Pacific Northwest

Yes, yes, I know this is ridiculously late. I don't even remember what month it was from. Pretty sure it was July. Solid wines from the Pacific Northwest, two of which I have labeled as the "overall fave." Not sure which one actually won out, if there was a definitive best!

On a random note, a couple of us recently visited Blue Mountain Vineyards in PA and learned some things. I need to write it down before I lose this knowledge completely:
- Tannin comes from the seeds and oak barrel.
- The legs are caused by the alcohol; more/stronger legs = longer fermentation time, higher alcohol content, and less sugar (drier wine).
- If a wine bottle doesn't say "estate wine," they may have gotten grapes from another region and just turned it into wine in whatever area the label says it's from.
- If a wine says "aged in oak" and it's labeled with the same year that you are buying it, it was probably mixed with chips of oak leftovers during fermentation, not actually aged in oak barrels like you would like to think. This means that the oak flavor will be good right away, but it may not be present if the bottle is aged.
- A good quality wine should taste like it smells.
- The pop you hear when you uncork wine is from nitrogen in the bottle, used to prevent the wine from coming into contact with oxygen and deteriorating the flavor when it's stored.

A. Columbia Crest Grand Estates Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 - more info

Appearance: "It's dark."

Nose: 4

Intensity: 2.5

Balance: 5

Complexity: 3.7

Finish: 4.2

Comments: "It's like a boyscout." Bill's (from Laurel) preferred. Spicy, "really good," fruit flavor. *Overall Fave*

Dan and Haley's favorite

B. 14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 - more info

Appearance: Black, dark, "really dark."

Nose: 2.5

Intensity: 1.3

Balance: 3.14

Complexity: 2.5

Finish: 2.7

Comments: "It's gone." Sweeter than the last one.

C. 14 Hands Hot to Trot Red Blend 2010 - more info

Appearance: Dark again, ok legs.

Nose: 3.5

Intensity: 1.5

Balance: 3.5

Complexity: 2

Finish: 2

Comments: "Kinda dank." (This comment was the result of us smelling pot wafting in from one of my neighbors.) Spice, burns a bit, would be good mulled. "It wants to be sexy, but it's just trying too hard."

D. Airlie Pinot Gris 2009 - more info

Appearance: Light yellow, a bit cloudy.

Nose: 3.5

Intensity: 2.5

Balance: 3

Complexity: 3

Finish: 4

Comments: Good with creamy things, a day-drinking bottle, odd flavor, no mint.

E. Sawtooth Riesling 2009 - more info

Appearance: Light.

Nose: 2.5

Intensity: 1.8

Balance: 3.8

Complexity: 3.2

Finish: 4

Comments: "That's a riesling." "I generally don't like rieslings, but this is good." Good with peach, good summer wine.

Jen's favorite white

F. Kung Fu Girl Riesling 2011 - more info

Appearance: Really clear.

Nose: 4 - Pretty, like us!

Intensity: 2 - Trying to be subtle

Balance: 4.8

Complexity: 3 - One beautiful note

Finish: 3 - Sour lingers

Comments: "Has an identity crisis," tastes like pinot grigio, sour, pucker, *Overall Fave*