Skip to main content

Review: Gård Vintners 2011 Don Isidro Red Wine Columbia Valley


photo

The second Gård Vintners wine I had the pleasure to taste and review.

Gård Vintners is a family owned and operated winery. "Gård" means "farm" in many Scandinavian languages and is a tribute to the owners Scandinavian heritage and farming tradition. The Lawrence family, founders of Gård Vintners, have farmed the Royal Slope in Washington's Columbia Valley for over 45 years. Brothers Hervey "Sandy" Lawrence and John Lawrence, along with John's son Josh Lawrence, launched Gård Vintners, a product of Lawrence Cellars, in 2006.

The 2011 Don Isidro Red Wine was named after vineyard manager, Isidro Mondragon.
Tasting Notes Gård Vintners 2011 Don Isidro Red Wine Columbia Valley

Color: Garnet, very pretty in the sunlight.
Nose: Smoky, meaty, graphite, red fruit, tobacco, chocolate, spice.
Palate: Plum and cherry at opening with bright edges, dry, pleasant with a modest strawberry, cherry finish. 20 minutes after opening I enjoyed this wine with roasted rib-eye; it was a good match, the steak brought out noticeable pepper and chocolate, the acid and tannin on the wine made the experience pleasurable.

After 3 hours this wine was dark, with sage, fresh brewed coffee, red currant and spice on the nose. It showed, that is, it showed-off with a rich mouth feel, an excellent fluid quality, savory umami, delicious dark fruit and licorice on the finish - big like.

Day two: Don Isidro still delivered the flavor, blackberry, cherry, licorice, coffee, dry with a touch more obvious acidity and lovely Bing cherry flesh on the lingering finish. I would pair with tender roast or beef Carpaccio.


photo

Thoughts: If you are looking for a food friendly wine, this is the wine you want. You don't have to wait too long to drink it either. At opening it is a lighter bodied red wine, a true Washington table wine which will not dominate your meals, rather it will compliment them. If you are looking for a wine to cellar for a few years this is one to add to the list. I would like to mention that I like the look of the label. It is clean, easy to read with a bold character I enjoy looking at. Recommended.

AVA: Columbia Valley
Vineyard: Lawrence Vineyards
Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon 46%, Syrah 46%, Merlot 8%
Closure: Natural cork
ABV: 14.4%
Production: 740 cases
SRP: $22
Sample provided by winery

Lawrence Vineyards is located in the Columbia Valley on Frenchman Hills at elevations of 1,365 - 1,675 feet. A southern facing slope provides ideal growing conditions. This vintage is composed of Block 8 Cab Cl. 6, Block 4 Syrah Sara Lee, Block 11 Merlot Cl. 15.

Gård Vintners
13000 Road D. SW
Royal City, WA 99357
509-346-2585
www.GardVintners.com
@GardVintners

My Thanks to Gård Vintners for sharing this lovely wine.
I look forward to reviewing more by Gård Vintners soon.

Related post: Review - Gård Vintners 2010 Syrah

Cheers!
Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

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
Read more

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

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
Read more