Lobo Hills Wine Company

I'll have to admit that until recently I had never heard of Lobo Hills, but after tasting the wine...I want to know more.  A few weeks ago I had a customer come in and ask me if I carry of these wines.  I had never heard of them so I looked them up and emailed the winemaker.  He (Tony) got back to me pretty fast and we setup a time for him to come by and taste me.  Here is what I got to taste from this very little but promising winery.

2009 Lobo Hills Dry Rieslings, Yakima Valley
This was a wine I was looking forward to trying.  To be open and honest, the wine was flat, but it was not the wines fault as the ride over on a BWM moto was to blame.  Wine was clear with only a light hint of straw-like color.  On the nose it was beautiful with a hint of light wet-rock, honeydew and just a hint of southern tree-fruit.  On the palate, very clean and fruit forward yet the hint of fizz was gone, I know this wine is amazing and would love to try it again.  I really like it and the price hovering around $12 with only 75 cases made...this is a perfect Riesling.

2009 Lobo Hills Right Bank Red Wine
This is a traditional right bank Bordeaux blend with a blend of 69% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Saugivnon, 5% Petite Verdot, and 5% Cabernet Franc.  Deep color with notes of dark tree-fruit, hints of fig and a very light mint. The palate was awesome!  This really is a great Bordeaux blend and I really think some of the local wineries from Woodinville could learn a lesson from Tony!  I love it!

2008 Lobo Hills Fries Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope
This is the left-bank wine form Lobo Hills, mostly Cab Sauv at 95% and 5% Red Mountain Syrah.  Sees 24 months French oak (Vicard & Saury barrels)**side note...I love Vicard barrels!  The wine does not seem like a heavy oak-bomb at all.  Instead it is very rich with dark fruit showing very well, cherries and hints of vanilla but NOT like an over-extracted piece of shit like others I have tasted.  Very well rounded, great structure and silky soft on the finish. 

Overall these wines are great and I cannot wait to bring them into the shop.  The reds taste like solid red from WA state without the influence from someone who is only making wines for Parker or Spectator.  I'm sorry but when you have someone who makes wines like these you just want to tell them not to change and fuck all the other point scoring whores!  Wines are all under $20 and I think that is perfect.  If he can keep it there for a few more years while keeping production low, he will in fact become a winemaker that people will want to buy from.  I truly believe that Tony is the NEW breed of winemakers that are coming out of Washington and yet we still have 100s of wineries that only care about getting points to sell their wines...there is no need here.  This is what the people are asking for.  Wines that are made well at a good price and that are fucking amazing!  Tony...rip them a new asshole!  Kudos!

Santo  

Syncline Wine Cellars

 

Most people who know me know that I tend to speak my mind and tell people exactly what I think and feel about a wine, even if the winemakers are right in front of me.  I just don't care and I won't kiss anyone's ass.  Does this mean my judgement is better than yours?  God no!  I'm just telling you what I think, that's all.  Syncline has been around for sometime now and I have followed them from the start.  I remember one day they came into a wine shop that I was working at and wanted us to taste their wines and while others in the shop thought they did not look like a good winery, there were a few of us who dove right in.  I actually almost lost my job because I tasted their wines without the boss there.  Oh well.

The first time I tasted their wines I knew they were going to a major player in the Washington wine scene.  They may not flashy and have these funny names for their wines but they do make a damn fine wine!  Here is what I tasted today.

2010 Syncline Sparkling Wine $40
So this wine I do not believe is ready for the public yet but it sure tasted good.  100% Chardonnay from Celilo Vineyard I think.  Only 200 cases made so when it comes out, get it.  A really nice straw-ish color with a soft almost muted nose of light minerals and light lemon curd.  I think it is pretty damn nice now but also think that over time it will get better.  I'm thinking of picking up a case, holding 6 for drinking and hold 6 for the cellar.  I might allow others to enjoy this with Nicole and I but chances are slim.  Remember..I'm greedy.

2010 Syncline Subduction Red, Columbia Valley $20
This is a mother of a blend: 31% Mourvedre, 25% Syrah, 21% Grenache, 12% Cinsault, 7% Carignan and 4% Counoise.  Only 1600 cases made for this vintage.  I've tasted this wine on numerous occasions, but it still impresses me every time.  This is Southern Rhône all the way!  With a nice ruby color, notes of dark cherry, light dried herbs and fresh ground pepper it tends to be medium-bodied yet elegant on the palate.  The tannins and acidity are perfectly balanced yet there is something on the finish I can never figure out.  It actually kinda pisses me off because I know what it is yet can't nail it down.  For $20, this wine is well worth it and will go great with food.

2010 Syncline Carignan-Grenache, Columbia Valley $25
So this is a bit of a change from last year as I believe it was a 50/50 blend of the two grapes but now Carignan is the winner winner chicken dinner leading the pack with a whopping 60% and Grenache trailing at 40%.  I love the change.  Funny but with the amount of power in this wine, I'd take a second guess that it was made by someone who knows how to make wine...oh wait they do!  I think of this blend as the bratty little child that you really want to hate but always make you smile.  While I was tasting this wine, James was off looking at wines in the shop while I was talking with Poppie about what I thought but then James would jump in and spit a few words out then jump out.  Why might I add this into the note?  To me that just shows you what a team they are.  Wine is rich, full-bodied and could use some time in the bottle but with a little breathing time it will win you over.  Very silky finish for such a young wine.  For the price...Stock up while you can.  I'll assume this is under 400 cases.

2010 Syncline Mourvedre, Horse Heaven Hills $30
So when Nicole and I were at the winery this summer we picked up the last few bottles of the '09 Mourvedre the winery had.  Well the '10 is out and we will need to stack up on more for sure.  Nicole wanted to be at the shop when they were pouring it today but she has a real job and does not get to stand around and taste great wines like this.  Pretty dark yet not over-extracted!  Rich nose of dark plums, light smoke and wet herbs.  On the palate this thing was a monster yet smooth at the same time.  Pretty big yet still very shy and tame.  This is one of those wines that will slowly open up through out the night and you'll just beg for more.  Has some great black currants and dark cherry on the finish with the tannins just slowly slipping away.  OMG!

So there you are.  My long-winded notes from a winery that I have been following for a long time.  As it is 1AM and I am just wrapping this up there will for sure be some spelling mistakes and grammar is always something I have problem with when trying to finish before bed.  Look in the near future for a Syncline tasting at the shop.  It's kinda funny, wine shops that sell their wines really well tend to not follow points or scores yet people that are in bed with Parker and Speculator never bring their wines in.  I kinda like it that way.  Keep the 'real' wine people in the know on wines like this.  Next week...How to open a bottle of wine with only a shoe or a boot!

1952 Porto Kopke Colheita

They day started off pretty crappy in that I spilled my coffee my coffee all over the floor as soon as I opened the shop floor. Then I got a call from a rep telling me she had some stuff for me to try. It was the 1952 and 4 other Kopke Colheita’s. The color was pretty light in that it had a orange hue and seemed pretty thin. On the nose it was a whole other story with some orange-like citrus grabbing me, loads on steamed nuts and what I thought was mint? Palate was like coating my mouth with a layer of ripe citrus and maybe some cooked caramel. Finish was long and really nice. I only got a 1oz shot of the stuff but it was enough for me to task half of it and save the rest for the rest of the day. Amazing little tawny. I think my better half would shoot me if I picked a few up for the shop and for home. Tasted 5 different Kopke’s on Tuesday.

2002 Owen Roe DuBrul Vineyard Syrah

Since I bought this wine years ago, it has traveled from Seattle to New Jersey, and then back to Seattle, all over a 7 year time.  I first tasted this wine when I bought my two cases of '02 DuBrul Vineyard Cab, but I'm sorry to say that there is no cab left in the cellar, and I only have 1 of the Syrah left.  There were only about 160 cases of the '02 Syrah made, so I felt it would be a great time to pull the wine out for the Owen Roe tasting at the shop.

After being in the bottle for 8+, maybe 9+ years, traveling over 7000 miles, this wine ended its life where it started...in Seattle! (Okay, Bothell, but who really cares?)  The color of this Syrah was a lot darker than I thought it would be.  Almost deep red but with a light garnet rim.  There might have been some stuff floating around as I was showing people what we would be opening, and I was kinda excited.  The kind of excitement when you turn 18 and you can finally get into a strip club.  Yup, that excited although the wine was not a let down.

The nose had a stink going on, and just to make sure it was not funky, I asked a friend to come down and sniff for me.  It's always good to have two wine nerds sniffing the same bottle as one might smell something off, while the other does not, then you can spend the next hour debating the qualities of the wine.  She was sound as a bell with some great dark spices, solid earth notes, and something that reminded me of a light campfire smell.  I already know what that was...there was a brush fire near DuBrul in '02 and some of the smoke got into the vines.  I think it made the wine better.  Dark fruit with some cooked brown sugar and dried herbs were sitting around as well.

On the palate this beast was amazing!  The word I kept hearing as people tasted it was "holy shit".  People were amazed at how well this wine held up, and how it was so soft but with solid tannins and acidity.  There was some of that dark fruit and lush earth notes but the wine was doing everything she could do to impress us and she did not let me down one bit.  All day people were stopping by to taste this once in a lifetime wine.  One person even said, "I could be happy just smelling this wine as it changes throughout the rest of the night."  Right there is when I realized I would never stop buying Owen Roe wines.

The night finished with Nicole and I talking about what to do with the last bottle. She made me pull it from the store shelf and keep it for us.  I don't know what we will do with it, but I can tell you she will be opened with friends and family so everyone can enjoy David's wines.  I only wish he knew how much all of us enjoyed his wines.  Thank you for making this wine in 2002, David!  You have gained about 20 more fans for your wines.

2010 Owen Roe Abbot’s Table Wine

So let’s get the basics from this wine out of the way for all the haters.

The blend:

48% Sangiovese
15% Blaufränkisch
14% Zinfandel
14% Malbec
7% Syrah
2% Merlot

The vineyards that are used for this blend:

Red Willow
Union Gap
Erickson Road
Slide Mountain
Hillside

The wine is around 14.2% alcohol and see oak but not like you think.  It sees 8 months of French oak but get this…neutral oak!  The color of beast is a bit darker than brick-red but with some nice garnet colors in the center.  On the nose spices and fruit are what I’m thinking.  Some solid dark cherries and light plums.  On the palate the spices jump out but not like a truck, more like a nice M3.  You can see the headlights, hear the E36 motor and dual tip exhaust but when it rolls up to you, it shows you nothing but pure elegance!

The finish was very smooth, medium to full-bodied, and a mouth feel that will make you scream and beg for butter milk.  Trust me, this wine is worth every single peso.

$21.99 per 750ml

2010 Sharecroppers Pinot Noir & Cabernet Sauvignon

Well, here I am making sure the wines are ready for the tasting and the next thing I know is it's 20 minutes before the tasting cause I have been sniffing wine for the last hour or so.  The 2010 Pinot Noir from Sharecroppers is pretty soft on the palate with some solid fruit notes.  This is not a fruit bomb nor is it a high acidity HUGE tannic mower.  Wine is very soft and elegant.  The palate is really silky and it reminds me of that other place that grows Pinot Noir...at only $25 a bottle, this is one of the best Pinot's I've had from Oregon in years!

The 2010 Sharecropper's Cab Sauvignon is amazing for the $16 price tag.  There is a lot more going on in the wine than most people know.  The color is pretty rich and almost purple.  But get this, the legs are not stained.  On the nose black cherry, pencil shavings and hints of light toffee.  Maybe I'm strange.  The palate is rich yet pretty smooth.  Wine is balanced and the structure is killer.  Great stuff for $16!

2009 Owen Roe Yakima Valley Red Wine

Okay so I’m just decanting the Yakima Valley Red before the tasting and this wine is already blowing me away!  The color is pretty dark yet not the same as that over-extracted crap you see coming from other states.  Rich on the nose with loads of spices and dark and light red fruit.  On the palate it’s spicy yet perfectly balanced.  Pretty full-bodied with some great cherry pie notes.  The tannins are very soft and even though it needs time to breathe, this wine is ready right out of the bottle.  Can’t wait to see what it will be like in an hour and half.

Blend of 54% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc and 17% Cabernet Sauvignon

$43.99 per 750ml

Chateau Musar Wine Tasting

I will be the first to admit that I was a bit nervous to have people taste these wines.  I have always loved the juice, but being that the wines are so old school in style, I didn't know how people would react to them. It seems most wine makers are now making more wines that have high alcohol, over-extracted oak bombs for wines.  Musar is not that at all.

The day started with me decanting the 2002 Chateau Musar at 10AM...tasting did not start until  3PM.  So let's recap, 5 hours of decanting before the tasting of the '02 Musar.  We started with the 2010 Musar Jeune Blanc, pretty clear with a very light hay color.  Nose had a light citrus note with some minerals hanging around.  On the palate, the citrus came out yet not as much as it did on the nose.  Very soft on the palate, not flabby but soft.  Finished pretty smooth and fluffy. I liked it.

We then moved to the '04 Hochar Pere et Fils Rouge which at first I placed third on the tasting but it was a little lighter than the other so it went second.  It was pretty soft with notes of ripe red fruit, light pepper and hints of chopped green bell pepper.  The palate was nice, almost Pinot Noir-like, yet with a little more acidity.  Finish was nice and smooth.

Next up was the '09 Musar Jeune Rouge which was something of a dream to taste.  Rich notes of currants, spices and dark black fruit.  Light tobacco and earth hit the palate first, then came in the fruit.  This wine reminded me of something out of the Rhone region as the dirt was a big player yet fruit hung around like someone passed gas.  Oh what, nobody ever farts? The palate was rich and medium to full-bodied with good acidity.  Balanced yet wanted to show you more.  And the best part it was only $17!  I really love these wines.

Then we came to the 'real' show of the tasting, the 2002 Chateau Musar Rouge.  After being decanted for 5 hours I felt it was ready.  The color was like any other non-filtered red wine that had been sitting around for 8 years.  It was actually pretty light with a garnet center and a light brown rim.  Good earth notes with some decent amount of dark fruit hanging around as well.  The palate was off the hook as it was very soft or even delicate with notes of more soil, plums and light tobacco.  This was a very nice wine!  The finish had a light cooked brown sugar on it as the perfectly balanced acidity and tannins slowly went away.  Holy crap, this is a nice wine.  $45 on the shelf and only 13.5% alcohol!  

Overall, it was a great tasting and we sold out of all the 02 Chateau Musar.  I really did not see that one coming as it is $45 but hey, the people have spoken and they want great wines, traditional wine making and a great value.  Chateau Musar...I salute you!

Natalino del Prete Wines

I tasted these wines when I lived in Rome and kinda forgot about them until I noticed an importer was bringing them in.  So I sent out a text message about them and said I wanted to taste them.  Two days later the wines were sitting on my bar at the shop and guess what?  Just like I remembered!  Old world all the way.

Del Prete wines are all organic and natural from Puglia with slightly higher than average alcohol for the area, around 13%-15% but do not taste like high-alcohol crap you can get from California or might I say even Washington?  Almost no information can be found online and the importer has no info either.  

These wines are something out of a dream as they taste like they could age for another 10 years but it might be hard to hold myself back.  Wines like these are what makes my job so difficult sometimes.  

2009 Natalino del Prete Primitivo del Salentino "Nataly" $20 per 750ml

Being that this wines is a Zinfandel you might expect a few jammy notes and a few spices but not really on this betty.  Some light floral notes with good spices and light tobacco.  On the palate it was medium to full-bodied with some good dark tree-fruit hanging around.  As it sat in the glass it seemed to show more depth with some old-world notes of anise and more earth notes.  This is a great wine that once people open it up and see what this little producer has to offer, they will wake up and realize...this is what a wine should be.  Organic, natural and old world!  Love it.

2009 Natalino del Prete Salice Salentino "Torre Nove" $20 per 750ml

To start off I would guess that this is a blend of Negroamaro and Malvasia Rosso but again...just a guess.  Pretty rich in color but some solid spices and a light dustiness with some rich color hanging around. Hints of leather and tobacco with some great notes of dark vine-fruit.  Palate was rustic and some rich fruit notes.  Solid body and structure with medium tannins that were pretty smooth.  These wines are something that should not be overlooked.

2010 Natalino del Prete IGT Salento Aleatico $20 per 500ml


So this wine was on the rich and potent side of things.  Super dark in color with notes of rich black fruit and light ruby goodness.  Hints of fresh raisins and prunes where lingering around.  The palate was rich or should I say...wealthy?  High acidity yet very balanced.  Overall this is a wine that could use a few years but as it hit the air it calmed down.  I loved it the way it is right now!

Arizona Stronghold Tasting

So after all is said and done it seems that most people today liked the '10 Nachise the best today but here are my tasting notes anyway.

2010 Arizona Stronghold Mangus $24.99

The color is actually pretty light with almost a lighter than garnet color.  On the nose it was pretty fruity.  Some pretty good tart fruit and red tree fruit with hints of dried leaves.  It was actually pretty light in body yet very soft on the palate with medium tannins and decent acidity.  This is what I would call a great pizza wine yet Nicole and I had the '09 Mangus with Filet Mignon and it went very well with it.

2010 Arizona Stronghold Nachise $24.99

So this is what you get when you cross Rhone varietals and Arizona.  This was a wine that really took me for a loop.  France in Arizona?  Okay.  Some pretty good herbs, good black tree-fruit with what I swear was burnt creme.  Pretty decent on the palate with a solid core and firm tannins.  Medium-bodied with a pretty fast finish.  I am thinking this would be perfect with beef stew.

2010 Arizona Stronghold Dala (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) $20.99

Okay, this was a HUGE winner in my book.  This is a great 100% Cabernet that blew me away.  Medium intensity with a nice garnet rim.  On the nose it reminded me of someone crushing fruit with hints of dried or dark candy bar chocolate.  There was a hint of anise lingering around as well.  Man, I don't like anise, so when I smell it, it stands out.  On the palate, it was not as huge as most 100% cabs that I have tried.  Very strong finish but that not that strong!  I really like this wine!  Something about it just tickles my palate.

2009 Arizona Stronghold Site Archive 'Lozen' $44.99

This is the Bordeaux blend from AS and at this point, I was expecting a little more from it but it really was not all that big or different from the other wines.  Yes the nose was pretty big but on the palate it seemed to lose some of its weight.  It was not big nor was it even huge like it should have been.  Something was missing.  I know they only made 150 cases so I can see where the price might come from but I really don't think it is worth the $45 on the shelf.  There was some rich fruit on the palate and nose, but it seemed to fall short on the end where I like it to count.  I think in the upcoming years this wine will really show but for right now...sorry AS, I can't stick this wine on my shelf as it does not meet my QPR (quality to price ratio).

Overall the wines were showing pretty well and people were amazed by the quality coming out of this winery and I look forward to having these wines around for a long time.

Cheers my friends

santo

2008 Pruno Ribera del Duero

Had a rep come in and taste me on two Spanish wines.  This one was good but the other...not so much.  Wine is a blend of Tempranillo, Cab Sauv and Merlot that was aged in oak for 12 months.  Pretty dark in color with a light purple rim.  Good amount of spices and rich dark fruit on the nose.  Fruit was also sweet and spicy on the palate but not like a wine that was over-extracted.  This wine was a bit more full-bodied and rich yet has great structure.  The finish was pretty smooth as the tannins were not huge but just right. It could sit in the cellar for a few years or just decant it for an hour and it will be perfect.  Wine sells for $20

1994 Steinmetz Riesling Spatlese Muhlheimer Sonnenlay

This is one of those wines where I was glad to taste and bring in all at the same time.  So far the people who have been buying this love it because it is a German Riesling made for people who like traditional German Rieslings.  HUGE notes of wet stone and petrol on the nose but then once it hits the palate there is this beautiful level of minerals and sugar.  Wine is very thick and tends to leave your mouth coated with a loving feel.  I'm not sure how long the 1994 will be around but I'd think it will hanging around in the bottle for another 5-10 years or longer.  This is NOT a German Riesling made for the American palate but a Riesling made for a true Riesling lover. That is me!

That is one fine ahso!

So last night, I got a text message saying that a bottle of wine I had sold to a good friend was bad! They thought the cork was rotten as it was not able to be pulled out, and she wanted to know what she should do. At first I was concerned about the bottle, but then realized where she was and who was probably opening the bottle. I told her it sounded like the person who opened the bottle took a wine opener that has the wings, so rather than opening the bottle like a normal person, they just jammed the auger in the cork and ripped the auger out of the cork. People, don’t use these types of wine openers:

All they do is make you look like an idiot when trying to open a bottle. Then again some people just don’t want to learn how to open a bottle of wine the correct way. Or they are confused and are just waiting to be shown the correct way! For me the best way to open a bottle of wine is to use a nice ahso. I mean I love a good ahso. The way the cork slides right into the asho, thus gripping the sides making it so the cork has nowhere to go but up with the ahso. A couple soft turns and a light tug pulls the cork right up. Do yourself a favor and learn how to use an ahso. You might even have an ahso in your house already but never knew it was there. Maybe your friend has an ahso and they’ll let you borrow theirs? Either way, you need to get your hands on an ahso.

Maintaining your asho is pretty easy. Clean it off here and there. Try not to bend it too much and always make sure to cover your asho when you are done using it. For me there is no other way to open a nice bottle of wine, plus…only the truly gifted can use an ahso and use it well. So practice up my friends, and if you don’t have one, go out and get one. They’re pretty cheap at around $5. It is the cheapest ahso you can find. Here is what my ahso looks like and trust me, it is well used!

2007 Domaine Marc Roy Clos Prieur Gevrey-Chambertin

The last dinner of the year was spent with my lovely partner Nicole, and her mother, but more importantly we opened our last bottle of 2011: the beautiful 2007 Domaine Marc Roy ClosPrieur Gevrey-Chambertin. 100% Pinot Noir and 100% amazing. Clos Prieur is not a Grand Cru but is very close to them, and tastes like one.

Color is awesome with notes of dark cherry and the nose of this wine portrays what every PinotNoir is. This is what California wine wants to be. Full of red fruit, spices, and exotic balance & structure. The finish is something out of a dream. Very soft on the palate, more of that red fruit with some light mocha, and hints of black pepper on the tip of the tongue. Thirty seconds later it was all gone.

Being that I am a wine merchant, I should be used to these kinds of wines but I never am! I feel honored that Rain City Wines is the only wine merchant on the east side of Lake Washington to carry Marc Roy's wines. In the upcoming month, I want to hold a tasting with the Marc Roy wines! This will allow everyone to taste these one of a kind Pinot's from a country that knows how to make them.

Happy New Years!

Santo, Nicole & Cosimo