It may seem very casual and loose, but I assure you that most Portland urban wineries are very, very serious. It's just the Portland ethos - pretend not to care, but care a whole lot. :)
"To be clear, there have been and still are wines of finesse and detail made in Washington, even amongst the big reds."
I have lived in WA for 40 years and have given up on their reds many times (although I keep trying). Too big and harsh when released and I have had poor luck aging them. Cab, Syrah and even Grenache. A "broad brush" assessment, but generally not the style I prefer.
Mark, your comment of course is based upon what wines you've tried over the years and your personal preferances. But my purpose in writing this was not to hit the entire industry with that broad criticism, but to point out that such overblown wines have always and still do exist. At the same time, really excellent and well-balanced wines such as the Betz could be found. Aging any wine depends upon its original depth and balance. The odd notion that somehow aging will 'tame' overly tannic and alcoholic wines is a complete fallacy.
Paul, you are a treasure!! The consistency and accuracy of your taste is so valuable!!! Keep it coming😊
Thank you for reviewing our friends at Love & Squalor to prove that we urban wineries can make great wines! :)
Love the wines and the insouciance of it all!
It may seem very casual and loose, but I assure you that most Portland urban wineries are very, very serious. It's just the Portland ethos - pretend not to care, but care a whole lot. :)
"To be clear, there have been and still are wines of finesse and detail made in Washington, even amongst the big reds."
I have lived in WA for 40 years and have given up on their reds many times (although I keep trying). Too big and harsh when released and I have had poor luck aging them. Cab, Syrah and even Grenache. A "broad brush" assessment, but generally not the style I prefer.
Mark, your comment of course is based upon what wines you've tried over the years and your personal preferances. But my purpose in writing this was not to hit the entire industry with that broad criticism, but to point out that such overblown wines have always and still do exist. At the same time, really excellent and well-balanced wines such as the Betz could be found. Aging any wine depends upon its original depth and balance. The odd notion that somehow aging will 'tame' overly tannic and alcoholic wines is a complete fallacy.