Lisa Rongren
WINE DIRECTOR, JOHN HOWIE STEAK
Recently serving as sommelier for those farm-to-table fetishists at the Herbfarm, Lisa Rongren is now lead sip-and-spitter at the newest restaurant from John Howie (of Seastar) in Bellevue. Her intimidating roster of credentials includes an advanced certificate with the Court of Master Sommeliers in London.
WHITE
2007 Ross Andrew Meadow, $16
Willamette and Rogue valleys, Oregon
Ross Mickel crafts this aromatic white blend in his Woodinville winery from the best of Oregon grapes. Aromatics of summer flowers and a dry palate of tart apple and apricot make for a versatile appetizer wine.
2007 Ponzi Arneis, $20
Willamette Valley, Oregon
Known as the “little rascal” in Italy, arneis grows wild among the Nebbiolo vines of Barolo and Barbaresco. Ponzi has cultivated this varietal to create an utterly unique wine full of character and body but with a dry finish.
2006 àMaurice Chardonnay, $28
Columbia Valley, Washington
Anna Schafer has done it again. Under her tutelage chardonnay, a chameleon of a grape, takes on the flavors of Burgundy, with a kiss of oak to add body and aromatics.
ROSÉ
2008 Soter North Valley Rosé of Pinot Noir, $20
Willamette Valley, Oregon
Roses and violets waft from the glass as strawberries tingle the palate. A perfect rosé from start to finish.
RED
2006 Columbia Crest Two Vines Shiraz, $8
Columbia Valley, Washington
When anyone asks me to suggest the best value in Washington wine, Columbia Crest Two Vines (well made from vintage to vintage) is always at the tip of my tongue. A perfect choice for a backyard gathering: Blueberries, currants, and cassis leap from every glass of this unspendy shiraz.
2007 Benson Vineyards Estate Winery Sangiovese, $27
Lake Chelan, Washington
From Washington’s newest AVA, this sangio is soft yet focused, reminiscent of tart pie cherries with just the right amount of baking spice, courtesy of a balanced amount of oak.
2006 Boedecker Athena Pinot Noir, $34
Willamette Valley, Oregon
Husband and wife Stewart and Athena Boedecker set out to craft the best Oregon pinot noir. But during trials they discovered (as can happen in marriage) that they had different opinions of the perfect blend. Thus was born the Stewart and Athena bottlings. Lush, velvety, with Rainier cherries and vanilla flower, Athena is a great fireplace wine. (Sorry Stewart, yours is great, too!)
2006 Gramercy Cellars Iñigo Montoya Tempranillo, $40
Walla Walla, Washington
“My name is Iñigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die!” This wine is named for the Princess Bride character, but the substance doesn’t end there. Greg Harrington aged it in the Spanish style for 15 months in American oak, achieving the perfect balance of ripe red fruit with silky spice.
2006 Betz Family Winery Clos de Betz Red Wine, $44
Columbia Valley, Washington
Merlot fruit is responsible for the velvety structure and cherry fruit, while cabernet sauvignon adds black currant and tannins and cabernet franc lends lively aromatics of violet and rose.
Next: Jake Kosseff, owner, Jake Kosseff Wine Consulting
Published: September 2009
It would be great if there were links to the wineries and/or stores that sold these wines
Very interesting!
Agree with Thairu, a great list from Jeffrey Dorgan and others, but don’t make it so hard for us to follow up and find these wines if we want to try them…links would have been perfect….The Stevens Divio and the DeLille AIX are great!!
Really looking forward to trying out John Howie Steak in Bellevue’s Bravern – there has been a lot of talk around John Howie’s new establishment and from what I’m hearing so far, it’s really that good – a steakhouse w/ not only a dream team, but with soul – locally owned, locally sourced products, etc.
If you are looking for Watermill’s wine go to www.watermillwinery.com, they have an online store where you can buy the wine. Enjoy!