More wine drinkers are waking up to the fact that the West Coast goes beyond California. Washington state winemakers, for example, now bask in rave reviews from critics and increased attention from consumers, particularly for their reds.
One sign of the growing appreciation: The reds were the featured pour last month at a late night tasting party thrown for the city’s sommeliers by Belinda Chang at Osteria Via Stato. It is a sure bet more Washington reds will be turning up on the city’s restaurant wine lists and store shelves.
“What’s exciting for us is the quality of the wine, the Bordeaux-style cabs and merlot and also the syrah,” said Mike Baker, manager of the Wine Discount Center in Chicago.
Ironically, and here is another telling sign of the popularity of these wines, visiting Washingtonians are the biggest customers for Washington State syrahs at Fox & Obel, the Streeterville market. Seems the tourists are delighted to find syrahs on Chicago shelves that are sold out back home.
“I’ve shipped wine back to Washington twice,” said Ashley Stockstill, Fox & Obel’s wine director.
The buzz in the trade is focused on the syrahs from Walla Walla Valley, a subregion of the Columbia Valley in southeast Washington. (Both valleys dip across the line into Oregon.)
“[Walla Walla] is making world-class syrahs, complex and aromatic,” said Todd Hess, wine director of Sam’s Wines & Spirits. These syrahs, he said, are designed for wine drinkers looking for “a big, rich red wine” who are not afraid to experiment. Long-term California cab drinkers are prime candidates, he said.
The problem may come in finding these wines. The selection of Washington syrahs, particularly those from Walla Walla, was small in a number of area wine shops.
And Washington syrahs can be pricey, said Greg Wolter of Von Beaumont Distributing of Downers Grove, a distributor of many Washington wines.
“For the average person to venture into something new and spend $28 is a leap of faith, a leap not many are willing to make,” he said.
“I could sell Washington syrah in Bucktown or Wicker Park,” he said, referring to two of Chicago’s apparently more vino-adventurous neighborhoods.
Still, Wolter said Washington syrahs are the best in the United States, with “more earthiness and depth” than California syrah.
California, of course, continues to dominate domestic wines in terms of production and sales. ACNielsen, the consumer marketing firm, reports sales of California syrah nationally totaled $55 million over the last year. That’s 695,643 cases of wine. Compare that to 107,950 cases of Washington syrah with a price tag of $10 million. But as Oregon famously proved with its pinot noirs, consumers will look beyond California for wines that have something unique to say. So it is with Washington as a whole and Walla Walla in particular. Sales of Washington syrah are up 41 percent from a year ago, ACNielsen reports, while Walla Walla syrahs are up a whopping 269 percent. California syrah sales were up just 19 percent.
“There’s a different personality. The wines are more restrained in fruit,” said Don Sheil, wine manager of Binny’s Downtown.
When the Walla Walla appellation was established in 1984, there were just 4 wineries and 60 acres of vineyards, according to the Web site of the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance, a trade group (wallawallawine.com). As of August, the region boasted 65 wineries and more than 1,200 acres of vineyards.
Established “names” include such biggies as Columbia Crest and the venerable Chateau Ste. Michelle, which is located near Seattle but maintains vineyards in the Columbia Valley. Then there’s L’Ecole No. 41, Betz Family Winery, and K Vintners with its iconic black and white labels (K’s “House” wine is a very popular, inexpensive red blend), Cayuse Vineyards and Isenhower Cellars.
“These winemakers know what they’re doing,” said an admiring Baker. Among his favorites are Christophe Baron, the French-born owner of Cayuse, who is doing “big, powerful stuff” with syrah and Bordeaux-style blends; Charles Smith of K Vintners, who is making “huge wines” and Bob Betz of Betz Family Winery who is making “fantastic” wines in the $35 to $55 price range.
Wolter said his job is becoming easier as Washington wines enjoy greater prominence.
“The hill I try to run up is a lot easier to climb,” he said. “I don’t have to sell the idea of Washington state as much as I used to. People are starting to ask for the product.”
What Washington wine will they be asking for?
“I think the long story will be syrah because the climate does well with the grape,” Wolter replied.
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Wines that demand attention
Inky black with red highlights, these five Washington syrahs cut an impressive figure. No matter which one you choose, be prepared to sit up and pay attention. Of particular note was the 2003 Sequel Syrah from the Columbia Valley. It achieved the rarely awarded four-corkscrew from the Good Eating taste panel.
The wine is made by John Duval, formerly winemaker for Australia’s famed Penfolds Grange. Sequel was chosen as the name for this wine because, according to the label, Duval “chose the Columbia Valley as his `sequel’ for the continuation of his life’s work with syrah.”
Open the wines about two hours before you plan to pour them and decant if possible. They need time to breathe (actually, a number could do with a few years of aging). Serve the hearty rich foods of winter with these wines: cassoulet, roast beef, rack of lamb or even macaroni and cheese.
2003 Sequel Syrah
Plushly soft yet muscular, this purple-black red was oh-so-smooth with a natural blackberry sweetness plumped with creamy tannins. Ultrafine finish prolonged the pleasure.
(4 corkscrews) $50
2003 K Syrah Morrison Lane
This Walla Walla red is one exciting wine: Spicy, peppery, confident, bold. You taste and savor the promise that has made K’s wines cult favorites. Although the profile softened and offered more fruit notes the longer it breathed, some panelists thought the wine needed more aging to be fully enjoyed.
(3 corkscrews) $46
2003 Cayuse Syrah Cailloux Vineyard
Simple berry sweetness was followed by just enough tannin and notes of green pepper to give a sense of the structure in this Walla Walla red by Christophe Baron. Still, one of the softer wines tasted.
(2 corkscrews) $75
2003 Columbia Crest Syrah Reserve
Tight and somewhat astringent, this red from a Columbia Valley giant needed more time to relax. Although the wine showed some jammy fruit, it tasted rough; inevitable, perhaps, given its “bargain” price tag.
(2 corkscrews) $20
2002 Betz Family Winery Syrah La Cote Rousse
From the Red Mountain region, this red rang a bit hollow to some tasters. The wine was tight, astringent, somewhat hollow. The hopeful among the panelists thought more aging would help.
(2 corkscrews) $47
–B.D.
Sources: We found these wines at Sam’s Wines & Spirits, Binny’s Beverage Depot stores, Fox & Obel, DiCarlo Fine Wines and Spirits in Mundelein. Not every wine may be in stock at your local stores; prices may vary from store to store. Prices are rounded off.
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wdaley@tribune.com
Bill Daley answers questions on wine, beer and spirits on Sundays in Q. Hear him on WBBM Newsradio 780 at 6:21 p.m. and 10:22 p.m. Tuesdays and 7:52 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
