Kung Fu Girl, 2009! 100% Riesling, single-vineyard, 1.5 RS, round, inviting, melon, citrus, minerals, stone, for $12/btl, this is an OUTSTANDING choice for all … and at 25,000 cases, ALL should be able to find it … but don’t forget, despite that volume, it’s still single-vineyards …)
And now, 100% viognier … in neutral french, god, these 30 second warning bells, by far and away the least-cloying viognier on the menu, and at this price break, dig! Not too much perfume, but VERY easy drinking …
Quite unexpectedly, something from Banfi! Tuscan wines in Walla Walla, go figure!
Anyhow, 40% Sauv Blanc, 30% Pinot Grigio, 30% Chardonnay, the Centine Bianco … fairly restrained aromatics, a lot of nose calisthenics required to draw the bouquet out … what’s there is nice tho, definitely some oak, but a nice dose of mineral and mid-to-high-tone fruit as well … nicely, smells like hill fruit!
Mid-weight viscosity, and while the mid-palate is somewhat less than demonstrative, the finish is actually surprisingly rich and evocative …
Duckpond Cellars ahoy! 2008 Pinot Gris (so happy to see so much of this varietal at this event!)
Almost entirely tank-fermented, and no malolactic; this is almost all front from Estate Vineyards is South Salem Hills. Soil is primarily Jory clay, volcanic ash factor, excellent!
Loads of lovely citrus on the nose, and all the requisite minerality and more, fantastic bouquet! Mellower than expected on the palate, vibrancy of the acids soften noticeably at point-of-entry, very centrist as regards its palate positioning …
White Bordeaux-style from DeLille Cellars, Sauv Blanc and Semillon! Yay! Hand-picked, transported in refrigerated cars, whole berry into press, juice into refrigerated stainless steel (cyro-macerating); 60% of juice into new French Oak; fermentation stays on lees, mustardy nose, very seedy, but offset by crisp, clean juice and bright fruit; personally, more oak than advertised … still, interesting, if ungainly … interesting, that’s the key word …
Starting with Dusted Valley Ramblin’ Rose, Columbia Valley, 2009
I’m told it’s been banned in Georgia cuz the label shows a nipple! Oh my …
Anyhow, away we go! (And p.s. the Stained Tooth society is their wine club! Lovely …)
And caveats and disclaimers, we may be adjourning to a faster format quite soon!
Nice dusty mourvedre nose, and it turns out to be a field blend. Love it! Bit of florality from the viognier as well … Sharp, bright mouthfeel, great acidity, a little heavily viscous for the bowl profile … somewhat dirty finish, liking the earthiness … Did I mention part of the field blend is counoise? Notes of raspberry, minimal strawberry (making me very happy!), and if anything lacks (to my palate), it’s a bit of a lack of yeast … missing the breadiness …
Overall though, like the integrity of the approach, neutral oak fermentation , South African yeast, low vineyard yields (2 1/2 tons per acre), only 273 cases, and only $18,btl, total winner!
#WBC10, Opening Ceremonies, The Video!
(Hard to tell in the dark, but the glowing white thing under the lights? Ice sculpture!)
“… a slightly suspect beverage consumed by skid row bums and snobs …”
Per Steve Heimoff, this was the world of wine that he came to as a novice back in the day … and I’m thinking, fantastic! What happened to that world?
(pic below is Mr. Heimoff in the middle of giving his keynote speech at the 2010 Wine Blogger’s Conference, otherwise known as #wbc10)
At heart, other than my father, I learned to drink wine from The Beats. Wine went with wild poetry readings, and mountain meditation sessions. Wine went with trains, and camping. Wine sometimes went with nothing other than, well, wine. Just wine. And mainly, wine went with people. It was living with people, in a memorable way. Being where you were, and demanding nothing less that an exhilarating devotion to the moment …
From my father (the true architect of my personal house of wine), a professor of literary criticism rooted in an Italian Marxist tradition, I also learned that wine goes with lividly vibrant political arguments between hairy professors wearing plaid sportcoats with leather elbows, or strangely somber yet passionate poetry readings headed up my bespectacled and shambolic graduate students. And I especially learned that wine goes with family. “At table.” One of my favorite phrases of all time.
This past Father’s Day, my father and I shared a moment over the phone, a moment in which we each gave love to one other as fathers, and we capped it with each of us opening, double-decanting, and drinking a 375ml bottle of 2006 Monte Bello. Just fantastic.
So as far as I’m concerned, Snobs? Skid row bums? You’re all welcome at my table!
Well, I must say, I’ve already had quite a morning! I wasn’t here more than ten minutes before I found myself in a heavy socio-politcal convo with wine blogger Amy Cleary (winebookgirl.com) and Steve Heimoff, who’ll be giving the keynote speech later today. Not a bad start, though my Riesling did get unfortunately warm over the duration of the convo!
From there I moved through a number of Washington State white wines, including some Dry Riesling from Canoe Ridge …
Some Fume Blanc from the perhaps contextually ubiquitous but always deliciously reliable Hogue …
A dry Riesling from Kiona …
A Pinot Gris from Tranche …
And another Fume Blanc, this time from one of my long-time favorite Washington producers, Barnard Griffin …
and I have to confess, I broke my white varietals first rule for BG, and also sampled their Rose of Sangiovese, which I loved!
After that, I was interviewed by the folks from the very wonderful WineBizRadio, which I must say, was quite an honor, particularly as I followed the inimitable Hardy Wallace (he of the Dirty South Wine Blog and the Very Goode Job); meaning my segment will probably be cut!
I also (finally!) got to meet Meg Houston Maker (she of Maker’s Table), and I just bumped into Andrea Robinson, who amongst all her other astonishing achievements, has also been a most welcome and exalted guest to Monte Bello on numerous recent occasions.
So rather than feeling like a stranger in a strange land, it turns out I’ve had lovely conversations with all sorts of folks, so cheers to the event, and all its attendees, for making me feel so welcome!
As to the wines themselves, tasting notes to come soon, but in general, I’ve been very impressed with the degree of minerality to be found in these wines across the board, and the seemingly universal and judicious application of oak is also most appreciated; even the Fume Blancs seem to be balanced, integrated, and harmonious.
I should note too, by the way, that the missus and I very much enjoyed a Pinot Gris from Mercer Estates last night (who have a nifty little Ridge connection; do you know of what I speak?) …
Anyhow, more soon!
Part I, the journey!
I’m checked in, I’m logged on, and I’m ready for the Wine Blogger’s Conference.
The view out my window looks out on some old train cars, the temperatures are high and the sun is bright, and I’ve got my Ah So in my holster (A figure of speech, really. I don’t have an Ah So holster. Yet.)
Travel was a little beyond hectic today, so I’ve actually yet to do much in the way of planning, research, or, for that matter, wine drinking (or wine blogging!). But I’m starting to settle in now, and that ol’ click-clack magic is starting to return to my fingertips …
I realize that’s a rather inappropriate image for someone who writes a blog, but I do a lot of typing on old manual typewriters, and the physicality of the writing is vital to the process, far as I’m concerned, and I believe it keeps me in a bit of shape … so an Underwood it is!
Anyhow, things begin tomorrow, and I look forward to reporting from the field. And if you happen to BE at the conference, and you happen to read this, then PLEASE make sure to find me and say hello. Hello!
Oh, and cheers!
 | Chard and sweet pota… on What’s Up … D… |
 | Tom Wise on A Monte Bello Vertical: Video … |
 | Christopher Watkins on Zin Monk |
| Christopher Watkins on Zin Monk |
| Tom Wise on Zin Monk |
