Winners From Walla Walla

Walla Walla is hot right now.

No, I haven’t switched to weather forecasting. That temperature reference is a measure of the heat generated by the Northwest’s most highly regarded wine country.

At the recent Northwest Enological Society tasting in Seattle, Seven Hills Winery took the best of show award with its ‘94 merlot made from Walla Walla fruit. That honor is only bestowed when all of the judges reach a consensus, so it’s rarely given.

No one was more surprised than winemaker Casey McClellan.

“I knew it was a very, very good wine, but those competitions are such a lottery,” he said. “They told me that the judges were ecstatic, though. I think it helped that it was a merlot.”

Some people don’t realize that the Walla Walla Valley appellation dips down into northern Oregon, where Seven Hills Winery is located. While other Oregon vintners are busy pushing their pinot, McClellan has since 1988 specialized in cabernet and merlot. He also produces a tiny amount of a dry riesling.

McClellan is quick to credit his high-profile neighbors, Gary Figgins at Leonetti Cellars and Rick Small at Woodward Canyon, with setting high standards which encouraged other area producers to excel.

“We were lucky to have leaders early on who were committed to quality because it set a precedent for the area,” McClellan said.

Look for that award-winning ‘94 merlot to be released in late September, but there won’t be much of it. If you’re interested in this intensely flavored merlot (it will probably sell for $23), ask your favorite wine seller to set some aside.

Seven Hills is not open to the public except during the Balloon Stampede in May and an annual fall open house. This year’s open house is Sept. 7-8, when the winery will host visitors from noon until 5 p.m. Call (541) 938-7710 for information.

If you can’t make the trip, check out the winery’s Web site at http:/ /www.sevenhills-winery.com

Walla Walla redux

Fans of Walla Walla reds will have to wait another year before they can sample premium varietals from that area’s newest producer.

Walla Walla Vintners will introduce 1995 cabernet franc and merlot next spring. Already, the winery is generating positive buzz.

Myles Anderson, one of the partners in the small venture, cites Gary Figgins as being influential in helping determine his winemaking style. That means paying a lot of attention to the various characteristics French and American oak can bring to a wine.

Because the Walla Walla Vintners production is extremely limited - just 160 cases of each varietal - the wine will be available at the winery and through its mailing list. To add your name to the list, write to Walla Walla Vintners, P.O. Box 1551, Walla Walla, WA 99362.

Other releases from Walla Walla that I highly recommend are the ‘94 merlot from Canoe Ridge, the semillon from L’Ecole and Waterbrook’s fresh, slightly fruity sauvignon blanc.

Tasting notes

At the previously mentioned enological tasting, I zeroed in on Oregon pinot noir and pinot gris and was greatly rewarded. The 1994 pinots are supposed to be some of the best wines that state has ever produced.

After sampling outstanding selections from Rex Hill, Duck Pond Cellars, Cooper Mountain Vineyards and Callahan Ridge, I would have to agree. The easysipping wines were vibrant and fruity but with enough acidity to balance the lush berry and black cherry flavors. Buy them now. They’re going fast.

Pinot puzzler

I recently had an interesting wine from California giant Robert Mondavi. The pinot was labeled “unfiltered.” What the heck does that mean, anyway?

Filtering wine before it’s bottled is a standard part of the vinification process. It helps eliminate some of the funky flavors in the wine.

Still, there is a school of thought that contends filtering wine harshly strips some of its flavor. Wine Advocate publisher Robert Parker is probably the most vocal proponent of unfiltered wine.

Ideally, skipping the filtering step makes for a wine that is full and robust in flavor and perhaps will age better. But there are no guarantees.

I thought the Mondavi unfiltered pinot was fine but nothing memorable. It certainly wasn’t worth the $30 I forked over for it at a local restaurant.

Different shade of red

The national wine media continue to gush over Washington state merlot even as the supply looks to be drying up after a couple of tough winters.

For a different perspective on Washington reds, check out the August issue of Wine Enthusiast, in which W.R. Tish calls cabernet Washington’s rising star.

As evidence, he offers up an interview with Staton Hills president Peter Ansdell stating that the winery is putting merlot in the back seat in favor of its European-style cab. We’ll see if that strategy pays off.

Another couple of Washington cabernets worth checking out are Chateau Ste. Michelle’s Columbia Valley release and Washington Hills ‘93 vintage, both under $15.

However, if you’re still stuck on merlot, try the ‘94 release from Preston Cellars. It’s the best wine I’ve tasted from that Pasco-based winery in years. Look for the sleek new label.

, 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