Enobytes Wine Blog

The 17th Annual Boston Wine Expo is taking place February 8 - 10, 2008. The event is the largest trade and consumer wine event in the country and it offers wine enthusiasts an unparalleled experience in wine and food. This year, the Grand Tasting will offer over 450 international and domestic wineries from 13 countries pouring over 1,800 different wines. Read the rest of this entry »

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Right after the opening of the Hillsboro Trader Joe’s, I remember speaking to someone in their wine department who was talking about Gluehwein, which is a warm spiced red wine traditionally served around the holidays in Germany. Inquisitively, I asked where she had been exposed to this anomaly. She advised me that this product had been for sale at the Northwest Food and Wine Festival.

The 2007 Northwest Food & Wine Festival

Curious, I thought, because I was not aware of such an event. This was perturbing because I thought I was aware of most any local wine events with the help of the fine folks at www.localwineevents.com (bookmark it!). Turns out, last year was the inaugural event for the Northwest Food and Wine Festival, which benefits the Oregon Food Bank. I try to stay up on these things, but this one just slipped past me. However, as the festival progressed towards its date this year, I was impressed to see how the successful promotion of this event had gone from something I missed last year, to an event that any self-respecting enophile from Portland would be ostracized for missing. Read the rest of this entry »

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On November 10th, I attended the Northwest Food & Wine Festival’s 2nd annual Grand Food & Wine Tasting event held at the Portland Memorial Coliseum. This was my first time attending the festival and as Alder from Vinography can attest, public wine tasting affairs can vary greatly between the services they offer and the quality of products they bring to the table so I was a bit apprehensive at first. As I entered the Coliseum, my concerns soon diminished as I scanned the room consisting of 80+ quality vintners intermingled with 50+ local restaurants offering delectable food options.

Unlike my counterpart who was busy socializing and looking for the next great story :), my intent was to sample as many Oregon and Washington wines in a four hour period and then report out on my findings. Most wineries at public wine tastings will offer (on the average) 3-4 wine samples per vintner, so I expected to hit at least half of them in the four hour timeframe, which seems reasonable if you consider visiting 10 booths per hour.

To my amazement, many wineries offered 5-7 wine samples, which is great because it allows the winery to showcase their flight and it allows tasters to find something they really enjoy.

I spent more time than expected at each booth (due to the extra samples) so unfortunately I wasn’t able to visit but a third of the vintners, but it doesn’t matter because I thoroughly enjoyed tasting all of the wonderful wines offered by our gracious vintners and I am looking forward to next year’s event.

As for the reviews, I’ve divided my tasting notes into white and red categories and grouped them into our 100-point scoring system.

RED WINES

Scoring between 90-94 (Exceptional)

2004 Nicholas Cole Cellars "Camille", Washington
2005 Zerba Cellars Columbia Valley Syrah, Washington
2005 Zerba Cellars Merlot, Washington
2005 Michael David Earthquake Syrah, California
2005 Michael David Petite Petit, California
2006 Seufert Winery Pinot Noir Momtazi (Maysara), Oregon
2004 Quenett Zinfandel, Oregon

Scoring between 85-89 (Very Good)

2006 Erath Pinot Noir, Oregon
2005 Erath Pinot Noir, Estate Selection, Dundee Hills, Oregon
2004 Maryhill Syrah, Washington
2005 Tertulia Cellars Merlot, Washington
2005 Nicholas Cole Cellars "GraEagle Red Wing", Washington
2003 Roza Ridge Syrah, Washington
2005 Girardet Wine Cellars Grand Rouge, Oregon
2005 Girardet Wine Cellars Baco Noir, Oregon
2005 Zerba Cellars Cabernet, Oregon
2006 Dalla Vina Sangiovese Terra Madre, Washington
2005 Dalla Vina Cabernet, Washington
2005 Dalla Vina Syrah, Washington
2005 Zerba Sangiovese, Washington
2005 Zerba "Wild Z", Washington
2005 Michael David Earthquake Zinfandel, California
2005 Michael David Incognito Rouge, California
2005 Mannina Sangiovese, Walla Walla Valley, Washington
2005 Mannina Merlot, Pepper Bridge, Washington
2005 Mannina "Cali", Washington
2006 Seufert Winery Pinot Noir Bishop Creek, Oregon
2006 Seufert Winery Pinot Noir "Pinot-Licious", Oregon
2005 Kana Winery Lemberger "Old Vine", Washington
2005 Kana Winery "Dark Star", Washington
2005 Kana Winery "Scarlet Fire" Reserve Red, Washington
2005 Kana Winery "Workingman’s Red", Washington
2005 Kana Winery Yakima Valley Syrah, Washington
2005 Cascade Cliffs Nebbiolo, Washington
2005 Cascade Cliffs Syrah, Washington
2004 Quenett Barbara, Oregon
2004 Quenett Merlot, Oregon
2004 Quenett "Redd", Oregon
2004 Quenett Sangiovese, Oregon
2004 Quenett Syrah, Oregon
2004 Quenett Cabernet Sauvignon, Oregon
2006 Alexandria Nicole Quarry Butte Red, Washington
2004 Anam Cara Pinot Noir, Nicholas Estate, Oregon
2005 Anam Cara Pinot Noir, Nicholas Estate, Oregon
2005 Anam Cara Pinot Noir Reserve, Oregon
2005 Chatter Creek Syrah, Lonesome Spring Ranch, Washington
2006 Chatter Creek Grenache, Washington
2003 Chatter Creek Cabernet, Alder Ridge Vineyard, Washington
2004 Trentadue Petite Sirah, North Coast, California
2005 Trentadue Zinfandel, Sonoma County, California
2005 Waving Tree Estate Syrah, Washington
2004 Waving Tree Cabernet, McKinley Springs Vineyard, Washington
2004 Wind River Cellars Merlot, Washington
2005 Wind River Cellars Lemberger, Washington
2004 Wind River Cellars Syrah, Washington
2005 Dry Hollow Vineyards Estate Merlot, Oregon
2005 Dry Hollow Vineyards Estate Syrah, Oregon

Scoring between 80-84 (Good)

2000 Girardet Wine Cellars Cabernet, Oregon
2005 Dalla Vina Silo Vino Cabernet Merlot blend, Washington
2005 Kana Winery Tempranillo, Washington
2005 Waving Tree Barbera, Washington
2005 Wind River Pinot Noir, Washington
2005 Wind River Tempranillo, Washington
2005 Dry Hollow Vineyards Cabernet, Oregon

WHITE WINES

Scoring between 85-89 (Very Good)

2006 Erath Pinot Gris, Oregon
2006 Erath Pinot Blanc, Willamette Valley, Oregon
2006 Tertulia Columbia Valley Viognier, Washington
2004 Girardet Wine Cellars Chardonnay, Oregon
2005 Girardet Wine Cellars Pinot Gris Late Harvest, Oregon
2005 Dalla Vina Silo Vino Riesling, Washington
2006 Kana Winery Cuvee Blanche, Washington
2006 Alexandria Nicole Viognier, Oregon
2006 Maryhill Pinot Gris, Washington
2006 Maryhill Rose of Sangiovese, Washington

Scoring between 80-84 (Good)

2006 Dalla Vina Chardonnay, Washington
2006 Maryhill Viognier, Washington
2006 Maryhill Sauvignon Blanc, Washington

~ Pamela Heiligenthal

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 Well, Enobytes has represented itself at the Boston Wine Expo. Historically, the Expo has been a hedonistic event of Bacchanalian proportion, and this year was no different. We have learned that attendance at such an event requires a great deal of focus, as the volatile nature of the evaluations (read: alcoholic) tends to cause one’s attention to stray from the task at-hand. Regardless, these events truly give the attendee a wide exposure to the world of wine and food, and the 2007 Expo surely did not disappoint. Read the rest of this entry »

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The biggest and best wine Expo in the United States has now come and passed for this year and Enobytes was present. Our East Coast Tasting Judge attended and his observances were recorded by an interview that consisted of questions prepared by an envious West Coast Tasting Judge and the answers may or may not have been altered to protect the innocent and down play the debauchery. Read the rest of this entry »

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