Leschi Market Summer Wine Recap
Hello Leschi! Welcome back! The suffocating smoke came and went, as did the annual barrage of boaters, Blue Angels and backyard barbecues. As we settle back in and get ready for school to start and the leaves to begin to change color, let’s look at some of the happenings you may have missed. (Eclipse glasses not required!)
Leschi Market Wine Department’s newest addition!
The Leschi Market Wine Department proudly welcomed Catherine to the wine aisle. Her vast knowledge of wine, food and travel is second to none. You may recognize her from her previous home at the Spanish Table, or most recently Pete’s Eastlake. Say “Hi” to her your next time through the store and let her superior palate help recommend something new to take home.
Leschi Cellars was again hard at work!
Chardonnay was bottled in early August and released a couple weeks later. The Chardonnay is 2015 vintage from Columbia Valley, non-disclosures prevent us from telling exactly where the wine is from, but we can tell you this: The beautiful aromatics leap from the glass. A kiss of oak, but aged in concrete, this Chardonnay offers tones of lemon meringue and white peach. Tropical fruits and distinct minerality layer each other over the long lasting finish. It has been really nice to have a white wine under the Leschi Cellars label again. The Pinot Gris response was unpredictable, selling out of nearly 70 cases of wine in a mere 7 weeks. The Chardonnay should be around through the holidays.
Rosé wines
Finally—what rosé will be available throughout September? Here are a couple of options that were late arriving, and should be here for the time being.
2016 Division Gamay Noir Rosé Willard Vineyard Columbia Valley ($17.99)
“We believe the best wines will be made by picking before overly ripe characteristics dominate the wine and balance and finesse suffer. Therefore, especially with rosé, which we seek more white wine-like vibrancy than red wine-like richness or intensity. We pick this site relatively early with more acid driven grapes and lighter red fruit.” ~Winemaker notes.
2016 Château de Montfaucon ‘Les Gardettes’ Rosé Rhône ($11.19)
This blend of Cinsault, Counoise and Grenache is a true rosé de saignée (French for ‘bleed’) where some of the wine is removed from the vat leaving a smaller amount of wine left to bleed with the skins, which intensifies color, tannins and concentration. Les Gardettes is full of strawberry, peach and other stone fruit flavors supported by good acidity and freshness.
2016 Château L’Ermitage Tradition Rosé Costières de Nîmes ($8.39)
“Brightly salmon pink robe with an explosion of fruit. Roundness and a well-balanced harmony of spices and fruits. 50% Grenache, 25% Syrah and 25% Mourvèdre. Aging potential: two to three years.” ~Winemaker notes.
Thank you for another great summer, and see you in the wine aisle! Cheers!
Kenneth Benner, a Seattle area native, is a trained chef and has worked in such restaurants as Barbacoa, B.O.K.A. Kitchen + Bar, and Dahlia Lounge. Ken is the wine buyer at Leschi Market. He has a passion for learning, a meticulous palate, and a tenacity for searching out the best for his customers while offering some of the most highly coveted wines in the area. His wine column is intended to inspire and explore new choices in wine, learn about wine with his readers, and share his knowledge and experiences in the wine world. Check out the latest at www.LeschiMarket.com or request to be added to email updates or send questions, comments, or suggestions to ken@leschimarket.com and follow the wine department directly on twitter at twitter.com/leschimarket.