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Washington State 2012: "Eagle Eater" and My Six-Case Investment


Joe H

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I have been a huge Washington state fan for a long time.  2012 is perhaps their best year ever.  97 points for the vintage from the Wine Advocate with some individual wines representing the absolute best of the state-ever.

But this is about two wines.  One is locally known as the "Eagle Eater":

11/14/15 - "10 Things We Don't Know About Screaming Eagle" by W. Blake Gray on winesearcher.com

is an article about Screaming Eagle which includes a very interesting comment, the sixth one down.  It notes that a '12 WA wine, Woodinville Cellars '12 Reserve "once again" beat Screaming Eagle in a brown bag tasting.

Several friends of mine and I were struck by this.  Especially since Woodinville Cellars '12 Reserve has not been reviewed by anyone and, there are only our barrels of it-none of which come East.

We bought three cases @ $40.00 a bottle with free shipping. ($50 list):

2012 Woodinville Wine Cellars on woodinvillewine.com

and took delivery of them two weeks ago.  Three of us could not wait and opened one of the bottles.  Initial swirl and sip after only a couple of minutes of air for the bottle was "at least a 94-96" from all of us.  An hour later we opened a second bottle-the first bottle was now "in the high '90's."  We also all agreed that if this had been $150 a bottle we would not have been disappointed.  It was that good.  An absolutely remarkable wine regardless of what it cost.  Never mind the $1500+ per bottle release cost of a single bottle of Screaming Eagle-the '12 Woodinville Reserve would hold its own against anything.

Having said this, considering the cost, we picked up the phone and bought two more cases.

The 2012 Woodinville Reserve really is the "Eagle Eater" described.  We now have a total of 5 of the approximately 90 cases that were made.  With all of them at hand I can tell the world:  as I write this there are only a few cases left and I have no financial interest in them in any way.  Until a few weeks ago I knew nothing about them.  Now, having talked to the winemaker, Sean Boyd, whose father was the original editor of the Wine Spectator in the early '80's (!), I have to share my enthusiasm.

A few DC restaurants really should have this on their wine lists.  This speaks well, really well, for Washington-both state and D. C. the city.

And, there is another '12 WA state wine:  Bergevin Lane Moonspell cabernet.  The '11 picked up 92 points from the Wine Spectator which is especially remarkable since it is a $28 wine.  One of their highest ratings for the price for the year.  The '12 Moonspell is better.  I actually think much better.  Almost breathtaking the kind of point rating that this $28 wine might receive.

I have now bought six cases of the '12 Moonspell-three for me and three for friends. I also know Bergevin Lane having bought their cabs (Intuition, Moonspell) every year since 2007.  But this is their best.  A remarkable value that is jammy, unctuous, mouth coating and full of fruit. Full bodied, too, 14.5+ %.

They are still trying to sell the 92 point WS '11 Moonspell and have not actually started trying to sell their '12.  But they will.  They, similar to Woodinville, do not have a distributor in the D. C. area-you will have to call them and buy direct.  Annette Bergevin at Bergevin Lane, Sean Boyd at Woodinville.  This is the website for the '11 Moonspell.

Both wineries will hold their wines and ship in the spring.

I am actually wondering if I should have bought a little bit more of each?

Happy New Year :lol: !!!!

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