Carrie and I made our annual summer trip to Walla Walla two weeks ago and were bubbling with excitement because we were each bringing along our significant others. Neither Carrie’s boyfriend Bob nor my fiance James had spent time in Walla Walla, so we were thrilled to get them out to visit the stunning Washington vineyards and wineries. Our first stop, was Long Shadows Winery, whose wine we both adore. Little did we realize the adventures that were in store for us!
I will leave little suspense, as you can see here the dense smoke that began to roll into the area just as we arrived for our scheduled wine tasting. Between the time that we departed our homes in Woodinville and Snoqualmie and when we arrived at Long Shadows the next morning, California wildfires pushed a heavy, dangerous cloud of smoke up the west coast. As we sat on the outdoor patio, we had this view of what was coming our way. At first, we didn’t realize (I don’t think anyone did!) just how dangerous the air quality was going to degrade to and we continued to sit outdoors.
Despite the change in weather, our winery hostess, Karen, was so much fun and we were having a wonderful time chatting with her about the wines. Long Shadows makes some wonderful Washington wines, and I am always so busy running around Woodinville to all of the wineries, it had been over a year since I had sat down for a full tasting.
We started our tasting off with a pour of the 2017 Dance Chardonnay. This was a lengthy chardonnay with subtle layers. I picked up on flavors of creme brûlée, and ripe pear and I enjoyed the slightly creamy finish. If you are on the fence about Chardonnay, try this wine.
Here is Carrie, enjoying the view and her wine! This was right around the time that the wildfire smoke began to settle in on us. You can really see how bad it was if you view our video on Instagram! Our thoughts go out to everyone that was affected by the fires.
Next up was this 2018 Poets Leap Riesling. It was off-dry (my favorite type of Riesling), with only 1% residual sugar. This was a lively Riesling with flavors of apricot and honey and a beautiful golden color. Of course, this is a fabulous wine to pair with many types of food, and would be good if laid down for up to ten years.
I was a huge fan of the 2017 Saggi, a “Super Tuscan “ blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. I loved the aromas and flavors of cherry and strawberry and the nice balance of this red. The Sangiovese grapes in this wine were grown in two vineyards: Candy Mountain Vineyard and Boushey Vineyard, with the Syrah grapes also sourced from Boushey Vineyard and blended with Cabernet grapes from Stone Tree Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope. I love learning the backstories on why and where grapes are sourced and what growing qualities each vineyard is known for, do you as well?
You have probably all tried Julia’s Dazzle Rose, as it is delicious, reliable and easy to find. This 2019 vintage is a Rosé of Pinot Gris at a
$18 great price point. Yum!
Here I was sipping the 2016 Pedestal Merlot. It is a blend of 75% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petite Verdot. It is a full bodied Merlot with strong notes of dark cherry and cinnamon with a balance of rich cocoa and berries on the palate. This one was drinking beautifully now and I would love to revisit it in 5 years!
This Bordeaux-inspired 2016 Chester Kidder red blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Syrah and 12% Petit Verdot was very impressive. I loved the mouthfeel of this one and the layered flavors of blackberries and earthiness. This wine was named in honor Allen Shoup’s mother (Elizabeth Chester) and his grandmother (Maggie Kidder), a touching tribute!
The team at Long Shadows Winery was founded by Allen Shoup, after he spent 20 years elevating Chateau Ste Michelle to an internationally recognized brand. His vision was to bring together influential winemakers from around the world, to create world class Washington wines in a collaboration that blends the old world and new world styles.
Director of winemaking, Gilles Nicault, graciously took time out from his busy harvest schedule to speak with us and other guests about his wines. I learned that some of their white wines can be cellared for 5-10 years, which is not something that Carrie or I have traditionally talked about doing. We learned something new from the expert! It was such a pleasure to meet him.
I have had more than one wine industry friend say to me, “Long Shadows wines are always so good!” and I would have to agree. The attention to unique blends, and quality Washington wines are noteworthy and the staff at both the Walla Walla winery and the Woodinville tasting room have always make our visits there so enjoyable.
You can visit Long Shadows in Woodinville’s Hollywood District at, 14450 Woodinville-Redmond Road, suite 105. They are open 7 days a week from 12-5 M-W, Thurs-Sat 12-6 and Sun 11-5.
Cheers! ~ Jen
Resources:
Long Shadows Winery on Facebook
