Côtes de Ciel 2012 Ciel du Cheval Viognier

Côtes de Ciel 2012 Ciel du Cheval Viognier - Review

This May I met Ciel du Cheval winemaker Richard Holmes at the 2013 Revelry on Red Mountain. He kindly sent me two of his wines to sample and review if I liked them.

Today I'm including my impressions of his 2012 Ciel du Cheval Viognier.

The wine in the Côtes de Ciel 2012 Ciel du Cheval Viognier was made from the Ciel du Cheval 1994 Viognier vineyard block on Red Mountain. They were whole cluster pressed and cold fermented. This wine is available only through retail outlets in Washington and Northern Idaho.

Tasting Notes Côtes de Ciel 2012 Ciel du Cheval Viognier

Color: Pale straw.
Nose: Pear, lemon and petrol. Honey as the wine warmed.
Palate: Dry, tart pear, heavy mid-palate, tannin in the texture with a spike of acid on middle of tongue, toast on the finish. Honeyed finish as it warmed. Very enjoyable with a dressed salad. Suggest pairing with crab or shrimp Caesar salad.

Day two: More my speed, toasty with taffy and white nectarine nose. Full palate of white nectarine and honey with notes of citrus and the pith, pleasing acid on the long fruity finish, drank smooth and bright.

Thoughts: I often think of Viognier as a light, perfumed, delicate wine. The 2012 Côtes de Ciel Viognier was unexpectedly more robust on day one. On day two I thought it was more true to the interpretation of the varietal. Well done Richard. For the most enjoyment I would open and then drink this wine the next day or hold for another few months. This is a very good wine, just a little young when I sampled it. Expect great things from this winery. Recommended.

Richard Holmes.

AVA: Red Mountain
Closure: Natural cork
ABV:14.1%
Sample provided by the winery

Ciel du Cheval
1625 South 374th Court
Federal Way, Washington 98003
www.cielducheval.com

Cheers!

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 must

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

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. Who are you

William Pollard Jr | aka: Wild 4 Washington Wine

Search This Blog