Cougar Crest Estate Winery, Walla Walla

Taste Washington! 2012 Recommended Wines.

Cougar Crest Estate Winery was established at the Walla Walla Airport in 2001 by Deborah and David Hansen. Owners of 50 acres of vineyard, all in the Walla Walla Appellation, they have sold wine grapes to other wineries for years. Deborah Hansen is the winemaker at Cougar Crest Estate Winery. I enjoyed visiting with Deborah and David at Taste. We talked about Gary Vaynerchuks visit in 2008. Evidently, a lot of good wine was enjoyed by all at the Space Needle the night before the Grand Tasting.

The Wines.

2009 Estate Vioginier - Big floral nose, big, flavorful, good finish, bright, hang time. Released November 2011, case production 847, 100% Viognier, ABV 14.3%. Retail price $20. Recommended.

Cougar Crest Cabernet Franc, Grenache Rose, Viognier.

Grenache Rose - Pomegranate, rhubarb, lovely, good finish, dry. Recommended.

* Favorite: Estate Cabernet Franc 2007 - Best Cabernet Franc of Taste WA, spice, dark fruit, balanced, earth, light med finish, raspberry. Release March 2010, cases produced 1,323, 76% Cabernet Franc, 15% Petit Verdot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Malbec, ABV 13.5%. Retail price $38.

Cougar Crest 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon and Anniversary Cuvee.

* Favorite: Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 - Earth, dark, good finish, not monster, needs research, touch heat. Released March 2010, cases produced 1,135, 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, ABV 13.5%. Retail price $40.

Cougar Crest 2007 Syrah Estate Grown.

Syrah 2007 - Modest nose, good, mellow mid palate and finishes strong. Released February 2012, case production 1,074, 97% Syrah, 3% Viognier, ABV 13.9%. Recommended.

Cougar Crest 2009 Grenache Rose and 2008 Tempranillo.

* Favorite: Estate Tempranillo 2008 - big, dry, tasty, it's all good. Released February 2012, case production 450, 87% Tempranillo, 13% Syrah, ABV 14%. Retail price $32.

Wines listed here are the wines I liked and recommend. My favorite wines appealed to me because they expressed unique characteristics and quality, they are indicated by an “*” and are in italics.

Cougar Crest Estate Winery
50 Frenchtown Rd.
Walla Walla, WA 99362
509-529-5980

Walla Walla Tasting Room: Open 10 am – 5 pm daily.
Woodinvelle Tasting Room: Open Thurs-Sat 11 am – 6 pm, Sunday- Monday 12 pm – 7 pm.
Spokane Tasting Room: Open Sunday-Thursday 12 pm - 6pm, Friday - Saturday 12 pm - 7 pm.

www.cougarcrestwinery.com
twitter: @CougarCrest

Walla Walla AVA Location.

Spirit Review: Ole Smokey Tennessee Moonshine White Lightnin' @OleSmoky

Today I have crossed the line from wine to spirits. At 100 proof the Ole Smokey Tennessee Moonshine is definitely turning up the volume (ABV 50%). "Moonshine, white lightning, mountain dew, hooch, and Tennessee white whiskey are terms used to describe high-proof distilled spirits, generally produced illicitly...The word "moonshine" is believed to derive from the term "moonrakers" used for early English smugglers and the clandestine (i.e., by the light of the moon) nature of the operations of illegal Appalachian distillers who produced and distributed whiskey." Source Wikipedia My family is no stranger to Moonshine. That is, my great-grandfather and grandfather were not strangers. Evidently the family occasionally produced their own spirits on their Oregon ranch. My grandfather told me about his younger brother getting into his dads stash with predictable results. Grandmother also told me stories about midnight runs and secretive deliveries d...

Review: Sho Chiku Bai, Unfiltered Sake

Last month in Seattle, I purchased a bottle of Nigori sake at Uwajimaya. Uwajimaya is one of the largest Asian grocery retailers in the Pacific Northwest. I’ve been visiting Uwajimaya for almost 40 years. When I was much younger, I’d buy model ship and plane kits, Japanese comic books (manga) and I never left without at least one steaming Humbow in hand. Today I buy the manga for my son; while I still enjoy the tasty steamed Humbows, now I never leave without at least one bottle of Sake in hand. Uwajimaya has a terrific selection of imported sake. This most recent visit, I left with a bottle of Sho Chiku Bai Nigori sake. Nigori sake is generally the sweetest of all sakes, with a fruity nose and a mild flavor, making a great drink to complement spicy foods or as a dessert wine. Typical sake is usually filtered to remove grain solids left behind after the fermentation process; however Nigori sake remains unfiltered, resulting in a cloudier beverage. Before serving, the bottle ...

Col Solare Cabernet Sauvignon. The style has changed.

“There is something special going on at Col Solare." In mid-June 2022, I began working for Col Solare winery on the Red Mountain AVA in Washington state. The Red Mountain AVA and Col Solare are famous for stunning Cabernet Sauvignon. That I knew going in. We are not here to make more wine... We are here to showcase place. At the end of June 2022, Col Solare winemaker Darel Allwine retired. Darel had been winemaker since 2013. Prior, he had been Col Solare assistant winemaker for Marcus Notaro. Marcus had been Col Solare winemaker when the Red Mountain facility opened and was winemaker before we had our Red Mountain facility. On July 1, 2022, Col Solare assistant winemaker, Stephanie Cohen, was promoted to Col Solare winemaker. I was present for this change. It was the end of one chapter and the beginning of a new one. Col Solare is the third winery I have worked for. I chose well. Often, I am asked by Col Solare guests, as I was last week, “Tell me about Col Solare. Wh...

William Pollard Jr | aka: Wild 4 Washington Wine

Search This Blog