Would YOU describe Bells Up’s 2014 Rhapsody Pinot Blanc as evoking “God Save the Queen” by the Sex Pistols? How about “Crazy” by Patsy Cline, “Killer Queen” by Queen, or “The Rain Song” by Led Zeppelin?
When the four panelists on Northwest Wine Night TV’s Episode 151: “I Beg Your Pinot?” —featuring Rhapsody in a cork-to-cork blind tasting against Torii Mor’s 2014 Pinot Blanc—were asked to describe the two wines as a song title, those are the four they picked to describe the Bells Up Pinot Blanc. No. Really. And we LOVED it.
Haven’t yet tuned in to this Internet show? Hosted by regional TV news broadcaster Brian Calvert (who also interviewed Dave and Sara for a recent episode of Northwest Wine Night Radio), Northwest Wine Night TV introduces viewers to wines produced in the pacific northwest (Bells Up’s 2013 Titan Pinot Noir was featured in a previous episode in the spring). The show gathers a group of four panelists who sample two wines of the same style and vintage, tasting the wines “blind,” that is, not knowing anything beyond the varietal.
In this episode, Torii Mor’s entry is “Wine Orange,” while ours is “Wine Blue” (and yes, we were thrilled to again be the blue wine!). Featured panelists included Marina Rockinger of Star 101.5 radio in Seattle; radio personality Corwin Haeck of KOMO Newsradio in Seattle; and Jake Whittenberg of NBC affiliate KING 5 TV; and winemaker Chris Sparkman of Sparkman Cellars.
The panelists praised the 2013 Rhapsody (“Wine Blue”) for its “crisp,” “clear,” “structured” character and “sultry, tawdry and raw feel.” Winemaker Sparkman noted that Pinot Blanc is a varietal frequently overshadowed by other whites, such as Savignon Blanc, but that Pinot Blanc brings a big more heft to the glass. He just phrases it much more hilariously—you’ll have to watch it to see. Oprah’s even name checked in the episode.
Want to see more, including which of the two wines was the panelists’ and the audiences’ favorite? Click here to watch the full episode.
