A Worthy Classic: Reininger 2007 Merlot
Our third and final wine of focus is on another noble grape, this time Merlot. Merlot was traditionally grown in Bordeaux, and today is one of the world’s most widely planted varieties. We can say with great confidence, that Merlot is perfectly suited to the growing conditions of the Walla Walla Valley, just as it is to Bordeaux. Full of rich and juicy flavors, Merlot is a best seller in fine restaurants and pairs well with many foods. The 2007 Reininger Merlot is a lush and powerful wine, reminiscent of a classic Pomerol.
Although some scholars claim Merlot grapes can be traced back to the 1st century in France, references to the noble variety emerged in the 1800’s. As mentioned in the first Chardonnay post, a noble variety must be capable of producing high quality wine without blending, which tells us that Merlot produces fantastic wine on its own. However, due to its stable and hearty nature, Merlot was historically used as a key blending varietal. Originally, Bordeaux wine sales were mainly exports to Britain and Northern Europe, made accessible through Atlantic Ocean trade routes. The nature of the export trade necessitated the type of grapes cultivated, insofar as the wines needed to be hearty in order to weather the long ocean voyages and remain drinkable upon reaching their final destinations.
As previously mentioned, the terroir of the Walla Walla Valley produces some of the world’s best Merlot. We’ll tell you more about that soon, but for now, you can taste the proof for yourself and order a bottle of Reininger 2007 Merlot.
Grape Royalty: Helix 2010 Chardonnay, Columbia Valley
A Columbia Valley Delight
Today we want to introduce you to a second wine. Though this wine is not as mysterious or as rare as Carmenere, it comes from some seriously noble grapes. It’s a variety enormously popular with wine drinkers of all palates and levels of dedication, yet has also garnered a bit of an unfair reputation during its days of overproduction in California. So then, what is noble, widely appealing, and strongly tied to California? Chardonnay, of course! Here at Reininger, we want to bring Chardonnay back into its rightful place in the spotlight as a well-balanced, food-friendly, versatile wine. We think our 2010 Helix Chardonnay from the Columbia Valley is fresh and tropical, with terrific acidity. In short, a wine that should become a staple of your collection.
What Are Noble Grapes?
As mentioned, Chardonnay is truly a noble grape. The “noble grapes” are, in a sense, grape royalty. They are the crème de la crème of wine grape varieties, or in other words, the varieties which produce the best quality wines. To be considered a noble grape, the variety must produce high quality wine without being blended with other varietals. Moreover, a noble variety must be capable of growing in various locations around the world. Only six varieties in the world make-up the noble category: White nobles are Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and, of course, Chardonnay. Red noble grapes are Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.
Due to claims of unfairness by some French producers, the term “noble” is not as commonly used in today’s world. We, however, think the designators of the “noble grapes” were on to something. For versatility, consistent high quality, the ability to pair well with meals, Chardonnay is truly deserving of praise and celebration!
Check our blog often to learn more about Chardonnay – we have a lot more information to share!
Order the 2010 Helix Chardonnay
Order the Helix 2010 Chardonnay today.
Lost and Found Carmenere
We hope you’ve enjoyed the employee profiles we’ve shared recently. But enough about us, let’s talk about wine! Reininger makes a wine from a very rare lost grape variety with a history full of tales of mystery and discovery. Lost in Bordeaux, found in Chile, and thriving in Walla Walla, this intriguing grape is Carmenere. More to the point, you can find this amazing grape at Reininger, in the Reininger 2007 Carmenere.
The storied Carmenere is one of the oldest European wine grape varietals. Although some scholars assert there are allusions to this vine in ancient Roman and Iberian texts, Carmenere is commonly thought to have originated in the Médoc region of Bordeaux, France. Historically, the Carmenere grape was widely cultivated in Bordeaux where it was typically used as a blending variety. The excellent quality of wines produced from Carmenere grapes helped establish the lasting reputation of some of the best Bordeaux vineyards.
The widespread reign of Carmenere tumbled with the invasion of the 1867 Phylloxera plague, an invasion of minuscule pests that decimated the vast majority of grape vines in France. After the Phylloxera plague, Carmenere was almost impossible to find in Bordeaux, and the low yields of the remaining vines led growers to abandon the grape in favor of heartier varieties. The Phylloxera destruction, and subsequent abandonment of Carmenere vines led to the common belief that Carmenere was an extinct variety, lost forever to history.
Obviously the Carmenere grape wasn’t entirely extinct, as we have some for sale here.
Employee Profile: Brooke (aka Pocahaulass, the roller derby queen)
Reininger’s own Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, this employee has a mysterious dark side… All we’re saying is if you find yourself alone in a dark rollerderby rink, watch your back.
Name: Brooke Turnbow (or commonly referred to in the office as Brooka-Brooka!)
Role at the Winery: Per my business card; Sales Representative and Wine Club. To be more accurate: Tasting Room Rock Star, Shipping Slave and Quality Control
Favorite Reininger wine: Anything with a crooked, missing or wrinkled label! (Employee perks!…I mean, someone has to give the misfits a home, right?!)….but the 2008 Reininger Reserve Chardonnay is a close second.
Brooke is a self proclaimed born and raised Walla Walla farm girl. She worked on her family’s wheat and sweet onion farm through out high school, graduated from Walla Walla High School in 1999 (Go Blue Devils!) lived the “snowboard bum” mountain life for a few years until she started the Enology and Viticulture program at WWCC (with Justin, lucky her!) and after 3 intense interviews, got hooked up with a tasting room job here at Reininger. She then graduated in 2008 from WWCC, with an agricultural business degree in wine marketing as well.
When not busy at Reininger Winery, Brooke leads a very slow life snowboarding, Rollerderby-ing, fishing, hunting with guns, boating, camping, longboarding, beer drinking, rodeos, riding her dirtbike, mushroom hunting, gardening, country driving, people watching and peeing outside. Her “crazy” family consists of her BFF for life, a little-medium dog, Zip, a Border Collie blend, and an 11year old cat, Mamas, who scratches children, swats the dog daily and hates everyone but Brook.
A fun fact about Brook: “I have an alter-ego. Her name is Pocahaulass and she’s a rollerderby queen!”
Vanishing Act: Helix ’09 Aspersa
Labor day has come and gone! The fun filled days of summer are disappearing fast and so is our Helix ’09 Aspersa. Toast the remaining days of summer with the perfect summer white wine while both are still around. The Helix ’09 Apersa is selling quickly, order direct from us here to get some before it is gone forever!
The Helix ’09 Aspersa is filled with tropical tones of papaya and pineapple woven with mid- summer prairie grass, floating slices of early season pears and garnished with orange blossom. With a medium mouth feel, perfect balance and acidity, this relaxing/sensual getaway pairs wonderfully with scallops, halibut, fruit and cheeses.
We’re not the only ones loving the Helix ’09 Aspersa! In case you didn’t hear, Steve Body from the Seattle PI chose the Helix ’09 Aspersa as one of the best summer wines. He praised the Helix ’09 Aspersa, calling it “a decadently-fat, rich, blend of Chardonnay, Viognier, and Semillion – [the Helix Aspersa] is one of those wines that almost defies description and not so much steps out of the stately Reininger mold as smashes it altogether. This is one of the most full-bodied, full-throttle whites I’ve ever tasted from Washington”.
Enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend and toast the last few days of summer with the last of the Helix ’09 Aspersa. We’ll miss you both!
