. Recommended.

** Overall Favorite Wine of Taste Washington 2012.
2009 The Third Man, Gramercy Cellars.

** Overall Favorite of Taste: The Third Man - Red blend, my fave, balanced, Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre, like all the way through, mid and finish is my speed, med finish, kind of fancy. 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre, cases produced 490, retail price $45.

Wines listed here are the wines I liked and recommend. My favorite wines appealed to me because they expressed unique characteristics and quality, they are indicated by an “*” and are in italics.

Gramercy Cellars
635 N 13th Ave
Walla Walla, WA 99362

Tasting Room Hours:
December through March: By appointment only Thursday-Saturday

Phone: 509.876.2427

www.gramercycellars.com
twitter: @gramercycellars

Walla Walla AVA Location.

Three Albariños and Several Food Pairings | Taste Rías Baixas

As promised, more reviews of Albariño wines from Rías Baixas. My previous post ( My Favorite White Wines this Summer are from DO Rias Baixas ), I emphasized more traditional food pairings, grilled shrimp, Ceviche, and watermelon. This time, I wanted to try some different pairings to see how well Albariño wines would match. I love seafood, but I was curious about the flexibility of this variety. My test pairings began with a series of mini quiche I made at home, spinach, hamburger, tomato, dill and steak. Following are my tastings notes on the wines and the food pairing results. Results were mixed. Map of DO Rías Baixas and sub-zones. While twelve grape varieties are permitted in DO Rías Baixas, the white Albariño grape represents 96% of all plantings. Albariño refreshes as a drinking wine and appeals to diverse cuisine. Albariño from Galicia delivers for me on many levels. Bright acidity, refreshing citrus flavors and that compelling salinity which in...

2 Badger Mountain Organic NSA Red Wines Reviewed

Some of you prefer organic food, but have you tried organic wine? I had a great experience at a red wine tasting at Badger Mountain Organic Vineyard and Powers Winery. Mickey Dunne, winery Owner and Sales Director, was my host. I was delighted by the Badger Mountain Organic NSA wines. It all made perfect sense. Rejoice because these are top-notch wines, big on flavor and modest on price.

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 ...

William Pollard Jr | aka: Wild 4 Washington Wine

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