William Pollard Jr | aka: Wild 4 Washington Wine

Sauternes and Sweet Bordeaux Tasting It is always a pleasure and privilege to experience wine from regions I have not, yet, visited. One such experience has resonated with me for most of this year. In January, a bottle of 2001 Sauternes was sent home with me, it was 2/3 full. I drank every drop of that golden, sweet, delicious Sauternes. Afterwards, I could not shake from my thoughts how delicious, unctuous and intense an experience was that wine. The sweet, golden liquid, that oh so complex and stunning Sauternes changed something in me. It was a seminal experience. I wanted more. "“Noble Rot” is associated with a process that happens to grapes creating a distinctive, concentrated, exotic, honey flavored wine with a crisp, acidic finish. Through the magic of nature, this royal rot is what we have to thank for Bordeaux’s signature sweet white wines, most often referred to as Sauternes."  -  Bordeaux Magazine, August 2016 For the remainder of this year, I have been ...

Domaine Sainte-Eugenie Recolte 2009 This year I started breaking my rule of reviewing only Washington wines. That’s not much of an issue for me; mostly I find and purchase Washington wines. But one of the local wine buyers at the neighborhood grocery keeps recommending International wines. So there you go. A few weeks ago, I was at said local grocery, browsing for something different, when he showed up and suggested something French. An end-cap full of Italian sparklers and French Rosés, led to some friendly discussion. He eventually steered me to a bottle of Domaine Sainte-Eugenie Recolte 2009 – a French Rosé. He promised I‘d enjoy it; which I did, tonight. This Rosé is from the Languedoc region of Southern France. Wines from the Mediterranean coast of Languedoc are labeled as Languedoc, those from the interior have other labels such as Fronton, Gaillac, or Limoux to the west - and Côtes du Rhône towards the east. Languedoc produces more than a third of the grapes in France. T...