Winery - Whidbey Island Winery
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Puget Sound is the smallest and least-well-known appellation in Washington State, but among the dozen or so wineries that actually grow grapes here, Whidbey is the standout. Their Siegerrebe (a relative of Gewürztraminer) is an off-dry white wine, rich with citrus, spice, honey, pear, apricot and pine tar. The overriding impression is one of fresh-squeezed grapefruit, and the alcohol is just 11.5%.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
From the estate vineyard, this bone-dry white wine shows very tart citrus flavors, with a lightly bitter pear skin edge. The alcohol clocks in at just 11%; it’s almost Germanically austere, but what a match for crab cakes.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
A Yakima Valley Médoc, this Bordeaux-style blend is quite dry, just barely hinting at Cabernet’s inherent earthiness. It finishes with the sort of drying tannins one expects to find in a well-made cru classé.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Co-fermented with 20% Viognier, this fresh and lively Roussanne is a standout in the lineup of new releases from Whidbey Island. Mix of citrus rind, mineral, wet stone and plenty of lime.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Here is a good value effort, smoky, chewy and dense, with strong flavors but solid Merlot varietal character. There is unusual smokiness in the wine—presumably from barrel toast—but enough ripe fruit to offset that and the substantial tannins. The spicy finish suggests American oak barrels were used.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This fresh-tasting Syrah is loaded with boysenberry and black cherry fruit, then heads into darker flavors of black olive and coffee. There is a hint of leather, but not too much; it gives the wine a bit of a southern Rhône flavor.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This does not seem technically “correct” but it’s interesting and even compelling. Aromas include leather, tobacco and earth; the fruit shows the herbal side of the grape, without suggesting unripeness.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This succeeds where many Washington Sangios fail. It retains at least a suggestion of varietal character, with some delicate accents around strawberry fruit—black olive, smoke, tobacco and ripe but not heavy tannins.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
There are scents of fresh pears in the nose, along with a Riesling-like whiff of kerosene. The color suggests that this is maturing rapidly, and should be consumed quickly. The finish shows plenty of heat, and a somewhat chemical taste.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This unusual grape grows well in the Puget Sound appellation of western Washington. It shows a gunpowder nose, spicy, herbal and very dusty/dry; with tart, grassy flavors.
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