William Pollard Jr | aka: Wild 4 Washington Wine

An enticing wine made from a windswept estate vineyard. I'm often asked by visitors to Washington wine country about the quality of our wines. "Why are these wines so good?" As most of you know, you cannot make good wine without good grapes. And Washington wine grapes can be very good. Case in point. The Horse Heaven Hills AVA is home to 25% of the state's vineyard acreage.   Eastern Washington lies in a sweet spot in the Pacific Northwest. The Cascade mountain range captures most of the precipitation from the Pacific coast, leaving much of Eastern Washington semi-arid desert steppe. To grow grapes here, you must irrigate. The Northwest location also provides additional daylight in the summer, plus additional heat units and typically cool desert evenings. The best vineyards are located on poor soils, which are  relatively pest free, so no vine grafting required. Frequent winds also contribute to a nearly perfect growing region. View of a portion of the ...

Just released 21 October 2015 At first taste I knew this would be a "Wine of the Week." Kudos to Josh and Amy Stottlemeyer for producing such an exceptional Washington Malbec. Expect more reviews of Stottle Winery soon. Stottle Winery and main tasting room is located in Lacey, Washington just off I-5 and north of the state capital, Olympia. Thoughts: Ready to drink now. Wonderful with food. Well done. Decanting for an hour showed the elegance and depth of this wine. Don't wait too long to purchase this vintage. Only 110 cases were produced. Strongly Recommended + Wine of the Week . ~.~ Tasting Notes Stottle Winery 2012 Malbec Elerding 6 Prong Vineyards Color: Dark purple. Nose: Candied plum, baking spice, clove, grape bubble yum in background. Palate: Spiced plum, berry spice, chocolate, focused to middle, medium body, cherry on the finish. Tasty at open and ready to go. Enjoyed the finish. After 15 minutes: Savory berry, sandal wood, spice. Wo...

A Mercer Small Lot Wine, unique and unquestionably hand-made.  Produced in small quantities. Hand-crafted and meticulously tended to from the vineyard to the bottle. This bottle is a tribute to Don and Linda Mercer and all of the many cousins and friends who helped plant the original Mercer Ranch Vineyards back in the early 1970s. Named in honor of Carma Mercer, who was fond of a charming, hand-raised, bell sheep named Sadie Louise. For fifty years, many successor ewes carried on the name. The estate Spice Cabinet Vineyard, located in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA , provided 100% of the fruit for this wine. This vineyard sits on a southeast slope above the Columbia River. Mercer Estates Tasting Room in Prosser, Washington. Wine Bar at Mercer Estates Tasting Room. *Note: It was my pleasure to visit Mercer Estates Winery during harvest this year. I tasted through many delicious wines and also enjoyed a tour of their winery. It was a thrill to sample unfiltered ...

Fix that Chardonnay Craving  My #winemuse Podcast partner Linda Rez and I have been discussing the topic of Chardonnay. Our discussion became so involved we decided to record a special #winemuse Podcast show featuring Chardonnay - to be recorded soon. Outside of our regular commitments, this month has involved Chardonnay research and arranging interviews with some of the best winemakers on the west coast. After our last interview I had strong cravings for a glass of Chardonnay. But what to buy? One of the reflexes I have developed, after seven years of reviewing wine, is that I tend to purchase wines I don't know. Faced with a wall of wine, I typically select a bottle of wine I have not tried. Sometimes I will seek a wine reviewed/recommended by a friend in the wine industry. Usually, I look for an unfamiliar region or brand. A year ago I reviewed a Mercer Reserve Chardonnay . But I was in the mood for something a bit more new world, so I selected the Mercer Estate Chardo...

A Stylish Washington Malbec.  Malbec is another of the varietals Washington winemakers have embraced. Strongly associated with fine wines from Argentina, Malbec is a red wine varietal originally from the Bordeaux region of France. Stottle Winery has crafted a truly stylish Washington Malbec. A fragrant food worthy wine. The smart label design adds to the impression of style. A wonderful wine for your next formal occasion. Tasting Notes : Color : Smoky Garnet. Nose : Smoky, dark chocolate, candied cherry, black licorice, shell of hazelnut, blueberry, espresso, hint of juicy fresh sliced cherry tomato, elderberry. Palate : Juicy, dark fruit, Medium-light mouth feel, black cherry, cola, mocha, super fine tannin on the gums, fresh medium finish with tingle across the tongue. Wine seeking food. Day two : Blackberry, tobacco, hint of orange and tar, fine tannin, smooth, dry with bright notes on the medium finish. Finish lingered on the mid-palate with dried dark fruit. N...

Horse Heaven Hills Joyride! I find it interesting how well I have come to appreciate wines produced from Horse Heaven Hills fruit. There is something special going on in that AVA. A good example would be the inaugural release from Double Canyon - the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine was released in October 2012 and is just beginning to showoff. This winery is new to me. Likely because it was established in 2007. Double Canyon Vineyard is located in the heart of the Horse Heaven Hills AVA in SE Washington state, just six miles from the Columbia River. They produce limited-production estate-grown wine that expresses the varietal distinctiveness of this region. Something I can get behind. Last month, Jason Ledbetter began overseeing all winemaking operations. Jason works closely with Vineyard Manager Will Beightol.  Jason came to Double Canyon from Pine Ridge Vineyards in Napa Valley where he worked as assistant winemaker for four years....

Serious New Look - Same Great Value. I'm a fan of McKinley Springs wines. As I've expressed before, this small, family-owned and operated estate winery, produces wines true to the varietal. They taste like you expect, compliment your meals and are reasonably priced. The Bombing Range Red is a red wine blend which I first enjoyed a couple of years ago . Checking my blog I've reviewed or mentioned McKinley Springs nine times. Look for their wines. The Bombing Range Red label was introduced in 2005. The original label had a colorful graphic novel look which was easy to spot on the shelf. A casual wine with a playful look. However, I've learned from other wineries and their recent label changes, that our fond and friendly, playful looking designs, are not taken seriously outside of Washington state. If you want to sell more wine, sometimes you have to reconsider the look of the label. New label features 1943 photo of U.S. P-40 fighter plane at U.S. base in China....

An honest expression of Washington terroir. It's a pleasure to enjoy a bottle of red wine that tastes like you expect it to taste and compliments your meal. Is it odd to tell you that the McKinley Springs Cabernet Sauvignon tastes like and drinks like a Washington Cabernet Sauvignon? It does and I enjoyed it.

An almost elegant and very affordable Washington Viognier. McKinley Springs makes wine from their 2000 acre estate vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. They make wine in a style I appreciate and price their wines competitively. As I've mentioned in previous posts, I continue to be impressed by McKinley Springs wines. My first exposure to McKinley Springs was February 2012  after a  recommendation  by a gentleman I met at a local winery; it pays to visit with your fellow wine tasters. Thank you friend.

photo: 2008 McKinley Springs Syrah - Horse Heaven Hills. McKinley Springs is a family owned and operated winery in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA of Washington State. Doug Rowell is the winemaker and Rob Andrews is the grower. This was a dark wine, deep color almost inky; as expected from a Washington Syrah. On the nose: violets, blueberry, tar, pepper, whiff of earth, medium mouth feel, aromas flowed into the finish. There's a lot to like about this wine at opening, although, after some air, this wine became more concentrated on nose and palate. Aromas deepened, flavors became richer, root-beer, chocolate and espresso components emerged after 25 minutes, which was lovely on the nose. Balanced acidity and fine tannin kept this wine fresh and interesting. Really a treat to drink after 30 minutes. This wine is going to stain your tongue and lips purple; I checked in the mirror and it's true. Isn't that great? Man, the nose on this wine was captivating. I derived as much...

Photo: Alexandria Nicole Cellars 2008 Malbec. Fabulous Horse Heaven Hills Malbec. Last month I visited Alexandria Nicole Cellars , 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 high above the bluffs on the Columbia River, near the town of Paterson, Washington, where many different varietals thrive in soils and micro-climate conditions of the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. I'm delighted to share with you my experience with the Alexandria Nicole 2008 Malbec.   Photo: View of Destiny Ridge Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills AVA. Washington wine can be such an exquisite personal experience. The Alexandria Nicole 2008 Malbec is no exception. Their Block 20 Estate grown Malbec was wrapped in gorgeous color. When I stuck my nose in the glass, lush aromas of dark fruit, licorice, spice, black pepper, and chocolate, vibrated into a floral flourish, merrily...

Taste Washington! Recommended Wines. The children and spouses of Louise and Bob Andrews, established McKinley Springs Winery in 2002 with a goal of producing balanced, flavorful wines offering excellent value. Rob Andrews, Grower, tends to the vineyards and Doug Rowell, Winemaker, oversees production at McKinley Springs. Together they make 10 wines, focusing on Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Chenin Blanc. McKinley Springs Winemaker Doug Rowell. All of the McKinley Springs wines I tasted were very good. These wines are at very affordable price points too. What are you waiting for? Go buy some McKinley Springs, they ship too. The Wines: McKinley Springs 2009 Chenin Blanc, Horse Heaven Hills. Chenin Blanc, 2009 – Planted in 1981, crisp, lovely. Once widely planted, today, little Chenin Blanc is produced in Washington – this Chenin is at an affordable price too. Case production 546, retail price $12. Recommended. McKinley Springs 2008 Syrah, Horse Heaven Hills. * Favorit...

A tribute wine. Bombing Range Red is made by McKinley Springs , a family owned and operated winery in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA of Washington State. Doug Rowell is the winemaker and Rob Andrews is the grower. I like the label on this bottle, the graphic novel look is fun, bright and easy to spot on the shelf. It also tells a story. Bombing Range Red is a tribute to the history of the Horse Heaven Hills and our troops. During WWII, families in the Horse Heaven Hills were asked to leave their farms so the area could be used to train fighter pilots. Their farms became a bombing range. 2008 Bombing Range Red and BBQ ribs. This is the third bottle of Bombing Range Red I have had at home. The first bottle disappeared quickly at a party, I had only a taste. The second bottle I drank with friends, outside by a fire pit, while smoking a cigar. This bottle I intentionally purchased for review. I had no distractions, no company, no smoke, no cigar, just me and the wine...well, and some BB...

Reaching for the desired aha moment. Still grooving on Syrah this month, this wine was recommended to me by a chap from Prosser. Taking advantage of one of the better sunny days in late January, I combined an afternoon walk with wine tasting.  Happily, two tasting rooms are within easy walking distance of my home. Three more wineries are reachable on foot, if I'm willing to brave traffic and a lack of a walking path. I opted for the nearest tasting room. Nose deep in my glass, I was soon joined at the wine bar by a fellow lover of wine. Naturally, our conversation was of wine, varietals and wineries. We both commented on the Syrah (which was opened especially for us). My new friend made some comparisons about the Syrah we were tasting and a wine I had not tried, McKinley Springs Syrah. He was surprised when I replied that I had never sampled wines from McKinley Springs, a Prosser winery. I promised I'd look for the wine and try some. My last tasting trip to Prosser was d...

Prosser Vineyard and Winery 2009 Syrah, First Release! This week I was at the local grocer, once again looking for a bottle of wine to accompany dinner. My habit is not to buy the wine I know and enjoy, but to seek out the wines I don’t know, and learn more about them. This strategy does not always provide for an enjoyable bottle of wine. Sometimes it does. On display for several weeks, is a wine I did not know, Prosser Vineyard and Winery 2009 Syrah.  Torn between a cool looking bottle of Spanish wine, a local organic Cabernet, and the unknown Prosser Vineyard and Winery Syrah, I pushed past my misgivings about the label (not my favorite design). I decided to take a chance on this bottle of Syrah priced at a reasonable $10.99. First Washington Wine is a Syrah The label on this bottle confused me.  Was this wine made by a vineyard owner, a winery, an organization/club or by the city of Prosser? After some research, I learned that this wine is made by winemaker William...