To the Evergreen State!
Alyssa invited us all to join her in celebrating HOME, which for her is the great state of Washington. In Alyssa's words, "We
have amazing wines, are famous for our apples, and we also grow a mean
huckleberry." Washington is the 2nd largest premium wine
producer in the United States with over 740 wineries and 12 American Viticultural Areas ("AVAs"). Here are some great links for some state facts and information on the high quality and affordability of Washington wines. Ever the gracious hostess, Alyssa promised apple pie and a cheese plate to highlight her favorite huckleberry jam.
The wines:
1. Chateau Ste.
Michelle, Indian Wells Chardonnay, $19.99 Safeway, 13.5%
Rating: 3.3
Nose: not much smell
Taste:
- smooth
- creamy
- buttery, but not as buttery once eating with food
- pears, citrus
Rating: 3.15
Nose:
- honeysuckle
- effervescent
- green apple
- roses (floral)
Taste:
- Ethiopian honey wine (but delicious)
Rating: 2.95
Nose:
- plums
- dark cherry
- berries
- grapes
Taste:
- smoky
- cocoa
- tannic
Other observations: very dark color
Here, we learned that one of the top places that
Atif has ever visited is the beaches of Thailand.
4. Genesis 2008 Merlot, $15.99
Rating: 3.25
Taste:
- “nice.”
- tart cherries
- raspberries
- sweet
- floral
- plums
- better than Terri’s “per Terri”
- Aged well
5. Dead Canyon Horse Heaven Hills 2009
Cabernet Sauvignon, $16.99, 13.9%
Rating: 3.2
Taste:
- Tart cherry
- Apparently this wine tastes like “victory”
- Cinnamon, spice, and everything nice
- Dark fruit: "plums again"
Added Twists:
- “GA-GUNK” [Nope, that’s all you’re getting on that one, fair reader. The wino notes trail off here, but make no mistake – “ga-gunk” was apparently note-worthy enough to put in quotes and separate from the rest of the mix.] All I found on this topic was this fun little guy:
- Terri apparently spilled wine on the couch, and then WINE BE GONE saved the day! Honestly, we should all have this or similar products on hand all the time.
- Ricki finds Joseph Gordon Levitt attractive. “And so does Laura for the record.”
- A few of us missed this amazing theme for a Pat Green concert at the 930 club -- for the winos who missed it, definitely worth checking out next time! And for those of us who missed this awesome theme and the chance to sample some Washington state wines -- no time like the present to start trying them!
