Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Red Wine Bordeaux Blend 2006

Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Red Wine Bordeaux Blend and Carpenter Creek Cellars Bourbon Barrel Zinfandel with BBQ beef brisket and chocolate finisher

Dearest friends, 'brother' Bob and Gloria were in town from South Florida and we hosted them for an informal dinner on the deck, of beef brisket and red wines. 

I pulled from the cellar this Columbia Valley Bordeaux Blend that proved to be a perfect pairing. This is a wine that we enjoyed together at the Delray Beach Wine Room Kitchen Wine and Cheese Bar during a visit to South Florida - Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Red Wine. The Wine Room Kitchen Wine and Cheese Bar in Delray Beach boast to have "The World's Largest Selection of Wine by the Glass!

This is from Quilceda Creek, one of the top producers in Washington State. (Check out the absolutely breathtaking video of their vineyards on their website.) The current winery was founded by Alex Golitzin in 1978, nephew of the legendary wine pioneer André Tchelistcheff, the first vintage was produced in 1979. Quilceda Creek has a long history dating back to the late 1800's and was Washington State’s 12th bonded winery after Prohibition.

Today, Quilceda Creek produce world class Cabernet Sauvignons from five vineyards in the notable Horse Heaven Hills and Red Mountain American Viticultural Areas (AVA) in the Columbia River Valley in Central Washington State. Their Champoux Vineyard is one of the oldest vineyards in Washington State and the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes grown there have produced five of Quilceda Creek’s perfect 100-point wines. Grapes for the sixth 100-point wine were sourced from Galitzine Vineyard in the Red Mountain AVA.

Paul Golitzin, Alex and Jeannette Golitzin’s son serves as President and Winemaker overseeing all aspects of winemaking and vineyard operations. Paul grew up at the winery and learned the craft of winemaking from his father, Alex, and his great uncle, André Tchelistcheff.

The legendary Andre Tchelistcheff became one of the most influential and accomplished figures in the American Wine Industry. While studying at French National Agronomy Institute and doing research at the Pasteur Institute, he was introduced in 1938 to Beaulieu Vineyards (BV) founder and owner Georges de Latour. Tchelistcheff had offers from winemakers worldwide but agreed to join Beaulieu Vineyard in Napa Valley as BV's vice president and chief winemaker.

Tchelistcheff defined the style for high-quality California Cabernet Sauvignon, and created the "Georges de Latour Private Reserve" label. He crafted many techniques of modern winemaking and introduced new procedures such as aging wine in small French Oak barrels, cold fermentation, vineyard frost protection, malolactic fermentation, and he was instrumental in helping develop the winemaking regions in Carneros, California, Oregon and Washington.

Tchelistcheff  remained vice president of Beaulieu Vineyards until his retirement in 1973 and went on to become consulting enologist to some of the biggest names in American wines such as Jordan Vineyard & Winery  beginning with its inaugural 1976 vintage. He also consulted to Joseph Heitz, Mike Grgich, Joel Aiken, Neibaum/Coppola, Buena Vista Winery, George & Peter Rubissow, Erath Winery, Sequoia Grove, Chateau Ste. Michelle, and Columbia Crest Winery. 

While consulting for Chateau Ste. Michelle in Washington, Tchelistcheff advised Mike McGrath in 1991 from Conn Creek Winery with the Anthology "Bordeaux Blend" program. There he also gave winemaking advice to his nephew, Alex Golitzin who went on to found Quilceda Creek Winery in with a focus on Cabernet Sauvignon. Tchelistcheff was inducted into the Culinary Institute of America's Vintner's Hall of Fame in 2007.

Under the tutelage and mentoring of Tchelistcheff and his father, Alex Golitzin, the handicraft of Paul Golitzin and Quilceda Creek has become internationally recognized for it's world class Cabernet Sauvignon and has been awarded ten 100-point scores from leading critics.

Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Red Wine Bordeaux Blend 2006

This is the baby second wine to the ultr-premium Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignons. It is produced from declassified fruit as an introduction to Quilceda Creek’s brand, and intended to be enjoyed in its youth providing early drinking gratification. While not at the quality level of the top wines, it is a fair introduction to the house style at a fraction of the price providing a decent QPR - Quality Price Ratio. (The ultra-premium big brother flagship 2006 Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was awarded 99 points by Decanter, 98 points by Wine Enthusiast, and 96 points by Wine Advocate.)

The 2006 vintage release Columbia Valley Red was sourced from grapes from the Champoux, Ciel du Cheval, Galitzine, Klipsun, and Tapteil Vineyards and aged the wine in French oak, much of it new, for 22 months. 

 

This is a classic sophisticated Bordeaux Blend comprised of 77 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, and 1% Malbec. 2200 cases were produced.

 

Winemaker notes - "It’s a very traditional Bordeaux style combination, and while you may not be able to pick out the individual varietal components, you’d notice their absence if they were missing. We make this wine for our clients’ enjoyment on the early side, and while it is medium bodied compared with the heft of our other wines, it does not lack for complexity and fullness. On release it displayed notes of black cherry fruit, cedar, spice, vanilla, and a hint of savory minerality. It was approachable then, with at least 15 years ahead of it.'

"The Quilceda Creek 2006 Red Wine Columbia Valley is a blend of declassified lots which reflect the richness and complexity of the vintage. This is one of our favorite Red Wine offerings to date. This medium bodied wine displays black cherry fruit, cedar, spice, vanilla and minerals."

This release was awarded 92 points by Wine Advocate. 

At seventeen years, the fill level, label, foil, and importantly, the cork were in ideal condition. This was at the apex of its drinking window, but likely nearing the end, and won't improve with further aging. Enjoy it in the next few years.

Dark ruby-colored, medium to full-bodied, concentrated but nicely integrated and balanced sweet black currant fruits with note of cola, cassis, mocha, tobacco leaf, graphite and floral violets with a moderate smooth polished soft tannins on the finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=552969

https://www.quilcedacreek.com/

Earlier tasting blogpost - https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2017/09/forts-latourquilcedaredwine.html

https://twitter.com/quilcedawine 

@quilcedawine

We then pulled from the cellar and tasted this unique Carpenter Creek Cellars Bourbon Barrel Zinfandel. As I wrote in an earlier post about this was a huge hit pairing it with barbecue pork and Baby Ray's barbecue sauce. Tonight proved to be the case as well, pairing this wine with the beef brisket, and then as much so, with the chocolate cake with caramel drizzle and fresh berries for dessert. Wow! Once again, the combination of the two, each perfectly accenting and highlighting the other, was delightful for a sensational sensory experience! 

Carpenter Creek Cellars Bourbon Barrel Zinfandel 2017

Another reason for the appropriateness of this wine tonight is that we're all fellow Indiana Hoosiers. Bob is from Indiana and indeed we met as Fraternity Brothers at Indiana University. 

Hence, I pulled this Carpenter Creek Cellars from north central Indiana which was featured in an earlier post in these pages when we visited the winery and discovered their wines. They acquire grapes from growers throughout the midwest, California, and also grow some of their own. 

For this Zinfandel varietal selection, they obtained grapes from northern California sources, and aged the wine in used Bourbon Barrels. The result was infusing an exotic smokiness and liquor layer that when combined with the full forward Zinfandel fruits accentuated and highlighted the tangy barbecue wonderfully. 

Linda stopped in at Carpenter Creek during her visit with out of state family a while back and tasted and picked up a couple bottles of this label. We liked it and hence picked up some more when they re-released the label.

This label release from Carpenter Creek Cellars features a striking gold label packaging, the first indication that there is something special going on here.

Garnet colored, slightly opaque, medium-full-bodied, black fruits accented by clove spice, smoke, caramel, vanilla, and hints of black pepper and cocoa. An nice pairing with with BBQ and chocolate.

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3807095

Carpenter Creek Cellars Merlot

Carpenter Creek Cellars Merlot

For simple casual sipping with some pasta leftovers from last other night's dinner, I pulled from the cellar this Merlot from Carpenter Creek Cellars in Northern Indiana. We tasted and acquired this wine during a visit to the winery last fall, picking up a couple bottles for such an occasion. I wrote in detail about Carpenter Creek Cellars in an earlier blogpost here. 

Carpenter Creek Cellars American Merlot NV

Winemaker's notes: "A medium bodied red with an herbal aroma with hints of walnut and tea leaves."

This is labeled as an 'American Red Wine' indicating it is comprised of grapes sourced in America without further specification. It is produced at the winery in North Central Indiana from grapes sourced from various suppliers and growers in Northern California. They procure some of the grapes through a middleman so in some cases they do not the precise provenance or specifics of the grower.

Ruby colored, medium bodied, tangy red berry fruits with notes of black tea, tobacco leaf and hints of leather and white pepper on the finish. 

RM 87 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3529433

https://carpentercreekcellars.com/

Grilled Ribs and a unique Big Red Zin

Grilled Ribs and a unique Big Red Zinfandel wine 

For Memorial Day dinner Linda and son Alec (still bach'ing it for another day) grilled ribs with asparagus and sweet corn. We were joined by son Sean and wife Michelle. 

 
I pulled from the cellar this interesting unique bottling of Zinfandel aged in Bourbon Barrel. I wrote about this last year when we discovered this and served it last winter in a similar setting and wrote about it in this blogpost: Carpenter Creek Cellars Bourbon Barrel Zinfandel.

This was fun and interesting to compare with the unique Dueling Pistols Zin-Syrah Blend that we had left over from the previous evening. The Zinfandel wasn't as big or bold as the Zinfandel which was more focused than the blend was, as I wrote, a bit obtuse and angular. The Zin provided easier sipping, more harmonious with the balanced dinner.

Carpenter Creek Cellars Bourbon Barrel Zinfandel 2017

I featured Carpenter Creek Cellars from north central Indiana in an earlier post in these pages when we visited the winery and discovered their wines. They acquire grapes from growers throughout the midwest, California, and also grow some of their own. 

For this Zinfandel varietal selection, they obtained grapes from northern California sources, and aged the wine in used Bourbon Barrels. As I wrote that winter, the result was infusing an exotic smokiness and liquor layer that when combined with the full forward Zinfandel fruits accentuated and highlighted the tangy barbecue wonderfully. 

This label release from Carpenter Creek Cellars features a striking gold label packaging, the first indication that there is something special going on here.

Garnet colored, slightly opaque, medium-full-bodied, black fruits accented by clove spice, smoke, caramel, vanilla, and hints of black pepper and cocoa. An extraordinary pairing with with the BBQ.

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3807095

https://carpentercreekcellars.com/

@carpenterwines

 

 

Carpenter Creek Cellars Bourbon Barrel Zinfandel - Byron's Blend

Carpenter Creek Cellars Bourbon Barrel Zinfandel and Byron's Blend - spectacular pairing with BBQ

This blog is devoted to wine, collecting, tasting, marketing, branding, trading. It would be fair to argue that not enough time is devoted to food, more specifically, pairing food and wine. I wish I had the discrimination and knowledge of a cook and cuisine to do such justice to the subject. Never-the-less, I note often that the 'force multiplier', exponent of enjoying either food or wine, is the proper pairing of the two. The perfect match of a food and wine combination, when one gets it right, amplifies the experience enormously. We Americans pontificate on the nuances of food and wine and have been doing so seriously for going on fifty years. Lest we forget, the 'old world' oenophiles and foodies have been doing this for more than six centuries. 

This week has been an exhibition in food and wine pairing. I last wrote in my previous post, Domaine Tortochot Gevrey-Chambertin Champerrier Vieilles Vignes, about selecting that aged vintage Burgundy Pinot Noir to pair with baked pork chops. That resulted in a wonderful enjoyable meal based on the appropriate wine and food pairing. 

Tonight, Linda prepared barbecue pork with the remaining pork chops, adding celery, onion and Baby Ray's barbecue sauce, served with baked potatoes and grilled spears of asparagus. For a wine to pair with the dinner, I pulled from the cellar this unique Carpenter Creek Cellars Bourbon Barrel Zinfandel. Wow! The combination of the two, each perfectly accenting and highlighting the other, was absolutely amazing - a remarkable sensational sensory experience! 

Carpenter Creek Cellars Bourbon Barrel Zinfandel 2017

I featured Carpenter Creek Cellars from north central Indiana in an earlier post in these pages when we visited the winery and discovered their wines. They acquire grapes from growers throughout the midwest, California, and also grow some of their own. 

For this Zinfandel varietal selection, they obtained grapes from northern California sources, and aged the wine in used Bourbon Barrels. The result was infusing an exotic smokiness and liquor layer that when combined with the full forward Zinfandel fruits accentuated and highlighted the tangy barbecue wonderfully. 

Linda stopped in at Carpenter Creek during her visit with out of state family several weeks ago in the late fall and tasted and picked up a couple bottles of this label. We were waiting for the right, suitable occasion to try it and clearly this was it! 

This label release from Carpenter Creek Cellars features a striking gold label packaging, the first indication that there is something special going on here.

Garnet colored, slightly opaque, medium-full-bodied, black fruits accented by clove spice, smoke, caramel, vanilla, and hints of black pepper and cocoa. An extraordinary pairing with with BBQ.

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3807095

Our wine and dine culinary experience continued when we pulled from the cellar this Carpenter Creek Cellars Byron's Blend dessert wine. 

This wine is named in memory of proprietors Ed and Beckie Courtright's son Byron. Byron helped plant the five varietals of grapes in an estate vineyard that would become his namesake vineyard, while at home from college in 2003. Bryon was tragically killed in an automobile accident in 2004. Byron's Blend is blended from the five grape varietals sourced from Byron's Vineyard. 

This wine was also a spectacular pairing with the barbecue pork dinner, and a natural and complementary follow-on to the Zinfandel.  

We followed dinner with Linda's homemade molasses cookies that were equally ideally suited as a pairing with these wines. 

Carpenter Creek Cellars Byron's Blend 

This would be a spectacular pairing with barbecue, molasses cookies, or hearty cheese and dark mocha chocolate. 

Dark garnet colored, full bodied, rich concentrated port style with notes of dark mocha, black cherry, hints of caramel and vanilla and a sprite of ginger and cognac on the sweet lingering finish.

RM 91 points.  

https://carpentercreekcellars.com/

@carpenterwines

Carpenter Creek Cellars Indiana Produced Wines

Carpenter Creek Cellars Indiana Produced Wines - the original winery in Jasper County, Indiana.

Last year we stopped at Carpenter Creek Cellars while passing through Jasper County in Northwest Central Indiana. They're located just off Interstate 65 in Remington, Indiana halfway between Lafayette and Chicago, not far from our family farm, relatively speaking. We've passed this spot literally hundreds of times over the years, but never before stopped to visit the local winery, Carpenter Creek Cellars. Exit I65 from the North at exit SR114, or from the south at State Road 231. Follow the signs on the back country roads to the winery on Jordan Road.

I thought I blogged about the experience last year but have to admit I can't find it and it was obviously never posted so I am doing so now. Photos here were taken in December 2019. 

Winemaker Randy Rottler (left) and proprietor
partner Ed Courtright

 During our visit at that time, we tasted a half dozen of their wines and ended up buying several labels. This is a bit remarkable as they exceeded my expectations for Indiana produced wines such that we brought home nearly a case. This is a testament to the craft and handiwork of partner proprietors Ed Courtright (right), who wanted to grow grapes in northern Indiana to supply wineries in the area, and winemaker Randy Rottler, who had dreams of starting a small winery.

The farm has been in the Courtright family for three generations. Ed and his son Byron planted their first grape vines in 2002, in what became Byron's vineyard. In 2011, they planted 1.1 acres of Traminette, the Midwestern grape used to produce Indiana's signature wine. After two years of building a business, and one year of restoring a barn/planting vineyards/doing paperwork ... they opened to the public in 2013. Just six months later, they won awards at the 2013 Indy (Indianapolis) International (wine festival) - a Silver Medal in Carpenter Creek labels - Gunny White, Sunset Rosé, and Sunset Red and Bronze Medals for both the Gunny Red and the Riesling. 

Their dessert wine, Byron's Blend is a tribute to Byron and is a blend of the five varietals sourced from that vineyards. 

I've visited wineries in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Missouri where, as much as I would like to support them in their endeavors, often, I failed to find a wine sufficiently inspiring to acquire. That was not the case here as Carpenter Creek exceeded my expectations and we did end up buying several labels.

Carpenter Creek is a farm winery housed in a quaint picturesque renovated 1919 barn. There is the winery and a tasting room of Carpenter Creek Cellars broad portfolio of wines. The estate is actually visible from the interstate highway, I65.

From there they produce what they claim to produce "world-class wines which embody the best terroir and fruit the Midwest has to offer".

While I agree with the latter part of that statement, that they 'produce wines that embody the best terroir and fruit the Midwest has to offer', the front of that claim leaves much to be desired. Its not their fault that Indiana, and most of the Midwest for that matter, is not well suited to growing fine wine varietal grapes. Their challenge is that what makes Indiana a top producer of corn and soybeans, tomatoes and other vegetables and fruits, is precisely why it is not well suited for wine grapes. 

As I written often in these pages, the concept of terroir embodies all the elements of a place that affect the growing of varietal grapes - climate, soil, drainage, sun exposure, slope and elevation, proximity to climate impacting bodies of water, and so on. Needless to say, the terroir of Indiana in most respects is not ideal for growing wine grapes. In any event, there are now more than a hundred Indiana wineries that span virtually all regions of the agricultural state from corner to corner.

I've often said, California should not try to grow corn or tomatoes, and Indiana (or Illinois) should not try to grow wine grapes. Having lived for a time in California, I will attest that while we enjoyed access to the wine regions, and many of the California fruits and vegetables, artichokes, apricots and so on, we dearly missed quality beef steak, corn and tomatoes. 

World class wine growing regions are in certain latitudes in areas with moderate or hot climates, in areas that are arid and possess poor rocky, well drained soils that would otherwise be harsh to the likes of corn or tomatoes. Ideal grape growing conditions - terroir - actually stress the grapes, forcing them to establish deep deep roots to strain in capturing nutrients from the sparse soil, which is largely void of sufficiency to grow extensive vines and foliage, or corn. In short, the conditions for wine varietal grapes are almost the opposite of those for the cornbelt. 

The answer to this of course is to determine and cultivate grapes most tolerant of or best suited to the terroir. Great wine producers and regions around the world are all noted for the specific wine grape varietals symbolic for their region and its distinctive terroir - Bordeaux varietals for example which are also suited for Napa Valley in the US. One popular grape selected for Indiana and Illinois wines is Traminette. There are eighteen different varieties of grapes grown in Indiana on a total of 600 acres of vineyard lands.

Indeed, the whole concept of AVA's, American Viticultural Areas, is based on federally-recognized regions defined either by political boundaries, such as the name of a county, state or country, or by a designated area for that AVA. All the criteria for an AVA come down to terroir so that all wines from that AVA can be presumed to have the same characteristics, or from grapes grown under the same conditions. This is the same as in the old world wine producing countries, where they have rigorous grape growing and wine producing regulations subject to AOC - Appellation d'origine contrôlée regulations in France, and DOC and DOCG in Italy ((Denominazione di origine controllata e garantita (DOCG) is the  superior classification to DOC). 

Notably, there are 57 official appellations in Bordeaux, and seventeen in Napa Valley. Indiana has two designated AVAs, the Indiana Uplands AVA in the center of the state at the southern border along the Ohio River, and the Ohio River Valley AVA straddling the Ohio River along the southern border of the state. 

In order for a wine to be designated with an Appellation of Origin defined by a political boundary, such as a county name for example, federal law requires that 75 percent or more of grapes used to make the wine be from that appellation, such as Napa Valley.

Indiana Wineries have formed promotional tours with pre-designated Wine Trails, each with from five to a dozen wineries or more banded together along a geographic route. They are: 

Indiana Uplands Trail in south and central Indiana with five wineries - Indianauplands.com
Indiana Wine Trail in Southeast Indiana - seven wineries - IndianaWineTrail.com
Hoosier Wine Trail along the I64 cooridor in Southwest Indiana - six wineries - HoosierWineTrail.com
Indy Wine Trail in Indianapolis with five wineries - IndyWineTrail.com
State Line Wine Trail bordering the Illinois State Line with five wineries - StateLineWineTrail.com
South Shore Wine Trail with eleven wineries in the Northeast and East Central Indiana - SouthShoreCVA.com/SSWT
Cardinal Flight Wine Trail in Marion and adjacent counties in Central Indiana with six wineries - CardinalFlightWineTrail.com
Indiana Grown Wine Trail - crosses the state visiting 33 wineries - IndianaGrown.org/WineTrail
WineTour with five wineries in northeast Indiana - WineTourIN.com

 Alas, Carpenter Creek Cellars sources many of their grapes from California regions - central coast, Sierra foothills, central valley. They also source grapes grown in the Midwest, those tend to be from the southern reaches of Indiana in the two AVAs bordering the Ohio River, or from the wine growing areas of western Michigan, straddling Lake Michigan or Ohio, along Lake Erie, where the Lakes' have significant moderating effects on the local climate. 

While Carpenter Creek have planted vineyards adjacent to the winery, they admitted they lost many of their planted vines due to the harsh winters and extreme cold and deep freeze of the soil a few years ago. 

All that said, partners Ed Courtright and Randy Rottler have done an admirable job crafting some pleasant drinkable wines, that most assuredly represent nearly the best achievable outcomes from the grape sources that they have to work with. 

They produce an extensive portfolio of wines that cover the range from reds and whites, along with a port-like fortified wine, a dessert wine, and a Rose'.

Last year, during our visit, we acquired several Carpenter Creek labels from those that we tasted (below), produced from grape sources as indicated:

Carpenter Creek Cellars Byron's Blend - A red dessert wine done in a port style, sourced from Indiana and other midwest grapes
Fence Row Red - Bordeaux style red blend - sourced from California Central Coast
Fence Row White
Gunny Red - from various sources - Gold Medal winner at the Finger Lakes International Wine Festival
Gunny White - from Indiana and other midwest grapes
Riesling - Michigan and other midwest grapes
Steuben - sourced from Indiana and other midwest grapes
Sunset Red - sourced from Indiana and other midwest grapes
Sunset Rose' - Ohio and other midwest grapes
Traminette - from Indiana and other midwest grapes

 Last week, Linda visited family and friends down in Indiana and stopped again at the picturesque red barn that serves as their winery and tasting room. Once again, she tried a couple wines and was pleasantly impressed such that she bought and brought home a couple new label selections.  

The highlight was a full bodied Zinfandel aged in bourbon barrels, sourced from Northern California Sierra foothill grapes.

 Watch for upcoming reviews of these wines.

https://carpentercreekcellars.com/

https://twitter.com/carpenterwines

http://IndianaWines.org 

Carpenter Creek Cellars Bourbon Barrel Zinfandel - Byron's Blend - a perfect wine and BBQ pairing. 

 

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