Have a few bottles of their wine after visit there and their chardonnay was the BEST. Anyone know of a comparable chardonnay?
Next time I am up in WA Columbia River area (Tri--cities) I'l definitely get some more from the winery, but until then...
The wines by this vintner are made "sur lees". And I think it gives an excellent flavor. So a comparable chardonnay may be hard to find. I do not know how many other wines are made in the same fashion.
Never heard of the winery, but "sur lie" aging is not that uncommon. For example, Mondavi's budget Woodbridge chardonnay is aged "sur lie".
Dimitri
I just looked up the Mondavi as you noted. I will get a bottle and see how it is. Although I see that they do only 40% sur lie with their wine. I see they recommend it chilled, but I think I will have it room temp (55-60). The Blackwood was bold and flavorful at that temp.
The Blackwood canyon winery was they most engaging and informative and entertaining tasting I have ever done, and by most unusual and sort of colorful character. We spent 3 hours there tasting.
I didn't mean to recommend that wine, just to point out that even some mass-produced budget wines are aged sur lie. A lot of chardonnay is produced sur lie, both in California and in France. J. Lohr, Landmark, Pine Ridge, Beringer, Chateau St. Jean, and Rutherford Ranch are some other common producers that age sur lie, but there are tons more boutique wineries that also do. I have found that I like wine aged sur lie, but that doesn't mean I like *all* wine aged sur lie. It's just a part of the winemaking process.
Sounds like a good time.
Dimitri
Not heard of blackwood, but there is a woodward canyon winery in that area. Rick Small makes some fantastic chardonnay and world class cabs too. Must check my Chuck Hill, for the Blackwood.
grazz
The guy who owns/runs the place has been a maverick forever in Walla Walla lore. He can come up with some amazing wines (especially his dessert stuff) or he comes up with really bizarre blends.
Whenever I or friends have been to the winery he has been unfailing friendly, informative, and generous. One of my friends (a pediatric nurse) thought he probably had ADHD. But she liked him, and bought a case of what he had there.
He certainly had some plans and dreams he told us about. I refer to him as itchy-scratchy and my girlfriend and I have a laugh about it when we drink his wine. In apearace his place is a cut below the average wine tasting room, but homey and down to earth. It is appropriate that it is located down a long gravel road during which you wonder if there is even a winery at the end of it. I LOVED that chardonnay.
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