Washington Retraction

[stevebody]

Had crow for Thanksgiving dinner instead of that other bird...

I've been a mouthy critic of WA wines for a couple of years, now, but I'm delighted with the raft of good, inexpensive bottlings that have come out in the last 18 months or so. Dunham's Three Legged, Charles Smith's "House Wine", even varietals from a couple dozen producers, all really nice wines and quite doable price tags. Even the Oregon Pinot houses are turning out great stuff at lower prices. I had a full-line tasting of Patricia Green's stuff last week and it was all good.

The fever of the $40 a bottle wines by new producers seems to have run its course. Now, if they'd just throttle back on the oak...

[Innkeeper]

There is hope for the weary.

[winecollector]

Oak? did someone say OAK? [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Innkeeper]

Glad to see you active again WC. WITHSTAND lives!

[winecollector]

lol... thanks innkeeper [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img]

[Bucko]

Oak? Unfortunately yes ... We have terrific fruit here in WA, with lots of natural acidity. This gorgeous fruit is then sacrificed to the barrel gods -- a damned shame.

A good example is Dunham. Eric makes terrific wine then oaks the s**t out of it. Does he have cult followers? You bet. Does he sell any to me? Not a chance.