Wine Wednesday: Andrew Rich Wines, 2011 Roussanne, Columbia Valley, Washington
"Going to a restaurant is one of my keenest pleasures. Meeting someplace with old and new friends, ordering wine, eating food, surrounded by strangers, I think is the core of what it means to live a civilized life."
-Adam Gopnik
This Week: Andrew Rich Wines, 2011 Roussanne, Columbia Valley, Washington
1. Andrew Rich first found his passion for wine while working in New York City as the editor for a national magazine's wine column.
2. With an interest in more than just writing about wine, Andrew moved to the Burgundy region of France to study winemaking and viticulture. Upon returning to the United States, Andrew worked for Bonny Doon Vineyard in California.
3. In 1994, Andrew had a goal to take his refined winemaking skills to create his own label in Oregon, where he would focus on creating Rhône wines with grapes from the Columbia Valley region. There was just one problem - Rhône varietal grapes were not yet available in the region.
4. While waiting for Rhone varietals to become more prominent in the region, Andrew decided to first focus on Pinot Noir. Today, Andrew Rich Wines is known for a wide variety of wines including Pinot Noir, Rhône varietals, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer dessert wine, and more.
Tasting Notes From The Winemaker: "With grapes sourced from one of the top sites in Washington's Red Mountain AVA, this wine is just as floral and honeyed as the normale, but it shows more definition and stoniness, as well as greater complexity and length. For the first time you will pick up the influence of light-toast new French oak barrels, though the wood impact is remarkably subtle."
Cheers!
(Thirsty? Book your next reservation at the girl & the fig)
