Sparkman Cellars This Old Porch Rose 09

Review:

A very dry, very pink, delicious rose with flavors of melon, guava, and strawberries.

Down the "row" of Woodinville, Washington wineries-in-warehouses, near our old friends at Mark Ryan, is Chris Sparkman's (or Sparky, as he is called) Sparkman Cellars. Chris is one of those super talented winemakers whose delightful love of life comes through in the names and styles of his big red wines.

A Seattle transplant, Chris was born and raised on the east coast, and still sports a southern accent from his Nashville roots. First in Washington DC and New Orleans, then in Seattle, he was a sommelier and wine buyer at great restaurants, ending up at Seattle's Waterfront Grill as general manager for six years.

Chris's experience with Washington wines, getting to know vintners who visited the Grill and tasting all those lovely bottles, gave him the winemaking bug. Combined with a much-needed mid-life change of priorities, he gradually shifted over to a career as a fulltime winemaker - via our friend Mark McNeilly, the generous owner of Mark Ryan. Mark McNeilly has helped several talented winemakers in Woodinville's warehouse row to get started - and Chris has been one of the most successful.

For his first vintages, Chris made wine with Mark at the Mark Ryan warehouse space, moving into his own space for his 2007 wines. In the tradition of his friends up and down the row, Chris has successfully hunted down and grabbed some first-class grapes from Yakima and Walla Walla Valley vineyards. His wines are big and bold, and he's coming into his own style, big yet refined, you might even call it European, with his zest for life showing through.