Welcome

We welcome you to our monthly newsletter!  We have rejuvenated this newsletter to stay connected and share with you what’s happening at Brian Carter Cellars. You’ll find that it is filled with news, helpful hints and tips, future events, and even some recipes on occasion. If ever you don't wish to continue receiving it, simply click 'unsubscribe' at the bottom of any issue. We want this newsletter to be valuable for you so please share your feedback and suggestions to help us improve. Contact Us

This past September we said “Buongiorno” to Mike Stevens.  Mike along with Brian Carter founded Brian Carter Cellars in 2005.

Mike has been a passionate ambassador for the winery,” said Brian Carter.  “His relationships with our wine club members and those guests visiting our tasting room have contributed greatly to the success that we’ve come to enjoy over the past 12 years.

Moving forward, we would like to welcome to the team, Patti Youngbluth, as Sale and Marketing Director. She is primary responsibility for marketing our award-winning wines and to further develop our growing portfolio of regional and national accounts.  Brian Carter, will remain the company’s winemaker and assume the general manager position for Brian Carter Cellars.  “With several new investors and new management in place, I am incredibly optimistic as we enter a new era for Brian Carter Cellars, said Carter.

To that we raise a glass and wish Mike the best on his next adventure!

Harvest 2017

Wednesday, November 8th marked the end of harvest 2017 as we pressed off the last of our grapes! This year will be one to remember as we experienced some things we have not seen in previous vintages. Of course, every vintage has its own unique features and no two are the same. Due to a combination of wet weather early, hot temperatures in early September, and fairly cool temperatures in October made for an up and down journey, for both the grapes and the winemakers. These unusual conditions made it harder to choose picking times as both the sugar/acid numbers, and the flavors coming from the vineyards were harder to pin to past experiences. We certainly could say that all is well as the wines are tasting good coming out of fermentation. Of course, it is still very early to tell but overall, Brian is pleased with what he is tasting. In particular, some of the later picked red varieties such as Grenache, Sangiovese and Petit Verdot seem to be shining with good color intensity, nice fruit and acid balance.

Let the real winemaking begin!

Introducing the Brian Carter
Dedication Series - 2013 ACE

Cabernet Sauvignon / Syrah

I am very proud to introduce the Inaugural Edition of our Dedication Series of wines. My passion is making great blended wines and I offer a great selection of them, largely inspired by the classical blends of Europe. Never wanting to stand still, I am offering up a new series of blended wines outside of the box (but still inside the bottle). Each wine will be unique in its blend and unique in to whom it is dedicated. For our first of the series I have made a blend of two varieties less often blended in Europe but a blend rapidly becoming a Washington State Classic: Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.

Brian pictured with his father and grandfather.

This wine is dedicated to my Grandfather A.W. "Nick" Carter who learned to fly before he learned to drive. During World War I he was stationed in France where he is credited with 17 air victories, earning several medals including the Distinguished Service Cross. He also had a very positive effect on my life and gave me many of my best memories as a young boy.  I have named this wine, one of distinguished character, 'ACE' after my beloved Grandfather Nick.

- Brian Carter  

More Information

Exclusive to Wine Club Members

Special Tasting with Array Cellars

November 18, 2017  2 - 5pm

Join us for an afternoon with Array Cellars in the Brian Carter Tasting Room. We have a special relationship with Array Cellars in that Brian Carter is also their winemaker. Their goal is to bring you three unique bottlings, each expressing something different but clearly Washington chardonnay. Join us for a fun afternoon of tasting.

2013 Washington State - Full ripe flavors of hazelnut, citrus, apple and vanilla. Good depth and a lingering finish with firm acidity.  Retail: $25  Wine Club: $21.25

2013 Celilo Vineyard - These old vine clones produce a wine with citrus/lemon aromas and flavors, powerful acidity, and a notable mineral finish. These vines have produced chardonnay aging well for 20 years and more, rivaling legendary counterparts Hanzell and Stony Hill in California.  Retail: $32  Wine Club: $27.50

2013 Dijon Clone - Taken from a single block of Dijon clone 76 in the Otis Harlan vineyard in the Yakima Valley. Believed to be the oldest such vines in the state. Our most burgundian wine, with a brilliant gold color, deep flavors of peach and marzipan, and a long silky finish from “sur lie” aging. Retail: $32  Wine Club: $27.50

Wine Pairings for Thanksgiving

What will you be serving with your Thanksgiving dinner?

Question: Red, White or Rose? - A good and simple strategy for Thanksgiving wine is to offer a great bottle of each to allow your guests their choice. Plus, it's a good opportunity to introduce your guests to something new that they might not have tried before.

For a white wine, look for a wine with well-balanced acidity. The Oriana is the perfect choice for those that prefer traditional white wines. With its seductive aromas and perfect balance, its popularity just keeps soaring. The 2015 vintage is a richly aromatic wine, resplendent with tangerine, apricot, ripe pear and apple with touches of honey and anise. Crisp acidity greets the palate while mouth filling fruit flavors linger making this an excellent companion to any Thanksgiving table.

Whether your favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal is the turkey or the sweet potatoes, a good rosé will pair well with everything on the table. Abracadabra Rosé is a beautiful electric pink in color with aromas of ripe strawberries abound with more subtle notes of peaches and orange blossoms.  On the palate is bountiful fruit backed up by deliciously crisp acidity. It’s not too big, it’s not too small; as Goldilocks would say, if she were old enough to drink, it’s just right. 

For red wine, look for soft tannins that will yield to and blend with your dishes and will delight most red wine lovers without overpowering lighter turkey flavors. The ripeness of the 2012 Byzanse with its complex nose of bright red cherries, tar, white pepper and the garigue spice that you get walking the fields of Provence is the perfect complement for Thanksgiving. The wine explodes in your mouth with lots of bright fruit and finishes with a long slightly earthy mineral note. A great balance and a hint of tannin make this wine a great match for a wide range of foods, including your mother-in-law's stuffing recipe.

Ending on a Sweet Note - Well, what pairs with traditional thanksgiving desserts like Pumpkin or Pecan Pie? We suggest a glass of Opulento. Deep impenetrable garnet color, with aromas of raspberry, cherry and chocolate with hints of almond and orange peel. On the palate, this wine has opulent flavors of chocolate and berry fruits with a perfectly balanced and satisfyingly sweet finish.

Brian Carter Cellars Calendar

Special Tasting Event with Array Cellars - November 18, 2017 2-5pm

Closed for Thanksgiving - November 23, 2017

Wine and Chocolate Pairing Event - November 29, 2017 2:30-5pm  
Local Chocolatier, Wellington Chocolates
www.wellingtonchocolate.com

St. Nick's "Cure-ated" Wine Tasting Night - December 1, 2017 7-9:30pm
Join Brian Carter Cellars and forty other Woodinville wineries for a festival holiday event. Special guest chef Justin Severino, James Beard Award-nominee and owner of Cure Restaurant in Pittsburgh teams up with Novelty Hill Januiks executive chef Seth Fernald to host a special evening of Cure-ated food. 
Tickets are still available: brownpapertickets.com/event/3084927