The Tasting Room Shuffle or Watch out Latah Creek and Arbor Crest!

The Washington wine industry never ceases to amaze me. First, Walla Walla moves to Woodinville to the point that Woodinville is overcrowded with wineries - so many in fact that the established Woodinville wineries are upset that they no longer enjoy the foot traffic they received in the past. The number of wineries definitely grew faster than the number of visitors.

So what is a Woodinville winery to do? Well, while the rest of the state in moving in, they are moving out; trying to find new locations that are not congested with sandwich board wineries. (Remember the picture that was worth more than a thousand words.)

A friend of mine has three (adult) children in the wine business. They were among some of the earlier Woodinville crowd. They just opened a tasting room in Ballard after seeing visits drop in Woodinville. I talked to their father last week and I understand they are doing quite well.

Where else to go? How about the capital of Northern Idaho, Spokane. Yep, Woodinville wineries are opening a tasting room in downtown Spokane. It will have live music and be a wine bar scene.

It must really be bad over there because one Woodinville winery is opening a tasting room in - get ready for this, sit down and take a deep breath - Zillah.

So, if you are planning to open a tasting room in Woodinville, you might think again. Clarkston has not been taken yet.

Harvest Update in the Rattlesnake Hills

We picked Malbec last Thursday. 23.4 brix and a pH of 3.4. By the end of fermentation the alcohol should be around 13.6 and the pH near 3.6. These numbers are perfect for a winery that makes table wines (under 14% alc.) as opposed to dessert wines (14% and above.) We didn't have to bring out the Jesus Machine and perform a miracle. The fruit was perfectly ripe (no vegetative flavors) and after a cold soak, the fermentation has started on schedule.

We will finish Chardonnay today and probably move on to our lower block of Cabernet Sauvignon tomorrow. We had a light frost Sunday night that toasted some leaves in the lower areas, but most of the vineyard is nice and green. The forecast is for warmer nights and cooler days. That's fine.

Mid October Harvest Update

We are into harvest in earnest now and sugars and acids are perfectly balanced, but we are not to the more difficult varieties yet. Already off is Merlot, Chardonnay, and Gewürztraminer. Other than a weekend of rain, the weather has been benign to almost helpful. Grapes always taste better harvested in sunshine. Chardonnay 23.2 brix, pH 3.4 with tons of tropical fruit. Some of the best I have ever seen. The Merlot is fermenting nicely and you'd swear we put sweet cherries into the bins. The fruit is incredible. Malbec comes off tomorrow. It tastes great on the vine. What with 2581 growing degree days, I think we are already beyond veg and we still have 17 more days in the season.

Although there has been frost between the rows, the temperature at vine height has been in the high 30s. We don't have wind machines in our vineyards, so we depend on the benign weather of the Rattlesnake Hills. We are forecast for the mid to lower 30s with lots of sunshine for the next seven days.

I noticed on another blog that Elephant Mountain and Dubrul both have harvested Merlot, but listed it as Yakima Valley fruit. Not a good year to ally yourself with Prosser Flats. Both vineyards are in the Rattlesnake Hills. I am not aware of any Merlot being picked down in the valley yet. We purchased some grapes in 2005 from the Faire Acre mother block above the Roza Canal east of County Line Road just east of Bouchey Vineyards. Sagebrush Ridge had 2514 growing degree days in 2005. The wine was so vegetative that we could not bottle it under the Bonair label, so we sold it to Joel Tefft for his box wine. He complained it was the worst vegetative bulk wine he had ever purchased, but he was able to blend it away and we are still friends.

With all the wet weather, bunch rot has cut the crop, but is not a problem since we selectively hand harvest. It has shown up in Riesling (always), Chardonnay (rare), and Pinot Noir (rare in eastern Washington). Pinot Noir is a thin-skinned, tight cluster variety. I wonder how the boys down in the Willamette Valley are faring?

Here are the Growing Degree Days:

AVA	8/31	9/30	10/14
Rattlesnake Hills	2264	2475	2581
Yakima Valley	2044	2241	2321
Horse Heaven	2410	2629	2736
Red Mountain	2428	2643	2735
Walla Walla	2220	2432	2536

Ripening Bordeaux Reds in the Yakima Valley is going to be problematic.

There was fog in the foggy bottom today. Without wind, it can get deeper every day. We have wind in the forecast so it should remain sunny.

What Does Costco Really Want?

Costco sponsored I -1100, but what is the hidden objective. Stay tuned, I'm gonna tell ya. (You knew I would.)

You would think after a year of blogging I would run out of topics to be grumpy about, but so far that isn't the case.

Costco sued the State of Washington (Granholm) to break up the three-tier system. After all, Costco is a wholesaler. It says, right there on the outside of the store, "Costco Wholesale." So what's the prob Rob? Well, Costco is really a retailer. Can't be both in the wine biz in Washington State. Well, Costco kind of won Granholm, but didn't really. You have to be an attorney to understand it all.

They killed the three tier system in Washington, sort of. Now any winery in the country can become 'self-distributed' in Washington in a pseudo-three-tier system.

But the big prize is killing 'three tier' altogether. Costco wants to become importer, distributor, and retailer all in one slick Kirkland Signature operation. Why you ask? Well, look around any Costco. Where is all the stuff made? If you guess France, you are mostly wrong. French yes, 'fabrique au chine.' Oui!

Costco wants to bring in cheap wine from China without the middleman. If you think 'Two Buck Chuck' is cheap, wait for 'One Buck Yuck.' The ultimate goal is to bring Chinese wine (or anything else cheap) into the country and sell it at rock bottom prices.

Now, the Costco twist. Will you be able to buy a bottle for one dollar? No way, José. A case for $12. Not in your lifetime. Costco will package it in a 16 pack 4X4 box weighing 48 pounds. Since they love packaging so much, each 16-pak will contain four cardboard four-packs. (Remember 24 pack cases of Coke - 30 pack cases at Costco.) Yep, a cube of wine for just $15.99. One Buck Yuck.

How long will it be before Wal-Mart introduces their Chateau Doublewide for $1.88.

Auditor: Washington Wine Commission Wastes Public Money

How in the hell did this one slip under the radar? I knew I wasn't getting my money's worth from the Wine Commission, now I can see why. They were spending my money on lavish travel by the executive director and on parties for staff.

Rather than rewrite the story, you can read it here from KOMO News. Or, read the actual audit report from Brian Sonntag, State Auditor. Or my favorite Seattle Newspaper, the Stranger.

As you know, I am no fan of the Washington Wine Commission. I have quoted Paul Portteus many times, "We in the Rattlesnake Hills have become successful in spite of the Wine Commission."

The (Tacoma) News Tribune picked up the story, but not the Seattle Times, the state's largest newspaper chain which includes the Yakima Hairball Repulsive and the Walla Walla Onion Bulletin. (Motto: we only reprint the news we find on AP.) Even the Dry Shitties Herald didn't catch the story and they are usually up on things. Maybe it is their ties to Wine Press Northwest.

The Wine Commission recently brought a tour of wine buyers to the state. Did they visit the Rattlesnake Hills. No way. We are their Moriarty.

Basically, the Wine Commission is an advertising arm of Ste. Mickey's. Yes I know my paltry thousands of dollars don't compare to the millions poured in by Ste. Mickey's, so don't comment on that. Just let it be known that the small wineries are being screwed by the Wine Commission.

Let the Crush Begin

Wow, the weather gods have smiled upon us with daytime temperatures in the 80's and warm nights. The warm nights are essential in reducing acid. I noticed Hyatt was picking Merlot here in the Rattlesnake Hills on the 29th. Our Merlot in the Rattlesnake Hills tested over 24 Brix today and we are picking on Monday.

A lot of people are picking Merlot. I saw this article. http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2010/09/23/1180242/grape-harvest-gets-late-start.html. Gary Figgins harvested their Merlot at 24.5 Brix and talked about the old days of low alcohol. Man, am I getting old. I have been in this business way too long. I remember the old days of 'low alcohol' too. 21 brix yields 12.2% alcohol and was considered enough. 22 brix yields 12.8% alcohol and was considered perfect, and 23 brix would result in 13.3% alcohol - a little high; the resulting wines would be judged too alcoholic. Using the .58 conversion factor, 24.5 brix yields 14.2% alcohol. Oh well, I guess 'low alcohol' is relative in Walla Walla where 16% is the norm.

Here is the scorecard as of September 30, 2010.

AVA	31-Aug	Sep-10
Rattlesnake Hills	2264	2475
Yakima Valley	2044	2241
Horse Heaven	2410	2629
Red Mountain	2428	2643
Walla Walla	2220	2432

 

It appears that all AVA's in the state have passed the magical 2400 GDD, except the Yakima Valley at 1199 feet elevation on Sagebrush Ridge. (Sorry to report, the higher you go on Sagebrush Ridge, it doesn't get warmer, even if you have a PhD from Yoo Cee Davis and think it does.)

Barring an early frosts like last year, it is stacking up to be a really good year for red wine regions and not bad for the white wine regions like the Yakima Valley.

Dan Berger Says Spit - I Say Gross

I just got the new issue of Winepress Northwest and read Dan's article on wine touring. While most of his advice on touring wine country is very sound, I disagree with one point - SPIT.

Dan and I have judged 150 wines in one day on a professional tasting panel and spitting is de rigueur. No ifs, ands, or buts. The absorption through your oral membranes may put you over the limit, but, we're professionals.

Tasting at a public tasting room is different. First, take Dan's advice and only visit four or five wineries in a day. MAX. Each winery should pour about 5/8 oz. unless they use those ridiculous muhungous Riedel glasses, then to get appropriate color, the winery must pour about 1.5 oz. Regardless, swirl the wine, sip, inhale over the wine, slurp, swish, gargle or whatever, sip again and pour out the rest. Don't spit in public! It is f*cking gross to the staff and your fellow visitors. Your total intake of alcohol for the day, given four wines times five wineries and only sips, not drinking the whole sample, will be no more than ten ounces. Way under your impairment limit for the whole day. (Woodinville might be different where you can see five wineries in five minutes.) Remember Dan, not only do we spit, we never finish a sample!

In order to limit your alcohol intake, in addition to limiting the number of wineries, is to limit yourself to four samples MAX. Sample only wines of interest to you (that day) and ignore the other 15. We have a $5.00 charge at Bonair Winery for our reserve tasting, but if you say, "I'm only tasting Merlot today," I'll bet your sample will be free - if you don't change your mind!

Speaking of wine snobs and spitting, Bonair Winery is not on the Connoisseurs' (remember my definition of Connoisseur and city sewer? Basically the same, they are both full of sh*t.) list for visits, but occasionally we get them. This weekend we had two groups of sewers.

The first tried the Pinot Noir. Really bad, so my wife opened a second bottle. Ugh, a little better, but it tastes like port. Hum, dry Pinot Noir in 100% new French oak tastes like Touriga with 12% residual sugar aged in neutral barrels. I would have laughed them out of the tasting room. The problem here is that most wine tasters in Washington don't know sh*t about non-Bordeaux reds. Please don't impress me with your ignorance. I know Bobby Parker says all wines should taste alike - basically micro-oxygenated Bordeaux reds, but I disagree.

Group two, rattled their glasses vigorously down on the counter around and around then lifted them two feet to their noses and made really stupid comments about the wine, like, "it must be bottle shocked." Swirling your wine on the counter and then raising it to your nose will guarantee that all aromas are blown off by the time you get it up to your snot source. I have never seen a professional wine taster do this (unless they have a Petri glass covering the wine until it reaches the nose.) In professional tastings, the wine is gently swirled near the nose and smelled several times - quietly and unobtrusively.

People who know wine will not make stupid statements. I know because I have poured a lot of wine for people who know wine. They will make intelligent observation, not derogatory comments meant to impress their equally stupid friends, and ask questions. I have even had people question politely that a wine might be corked - by God, these people are usually right. (FYI, we open many bottles on a weekend and since our cork taint is so low, they are not individually evaluated.)

If you don't know sh*t about wine, keep your Butwiper trap shut!

And you wonder why I am grumpy.