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Just a handful of varietal Counoise is made in Washington; this being the latest, and blended with 25% Syrah. Labeled Columbia Valley, it’s nonetheless mostly Walla Walla grapes from the Forgotten Hills vineyard. A unique wine, with light strawberry fruit, strong natural acids, light tannins, and some of the spiciness of Carmenère. 1 Note
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Counoise—a southern Rhône blending grape—only rarely appears as a varietal wine, but this distinctive bottling makes a strong case for it. It’s not just another generic red wine; it has a particular mouthfeel—elegant, almost Pinot-like—coupled with firm, slightly metallic tannins, sharp acids and accents of pepper on stone. Somehow the wine feels, more than tastes, European. 1 Note
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A bit sharp and weedy, and very dry, but it’s a good, clean wine that trades structure for richness. Strong acids and tannins frame herb-infused flavors of cherries and red currants, with a veneer of sweet oak. Drink now. 1 Note
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Strawberry and sour candy flavors hit the midpalate squarely and stay there; this is a wine that knows where it wants to go. It has the appealing tartness of rhubarb pie, and the acidity seems natural and unforced, giving length to the finish. 1 Note
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A unique and rare varietal expression of this obscure southern Rhône grape, here blended with 20% Syrah. It’s tart and racy, somewhat Italian in style, a bit like a young Dolcetto. Cranberry fruit, baking spices, powdered sugar and bitter chocolate notes dot the flavor landscape. It’s the strong natural acidity that really sets the wine in motion and keeps the alcohol at bay. 1 Note
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Whole berry fermentation and aging in neutral oak yield an aromatic, high-toned, fruity wine with a woody character—not new oak, but rather the flavor of neutral wood and gentle oxidation. The color of a Pinot Noir, it’s drinking at its best now, with a mix of strawberry pastry and sour cherry candy. 1 Note
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The vines are Beaucastel material sourced from Tablas Creek in 1999. The wine is scented and flavored with blue plum, tart pie cherry and blackberry. It is reminiscent of Sangiovese, with bracing acidity and a lightness in the midpalate. McCrea has worked in nice notes of spice, light chocolate and a whiff of soy, making this a perfect salmon wine. 1 Note
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Finished at just 12.9% alcohol, the cuttings for this interesting wine came from Tablas Creek. It brings light, tart, cranberry and red fruit flavors. Somehow an impression of butter creeps into the finish, which lingers surprisingly given the lightness of the wine, over all. 1 Note
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Counoise is a surprise winner in Washington, making a deliciously spicy wine with light fruits running from watermelon to strawberry to plum. There’s a bit of a hole in the middle, but that’s the nature of the grape. 1 Note
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Opolo Vineyards Counoise - 2006
