Brian Carter Cellars- Wine Awards & Ratings

Carter’s second new wine is the 2007 One, a 100% Malbec sourced entirely from the Stone Tree Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope. Purple in color, it has a splendid nose of wood smoke, Asian spices, incense, lavender, black cherry, and black raspberry. Mouth-filling and concentrated on the palate, it features a plush texture, succulent flavors, and a lengthy finish. How ironic that my favorite Carter offering is a single varietal, single vineyard wine! – Jay Miller

The 2006 Le Coursier is a blend of 39% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, with the balance Malbec and Petit Verdot sourced from 5 vineyards. It delivers an already complex aromatic array of balsam wood, spice box, incense, violets, black currant, and blackberry. Medium-bodied with some elegance and the personality of a mid-level classified growth Bordeaux, it is a racy red that will evolve for 2-3 years and drink well through 2018, perhaps longer. – Jay Miller

The 2007 Byzance, Carter’s impression of Chateauneuf du Pape, is made up of 51% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre, with the balance Counoise and Cinsault. Medium ruby-colored, it displays an expressive nose of spice box, garrigue, earth notes, underbrush, black cherry, and plum. Layered on the palate with plenty of succulent fruit, it is well-balanced and likely to drink well for 6-8 years. – Jay Miller

The 2007 Corrida features 70% Tempranillo with the balance Merlot, Grenache, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Tempranillo was sourced from the Stone Tree Vineyard. Purple colored with aromas of cedar, spice box, mineral, black cherry, and blackberry, on the palate it is medium to full-bodied with ample spicy fruit, good volume, and enough structure to evolve for 1-2 years. Carter’s take on Rioja will provide pleasure through 2019. – Jay Miller

The 2006 Solesce is another Bordeaux-style blend made up of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc with the balance Petit Verdot and Malbec. It is a bigger, more structured wine with aromas of toasty oak, Asian spices, a hint of balsamic, black currant, and blackberry. Medium to full-bodied with plenty of volume and ripe, fine-grained tannin, it will offer prime drinking from 2013 to 2026. – Jay Miller

The 2006 Trentenaire, a new wine for Carter, features Petit Verdot, a varietal becoming increasingly popular in eastern Washington. The blend consists of 61% Petit Verdot (sourced from the Stone Tree Vineyard), with the balance Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Malbec. Purple/black in color, it surrenders an expressive nose of smoke, Asian spices, incense, cassis, black cherry, and blackberry. Made in a surprisingly racy style, it can be approached now but will be better in 2-3 years. It should drink well through 2021. – Jay Miller

There is one white wine among the new releases, the 2008 Oriana, made up of 51% Viognier, 31% Roussanne, and 18% Riesling sourced from 3 vineyards, tank fermented and aged. Light straw colored with an enticing nose of pit fruits, honey, bee’s wax, and mineral, on the palate it is medium-bodied, dry, spicy, and very tasty. This well-balanced offering should be drunk over the next 1-2 years. – Jay Miller

The 2007 Tuttorosso is made up of 71% Sangiovese, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 11% Syrah sourced from 4 vineyards. Medium ruby-colored, it gives up a perfume of earthy cherries, rose petal, and cassis leading to a dry, slightly tart, balanced offering with good volume, and medium length. Drink this take on Tuscany over the next 5-6 years. – Jay Miller

2008 Brian Carter Cellars Abracadabra
The 2008 Abracadabra is a blend of 11 varieties with Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah, and Sangiovese accounting for 71% of the wine. Medium ruby-colored, it offers up plenty of spice and savory fruit in a forward style that can be enjoyed over the next 3 years. It is a very good value. – Jay Miller

This year marked our ninth annual Platinum Judging, in which we attempt to identify some of the best of the best in the Great Northwest. By far, this was our largest judging, as we received 329 entries in this by-invitation-only competition. This surpassed last year's record number of 259. All wines in the Platinum earned their way in by winning a gold medal or equivalent in any of about 30 regional, national and international competitions we track.

Brian Carter Cellars 2004 Solesce, Columbia Valley, $58 After a couple of decades making wine for others, Brian Carter has emerged with his own brand and is focused on producing blends of elegance and distinction. This Bordeaux-style blend is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon (50%) and also includes Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. The result is a wine that offers aromas of toffee, mushrooms and blackberries, followed by harmonious flavors of marionberries, black tea, black plums and dark chocolate. Washington State Wine Competition (gold). (347 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Brian Carter Cellars 2005 Tuttorosso, Yakima Valley, $30 This is Brian Carter's version of a Super Tuscan. It's dominated by Sangiovese (65%) and includes Cabernet Sauvignon (23%) and Syrah. It provides aromas and flavors of cherries, raspberries and baker's chocolate. It's a beautifully made wine that is well balanced through the long finish. Washington State Wine Competition (gold). (834 cases, 13.7% alc.)

January 2009
Ray's 22nd Annual Retrospective of Northwest Wines
Best Red Blend: Brian Carter Cellars 'Tuttorosso', Yakima Valley 2005
Every January, Ray's wine director gathers sommeliers, wine writers and Northwest wine experts to blind taste Northwest wines released in the previous year. The wines are submitted to Ray's by the winemakers and their distributors. All Washington, Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia wineries that produce grape-based wines are eligible to participate.

December 2008
Paul Gregutt Top 100 Washington Wines of 2008
2006 Oriana

November 2008
Pacific Northwest Magazine
Six Savvy Young Wineries to Watch

November 2008
Tri-Cities Wine Festival
2005 Byzance Gold
2005 Tuttorosso Silver
2004 Solesce Silver
2005 L’Etalon Bronze

November 2008 Stephen Tanzer
2006 Oriana 88 points
2005 Tuttorosso 88 points
2005 Byzance 88 points
2005 L’Etalon 87+ points
2006 Abracadabra 87 points

Parkers Wine Buyer’s Guide #7
Washington’s Best Producers-Excellent
2003 Abracadabra 87 pts
2004 Byzance 89 pts
2003 L’Etalon 91+ pts
2005 Oriana 90 pts
2001 Solesce 91+ pts
2003 Tuttorosso 90 pts

September 2008
Seattle Metropolitan Magazine 100 Best Wines of the Northwest
2004 Solesce
2005 Byzance
2005 Tuttorosso
2005 Abracadabra Top 15- Frugal Shopping

2008 Seattle Wine Awards
Seattle Wine Magazine
2005 Oriana Best White Blend Over $20.00
2005 Tuttorosso Grand Award of Excellence
2004 Byzance Grand Award of Excellence
2004 L’Etalon Grand Award of Excellence
2004 Solesce Grand Award of Excellence

July 2008
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
2006 Oriana 88 points
2005 Tuttorosso 89 points
2005 Byzance 87 points
2005 L’Etalon 89 points
2004 Solesce 90 points
2005 Abracadabra 87 points

March 2008
Wine Enthusiast, Paul Gregutt
06 Oriana 92
Seattle Magazine Washington Wine Award Winner
05 Oriana Best White Wine Blend, over $20

January 2008
Wine Press Northwest: Wine of the Week
04 Abracadabra

December 2007
Paul Gregutt Top 100 Washington Wines of 2007
04 L’Etalon

October 2007
Evening Magazine: 15th Annual Best of Western Washington
Top 3 “Best Local Winemaker”

August 2007
Robert Parker Wine Scores
03 L’Etalon 91+
01 Solesce 91+
05 Oriana 90
03 Tuttorosso 90
04 Byzance 89

Wine Advocate Scores (PDF)

July 2007
Seattle Wine Awards
03 Tuttorosso Vintner’s Award ~ Outstanding Washington Wine Honor (Red Proprietary Blend)
03 Abracadabra Grand Award of Excellence ~ $20 +Under (Red Proprietary Blend)
05 Oriana Grand Award of Excellence ~ (White Proprietary Blends)

July 2007
San Francisco Chronicle Wine Selections: Washington State Bordeaux-style red blends
2001 Solesce 3 stars (Excellent)

May 2007
Wine Enthusiast Buying Guide
03 Byzance 91 pts ~ Editor’s Choice
03 Tuttorosso 90 pts
05 Oriana 90 pts
03 L’Etalon 89 pts

December 2006
Seattle Times
Paul Gregutt Washington Wine top 100
04 Oriana

October 2006
Seattle Times
How to Eat, Drink and be Merry. ON WINE – Richard Kinssies
“...Richard Kinssies current favorites for parties, gifts, or special dinners.”
03 Tuttorosso

September 2006
Seattle Magazine
Christina’s Wine Picks
02 Tuttorosso
02 Byzance
2000 Solesce
04 Oriana
02 L’Etalon

August 2006
Seattle Wine Society Judging
02 Byzance Silver Medal
02 L’Etalon Silver Medal
04 Oriana Silver Medal

June 2006
Wine Enthusiast Ratings: first releases of BCC label
02 L’Etalon 90 pts
04 Oriana 90 pts
02 Byzance 89 pts
02 Tuttorosso 88 pts
03 Abracadabra 87 pts

May/June 2001
The Underground Wine Journal
Apex 97 Merlot “Very Good”
Apex 96 Cabernet Sauvignon “Excellent” ~Third-highest Cabernet Sauvignon

September 2000
Wine Spectator
Apex 98 Syrah 87 pts
Apex 97 Merlot 87 pts
Apex 96 Cabernet Sauvignon 87 pts

September/October 1999
Steve Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar
Apex 95 Merlot 86 pts

July/August 1998
Northwest Palate
Apex 95 Merlot Glowing review: “Beautiful, deep garnet in color. Inviting, full berry nose. Flavors of ripe blackberry fruit and currant explode on the palate. Big structure with layers of smoke and barrel toast.”

Summer 1998
Seattle Enological Society
Washington Hills 97 Merlot GRAND PRIZE (Brian is the only 3 time winner of this award)

Summer 1996
Seattle Enological Society
Apex 93 Syrah GRAND PRIZE

Summer 1988
Washington Enological Society
1986 Paul Thomas Reserve Chardonnay GRAND PRIZE

Thomas Jefferson Wine and Food Classic
Thomas Jefferson Cup “Best Wine” of 350 invitees (Apex Syrah)

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