L’Ecole’s newest wines praised

Wine columnist Paul Gregutt says the newest wines comprise a sizable portfolio of diverse and superbly well-crafted releases that speak to the maturity and overall excellence that characterizes the top tier of Washington wines.

The newest wines comprise a sizable portfolio of diverse and superbly well-crafted releases that speak to the maturity and overall excellence that characterizes the top tier of Washington wines. Rarely if ever flashy, and generally priced below comparable offerings, even from Washington, these expressive wines take careful note of the character and complexity of their various appellations and vineyards. They are particularly enjoyable for their use of old-vine fruit, and the overall elegance and polish of the blends.

 

Read more about what Gregutt has to say about L’Ecole. (Seattle Times link)

Marty Clubb and Allen Shoup discuss new L’Ecole look:

Dusted Valley heats up in Walla Walla appellation

Pinot grigio: Fresh and crisp as spring

Pinot grigio, same grape as pinot gris, is the most popular white-wine import from Italy, and in many ways the perfect wine for spring.

Though it may sometimes be faulted for being innocuous and thin, its lightness can be an asset. Alcohol levels rarely reach 13 percent, and the percentage of new oak is low, if any is used at all.

The best of these wines are beautifully aromatic, with scents of white fruits and highlights of flower and spice. A personal favorite is made by Alois Lageder and sells for around $15. Lageder also makes a single-vineyard pinot grigio called Benefizium Porer, which is bigger, riper and more full-bodied than the regular bottling. It sells for $20. Roughly 20 percent of this wine is barrel-fermented and aged.

Pinot gris is a latecomer to Washington state, but pioneering Oregon winegrower David Lett introduced it to the Willamette Valley almost 40 years ago. Today, pinot gris is that state’s most-planted white grape, and at least one producer — King Estate — has made it the company’s signature wine.

Oregon pinot gris is significantly riper, rounder and fruitier than those from Italy. These domestic wines are … Continue Reading

Gregutt’s Top 100 Washington State Wines 2009

Many “best of” wine lists are published each year, but this annual look at my top 100 Washington wines is focused exclusively on wines from this state. I look through a year’s worth of tasting notes and select one wine from each of 100 wineries for inclusion. This ranking is not done strictly by the numbers, though I scored all these wines 90 points or higher on the 100-point scale. But because I firmly believe that both quality and cost are factors in overall excellence, these rankings also took price into account. So with wines that got a 94 score, for instance, I gave a higher ranking on this list to the one that was cheaper.

All have been released within the past year, but some are already sold out. Your wine seller can guide you to what is still available, and in some instances he or she may have a newer vintage in stock. Why just one wine per winery? With more than 650 wineries in the state, it is the best way to feature the breadth and depth of the industry’s offerings. My sincere appreciation to the talented growers and winemakers mentioned here, and to all of you who are kind enough to follow this column each week. … Continue Reading

Back to School: WSET in Walla Walla

The WSET program is coming to town and going back to school doesn’t get much better than this, when it means sitting in the class room with glasses of wine to sample.

The Wine & Spirits Educational Trust is the world’s prestigious and most recognized leader in wines and spirits education and this will be the first time for this London-based program to reach Eastern Washington.

The WSET courses are ideal for anyone in the wine industry, whether working in food service, wine retail and tasting rooms, or in the fields of journalism, marketing, and education. And you don’t have to be a professional to take these courses. They are perfect for the wine consumer who has a little or a lot of knowledge about wine.

WSET courses for Eastern Washington will be held at the Marcus Whitman Hotel and Conference Center in Walla Walla. Wine writer, Paul Gregutt will be teaching the comprehensive one-day Foundation Course (Level 1) Saturday, September 12 and a three-day Intermediate Course (Level 2), the weekends of October 10 and 18th. A WSET Advanced Course (Level 3) is also available, but will be scheduled for a later time.

WSET Instructor Paul Gregutt is recognized as the leading wine writer in Washington State. He appears every Sunday in the Seattle Times Pacific Magazine, the last Wednesday of each month in Spokane’s Spokesman-Review, and is the Northwest editor for Wine Enthusiast magazine. Gregutt’s best-selling book “Washington Wine & Wineries: The Essential Guide” is considered to be the best review of the state’s wineries.

And Paul is no stranger to Eastern Washington as he and his wife, Karen Stanton-Gregutt, have taken up a second residence in Walla Walla County. Local rumor is Paul can be found sitting on the front porch of their cottage in Waitsburg playing the guitar and singing tunes about 90 point wines.

For more information contact Paul Gregutt or see: Eastern Washington WSET