Wine & Dine

Paul Gregutt
Wine adviser

Q. We’ve recently moved from California to Washington. Our wine remains in California in a friend’s cellar. We are planning to fly to California, rent a truck, load up the wine and drive it back here. Are there any regulations that would prevent us from doing so? This is a collection that we started in the late 1990s and the most recent purchase was probably 2004. We have somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 to 15 cases.
A. Specifically, Chapter 314-68 WAC (importation of alcoholic beverages for personal or household use) and WAC 314-68-030 (the amount of alcoholic beverages a private individual can bring into the state of Washington for personal or household use) are the relevant statutes.
To sum up: If you are bringing in wine or spirits from inside the United States, you are allowed two liters per month tax free.
However, there is good news for those moving into Washington from another state and doing a one-time transport of a large amount of wine. The statute reads: “Individuals moving into the state or receiving alcoholic beverages through inheritance or estate settlements will be allowed a one-time exemption from payment of tax and markup.” (See apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=314-68-030)
So as I interpret the code, you are free to bring up your wine collection without incurring any taxes.

Q. I am new to Washington state, having moved from Florida a year ago.
After several bad experiences with wines purchased at supermarkets having dry corks, I looked for a specialized wine store and was surprised to find that the one I visited also stores its wine bottles upright. In Miami, any wine store you go to stores its wine correctly.
A. Coming from Florida, where the climate is considerably warmer than the Pacific Northwest, I imagine that wine shop storage conditions are a bit different. Although some wine shops in the Northwest do have horizontal storage, many do not.
That should not be a problem unless the wine has been sitting on the shelf for quite a long time, is exposed to strong lights or direct sun, or was improperly stored at the warehouse. You are well within your rights to return such bottles, provided they have been consumed within a few days of purchase.
The storage conditions in your own home might play a part. I keep many bottles upright at home, sometimes for fairly long periods of time, and have never experienced the problem of dry corks that you describe. For rare, older wines that are being cellared over many years, sideways storage (or upside down) is imperative.

Paul Gregutt, author of “Washington Wines and Wineries The Essential Guide,” can be reached at wine@seattletimes.com.

Paul Gregutt
Wine adviser

When considering a wine purchase, it’s almost impossible to detach the palate from the pocketbook. Nothing brings this to the forefront like a charity wine auction. The recent PONCHO Wine Auction, for which I provided some color commentary, was a perfect example.
Hundreds of bottles were lined up for the three silent auctions that preceded the main event. It was a dazzling display of vintages dating back to the 19th century, rare wines from around the globe, big bottles and verticals, as well as exceptional offerings of wines from the West Coast.
As I perused the bidding tables, drawing attention to some of the hidden “treasures” that were not attracting much interest, it became clear that the disparity between lots that were fought-over and those that were ignored often had little to do with the actual quality of the wines. It really came down to name recognition.
In the same way, wineries that get the big scores (hence the name recognition) are subtly coerced (by market pressures) to put high prices on their wines. Yes, there may be egos involved as well. But what business person intentionally avoids making an easy profit? As a result, consumers are equally trained, however subliminally, to assume that a high price always equals better wine.
Which gets me back to hidden treasures, and a case in point: Walla Walla Vintners. This was the eighth or ninth winery to set up shop in Walla Walla, making its first wines in 1995. At the time, they were widely referred to as “Baby Leonetti” — a reference to both the style (oaky and rich) and the inexpensive pricing (hence baby) of their wines.
Founders Myles Anderson (recently retired director of the Walla Walla Institute for Enology and Viticulture) and Gordy Venneri make wines they like to drink, which happen to be ripe, fruity and plush with new barrel flavors of chocolate, butterscotch, mocha and toast.
They began as amateur winemakers learning their craft with hands-on trial and error.
Over time, they have fine-tuned the lineup, and although the winery’s basic style remains the same, the grape sources have improved and the winemaking now pulls together more substantial fruit components to go with the luscious wood. In short, these are flat out delicious wines, but also wines of substance.
Baby Leonetti’s or not (Walla Walla Vintners winery is actually adjacent to Leonetti’s Uplands vineyard), these wines are very, very good.     Why then do they sell for a third the price of Leonetti? Why, for that matter, does Leonetti sell for a quarter of the price of Harlan or Sloan? Image drives prices, as much or more than talent and quality.
The last of the 2005 releases from Walla Walla Vintners are being premiered this fall. The spring releases (2005 Cabernet Franc, 2005 Sangiovese) have already sold out, so these are not wines to wait on. They are distributed directly from the winery (509-525-4724 or www.wallawallavintners.com).
Were I to pick a favorite, it would be a three-way tie. The Walla Walla Vintners 2005 Sagemoor Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($40) is built upon fruit from 30-plus-year-old vines. It’s a classic Bordeaux blend, showing cassis, berry and cherry fruits dotted with dried herb. Delicious already, this wine successfully combines raw power with depth and character.
The Walla Walla Vintners 2005 Bello Rosso Red Wine ($36) is the winery’s version of a super-Tuscan. Once again, half is old vine Sagemoor cabernet sauvignon, half is sangiovese. Washington sangiovese is the most successful of the Italian varietals grown here, and this lovely blend, with its appealing softness, mixes dried herbs and spicy red fruit with hints of mushroom and olive.
Wine No. 3 is the Walla Walla Vintners 2005 Malbec ($30), varietally pure and inky black. Black fruits, black olives, smoke and spice are layered around thick tannins, opening into an extended finish of licorice and mint. This is the winery’s first varietal malbec (”We had four barrels left over after blending,” modestly explains Venneri). It should, I would hope, become a staple of the lineup.
Other new releases this month include Walla Walla Vintners 2005 Merlot ($28), a dark and smoky wine, with tight scents of cassis, raspberry and pomegranate. Suggestions of mushroom, tobacco and lead pencil waft through the finish, and this has enough concentration to spend some extended cellar time, rare indeed for domestic merlot.
The Walla Walla Vintners 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon ($35) includes modest proportions of merlot, cab franc, carmenère, malbec and petit verdot. Round and flavorful, it’s a liquid bowl of chocolate-covered cherries, with a whiff of tobacco and forest adding welcome detail.
Also new this year is the Walla Walla Vintners 2005 Morrison Lane Vineyard Syrah ($32). The Morrison Lane vineyard will be familiar to fans of Walla Walla syrah, as it has long been one of the favored growers in the K Vintners lineup. Here it is unblended and wrapped in a generous amount of oak, adding flavors of cinnamon, baking spice, milk chocolate and hazelnut. Despite all the wood, the acids manage to punch through, underscoring the tart raspberry fruit.
Last but not least is the Walla Walla Vintners 2005 Washington State Cuvée Red Wine ($28), a Columbia Valley blend of eight different varietals from as many vineyards. Here, bright red fruits mingle with light spice and sweet tannins. It’s an all-purpose bottle of fruit-driven red, ready for near-term enjoyment.

Pick of the week
Kamiak 2006 Cellar Select White Wine, $10.
This well-crafted blend, produced by Gordon Brothers for their budget label, is made of two-thirds sauvignon blanc, one-third chardonnay. There is a splash of gewurztraminer to lift the nose, resulting in a delicious, all-purpose white wine tasting of apples, pears and peaches, with nicely structured skin and rind flavors wrapping up the finish.

Paul Gregutt, author of “Washington Wines and Wineries The Essential Guide,” can be reached at wine@seattletimes.com.

Paul Gregutt
Wine adviser 

Q. I received a strange gift from a friend in Santa Barbara. He is a real estate agent and was iven a case of this product from an estate listing. It is a Paul Masson Rare Cream Sherry Cuvée No. 801C. He was told it was from the 1970s. It comes in a brown, somewhat heart-shaped bottle. Can you tell me anything at all about this? Is it better as a conversation piece, or is it a rare and weird delicious find worth quaffing?
A. I checked with Charla Metcalf, the public relations manager for Canandaigua Wine Company, the parent company of Paul Masson. She tells me that Paul Masson produced their California cream sherry in the heart-shaped bottle for many years - up until 1994  when they transferred to a  new shape because the heart-shaped bottle mold was no longer usable and apparently would have been very expensive to replace. Why a heart shape? Because Paul Masson, so the story goes, was born on Valentine’s Day. As to its value and drinkability, I’m afraid the news is not good. Millions of bottles were produced throughout the years and very widely distributed.
When I checked, there were several bottles up for auction on e-Bay, one with an asking price of $6.99 and the caveats that “the value of the item is in the container and not the contents, and the item has not been opened and any incidental contents are not intended for consumption!” The advice from the winery is if the bottle has sentimental value, keep it. Otherwise, they suggest discarding the product since it is undrinkable.

Paul Gregutt
Wine adviser

Q. How can I find out who carries your “Pick of the Week” wines? I have a hard time finding them.
A. “Where do I find your recommended wine?” is the question most frequently often asked by readers. I sometimes wish I could wave a magic wand and somehow know exactly where every wine I write about is being sold.
That is not possible, unfortunately.
There are literally thousands of wine retail outlets in Western Washington — winery tasting rooms, wine shops, grocery stores, convenience stores, big-box retailers, restaurants and state liquor stores — and there is no way to list all the locations where a specific wine is being carried. So the system I have devised that seems to work best is to publish (in parentheses) the name of the distributor of the wine with each recommended “Pick,” and that is your key to finding the wine. (Although some Washington wineries self-distribute in which case you can contact the winery directly and purchase from it.)
Wines that are brought in from other states or countries must pass through the three-tier distribution system, which means they will have a local distributor. Any qualified retailer can order the wine for you, and it will take no more than a few days to receive it. Simply show the column and the name of the distributor.
I always check to make sure the wine will be in stock before writing about it; rarely are they sold out before a column hits print.

Paul Gregutt, author of “Washington Wines and Wineries: The Essential Guide,” can be reached at wine@paulgregutt.com.

Paul Gregutt
Wine adviser
The holidays are fast approaching, and I don’t know anyone who enjoys wine who doesn’t give some extra thought to what corks to pull at this special time of year.
Cutting through the blizzard of food-and-wine-matching advice gets tougher, not easier, it seems. This year I’m voting for simplicity and authenticity.
So don’t worry about what food you’re serving. I’m sure it will be good, and there will be plenty of it. You can cover the whole meal with two basic types of wine. Of course, there are many ways to do this, but here are my choices for Thanksgiving 2007: a sparkling wine, and a spicy red wine from southern France.
Sparkling wines, as one wag has noted, don’t need a special occasion — they are a special occasion. That said, no holiday table seems complete without a bottle or two of fizz. If you are looking for great flavor at a great price, it’s tough to beat Crémant d’Alsace from France and prosecco from Italy.
Crémant d’Alsace is made according to traditional Champagne methods, but in a different region, from different grapes. There are several styles, using one or more of the following: riesling, chardonnay, pinot blanc, pinot gris and pinot noir. Blanc de blancs are the most delicate and elegant, while those made from pinot gris are weightier and more fruity. Rosés are made from pinot noir, and offer especially good value.
Ask your wine-seller to recommend a bottle or two. You won’t have to spend more than $15 to $18 to find a good one. There are many good producers, but a perennial favorite is Lucien Albrecht.  Others to look for include Domaine Barmès-Buecher, Domaine Willm and Domaine Pierre Sparr.
Prosecco is a sparkling wine that comes from the Veneto in northeast Italy. The best proseccos are made in the area of Conegliano  and Valdobbiadene,  and will say so on the label. Prosecco is not a Champagne-method bubbly, but the wines can show surprising finesse. Usually made as a nonvintage brut or extra dry — not sweet — good prosecco has plenty of lovely, lively bubbles, and often carries orange/citrus fragrances and a lightly bitter finish, all of which helps to sharpen the palate.
There are dozens of good choices available. New to our region are proseccos from Villa Sandi, represented by Michael Mondavi’s Folio Fine Wine Partners. Stylishly packaged, these light and lively wines average just 11 percent alcohol and make splendid aperitifs.
For the rest of the meal, a selection of red wines from southern France will provide endless opportunities for interesting food and wine match-ups. From generous country wines on up to more complex Côtes du Rhônes, these earthy reds bring a lot of flavor to the table at modest prices. Here are some excellent bottles to look for. I have listed the local distributor’s name in parentheses.

• Château Mossé 2005 ‘Le Tradition’ ($12). From the Côtes du Roussillon, this round and plump red is a classic blend of the region’s four mainstay grapes — syrah, grenache, carignane and mourvèdre. Some subtle whiffs of baking chocolate and citrus rind add life to the cherry/berry fruit, and for the price this one delivers a lot of front-loaded flavor. (Millesime)
• Mas Fondrèche 2005 O’Sud ($13). Not everyone in my group tasting liked this wine as much as I did — it’s for those who appreciate high acid minerality, maybe laced with a bit of iodine and chalk. OK, it tastes better than it sounds, but for an austere (rather than blowsy or funky), Côtes du Ventoux it’s a fine value. (Noble)
• André Brunel 2005 ‘Cuvée Sabrine’ ($14). This is a Robert Kacher selection, from the man who makes the popular Les Cailloux Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Old vine grenache, syrah and mourvèdre go into this Côtes du Rhône Villages blend, which tastes very much like its pricier relation. Overall this may be the best value of the week. (Noble)
• Domaine Ollier Taillefer 2004 ‘Castel Fossibus’ ($22). From a rather obscure Languedoc appellation called Faugères, this red blend mixes the same four grapes, but is darker, earthier and more substantial than the less expensive wines. It’s got the full range of herb, soy and composted leaf scents and underpinnings, but it’s not so funky that it will put you off. (Millesime)
• Château Maris 2004 Old Vine Syrah ($36). Pushing up the price here, you get a higher quality Minervois La Livinière appellation attached to biodynamically farmed, old vine syrah, punched up to 15 percent alcohol. It’s thick and rich, loaded with spice, pepper, herb and deep black fruits, and glides gracefully into a finish laced with smoke, licorice and tar. (Alaska)
• Domaine de Couron 2004 Côtes du Rhône Villages ($13). This blend of mourvèdre, syrah and grenache is from a producer on a high plateau north of the famed Beaucastel property. Concentrated raspberry and currant fruit is lifted on tart acids; no oak flavors at all. It’s fruit and rock, a racy, well-defined style. (Unique)

Pick of the week
Domaine de Couron 2006 Marselan ($10).This unusual varietal grape is a cross of cabernet sauvignon and grenache. The vines were planted in 1962 and produce a wine that marries its grapy, bright berry fruit to earthy tannins. Light notes of herb and tea add some flavor interest, and the wine reaches 14.5 percent alcohol. It’s legally a Vin de Pays des Coteaux de l’Ardeche — in essence, a country wine. If you are seeking something a bit unusual, yet quite quaffable and fine for that turkey-and-cranberry-sauce centerpiece, this is your baby. (Unique)

Paul Gregutt, author of “Washington Wines and Wineries: The Essential Guide,” can be reached at wine@paulgregutt.com.

Paul Gregutt
Wine adviser

Q. My wife and I dined last night on a patio at a Midtown Memphis restaurant. One of our friends brought a bottle of the Matthews Claret. It was the first time I had tried this wine and was very impressed. My friend said the wine store employee he deals with told him it was comparable to Leonetti. I really question this. I have one bottle of Leonetti Cab but have not opened it yet. I have tried Leonetti Merlot and found it to be absolutely stunning. What are your thoughts?
A. Let me offer some general thoughts on such wine comparisons. They remind me of my DJ days, when a new band would come along that sounded “just like” or “just as good as” so-and-so. Comparing an unknown bottle of wine to a well-known bottle is the same thing, and perhaps the easiest way to sell a new wine, but it does not always tell the customer anything of substance.
It is difficult to know what the retailer actually meant by this comparison without asking a lot of follow-up questions.

• How are the two wines comparable?
• What specifically do they have in common?
• Is one trying to imitate another?

That said, I would certainly agree that Matthews and Leonetti are two of the finest wineries in Washington state – or anywhere on the West Coast for that matter.
Personally, I find their styles quite distinctive. You have an apples and oranges comparison here – a Matthews Claret (what vintage?) and a Leonetti Merlot (different vintage?). The grape blend, grape sources and winemaking techniques are different. The fact that you have tried wines from each and found them to your liking is what is most important.

Paul Gregutt, author of “Washington Wines and Wineries: The Essential Guide,” can be reached at wine@paulgregutt.com.