Aussie Sales Down in US: They blame a strong American dollar and competing imports from South America and New Zealand. From my personal experience it seems that while New Zealand is going strong, the South American category has been falling lately. I certainly don't have a finger on the pulse of the national market, though.
Walla Walla Wine Closure: Nicholas Cole Cellars is closing its doors. The article calls it an 'indefinite hiatus,' but I've heard that they're just plain calling it quits. Honestly, I've never been a huge fan of the wines; I always thought that their quality never justified their inflated price points. Over the past year or so we've seen their prices on significant post-off, but I guess it couldn't stem the tide. A death in the family is, of course, never an easy thing to deal with, and my heart goes out to the Neuffers. I wish them all the best.
Recycle Your Corks: At Bin 41! Nothing really to say here, but it's pretty cool, and I always like to give a shout-out to T over in West Seattle whenever possible.
Hollywood's Drinking For The Holidays: It must be nice for retailers down there to have all that disposable income hanging around everyone's pockets. By the way, Remy Martin Louis XIII would make a great gift for me this year, if anyone's wondering...
A Good Year for Ice Wine: Apparently 2010 was a good year for ice wine in the Northeast this year. Good thing, too; global warming being what it is, we'll probably be seeing fewer and fewer of these harvests. Fortunately, there's always artificial means to the same end.
India Snubs French Wine: Not news, really, but Indian tariffs on wine imports continue to be absurdly high, even in the face of exploding demand for fermented grape juice in the country. The French are, naturally, furious. I wonder if this is an attempt to bolster sales of India's domestic wine sales. I had the opportunity to try a sparkling wine produced in India recently, and wow, I'm sorry to say that it was terrible. It was made of Chardonnay and produced in the methode traditionalle, so I had some high hopes, but unfortunately it both smelled and tasted like a plastic seat cover. Oh well; better luck next time, India!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Secret Weapon Wine: Tertulia's Les Collines Syrah
Tertulia Cellars is a two-thousand case production winery in Walla Walla. That being said, their facility is fantastic for a winery of their level of production. They have a bottling line that many other wineries at their level might only dream of. I'm not sure who's bankrolling them, but whoever it is, they're willing to shell out cash for some cool toys. It's gorgeous, too (and the tasting room staff is really nice!).
While I'm not a fan of ALL of their wines (their rose is a miss for me), they make a lot that are frankly delicious. Their Viognier and Cabernet are good, varietally correct, and very enjoyable.
My favorite wine from them, however, is their Les Collines Syrah. It's stellar. Good fruit, nice acidity, well balanced. But the best part is the gorgeous green olive note that pervades the nose and spills over onto the palate. It's intoxicating in a way that has nothing to do with alcohol. I'm convinced that this is due to the winery's practice of partially fermenting this wine with stems added back; I've found this element in many wines that either add back stems or ferment whole-cluster, including most notably Cayuse's single vineyard Syrahs (particularly En Chamberlain). For me, it's something that makes those wines memorable and captivating.
Les Collines vineyard seems to be something of a darling in Walla Walla lately. At least partially owned by Amavi , there's a lot of interesting things going on at this vineyard. Marie-Eve at Forgeron calls it "one of the warmest, frost-free sites in the Walla Walla Valley." She says that "Grapes sourced from here are for big, bold wines with very concentrated and dark flavors." As the vineyard's website points out, it is internationally certified as sustainable and salmon safe. Almost in Oregon, it is nestled in the foothills (which is the English translation of the name) of the Blue Mountains. Considering the freeze problems that Walla Walla regularly faces (such as the 2004 freeze that essentially wiped out the vintage for the valley), a vineyard that is relatively frost-free must be a draw for Walla Walla winemakers.
Here's the most exciting thing about Tertulia's Les Collines Syrah: It retails for $24. Yes, $24. And it is incredible. It is worth searching out, and that's why it's a Secret Weapon Wine.
Update: I've been made aware that Les Collines Vineyard is also half-owned by Garrison Creek Cellars , a winery of which I admit complete ignorance. I'm intrigued to try their wines some time, though on their website they don't have anything listed past the 2002 vintage, and none from Les Collines vineyard. Hopefully they just haven't updated in a while.
While I'm not a fan of ALL of their wines (their rose is a miss for me), they make a lot that are frankly delicious. Their Viognier and Cabernet are good, varietally correct, and very enjoyable.
My favorite wine from them, however, is their Les Collines Syrah. It's stellar. Good fruit, nice acidity, well balanced. But the best part is the gorgeous green olive note that pervades the nose and spills over onto the palate. It's intoxicating in a way that has nothing to do with alcohol. I'm convinced that this is due to the winery's practice of partially fermenting this wine with stems added back; I've found this element in many wines that either add back stems or ferment whole-cluster, including most notably Cayuse's single vineyard Syrahs (particularly En Chamberlain). For me, it's something that makes those wines memorable and captivating.
Les Collines vineyard seems to be something of a darling in Walla Walla lately. At least partially owned by Amavi , there's a lot of interesting things going on at this vineyard. Marie-Eve at Forgeron calls it "one of the warmest, frost-free sites in the Walla Walla Valley." She says that "Grapes sourced from here are for big, bold wines with very concentrated and dark flavors." As the vineyard's website points out, it is internationally certified as sustainable and salmon safe. Almost in Oregon, it is nestled in the foothills (which is the English translation of the name) of the Blue Mountains. Considering the freeze problems that Walla Walla regularly faces (such as the 2004 freeze that essentially wiped out the vintage for the valley), a vineyard that is relatively frost-free must be a draw for Walla Walla winemakers.
Here's the most exciting thing about Tertulia's Les Collines Syrah: It retails for $24. Yes, $24. And it is incredible. It is worth searching out, and that's why it's a Secret Weapon Wine.
Update: I've been made aware that Les Collines Vineyard is also half-owned by Garrison Creek Cellars , a winery of which I admit complete ignorance. I'm intrigued to try their wines some time, though on their website they don't have anything listed past the 2002 vintage, and none from Les Collines vineyard. Hopefully they just haven't updated in a while.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Stepping Out of Washington: 2000 Leoville-Las Cases
I recently had the opportunity to try a legendary wine: The 2000 Leoville-Las Cases. I try to be something of an iconoclast when it comes to top-notch, extremely expensive wines, but I was impressed with this wine. It was handed to me blind, and even at 10 years old, it retained the purple hue of a young wine. It was wonderfully concentrated and beautiful, showing graphite, black currants, herbs, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera... The length was great, the tannin structure was phenomenal. There's obviously a lot of time left for this wine; if you're lucky enough to have any you don't need to worry about drinking it.
To only brag a little, when I was asked to peg it blind (having not been given region, grapes, no info whatsoever) I said that I thought it was 2005 Pauillac. I feel pretty good about that for two reasons: One, Leoville-Las Cases is right on the border of Pauillac, and two, it was drinking like an extremely young wine. I'm amazed that it hadn't evolved further.
Finding it online for $350, I don't think that I'll be running out and buying any, but it was a beautiful experience. I can't ever justify spending that kind of money on any one bottle of wine, even one as amazing as this one. I've had so many wonderful wines for $30-$50 that I think I'll keep my purchases in that range. I'm always happy to drink them on someone else's dime, though.
New Wine Businesses Make Headlines
Crosscut has an interesting post about a couple of new wine enterprises here in Seattle: Urban Enoteca and Wine World Warehouse.
Urban Enoteca is in the SoDo district, joining such wine destinations as OS Winery, Cadence, Bartholomew, Laurelhurst Cellars, Nota Bene, Esquin Wine Merchants, (et cetera, et cetera, et cetera) in making the south end the Wine District of Seattle. It's an intriguing concept, showcasing McCrea, Kiona, Fidelitas, Cave B, Côte Bonneville, Fielding Hills and Five Star Cellars- Eastern Washington wineries that until now didn't have a Western Washington presence. They've also brought on Crush's Jason Wilson as consulting chef. While I haven't been there yet, and there are no events on their website's calendar, I've got high hopes that Urban Enoteca will bring more energy and excitement to the burgeoning wine community in South Seattle.
Wine World Warehouse is the brainchild of general manager and Sommelier-about-town David Leclair. It's located on the other side of town, up in Wallingford. I'm not going to say too much about Wine World, and for two reasons: One, I haven't been there yet, and two, I work for one of their main competitors and don't want to throw stones. However, the opening of another large wine retailer in Seattle points to the growing interest in the Western Washington market, which can only be good for those of us in the industry, especially during the Great Recession.
Urban Enoteca is in the SoDo district, joining such wine destinations as OS Winery, Cadence, Bartholomew, Laurelhurst Cellars, Nota Bene, Esquin Wine Merchants, (et cetera, et cetera, et cetera) in making the south end the Wine District of Seattle. It's an intriguing concept, showcasing McCrea, Kiona, Fidelitas, Cave B, Côte Bonneville, Fielding Hills and Five Star Cellars- Eastern Washington wineries that until now didn't have a Western Washington presence. They've also brought on Crush's Jason Wilson as consulting chef. While I haven't been there yet, and there are no events on their website's calendar, I've got high hopes that Urban Enoteca will bring more energy and excitement to the burgeoning wine community in South Seattle.
Wine World Warehouse is the brainchild of general manager and Sommelier-about-town David Leclair. It's located on the other side of town, up in Wallingford. I'm not going to say too much about Wine World, and for two reasons: One, I haven't been there yet, and two, I work for one of their main competitors and don't want to throw stones. However, the opening of another large wine retailer in Seattle points to the growing interest in the Western Washington market, which can only be good for those of us in the industry, especially during the Great Recession.
Washington Wineries to Watch - Adams Bench
I'm certainly not the first person to discover Adams Bench. Actually, I'm late to the game in talking about this upstart Woodinville winery, but I'd be remiss not to correct that situation. That's because these wines are of such an obvious quality that they have quickly skyrocketed to many people's top-winery list. For example, Sean Sullivan at the Washington Wine Report included two of their wines in his poll for Wine of the Year (though as of this writing they're both losing to Reynvaan's In The Rocks Syrah). And though I loathe to cite it, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that The Wine Advocate's infamous Dr. Jay Miller rated five different Adams Bench wines between 91 and 93 points. Therefore, to say that these wines are unknown hidden gems wouldn't be accurate, but they are certainly a new winery, and definitely one to watch.
Adams Bench is literally a garage winery; owners Tim and Erica Blue produce them in the garage of their home in the heart of Woodinville wine country. Having had Chris Camarda (proprietor of the esteemed Andrew Will) as their consulting winemaker undoubtedly affected the style and quality of these wines. Their methods are very reminiscent of the production methods used at Andrew Will: Small lot production, whole berry fermentation, manual punch-downs, indigenous yeasts. They age in primarily new French oak, and while its influence is evident in the wines, it integrates well and adds to their character rather than overwhelming the fruit quality. Of course, there is no filtration on any of their wines.
The Blue's vineyard sourcing is impeccable; some examples include Camarda's Two Blondes vineyard, the historic Red Willow vineyard in Yakima Valley (one of the oldest in the state), and Novelty Hill's Stillwater Creek vineyard. They produce from these grapes wines that are rich in character, but with intriguing character that makes them more than the average monolithic New World wine. The two most readily available to consumers are the Reckoning Red Wine (the 2007 is 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Merlot, and 14% Cabernet Franc) and the V Cabernet Sauvignon. Both retail at roughly $40-$45 (though I think the Reckoning is several dollars cheaper than the V), so they fall into that mid-level Washington pricing level. This seems like it can be a black hole that so many Washington wineries fall into, but the quality of these wines make them stand-outs in the category, and the positive press will undoubtedly keep them moving out of the winery.
One of the things that I found most memorable about these wines was the pencil-lead quality that leapt from all of them. For me, this was the most fun and intriguing sensory note in them. Underneath that was classic concentrated and dark Washington fruit: Plums, blackberries, briar fruit. While these wines are extracted, there was little bitterness to be detected, which is a flaw that I think some Washington wineries fall into in their efforts to create big wines. The winery utilizes a small stainless steel basket press, which can be a very gentle method of pressing, and so this probably helps minimize bitter elements and harsh tannins. I'll bet it's a bitch to clean, though.
I'll be interested to see what happens when this passion project goes into larger production; they're currently coming in at about 1000 cases annually, but the excitement in the press and the buying public will undoubtedly push the Blue's towards larger and larger batches. Hopefully they can keep the level of quality at its current high level.
These wines are available at a couple of retail outlets, but most of them are sold out of the winery. Their tasting room isn't regularly open to the public, but I think that if you ask nicely, then you might talk them into opening a bottle or two.
Adams Bench is literally a garage winery; owners Tim and Erica Blue produce them in the garage of their home in the heart of Woodinville wine country. Having had Chris Camarda (proprietor of the esteemed Andrew Will) as their consulting winemaker undoubtedly affected the style and quality of these wines. Their methods are very reminiscent of the production methods used at Andrew Will: Small lot production, whole berry fermentation, manual punch-downs, indigenous yeasts. They age in primarily new French oak, and while its influence is evident in the wines, it integrates well and adds to their character rather than overwhelming the fruit quality. Of course, there is no filtration on any of their wines.
The Blue's vineyard sourcing is impeccable; some examples include Camarda's Two Blondes vineyard, the historic Red Willow vineyard in Yakima Valley (one of the oldest in the state), and Novelty Hill's Stillwater Creek vineyard. They produce from these grapes wines that are rich in character, but with intriguing character that makes them more than the average monolithic New World wine. The two most readily available to consumers are the Reckoning Red Wine (the 2007 is 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Merlot, and 14% Cabernet Franc) and the V Cabernet Sauvignon. Both retail at roughly $40-$45 (though I think the Reckoning is several dollars cheaper than the V), so they fall into that mid-level Washington pricing level. This seems like it can be a black hole that so many Washington wineries fall into, but the quality of these wines make them stand-outs in the category, and the positive press will undoubtedly keep them moving out of the winery.
One of the things that I found most memorable about these wines was the pencil-lead quality that leapt from all of them. For me, this was the most fun and intriguing sensory note in them. Underneath that was classic concentrated and dark Washington fruit: Plums, blackberries, briar fruit. While these wines are extracted, there was little bitterness to be detected, which is a flaw that I think some Washington wineries fall into in their efforts to create big wines. The winery utilizes a small stainless steel basket press, which can be a very gentle method of pressing, and so this probably helps minimize bitter elements and harsh tannins. I'll bet it's a bitch to clean, though.
I'll be interested to see what happens when this passion project goes into larger production; they're currently coming in at about 1000 cases annually, but the excitement in the press and the buying public will undoubtedly push the Blue's towards larger and larger batches. Hopefully they can keep the level of quality at its current high level.
These wines are available at a couple of retail outlets, but most of them are sold out of the winery. Their tasting room isn't regularly open to the public, but I think that if you ask nicely, then you might talk them into opening a bottle or two.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Wine in 2010
After a year's hiatus, I'm picking this blog up again! So welcome back to me. Since the year is coming to a close, allow me to ruminate for a few moments on the state of wine and my take on the industry in 2010...
The top estates of the world have clearly become intended only for the growing super-rich class. The pricing of 2009 Bordeaux makes that perfectly evident. I think that the hyperinflated prices will lead to the consumption of less of this classic wine region by the vast majority of oenophiles. Furthermore, these absurd (if I may be blunt) pricing will lead to a commoditization of these wines; tragically, fewer and fewer bottles of these "perfect" (according to such highly-regarded voices as Robert Parker and James Suckling) wines will ever achieve their ultimate purpose, which is to be consumed. To me this represents a fatal flaw in the prestige-based method by which wines are purchased in the twenty-first century.
There are many reasons for this phenomenon. One of the most prevalent ones is the globalization of the wine world. Markets such as Hong Kong, China and Japan have exploded, and this has driven demand far higher for top-class Bordeaux (particularly first-growths) than it ever was. Chateaux have, of course, embraced this new customer base, as any capitalist corporation would. Mouton-Rothschild has gone so far as to take on a Chinese artist to design their famous label for 2008. I can't fault these estates for getting the pricing that they feel the market will bear for their product, but I lament the inability for average wine consumers anywhere in the world to be able to experience these legendary wines.
Another more insidious factor driving up demand and prices for top Bordeaux estates inspires more debate than almost anything else in the wine industry: The use of the 100-point system by the Big Two wine publications. I'm against the 100-point system, or any definitive wine rating system at all. In the past I've rated wines on this blog, but that's not something that I'll be doing as I go forward. Wine is far too subjective and malleable of a subject to be making definitive statements about. Instead I like to talk about my experiences with a wine, a winery, or the people in the industry. Each wine is different from bottle to bottle, day to day, and person to person. While you can say that a certain production has certain qualities (good or bad), there is no reason to think that any two wine experiences will be identical.
I'm looking forward to engaging in an ongoing conversation about wine and the wine industry. Hopefully you'll enjoy it as well.
The top estates of the world have clearly become intended only for the growing super-rich class. The pricing of 2009 Bordeaux makes that perfectly evident. I think that the hyperinflated prices will lead to the consumption of less of this classic wine region by the vast majority of oenophiles. Furthermore, these absurd (if I may be blunt) pricing will lead to a commoditization of these wines; tragically, fewer and fewer bottles of these "perfect" (according to such highly-regarded voices as Robert Parker and James Suckling) wines will ever achieve their ultimate purpose, which is to be consumed. To me this represents a fatal flaw in the prestige-based method by which wines are purchased in the twenty-first century.
There are many reasons for this phenomenon. One of the most prevalent ones is the globalization of the wine world. Markets such as Hong Kong, China and Japan have exploded, and this has driven demand far higher for top-class Bordeaux (particularly first-growths) than it ever was. Chateaux have, of course, embraced this new customer base, as any capitalist corporation would. Mouton-Rothschild has gone so far as to take on a Chinese artist to design their famous label for 2008. I can't fault these estates for getting the pricing that they feel the market will bear for their product, but I lament the inability for average wine consumers anywhere in the world to be able to experience these legendary wines.
Another more insidious factor driving up demand and prices for top Bordeaux estates inspires more debate than almost anything else in the wine industry: The use of the 100-point system by the Big Two wine publications. I'm against the 100-point system, or any definitive wine rating system at all. In the past I've rated wines on this blog, but that's not something that I'll be doing as I go forward. Wine is far too subjective and malleable of a subject to be making definitive statements about. Instead I like to talk about my experiences with a wine, a winery, or the people in the industry. Each wine is different from bottle to bottle, day to day, and person to person. While you can say that a certain production has certain qualities (good or bad), there is no reason to think that any two wine experiences will be identical.
I'm looking forward to engaging in an ongoing conversation about wine and the wine industry. Hopefully you'll enjoy it as well.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
On Chardonnay
I love Chardonnay. More than any other grape, I am infatuated with this one. I was reminded of this fact last night when enjoying a 2004 Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuissé. While not from a particularly prestigious appellation, this wine presented such beautiful nuance that it shined through the rest of the evening to become my pivotal memory of the occasion. Its pale hay color glimmered in the lights dimmed to a pleasant ambiance. It presented a supple and generous nose, beautiful and open but subtle and demanding careful attention at the same time. Tart peaches, nutmeg, wet stone minerality, and a hint of oxidative nuttiness captivated me. This bottle was undoubtedly at the peak of its drinking window; I was glad that we had opened it then. The palate was a lively and crisp experience of tart fruit, bright acidity, and subtle baking spice. Its flavors lingered for a particularly long time, caressing my tongue until it was left with nothing but a sweet memory. It was a wonderful bottle of wine.
This experience embitters me against poorly made Chardonnay. I must unfortunately admit that the state of Washington is one of the most egregious offenders in this regard. All too often, Washington winemakers overwhelm their Chardonnay with entirely too much new oak. They need to understand that a gentle kiss of oak is all that's required to create an invigorating, beautiful, tasty wine. Also, there is just too much ripeness in Washington wines. I have this opinion about California wines as well, but I think the good Chardonnay wineries down there know how to manage this ripeness more. Our Washington winemakers seem to want extremely ripe wines with high alcohol contents, but not to put them through very much malolactic fermentation, and then to use a ton of new French oak.
I'm not certain that I have the answer to this problem, but there must be one. Our growing sites are no warmer than Californian growing sites, so we ought to be able to make the rich, lush, full-bodied and slutty Chardonnays that they do. Instead, all too often Washington Chardonnay has too-evident alcohol, overwhelming oak, and tart malic acid.
I also wonder about our selection of clones and yeasts, but I don't have enough knowledge on this front to formulate an informed point-of-view.
If I were to make a Washington Chardonnay- and, God willing, one day I will- I would do several things. Firstly, I would try to find one of the coolest growing sites in the state. I suspect that top choices would be Celilo Vineyard and Evergreen Vineyard. I'm very interested in clonal selection at this stage, but am not sure what clones are available or what clones I might be looking for. Secondly, I would pick in two phases. The first would be earlier than might seem wise, but I'm looking to maintain high levels of malic acid and lower Brix in this pass. I would ferment this juice to wine in stainless steel- I might cold soak with the skins in an effort to raise the pH, but I'm not certain- and then I would transfer to French oak barrels, about 25% new. I would ferment with Montrachet yeast, and put the majority of this wine through malolactic fermentation: 75% perhaps? During fermentation, I would try to ferment cool and long, but it needs to be steady. I would honestly probably do everything I could to ferment to dryness and not worry too much about length of fermentation; a slow fermentation would scare the living daylights out of me.
I would also pick a second phase of riper Chardonnay from the same vineyard, perhaps two weeks later. This pass would be smaller than the original pass, perhaps by half. I would ferment this juice in stainless steel as well, and put it in barrels with (probably) a similar proportion of new-to-used oak as the first batch. I would put less of this wine through malolactic fermentation, perhaps only 25%, and would likely use Montrachet yeast as well (though I'm not sure about this; if there's a better yeast for riper Chardonnay, I would use it. M2 perhaps?) The goal here would be to include some of those riper flavors without sacrificing acidity and without resorting to watering down to maintain a reasonable alcohol level. In this way, I would hope to avoid additions such as acidifying and adding H2O. Also, I would be layering different flavors in an effort to create a more complex wine.
I would age the wines in oak for six or seven months, and would do batonnage twice a day to add a richness of flavor. I would then rack the wines to stainless steel and allow them to age in stainless steel for perhaps another ten months before bottling. The bottles would then be held for two months before release. The concept here is to allow the wines to gain some richness from the oak contact and the batonnage, but not to allow too much oxygen intake from the barrels, and then to allow them time to come together in tank before bottling. I'm also playing with the idea of barrel fermentation, which would allow me to avoid one racking cycle, but I've never done barrel fermentation and it makes me nervous.
Stylistically, I would be looking for a wine with some oak influence, some malolactic influence, and some oxygen influence, but one that is still bright and fruity with nice bracing acidity. My stylistic influence would be Domaine Leflaive more than anything else. I realize that this is shooting for the rafters on some level, but why not aim high? I don't think that any Washington winemaker is trying to make a Chardonnay in this style, with the possible exception of Corliss' Tranche Chardonnay. Most Washington winemakers make their Chardonnay in a couple of different styles: Either they are going for a rich, buttery California style (read: Gorman's Big Sissy), they are going for a crisp, clean, unoaked style (example: Airfield's unoaked Chardonnay and several others. I actually rather like this style, but it's not my favorite expression of Chardonnay), or they try this mucky, high-alcohol, high-ripeness, high-new-oak contact, but not high malolactic. The latter is my least favorite style; I think it creates a mess that burns the palate more than anything else.
Domaine Leflaive may be an extremely optimistic role model for a Washington Chardonnay, but there's no reason why it can't be done. The important part is to be rigorous in your methodology. Ideally, I would create a wine with a low pH for Washington, somewhere in the 3.2-3.5 range. Boldness, subtlety, and a creamy texture are the hallmarks of a well-made Chardonnay in this style. We shall see.
This experience embitters me against poorly made Chardonnay. I must unfortunately admit that the state of Washington is one of the most egregious offenders in this regard. All too often, Washington winemakers overwhelm their Chardonnay with entirely too much new oak. They need to understand that a gentle kiss of oak is all that's required to create an invigorating, beautiful, tasty wine. Also, there is just too much ripeness in Washington wines. I have this opinion about California wines as well, but I think the good Chardonnay wineries down there know how to manage this ripeness more. Our Washington winemakers seem to want extremely ripe wines with high alcohol contents, but not to put them through very much malolactic fermentation, and then to use a ton of new French oak.
I'm not certain that I have the answer to this problem, but there must be one. Our growing sites are no warmer than Californian growing sites, so we ought to be able to make the rich, lush, full-bodied and slutty Chardonnays that they do. Instead, all too often Washington Chardonnay has too-evident alcohol, overwhelming oak, and tart malic acid.
I also wonder about our selection of clones and yeasts, but I don't have enough knowledge on this front to formulate an informed point-of-view.
If I were to make a Washington Chardonnay- and, God willing, one day I will- I would do several things. Firstly, I would try to find one of the coolest growing sites in the state. I suspect that top choices would be Celilo Vineyard and Evergreen Vineyard. I'm very interested in clonal selection at this stage, but am not sure what clones are available or what clones I might be looking for. Secondly, I would pick in two phases. The first would be earlier than might seem wise, but I'm looking to maintain high levels of malic acid and lower Brix in this pass. I would ferment this juice to wine in stainless steel- I might cold soak with the skins in an effort to raise the pH, but I'm not certain- and then I would transfer to French oak barrels, about 25% new. I would ferment with Montrachet yeast, and put the majority of this wine through malolactic fermentation: 75% perhaps? During fermentation, I would try to ferment cool and long, but it needs to be steady. I would honestly probably do everything I could to ferment to dryness and not worry too much about length of fermentation; a slow fermentation would scare the living daylights out of me.
I would also pick a second phase of riper Chardonnay from the same vineyard, perhaps two weeks later. This pass would be smaller than the original pass, perhaps by half. I would ferment this juice in stainless steel as well, and put it in barrels with (probably) a similar proportion of new-to-used oak as the first batch. I would put less of this wine through malolactic fermentation, perhaps only 25%, and would likely use Montrachet yeast as well (though I'm not sure about this; if there's a better yeast for riper Chardonnay, I would use it. M2 perhaps?) The goal here would be to include some of those riper flavors without sacrificing acidity and without resorting to watering down to maintain a reasonable alcohol level. In this way, I would hope to avoid additions such as acidifying and adding H2O. Also, I would be layering different flavors in an effort to create a more complex wine.
I would age the wines in oak for six or seven months, and would do batonnage twice a day to add a richness of flavor. I would then rack the wines to stainless steel and allow them to age in stainless steel for perhaps another ten months before bottling. The bottles would then be held for two months before release. The concept here is to allow the wines to gain some richness from the oak contact and the batonnage, but not to allow too much oxygen intake from the barrels, and then to allow them time to come together in tank before bottling. I'm also playing with the idea of barrel fermentation, which would allow me to avoid one racking cycle, but I've never done barrel fermentation and it makes me nervous.
Stylistically, I would be looking for a wine with some oak influence, some malolactic influence, and some oxygen influence, but one that is still bright and fruity with nice bracing acidity. My stylistic influence would be Domaine Leflaive more than anything else. I realize that this is shooting for the rafters on some level, but why not aim high? I don't think that any Washington winemaker is trying to make a Chardonnay in this style, with the possible exception of Corliss' Tranche Chardonnay. Most Washington winemakers make their Chardonnay in a couple of different styles: Either they are going for a rich, buttery California style (read: Gorman's Big Sissy), they are going for a crisp, clean, unoaked style (example: Airfield's unoaked Chardonnay and several others. I actually rather like this style, but it's not my favorite expression of Chardonnay), or they try this mucky, high-alcohol, high-ripeness, high-new-oak contact, but not high malolactic. The latter is my least favorite style; I think it creates a mess that burns the palate more than anything else.
Domaine Leflaive may be an extremely optimistic role model for a Washington Chardonnay, but there's no reason why it can't be done. The important part is to be rigorous in your methodology. Ideally, I would create a wine with a low pH for Washington, somewhere in the 3.2-3.5 range. Boldness, subtlety, and a creamy texture are the hallmarks of a well-made Chardonnay in this style. We shall see.
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