Considering its illustrious sources – including Boushey, DuBrul, Hedges, and Klipsun vineyards – I was surprised by what struck me as a somewhat lackluster performance by Sparkman’s 2009 Wilderness (a blend of Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Malbec) to an extent that deserves further explanation in the form of a full tasting note. Bitter-edged, stewed dark berries and herbs generate a thickly textured, decidedly tannic palate impression lacking in primary juiciness, clarity of flavor, or any sense of energy. Perhaps 20 months of elevage (in 45% new barrels) was a bit much for the material in question. Like a number of wines tasted on this occasion, confectionary hints from caramelized oak fought with a green edge in evidence despite the cooked sense of fruit ripeness. There’s certainly considerable sheer persistence, but I would not expect much from cellaring bottles.
Chris Sparkman is among the numerous former sommeliers and wine buyers to end up as a Western U.S. vintner. His wife and fellow-vintner Kelly’s background in biology was not with plants, much less vines. They started their Woodinville winery in 2004 to achieve a life style conducive to raising their two daughters and were able to immediately benefit from personal contacts in the viticultural community to tap-into some of Washington’s foremost vineyards. The results I tasted were (in red) dominantly cooked-fruit without being seamlessly ripe, as well as unremittingly – at times downright ferociously, and almost surely superfluously – tannic, a characteristic that evidently wasn’t mitigated and might even have been exacerbated by the Sparkmans’ practice of early lees-stirring and relatively long elevage. Given how much at odds I am with glowing received opinion about this young winery’s accomplishments, I must in fairness call readers’ attention to that fact, as well as encourage them to consult next year’s report to see whether I determine that I was being too hard on these wines or that they (or the taster) were having a bad day (actually hour) this July.
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