Maryhill Sauvignon Blanc 2007 – Washington

Mayhill is a big winery on the Washington state side of the Columbia River a couple of dozen miles east of Hood River, Oregon. The winery has a big tasting room, filled with gifts and wine accessories, as well as a friendly and enthusiastic staff. The tasting room felt very Napa-ish, but was uncrowded when we were there midweek in April.

One thing that really creeped us out, though, was that there were a LOT of sterile, annoying, little “nag” signs all over the tasting room, the grounds, even in the parking lot, along the lines of: “Keep Off The Grass,” “Put Trash Here,” “Bathrooms Only For Customers”, “Don’t Feed The Dog Your Leftover Lunch,” “Blah, Blah, Blah.” Sort of like Windows Vista, the computer operating system that nags you at every turn.

Anyway.... The Maryhill Sauvignon Blanc is very Bordeaux-ish. It opens with a nose that makes you think it’s going to be more New Zealand – grassy, bright, lemons. But the tastes are more California/French in style – grapefruit, no grassiness, some smooth roundness and defined acidity. Try it if such is your style; for us, Maybe. $14

New! New! Not.

We’ve been going through a phase. We’re actually a little tired of trying new this, new that, in search of another good affordable everyday wine. We’ve just been buying our known favorites – two of this, three of that, maybe even a case of something just to have Old Reliable on hand.

Thus, we don’t have a lot of new reviews we’re excited about (although we do have a backlog of tasting notes still to post). So we thought we’d list – for you and as a reminder for ourselves – some of our current all-time-favorite fallback affordable wines. These are the wines we’re buying in multiple quantities and keeping on hand for everyday drinking.

• Castle Rock Pinot Noir – California
• Barnard Griffin Syrah – Washington
• Red Diamond Syrah – Washington
• Concannon Petite Sirah – California
• Barnard Griffin Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot – Washington
• Tapeña Garnacha (Grenache) – Spain
• Tapeña Tempranillo – Spain
• Beringer White Zinfandel – California
• Brancott Sauvignon Blanc – New Zealand
• Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc – New Zealand
• Barnard Griffin Sauvignon Blanc – Washington
• Covey Run Fume (Sauvignon) Blanc – Washington
• B&G Vouvray (Chenin Blanc) – France
• Kiona Chenin Blanc – Washington
• Columbia Crest Pinot Grigio – Washington
• Ryan Patrick Naked Chardonnay – Washington
• Barnard Griffin Chardonnay – Washington
• Bogel Petite Sirah – California
• Bogel Old Vine Zinfandel – California

All of the wines on the above list should be readily available for under $15, many even for $10 or less. And they all should be widely available.

You might notice, sadly, that there aren’t any affordable Zinfandels on that list. We absolutely adore Zin, yet have been disappointed with several (many) sub-$15 wines we previously enjoyed. The closest we have come are Dancing Bull and Ravenswood (for when we don’t want to break out a Ridge or Turley; both of which are generally in the $30+ range), but we just don’t think they quite make this list. It’s also unfortunate that there are so few nice Pinot Noirs in our “affordable” price range. We could drink Pinot Noir every day – if we could find a few in our everyday-budget range. UPDATE: We've added Bogel's Old Vine Zin to our list – the best "cheap" Zin we're recently discovered.

Finally, note that there are four Sauvignon Blancs on the list – probably because it’s summer and we love those wines this time of year. The two New Zealand wines are bright, crisp, and grassy – typical NZ styles. The two Washington wines are more mellow but still fresh and lively – excellent summer dinner wines.

Sorensen Pinot Gris/Sauvignon Blanc 2006 – Washington

Sorensen is a small winery in Port Townsend, Washington. It sources grapes mostly from the Yakima Valley and other Washington appellations (no estate or regional Olympic Peninsula grapes are used). It has a small, friendly tasting room, and charges a nominal tasting fee. (We still have a huge gripe about tasting rooms that charge for tasting, then sell you wine at full retail without applying the tasting fee – however small – toward your purchase.)

This wine is a blend of 64% Pinot Gris and 36% Sauvignon Blanc – a mixture we wouldn’t have thought of combining. The nose is perfumey and slightly medicinal. The tastes are of mushrooms, sourdough starter, and baked apple. This seems like a well-made wine that just didn’t really appeal to our taste preferences. Maybe. $14.50

Matanzas Creek Sauvignon Blanc 2006 – California

Matanzas Creek is one small valley west of the Sonoma Valley, in a beautiful setting of lilac fields and rolling hillsides. The tasting room is friendly and open, and the grounds are gorgeous.
This wine opens with a nicely floral nose. It has bright, zingy tastes, like a not-too-tart grapefruit. This tends a bit more toward the New Zealand style (grassiness) than most California Sauvignon Blancs, but finds a nice balance before getting too far toward that grassy style. More nice floral notes in the taste, and it finishes dry with a good acid balance. This would be great with rich seafood. Yes/House. $24

(Wine News rated this 90; Wine Enthusiast 91.)

Mirassou Sauvignon Blanc 2006 – California

Very light lemon and orange on the nose. The tastes are lemon, tangerine, and a hint of grapefruit. Very nice and subtle – not too much acidity, yet a good food wine. This isn’t an in-your-face New Zealand Sauvignon, but a nice example of an inexpensive California style. Yes. $10 on sale, usually $12.

Barnard Griffin 2006 Fume (Sauvignon) Blanc 2006 – Washington

The nose is mildly floral, not a lot of nuances. Tastes are of lemon/lime and floral. Very smooth and nice. It’s interesting that this is called a “Fume” Blanc, a name which was created by Mondavi back in the 1960s. This is a nice intermediate style between New Zealand’s brightness and California’s smoky/creaminess. Eminently drinkable with food or by itself. We were pleasantly surprised by the Barnard Griffin Cabernet/Merlot, and very pleased with this wine. House. $9 on sale, retail usually about $10.50

Three Chimneys Restaurant Review, Isle of Skye, Scotland

We’re not ones to usually post restaurant reviews on this blog, but we recently had a dinner that was so far over the top that we thought we’d share our experience.

On the Isle of Skye, Scotland, is a totally out-of-the-way restaurant that embraces local ingredients and offers a multi-course dining experience such as what one might find at famous Michelin-starred restaurants in New York, Napa, or Paris.

Dinner at The Three Chimneys restaurant can be either a traditional three-course meal, or the spectacular Seven Courses of Skye. We had the seven-course dinner (which with appetizer, cheese, and dessert turned out to be more like 9 or 10 courses), and would suggest that if you’ve traveled that far for a meal you might as well go with the best.

Not on the list of the seven courses is an amuse bouche (appetizer) of the day. This was followed by....

Loch Dunvegan Langoustines with Tattie Scones & Glendale Organic Mesclun

Colbost Crab risotto with Shellfish Essence and Truckle Wafer

A Selection of Broadford Cold & Hot-Smoked Fish with Croft Quail Eggs

Sconser King Scallop with Hazelnut Crust, Pickled Winkles, Split Pea & Ham Hough Purry, Claret Jus

Three Loch Harport Oysters with Cucumber & Mint Jelly, Homemade Crème Fraiche, Smoked Herring Roe

Roast Glenhinnisdal Lamb Loin with Kidney, Heart, Liver & Hairst Bree

Highland Cheeses with Our Oatcakes

Three Chimneys Hot Marmalade Pudding Soufflé with Drambuie Syrup & Mealie Ice Cream

When we were there, this menu was £65 per person – an astounding bargain. We started the meal with a half bottle of Domain Seguin Pouilly Fume 2006 (Sauvignon Blanc)

and continued with a premier cru white Burgundy as our main wine – a Marie & Marc Vincent Santenay Beaurepaire 2003 (Chardonnay). Both wines were excellent, and good matches for the primarily seafood menu.

The wait staff are young and reasonably knowledgeable, and asked each diner if there was any part of the seven courses that they couldn’t eat, as a substitution or two was available. Francesca declined the lamb course, and thus had another fish offering.

Pan-Fried Mallaig Hake & Razor Fish with Root Vegetable Dauphinoise, Puy Lentils,
Cumin Cauliflower, Orbost Herb & Garlic Salsa

Overall, we’d say it was one of the best meals of our lives.

You'll definitely need reservations very far in advance at the Three Chimneys Restaurant.

Wines of the Year

We thought we’d jump on the end-of-year bandwagon, and offer our top new wines we enjoyed this year.

Grgich Hills Fume Blanc 2006

Cathedral Ridge Riesling 2007

d.A. (Domaines Astruc) Shiraz/Viogner 2006

Columbia Crest Vineyard 10 Rose 2007

French Presidential Burgers

The BBC is showing a video of a French take on burgers, based on the two U.S. presidential candidates. Our question, what wines go best with each burger?

“US presidential burgers are on the menu at an upmarket Parisian hotel named after the Marquis de Lafayette, who fought alongside George Washington in the American Revolution.

While Americans are fans of French Fries, the French can now chose between the two presidential candidates.

Barack Obama fans go for the O'Burger, a Hawaiian-style sandwich - with shrimps, pineapples, curry and herbs. It pays tribute to the island state where the Democratic candidate spent most of his youth.

But fans of red-meat Republican candidate John McCain opt for the Elephant Burger. It featuring southwest-style ingredients popular in his home state of Arizona, including guacamole, mildly spicy salsa and grilled lamb.”

Our wine choice would be a Beaujolais Nouveau to accompany the McCain burger, and a Loire Chenin Blanc to go with the Obama burger – French wines with French food. But since the candidates are American, how about these two American wines instead: McCain - Bogel Petite Sirah; Obama - Grgich Hills Sauvignon Blanc.

No vegetarian onion burgers for these candidates.

Sauvignon Blanc & Steamed Salmon

DINNER
A friend mentioned recently that we haven’t been discussing food and cooking as much as we should. So... we’ve been playing with a new bamboo steamer. Food comes out crisp and moist (is that a contradiction?). The other night we put salmon (with a little mild teriyaki sauce) on one tray of the steamer, and some sliced parsnips on the other. The salmon was incredibly moist and tender, and the vegetables retained their flavor and texture and went well with the teriyaki. Japanese rice with green onions on the side.


WINE
Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc 2006 – New Zealand
If you’ve ever had a “typical” New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, you know the wine’s basic profile – this Nobilo could be the prototypical one. The nose is zingy, citrusy, with some grass and dried flowers. Somewhere underneath there is a hint of more depth with olive oil and herbs. (We make it sound like the nose is more dynamic than the taste. Remember that our sense of smell has a huge impact on our taste buds.) Drinking the wine, it has a clean grassiness and tastes of grapefruit and lemon, with bright acids and a tart finish. This and Brancott are our two favorite inexpensive New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. House. About $12.

Grgich Hills Fume Blanc 2006 – California

We were rather unimpressed with Grgich – a winery we’d heard so many positive reviews about, and whose Zinfandels we were just dying to try. The tasting room experience was unimpressive, and the Zins were just rather common (especially given our stated love of big, fruity Zins such as Turley or Ridge). When we visited, we liked this Sauvignon Blanc enough to buy a bottle, but when we tried it at home we were overwhelmed. We’ve said before that the tasting-room experience can color your impression of a wine, and this is a perfect example. This Grgich Sauvignon Blanc is near perfect. Nose of pineapple, wet grass, and straw. The tastes are a smooth grassiness (rather than the bright, tight grass of a typical New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc), with good acid and fruit balance. There’s a tiny bit of oak/spice, and tastes of pineapple and melon. This wine could be an aperitif or a dinner wine equally well. Truly exceptional. House/Yes (not a full House only because of the price). $28

[Update: As previously mentioned, if we find a wine rated elsewhere, we will note those ratings – but only after we write our reviews. This received a 90 from Wine Spectator.]

Mayacamas Sauvignon Blanc 2006 – California

Mayacamas is known for big, age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and (at least in the past) some monster Zinfandels. The winery is old (parts built in the 1860s), most of the winemaking tasks are still done by hand, and even some of the huge oak casks are from the late 1800s. On this trip to the tasting room (appointments necessary; and leave a trail of breadcrumbs to follow on the twisting, convoluted drive) we were intrigued with the Sauvignon Blanc. This is a big, rich style (more than 15% alcohol) – you’ll never confuse this with a New Zealand Sauvignon or most California ones. It opens with a huge apple and floral nose. The tastes are smooth, rich, and integrated. This, to us, is a very French white Bordeaux style. It has a long, delayed finish. It could easily be confused with a lightly oaked Chardonnay. This is the type of wine, and the type of winery, we want to support. Wines are still made rather like they were half a centaury ago – a good thing. Even if we weren’t in love with every particular Mayacamas wine, their traditional winemaking skill and care shine thorough. Yes. $30

Lost River Rainshadow

Lost River Rainshadow 2006 Columbia Valley – Washington
This is a 60/40 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillion, similar to a French white Bordeaux blend. The Semillion softens the acids of the Sauvignon. This wine is neither-here-nor-there for us, but it’s pleasant and “good wine making.” If you like this type of blend, and/or semillion, it’s definitely worth a try. A Maybe wine. $12.

Columbia Crest Sauvignon Blanc 2005 - Washington

Columbia Crest Sauvignon Blanc 2005 (Washington)
Another Sauvignon in the "half-way" style between California and New Zealand. Green apple on the nose; with tastes of green apple and some grassiness. Also a nice bit of acidity. Yes. Pretty sure it was less than $10.

[Update: As previously mentioned, if we find a wine rated elsewhere, we will note those ratings – but only after we write our reviews. The 2006 vintage of this wine received an 85 from Wine Spectator.]

Covey Run Sauvignon Blanc 2005 - Washington

Covey Run Sauvignon Blanc 2005 Columbia Valley (Washington)
A nose of grass and floral notes. The flavors and mouthfeel are half-way between a California and New Zealand style – tart green apples, tangerine. Smooth and pleasant. A House/Yes wine (especially at this price). $6.

Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc & Salmon

On July 29, 2007
WINE
Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2006 (New Zealand)
We’ve come to expect “exploding” tastes of grass, acid, and tropical fruits from New Zealand Sauvignons. Monkey Bay at first almost seemed disappointing (especially to Ken). But upon sipping, we realized that its more subdued tastes paired better with food. We found a nose of grass and pineapple, and tastes of the same that were better integrated than many NZ Sauvignons. A Yes wine, maybe a House wine upon our next sampling.

DINNER
Pan sautéed salmon, with a home-made cherry chutney. Fresh asparagus with a butter/herb sauce.

Arbor Crest Sauvignon Blanc & Salmon

On July 6, 2007
WINE
Arbor Crest Sauvignon Blanc 2003 Columbia Valley (Washington)
Disappointing. Not bad, just nothing. No nose, no distinguishable taste. Not even “boring,” as there isn’t enough there to be bored with. A “No” wine. Price unknown, probably around $10.

DINNER
We eat a lot of salmon, and tonight we pan braised it with a little olive oil, white wine, and a red-cherry reduction we’d made up shortly before. A side of (leftover) potato and wild mushroom gratin. (The soft cherries left over from the reduction also went darn well on a small bowl of ice cream.)

Silver Lake Sauvignon Blanc & Risotto

On July 2, 2007
WINE
Silver Lake Columbia Valley 2003 Sauvignon Blanc (Washington)
Not bad, but not special. Some hints of green apple on the nose and palate; more toward the California style than the bright New Zealand type. Possibly a bit old and tired? Most contemporary Sauvignons are best drunk very young. For us, not worth a repeat visit unless we found a new release to try. A Maybe/No wine. Price unknown (probably ~$10).

DINNER
We both worked late, so had a simple butternut squash risotto (from a box) with braised fresh Kale – a little herbed olive oil, a splash of whatever white wine we had open, a sprinkle of a favorite Italian Spice mix. (We usually shy away from spice mixes, preferring individual spices, but we really enjoy Dean Jacob’s 4 Bread Dipping Seasonings.) Good complementary foods.