The "Estate Grown" designation is an important feature of our winery. In order to qualify for this closely regulated designation, our wines are made from grapes grown in our own vineyards and fermented, aged and bottled at our family winery. Estate grown wines deliver unsurpassed quality and consistency from year to year.

2005 Walla Walla Valley Estate Grown Viognier

Floral and citrus aromas tempt the nose, pear, pineapple, grapefruit, and melon flavors please the palate.  A smooth, honey-like finish gives depth and length to a wine that can be sipped by itself and pairs well with food.

2005 Vivace

As the name suggests, a delightful combination of two complementary varietals that is full of life.  The floral, citrus, and melon aromas of Viognier, with the apple and pear character of chardonnay, create a cornucopia of rich flavors and textures.

Dedication One

Our inaugural release of red table wine is a luscious blend of classic Bordeaux varietals, Lemberger, and Syrah chosen from some of our favorite lots from 2004 and 2005. This double vintage blend will set the standard for future years. Deep colors, complex fruit flavors and aromas, long finish, and nuances of toasty oak deliver a wine unrivaled for its immediate enjoyment as well as potential for aging.

2003 Walla Walla Valley Estate Grown Merlot

Aromas of cherries, currant, violets, anise and truffles. Balanced acidity and smooth tannins provide the backbone for a rich and smooth wine. Excellent when paired with meat and pastas.

2004 Columbia Valley Cabernet Franc

When the sub-zero temperatures of the winter of 2004 damaged our estate vineyards, Willard Family Farms made room for us in their vineyard.  Crafted in the style of our estate Cabernet Franc with aromas of violets, currants and lavender that combine with a rich mouthfeel and long finish.  Well balanced acidity and tannins mean you will enjoy this wine now and for years to come.

2003 Walla Walla Valley Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon

Ripe flavors of blackberry, elderberry, mint, lavendar, olives and licorice. Well balanced acidity and taninns give structure that pairs well with meats, cheeses and wild game. The finish reverberates with vanilla, tea and cedar aromas.

2003 Walla Walla Valley Estate Grown Syrah

Rich, plumy fruit, blueberries, earthy pepper and spice entice the nose while the palate shows balance of acidity and smoothly textured tannins. The aromatic finish continues these flavors along with a toasty nuance of oak aging.

2003 Walla Walla Valley Estate Grown Reserve Syrah

Concentrated aromas of fig, elderberry and plum jam with hints of clove, pepper and smoke, entice the nose while balanced acidity and silky tannins compliment the lush mouthfeel. This exceptional wine epitomizes the depth and complexity that is Washington State Syrah.

2003 Walla Walla Valley Estate Grown Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Distinctive flavors of cherry, mulberry, marionberry, licorice and cardamom. Discreet but firm acidity and tannins provide the framework for a lush mouthfeel with a savory, luxurious finish with leather, caramel and spice. Serve with lamb, beef, cheeses and grilled meats.

2003 Walla Walla Valley Estate Grown Port

A delicious dessert wine with deep color and tannins.  Ripe blackberry, fig, and raisin flavors, aged in barrels for 30 months.  Enjoy now and for years to come.  One of the few Ports produced from entirely Walla Walla Valley grapes.

 

Although harvest of 2006 is a memory and the wines are tucked safely away in barrels, tasting this new young vintage fills us with high expectations for what it will become. The 2005 wines are being prepared for bottling which will be done in house on our own bottling line. It is a pleasure to bottle when we feel the time is right, with state of the art equipment that Dave and Brian like to rigorously maintain themselves. It is another way of elevating the quality of our wines.

Right now we are also preparing for Spring Release Weekend, May 4-6, one of our busiest and most fun times of the year. Boone, Violet and the crew are making sure that everyone will have the best time of the whole weekend at Cougar Crest. We have a new staff member, Brian Hubbell, who after many years in the trade as a wine buyer, is our National Sales Representative. He is making sure that when you go home you will be able to find Cougar Crest wine no matter where you live. Come meet him and let him know if your favorite wine shop doesn’t have our wine yet. If you haven’t visited us lately, you should come meet the friendly, professional people who make Cougar Crest Winery the most congenial stop in Walla Walla.

It’s great to be flattered, especially by a publication like Wine Spectator. In the May 15, 2007 edition, Wine Spectator picked the best Cabernets from around the world. Cougar Crest Cabernet Sauvignon and Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon were named as two of the best Cabernets from Washington State. It’s always nice to be mentioned in the same breath as Quilceda Creek, Betz Family Winery, L’Ecole 41, Leonetti Cellars, and De Lille.

Dave and Debbie have been busy as a pair of mallard ducks hatching new eggs at the new winery on Highway 12. After a hectic winter of nursing the construction along, the production building looms large on the property and is nearly finished. Now comes the excitement and anticipation of beginning the tasting room and offices.

Our contractor is on a mission to have us in the new facility and ready for Crush 2007. The i’s need dotted and the t’s need crossed on the engineering of the roof, then it’s off to the races! Look for our sign on Highway 12 as you come in to town. It’s so rewarding to see this project develop before our eyes.

Our family is also blessed to be able to see our daughter continue to recover from her devastating injuries of 2005, and mature into a young woman with a promising future. After spending weeks at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland, and witnessing firsthand the dedication of the neurosurgery and trauma teams that saved her life, we released a wine called “Dedication”. Part of the proceeds are donated to Doernbecher Children’s Hospital for uncompensated care so that other, less fortunate families can get the care their children need. This very aromatic and full-bodied red wine allows our dedication to grape growing and winemaking pay tribute to Doernbecher’s doctors’ and nurses’ dedication to saving lives.

Old Man Winter was kind to us this year, and the vineyards survived with no harm done. At this point, all the pruning is finished, and the baby shoots are sprouting. The sun has turned warm most days, and the soil is warming up. Spring is definitely here, and we have had some good rainfall to fill the soil profile preparing the vines for flowering and pollination in June. The cycle of life has come full circle from last year, and we have a very healthy bud set on the vines going into the new season.

Although the days have warmed up, Mother Nature has had other plans for Dave’s nights. Temperatures have dropped to 32 degrees or less several nights requiring his cheerful countenance in the vineyard from 1am til sun up. The wind machines allow Dave to mix air from as high as 70 feet above the ground, which warms the air at ground level above freezing. Our grapes have emerged very happily, but we wish we could say the same about Dave!

Our new plantings of Tempranillo, Grenache, and the Portugese varietals Tinta Cao, Touriga Nacional, and Souzoa look very robust and will probably produce a few clusters per plant this year. Yea, we get to make another Port! It is important not to over stress the young vines at this point, or it might impair their productivity in the future.

We have been using the implement known as the French hoe, to control weeds without chemical use, and all of the prunings have been mowed with a mulching mower to return the organic matter back to the soil. Sustainable agriculture can be achieved with smart planning and a few specialized pieces of equipment.

Grilled Hawaiian Pork

Try this recipe with Viognier or Dedication. Both will complement the flavors.

2 lbs. 1 inch cubed pork tenderloin
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
1 can pineapple chunks
1 tsp. dried tarragon
1 med. onion, quartered w/layers separated
1⁄8 to ¼ tsp. cayenne to taste
1 peach
1 papaya
¼ c. orange juice concentrate
¼ c. rice vinegar

In blender puree peach, papaya, o.j. concentrate, rice vinegar, ginger, tarragon and cayenne. Put pork cubes and onions in large zip lock bag, add fruit puree and marinate overnight. Put pork, onion, and pineapple on skewers and grill. Use cedar plank or wood chips for extra flavor.

May 4th

Salud Wine Club reception at Cougar Crest Winery

May 4-6th

Spring Release Weekend

May 12-13th

Balloon Stampede Weekend and Mother’s Day

June 1-2nd

Vintage Walla Walla

June 17th

Taste Washington Spokane at the Davenport Hotel

July 21 and 22nd

Walla Walla Sweet Onion Festival

Aug. 12

Evening Under the Stars in Sandpoint Idaho

Aug. 30-Sept. 3rd

Southeast Washington State Fair, Walla Walla

To Your Health!

Salud is dedicated to reminding our friends that wine is a part of a healthy lifestyle that combines good food, good friends, and abundant love. Our wine club lets you choose shipments of 3, 6, or 12 bottles.

Join today! Simply provide the required information on the order form. We would enjoy hearing from you and having you as part of our Cougar Crest family. Please contact us with any questions, or to enroll in Salud! by phone at 509 529-5980.

Four times each year, you will receive a convenient and reasonably priced trio of wines from Cougar Crest Winery just when you need it the most.

February:

St. Valentine's Day

May:

End of School

August:

End of Summer

November:

In time for the holidays

Wine club membership entitles you to:

Club Discounts

Ability to purchase "sold out" wines (limited quantity)

No tasting fee for members' guests

Invitations to wine club receptions

Library wine tasting

 

 

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 - 1894)

 

Our best to you -
Debbie and David Hansen

We hope you enjoy our new electronic newsletter. Please feel free to pass this along to a friend!