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State’s Top Winery Is An Underachiever

Leslie Kelly The Spokesman-Revie

After splurping my way through a round of Chateau Ste. Michelle’s latest releases, I was left feeling underwhelmed.

Don’t get me wrong. Ste. Michelle’s wines are consistently well-made. They just fall short of stunning, though there are exceptions.

It seems to me that for all the resources available to this prestigious label, its entire lineup should be blockbusters that blow me away. Like a Woodward Canyon cabernet, a Ridge zinfandel or a Ferrari-Carrano chardonnay. Maybe I’m expecting too much.

A couple of representatives from the winery were in Spokane recently and poured me their new releases of chardonnay, cabernet and merlot over lunch. I found the chardonnays elegant, but restrained. The fruit in the merlots seemed muted. Only the ‘93 Columbia Valley cabernet, with its lovely hints of chocolate and deep, ripe berry flavors, and the lush, concentrated ‘91 late harvest riesling made big impressions.

On paper, the winery appears to have all its i’s dotted and t’s crossed.

During lunch, vice president Bob Betz said the company made a commitment to quality in the 1980s when they hired Mike Januik, a former forest ranger who studied winemaking at the University of California-Davis. He’s well-respected among his peers.

The winery has access to the top fruit in Washington and has instituted a vigorous vineyard management program that includes pruning vines in order to produce less fruit with more intense flavors.

In recent years, Ste. Michelle has accumulated a trunkload of gold medals and stacks of glowing write-ups in national wine publications.

Snazzy new labels help consumers distinguish between regular releases and the super-premium releases made from grapes from a single vineyard.

Why am I so unimpressed?

In trying to appeal to every possible taste, is it possible the winery has spread itself too thin? Its repertoire includes everything from lightweight blush to chenin blanc, gewurztraminer and at least three types of riesling. Perhaps Ste. Michelle should focus on fewer varietals.

Maybe it’s unfair to hold Ste. Michelle up to the same standards as some of my favorite, much smaller wineries. But the prices are similar (reserve wines are $20 and up), so why shouldn’t I compare?

I’m not giving up on Ste. Michelle. I’m just waiting to be wowed.

Let’s celebrate

Spokane’s Mountain Dome will soon release a non-vintage sparkler at an astonishingly low price - under $10. That deserves a toast!

Winemaker-owner Michael Manz used a blend of wines from various years to produce this latest release, which will be available in stores around the middle of this month.

The wine, which is 65 percent pinot noir and 35 percent chardonnay, has the elegant quality wine drinkers admire in a sparkler. It also has an almost imperceptible trace of sweetness, which makes it an easy companion for a number of foods including roast chicken and creamy pastas.

Look for the wine under a special, whimsical label picturing a family of gnomes that bear a striking resemblance to the Manz family.

More fizz

In other bubbly news, Arbor Crest completed its harvest last weekend of the only vinifera grapes grown in Spokane.

More than 150 volunteers showed up at Arbor Crest last Saturday to pluck fruit from the vine.

The chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meniuer that grow on 4.5 acres near the winery’s Riblet mansion are used in Arbor Crest’s delicious brut. That wine is only sold at the winery.

Harvest report

Things looked bleak for grape growers in the Columbia and Yakima Valleys around the first of September. A cooler than average July and August slowed the ripening process.

But warmer temperatures returned and the 1995 harvest started a couple of weeks ago. Picking could continue until early November, which would be unusually late.

According to Wade Wolfe, general manager at Hogue Cellars, a lot of grapes are on the verge of being ripe and should come around soon. If it doesn’t frost, that is.

Wolfe said the quality of the fruit so far was solid, especially in vineyards that had been extensively pruned.

National kudos

The Cedars Floating Restaurant in Coeur d’Alene was recently recognized by The Wine Spectator for its outstanding wine list.

The restaurant received an award of excellence for a lineup that includes a good balance of imports, California and hard-to-find Northwest selections, including some Leonetti Cellars wines.

Past recipients from this area include Beverly’s in Coeur d’Alene, Patsy Clark’s in Spokane and Gregory’s in Sandpoint.

Sales pitch

Washington wine sales continue to increase, up more than 11 percent to nearly 7 million gallons in 1994, according to the Washington Wine Commission.

That’s impressive, especially considering nationwide wine sales are flat, up less than 1 percent.

The biggest growth came in outof-state markets, which now account for 63 percent of the total numbers. I guess that means Washington wine plays in Peoria.

, DataTimes MEMO: Grapevine is a monthly feature of IN Food. Leslie Kelly welcomes questions and comments from readers about all aspects of wine. Write to: Grapevine, Features Department, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210. Call 459-5486; fax 459-5098.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Leslie Kelly The Spokesman-Review

Grapevine is a monthly feature of IN Food. Leslie Kelly welcomes questions and comments from readers about all aspects of wine. Write to: Grapevine, Features Department, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210. Call 459-5486; fax 459-5098.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Leslie Kelly The Spokesman-Review