Taste of Tulalip Showcases Some of Washington’s Best

The Taste of Tulalip, held on November 11 and 12 at the Tulalip Resort and Casino, is only in its third year, but it’s quickly becoming one of the premiere food and wine events in the state.

I’ve visited the resort on a few other occasions and have always found the venue along with its attention-to-detail customer service to be first-class in every respect.

This year’s Taste of Tulalip was no exception with two days of food-related events, celebrity chef appearances, and a cooking competition that culminated with the Grand Tasting, a four hour sip-and-nosh affair that featured wineries from Washington, California, and Italy.

I focused my tasting on the 65 Washington wineries, which included several high caliber attendees such as DeLille Cellars, Woodward Canyon Winery, and Leonetti Cellar.

Here’s a condensed version of my wine tasting experiences with recommendations of wines I especially enjoyed.

Sparkman Cellars in Woodinville really impressed me with a couple of its wines. The 2010 Pearl Sauvignon Blanc led off with big, nectarine and peach aromatics reminiscent of a viognier, but the honeydew melon and pink grapefruit flavors, along with some herbaceousness on the finish, give it the unmistakable stamp on a sauvignon blanc.

The Sparkman Cellars 2009 L’Autre Pinot Noir was also breathtaking, with beautiful red fruits ensconced in velvet along with a whisper of cedary spice.

Walla Walla’s Reynvaan Vineyards poured a memorable wine in its 2008 “The Contender” Syrah. I enjoyed its spicy, mineral aromatics, black tea and plum flavors, touch of gaminess, and seemingly endless finish.

Two other Walla Walla wines captured my attention as well: the Five Star Cellars 2006 Stellar, a cabernet-based blend of five red varietals with big layers of black cherry that was, well, stellar; and the Otis Kenyon 2007 Matchless Red Wine, a merlot/cabernet blend with raspberry and black plum flavors that melted into a soft, chocolaty finish.

And winemaker Gilles Nicault has created a near-masterpiece with his Long Shadows 2010 Poet’s Leap Riesling. The wine is crisp without being edgy and clean without sacrificing character. Lovely Anjou pear and white peach flavors linger on the palate and are framed with a trace of minerality. Superbly crafted, this was one of my favorite wines at the event.

Although it’s a year away, it might not be a bad idea to mark your calendar for next year’s certain-to-sell-out Taste, scheduled for November 9 and 10, 2012.