Skip to main content

Wine of the Week! Barnard Griffin 2010 Merlot Tulip Label @BarnardGriffin

photo

 Disco is Not Dead - Drink Me!

One of the perks of living near so many wineries, is the pleasure of dropping in and tasting wine before buying. Sunday I popped by Barnard Griffin winery and enjoyed their $5 Tulip wine tasting. At the end of the tasting, my tasting fee was discounted from the price of my purchase. Where else can you try wine before you buy?

Tulip Tasting

The Barnard Griffin Tulip tasting lineup consists primarily of their traditional consumer label. The list will change with availability. Following is the list I sampled at this tasting. I was torn among three wines and decided on the 2010 Merlot because it said "drink me" the loudest. Go find this wine before it is sold out!

2012 Pinot Gris - Floral, fresh, with a tropical flourish. Almost bought this one.
2013 Fume' Blanc - Very tropical, gentle, relaxed, easy sipper.
2012 Chardonnay - Ginger, friendly, chill, "drink me."
2013 Riesling - Pretty, restrained, orange on the finish.
2013 Rose' of Sangiovese - Fresh and friendly.
2010 Merlot - Drink me now! Medium body, dry, great finish. See below.
2011 Cabernet Sauvignon - Good finish.
2012 Syrah - Juicy, big like, lilac powder. Almost bought this one too.

Tasting Notes 2010 Merlot Tulip Label

Color: Smoky ruby.
Nose: Candied lavender, wrapped in cherry cordial, with orange chocolate dust.
Palate: Lovely mouth feel, tart at opening, unwound in 30 minutes with friendly tannin, fluid mid-palate, orange, chocolate, cherry. Washington party in the glass! Perfumed, offset by a front palate with earthiness and grip. Got it going on! Especially attack and finish. Medium body, food friendly. Pretty wine. At 1.5 hours still delivering, bigger with dry velvet and coffee. Disco music needed at this point.

Thoughts: Surprising good match with dinner of grilled Tilapia with lemon juice, garlic, salt, rice wine vinegar, seasoning. On the side was grilled potato with salt, pepper, olive oil and butter. This is a terrific knock around wine. Huge value at this price. A little grilled food and this wine delivered the punch. Bring creamy, rich, smoky foods to pair against the berry fruit. Well done. Recommended + Wine of the Week. 
photo
Vineyards: Caroway Vineyards (Columbia Valley), Lonesome Spring Ranch (Yakima Valley) , Conner Lee Vineyard (Columbia Valley), Williams Vineyard (Columbia Valley), Vinagium Partners Vineyard (Red Mountain)
ABV13.4%
Closure: Natural cork
2413 Cases produced
Purchased at winery $17

Winery & Tasting Room
 878 Tulip Lane
 Richland, Washington 99352
 Phone: (509) 627.0266
 Fax: (509) 627.7776
 Rob Griffin, Owner, Winemaker
www.barnardgriffin.com

Related Post: Open for Tasting: Barnard Griffin Winery Remodel Update.

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