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Tasting Notes Current notes on wines available for purchase.
	2006 Pinot Noir, Monument Farm Vineyard, Puget Sound Released on May 1, 2008. The first commercially produced Pinot Noir in King County and on Vashon Island. The wine is light to medium red with good dusted red fruits in the nose, and hinting at cranberry that follows through on the palate with a note of earthiness. This is a pretty remarkable wine produced from the third year of the vine’s growth. Serve with salmon, pasta with lamb sauce, pork, chicken, salads.
	2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington State Classic Cabernet Sauvignon flavors and character: 2003 was a cool vintage and Cabernet Sauvignon excels in cooler years with good acidity, good color and good structure. Portteus Vineyard grapes with typical raspberry and cherry aromas and flavors. This wine is drinking nicely now but it will be remarkable in 2010.Serve this with richer meat or tomato-based dishes and rich cheese plates.
	2004 Merlot Great rich red color. This is one of our all-time best Merlots. It is a good example of Merlot’s mid-palate richness, a fatness almost, with flavors of plum and raspberry. It is less intense and more mouthfilling than our 2003 Merlot. This wine has great structure; acidity, tannins, and depth of flavor. This will age well over the next five years, and beyond. Serve with richer dishes and meats but also nutty, sharp cheese.
	2002 Anniversary Reserve Red This a balanced and equal blend of three grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. It commemorates the winery’s Twentieth Anniversary. Each grape contributes to the wine’s completeness. The Cab Sauv gives it structure and acidity, the Merlot, fatness, and the Cab Franc a bit of flower and fruitiness at the back of the palate. It has a wonderful nose, a bouquet of aromas from all three grapes. Serve this with more elegant cuts of meat and nutty, sharp cheeses.
	Tramp Harbor Red, Columbia Valley A terrific blend of five barrels: three vintages (’03, ’04, and’05) and four different grape varieties: slightly more of Malbec, an equal amount of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and a small amount of Cabernet Franc. This is a blend of extra wine, or barrels, that just didn’t fit into my varietal wines. Great for drinking now, it will continue to improve and should drink well in about three years. Serve this with pizza with sausage, mozzarella, pesto and tomatoes, or burgers or any full flavored dish.
	2005 Semillon This is possibly one of our all-time best with a combination of great central palate fruitiness and great Semillon flavors. It is dry but fruity with a long finish. This wine deserves to be served with white fish or rich chicken dishes.
	2006 Chasselas Doré, Puget Sound Rare Chasselas from the Jim Stewart Vineyard from vines that are 58 years old. This is from a great vintage for Puget Sound. The wine is intensely fruity, but very dry with subtle hints of sake and fresh cucumber. Try this with a plate of Puget Sound mussels, or clams, or chicken.
	Isletage, Puget Sound Half Chasselas Doré from Vashon Island, half Siegerrebe from Whidbey Island. Isletage is kind of an island meritage; a blend of grapes grown only in Puget Sound. The Siegerrebe provides complexity and spice (as it is related to Gewurztraminer). Nice middle fruitiness and good acidity. Serve this with curried mussels, or Asian cuisine. Shoot......it might be interesting serving it warm with sushi, like you might a saké.
	Vashon White This is a blend of white wines, or grapes, and is usually just some leftover batches, which I didn’t know what to do with. Currently it is a blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc and is smooth and complex. Its deep yellow color comes from the Sauvignon Blanc being in barrel too long but it drinks more like a red wine than a white wine. Serve this with chicken or white fish, or just before dinner.
	Irvine’s Vintage Cider, Vintage Blend This is a blend of European cider apples made from a variety of sources. It is crushed and pressed at the winery using a cheese press, then fermented to dryness, settled, then racked into oak barrel where it sits for a year aging. It is then racked again, sugar and yeast are added, then the cider is put into 500ml bottles and capped with a wired porcelain cap. It is dry and creamy and not too unlike a good champagne (definitely a small c).