The Wine Knows

I suspect that, if we could verify the dates of these quotes, we would find that most or all of them come from the late 1980's or the early 1990's. My understanding of Mike Moore's past is that he was one of the very hot and upcoming California vintners in the 1980's, much like Kris Curran of SeaSmoke (now with Foley Estates), Web Marquez of Anthill Farms and C. Donatiello, or Adam Lee of Siduri/Novy Wines. In the early 1990's he pretty much fell off the planet for about 10 years, and then reappeared around 2000. If you look at the wines offered by BCV, you will see some big gaps in production. Most of the wines he offers are pretty old. I know he claims to make wines that will age for decades, but that assumes the proper care, cellaring, and cleanliness during the process. From what I have seen and experienced, I doubt that is the case. He does offer lots of "futures", but who's to say what those are like! There is an older post on here that talks about getting ripped off by purchasing his futures. Even in this decade, there are only a few wines, mostly whites, sweet whites, and a syrah, that have been produced in the last few years, plus some of the alleged futures. I believe Mike is indeed a brilliant person who simply got lost along the way, flamed out, and hasn't quite found his way back. Maybe too much of the juice or something..... He has probably forgotten more about wine making than most of us will ever know. I certainly wish him well and hope that he cleans up, straightens out, and rediscovers the ruthless standards of cleanliness that wineries must follow to avoid flaws and problems. But after my experience, spending my hard earned dollars on wines that he bottled on the spot, straight out of the barrel and fumbling to find labels, that turned to vinegar in less than 6 months (with absoloute proper care and storage in my cellar), there is no way I will buy any more of his wines. I will say, however, that I will never forget our visit to Blackwood Canyon!!! We still laugh about it to this day.

Cheers!
Tim

That is a totally incredible yet totally believable, and extremely funny, anecdote about the "custom bottled" wine. Thanks for the imagery!

And of course, there is no such thing as bad publicity.

Sorry for posting these in the wrong spot.

Thanks for the heads up on the reviews! I don't yet have the summer issue, so I will find it. (Last one I received was the Spring issue.) I will say that I was very impressed with the 3.04 Pieces of Red. It was a bit oaky, but I really like the oak if it comes across as that brown sugar/butterscotch/caramel component on the finish, or however you want to describe it. And I do read your (WPNW) reviews, but I have come to the conclusion that we have very different palates..... ;) I haven't quite figured out the tastes and WPNW scoring/review system, and I assume that there is a panel involved every time, so "middle-of-the-road" becomes the preferred stylistic centerline. I have totally figured out Paul Gregutt, and I know that if he gives a wine a 90 but says it is a little too oaky, I will LOVE it! I always seek out those wines, and I am usually happy. If he gives a great wine a 93 or 95, I know that it is exceptionally well made and is very light handed on the oak. I will like that wine and appreciate it, but perhaps not as much as one of his "89 or 90" point wines. We all have our own palate! I have also seen some reviews in your magazine that rated a wine as simply "recommended" that have been awarded 90+ points by several different reviewers. For example, you rated the 2005 Fielding Hills merlot as "recommended" (and said it was both "hedonistic" and "smooth and sturdy", which seems a little bit of a contradiction to me), which I would guess could correlate to a mid 80's score(?), while Wine Enthusiast (Paul) gave it 93 points and an Editors Choice award and Wine Spectator (Harvey) gave it 90 points. No worries either way. I don't pay a lot of attention to the scores, other than when I see a very high score and I know the reviewer I pay a little more attention. I really want to see the tasting notes, and when I know the reviewers palate, I can make a very educated guess about whether or not I would like the wine. Reading your notes about the Fielding Hills (just an example...), and knowing Mike Wade's style and talent, I could tell that I would really like the wine and that I should buy more than one. Now I need to check out what you had to say about the Whitestone cab. If it is anything like the Pieces of Red, it must be a winner.

Anyway, in my typical fashion I am wayyyyyy off the topic! Thanks for the info about Whitestone, and I will look for the summer issue on a newstand near me!

Tim

OK.....

I know I am replying to my own post. I was thinking about making a trip to the Columbia Valley/Walla Walla area again in August when my in-laws are in town. My father-in-law is a big wine nut and has never been there. I have several favorite tasting rooms and wineries that I love to visit, but I certainly haven't been to them all.

So, what is everyones favorite tasting room/winery? Do any of them have some exceptional wines that are only available at the tasting room?

Since many people are going to be vacationing "locally" this year, I think this is a topic lots of people would be interested in.

Speak up!

We all eagerly await your response....

ps..... we had the Whitestone Winery "Pieces of Red" red wine last night, purchased for $13.99 at Yokes here in Spokane. It absolutely ROCKED for a $14 wine! It drank more like a $30 or $50 red and had the butterscotch/smoked caramel thing going that I love. Anybody know much about Whitestone?

Cheers!
Tim

Tim, in the Tri-Cities area, I recommend a "Tour de Hoppes": Fidelitas, Goose Ridge, and Gamache, and topping it off with a visit to Bookwalter, around the corner from Gamache. And if your in-laws are getting on your nerves, I recommend dropping them off at a place next door to Fidelitas for 3-4 hours of "old school" wine tasting.

If you head out to Prosser, stop by Alexandria Nicole and perhaps the new Maison Bleu in the Winemaker's Loft. In Walla Walla, I recommend the Walla Walla Roasters coffee shop out at the airport...

Hey Andy...

You mentioned "dropping them off next door" for 3-4 hours of old school wine tasting. Where are you referring to? I haven't been to the new Fidelitas tasting room, but I believe Hedges is on one side, Buckmaster Cellars (are they still around??) and Kiona are across the street, and Col Solare is behind them on the hill. Were you referring to our old buddy Crazy Mike at Blackwood Canyon, just up the road near Hightower? If so, I actually LIKE my in-laws and would never subject them to that!

Tim

We talked earlier about the wine futures which never materialized. After some effort on my part and some assistance I did get my money back. Someday I will laugh,,,but not yet.

I talked to some local winemakers who were invited to eat dinner at his winery one night. He had already had a few and in preparing some food, he cut off the tip of one of his fingers. He saved it in a zip lock bag for awhile to show people. I told these people that nobody will ever top that story.

I hear that his fingertips pair suprisingly well with his 1982 Ciel du Cheval chardonnay, priced at the miserly sum of $495!

On a slightly less sarcastic note, I have heard that Mike actually is a very good cook, although the beans left in a pot outside the "tasting room" in the scorching August sun that had been "fermenting?" for several weeks at our first and only visit may beg to differ. I never knew beans could move under their own power...

Cheers!
Tim

"Word on the street" is that M.M. used the proceeds from his recent sale of land (to Sandhill) to a) pay off taxes b) buy new wine barrels c) remodel the winery d) open the long awaited restaurant e) expand operations into California or f) all of the above?

If you answered "e, expand operations into CA," you correct, though I have not confirmed this bit of heresay.

I saw that fingertip, preserved in a bottle of Chardonnay at the tasting room! (Just kidding.)

It's "more entertaining than fiction" characters like M.M. that make me believe in a Creator...

The same person who told me about the fingertip told me MM is from Santa Barbara and was planning on building a winery there. But, again, that is just second and third hand information.

It would seem like a bad idea for him to expand into California when he can't seem to take care of business here... I think a better use of any sale proceeds would be better spent on paying taxes, buying new barrels, remodeling the winery, hiring a business manager, and hiring Merry Maids!

ps.... I believe characters like MM are proof positive that God has a sense of humor! That, and the armadillo...

Cheers!
Tim

And the duck-billed platypus: duck billed, beaver tailed, egg laying, milk giving... and venomous! (no joke)

Yo Andy....

Now, that's just wrong.....

Why didn't I think of that!!!

T

Tim, let's just say be careful about travelling down any long dirt roads...

http://www.urbanpotato.net/default.aspx/document/274

http://www.urbanpotato.net/Default.aspx/document/560

Check out the ~$10 "Cinnamon Teal" at Sandhill. The wine is a cab-cab blend made by Pete Hedges. Also, I haven't been there or tasted their wines, but I hear good things about High Tower.

Andy

Ummmmmm yeah, that's what I thought! No more long dirt roads with a right turn at the end..... Thanks for the links! I thought we had coined the term "Crazy Mike", which is what we were calling him on the way home, almost too drunk to drive even though it was only 2:00pm.... Apparently that nick name is the consensus of all who dare to travel that dusty path. And that ancient, funky cheese.... I figured they dug it out of King Tut's tomb or something... I believe it was the first discovery of penicillin, since there is no plausible way or other explanation why that guy should still be alive. I will say, however, that his chardonnay vinegar is killer on a salad!!!

I will check out the Cinnamon Teal at Sandhill. I like their cab, which is on sale a lot at Yokes for $15. I have been to Hightower, and they do make some excellent wines. We have one signed bottle left in the cellar, a 2002 I believe. In fact, in my dining room we have the "Murray" poster professionally framed. Murray is their winery dog, and they make a wine called "Murray Red", a very nice merlot based blend priced at $20.

Cheers!
Tim

Tim, 2 pm??!! Did you start at 10:00 am, or did you sneak out when the winemaker went to the bathroom?

Actually, we got there at 11:00am, at the same time as several other people including a Canadian wine writer, and finally got out of there at 2 when a new group of people showed up who hadn't yet witnessed the "show", after trying at least 12 different wines, several completely funky cheeses, walking over broken glasses from the night before, and buying a few bottles of wine, all of which turned to vinegar before we could drink them. The liquid which was actually vinegar (chardonnay vinegar) was really very good!!! It was fabulous on a Mediterranean salad with feta cheese, olives, etc. I never actually saw "the winemaker" go to the bathroom, unless it was a quickie when he went to the barrel room.... All I know is that we drank way too much, way too early, and it almost killed the rest of the day! I laughed out loud when I read the accounts from the two links you sent. I thought that I had written it since it was exactly our experience! Crazy...... Mike!

Cheers!
Tim

This topic probably warrants a forum... "My Crazy Mike story..."

Presumably "Blackwood" refers to the color of the wine barrels?

I see that C.M. has a web site now...

I believe refers to his.....feet.

Carol and I made that lefthand turn and, following our lengthy seminar on the only correct way to make wine, we stopped at another early Red Mountain vintner. After telling him where we had just been, he said, "Oh, you mean the (add Seinfeld Show reference here)." But we've bought a few very different and, in their own way, beautiful wines from Mike.
Many years later while volunteering at Taste Washington, I helped him unload his ancient Volvo. Mike poured one of those ancient chardonnays of his from a battered decanter that night, and it was the perfect pairing with the nearby Elliot's Oyster House appetizer.

Tim,

Whitestone is closer to your neck of the woods: Wilbur, Wash. (I once covered the Wild Goose Bill Days while working as a reporter for the Wenatchee World.)

Vineyards are on the shores of Lake Roosevelt. The winery has a very interesting story, and the wines are consistently delicious.

Andy