Force Majeure Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon at Italian Village Chicago

Force Majeure Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon at Italian Village Chicago

Mid-week business dinner with colleague Jeff L, (shown with Jared, left) we dined at my usual dine-site, Italian Village, Chicago.

Jared Gelband, wine buddy and wine director pulled from the cellar this recent acquisition, Force Majeure Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, to which he was introduced by me when we took producers Todd and Carie Alexander to the Italian Village Restaurant in Chicago and introduced them to Jared.

That was during producers Todd and Carrie Alexander release tour to Chicago a couple years ago. Jared has been stocking and offering Force Majeure ever since.

This was especially fitting for this evening as my guest, colleague Jeff L, heralds from Seattle and is an avid collector of Washington State wines. 

Our visit to Force Majeure vineyards was one of the inspirations for and objectives of our Walla Walla Wine Experience 2018. As mentioned above, we first met Force Majeure winemaker Todd Alexander and marketing, distribution and branding exec Carrie Alexander during their Chicago stop of their promotion tour in 2016 when we hosted them at Italian Village in Chicago. Since then we've acquired a respectable collection of Force Majeure wines.

We tasted and acquired this wine when we visited the Force Majeure estate during our Walla Walla Wine Experience year before last.  

FORCE MAJEURE Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

This estate Cabernet Sauvignon is grown primarily along the south-west ridge of the Force Majeure  vineyard, in soils that are deep and loamy but contain many small rocks of fractured basalt, concreted ash and granite from Missoula flood erratics. 

The 11 year old vines produce small berries with lots of power and concentration. This wine spent 22 months in 75% new French oak barrels, 340 cases were produced.  This is a blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot,1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot.

This wine was awarded 99 points by Jeb Dunnuck who wrote; “The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain Estate is a thrilling effort from winemaker Todd Alexander that rates with some of the most monumental wines to come out of Washington State.  It reveals a saturated purple color that's followed by a rich, primordial bouquet of crème de cassis, espresso roast, crushed rock, and graphite. It needs considerable air to start to show its potential yet is a full-bodied, powerful wine that has subtle oak, plenty of sweet tannins, and a huge, layered finish that won't quit. It's the tannin management that's truly spectacular. This brilliant wine needs to be forgotten for 4-5 years and will keep for 2-3 decades.”  

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate gave this 93+ points.

Dark garnet purple colored, rich, concentrated, full bodied, bright expressive ripe sweet black berry and black raspberry fruits, notes of creme de cassis, mineral, spice and dusty sweet oak on a long full flavored finish. Needs a couple years to settle and integrate the bold bright aggressive flavors.

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3006827

https://forcemajeurevineyards.com/

@ForceMVineyards
@unwindwine
@italianvlg
@jzgwine 

Guardian Newsprint Cabernet Ste Michelle Rose

Chateau Ste Michelle Rose' and Guardian Cellars 'Newsprint' Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain

We joined Ryan and Michelle and the kids for a cookout by the pool as we watched Reid and Marleigh swim. Ryan served this Guardian Cellars 'Newsprint' Cabernet with grilled burgers, sausages and hot dogs. I brought the remains of a Chateau St Michelle Rose'.

Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Rosé 2018

We visited Chateau Ste Michelle during our Woodinville Wine Tour and Seattle Culinary and Washington Wine Tour last fall.

The fruits for this label are sourced from the Columbia Valley whose vineyards lie in the rain shadow of the Cascade Mountains and receive just 6-8 inches of rainfall annually, ideal for growing wine grapes. The northerly latitude gives the Washington State Columbia Valley nearly two more hours of sunlight daily during the peak-growing season than California, increasing the region’s ability to ripen fruit.

Salmon colored, light medium bodied, dry simple, elegant easy drinking rosé soft flavorful with subtle aromas of watermelon, raspberry and strawberry with citrus zest and hints of melon with a long crisp finish.

RM 88 points. 

This is a blend of 72% Syrah and 28% Merlot.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3234852

https://www.ste-michelle.com/

We also visited Guardian Cellars' Woodinville tasting room together during our Seattle Culinary and Washington Wine Tour and our Woodinville Wine Experience last fall.

Guardian was founded in 2004 by two Seattle-ites, Jerry Riener, a police officer, and Jennifer Sullivan, a journalist with KOMO News. The two met while Sullivan worked the crime beat for The Seattle Times and Riener was her “confidential source” inside the police department.

An organic chemist by training, Riener had interned at several Woodinville wineries such as Baer, Mark Ryan and Matthews Winery before launching his own label. Guardian Cellars focuses primarily on on Bordeaux-style blends, but they also produce a line called 'Newsprint' that is comprised of single varietal offerings.

Guardian Cellars 'Newsprint' Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain 2016

We tasted and Ryan acquired this 2015 Newsprint Cabernet Sauvignon during our visit. It is 100% Cabernet sourced from the Quintessence Vineyard on Red Mountain. Located next to Col Solare and Ambassador Vineyard, Quintessence is the fruit source for many highly acclaimed wines from producers like Lauren Ashton, Duckhorn’s Canvasback, Lachini, Fidelitas, Mark Ryan and DeLille. The vineyard is managed by Marshall Edwards who also manages Obelisco Vineyard on Red Mountain.

This was another as yet undiscovered producer that was suggested as a worthwhile stop in the area. While perhaps not at the level of the premium Long Shadows selections, or the Fidelitas or Mark Ryan premium labels, Guardium produces some very respectable quality wines that represent high QPR - Quality Price Ratio selections. 

Today, Jerry, protege Joel, and the Guardian team produce 16 different wines under the Guardian label and this second label, Newsprint. Last year's production exceeded 10,000 cases. 


WINEMAKER'S NOTES: "Read all about it! This 100% Red Mountain Cabernet packs a whole lot of deliciousness in one heck of an affordable bottle. This wine features ripe fruit with hints of vanilla and wood smoke on the nose. The palate is super juicy, full of ripe dark berry, black cherry and plum jam flavors; these delicious fruits are complemented by a sprinkling of tannins aimed to give great structure to this wine."

This was dark inky blackish garnet colored, medium full bodied, dark black and blue fruits with notes of licorice and hints of creosote turning to abundant tannin on the finish. 

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2607686

https://www.guardiancellars.com/ 

@GuardianCellars

Walls Curiositas Red Mountain Cabernet

The Walls Curiositas Red Mountain Cabernet

With Mike Martin, Owner Walls Vineyards

With son Alec visiting home from NYC, we wanted to open something special with the beef tenderloin dinner Linda prepared for the occasion. We discovered and acquired this wine during our visit to the producer during our recent Walla Walla Wine Experience. It was our favorite of the portfolio of wines tasted with Mike Martin, owner/producer Walls Vineyards and Winery.


This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Red Mountain AVA in central Washington but it tastes more like an old World Bordeaux than a fruit forward fruit bomb from Napa - with its refined, polished and elegant style.


The Walls Curiositas Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

This was my absolute favorite of the flight. Of course I tend to favor Bordeaux varietals  but I found this especially appealing.

The fruit for this is sourced from the Obelisco Vineyard on the higher slopes of the Red Mountain AVA. The vines get increased exposure to the sun and are planted in higher density to further stress the grapes. The result is a wine of great complexity but one that is elegant and lush, yet subtle with tones the winemaker describes as possessing 'freshness that evokes a Margaux-styled fragrant' Cabernet'.

While  I grabbed a case of this to serve with grilled steak, it is so approachable, this is suited for  elegant but casual sipping. It was great leading up to dinner and with the salad course, yet it stood up well and was an ideal accompaniment to the beef tenderloin. 

From my Walls Winery producer visit report:

The Walls Curiositas Red Mountain Cabernet 2015

2015 Curiositas is an elegant, complex and lush, yet subtle, wine. Its tone of freshness evokes a Margaux-styled fragrant Cabernet Sauvignon.

Sourced from the Obelisco Vineyard, high in the Red Mountain AVA where the vines get full exposure to all the elements.

“It is beautifully situated, with more vines doing less work, and planted with higher density,” says winemaker Ali. “It lends itself to complexity so how could we not take advantage of that?”

Bright garnet ruby colored, it was medium bodied and did not have a firm gripping backbone structure expected watching the glycerine legs cling to the glass, the polished elegant tannins were so smooth and silky that it made for enticing casual sipping - bright red and black fruits accented by notes of creme de cassis, spice, tobacco leaf and subtle vanilla and oak. Jeb Dunnuck of Robert Parker's Wine Advocate talks about its 'well-integrated tannins, solid grip, coupled with a swath of fresh acidity that delivers muscular structure' but then talks about it being 'light footed through the long finish'.

RM 92 points.

Jeb Dunnuck, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate gave this  “Editor’s Choice" and rated it "Extraordinary (95-100 pts.) "

 Obelisco Vineyard, Red Mountain AVA 

331 Cases were produced.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2965947

https://www.thewallsvineyards.com/

Force Majeure Collaboration Series Syrah and Mollydooker Carnival of Love

Force Majeure Collaboration Series Syrah and Mollydooker Carnival of Love

Sis Dr Pat visiting for the holiday, the kids and g-kids came over to visit with the cousins. We shared details and showed pictures of our recent trip to Walla Walla (Washington) wine country and our visit to Force Majeure Vineyards. So, we opened this Force Majeure Syrah to commemorate the trip, for sipping with cheese and fruit plates. Ryan brought over this Mollydooker Carnival of Love to go along.

After meeting Force Majeure winemaker Todd Alexander and marketing, distribution and branding exec Carrie Alexander during the Chicago stop of their promotion tour in 2016, we acquired a selection of Force Majeure Columbia Valley and Walla Walla wines. That set up our Walla Walla Wine Experience 2018 this fall to see the appellation and their vineyards and in-process new winery.

Force Majeure Collaboration Series VII Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Red Mountain 2013

When we met with Todd and Carrie, they told us about the Red Mountain appellation, the smallest in Washington State, but perhaps one of the most select for Rhone and Bordeaux varietals. They also talked of their work in Walla Walla, developing Estate vineyards there, and building a new winery production and hospitality facility.

This vintage release predates Todd's arrival and work at Force Majeure, but it did introduce us to the appellation and terroir driven fruit from there.

This label was produced by Chris Peterson (of Avennia) and was the only vintage of this cuvee that was be made since they have since moved to all estate bottlings.

This 2013 release Collaboration Series VII was a blend of Red Mountain fruits, 96% Syrah, 2% Viognier and 2% Roussanne.

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, concentrated and rich black berry and black cherry fruits accented by a layer of chalky minerality with notes of tobacco leaf, pepper, wild herbs, and hints of anise aromas and flavors with firm but approachable smooth tannins on the lingering finish.

RM 92 points. Wine Advocate gave this wine 96 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2323417

https://forcemajeurevineyards.com/wp/

Mollydooker "Carnival of Love" Shiraz McLaren Vale South Australia 2012 

Ryan brought over this big full throttle Shiraz from Mollydooker. At eight years old, it provided an interesting comparison tasting of two diverse styles from two disparate regions of similarly aged Syrahs (Shiraz').  

This is deep purple-black in color, full bodied, powerful, rich, concentrated forward ripe black berry, black raspberry and blue berry fruits with a layer of creme de cassis, anise and dried herbs with notes of lavender and dark mocha with tongue coating firm, structured, lingering tannins on the very long finish.

This is 100% single vineyard sourced Shiraz.

RM 93 points, This got 95 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and from Wine Spectator, and was their #2 on the Top 100 Wines of 2014.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1773715

https://www.mollydookerwines.com.au/default.aspx

Thanksgiving Feast Features Rhone Wine Flight

Thanksgiving Feast Features Rhone Varietal Blend Wine Flight

Twenty members of immediate family and dear friends gathered for our Thanksgiving feast. . For the occasion we selected a flight of Rhone varietal wines from our cellar and from son Ryan's.

We started with a aged vintage birth year selection celebrating son Alec and partner Viv joining us from NYC, a classic Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Following the protocol of wine tasting, we moved from lighter wines to larger more complex wines. We progressed to more recent vintage Rhone Blend selections from our recent trip to Washington State Walla Walla and Red Mountain AVA, and then moved to a Rhone varietal Blend from Paso Robles.


Domaine de Beaurenard (Paul Coulon et Fils) Châteauneuf-du-Pape Boisrenard 1990

We discovered and acquired this label during our trip to Châteauneuf-du-Pape back in 1998.

Nearing thirty years of age, this is nearing the end of its drinking window but still suitable for such an occasion. This is beginning to lose clarity and taking on an slight opaque tone and the garnet color taking on a sight brownish hue. We still hold three bottles from this case acquired decades ago representing son Alec's birth year, holding them for family occasions.

Consistent with earlier tasting notes, this was medium to full bodied with slight earthiness and leather fronting layers of herbs, black and green pepper that accompany the slightly subdued black cherry and black berry fruits with a hint of spice, moderate lingering tannins.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=30341


https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2017/12/chateau-boisrenard-and-bbq-beef-brisket.html

Progressing in weight and complexity, this GSM Blend (Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre) in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape style is from Washington State Red Mountain AVA. We visited the producer Force Majeure during our recent Walla Walla Wine Experience 2018.

Force Majeure Collaboration Series VI Ciel du Cheval Vineyard 2011

We acquired a collection of Force Majeure wines including this vintage after meeting and hosting Force Majeure winemaker Todd Alexander and marketing, distribution and branding exec Carrie Alexander during their Chicago visit last year.  


Bright vibrant, garnet/purple in color full bodied, concentrated complex Blackberry fruits predominate with tangy red berries, tones of pepper and tar, earth and meat, hints of expresso, anise and smoke accented by nicely integrated smooth lingering dusty tannins. Another CT'er rightly noted this 'benefitted with time and warmer than cellar temps'.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/notes.asp?iWine=1788937

The Collaboration Series has ended as Todd has taken over general management and winemaking duties and his handiwork is now coming on line; this historic label was made by James Mantone of Syncline Winery. This is a blend 47% Mourvedre, 42% Syrah and 11% Grenache.

We just received our current release of Force Majeure 'GSM' blend, Parata, that we tasted and acquired during our recent Force Majeure Vineyards and new winery facility site visit and tasting, and were eager to open it and compare but didn't get that far in our consumption. We will look forward to a comparison tasting in the future as we hold several bottles of each.

https://forcemajeurevineyards.com/

We continued in our flight to a bigger, heavier, more concentrated Rhone varietal blend from Paso Robles L'Aventura that Ryan brought from his cellar.

L'Aventure Côte-à-Côte Estate Paso Robles 2011

Ryan brought this Rhone Red bruiser vintage 2011 providing a mini-horizontal tasting aside the Force Majeure.

Another GSM blend, very similar in style and taste but bigger and more concentrated with a whopping 15.8% alcohol content. Amazingly approachable considering the high alcohol content.

This is the handiwork of legendary winemaker Stephan Asseo who has been making wine since 1982. After graduating from L'Ecole Oenologique de Macon, in Burgundy, France, he started his wine career when he established Domaine de Courteillac in Bordeaux, then later purchased Chateau Fleur Cardinal and Chateau Robin in the Cotes de Castillion, Bordeaux. Over the next 15 years he honed his winemaking skills there.

In 1996 he embarked on a year long global search of the world's great wine regions for a great terroir when he "fell in love" with the unique terroir of Paso Robles in Central California in the rolling hills  of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range. There, Stephan began his adventure, "L'Aventure".
 
Bright garnet colored, full bodied, rich, concentrated, firmly structured, complex but nicely balanced and integrated forward fruits of ripe blackberry and red berry fruits accented by menthol, bacon fat, tones of black olive, anise and herbs with firm but well behaved silky tannins on the long finish.

RM 93 points.

This is a blend of 40% Syrah, 38% Mourvedre and 22% Grenache, similar to above but more Syrah and less Grenache.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1578540

http://www.aventurewine.com/

Later after dinner, watching a movie, we opened this big Syrah Blend from Washington State that we discovered and acquired during our Seattle Culinary and Woodinville (Washington) Wine Tour 2018. 

Long Shadows Wineries Sequel Syrah 2015

As chronicled in my recent blogpost on the Long Shadows Vintner's Collection, this is part of the portfolio of premium wines produced by legendary winemakers from around the world who are masters for their artwork with specific varietal wines.  

This Sequel Syrah is crafted by legendary Syrah winemaker John Duval, known for the leading Syrah label from Australia, Penfold's Grange. We hold a OWC (original wood case) of the 1990 Penfold's Grange, commemorating Alec's birth year. That label was Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year for the year 1993. 

Dark inky purple colored, rich, thick concentrated ripe black berry and black raspberry fruits, black pepper, smoked meat, notes of vanilla and caramel. 

RM 93 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2777751

https://www.longshadows.com/

This could likely improve with some further aging as it could benefit from some time to settle and should improve with a couple more years to achieve more balance and harmony as it reaches the apex of its drinking window, which clearly will be another decade or more. With our deep cellar, we'd normally hold a bottle like this for a while before consuming but we tried it now since it is available still at Binny's, our local wine super store so we can go get some more to replace this bottle and stock up some more, (even though we're in the highest level of the Long Shadows wine club and will be receiving some in our shipment allocation; but that will be the next 2016 vintage and we'll want to hold the '15, as it is birthyear of two grandkids, Reid and Jessie.). 

Finally, late in the evening we opened this TBA dessert wine. Viv just returned from an extended trip across Europe that include visits to Budapest and Prague in the Danube River Valley. There they visited several wineries. So, I pulled this Kracher dessert wine from the Burgenland wine region in Eastern Austria which I visited back in the early 2000's.

Alois Kracher Chardonnay TrockenBeeren Auslese (TBA) #7 Nouvelle Vague 2001



We hold more than a dozen labels of Kracher wines from this era. Its fun to watch quality dessert wines mature and change color over time, from straw color, to butter, then weak tea, and progressing darker and darker over time. Note this color of tea at seventeen years of age.

At their most desirable (to my taste preference) these wines are rich, thick, unctuous, and voluptuous with apricot marmalade, mango, toffee/brown sugar, and caramel notes. This may have been there at some point and perhaps passed that stage of its aging profile. If so, then it is time to drink although it will no doubt continue to age gracefully for several more years. But the rich, sweet apricot fruits nectar was gone and has turned more to a smokey charcoal layer over the fruits which were more subdued. Delightful never-the-less.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=19086

Force Majeure Vineyards Site Visit and Tasting

Force Majeure Vineyards Site Visit and Tasting

One of the inspirations for and objectives of our Walla Walla Wine Experience 2018 was to visit Force Majeure vineyards. We first met Force Majeure winemaker Todd Alexander and marketing, distribution and branding exec Carrie Alexander during the Chicago stop of their promotion tour in 2016 when we hosted them at Italian Village in Chicago. Since then we've acquired a respectable collection of Force Majeure wines, hence, they were one of our shortlist priority visits when we planned our Washington State, Columbia Valley wine trip.

Force Majeure Carrie Alexander and Linda

Following our Woodinville (Washington) tasting experience where we tasted several fabulous  Red Mountain AVA wines, we were targeting there for our first Washington State wine appellation visit. Carrie convinced us to visit Walla Walla and we followed her guidance and were amply rewarded as it was a spectacular wine travel experience. Our Walla Walla AVA visit provided the opportunity to visit a vibrant wine region, meet some legendary winemakers on the Washington wine scene, and still experience the best of Red Mountain appellation wines as well!

Force Majeure have vineyards in the Red Mountain AVA where they grow Rhone varietals on the upper slopes and Bordeaux varietals on the lower blocks of the site. According to Carrie, the varietal blocks are based on the selection and matching of the grape varieties to the appropriate soil composition in the eight different soil types on the site.

The Red Mountain site was the very first vineyard on the steep, rocky upper slopes of Red Mountain. Developing the Red Mountain estate vineyards involved carefully matching varietal and clonal selections and vineyard trellising and irrigation to the eight distinct soil types in the vineyard.

The site was formed by the ancient Missoula floods, winds and volcanic activity resulting in many small “micro-blocks,” each uniquely suited to specific grape varietals. The rocky upper-slope with shallow soil is well suited to the cultivation of Rhone varietals such as Syrah and Grenache, while the lower blocks of the vineyard are comprised of deep, well-drained Warden soils, where Bordeaux varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc excel.

Force Majeure recently acquired a small vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley. The site is within the boundaries of the The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater AVA, just across the Oregon side of state line border. The portion of the vineyard outside The Rocks District is within the borders of the Walla Walla Valley AVA.

The Rocks District is named for the rocky deposits left by the Walla Walla River where the river exits the foothills of the Blue Mountains and enters the Walla Walla Valley. It resembles the gravelly soil of the Southern Rhone River Valley in Chateauneuf du Pape. The Rocks District of Milton Freewater is the country’s newest AVA. Wine Spectator calls this AVA “perhaps America’s most distinctive example of terroir."

The unique riverbed of cobblestones and pebbles is as much as two hundred feet deep, formed 12,000 years ago from massive floods that swept through the region caused by ruptures in the ice dam that held Montana's glacial Lake Missoula. The Rocks District is a 12-square mile alluvial fan of 3,770 acres.

Force Majeure are building a new winery and tasting room facility in an old historic renovated rural schoolhouse and an adjacent wine-making production facility on the Estate site. They are scheduled to be open and operational next year.

Force Majeure also source grapes from select blocks of a thirteen acre vineyard of SJR Vineyards (left) just down the road which are owned by Delmas Vineyards and managed by Brooke Delmas Robertson.

The SJR Vineyard is located on the corner of Lower Dry Creek and County Road in Milton-Freewater, at the SW corner of ‘The Rocks District’. The site is planted in Rhone varietals Syrah and Grenache.

After touring the vineyards and winery site we dined at Brasserie Four French Bistro in downtown Walla Walla where we tasted a flight of Force Majeure wines.

Force Majeure Estate Red Mountain Syrah 2015

This is 100% Syrah sourced from the steep rocky sections of the top of the Red Mountain hillside vineyard.

Dark garnet colored, full-bodied, rich concentrated black berry fruits, hints of blue fruits, accented with layers of smokiness, minerality and tones of anise, black tea, black olive tapenade and hints of smokey meats, with bright lively acidity and cloying but approachable tannins on the tangy lingering finish.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2659540


Force Majeure Parvata Red Blend 2016

Parvata is a blend of 69% Mourvèdre, 21% Syrah and 10% Grenache, 100% sourced from the Force Majeure Red Mountain Estate vineyard.

Parvata means “mountain” in sanskrit, and hence is the name for Force Majeure's southern Rhône style blend, grown in the sandy, loamy soils of the lower section of the Red Mountain vineyard.

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, this is black fruits accented by white pepper and tones of dried herbs with bright lively acidity.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2968905


Force Majeure Estate Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, complex but smooth and polished with bright lively forward blackberry fruits accented by notes of anise, hints of dark mocha, spice and subtle tones of pain grille' and soft spicy oak with silky smooth tannins on the lingering finish.

RM 93 points. 

This is a blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot,1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3006827



Later we dined at the brand new just opened Walla Walla Steak Company Depot Restaurant where we enjoyed Force Majeure Épinette Red Mountain Bordeaux Blend.



Force Majeure Épinette Red Mountain Red Blend 2014

Épinette is Force Majeure's Right-bank Bordeaux-inspired blend, and was named after an avenue in Libourne that leads to Pomerol and Saint-Émilion, the home of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

Épinette is also the name of a musical instrument akin to a piano, as well as a word for pine tree, which is a fitting nod to the locale's in Washington state.

Épinette is a Bordeaux blend in the 'Right Bank' style meaning it is primarily Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with smaller amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot.

The blend for this 2014 vintage was 58%  Merlot,  22%  Cabernet Franc 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and the remaining 5% Petit Verdot.

The Merlot and Cabernet Franc are grown in the lower areas of the Red Mountain vineyard with its  deep, well-drained soils. The wine was aged for approximately 22 months in mostly new French oak.

The Force Majeure Épinette was the perfect complement to our aged prime steak dinner, perfectly prepared 'Pittsburgh' style, served with mashed potatoes.

Silky tannin' 'Legs' of Force Majeure Epinette

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, bright vibrant forward black berry, ripe black raspberry and black current fruits with notes of cigar box, mocha chocolate, hints of leather, anise, graphite and spicy oak with gripping but approachable silky tannins on the lingering finish.

RM 94 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2762573

https://forcemajeurevineyards.com/

http://wwsteakco.com/

http://brasseriefour.com/ 

The Force Majeure Rhone wines were perfect complements to the Provencale bistro foods of Brasserie Four.

Brasserie Four Authentic French Bistro in Walla Walla

The Rillettes porc et de Canard, 'Pork shoulder & duck breast preserved in lard with Juniper berry & sage', was authentic and very interesting, crying for and ideal for with a sophisticated wine accompaniment such as the Parvatta GSM.

I had the very unique lunch entree selection, 'Vermont duck breast burger, Hudson Valley foie gras on a Kaiser roll, served with fries'. This was exotic and obscenely rich, an interesting culinary experience, not for the feint of heart. The Foie Gras accompaniment was fabulous and ideally suited for the big Syrah and the more complex and polished Cabernet.

Fidelitas Red Mountain Wine Tasting in Woodinville

Fidelitas Columbia Valley Red Mountain Wine Tasting in Woodinville tasting room

Another one of the highlights of our Seattle Culinary and Washington Wine Tour was visiting the Fidelitas tasting room in Woodinville. We first discovered Fidelitas wines when one of the winery representatives visited Naperville several years ago and we acquired their wine as a result. According to my records and wine journal, this occurred back on Oct 5, 2005 at Binny's Naperville. At that time, hosted by Chris F of Binny's, we tasted and I acquired Fidelitas Optu Columbia Valley Red Wine 2002. We enjoyed that half case from 2005 through 2015. Hence, I was familiar with Fidelitas and eager to get reacquainted with our visit to their Woodinville tasting room. 

Fidelitas is the project of Charlie Hopps, early pioneer and leader on the Washington State wine scene dating back to its early days in the early 1980’s. It began with Charlie fermenting berry wines from a family vineyard near his in-laws in Pasco, Washington. He developed a love for wine and attended the renowned Viticulture and Enology program at the University of California – Davis, graduating in 1988 with a degree in Agricultural Science and Management with a emphasis in Viticulture and Enology. After graduation he returned to Washington and worked for Mike Januik at Snoqualmie/Langguth winery. After some time in Walla Walla at Waterbrook Winery, he rejoined Januik in 1990 as a member of the winemaking team at Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville.

In 1993, Charlie became the Head Red Winemaker where he managed Chateau Ste. Michelle’s Canoe Ridge facility near Paterson, Washington. There, he had gained experience making a large number of wines, learning and improving the art of making fine wines in Washington. He had the opportunity to work with the legendary Antinori family from Italy on a joint venture producing the Col Solare label from1995 through 1998.

In the winter of 1999, he left Chateau Ste. Michelle to venture into making his own wine. Working with the startup of Three Rivers Winery, he was winemaker from 1999 through the 2002.  During that  time, he started Fidelitas in 2000. The first vintage was a Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot blend named Optu. It was this wine that we first acquired from the 2002 vintage release from that initial introduction to Fidelitas. This wine is still in the Fidelitas portfolio today, as the Red Mountain Bordeaux-style blend.

In 2007, Fidelitas purchased land in the Red Mountain, AVA and planted a small three-acre vineyard.  There they built a tasting room. and added an additional ten acres that were planted in the spring of 2015 with red Bordeaux varietals. Since that first Red Mountain Fidelitas in 2005, production has continued to expand.

In 2012 vintage, they released Fidelitas Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. Working with other top growers in the Red Mountain AVA, Fidelitas produces vineyard designated wines from Ciel Du Cheval Vineyard, Blackwood Canyon Vineyard, and Quintessence Vineyard, as well as blends and varietal wines from throughout the AVA.

Today, Charlie is consulting winemaker for several other wineries throughout the region.  2017 marked his 30th vintage making Washington wines. In Charlie Hoppes name "Washington's Top Malbec Maker" by the Andy Perdue of the Seatle Times.

He and his wife, Terri, have four adult children who are working and going to school around the U.S.  Their son, Will, recently joined the team at Fidelitas. Will worked in the operations since he was 13. After getting his degree from University of Portland, he went into the wine business working for Nicolas-Jay, a Willamette Valley Pinot-producing startup. Joining Fidelitas, he heads up the Woodinville tasting room. In 2019. he will join Charlie working in the cellar for the harvest, as they build a multi-generational winery.

We tasted the following wines in the tasting room:

Fidelitas Optu Red Mountain White Wine 2015

Fidelitas The Canyons Vineyard Red Wine 2015

Fidelitas Red Mountain Malbec 2015 

Fidelitas Red Mountain Merlot  2015

Fidelitas Quintessence Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

Quintessence Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 

This is the Fidelitas 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the Red Mountain Quintessence Vineyard. It is produced in the 'Old World' style, aged in 96% New French Oak.

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, with notes of tobacco leaf and hints of olive undertones against the firm structured but balanced black berry and subdued blue berry fruits accented by notes of dark chocolate with a lingering moderate tannin finish. 576 cases were produced.

We bought this wine and carried it home. 

RM 93 points. 94 Points, Jeb Dunnuck

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2935238

Fidelitas "The Canyons" Vineyard Red Wine 2015 

The Canyons Vineyard Red Wine is named for the deep ravines that cut through the vineyard site. This is a blend 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Malbec, and 12% Merlot, aged in 80% New French Oak. 360 cases were produced.


Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, notes of black berry and hints of black raspberry and cherry, herbs and spice with nice full tannins on the long finish. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2932699

 We acquired this and carried it home.





Fidelitas Red Mountain Malbec 2015

Charlie Hoppes was name "Washington's Top Malbec Maker" by the Andy Perdue of the Seatle Times for this wine.

Fruit for the Red Mountain Malbec is sourced from three unique vineyard sites within the AVA; 56% Kiona Heart of the Hill Vineyard, 24% Scooteney Flats Vineyard, 20% The Canyons Vineyard. 
This was aged in 22% New American Oak, 9% New French Oak; 552 cases were produced.

Dark garnet colored medium bodied, bright red raspberry and cherry fruits with notes of herbs and hints of spice, white pepper and minerality with balanced acidity on a subdued finish. 

RM 89 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2901200

Fidelitas Red Mountain Merlot 2015

While this is 100% Red Mountain Merlot it is sourced from five different Red Mountain Vineyards - 44% Red Mountain Vineyard, 24% Red Heaven Vineyard, 16% Scooteney Flats Vineyard, 8% Kiona Vineyard, 8% The Canyons Vineyard. It was aged in 32% New French Oak, 32% New American Oak. 575 cases were produced.

Charlie Hoppes has noted, “Washington’s original reputation for great wine is based on Merlot”. 

This was dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, bright rich vibrant berry fruits with bright acidity and smooth soft lingering tannins on the finish. 

RM 90 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2913284

http://www.fidelitaswines.com/

The Fidelitas vineyard is in the Red Mountain AVA, the smallest of the fourteen Washington State appellations. Red Mountain is gaining distinction from producing some of the top wines from the State. It is known for a wide range of grape varietals, most notably Bordeaux varietals.

According to the Fidelitas website, the Red Mountain AVA is unique, characterized for the following reasons.

A Southwestern Facing Slope

The southwest slope of the Red Mountain AVA provides the vineyards in the region with a directional aspect to the sun that is ideal for prolonged sunlight exposure and warmth. These highly desirable conditions allow for a ripeness in tannins that is recognized as a primary characteristic of Red Mountain fruit.

Warm Summers and Winters

Red Mountain experiences more growing degree days than any other region in the state.  The high latitude (N 46*) and topography contribute temperature swings experienced during the growing season, with daytime temperatures averaging 90 °F and night time temperatures dropping below 50 °F. These heat accumulation days create ideal temperatures for highly marketable grapes, exhibiting ripeness and concentration.  The cooler evenings help to retain acidity levels which allows for the exceptional balance and structure found in Red Mountain grapes, and the wines crafted from them.

Low Rainfall

Red Mountain gathers less than 10 inches of rain per year, requiring irrigation in the vineyards.  The use of drip irrigation provides ideal grape growing conditions through canopy management. Additionally, Red Mountain vines experience dramatically lower mold and mildew pressure compared to most other vineyard regions.

Smallest AVA in Washington State

Red Mountain is the smallest recognized American Viticultural Area in Washington State, with 4040 acres.  Of that, about 2700 acres have been determined plantable, and only 1500 is currently under vine. Red Mountain is defined by natural borders, with the ridge of the mountain to the north and the Yakima River to the west.  Red Mountain resembles a growing region more like the Old World, where one can see each block of each vineyard from a single vantage point.

AVA Specific Soils

The predominate soils of Red Mountain are not found anywhere else in the state.  Wine blown Loess (Warden, Hezel, and Scootenay) were brought in by pre-historic floods.  The high alkalinity and calcium carbonate content of the soil, along with its granular consistency, allows for each vine to form a well established root system. In soils with this composition, root systems are able to reach deep to obtain the necessary nutrients and moisture.

Consistent Winds

The prevailing winds come out of the Southwest and are notable for their frequency and velocity. The regular gusts of warm air flow through the AVA’s vineyards during the growing season, keeping the grape clusters small and concentrating the flavors of the fruit - which contributes to their richness and intensity