William Pollard Jr | aka: Wild 4 Washington Wine

There’s no question as to what’s in this bottle – 100% Syrah. I’ve been off Syrah for a few months, so I was happy that this bottle turned me around. I’m grooving on Washington Syrah again. You’ll be thrilled by this wine immediately after opening it. The nose is instantly interesting, qualities that only improve over the next couple of hours. I found this to be a very enjoyable Washington Syrah. I loved the inky color and the rich, almost oily mouth feel. There’s tobacco, tarragon and dark fruit – love it. When my glass was empty, I was left pleased and purpled (just don’t wear white or sit next to any lightly colored furniture – you’ve been warned). I don’t know why, but I’m always extra partial to odd year vintages. This 2007 Syrah gets big points in my book. Found this bottle locally for less than $20. Magnificent Wine Company! Syrah Columbia Valley 2007 is another wonderful example of a Washington Syrah. Recommended. http://www.magnificentwine.com/

Living Up to His Name Although I have not posted recently, don't think for a second that I'm not imbibing Washington wines. I am, but, I should mention that my palate has become a bit, "acid sensitive" - which means some wines just taste too sharp for me to appreciate. Even with my current picky palate, I have found some wines I can honestly recommend. One of the wines you should go find is the 2006 Honorable Cabernet Sauvignon by Charles Smith. Don't you love the label? The 2006 HCS went really well with baby back ribs, so it's a food friendly pairing. This wine was smoky/spicy, with cherry/vanilla and pleasantly dry. Not a meek wine, not a monster wine, but an honorable presentation of what a decent Washington Cabernet Sauvignon should be. Priced between $11 and $16 it is also a great value. The wine is made by Charles Smith in Matawa, Washington (Walla Walla). I had the pleasure to meet Mr. Smith last year at ...

Crush It!: Gary Vaynerchuck This is a must watch. If you have not seen this, then take the time to click on the link above. I've been thinking about this subject for several years, Gary nailed it. You don't have to be interested in wine to get some value from this video. He's talking about work, life, family, business, marketing and the culture change that is happening now. Photo of me and Gary at Taste Washington 2008 (I've lost some weight, I'm not as big today).

Good Wine, Happy Camper Fall is settling on us quite rapidly. Today, our sunny afternoon was framed by ominous dark clouds lurking on the horizon north of us. It‘s unsettling how quickly the cool weather descends on SE Washington. That touch of autumn sunshine put me in the mood for grilling steaks tonight. I‘ll embrace the sun when I can. But, what good is steak without wine? On my way home, I grabbed a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. On a whim, I bought a wine I would not usually purchase; it was priced on sale for less that $15. My expectations were not high for the wine, I was just hoping for something palatable. Chateau St. Michelle Chateau St. Michelle, is a Washington winery - an Eastern and Western Washington winery. The St. Michelle winery and tasting room is located in Woodinville, Washington, just across lake Washington from Seattle. However, this wine is made in Patterson, Washington, from Columbia Valley grapes (Indian Wells series) at the...

Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon Happiness My wife gifted me with this bottle last week - just because I’ve been a good husband - a trend I hope to continue. I don’t know where she bought it, or how much she paid (it is a gift). I enjoyed every bit of this wine. Earthy aromas hit you after you pull the cork - wait, let it breathe. This wine has a gorgeous color, to me it looked smoky-ruby in the glass. I’m reviewing this wine on day two, and I’m very pleased with how the wine has changed from day one (day one was mostly fresh Bing cherry and tartness). There's ripe cherry, vanilla, leather, spice with a hint of toasted coconut underneath the nose. Dry Bing cherry, vanilla in the mouth, very smooth, and a bit of plum tartness - good mouth feel, medium body. This is a sunset wine or sipping wine. It does not have the aggressiveness needed for food, it’s just too dainty - and a bit sophisticated. I really like this Kiona wine, and it puts me in the mood for more Cabernet Sauvignon. Th...

Organic and NSA Goodness in a Pretty Blue Bottle Now that I am back in town, I made a point of visiting the Badger Mountain Certified Organic Vineyard & Powers Columbia Valley Winery. The winery is located on top of Badger Mountain, in the Rancho Reata area of Kennewick. Lucky me, they are only 15 minutes from my home. While I am focusing on the Organic NSA Chardonnay, I did enjoy tasting many of their wines at the winery. I was honestly impressed by the quality and value of every one, white and red. When I have time, I’ll review some of their other tasty wines. Back to the Chardonnay, I like the bright blue bottle this wine is in. It protects and presents well and tells everyone that there is something special waiting inside. The enticing aroma is the first thing you’ll notice when you screw the cap off the bottle. This is a smooth, easy to appreciate Chardonnay. You’ll find it easy to impress your friends with this wine. At first you might mistake this for a “sweet” wine, because...

Kiona 2006 Zinfandel This time of year, our SE Washington days are pleasantly warm with enchanting cool evenings. This makes for the perfect time of year to enjoy our Washington wines. If you are in the area, take in a desert sunset with friends and Washington wine - a real treat. Lucky me, I was gifted with a bottle of Kiona 2006 Zinfandel. I've been a fan of their Lemberger for two decades, so I was intrigued by this Zin. Of note on the back of the bottle: the fruit is harvested from their vineyards on top of Red Moutain! Certainly news to me. Kiona is one of the oldest wineries on Red Mountain. Tasting notes: Bright garnet color, very clear and clean. Nose: Ripe blackberry, with subtle pepper a hint of violets - and a whiff of cellery (subtle). Taste: In the mouth good feel, cooked fruit, tar, bright. Finish: With 13.5% alcohol it does not have the heat of other Washington reds - so you can savor the flavor. Good acidity is moderated with the perfect amount of medium tanin, and...