Northern Rhone, Cabernet, Shocking Orange Gewurz!

Buckle up for a bit of a roller-coaster tasting this Friday that includes our featured Northern Rhone white and red from Yves Curillon, rich reds from the Columbia Valley and an “orange” skin-contact  Gewurztraminer that is very limited and VERY compelling and delicious.

The last three wines come from winemaker Morgan Lee who we met a couple of weeks ago and found extremely impressive.  Ok, he wasn’t so impressive – just a regular nice guy we’d be happy to grab a beer with.  But his wines are terrific and terrific values, too.  Here’s what you’ll find on the tasting table Friday from 3-7pm:

 Yves Cuilleron Marsanne Les Vignes d'a Cote 2023 – Usually found blended with Roussanne, here the Northern Rhone’s other white grape shines in a crisp white full of fruit and with a refreshing citrus kick at the end.

Yves Cuilleron Syrah Les Vignes d'a Cote 2023 – As The Washington Post wrote when recommending this last week, “"If you cracked black pepper into a fragrant blackberry-blueberry pie, you’d get a sense of this juicy syrah from the northern Rhone.” A big yum!

City Limits Red Blend Detour 2022 – A darkly fruited, nicely juicy, and all the way dry Columbia Valley red blend built on Merlot with Malbed and Cabernet you can take home for under $20. This is excellent value.

Two Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon Legit 2022 – You’d be forgiven for thinking this was from Yountville in Napa when tasting it, although the price point is delightfully not Napa at all.

Two Vintners Skin Contact Gewurztraminer OG 2022 – On the skins 8 weeks, this should be a mess. Instead it’s assertively dry and not even fruity, but instead layered with wild spices and what lychee must taste like when it’s a bit green and an orange has been zested over it. The spice, orange peel and floral flavors stay on your palate for minutes. A wild ride you’ll want to take again and again.

Given the wildness of the Two Vintners OG, Jose has gone pretty wild with the cheese sampling this week.  It starts with Jasper Hill Hazen Blue, a classic American blue with a fudge-like texture, plenty of savory funk, and a lightly grassy finish.  Then he’s adding a dollop of Divina Sour Cherry Spread, which will bring out the cheese’s flavors while adding a sweet-tart layer of its own.  Will it match the Gewurz?  I don’t know – I was thinking Asian flavors and curry for that myself. But it’s going to taste great with or without the wine!