Washington Tempranillo vs. Rioja

In this strange year, La Vuelta Espana received much more attention than usual and the race delivered.  There was drama and lively racing through all 3 weeks of the race.  This year's route brought the pro cyclists to Northern Spain and featured its typical steady diet of challenging climbs and mountain top finishes.

After losing his grip on the Tour de France on the final competitive stage, Primoz Roglic had his sights set on winning his second Vuelta.  In order to achieve his goal Roglic had to go up against a formative cast of challengers including Chris Froome and Richard Carapaz.  Carapaz turned out to be his primary rival as they traded the overall race lead back and forth while racing through Northern Spain.

Once again, Roglic found himself facing a crushing defeat on the final competitive stage of a grand tour.  Entering the day Roglic held a 45 second lead over Richard Carapaz with the GC Victory appearing to be safely in his grasp. However, on the slopes of La Covatilla Carapaz burst away from a small group of GC contenders rapidly opening a lead of 25 seconds over Roglic.  

This time, Roglic stood up to the pressure limiting his losses, avoiding a repeat of his worst nightmare, to hold on to overall victory.  

This week's Lucha Vino matchup celebrates Roglic vanquishing his nightmare with The Walls 2018 Wonderful Nightmare vs. Bodegas Lan's 2010 Rioja Gran Reserva.

Washington Cabernet Sauvignon vs. Santa Cruz

Most stage races are won in the mountains.  The month of May includes two top stages races, The Tour of California and the Giro d'Italia.  Both races provide multiple mountain stages for the climbers to enforce their will on the rest of the peleton.

In this year's Tour of California Tadej Pogacar made the decisive move on the sixth stage to Mt. Baldy.  He started the day in fourth and took the overall lead be winning the final mountain finish of this year's race.

Wine challengers can try to follow the same strategy.  In this week's challenge California heads to the Santa Cruz Mountains to find their challenger for Cabernet Sauvignon supremacy!

Saviah Cellars 2014 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon vs. Mount Eden 2014 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

The Stones Speak at Saviah Cellars

Rich Funk, of Saviah Cellars, is an awesome ambassador for The Rocks District of Milton Freewater AVA.  His winery is located just North of the Washington/Oregon state line that divides the Walla Walla Valley AVA.  The winery was founded in 2000 and has been turning out quality Washington wine ever since.

Back in 2000 Rich's family name didn't seem like a great name for a winery.  Fast forward to 2018 and "Funk" seems like the perfect name to represent a winery with 20 acres of estate vineyards located in The Rocks District of Milton Freewater.

Rich has two primary vineyards located in "The Rocks" - The Funk Estate vineyard and The Stones Speak vineyard.  These vineyards are dominated by Syrah plantings that find their way into three wines that make up Saviah's Estate Collection: The Stones Speak Syrah, Hunt and Gather and The Funk Syrah.

I made a quick side trip during the 2018 Wine Bloggers Conference to visit with Rich and taste some of his latest offerings.   Harvest is going full bore in Washington state and Saviah was definitely buzzing during my visit.  Rich was gracious enough to take some time out of his day to share stories and wine.

Here are three wines from The Rocks that definitely speak to the AVA's uniqueness:

Washington Cabernet Sauvignon vs. Bordeaux

The Tour de France organizers recently unveiled the 2018 route.  The 105th edition of le Tour includes some of the most diverse racing in the past decade.  The race begins in the Normandy region of North East France rather than in a different country like many of the past editions.  After spending a week in Northern France the race heads to the mountains in the Alps and Pyrenees before finishing up in Paris.  The finish on the Champs Elysees is one tradition that continues to endure.

In honor of the Tour's organizers willingness to shake things up, this week's challenge features on upstart from Walla Walla taking on the old guard from the Left Bank of Bordeaux.

2012 Kontos Cellars Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon vs. 2012 L'Abeille de Fieuzal Pessac-Leognan

Washington Red vs. California Meritage

The Tour of California overlaps with the Giro d' Italia.  It typically attracts racers that are preparing for the Tour de France or trying to earn a spot on their team's Tour squad.

This year the race started in Sacramento and headed South, finishing in Pasadena.  As the racers toed the line for the first two stages they may have had the opportunity to enjoy some wines from Sonoma.

This week's challenge features a Washington Bordeaux Style blend taking on a California Dry Creek Meritage challenger.

2014 Mullan Road Cellars Red Wine vs. 2012 Dry Creek Vineyard The Mariner

Andrew Talansky won the "Queen Stage" of the race on top of Mt. Baldy.  Talansky's nickname is The Pit Bull because he never gives up.  Just like Andrew Talansky, both these red wines are focused and assertive. 

Washington Syrah vs. Australian Shiraz

January is the height of Winter in most Northern hemisphere countries.  The pro cyclocross racers are peaking for their National and then World Championships while the road cyclists are busy looking for warm dry climates to train in.

Not in Australia!  January in Australia is the height of Summer and brings their National road championships.  January also features several top level pro road races.  These races are typically dominated by the Australian racers due to the timing of their National championships.  Also, most stage racers are just starting their training program with an eye on big races to come in May, June and July.

Caleb Ewan dominated the early season races in Australia.  His sprint victories in The Tour Down Under, Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic and The Australian Elite Men's Criterium Championship showed everybody that he may be the next top level pro sprinter to come from Down Under.  We'll see how things play out in the Tour de France in July.  That will be the next big opportunity for Ewan to show he may be ready to take the sprinter's baton from Robbie McEwan.

This week's matchup features a Washington Syrah taking on an Australian Shiraz in honor of the early season Australian racing.

2013 Skylite Cellars Walla Walla Syrah vs. 2014 Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz

Washington Tempranillo v. Rioja

This year's Vuelta Espana hugged the Northern border of Spain during the second week of racing.  This brought the racers through a variety of terrain including stage 12 which ended in a sprint finish in the town of Bilbao.  The racing was tense throughout the middle section of the Vuelta.  Nairo Quintana, and his Movistar team, had their work cutout for them defending the leader's red jersey as the race traced its route through the Northern reaches of Spain. 

There aren't many wine regions along the Northern edge of Spain.  The race came closest to the Rioja DOC, home of a wide range of tantalizing Tempranillo.

This week's Lucha Vino match up features a Washington Tempranillo taking on Rioja.

2013 Saviah Cellars Tempranillo v. 2001 Diez Caballero Vendimia Seleccionada

WA Walla Walla Cabernet vs. California

The first week of the Giro d' Italia and the Tour of California took place simultaneously during the second week of May.  The races were physically separated by thousands of miles.  Yet, both featured similar high intensity racing.

Many racers commented that the first week of racing in this year's Giro was the hardest ever.  No more showing up and racing into top form during the first week.  This year the top riders were doing battle from the very first day.

Meanwhile, over in California the racers were locked in a series of stages featuring long breakaways and intense bunch sprint finishes.  Mark Cavendish dominated the sprints taking 4 victories out of the 8 stages.

This week's Lucha Vino matchup features a battle royale of Cabernet heavyweights from Washington and California.

2011 Laurelhurst Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon v. 2011 Kokomo Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Washington Merlot Maniacs

The pro cyclist's road race season has ended and now cyclocross is where the action is.  The change in season signals a change in the Lucha Vino Challenges.  The spotlight will start shining on wines from non-cycling regions as well as some interesting intrastate challenges.  This week's matchup had its origins rooted in October, AKA Merlot Month.

Merlot dominant blends from Washington battle it out in the inaugural Merlot Maniacs challenge.  It's Walla Walla vs. a Red Mountain / Horse Heaven Hills / Yakima Valley Tag Team in a no holds barred Washington State Merlot fueled feud!

Kontos Cellars 2008 Alatus v. Nota Bene Cellars 2008 Miscela

WA Wine Month Syrah Slugfest

August is Washington Wine Month and I've got the fever!  The only cure is more Washington wine...

This week's matchup features two Washington State Syrahs that are eager to duke it out for state supremacy.

In the blue corner representing the Walla Walla AVA is the Balboa 2009 Syrah

And in the red corner representing the Royale Slope is the Southard 2009 Syrah

Washington Mystery Syrah Match

Love him, or hate him, one thing is for sure, Jon Rimmerman has created a cult-like online wine buying experience with his Garagiste website and "exclusive" email list.  Once you subscribe to the Garagiste email list you will begin receiving some of the most over the top wine missives you have ever read.  If you are anything like me, you will find these offers hard to resist.  Then, one day you will wake up with a cellar full of French wines that all taste like you are licking minerals from rocks strewn on a pathway running with streamlettes of acid rain.

If that isn't enough to make you question your will power, Rimmerman introduced his Mystery Wine series a few years back.  I repeatedly confirm P.T. Barnum's observation that there is a sucker born every minute by succumbing to far too many Mystery Wine offers that appear in my inbox.  Luckily, I have probably enjoyed about a 90% success rate with my Mystery Wine purchases.  The 10% failures?  They are failure like you could never imagine!  Search for Garagiste Mystery Wine on Google and you will see what I mean about failure, love and most of all hate.

This week's matchup features two Washington Syrahs that were Garagiste Mystery Wines.  Both of these wines fall into my mystery wine addiction success bucket.  They are also excellent Washington Wine representatives for this month's Monthly Wine Writing Challenge.  The Drunken Cyclist won last month's challenge and earned the honor of picking this month's theme - Mystery.

On to the matchup!

Washington Syrah v. Northern Rhone

The pro cyclists are putting the finishing touches on their form for the Tour de France.  There are several 7 or 8 day stage races leading up to the tour that are used for their final tune ups.  Some choose the Criterium du Dauphine.  While others choose the Tour de Suisse.

One advantage to selecting the Criterium du Dauphine is that the race shares a promoter with the Tour de France.  That usually means you get an opportunity to race on some of the same routes that will be used in July for the Grande Bucle.

Team Sky sent their number one racer, Chris Froome, to the Dauphine this year.  Just like they did in 2012 with Sir Bradley Wiggins.  The results in 2013 were the same as 2012 - a general classification win for Team Sky.

This week's matchup features Washington Syrah vs. French Syrah from the Cotes du Rhone.

2006 Nicholas Cole Dauphine v. 2011 Yves Cuilleron Les Vignes d'a Cote

Walla Walla Syrah v. Aussie Shiraz

The Pro road race schedule is getting underway down under.  This past weekend featured the Jayco Herald Sun Tour.  This is a great opportunity for some up and coming Australian riders to show what they have leading into the Australian National Championships.  Then the following week features the World Tour calendar kick off with the Tour Down Under.

To celebrate all things Australia, this week's Lucha Vino challenge features an Australilan Shiraz taking on a Washington State Syrah.

2007 Otis Kenyon Syrah v. 2005 Mt. Langi Billi Billi Shiraz

Walla Walla Cab vs. Argentina

This is the time of year when the pros are searching for warm training environs so they can get back to the ABCs of bike racing.  All the contracts are signed and the team rosters are set.  Some of the teams are holding training camps and team building experiences like swimming with dolphins, playing war games or pretending to be mountain climbers.

Whatever the activity may be, it is all about getting on the same page, building some comaraderie and getting the ABCs for their season dialed in

This week's Lucha Vino challenge features the ABC (and Ws) of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Argentina Crios 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon v. 2009 Brand Cabernet Sauvignon from Walla Walla

Washington Mourvedre v. Southern Rhone

This last week has been explosive for pro cycling.  The covers were blown off and the mystery of doping was laid bare with the USADA's reasoned decision against Lance Armstrong.  Most people wanted to believe that the majority of the pro peloton was racing clean.  Sadly, it turns out that most continued to use banned substances even after the Festina Affair blew up at the 1998 Tour de France.

This week's challenge keeps up with the Mystery theme matching up a Garagiste Mystery Wine from the Southern Rhone against a Mystery Wine from Walla Walla.

2010 Renegade Wine Co. Mourvedre v. 2008 Calendal  Plan de Dieu

Washington Sangiovese v. Emilia Romagna

With all the recent doping controversies you have to wonder at the UCI sanctioning a memorial race for Marco Pantani, aka Il Pirata.  Pantani was extremely popular (and successful) as a professional bike racer in the 90s and the early 2000s.  His career was shadowed by rumors and allegations of performance enhancing drug use.  He was suspended several times and made a number of comebacks.  Unfortunately, he was personally tormented by the accusations and fell in to recreational drug abuse.  Il Pirata died of a cocaine overdose in 2004.

The memorial Marco Pantani road race began the same year of Pantani's death and the latest edition was held this weekend in central Italy covering 183 km from Pantani's hometown of Cesenatico to Cesena, his birthplace.

2007 Tulpen Sangiovese v. Drei Dona 2007 Notturno Sangiovese

Washington Grenache v. Montsant

The Vuelta a Espana started a week ago in North Central Spain and began following the race route to the East through the Navarra, Aragon and Catalunya DOs heading toward Barcelona.  The first week of the race featured a variety of terrain with a couple of uphill finishes forcing the favorites to actually race their bikes in the early part of this grand tour.

The Spanish racers are always motivated to make a good showing at their home race.  So, it is not surprising to see Joaquim Rodriguez in the leader's red jersey at the end of the first week of racing.

The Vuelta also features the return of Alberto Contador from his ban for testing positive for Clenbuterol (or as his story goes ingesting the illegal drug via a tainted piece of Spanish beef, sure...).  Contador's form is a mystery.  He has been near the top of the field for the first week of the race, but has not shown the dominating style he flashed prior to his ban.  Is he faking?  Was he doping? And now a "clean" Alberto Contador cannot match the doped up Contador performance?  Who knows?

Regardless of the Contador mystery, the racing has been compelling so far.  Continuing the mystery theme the Lucha Vino matchup features a mystery Grenache from Walla Walla this week.

2009 Renegade Wine Co. Grenache v. 2007 Celler de Capcanes Mas Donis Barrica

Walla Walla Cab v. Napa

This week I take a break from following the Giro and chase the pro peleton through California.

The Tour of California is an 8 stage race that starts in Northern California and traces a route South ending in Los Angeles.  This race is a new comer to the pro race scene and after 3 years of racing in February moved to May to take on one of the three Grand Tours - the Giro d' Italia.  How much tradition is this California upstart taking on?  2012 marks the 95th edition of this race through Italy while 2012 marks the 7th edition of the Tour of California.

When you want to put on a show you go BIG.  The final stage of most of the big stage races, like the Tour de France, is really just a ceremony.  A spectacle celebrating the glory of the race and place, oh and don't forget the bike racers...

Where do you go for this type of spectacle in California?  Hollywood? Beverly Hills? Los Angeles?  How about all three?!  Yes, the Tour of California ended with a race that visited all three of these California hot spots.  The stage started in Beverly Hills, passed through Hollywood and then ended on the streets of Los Angeles.  The winner of the tour had already been decided the day before on the final mountain stage.  So that left this stage for the sprinters to go for glory one final time.  And Peter Sagan from Liquigas-Cannondale flexed his muscles again,  winning his 5th stage of the ToC.  I think that was a record.

If you are going to go big with California wine you can go a variety of places.  Napa, Sonoma County, the Central Coast ...  For this week's matchup we go to Napa the AVA some people consider to be the King of US Appelations.  And while we are at it we will select a Cabernet Sauvignon, the grape many consider to be the King of grapes.

This week's matchup features a new comer from Walla Walla Washington taking on the old timer from California.

2007 Skylite Cellars v. 2007 Beringer Private Reserve

Walla Walla Cross Town Throw Down

The Giro d'Italia is less than a week away and there is excitement in the air. Why? There are many reasons that the Giro stirs such emotion...

• It is the first of the three grand tours (the others being the Tour de France and Vuelta Espana).
• The start of the race coincides with what most Northern Hemisphere countries consider to be their Spring season.
• The pace of the race is moderated by the Italian "Capos" which means that in the old days there were casual stops along the way for food and sustanance.
• The Italian landscape is spectacular and you get to see a lot of it! Mountains, coastal areas and metropolitan centers.
• The race has a certain style and flair to it that seems to be unique to Italy.
• Every Italian bike racer dreams of winning their home tour.

Just like Italy is a hotbed for cycling, Walla Walla is a hotbed for Washington wine.  This unlikely giant, located in the far South East corner of Washington State, has generated a huge following and reputation for the Washington wine industry. You cannot talk about Washington wine without mentioning Walla Walla.

This week's matchup features two Walla Walla heavyweights in a cross town throw down. There are bragging rights on the line. Like the Italian bike racers, these Luchadors are high strung and highly motivated.  There are rumors of dirty dealing, rule bending and other underhanded behavior and that is before the match has even begun!

Like Mario Cipollini, who used to pull the race guide from his pocket and point out where the peloton was allowed to "race" over the day's route, these Luchadors may stoop to trickery to win this bout...

2006 Pepper Bridge Cabernet Sauvignon v. 2006 Beresan Cabernet Sauvignon

Washington Cabernet v. Italy

Last week was the first European road race of the year.  This week is the first Italian road race of the year - G.P. Costa degli Etruschi.  This race is so Italian the race's official website is only available in Italian.  The race starts in the South near San Vincenzo and heads North tracing a route along the Western coast through the Tuscan wine region toward Livorno for a big circuit before heading South for several small circuits that pass by Bolgheri.

Following the race route this week's challenger comes from Bolgheri featuring a Cabernet Sauvignon dominated Super Tuscan Luchador Greppicante Bolgheri Rosso up against a Walla Walla Stunner from Amavi Cellars.

2008 Amavi Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon v. 2008 Greppicante Bolgheri Rosso

Tale of the Tape

2008 Amavi Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 5% Syrah and 3% Cabernet Franc

Grape sources: 45% Seven Hills, 41% Pepper Bridge, 8% Les Collines, 6% Goff all in the Walla Walla AVA

Aged in 30% new oak barrels of 88% French, 6% Hungarian, 6% American

Purchased from Full Pull Wines for $24.99

2008 Greppicante Bolgheri Rosso

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc from the Bolgheri DOC in Tuscany.  Said to be a Cabernet Sauvignon dominanat blend, but the percentages are a mystery.

Aged for 10 months in oak barrels with an additional 3 months of bottle aging.

Purchased from Garagiste for $17.81.








Round 1.  First Opening

The Amavi Cab floats into the ring with a nose of light red berries some floral notes and hints of Cheerios.  The palate shows medium red berries with similar notes of oats and some cheerio tartness on finish.

The Bolgheri Rosso wastes no time.  Bringing the noise from the opening bell with a nose of dark currant, dusty earth and Asian cedar spices.  The palate backs up the bravado with currant, herbal tartness and a spicy tart finish that trails off with some nice cherry bark notes.

Bolgheri brings the pain punishing the Amavi cab with a series of bruising body shots to take the first round.

Round 2.  One hour after Opening

That first round was a wake up call and Amavi is answering the call of the alarm clock.  The nose has bulked up showing dark currant, black cherry and some smokey barnyard funk.  The palate is equally bold with dark currant and cola with dry tart cedar finish.

The Bolgheri is building more complexity into its attack with a nose of dark currants, leather, earth and menthol spices.  The palate also shows dark currants along with Asian spices that lead to a tingly tart pepper spiced finish.

This round was closer, but Bolgheri takes the points with an aggressive attack.  Amavi took some punishment but isn't backing down.

Round 3. One day later

Amavi is looking for an edge and an angle to land a knockout blow.  The nose is smokey and dark currants with some menthol and spices.  The palate is dark currant, cherry cola leading to a dry cherry bark finish.

Bolgheri is dropping bombs - look out below!  The nose has bold character of dark currant along with dusty, smokey cracked pepper.  The palate has notes of dark currant, black cherry cola and a tart finish.

The Amavi Cab showed big time character by not backing down from the onslaught of the brutish Bolgheri.  In the end, the Italian from Tuscany was too much to handle taking all three rounds of the match.

Wrap up and over all observations

These Luchadors were a close match in terms of make up even if the names indicated different weight classes with Washington Cabernet Sauvignon v. Italian Rosso.

The Washington Cabernet Sauvignon could just as easily have been called a Red Blend with Cab, Merlot, Syrah and Cab Franc coming together to create some fine character.

The Bolgheri Rosso was Cab, Merlot and Cab Franc.  These three grapes created a big and bad Luchador that dished out a massive amount of punishment.

I give the Bolhgeri an 88 and the Amavi an 87.