Thursday, October 13, 2011

Land to Hand, Vineyard to Bottle: The Wines of Charles Smith

We are absolutely thrilled to have recently added the wines of Washington-based Charles Smith to our portfolio. Food & Wine's 2009 Winemaker of the Year, Charles epitomizes the opposite of what we have come to expect in the industry. With a deceivingly cavalier attitude and colorful past--one of his former pursuits includes managing rock bands in Scandinavia--he has become a force on the international market. The cult following that has developed around Charles makes perfect sense when you consider his portfolio of wines. 90+ scores are consistently bestowed upon them by the likes of The Wine Spectator, Wine EnthusiastWine & Spirits, Food & Wine, Stephen Tanzer, and Robert Parker. Oh, and did I mention he's self-taught?

I, for one, love his logo.
In the words of Gastrotommy, September 2011:

"What I also discovered along the way was that Charles was not simply a guy with crazy hair that likes to get down like he’s going to prison tomorrow (really). He is really smart. He has a tremendous amount of respect for the great old world wines from Europe. He understands and executes marketing strategy as well as anyone in the world. Furthermore, he never compromises his values to gain favor. Ever.... So, you are looking for something that totally rocks that you can find anywhere? Check out Charles Smith’s wines."


From Charles Smith Wines:

Kung Fu Girl Riesling 2010 - A Wine Spectator Best Value at 90 Points
100% Riesling, Evergreen, Columbia Valley
Described as "vivid, distinctive, and immensely appealing for its juicy Winesap apple, apricot, and citrus flavors, finishing with zing to balance the sweetness" in Wine Spectator's Advance 11/30/11 Issue.

Boom Boom Syrah 2010 - Just Released!

The Velvet Devil Merlot 2009
90.6% Merlot, 9.4% Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley
Described by Charles Smith as "pure velvet: milk chocolate, wild blackberry, baking spice, rose oil... beautifully perfumed Washington in a glass."

Eve Chardonnay 2009
100% Chardonnay, Columbia Valley
Described by Charles Smith as having "aromas of rose petals, lavendar, and wet stone.... Stonefruit, honeyed ripe apple, sophisticated and pure with nice acidity and a hint of mineral on the soft finish."

Chateaux Smith Cabernet Sauvigon 2008
82% Cabernet Sauvigon, 12% Petite Verdot, 6% Syrah, Columbia Valley
Desribed by Charles Smith  as "super smooth [with] cedar, Rainier cherry, dark rose. A Washington Cabernet with a real sense of place."

Wine Wizards also represents the K VINTNERS portfolio and SECCO, a collaboration with Charles' wife and her sister of sparkling white and rose blends from the Prosecco region of Veneto, Italy. More on those in a future post.

Charles Smith's wines are easily identified and are making their way through the Rhode Island market. We hope that you will get behind the brand, join the movement, embrace the black and white... in our opinion, the wines are worth it.



Images and background check courtesy Charles Smith Wines.

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