Skip to main content

Lauren Ashton Cellars 2011 Cuvée Méline - Review @LaurenAshton_WA

photo

It's always a pleasure to discover a new to me Washington wine. Today, at 860 licensed and bonded Washington wineries, it is difficult for me to keep up, let alone attempt to review all their wines. Thankfully, some of those wineries reach out, introduce themselves and ask me to try their wines and review them if I like them.

Lauren Ashton Cellars, a Washington winery established in 2009, sent me this sample of their 2011 Cuvée Méline white wine. I was impressed.

Winemaker Kit Singh named his Woodinville winery after his two children, Ashley Lauren and Ashton Troy. The sophisticated labels on his wines have images reflecting his wife's European and Estonian heritage and culture. With a background in Chemistry, and a DDS, he studied viticulture and enology in Seattle and at UC Davis. He interned at DeLille Cellars in Woodinville and taught wine science at South Seattle Community College.

Cuvée Méline Tasting Notes

Lovely blend of my two favorite white varieties, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. This is a dry white wine with serious qualities.

Color: Straw with green highlights.
Nose: Round and toasty with vanilla, peach skin, kiwi and slate.
Palate: Honeyed, bright on the tongue, a lot of fruit initially with a dry your tongue slate finish. Lingering notes of peach, kiwi and green apple.

Day two: Wow! The peach was more present on the nose and palate with that fantastic dry, slate finish. Dry peach lingered amicably. Well done.

Thoughts: The Cuvée Méline is a classy white wine, perfect for pairing with raw oysters, sashimi, lobster and fried battered halibut. On day two I would enjoy this wine with the softest cheese, crusty bread dipped in olive oil and dried fruit. Respect the look of the label as it correctly denotes the quality of the wine in the bottle. Strongly recommended.

photo

Inspired by the wines of Europe and California, Mr. Singh has impressed with his 2011 Cuvée Méline.  I look forward to sampling the rest of the wines he crafts in Woodinville, Washington, where he is assuredly inspiring a new generation of winemakers.

AVA: Columbia Valley
Blend: 83% Sauvignon Blanc, 17% Semillon
Closure: Natural cork
ABV: 13.4%
SRP: $28
Sample provided by the winery

Lauren Ashton Cellars
Tasting Room
14545 148th Ave NE
Suite  211
Woodiville, Wa 98072

Phone: 206-504-8546
www.laurenashtoncellars.com
@LaurenAshton_WA

Cheers!
Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

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...
Read more

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 ...
Read more

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...
Read more