It’s time to delve into the sea of thoroughly delicious and great value-priced wines that are available in abundance and hawk out another installment of Wick’s Picks Top 10 Wines to add a little more super to the Super Bowl.
And given the euphoria the entire Pacific Northwest is enjoying due to the rarified air in which their favorite football bird is now soaring, it seems appropriate to focus on wines from our own state.
Here are a few gems that can help add to the fantastic frenzy for our gridiron heroes at the big dance after three decades of effort. For the record, I’m predicting the talons of our Hawks will be steel-piercing, and these wines are worthy for the celebration.
Super Seahawks Winning Wines
Mount Baker 2004 Viognier $15
A wonderfully quaffable blend of 91 percent viognier and 3 percent each of chasselas, pinot gris and roussanne that it lightly sweet and thoroughly delicious. A perfumed nose of honeysuckle and peaches greet you and the layered flavors of peach, mango and a hint of citrus and spice that won’t disappoint. There’s no need for a coin toss when deciding to pull a cork from one of these bottles.
Novelty Hill 2003 Conner Lee Vineyard Chardonnay $20
A rich and creamy chardonnay with a touchdown in every sip. Concentrated and plush wine with ample peach, pineapple and citrus flavors with a touch of mineral and spice. Score a bottle of this wine and you may start doing the “Sprinkler Head Dance.”
L’Ecole No. 41 2004 Fries Vineyard Semillon $20
From the newly designated Wahluke Slope AVA comes another rendition of an L’Ecole Semillon that scores a touchdown and a 2-point conversion. A deliciously fresh and zippy wine with gobs of ripe tropical fruit flavors and a long slightly spicy finish.
Long Shadows Poet’s Leap 2004 Riesling $22
A beautifully crafted riesling which drew inspiration from the majestic wines of Germany. Armin Deil, proprietor of the renowned Schlossgut Diel in Germany, and Washington wine pioneer Allen Shoup collaborated to bring us this gorgeous wine with both elegance and delicate harmony. Ripe apricot, pear and pineapple flavors weave around a honeyed viscosity that leads your palate on a highly pleasurable trip to the end zone.
Barnard Griffin 2004 Columbia Valley Syrah $15
Like an extra point, this wine has proven to be a no-brainer. It has consistently been a juicy, ripe and ready to drink wine that has also been priced right. The 2004 is by no means an exception and brings to the playing field blackberry jam, plum, currant and mocha with a pleasing spicy toastiness.
Hightower Cellars 2003 “Murray Cuvee” $20.
Named in honor of Tim &Kelly Hightower’s yellow lab, who, as they say, “adopted a managerial role at the winery.” Hightower wines have become synonymous with high-quality cabernet sauvignon, and this blend of 69 percent cab and 31 percent merlot is as pleasing as an 80-yard punt return for paydirt. Take the hand-off of this bottle of velvety smooth wine with flavors of blackberry, ripe cherry and vanilla, and I guarantee you won’t fumble.
The following wines are in the price bracket that scream confidence in a Seahawks win.
O.S. Winery 2003 Cabernet Franc $28
What a powerhouse of a cab franc. Somewhat like Shaun Alexander rumbling over the boys from Pittsburgh, this wine bowls you over with a big body and mouth-filling flavors of black currant, dark chocolate and ripe Bing cherries. This is a wine that’ll rock the tailgate.
Reininger 2001 Walla Walla Valley Merlot $30
Chuck Reininger has connected on another 80-yard touchdown pass with this concentrated, complex and completely delicious merlot. Dark chocolate, spice, black currant and plum aromas and flavors are just the front end of what you can enjoy with this wine.
Mark Ryan 2003 “Dead Horse” Red Blend $38
Right tackle (in spirit) Mark Ryan McNeilly is the architect of this left bank Bordeaux style wine that is a bull rush for your senses. A blend of predominantly cabernet sauvignon with merlot, cabernet franc and petite verdot that hits your palate with a balanced attack of power and grace. All the juice comes from the Ciel du Cheval Vineyard on Red Mountain, and the loose translation of “Horse Heaven” is the big guy’s inspiration for this wine’s moniker. I’ve been guaranteed that no animal cruelty occurred in making this wine, but humans were involved in extensive testing.
Berevin Lane 2003 “Intuition” $46
A blockbuster wine that proves the intuitive prowess of a woman on a mission. Winemaker Virginie Bourgue joined with owners Annette Bergevin and Amber Lane to dazzle us with this plush, rich, full bodied, game winning “Hail Mary” of a wine. Black fruits, toasted pecans, ground coffee and hints of vanilla and licorice dance around your palate like the Seahawks defensive backs covering the secondary.
If your pre-game, post-game or tailgate party includes one or a few of these winning wines, then the glory of a Seahawks victory will be ever so much sweeter. Or, I guess there’s always a cold beer.
GO SEAHAWKS!
Jeff Wicklund can be reached at 425-737-2600, 360-756-0422 or wick@purplesmilewines.com.
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