Layer Cake 2006 Shiraz

*Bottle #2: Layer Cake Barossa Valley 2006 Shiraz
*Price: $16
*Running Tab: $28

I found this little number at the trendy deep south Seattle Verve Wine Bar and Cellar. Kate, the sommelier and co-owner, coaxed me with promises of confections and a picture of a cake on the label. Yup, proud owner of a sweet tooth.

Kudos to the winemaker and his story on the back of the label detailing his grandfather’s love of wine as a layered cake. “The cake with fruit, mocha and chocolate, hints of spice and rich, always rich,”reflects the winemaker of his patriarch.

Silver Lake 2003 Reserve Merlot

*Bottle #1: Silver Lake Columbia Valley 2003 Reserve Merlot
*Price: $12
*Running Tab: $12

Regarding my numero uno blog review, I wanted to take a somewhat easy spin on my joyride of wine tasting so I went on what I thought was the plateau of red wines. I chose the Silver Lake Columbia Valley 2003 Reserve Merlot. This is a local for a Seattlelite such as myself and taking a road much traveled for me east of the mountains was a safe bet for this premiere.

The Silver Lake 2003 Reserve Merlot bottle is right in my target price range and I’ve been to both the vineyard in Zillah, WA and the winery in Woodinville, WA – the two wine meccas of Washington state. The taste was familiar.