William Pollard Jr | aka: Wild 4 Washington Wine

When I evaluate a bottle of wine, I usually take notes over time on how the wine smells and tastes. If you read my wine reviews, then you know that wine does indeed change over time. The longer wine is exposed to air, the more the aromas and flavors will change - typically in a good way. Swirling the wine in your glass is one method for aerating wine. If you have time to wait, a method for slowly aerating wine is to open a bottle an hour or more before you pour or to decant the bottle. But what if you can't wait? "Who the hell waits an hour to drink a bottle of wine?" - Anonymous, on how long I may let a bottle breathe. What does aeration do? As soon as a bottle of wine is opened, oxidation begins to occur. While oxidation is bad for a sealed bottle of wine, it is actually beneficial to an open bottle of wine. Oxidation releases the aromas and flavors in a bottle of wine, especially red wines which have more tannin and complexity. You can think...

An adorable, heady Viognier by one of my favorite winemakers. Bravo! Alexandria Nicole Cellars is a local Washington winery dedicated to producing small lots of hand-crafted wine at their Destiny Ridge Estate vineyard and winery. Destiny Ridge vineyard is located on the bluffs above the Columbia River near the town of Paterson, Washington. Many different varietals thrive in soils and micro-climate conditions of the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. Lovely place. Tasting Notes: Color : Straw, shiny, clear. Nose : Fresh pear, honey, sweet minerality, hazelnut, lychee, nectarine skin, peach blossom with light vanilla and fig. Generous layered nose, added depth over 30 minutes. Nose stuck in glass. Reminded me of a spring rain in the orchard, sitting outside on the porch, smelling the fresh baked bread cooling in my Great Aunt Marjorie's kitchen. Palate : Fresh, creamy, honeyed-pear, brioche, medium-light body, silky dryness on the tongue, orange cream wi...