A well rounded dry Pinot Noir rosé offering a crisp nose of strawberry, cranberry and just a hint of rhubarb. The lighter salmon color is reminiscent of the rosés of Provence. Lively flavors greet the palate with red cherry, strawberry and cranberry with floral notes of rose petal in the finish. Perfect acidity for pairing with lighter summer meals. Buy This Wine
Originally tasting room only, now in limited distribution. A wonderful Chardonnay priced well below other AO Chards without a step down in flavor. The nose offers enticing notes of red juicy apple and caramel with hints of spice. The same sensations of red juicy apple, caramel and spice are present on the palate with added flavors of ripe pear and just a subtle touch of crème brûlée. The creamy mouth-feel has the right balance of acidity. Buy This Wine
This Pinot Noir blends grapes from California’s premier Pinot growing regions, 51% Monterey County, 28% Santa Barbara County & 21% Sonoma County. A very rich and plush mouth-feel with fully ripe berry flavors. This beauty needs at least 15 minutes to open to its full potential. The opening act is an appealing nose of blackberry, blueberry and spice. The palate is then treated to a wine with balanced acidity offering flavors of blueberry, blackberry and dark cherry with notes of spice and cola on the long finish. As it opens, subtle notes reminiscent of blueberry pie entice. Buy This Wine
“Whether I’m making a $100 bottle of wine or a $12 bottle of wine, I put just as much effort into each wine. All wines have to be balanced to be successful.” Charles Smith, winemaker
Charles Smith has been called everything from the Wildman of Walla Walla to Winemaker of the Year (2009 Food and Wine Magazine & 2010 Seattle Magazine). Looking more like rock star Sammy Hagar of Van Halen fame, than the stereotypical winemaker, Charles is a rock star in the winemaking world.
After years of managing rock bands across Europe, Charles landed in Walla Walla to follow his true passion; winemaking. His first vintage was a mere 330 cases of 1999 K Syrah. A self-taught winemaker, Smith created the House Wine label which he sold in 2006. Today his labels include K Vintners, Charles Smith Wines, Secco Italian Bubbles, Charles and Charles Project and Vino.
We met up with Charles on a beautiful spring morning in Austin, Texas in the courtyard of the trendy Hotel San Jose on South Congress. After the interview, we headed out for post-interview enchiladas at Guero’s Taco Bar, just up South Congress Avenue. While sitting at the bar, one fellow looked to his friend and pointed at Charles saying “look dude, this is cool thing about Austin, we’re sitting at a bar with Sammy Hagar.”
As you will see, Charles Smith is as unique an individual as are the wines he strives to create. He prides himself in creating high-quality value-priced wines that appeal to the consumer who might not reach for a glass of wine as their first beverage of choice as well as the budget conscious wine enthusiast. Continue reading »
Gavi is a crisp white wine made from the Cortese grape grown in the southeast region of Piedmont. Gavi may be my wine find of the summer. A perfectly refreshing patio sipper or for pairing with lighter summer fare. Similar to CA Sauvignon Blanc (no grapefruit flavor), this beauty opens with a nose of pineapple and citrus balanced with a little pear. The palate is treated to flavors of green apple, pineapple and hint of pear with integrated minerality. Lower alcohol at 12% is a bonus. Buy This Wine
