NW Wines in Wine Spectators Top 100

2009 November 23

 

There were 12 NW wines included in this years Wine Spectators Top 100!  And one of Washington’s very own came in at numero uno!

#1

95  $27 Columbia Crest!  Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley Reserve 2005

# 18

95 $60 Argyle! Extended Tirage Willamette Valley 1999

 #26

95 $65 Cayuse!   Syrah Walla Walla Valley Cailloux Vineyard 2006

#33

92 $25 Novelty Hill!  Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2006

#36
93 $29 Efeste!  Syrah Red Mountain Ceidleigh 2006

 #38

92 $28 Chateau Ste. Michelle! Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills Canoe Ridge Estate 2006

 #60

93 $50 Spring Valley!  Uriah Walla Walla Valley 2006

#66

90 $8 Barnard Griffin!  Riesling Columbia Valley 2008

#72

91 $20 The Magnificent Wine Company!  Syrah Columbia Valley 2006

#74

91 $22  Waterbrook!  Cabernet Sauvignon ColumbiaValley Reserve 2006
 
#77
 90 $17 King Estate!  Pinot Gris Oregon Signature Collection 2008
#97

 92 $48 Evening Land!   Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills Seven Springs Vineyard 2007 

 Top 100 2009 Wine  

 

 

 

 

Hestia Cellars

2009 November 11

Hestia  is a great small boutique winery in Woodinville that I discovered at the Seattle Wine Awards.  Using grapes from Yakima Valley and Wahluke Slope appellations Hestia Cellars is dedicated to  “producing wines of individual character, richness, balance, and longevity”.   

Current Wines Available

But wait…more wines… Fall Release November 21-22.   Well worth the visit!

**Seattle Wine Awarded a  BRONZE to their 2006 Hestia Cellars Syrah, Dineen Vineyard

A Slow Go For Luxury Homes

2009 November 7

One variable that remains the same for all segments of the real estate market is that the loan market is the controlling variable.  The availability of loans and now the appraiser determines whether or not you will succeed at selling or buying a home right now.    OK..  There are a few other things that go into the home sales or purchase cycle but the biggest hurdle is the loan…

Altos Research just posted this article summing up the luxury home market sales and jumbo loans.  This article provides a very good illustration of why it’s a slow go for luxury home sellers right now.

Jumbo Mortgages and Housing Market Prices

Meet the Wine Makers of Bainbridge Island

2009 November 2
Perennial Vintners harvest re

Harvest at Perennial Vintners

It’s a motley crew but worth the 35 minute trip from Seattle.

Meet the Winemakers of Bainbridge Island
This weekend Nov. 7-8
12-5pm
 
Bainbridge Wineries - Bainbridge Island has 6 boutique, artisan wineries.  All of the winemakers share a passion for great wine and  enjoy their obscure out-post  Island winemaking. Two of the wineries are purist Puget Sound AVA winemakers sourcing grapes solely from their own Bainbridge Island estate vineyards. 
 
Visit Bainbridge this weekend a mere 35 minute ferry ride from downtown Seattle.  This is a great opportunity to visit all of the wineries that are rarely open to the public.  Taste local wine and meet the winemakers!

Scary Halloween Wine

2009 October 29
by akulest

Pumpkin twitter

 

My list of scary Halloween wine. 

Vampire Wine

Transylvania, Dracula, vampires of Europe and rave inspired wine. 

 

Velvet Devil – Merlot

Charles Smith Wines Washington’s own Columbia Valley Wahluke Slope tasting notes

 

Water Witch – Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend

Mark Ryan Winery  One of the wild warehouse district wineries.

 

What’s on your list??

 

Go Solar!

2009 October 17
by akulest

Learning to Grow Grapes in the Puget Sound AVA

2009 October 17

Perennial Pinot GrisPerennial Vintners pinot gris harvestedPerennial vintners sonia and wine

Western Washington is now hitting the radar screen as  a plausible place to grow wine grapes.   See recent Seattle Times article on Western Washington’s emerging wine grapes  The first Puget Sound grape crops appeared around 1825 at Fort Vancouver.  When Prohibition was repealed in 1933, Seattle realtor Charles Somers and his son C. W. “Bill” Somers started St. Charles Winery on Stretch Island.

Since the summer I’ve been immersed in learning how to grow Puget Sound AVA wine grapes.  I took on 50 Pinot Gris vines planted by Mike Lempriere and Beth Schoenberg, owners, winemaker and grape growers for Perennial Vintners on Bainbridge Island.  My job was to baby sit these vines,  thin the leafs, watch for powdery mildew, spray at night by flashlight,  talk to the grapes when needed,  test for sugars and acidity and generally guide the grapes to their fate of harvest and crushia!   The grapes have been harvested, crushed and they are now fermenting their way to great 2009 Puget Sound AVA Pinot Gris Wine!

Woodinville Wine Country’s St. Nicholas Day!

2009 October 2

st_nicks1This event brings back very fond memories.  My friends and I have gathered for years at this event to kick the Christmas season off right.  We go to Woodinville, tast wines and buy only special wines for our Holiday gift giving and house warmings and OK our own personal antitodes to the Season.  This is a very fun event and great opportunity to taste Woodinville wines!

December 5th and 6th, 2009
11:00am to 4:00pm

Click Here for tickets

Short Sales Explained

2009 September 28
by akulest

I saw this article and thought it explained the short sale process very well.  The banks are still trying to figure out how to navigate short sales and foreclosures.   It’s a mess…  and  a conversation I am having regularly with clients wanting to jump into the short sale game.   

Read more…..

Area 705 leads real estate pending sales

2009 September 23
by akulest

What is selling in Real Estate seems to be the question of the moment.  In NWMLS “speak” area 705 is the top, numero uno, number one in pending sales  in Seattle/King Co. for the month of August.

Area 705 includes Ballard, Greenwood and of course my favorite PhinneyWood.

For list of the top ten selling areas click here.