Quilceda Creek
Bottle Notes, Cabernet Sauvignon

2007 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon – Bottle Notes

Quilceda Creek Vintners was founded in 1978 by Alex and Jeanette Golitzin. Alex Golitzin is a nephew of André Tchelistcheff, the legendary winemaker who put BeaulieuVineyard at the forefront of Napa Valley Cabernet in the sixties and seventies. He credits summer trips to visit his uncle in St. Helena, California with developing his early interest in wine. Paul Golitzin, Alex’s…

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2008 No Girls Grenache
Bottle Notes, Grenache

2008 No Girls La Paciencia Grenache – Bottle Notes

No Girls Wines is a partnership between famed Cayuse vigneron Christophe Baron and longtime friend and Cayuse general manager, Trevor Dorland. The fruit comes from the Cayuse La Paciencia vineyard, which means patience—appropriate as the project was ten years in the making. The vines are tightly spaced and planted on an angle, giving No Girls a profile all its own. The name…

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2001 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir
Bottle Notes, Pinot Noir

2001 Williams Selyem Vista Verde Pinot Noir – Bottle Notes

Williams Selyem Winery began with Ed Selyem and Burt Williams making wine as a hobby in 1979 in a garage in Forestville, California, releasing their first commercial vintage in 1981. In less than two decades, Burt and Ed created a cult-status winery of international acclaim. Setting a new standard for Pinot Noir winemaking, they put Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley…

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2005 California Cult Pinot Noir
Bottle Notes, Pinot Noir

Pick My Next Bottle: 2005 California Cult Pinot Noir

The September installment of Pick My Next Bottle focuses on 2005 California “cult” Pinot Noir (see the July installment for background on this series). I plan on opening the winning bottle on September 29th, and publishing an in depth bottle note on October 1st. The contenders for this month are Rochioli West Block and Williams Selyem Flax Vineyard, both from the Russian River Valley, and Kosta Browne…

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2007 Rasa QED
Bottle Notes, Syrah

2007 Rasa QED – Bottle Notes

Rasa Vineyards is a relatively new winery located in Walla Walla, Washington. Founded in 2007 by brothers Pinto and Billo Naravane, Rasa specializes in Syrah-based wines but has recently released Cabernet, Riesling and Mourvedre. Pinto is the Managing Partner, while Billo is the Winemaker. The 2007 QED was the first wine produced by Rasa. The wine is 94% Syrah, 3%…

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Amelia Bleu 2009 Riverenza
Bottle Notes, Red Blend

2009 Amelia Bleu Riverenza – Bottle Notes

Doug & Heather Roberts founded Amelia Bleu in 2009. The winery, named after daughter Amelia, currently produces three wines using fruit from Ashlyn’s Vineyard (named after their other daughter) in Chelan, Washington. We took the opportunity to visit their new tasting room on a recent excursion out to the Woodinville warehouse district. Riverenza, Italian for reverence, is dedicated to the…

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2008 Peay Pinot Noir
Bottle Notes, Pinot Noir

2008 Peay Estate Pinot Noir – Bottle Notes

Peay Vineyards is a partnership between Vanessa Wong, and Andy and Nick Peay. Founded in 1998, the 48 acre hilltop vineyard is located in the far northwestern corner of the Sonoma Coast, four miles from the Pacific Ocean. They grow 33 acres of Pinot Noir, 8 acres of Syrah, 5 acres of Chardonnay,  and small amounts of Viognier, Roussanne and…

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