The Night Merlot Was King

For a night, Merlot was king. The grape that got turned upside down in the movie Sideways was back on top for two hours in March. This event, and others similar to it, proves to me once and for all that Twitter and other Social Media has changed the way we can do business and effect change.

Before I get into the analysis of the Twitter metrics for the night I must give thanks to the group that pulled it together. I may have been the face behind a lot of posts, videos and tweets, but without these amazing ambassadors of Washington Wine, this event would have fallen far short of its potential. The following twitter personalities were on board from the beginning – @SeattleWineGal – @WAWineReport – @Catie – @WineBeerWA – @WineeYak – @YakimaValley – @Shonoa425 – @wbcorbust – @nwwineandre – and @lunabeanmedia. These are the people who are deserving of the praise.

The Promotion and Media

#WAMerlot gained a massive groundswell about 2 weeks prior to the event. More than 100 wineries, restaurants, wine bars, wine stores, and even hotels from New Jersey to Wisconsin to Phoenix to Seattle got on board! The event was featured in the Spokesman Review, Walla Walla Union Bulletin, and even National Public Radio. Promotion continued through other wine writers like SuppleWine, WineFoot, Oregon Wine Blog, Wine Harlots, Wino Magazine, Sip With Me, Wine-Ophelia, Vinotology, Weekly Wine Journal, Cork’d and so many more (so sorry if I forgot to mention you). One highlight for me was the Gary Vaynerchuk Wine Library TV #WAMerlot episode. In fact, leading up to and after the event there were over 75 blog posts that referenced the event from wine reviews to social media reporting.

The Results and Analysis

I don’t have fancy Twitter analytics. I know they exist. I know there are programs that can determine the overall reach, brand impressions, etc – I don’t have those (if I get them, I’ll update this post). Here is what I do know. The event rocked the wine world!

• Twitter rock stars like @ChrisPirillo (Social Media persona) and @nansen (Seattle politics) joined in during the evening. Between them they have nearly 300,000 followers.
• Wineries and businesses having events had anywhere from zero to more than 30 people in attendance. From preliminary returns average attendance ran about 10. If my 6^th grade math serves me right, 100 locations x 10 people average is approximately 1000 people.
• Tweets were observed from Europe, Australia, Asia (China), and North America (Canada, Mexico, and USA) – 4 out of 7 continents.
• #WAMerlot was a trending topic in Seattle (#1 and #2 at times) and was in the top 15 of trending topics on Twitter during the evening.
• Web site www.wthashtag.com tracked almost 2000 tweets by nearly 500 tweeters.
• Total brand reach was well into the millions
• Potential bottle consumption of Washington Merlot for the night is between 2000-3000 bottles
• While attending Taste Washington, I was continually thanked by dozens of wineries that participated in the event. True test – we’ve been asked to do it again.
• People had fun. People drank some effin’ Merlot!

The NectarView

While I spent the evening traveling to four locations in Spokane, I felt it important to give a formal review to the wineries who sent me samples (bottle shots below) 

2007 Hogue Cellars Merlot

• The Stuff: 99% Merlot and 1% Syrah, Columbia Valley, 31,606 cases produced, 13.9%ABV
• The Swirl: Moderatly cloudy and slightly translucent. Dark cherry tones leaning toward a plum color
• The Sniff: Fairly tight on the nose at first but opens up to cherry, dust, and cocoa
• The Sip: A little thin on the front and thick fruit flavors on the mid palate. The wine is singular in dimension (dark cherry fruit) and provides a good sipping experience.
• The Score: At $9-$10, you won’t blow anyone away with this selection, but it will suffice as a standby everyday drinker. Some wines in this Hogue family can be hit or miss, but this Merlot is a good trusty label. I score it a 3 minus (out of 5)

Cellar Tracker Scores: No scores on the 07 vintage, but the 05 and 06 scores range between 77 – 87 (median 85)

2006 Fielding Hills Merlot

• The Stuff: Single vineyard Wahluke Slope AVA, 80% Merlot 11% Cab 9% Syrah, aged 19 months in 77% new oak, 14.3%abv, 163 cases
• The Swirl: Dark plum with beautiful jewel tones toward the edges. Mostly opaque
• The Sniff: Overwhelming aromas of cherry, smoke, and hints of spicy bacon. Amazed at how aroma profile changes as it comes through the nose.
• The Sip: A mouthful of joy! The black cherry fruit skips across your tongue and then transforms into undertones of smooth violet perfume, that then release themselves to cocoa flavors. The acidic finish brings a nice wash across the back of the mouth as the finish lingers for eternity.
• The Score: At $36, I score this wine a 4+ (out of 5) and would easily buy it again and again. The balance between complexity, flavor, and drinkability are impeccable.

Cellar Tracker Score 93pts (1 score); Wine Spectator Score 93pts

2007 Longshadows Pedestal Merlot

• The Stuff: 75% Merlot, 15% Cab Sauv, 7% Cab Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, Aged 20 months in 80% new oak, 2005 cases, 14.7%abv
• The Swirl: Dark, dark, dark. Looks like the midnight sky with some hints of purple.
• The Sniff: Once you get past the tree hugging oak, some big blackberry fruit springs forth. A small shot of spice shoots out too.
• The Sip: Intense and immense are the words that come to mind. A concentration of fruit with enough acidity to not make you think fruit bomb. The oak flavors are more subdued on the palate and some nice tannins firm up the back end. Still a young wine but provides intense flavor with 60 second finish
• The Score: At $45-$55 I score this wine a 4 (out of 5) – lowered slightly because of the price. An incredibly well made wine for those that want an intense Merlot experience. I would think laying this down for 5 years would reveal a supurb wine for the future.

Cellar Tracker Score (1 review) 92 pts; Josh Green Score 96pts

Long Live the King!

Grocery Outlet Bargain Hunt Final Chapter

Six wines, two drain dumpers, two meh, and two certified “deals.” This is the result of the Grocery Outlet Challenge. Yesterday, I received a comment on my blog that I MUST pass along. Kelly shares this in regards to wine deal hunting at Grocery Outlet, “You have to kiss a lot of wine-toads before you find your prince charming vin.”

Day One: How do You Define a Bargain?

Day Two: Deal Found for Bargainistas

The last two GO posts have generated some of the most intense response I’ve seen to a wine review (over 100 comments between my Facebook page and this blog). This tells me two things, 1) people are looking for bargain wine in a big way and 2) people like the chance to win $50! For me the exciting part has been seeing actual consumers comment on the blog (usually wine blogs generate a lot of industry insider comments).  I want to thank the hundreds of new visitors that have stopped by and I want to encourage you to keep coming back and to check out the blog links I read on the right side of the page. There are so many great wine reviewers there that can help with your wine buying decisions.

Today’s review is two reds and two labels that I recognize. In reading through everyone’s comments, this seems to be one of the themes. If you see a label you recognize at a price below what you would find at a grocery store, pick up a few bottles. The other theme is, if you’re into experimenting, be sure to just pick up one test bottle before you commit to the whole lot.

Now, on with the review.

2006 Cameron Hughes Petite Sirah

• The Stuff: Sourced from a top Petite Sirah producer in Lodi then re-introduced to oak barrels for 12 months; 6000 cases produces 13.5%abv
• The Swirl: Dark brooding wine with a rusty purple tinge.
• The Sniff: Subtle and subdued but gives off hints of dried cranberry, blueberry, violets and nutmeg (Thanksgiving in a bottle)
• The Sip: Slightly disappointed because the nose was so nice, the structure seems very thin. The hint of cranberry on the front loses itself pretty quickly. The seems to be average tannin on the back end, but not as bold as I would hope for a Petite Sirah. Could be a decent sipper for some folks.
• The Score: G.O. says the retail is $15, but Cameron Hughes website says $11. The price I paid was only $6. At $6 I can score this wine a 3 minus (out of 5). Some people may love it, I was on the fence.

Cellar Tracker scores average 85 (with 7 reviews)

2005 Shingleback Grenache

• The Stuff: 100% Grenache from the McLaren Vale; Aged 10 months in used oak 14.5%abv
• The Swirl: Brighter plum with hints of ruby red jewel tones.
• The Sniff: BAM – I just hit in the nose with a raspberry / blackberry fruit. Soft tones of oaky smoke are there too.
• The Sip: My mouth eagerly welcomed this Spanish lover! The fruit was intense but not over the top. It smoothed out nicely and provided just enough spice, leather and smoke as the finish lingered.
• The Score: At $22.50 retail, this is a good wine – at $12, this is a great deal. I score this a 3+ (out of 5)

Definitely the best of the six wines that I purchased.

Cellar Tracker score of 87 (1 review)

There you have it! Six wines down the hatch (or down the drain). Thank you for all your comments, encouraging words and suggestions. I love hearing about the DEALS you found. Please leave a comment for your chance to win a $50 Grocery Outlet gift card. You won’t be added to a mailing list and you won’t get spammed.

GROCERY OUTLET BI-ANNUAL WINE SALE IS MARCH 30-APRIL 3 20% OFF ALL STOCK

*All wine reviewed was purchased using a gift card provided by Grocery Outlet

Deal Found for Bargainistas

Last night I dumped a wine down the drain. Even at $3, the wine was not a good deal. Grocery Outlet buys wine that wineries are moving prior to new releases.

From the Bargainista Blog: These overstocks are most of what Grocery Outlet buys.  The wine can be from the winery, importer or distributor.  Past vintages are opportunistic buys, because once a vintage has been replaced by a newer vintage, the salespeople stop showing the older vintage.  Older vintages become a storage expense, not a sales opportunity.  Wineries, importers and distributors have money tied up in this stock.   To quickly move through non-performing inventory, wineries, importers, and distributors will sell the wine at cost or even a loss.

Yesterday’s post brought lots of activity and comments. People are pretty passionate about finding good deals. The general consensus about shopping at Grocery Outlet is that it’s hit or miss. Be cautious and buy some “test bottles” before you commit to quantity. BUT – when you find a bottle you recognize or a region you trust…scoop it up.

Tonight, I broke out the short sleeve golf shirt to celebrate Spring and two potential white wine “deals.”

The NectarView

2006 Imagine Chardonnay

• The Stuff: 100% Russian River Chalk Hill estate Chardonnay. Aged in oak. A portion of each bottle benefits disadvantaged children. 
• The Swirl: Clean and well filtered with a nice golden yellow color
• The Sniff: Melon and pear/apple aroma with hints of oaky vanilla
• The Sip: The wine has a nice mouth feel but the mid-palate seems slightly off structure. There is a mild butter toast that includes an effervescence like a sparkling wine. A good apple flavor comes through as well.
• The Score: Retail of $22, I wouldn’t re-buy this Chardonnay, but at $11 this is a good 3!

Cellar Tracker Score (2 Reviews) of 84

This is the first DEAL from the Grocery Outlet bunch! With the 20% off sale March 30-April 3, this wine would only be $9 which is a good price for a well made Sonoma Chardonnay.

2007 Sylvester Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc

• The Stuff: 93% Sauvignon Blanc and 7% Chardonnay from Paso Robles
• The Swirl: Pale yellow, straw
• The Sniff: A hint of lemon but a predominant yeast / bread smell
• The Sip: At first the wine presents a really nice citrus and straw flavor but the back end kicks you with a tart finish.
• The Score: Even at $5 I have to compare this to some other good Sauvignon Blanc’s from Arbor Crest ($7) and Yellow + Blue ($9). I can give this a 2 (out of 5). Some people may love the crisp flavor but there isn’t a lot going on here.

Cellar Tracker Score (1 Review) of 76

As a reminder, Grocery Outlet has a huge wine sale March 30 – April 3. Stop by for 20% off their already low prices. Each of the 130+ Grocery Outlet stores is independently operated, so selections vary by store.

*The wine in these reviews was purchased using a $50 gift card provided by Grocery Outlet

ENTER TO WIN $50

It’s simple, leave a comment. Names won’t be added to a mailing list and you won’t be spammed. One lucky person will receive a $50 Grocery Outlet gift card.

Opening Day Wine Line Up Coming Together

Queue up Don Henley’s Boys of Summer. Spin some John Fogerty, Centerfield. In less than two weeks, the official start of summer begins with the yell of, “play ball” and the crack of the bat. I can almost smell the fresh cut grass, pine tar, stale beer and hot dogs.

While baseball season is right around the corner, my attempt to field a team of solid “Under $10 All Stars” has been a challenge. Spring training tryouts have been hampered by poor performance, no shows and injuries. The graphic above shows the status of the team including tryouts from three Merlot.

2007 14 Hands Merlot

• The Stuff: Washington State, 85% Merlot, 14% Syrah, 1% other red grapes; Aged 12 months in a variety of new and used American and French Oak.
• The Swirl: Dark plum and slightly cloudy
• The Sniff: Tight on the nose with hints of plum and sweet candy
• The Sip: A muddy combination of cherry syrup, sweet candy, and woodiness. Very flat back end with a lack of tannin and little acidity.
• The Score: At $9.99 I score this a 2 (out of 5). The character is undefined with little structure. There are better under $10 Merlot

Cellar Tracker reviews 91.5 (two reviews) – wow, not sure I agree here

2007 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Merlot

• The Stuff: Columbia Valley, 85% Merlot, 7% Syrah, 5% Cab Fanc, 3% Cab Sauv; 13.5%ABV, aged 14 months in a combination of new French and American oak.
• The Swirl: Dark cherry color with moderate translucence and thin outer edge
• The Sniff: Modest cocoa and oak on the nose with hints of cherry and tobacco
• The Sip: Dark cherry blackberry on the mid palate with a nice smooth finish of cocoa. A hint of spice jumps through that makes this a decent Merlot for the money. Nothing is intense and everything is subdued.
• The Score: At $9.95 I score this a 3 (out of 5). This is an average Merlot that will provide many enjoyable nights.

No reviews on Cellar Tracker or Cork’d for 2007 vintage

2008 Charles Smith Velvet Devil Merlot

• The Stuff: 100% Washington Merlot, 10 months in oak, 13.8% ABV
• The Swirl: Mildly translucent with ruby red undertones. A pretty wine
• The Sniff: Smooth dark chocolate with cherry and oak. I would imagine this would be the aroma an Umpa Lumpa would smell in the chocolate river (if cherries were involved too).
• The Sip: The sip is slightly thin on the front that opens up to a nice moderate fruit – still cherries. Definitely a chocolate covered cherry Merlot.
• The Score: At only $12 (sometimes under $10) – At this price, a solid 3 (out of 5). A trustworthy wine for the money. Good sipper, but the thin front and single dimension leave the score lower.

Cellar Tracker average of 85 pts with 5 reviews

With these three tryouts (and 2 other Merlot), I place the 2008 Charles Smith Velvet Devil Merlot on the starting roster at Right Field batting 8^th.

My 2010 American League Baseball Predictions

AL East The Red Sox will win the East at 93 wins, Yankees will finish with 90 wins

AL Central The Twins will win the Central with 90 wins, Whitesox will finish with 86 wins

AL West The Rangers will win the West with 93 wins, the Mariners will finish with 91 wins and take the Wild Card for the AL

Do you have a player to suggest for the team? Leave a comment. who do you think will win each of the AL divisions? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Slurps Across America with Swirl Smell Slurp

The good folks at Swirl Smell Slurp wine blog have a great challenge going. They’ll be collaboratively tasting through wine from all 50 states over the next 50 weeks. The challenge is creatively titled, “United Slurps of America.” The inaugural post featured tastings with 1WineDude from Pennsylvania. I was honored to be selected as the representative taster from Washington. With the crappy shipping laws in this country, locating the same wine in two different states can prove to be a challenge. Fortunately ‘him and her’ were able to find five wines at their local wine store that I was familiar with and hadn’t already done reviews on. We settled on a Riesling from Seven Hills and a Merlot (of course) from Charles Smith.

If you’re not familiar with SwirlSmellSlurp.com – check them out. They’re fun, edgy, witty, and they have a great line up of thematic posts from Sunday Salon to Weekly Hangover. They’re definitely a candidate for Wine Blog Awards “Best New Wine Blog” (but I hope to offer a little competition). 

2008 Seven Hills Riesling

• The Stuff: 100% Riesling from two Yakima Valley vineyards; screw cap
• The Swirl: Bright pale honey color with a thick viscosity.
• The Sniff: A decent bouquet of citrus, lime, plumeria, and tropical sweetness
• The Sip: I’m not a sweet wine fan – I enjoy my whites crisp, with fruit, but on the dry side. This was a moderate sweet Riesling (6 out of 10) but not syrupy. A decent amount of acidity helped to balance out the sweetness. The finish was quite lengthy.
• The Score: At $14, this is not my favorite wine (mostly preference). I score it a solid 3 (out of 5) for being fairly one dimensional.

I was super excited to try this next offering from Charles Smith Wines. From their web site:

Owner-winemaker Charles Smith with his big hair, kick ass attitude and bold packaging arrived in the Walla Walla Valley following eleven years in Scandinavia managing rock bands. Originally hailing from northern California, he has been involved with wine personally and professionally his entire life. “It’s just booze – drink it!”

I purchased the Velvet Devil Merlot for an upcoming “affordable Merlot” tasting to promote #WAMerlot on March 25. When SwirlSmellSlurp had the devil on their list, I succumbed to the temptation.

2008 Charles Smith Velvet Devil Merlot

• The Stuff: 100% Washington Merlot, 10 months in oak, 13.8% ABV
• The Swirl: Mildly translucent with ruby red undertones. A pretty wine
• The Sniff: Smooth dark chocolate with cherry and oak. I would imagine this would be the aroma an Umpa Lumpa would smell in the chocolate river (if cherries were involved too).
• The Sip: The sip is slightly thin on the front that opens up to a nice moderate fruit – still cherries. Definitely a chocolate covered cherry Merlot.
• The Score: At only $12 (sometimes under $10) – At this price, a solid 3 (out of 5). A trustworthy wine for the money. Good sipper, but the thin front and single dimension leave the score lower.

Special thanks to SwirlSmellSlurp.com for inviting me to participate. Make sure you follow along with their journey. I’m excited to see where it takes them.

In the Ring with Pinot Pinot Pinot

Three ladies jump in the ring and go toe to toe for supremacy. Sorry, no mud! These ladies are queen Pinot Noir’s from three different parts of the world and three different price points.

This battle is a semi-blind tasting. I know which three bottles I taste; I just don’t know which wines are in each glass. Ahead of time, my wife pours the glasses and writes the name of the wine on a card placed upside down in front of the glass.

For my friends new to the wine world, Pinot Noir is a noble, fickle lady. The grape is said to be difficult to grow, produces lower yields and is affected greatly by soil and climate. The thin skin produces a light color and a traditional Pinot Noir is soft and pairs well with all kinds of food.

The Battle:

Through the tasting you can see that I’m quickly impressed by one of the wines, uninspired by the other and curious about the third. The first bottle is quickly identifiable as a well made Pinot. The aroma is sweet and bright and the flavor is eloquent, round and balanced. The middle bottle was thin and boring but not tasteless. The final bottle had a very strong scent of earth, sour candied cherry, and graham crackers. A lot of people will like this wine, but for me, I’m not a fan of earthy wines.

The Results:

You’ll have to watch the video to see how the tasting turned out. We’ll just say 1 out of 3 ain’t bad.

The NectarView:

2007 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir

• The Stuff: 100% Pinot Noir from Tualitan Valley Vineyards
• The Swirl: A very light rusty brown purple color. Very translucent and clear
• The Sniff: Bright Rhubarb and Strawberry with vanilla and perfume
• The Sip: A nice sweet front end with a tart cranberry on the back end. A beautiful acid wash to clear the palate.
• The Score: At $40, I score this a 3+ – compared to the Signature Cuvee I had from WVV, this doesn’t quite measure up. Much better than some at $20 but others at this price fair better.

See another review by blogger Mary Cressler at Vindulge

2008 Jacob’s Creek Reserve Pinot Noir

• The Stuff: 100% Pinot Noir, nothing else clearly defined on web site
• The Swirl: Muted red purple jewel tones with 70% transparency
• The Sniff:  A strong earthy herb aroma with whiffs of sour cherry and toasted oak
• The Sip: This wine has a big mouth. Definitely herb”ie” (not the Love Bug) and wet dirt along with a candied cherry sweetness.
• The Score: At only $16 this wine will appeal to a lot of people who enjoy Pinot Noir. I’m not a fan of this flavor profile, but it certainly wasn’t boring. I’ll score it a 4 (out of 5) for value and flavor.

No Cellar Tracker or Cork’d reviews of the 2007 Vintage

2008 Smoking Loon Pinot Noir

• The Stuff: Not a lot of detail on their web site; 100% California Pinot Noir
• The Swirl: Muted ruby red tone with about 70% transparency
• The Sniff: Mild aromas of sweet cherry and strawberry. Mild smoky campfire bacon. Picture yourself coming back from a long hike and your about 100 yards from the camp site – your nose gets a faint whiff of bacon and your heart skips a beat. That is what is very mild on this nose.
• The Sip: Quite thin on the front end with a touch of sweet cherry candy. A tart backend with a quick finish. Reminds me of the scrawny kid in class that no one pays attention to. As you look back through the year book you say, “Hey, he went to school here?”
• The Score: There is nothing off balance about the wine, it just leaves me uninterested and flat. At only $8-$10 that doesn’t surprise me and still leaves me looking for a surprise value in this price point. I score it a 2 (out of 5). 

No reviews of the 2008, but the 2007 is reviewed with an average score of 83 from 10 reviews here

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