Episode 34 | Living a Legacy: Jason Gorski of DeLille Cellars
Jason Gorski
DeLille Cellars | Director of Winemaking and Viticulture
DeLille Cellars has been celebrated since its inception in 1992. Their Bordeaux and Rhone-style blends have earned them over 180 wines scored at 90+ points, totaling over 500 individual 90+ scores from leading critics, and was one of the first five wineries in Washington State to receive Robert Parker’s 5-star/Outstanding rating.
Jason Gorski leads the winemaking and viticulture helm at the new production facility and gorgeous tasting room in Woodinville, WA. He has earned numerous national and local awards, including a coveted position on the 2018 Wine Spectator Top 100 list for the 2015 Signature Syrah and recognition from Wine & Spirits “Top 100 Wineries of the World” awards for both 2017 and 2018.
Jason is guiding the legacy of DeLille with skill, attention to the detail and care for the people that help ensure DeLille will continue to be a leader in Washington’s and the world’s wine scenes.
Visit and shop DeLille Cellars
Bordeaux Basics
The region of Bordeaux is located in the southwest of France on the Atlantic coast. Near the city of Bordeaux, two rivers meet and form the Gironde estuary that flows out to the Atlantic. These rivers divide the landscape into three areas, the Left Bank, the Right Bank and the Entre Deux-Mers (between two rivers) which is situated in the middle of the two waterways.
We talk about the Big Six Bordeaux red varietals, the newly incorporated grapes due to climate change and the predominant white varietals. Bordeaux is famous for dry reds but they produce the finest dessert wines known as, “liquid gold” and we describe the general primary flavor profiles found in the region.
Episode 33 | Critic’s Choice: Sean P. Sullivan and Dr. Owen Bargreen
Sean P. Sullivan & Dr. Owen Bargreen
Sean P. Sullivan & Dr. Owen Bargreen, two of Washington State’s most revered reviewers, know what makes the Washington wine scene great. Sean has been exploring and reporting on his Washington Wine Report since 2005 and is a contributing editor at Wine Enthusiast Magazine. He also writes for Seattle Metropolitan, Washington Tasting Room, Washington State Wine and Touring Guide, and other publications.
Dr. Owen Bargreen, a Level 2 Sommelier in the Court of Master Sommeliers, is the founder and executive editor of the Washington Wine Blog, one of the most in-depth and well-organized resources for Washington, Oregon and California wine scenes. He’s been writing about wine for more than ten years, has reviewed thousands of wines from around the world, and also contributes reviews to International Wine Report.
Sean and Owen share how they taste and review wines, the best ways to expand your palate, current Washington wine trends and the most prevalent threat to wine . . . “cork taint.”
Explore the best of Washington, Oregon and California wine at Washington Wine Blog
Get to know an expert’s guide to Washington wine at Washington Wine Report and learn more about how Sean tastes wine in his article, How I taste wines for review at Wine Enthusiast.
Are all wine enclosures what they’re corked up to be?
“I look at cork taint as an existential threat,” says Sean Sullivan as recounts that approximately 3-6% of all wine has 2,4,6-tricloroanisole, a.k.a, TCA or cork taint.. There is no perfect enclosure for a wine bottle but technology provides winemakers with options to help eliminate this pesky mold. It is a common misconception that TCA forms from improper storage or from holding onto a wine for too long. In fact, TCA will be present at the time of bottling if the cork is inflected.
We discuss a few TCA-free options like technical cork (DIAM), synthetic cork (Nomacorc), screw top and the glass top. There is a romance with traditional cork, but next time you’re at a winery, ask if they use cork alternatives.
Sean P. Sullivan’s photograph is copyrighted and courtesy of Wine Enthusiast Magazine.
Episode 32 | The Cellar Muse: Tanya Morning Star Darling
Tanya Morning Star Darling
Cellar Muse | Official Bourgogne Wines Ambassador
Tanya is an official Bourgogne Wine Ambassador, a faculty member at the Northwest Wine Academy, and educator for the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, Wine Scholar Guild and the Certified Specialist of Wine courses. Additionally, through Cellar Muse, she offers focused, 2-hour wine Masterclasses and exclusive study trips to France, Italy and Napa Valley.
If learning about wine, and all of its complexities seems challenging and intimidating, we assure you, you’re not alone. We realized that taking this journey of wine would be more meaningful with tangible knowledge under our belts. We enrolled in the Portland-based Wine & Spirits Archive WSET 2 certification course held at the Northwest Wine Academy. It was here that we first met, Tanya Morning Star Darling and experienced the exceptional way she connects with her students.
Level up your wine knowledge with Cellar Muse
Our guide to notable Pacific NW wine events
Washington State’s wine industry offers its enthusiasts a vast array of events that bring thousands together all the way to intimate, exclusive experiences. February and March specifically keeps us on our toes on a weekly basis. We give your an overview of the more notable 2020 events in our state along with two must-do internationally known ones on Oregon and Vancouver B.C.
So, get out your calendar and follow along!
Episode 31 | Brian Carter: The Perfect Blend
Brian Carter
Brian Carter Cellars
Brian Carter is one of the most influential winemakers in Washington and specifically known as the ‘Blend King.’ Brian has a 40-year career, including having spent time at the legendary Chateau Montelena in California (Judgement of Paris!). Brian Carter Cellars has been a fixture Woodinville since establishing his winery in 2006 and is expanding to the waterfront in Vancouver, WA. He has recently garnered the 2018 ‘Winery of Distinction’ at the 23rd Northwest Wine Summit and many ‘Best of Category’ and ‘Best of Show’ awards.
On this episode, Brian describes why it’s important to recognize a balanced wine and provides a fascinating education on native vs commercial yeast and their impact. He describes his love of sight blending, his current food and wine pairing favorites and more.
Visit Brian Carter Cellars
Champagne (… and beyond) 101
Get ready for the New Year with sparkling wines! During this month of celebration, we want you to learn more about Champagne and other sparkling wines. We quickly breakdown the types of sparkling wines out there in the world and the Traditional Method for making Champagne. And we help you understand the sparkling styles you’ll find on bottle labels and what they mean.
Get Kramer Vineyards 2018 Celebrate Müller-Thurgau
Hand harvested, foot crushed, and pressed. Delicate aromatics with flavors of lime, green apple, passion fruit, white peach, and a hint of grass and minerality. Truly unique!
Get Montinore Estate NV Vivacé
Beautiful white wine blend of estate-grown Gewürztraminer, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Gris and Riesling
Get Lucien Albrecht Cremant D’Alsace, Brut Rosé
Consistently good and pairs with a wider variety of food.
Get Barbier Louvet, L’Héritage du Serge Brut Premier Cru Champagne
A full bodied Brut. with a golden color and ripe apple aromatics. A great Champagne for the price.
Learn more about André Jacquart Brut Expérience 1er Cru Blanc de Blancs Champagne
André Jacquart is a true “grower Champagne” – run by the 5th generation, the Domaine encompasses 24 hectares of vines in the Côte de Blancs. This 100% Chardonnay is vinified in a combination of stainless steel and old oak barrels. The wine is aged for 5 years on the lees before disgorgement.
Thank you, Taub Family Companies for sending us samples of sparkling wine from Champagne,the Loire Valley, Alsace, Italy and Spain.
Episode 30 | Charlie & Will Hoppes: A Red Mountain Legacy
Charlie & Will Hoppes
1st and 2nd generation winemakers, Fidelitas | Wine Boss
This episode is Part 2 about the heralded Red Mountain AVA and the generational stories that carry these wines into the future.
2019 marked Charlie Hoppes’ 32nd vintage in Washington State—and a wine making enterprise he and his son, Will Hoppes, now share together. Charlie has a storied journey having worked with Mike Januik, Waterbrook Winery, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Col Solare, and Three Rivers Winery before founding Fidelitas on Red Mountain.
Will heads up the Woodinville tasting room and he joined his father this year in the vineyards and cellar. Together, they are building a multi-generational team whose best vintages are yet to come.
Visit Fidelitas on Red Mountain
Visit Fidelitas in Woodinville
Red Mountain: A premier wine destination
Plan your trip to the Red Mountain wine destination here. Don’t miss Episode 29 for Part 1 where you’ll hear about our stay at The Lodge at Columbia Point, our interview with one of the people who started it all, John Williams, along with 3rd generation winemaker Tyler Williams. Plus our wineries to check out on your trip like the French inspired estate, Hedges Family Vineyards, Hightower and Tapteil.
Visit Hamilton Cellars
Visit Anelare
Visit Upchurch Vineyard
Visit Frichette Winery
Visit Purple Star
Thank you, Erin Osborne, President of Osborne Northwest Public Relations, a boutique PR agency specializing in lifestyle and hospitality public relations. AND thank you to Alicia Brown, the Executive Director of The Red Mountain AVA Alliance for helping to arrange the weekend’s events.
Episode 29 | Red Mountain’s vine pioneers—then and now
Tyler and John Williams
3rd and 1st generation winemakers | Kiona Vineyards & Winery
This episode is Part 1 of 2 about the heralded Red Mountain AVA and the generational stories that carry these wines into the future.
To pinpoint the origins of Red Mountain, you’ll need go back as far as 1961. That’s when GE employees John Williams and Jim Holmes met and struck up a friendship around their mutual appreciation of wine. By 1965, they had begun a side education with Washington wine legend Dr. Walter Clore, who planted the seed in their heads that Red Mountain was prime vineyard material.
By 1972, John and Jim had purchased land on Red Mountain, ignoring the jibes of those that thought they were crazy. Looking back, it did seem like a leap to invest in what resembled a dusty desert only suitable for growing sagebrush. Fortunately for wine lovers, they didn’t listen to the nay-sayers and planted the first Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling and Chardonnay on the mountain.
Kiona has been making wine since 1980 with John’s son Scott who followed his father as Vineyard Manager and Winemaker. Scott’s sons also joined the family business, with JJ taking the role of Director of Operations and most recently, Tyler taking on every aspect of winemaking.
Visit Kiona Vineyards
Red Mountain: Your next wine destination
Red Mountain is 15 minutes away from Richland, WA and may be the smallest AVA is Washington, but it’s full of more adventures and award-winning wines than visitors can experience in one day. Listen to our journey through this prized wine growing region’s must-see tasting rooms, nearby restaurants and the stories that started it all.
Plan your trip to Red Mountain wineries here.
Visit Hightower Cellars
Visit Hedges Family Estate
Visit Tapteil Vineyards
Book your stay at The Lodge at Columbia Point
