Recession decision.

*Bottle #88: Portteus 2007 Rattlesnake Hills Bistro Red
*Price Tag: $6.99
*Running Tab: $1,211
*Retailer: Cost-Plus World Market, Seattle (Market location)

Once upon a time in an era, long, long ago called “The 70’s,” Yakima was the place to be. People did more than summer there on the river, the local government was starting to base itself in the area and the supple soils of the land were the bees knees into maintaining farmer status yet still gaining innovation credentials through a crazy little thing called wine.

After the boom hit California, a few guys caught on and starting planting some dead-stick-like looking things into that unique soil in Eastern Washington resulting into today’s classy chic shtick on alcoholism: a Washington Wino.

And one of the first to embark on this (literally) groundbreaking venture were the folks at Portteus, who planted their first eight acres in February of 1982 in Zillah, WA. Their original Yakima Valley vineyard included varietals that were not supposed to succeed, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay. These are now the three most widely planted and produced varietals in the state.

Pioneers, you say? Portteus was one of three wineries in Yakima Valley at their time of conception and one of the first to grow and source in the smaller, sub-region of Rattlesnake Hills, which gained its appellation status in 2006.

Not necessarily flying under the radar but also not one of the blockbuster, endorsed names you’re hearing about from over the mountains, Paul Portteus has been dubbed one of “America’s Great Cabernet Producers” by Wine Enthusiast Magazine and has received positive nods from locals to the press to his grape-crushing peers who source 20% of the fruit he grows for their own enological creations.

Paul now bottles everything from his cardinal grapes to Malbec, Petite Sirah and a port-style dessert wine.

Now having made wine for several decades and experiencing a handful of economic pains and gains, Paul’s prices vary and he plants his Bistro Red in the palm of your hand for under $8, taxes said and done.

The Bistro Red from Portteus is a Bordeaux-influenced blend of 44% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon all from Rattlesnake Hills and consisting of some of the first vines Paul planted.

The blend is a no-brainer, quite simply an easy-drinking beverage. It paired flawlessly with yelling at Bachelor Jake for picking Vienna, then gossiping about how you hate she’s from the same sorority you all were in. A bona fide no-brainer.

The nose was sheer strawberry candy drop, with bright red cherry enhanced by earth, cinnamon and clove spices in the back. An underlying waxy tone is fairly prevalent but somewhat gives the aromatic sense of minerality.

Juicy red fruit and easy spice flushed the palate, with a reminiscence of acid and leather in the finish.

It is what it is. Cost-Plus offers this sacrifice for a mere $6.99 and it was – in all of its glorious penny-pincher value – a $6.99 bottle of wine.

Stock up!

Score: 6.5.

"When can you staaawt?"

Like the yellow ones with insolent, cheap and LA-minded drivers… I saw two of them in the small town of Napa, California.

Yes, life goal achieved: I went to “the land of food and wine,” according to the Terminator, I mean, Governor Schwarzenegger. And Napa, California, has two taxi cabs and a shit ton of wine and food.

First stop on this too-short, jammed “vacation” weekend: San Francisco aka the Golden Gate City, Frisco or simply, “The City.”

First stop goal: Eat, drink and be merry – in the most literal (and somewhat biblical) sense that we can be. We had approximately 19 hours in the city to blast through an itinerary placed loosely for us by a local friend of a friend, noting all of the “not to miss” yet anti-tourist regional joints. Mentioning a few…

- A nondescript bakery in Chinatown that once serviced President Bill Clinton. Okay, perverted right-wingers, I’m talking about hom bow pastries – the succulent and flavorful traditionally BBQ stuffed-sticky buns. Perfection all wrapped in $1.

- Gitane, a gypsy-influenced restaurant/bar amidst the high financial towers of downtown success and flooded by smart-dressing, high-rolling patrons. Extremely trendy, with very confusing bathrooms, dim lighting and a bartender who I decided to knight as “Muscles.” As simple as it sounds, the beet salad rocked and the pork empanadas nutured my soul. How can you go wrong with sweet vegetables covered in cheese and deep-fried pig?! Come on!

- Through the back door and in an alley (pervs!), Gitane’s neighbor, Rickhouse, was another mentionable stop mostly because the staff was so awesome. I befriended the HUGE bouncer, noted on the bartenders sleek, prohibition-era styled gear and doted on a female drink-slinger’s sexy cocktail abilities. Girl could make shaking a libation look hotter than singles rubbing on a stripper pole… When in Rome?

Second stop: Up to the town of Napa to stay in the most adorable bed and breakfast ever built. They had complimentary wine and appetizer hour then with all night desserts and 24-hour “trucker” coffee!!!

Second stop goal: Find the wine and food of such calibers we had only heard of. Or so we thought… Don’t get me wrong – we tasted some beautiful wines and had some incredible food to note…

- The Restaurant Pearl took in all of its glory by featuring the marvel that is an oyster. Being one of the bites that is near and dear to my heart, I had to have as much as I could afford (6… I’m not joking.) Pearl was a wonderfully quaint, eight-table restaurant with an open kitchen bar-top, specializing in the purity in the product of their local land.

- Dovetail Wines is brainchild of Michael Logan, a former business/tech consultant gone collector gone winemaker. The man was confident in his palate and decided to do something about it. After making his first vintage, he went in search of a winemaker and realized that he, himself, was exactly what he was looking for in a producer.

Wise move. Clever, business-savvy and dressed like an avid weekend golfer, Michael’s wines are elegant, mature and bearing the fruits of his labor, quite actually. His 2006 Ashley Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon came from the one-acre vineyard on his Napa property, full of brilliant grapegrowing strategies like one cluster per cane and winemaking practices as raw as possible without commercial yeast, filtering and fining. Michael is what Napa once was, and as our last tasting of our trip, he was immensely refreshing. We wish him the best of luck!

- Move over Cafe Juanita, I found my new favorite restaurant ever. Mustards Grill in Yountville, the definer of effortless comfort food. Dijon-glazed signature porkchop with rich mashed potatoes, the one you will read about in EVERY review on Yelp, was everything it was supposed to be. Squab (yes, it is in the pigeon family) was cooked so you knew it was poultry but served so you knew it thought it was steak. Served ontop of a triple mushroom risotta (CHANTRELLES, LOVE!) and consumed side by side with Elliott Vineyard 2005 Napa Valley Cab. Holy wow. Go there, just for this restaurant and sit at the bar with 17-year veteran Kirk.

In the end, the food set a new bar.

But, on Day #1 of Washington Wine Month, let me tell you how spoiled we are in this great state – I simply was just not blown away by these young, Napa gems because of how stellar the juice is that is coming out of my home state.

In spite of the fact that people were perplexed at the comment of a “Washington wine industry” down there… I say, bow down to Washington (wine), California! Just to clear that up, I, in no way, mean UW. Go Cougs.

Happy Washington Wine Month. It’s good to be home.

I still don't know what the goat means.

*Bottle #87: La Ferme Julien Blanc 2006 Côtes du Lubéron
*Price Tag: $7
*Running Tab: $1,204
*Retailer: Trader Joe’s, Seattle (Queen Anne location)

Simplicity is utterly and unworthily underrated. And I state of mind I rarely venture into considering my written verbosity. However, I do respect it. Simplicity is a big, warm blanket or a predictable TV show or a grilled cheese sandwich.

Or your “neighborhood grocery store” where the employees are dressed in floral island print shirts and are boxed in a tiki atmosphere with faux bamboo-boarded walls. Simplicity is Trader Joe’s.

With somewhere just under 300 stores nationwide in over half of the states of this supply-and-demand driven nation of ours, Trader Joe’s is the singleman-pocket-pincher’s safe haven. Many pre-made meals and pre-packaged portions are sized for 1-2 people, the term “organic” shows up frequently without its typically matching high pricetag and the majority of the wine selection skims under $8.

At $6.99, simplicity couldn’t be sweeter, or cheaper and therefore, extremely satisfying even if it’s shit in a bottle.

La Ferme Julien Blanc, as a matter of fact, was not shit. It was pretty tasty and basking in its own simplicity. The name means “The Julien Farm.” Pure, French rednecking simplicity.

The Blanc, along with its sister wines – Rouge and Rose, is under TJ’s private cellar selection label of the La Vieille Ferme brand. One of several private brands. The store’s a mogul for under-priced, over-produced wines that need homes.

To mine it went, with the intention to parallel last week’s red Côtes du Luberon that nearly quadrupled this guy’s monetary damage.

The blend has about 10% Roussanne in it and is three parts unfamiliar varietals. Explanation is necessary.

30% Grenache Blanc: Known for low acid, citrus fruits and herbaceaous crispness.

30% Bourboulenc: A late-ripening grape that has good acid, body, citrus aromas with some natural smoke tones.

30% Ugni Blanc: aka White Shiraz in the land of Oz and Trebbiano in Italy, the grape has high acidity, is fleshy, fresh and fruit.

The juice spent its time in stainless steel vats for 90% of the fermentation then moved to new oak barrels for the remainder of the process.

The nose was warming with toast, pineapple and red apple immediately up front. Honey lemon tart and crushed hazelnuts mounted the rim with some air and acidic green grapes were tart in the back.

Bright, juicy and fleshy fruit charged onto the palate with a crisp minerality you can attribute to the Mediterrean climate and clay-like soils of the Luberon. Tropical stone fruits were backed by sparks of simple acidity and an overall easy-drinking mentality behind the bottle with the blue goat on the label.

Guilt-free, painless and thoughtless drinking, the La Ferme Julien Blanc is to wine what Paris Hilton is to the paparazzi. An effortless, drinking target.

There is the château, right there on the label!

*Bottle #86: Château la Canorgue 2007 Côtes du Lubéron
*Price Tag: $18
*Running Tab: $1,197
*Retailer: McCarthy & Schiering, Seattle (Queen Anne location)

2006 was a good year for Château la Canorgue. More specifically, as in with the Ridley Scott movie, “A Good Year.” That beautiful winery was the scenery for 70% of the film that was shot at la Canorgue’s idyllic property, including the 17th century château faced on the well-packaged label.

And wisely sold to me as so – I totally look like a Russell Crowe fan. So what if he’s dreamy and super angry and in a band and won lots of awards… Don’t judge me!

The movie tells the story of a young investment banker, played by Crowe, who inherits his uncle’s vineyard in Provence and château, where the gorgeous estate is made to look a run-down and bankrupt farm.

Uncle Henry’s gift to his nephew takes a turn when his allegedly illegitimate daughter and aspiring Californian wine snob shows up. The daughter has little interest in the authentically Provencal wines that could be her inheritance, which she refers to as “wimpy.” She is then put in her place by the estate’s winemaker…

Daughter: I spend summers working in a vineyard in California.
French Winemaker: In California, they don’t make wine. They make Hawaiian Punch.

SNAP! Not that I quite agree, but the winemaker’s comment is as classically French as the wine is. And this Côtes du Lubéron is far from wimpy.

Ran by Jean-Pierre and Martine Margan, the wines at la Canorgue are found to have many good years. The entire 60 acre property, including the 30+ year old vineyard within, falls into organically and biodynamically sustainable land.They grow several varieties but currently only produce a white and red Rhône style blend.

Characteristically earthy and rich in non-fruit tones, 2007 might have been an even better year for the winery. It also doesn’t hurt that this was the subsequent vintage to come out after the movie, hailing Hollywood-buffs and oenophiles alike.

And with good reason.

Meat, pepper, sweet anise and earth speak the land on the nose of this Syrah-Grenache (70%-30%, respectively) red Rhône blend. Some floral, black cherry and ripe plum notes come out after a while but I couldn’t get past the righteous braisedmeat aroma.

Dish delish

The wine had the depth of “funk” that makes French wine what it is and what give George Clinton the authority to rain pain in the category.

With spice and marionberry dominate on the palate, the mid has initial grip but finishes easy with softer tannins.

The boy made some rockin’ whole wheat lamb empanadas stuffed with onion, peppers and iberico cheese with a cold quinoa pasta salad and a side of greens. With the medium-bodied and meaty elegance of the wine, this is a case and point situation where food and wine are soul mates.

The food was asking for a wine with finesse and character and that is precisely what we gave it. The wine was the amiable co-star to the epicurean show.

Score: 8.5.

This picture is pretty accurate as to what it looked like to me after I polished it off.

*Bottle #85: Olivier Rivière 2008 Rayos Uva Rioja
*Price Tag: $18
*Running Tab: $1,179
*Retailer: Champion’s Wine Cellars, Seattle

When a eno-enthused Frenchman suggests a bottle of vino (regardless of its origin), you willingly accept. Even if the vintage isn’t listed, the varietals are unknown and the label is bland, you willingly accept. Especially when he is a client of yours…

Four hours later, with a failed cheese sauce (Harvati was a bad idea) for Trader Joe’s gnocchi that were accidentally boiled to a lovely soggy texture (don’t underestimate the recipe), any wine was needed.

Enter the Frenchman’s Spanish Rioja rec: the 2008 “Rayos Uva” from Olivier Rivière, Rioja made by a Frenchman… Getting the connection here…

Olivier Rivière is multi-dimensionally French. He is originally from the Cognac region of France, studied enology in Montagne St-Emilion, worked in Côtes-du-Marmandais, Vosne-Romanée, St-Romain and Pommard. Uh, where? Deep breath: Bordeaux, satellite region of Bordeaux in southern France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune of Burgundy and Burgundy, respectively.

The man then began to devote himself to biodynamic wine practices, learning how to produce unsulfited wines, managing some vineyards under those standards then transferring out to do the same at an estate in the Rioja Alavesa region of Rioja.

With his first harvest in 2006, Rivière has been producing three specific wines, one being the “Rayos Uva,” translating into “Ray’s Grapes.” Whoever Ray is, I’m still unsure. I have decided he must be Rivière’s lover. Or father… Whichever!

Tempranillo and classified as simply “Rioja,” this is the youngest of the four categories for Riojas. This level spends less than a year in oak typically, where the others move on up to multiple years in oak and bottle.

The funny thing about slapping the Rioja title on this wine is the fact that Rivière seemed to disregard the classification system altogether and call it what he wanted to call it – not a shred of oak touched this juice. Ray’s Grapes spent their entire time in stainless steel vats.

However, there was no proof of that in the initial interrogation of the wine.

The nose was bright with red fruit of currants and dark berries, but hearty and beef-stewy warming up in the bowl, with sweet baking spices and cedar rounding the non-fruit tone edges.

The palate was medium-bodied and filled with red and black currants, backed by ripe black cherry with sweet spice. Fine tannins gripped complimentary as the acids spiked the fruit in the finish.

Simple yet refined, exotic and tasty. Ray’s Grapes was an all-around interesting take on a Spanish winemaking tradition, where the oak is usually the most distinct characteristic to a Rioja wine. Thanks to his vineyard usage, Rivière’s fruit from Rioja Alavesa is typically higher in acid and fuller in body, where he used it to fill in where the oak would be. It’s also rumored this wine is blended with Graciano, a varietal that adds oak-like qualities such as spice and tannin.

“Tempranillo,” “Rioja,” “Ray’s Grapes” – call it what you want to call it, but Frenchie-abroad Olivier Rivière put a new-age spin on his Old World wine and finished with a result that was going down swinging.

Score: 7.

Pops in the light, dunnin it?

*Bottle #84: Pappas Wine Co. 2008 Willamette Valley Pinot Blanc
*Price Tag: $16
*Running Tab: $1,161
*Retailer: Sixth Avenue Wine Seller, Pacific Place, Seattle

From what I’ve been told, husband and wife operated-companies can be the best of times and the worst of times. I would think the path to doom comes down to the fact that you take your work home with you and take your home to work with you.

However, when it comes to any type of relationship, be it with your business or soul mate, it all about the effort put forth that makes it a success.

Likewise, when husband and wife duo, Stewart Boedecker and Athena Pappas, couldn’t come together on winemaking styles, they did what any stubborn individual would do – go their own way and try to kick more ass than your opponent, er, partner, with an outcome of two critically-acclaimed styles. And that’s just about their Pinot Noirs.

The couple are the co-owners of Boedecker Cellars, a small lot Portland-based winery, born in 2003. Their first production debate was over blending the different barrels of Pinot for their inaugural release, lasting three weeks and resulting in both individually blending what they thought best by keeping true to their personal palates. Ever since, they blind taste their Pinot barrels and make their separate blends accordingly.

The Athena wines tend to lean toward the bigger, bolder and more structured side to contrast Stewart’s softer, more acidic and aromatic Pinots.

Now what about their genetically mutated sister wines? That’s right, Pinot Noir’s borderline X-Men counterpart is Pinot Blanc, a mutation of Pinot Noir due to its unstable state that causes the vine to spot a few canes growing white, Pinot Blanc, grapes.

Yes, Pinot Blanc is a freak.

Like most freaks of nature, Pinot Blanc is subtle, tends to play second (or third) fiddle while in blends with bolder varietals and has some serious zing to it (due to high levels of acidity).

And like Pinot Blanc being a genetic mutation of Pinot Noir, the Boedecker’s did the same with their second, “value” label – Pappas Wine Co. A side branch of their original idea, this time with Athena’s maiden name, reflecting on an easily, varietally correct approach – mutually decided it seems.

With a mere 170 cases made, the 2008 Pinot Blanc is sold out at the winery. My above mentioned retailer has a few bottles and I’m guessing so does their distributor. Always searching for the loopholes, my friends, always.

And unlike my above description, this Pinot Blanc is a wake-up call to all those who thought she was the red-headed stepsister of Pinot Noir. She is brisk, bright, feisty and fired up. This ain’t no Sunday sipper, this is booze-infused lemonade with a vengeance.

The nose is fresh and full of lemon rind and fresh spring flowers, but characteristically, not overly aromatic yet promising some substance.

The palate is beaming with grapefruit, citrus, orange peel and starfruit. Rifling acidity balances out the fruit’s intensity starting from the mid-palate all the way after the juice has gone down your throat. The wine enters soft, builds body halfway through and finishes with a fizzling bang.

Talk about a few things that have beat the odds. You’ve got to be aware of the underdog/married co-owners/value label/red-headed stepsister.

Score: 9.

Uncharted varietal in the spotlight.

*Bottle #83: Qupe 2007 Santa Ynez Valley Marsanne
*Price Tag: $18 (fortuitous luck with a half bottle for $6)
*Running Tab: $1,145

Spotted. Frozen in front of her laptop for an attempted non-work related typing sesh. Has Erin Thomas’ composition style hit a rough patch or has she just turned a lazy corner onto Excuse Street?

Some have tried to disparage with snarky Twitter remarks, explicit commentary by pissed-off industry folk have been posted and eye-rolls performed in perfect tween disposition were witnessed.

But despite criticisms and a recent 16 day absence, I am back. 2010 is my masochistic bitch and wine is my slightly sexy, slightly scary whip.

All of that excessive verbiage being said… With a vengeance, my resolution is to suck up my burnout due to job madness and still pump out some quality prose for your reading pleasure.

Resolution solution #1: the highly distributed yet infrequently purchased Qupe 2007 Santa Ynez Valley Marsanne. In this case, I got the homie hook-up from the closet inside the cellar at the Uptown QFC. Right place, right time.

Yup, discounted half bottles are the solo drinker’s key to enjoying and not wasting quality wines. Hey, I never said unescorted boozing was a part of this resolution…

With an appearance on Kathie Lee & Hoda as their claim-to-fame and major accolade, Qupe was founded upon the down-to-earth principles of getting lost in the music and romance of wine.

Literally. Winemaker and owner Bob Lindquist was fired from his retail shop gig in Los Olivos for skipping out to attend a Kinks concert. Shortly after, he was hired as Zaca Mesa Winery’s inaugural tour guide. From there, he had random cellar odd jobs, started hobbing knobs with the winemakers and launched Qupe in 1982.

Now with nearly 30 years of experience on his resume, Bob probably doesn’t lose too much sleep at night over getting fired due to a kink in his retail job.

Known prolifically for their cost-effectively priced yet skillfully crafted Rhone-influenced wines, Qupe’s glimpes at Central Coast wines give California a somewhat obscure option against the fatty Chardonnays of the state.

Heavily Marsanne with a healthy dose of Roussanne for a backbone, the Qupe 2007 Santa Ynez Valley Marsanne is full of gall and uncharted territory.

Immediately upfront, the wine is nutty on the nose with tropical fruits like mangoes, papaya and pineapples. In the back, right as you’re about to exhale, a waxy minerality comes out. It’s definitely a second-sipper, where you go back to make sure you really did just taste that… And it’s good… With just a stroke of honey to pull you back in.

On the palate, the orange fruits dominate – tangerine and mango for sure with seemingly natural spiced nuts in the mid-palate The acidity is distinct on the palate, with the ripe fruit pulling out in the end, and giving the wine a certain freshness as well as richness.

Could I just be a sucker for a decent success story and Rhone-varietals or could this really be a grade $18 bottle?

Go, try it, you tell me. This is a new year, a new wine-review, a new Erin… Let’s see how long this one lasts…

Score: 8.

You can find me in the club, bottle full of bub.

No sex in the Champagne room. Or is it no Champagne in the sex room?

Whatever your pleasures may be this New Year’s Eve, let’s make it a Champagne alternative bubbly festivity. I say that not because I don’t like the real thing (I really do), but because it’s cheaper and we’re all a little downmarket this year, aren’t we?

So bring in the auxiliary! Cava and Prosecco and Cremant glore!

That’s right, the glass you’re handed at midnight on Thursday at some swanky joint most likely will not be legitimate Champagne, but a MUCH more affordable sparkler in its place that you, contently intoxicated at 11:55pm, will surely and wholeheartedly consume in entirety, fully believing you downed Dom Perignon (a vintage Brut, of course), Vegas-style.

And why shouldn’t you? This shit is good. And duly noted as an affordable option.

Here they are, my strategically mapped out “consumer-friendly” options for your NYE extravaganza. Be it you are supplying these wines for party guests or you are fusing it into a flask hidden in your belt/pocket/flashy undies to drink under the table at a should-be-illegally exorbitant Belltown partay.

Capitello Wines WIllamette Valley Brut: What an awesome hidden gem from Oregon, former King Estates winemaker branches off on his own to create a label boasting Oregon’s finest of Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. He throws out an oddball sparkling wine, produced of 100% Pinot Noir and consists of a solidly consistent creaminess of pear and citrus, backed by the effervescence of the wine. You can find it around $22 at The Local Vine or Sixth Avenue Wine Sellers in Pacific Place.

Lucien Albrecht Cremant NV Brut Rose: Yes, it’s French. No, it’s not Champagne. It’s from Alsace instead, is 100% Pinot Noir and prepared in the finest of traditional Champagne methods. This wine will always be the courage that allowed me to walk down the aisle. No, not my aisle, my first college girlfriends’ wedding – us bridemaids were overwhelmed and decided to throw back a couple glasses of this Brut Rose. Made the walk down that aisle a lot slicker… Light floral notes with bashful fruit come out in the aromatics while crisp, dry spice tones and cranberries are on display on the palate. A classic. Can be found at most wine shops (almost guaranteed) for around $18.

Poema NV Brut Cava: This was one of my first intro Cavas. Suggested by Jack himself at Jack Cellars, this sparkler is straight from the Penedes region of Spain, with bright aromas of peach, spice and some toastiness from the double barrel-fermentation that the back label proudly announces. Dry but still a mouthful of texture, orange and citrus flavors. Buy from Jack for $15ish.

Riondo Veneto Prosecco: When in Venice? Venetians consider Prosecco to be the perfect “ombrette” aka pick-me-up and why not – it’s bubbly, mostly dry and when consumed quickly, can promise a buzz! This particular guy has been endorsed by Good Morning America and THAT is street cred. Light, delicate and zippy, this steal of a deal is typically under a dime and a party pleaser.

What have we learned here today? There ARE efficient ways to be cheap and still get your crunk on for NYE, just like Lil’ John. What, is he not hip anymore? Is that 2000-and late?

See you in 2010, dear readers, hopefully with a little more bubbles.

Hugs and kisses,
Erin

A rarity that the wine industry stills holsters close to its heart and main functioning is the concept of “family.”

With the major holidays of the year nearing, this concept is reflected upon, acknowledged, appreciated and even tried. However, I believe it to be an innate human characteristic to have a general, overall draw and respect to the concept of family.

This rarity is held with high honors in the wine industry as well, with the concept being slapped on labels for more than just a marketing ploy, but as a mission statement for the winery itself.

“Family Cellars,” “Family Estate” or “Family Winery” are all titles that are not loosely coupled.

One such story is that of The Bunnell Family Cellars. After harvests spent with Chateau Ste. Michelle, Kendall-Jackson and Beringer, Ron Bunnell branched off on his own to create small lot, hand-crafted Rhone-style gem factory from the greater Columbia Valley and posting up in Prosser. Referring to his specific blending practices, Ron’s wines are “vins de l’esprit,” meaning “wines of the creative spirit.” To take the experience one step further, Ron’s wife, Susan, brings a “culinary flair” to their tasting room with her acclaimed cookery. Together, they offer Prosser an exclusive bon vivant escapade.

According to their Web site, the couple is determined to hand down “a legacy that they have built for and with their children.”

Family.

Like the Bunnell family, the grapes Ron chooses to blend with are family amongst themselves. In this week’s selection, the 2007 Columbia Valley VIF, Ron joins the kindred forces of Syrah (60%), Mourvedre (26.7%) and Petite Sirah (13.3%), three varietals that have been together since their birth in the soils.

“Vif” translates into the idea behind this wine as “vivid, lively, bright.”

With only 360-some cases made, Ron gauged the 17 months of barrel time between American and Hungarian oak and it is one of the more prevalent tones on the nose of the wine.

Awesome non-fruit tones come out immediately with thick-cut hickory-smoked bacon, cinnamon spices, tobacco and the above mentioned toasted oak. Bing cherries and chewy, dark fruits come out in good time for a young Syrah-based blend.

The fatty bacon is relentless and moves over to the palate with a meaty, chewy mouthful that is balanced with acid, spice, blackberries and plum.

What’s cool about this wine is that it’s not the blueberry fruit bomb some Washington Syrahs can turn out to be. It’s got character, like most families.

The attack is meat and earth, the midpalate is spice over fruit and the finish has fine tannins with lingering bing cherries, pulling it around full circle to hit up as many aspects as it can.

I’m not going to lie, it had me scratching my head, wondering how exactly this is all going to come together with so much character… Just like my family.

Be our members high-attention-seekers, the mild and sweets, the down-to-earthers and the ones that make you think… Somehow, we all come together to make a family.

Touching? Just reminding you how sweet I really can be… Now go buy this wine.

Score: 8.

I’m on this wine mailing list that I happen to believe was one of the innovators of Seattle-area online wine retail – Garagiste.

Whossawhat’s it? Yeah, it’s a neat concept. Their Web site defines itself as so:
“Garagiste:\ga-räzh-eest\ n fr. garer to dock, to protect
1. a passionate winemaker who creates fine limited production wines(occasionally in his or her garage)
2. a selective, Seattle-based retail emporium dedicated to the wine artisan and consumer…”

And they do so through email.

They’ve received numerous nods from Wine Enthusiast Magazine, Paul Gregutt, the Seattle P-I (RIP print!) and creator John Rimmerman got buzz for a 2008 Innovator of the Year title.

Needless to say, this “loosely-Seattle-based” retailer does amazing business, through their multi-daily email blasts not only detailing the wine but enabling the consuming to get to know the wine and winemaker better than most opportunities.

Back when I was more eager about spending money early last year, I purchased a few bottles from Garagiste (and got exceedingly lost in Sodo trying to find the warehouse to pick it up). One of them being this week’s 2007 Renato Ratti “Colombè” Dolcetto d’Alba.

As far as Italy goes, Garagiste knows their juice and as little as my Italian knowledge goes, I know Renato Ratti.

Established in 1965 through the purchase of a single vineyard in Piedmont and dedicated to Barolo, Renato Ratti began his profession in enology. He was later joined by his enologist nephew and together, they cleared through the fog of vinification, maturation and longevity to find the elegant wines they were reaching for.

Renato Ratti - how can you not love this guy?

After many years of kicking ass and taking names in Piedmont and Langhe, Ratti reached the end of his time in the late 80’s and his son, Pietro, a recent graduate of enology school himself, took the reigns and still holds them today.

Renato was an innovator in modern Italian winemaking practices, an essayist and a historian, and left a legacy behind him to carry on his name. From table wines to $70 premium Barolos, Renato Ratti wines are backed by prestige, critical support and the name alone.

For the 2007 Dolcetto d’Alba (which translates to “Little Sweet One”), the fruit comes from the Colombè vineyard which sits 550 meters high in the Alba commune of Piedmont. Although the vines that are striped for this wine are young, they say this vineyard is “blessed by the sun,” giving the fruit plenty of exposure and opportunity to develop into lush, juicy little sweet ones.

Robust grape juice and grape skin aromas come out immediately on the nose, like dirty, bitter Welch’s grape juice. That’s not a bad aroma, it’s just as distinct as if the grapes were literally shaken off the vine and you grabbed them off the soil.

Raw, bright and ripe, the red fruits develops with some oxygen, allowing the cherry and plum notes to arise amongst the ashes of the grape.

On the palate, the Dolcetto is ripe and fresh, with brightly biting tannins and dark, thick-skinned fruit. The wine is light but far from thin and leaves your mouth with a tangy finish, reminding you that this little sweet one has attitude, balance and body.

So what did we learn today?

1) Garagiste is an avant-garde and inventive modern-day wine retailer, with affordable prices and exclusive wines.
2) Renato Ratti was a rock star.
3) Dolcetto is sweet like a Sour Patch Kid.
4) For the price, the prestige and the power of this wine, you can’t go wrong.

Score: 7.