Bergevin Lane Vineyards 2007 Calico White

*Bottle #29: Bergevin Lane Vineyards 2007 Walla Walla Calico White

*Price: $16

*Running Tab: $360

Girl power and all aside, I love female winemakers. As far as Washington goes, women entrepreneurs get a bit of money from the state to get started (we're still considered a minority?) and male investors might come easier (so many hurdles to be a girl, really). However, it's always a celebrated feat for a woman to be a successful businessperson and as annoying as this is, one of the reasons why I like Bergevin Lane Vineyards is because of innovative co-owners Annette Bergevin and Amber Lane. 

The main reason why I liked their Calico White blend was because of the nose. A combo that could kill - Chardonnay, Roussanne and Viognier. It's becoming very popular in Washington wines to blend Chardonnay and Viognier together, mostly to get the full-body mouthfeel of Chardonnay to mesh with the floral, acidity of Viognier and pulling the great citrus that both varietals give off. Roussane and Viognier are both varietals originating from the Rhone Valley in France and blend flawlessly together (as they should).   

The varietals' components broken down as I see it:

- Roussanne = structure and minerality

- Chardonnay = body and complexity

- Viognier = some major aromatics and acidity

All three grapes are known for their richness and fullness. These are all big, robust and proud French varietals and with their powers combined, the Calico White is lavish and easy drinking. Elaborate but not overboard, this shining golden straw colored wine gave off a citrus aroma, backed by tropical fruits (pineapple and mangoes for sure) with a slight hint of honey (but nowhere near sweet). It smelled like Hawaii would smell (I've never been...).

Faintly astringent with medium-plus acidity, the Calico White had an effortless finish that was just as citrus and pineapple packed as the bouquet. The wine was dry, crisp and medium-bodied and in the later palate hit with some bananas, which I loved. 

I FINALLY really paired one of my review wines with some food - I brought the bottle to a dinner date with my dad who prepared (all cooked to perfection) salmon, bleu cheese red potatoes, a pear and pine-nut salad with French artisan bread. I almost feel bad not paying him for his culinary expertise. 

All in all, for a $16 blend from my beloved Walla Walla Valley, the Calico White could not fail.

Score: 8.5. 

Patit Creek Cellars 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon

*Bottle #28: Patit Creek Cellar 2004 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

*Price: $28

*Running Tab: $344

Shout out to my homies, Steve and Tina, for giving me this bottle of wine. My regular winos at the wine bar (which I have recently left), who live in the building and frequently listen to my crazy stories about wine, boys and my so-called life, brought me a bottle after they went wine tasting in Walla Walla Valley in central Washington. They were very excited to give me their last remaining bottle of "good wine" from their trip. Keeping in mind that Steve and Tina are from Texas and are just learning to love Washington wines (love you guys!), I thought this wine could be anywhere from okay to great.

Walla Walla Valley is the hottest thing since sliced bread in the state. The volcanic soils that comprise the ground allow for excellent drainage (which if it isn't great, it can drown the vines) and is currently thriving every varietal you can think of from Syrah to Pinot Noir. 

The town itself, within the AVA, is tiny. Patit Creek Cellars is on A Street, for example. However, I find that the smaller the town, the smaller the amount of wine being produced (yields), the better the product. But just because you're from a small town in Kansas, making small amounts of wine does not mean your wine is good, fyi.

Deep, rich and purple in color, the Patit Creek Cab gave off the look of a Syrah. I love that part of Syrah. The nose came off as a bit earthy and musty, a gamey note with black currants, blackberries and maybe some other dark stoned fruits (like plums?).

None of which are bad olfactory features but I found the wine tasting much better than the aroma it gave off. After a while, it gave me a really strange bright, red lipstick smell and I couldn't stop picturing Dolly Parton.

On the palate, this Cab was a bargain for the smell. Smooth and well-balanced, cherries began to come through with the dark fruits (more plum!) as well as a black tea flavor. Rounded tannins kept the wine lingering just enough on the finish to want another taste. The wine grew and opened up very nicely after hanging out in my glass for awhile too. 

I was very impressed with Steve and Tina and their selection for me. And of course, appreciative of the free wine. When it's free, it's hard to find things you don't like.

Score: 7.

2004 Franco M. Martinetti Barbera d'Asti

*Bottle #27: 2004 Franco M. Martinetti Barbera d'Asti Bric dei Banditi

*Price: $24

*Running Tab: $344

I'm always going back to the big, juicy red Italian wines. I think it might be a phase I'm in or if you ask any of my girlfriends and replace "wines" with "guys," then I don't think this is something I will grow out of. 

I think what I like about Italian wine is that it is such a part of their everyday life. I don't mean to speak as if I've been there (I wish), more just that I respect their way of life from an outsider's point of view. It's different wines with different courses, with different times of the day, with different people and different moods. Wine is such an anthropology, a culture, part of Italian heritage alongside of their once-prosperous empires and beautifully crafted, age-cracked sculptures. I like that.

And again, I'm diving deep into another bottle of red Italian wine - a Barbera from Asti, a city and commune in the Piedmont (northern Italy) region. This varietal is the most prominent and renowned red wine in Asti and the Piedmont area is gaining international recognition for those wines. Barbera in general is the most/second-most planted varietal in Italy. A cheaper varietal in the area, Italian-grown Barbera isn't the most complex or depth-defying grape out there but it sure tastes good. 

I love Barbera. I haven't been let down yet and this won't be the first time.

Franco M. Martinetti, the wine's producer, has a quirky flair on his grape creations. He's known for setting apart his wines with a "manic-like research for elegance and balance" (http://www.vinissimo-italy.com). And this Barbera d'Asti played out just how he envisioned. 

Martinetti's 2004 Barbera stood out with black currants and plum on the nose, backing it up with other dark fruits like raisins as well as a caramelized, roast beef and milk chocolate note. Some definite cedar notes to it, which I think isn't typical for Italian winemaking (I think they usually use stainless steel now for aging). I know it all sounds a little weird and might put you off, but it's what the nose knows, none of those are foul traits and I'm going to go with that. 

The wine had a lighter-bodied mouthfeel, with low-medium acidity, medium heat in the back of my throat (around 13% alcohol) and those similar dark fruits with soft tannins. The balance Martinetti was striving for was easily achieve in the wine, however an air of elegance was somewhat passed off by the lack of intricacy in the wine. 

It wasn't the best Barbera I've ever had - trust me, I've been on a major binge - but I enjoyed it. So much so that I realized (even though the plan was to share with my roommates) I drank the entire bottle myself. Good job, Erin.

Score: 6.5. 

Hugel 2005 Gentil Alsace

Bottle #26: Hugel et Fils 2005 Gentil Alsace

Price: $15

Running Tab: $330

Why do you keep forcing yourself to try French white wines after so many failed attempts, Erin? Well, Reader, that is a good question. The answer is obvious: Because it's wine. They've got all types of flavors, those crazy Frenchmen, so I've just gots to try them all!

Also, I figured going with the Hugel family of winemakers who've been growing since 1639 in Alsace, one of the pioneering families in today's French wine, wasn't a bad idea.

Upon purchasing this wine, I was well-informed on what makes her special. We all know how us ladies like to hear over and over again how special we are so here we go again. Based off of Alsace traditional winemaking, the name "Gentil" denotes the wine's makeup of noble grapes in the blend. The Gentil is a field blend - where her grapes (Gewurtztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Sylvaner) were interplanted in the same vineyard. Rows weren't even designated and one vine could be one varietal, the next being another. 

I think this is very intriguing - this process allows the blending, post-picking of the grapes, effortless. The task is already completed for the winemaker once they start the crushing of the grapes, the juices are instantly blending. Also because they share the same soil, the grapes pick up well-rounded and complex characteristics from the surrounding the varietals.

Although not the most elaborate white wine I've had, the solidly golden Gentil blend has a fresh bouquet full of honey, pear and a note of citrus. Some kind of floral undertone comes through, possibly something like orange blossom from the Muscat grape. And to be perfectly honest, I was looking at a tasting chart to pinpoint that note...

The honey aroma gives off the impression that this wine might be sweet, the Gentil stays strong with its title as a dry Alsace white, yet still providing that honey and pear on the palate. The intensity of acidity was medium-low, nothing too shocking, and came off as a centered and succulent blend.

All good words aside, this was a nice table wine, seems like it would be good with crab (mhmm...) but is a little flabby on its own, which we all know is how I usually drink wine. For being what it is, I say drink it. Like most not super pricey bottles I've purchased in the past, the Gentil won't last past the day it was open so unfortunately, you'll just have to drink it all!

Score: 7.