Well, it’s that time of year again. Time to pick the 2011 Reader Survey Wine of the Year and 2012 Wine to Watch!
The Reader Survey Wine of the Year is intended for the one Washington wine in 2011 that stood out among all those you tasted. The 2012 Wine to Watch is for a pre-release wine you tasted that will be released in 2012 that you believe will be exceptional.
Here is how it works.
Nominations
Saturday 12/3 to Tuesday 12/6 9pm
Nominate up to three Washington wines in each category via comment or e-mail (wawinereport@gmail.com). Please state whether the wine is to be considered for ‘2011 Wine of the Year’ or ‘2012 Wine to Watch.’
Preliminaries
Wednesday 12/7 to Sunday 12/11 9pm
Vote for any three wines in both categories from those wines nominated.
Finals
Sunday 12/11 to Friday 12/16 9pm
Vote for any one of the finalists.
See additional rules below.
Let the submissions begin!
Read about the 2010 Reader Survey Wine of the Year and 2011 Wine to Watch here; the 2009 Reader Survey Wine of the Year here and 2010 Wine to Watch here; and 2008 Reader Survey Wine of the Year here.
Rules (the fine print, literally):
* Wines can be nominated via email or by leaving a comment on the blog.
* Wines in both categories must be from Washington.
* Entrants for the Reader Survey Wine of the Year must have been released and/or available on shelves in 2011. In other words, don’t pick wines from several years back or several years forward. If this is the case these wines will be removed from the voting.
* Entrants for the 2012 Wine to Watch must be wines to-be-released in 2012. These would be barrel samples or bottle samples of wines you tasted this year that will be released next year. Any wines that have already been released will be removed from the voting.
* If more than three wines are sent in for either category, I will cap your list at the first three so be choosey!
* If I can’t determine which wines were intended for which category, I will not include them in the voting so please make sure to specify this. Wines must include a vintage listing otherwise they will not be included.
* Any wines that were previously considered for Reader Survey Wine of the Year will be removed from the voting.
* Any entries sent in after 9pm on December 6th will not be included in the voting.
* Nominations for each category will be capped at no more than 60 entries to keep subsequent voting manageable.
* Once the survey begins, readers may not cast more than one vote.
* Any evidence of multiple voting may lead to an entry being disqualified.
* Please note that I reserve the right to make changes to these rules if need be to preserve the spirit of the reader survey. If so this list will be updated as such.
2011 Wine of the Year Nominees…
2008 Rasa Creative Impulse DuBrul Vineyard Yakima Valley
2010 Maison Bleue Petite Joie Marsanne Boushey Vineyard Yakima Valley
2006 Force Majeure Ptera Red Mountain
2012 Wine to Watch…
2009 Cooper Estate Merlot Red Mountain
2011 Maison Bleue Rose of Mouvedre Yakima Valley
2011 Yak Yak Wines Riesling Yakima Valley
2011 wine:
2009 Rotie Northern Blend
2009 Gramercy Walla Walla syrah
2012 wine:
2007 Corliss cab
2011:
2008 Obelisco Red
2008 Efeste Jolie Bouche
2008 Betz La Cote Patriarche
2012:
New Klipsun Merlot from Efeste
2011:
2008 Heaven's Cave "The Dweller" Syrah
2008 Reininger Syrah
2008 Thurston Wolfe "The Teacher" Cabernet Sauvignon
2011:
2007 Cadence Bel Canto Cara Mia Vineyard
2007 Fielding Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Riverbend Vineyard
2008 Rasa QED
2011
Reynvaan Stonessence syrah 2009
Owen Roe Ex Umbris syrah 2009
Woodward Canyon Old Vines Cab 2008
2012 Im eager to see what happens under the No Girls label
2011
2008 Cayuse Cailloux Vineyard Syrah
2009 Renvaan Stonessence
2006 Corliss Red Blend
2011
Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc 2008
Maison Bleue Boushey Vineyard Grenache 2009
William Church Malbec 2008
2012
Avennia – Chris Peterson's new winemaking adventure
2011:
2008 Rasa Vineyards "Creative Impulse" (DuBrul Vineyard)
2009 Sleight of Hand Cellars "The Funkadelic" Syrah (Funk Vineyard)
2008 Zanzibar Cellars "Long Wide Life" Syrah (Red Willow Vineyard)
2012:
2009 Zanzibar Cellars "Sandra" (Red Willow Vineyard)
2009 Rasa Vineyards "Occam's Razor" Syrah (Block 10, Seven Hills Vineyard)
2011:
2007 Covington Cellars Bruno
2008 Pomum Cellars Shya Red
2010 Two Vintners Grenache Blanc (Boushey Vineyards)
2012:
2008 Covington Cellars Bruno
2009 Chateau Ste. Michelle Eroica
2009 Owen Roe Ex Umbris
2008 Leonetti Cabernet
2011:
2009 Maison Bleue Le Midi Grenache Boushey Vineyard
2008 Elsom Cellars Malbec
2008 Pomum Cellars Syrah
2009 A Maurice "Sparrow" Viognier
2008 Cayuse Cailloux Vineyard
My nominations:
Top wines of 2011
2008 Rasa Vineyards "Creative Impulse" Red, DuBrul Vineyard
2009 Maison Bleue "Liberte" Syrah, Boushey Vineyard
2007 Tero Estates Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Windrow Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley
Wines to watch in 2012
2010 Reynvaan "Stonessence" Syrah
2009 Rasa Vineyards "Perfect Union" Red
2010 Buty "Rediviva of the Stones" Red
The 2011 Reader Survey is now closed to nominations. Thanks to all for the submissions!