Skip to main content

Wine of the Week -Dunham Cellars 2011 Trutina Columbia Valley @dunhamcellars

photo

 "Drink me." Alice never had it so good.

This is a wine we often serve at home parties. We drink it, so I never have a chance to review a bottle. This week I took time for tasting notes and reflection. Glad I did, and I discovered it is popular with many friends. I'll have to buy more for the next party.

“The Mad Hatter: "Would you like some wine?"
Alice: "Yes..."
The Mad Hatter: "We haven't any and you're too young.” 
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

photo

Tasting Notes Dunham Cellars 2011 Trutina:

Color: Plum red/purple.
Nose: Earthy cherry, nice spike of violets, pencil, white pepper, rose petal.
Palate: Lovely at first taste, fluid cherry cordial, root beer hard candy, orange zest in background, lifted finish, graceful. Big Like.

After 15 minutes: Black cherry, brown sugar, pepper mill, ginger bread, root beer, orange cordial aromas. Cherry cordial, delicate tannin on the tongue and gums, vanilla, brown sugar/caramel, blueberry, with longer finish. Big Like.

After 30 minutes: Fantastic nose! My speed, mix of dark concentrated fruit, ginger bread/graham cracker, pepper mill/chocolate nibs, finely ground coffee, popcorn. Dark fruit flavor, cherry, coffee, chocolate, orange zest, tannin more present on tongue and gums, note of tamarind, pleasant tingle on tongue, medium finish.

After four hours: Cherry, raspberry, fruitcake vibe, graphite, polished, fine apple tannin, tasty dry finish, coffee, dark chocolate, plum, soy, Australian black licorice. Well done.

Day two: Managed to save 1/2 glass of wine for the second day. Marvelous! Lovely dark fruit, rich, pleasantly dry, earthy, chocolaty, vibrant, mouth pleasing with delectable tannin on the tongue and gums. Big Like.

photo


Thoughts: Buy me drink me. I suppose you could cellar this vintage for another 5 years. Why wait? It is wonderful today! Strongly Recommended + Wine of the Week.

Winemakers: Eric Dunham and Daniel Wampfler
Vineyards: Lewis Estate Vineyard, Phinny Hill Vineyard, Yellowbird Vineyard, Tokar Vineyard, Wallula Vineyard, Kenny Hill Estate Vineyard
Blend: 57% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Syrah
Closure: Natural Cork
ABV: 14.1%
SRP: $29

Dunham Cellars is located near the foothills of the Blue Mountains
150 E. Boeing Avenue, Walla Walla, Washington 99362
Phone 509.529.4685
www.dunhamcellars.com

“ALICE
She drank from a bottle called DRINK ME
And she grew so tall,
She ate from a plate called TASTE ME
And down she shrank so small.
And so she changed, while other folks
Never tried nothin' at all.” 
― Shel Silverstein, Where the Sidewalk Ends: The Poems and Drawings of Shel Silverstein
Food and wine for thought.

Note: This is not the current vintage but it is still available in stores where I live. The 2012 Trutina is the current vintage and receiving positive feedback. I'd check them both out.

Cheers!
Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

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...
Read more

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 ...
Read more

Review | Rediscover New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc 2022 Vintage

New Zealand Wine Puts a Smile on my Face My friends know I am a huge fan of New Zealand wine. In 2012 I became a little obsessed and created a New Zealand wine blog with my friend Julie. We called it " Kiwi Daydreaming " because we could not stop daydreaming about New Zealand wine. Today, I am sharing my thoughts on three Marlborough, New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc wines. Each wine is distinct. Each is delicious in its own way. If you know me, you know that I cannot review any wine without including wine and food pairings. Those are included as well! About Appellation Marlborough Wine: Appellation Marlborough Wine™ was established in 2018 with a strict certification process that the region’s producers are able to apply for. AMW is trademarked in all key global wine markets and it is the legal recognition that sets it apart from other new world certification practices. Wines bearing the Appellation Marlborough Wine (AMW) quality mark provide consumers the following guarantees: O...
Read more