Harlequin Cellars Jester's Red 2004: WBW#30

Explore the contrast of wealth and comedy as offered up to your hedonistic side by Robert Goodfriend's family-run Harlequin Cellars. The "ancient" acclaimed writer of "fu", Sima Xiangru, a hedonist who was the favorite court poet to Han Emperor Wu is quoted on the back label, encouraging us to delight in the jesters.

Apparently before he became Wu's wordsmith and gained wealth, court poet Xiangru also was involved in the retail wine business. (Xiangru lived from 179-117 BC.) This old world reference is a nice foil to Jester's Red, a definitively new world Syrah-based red blend from Wahluke Slope Washington. This affordable rich and fun red is definitely worthy of recommendation for the February 2007 edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday hosted by Tim Elliot at Winecast: New World Syrah.

Proprietor/Winemaker Goodfriend is chief bottle washer and emperor of the small 2800 case production winery. Multitasking is the norm for the early-rising Goodfriend, having gotten started in wine after 15 years as a successful chef and restaurateur. He apprenticed beginning in 1992 at California's Central Coast Wild Horse, then in 1995 moved to Oregon to work with Pinot Noir at Silvan Ridge. A "fortuitous trip to Seattle" led Robert to meet his future bride, Elizabeth. The couple gave birth to Harlequin Wine Cellars. In 2003 Harlequin relocated to near Walla Walla, specifically Touchet (pronounced "TOO-SHE"), where Goodfriend shares space with and is Managing Partner of Latitude 46°N Winery.

Goodfriend also makes a single vineyard Oregon Pinot Noir, Celilo Vineyard Chardonnay (from some of the oldest vines in Washington State), Syrah, Viognier and two Bordeaux blends.

As if that hasn't kept him busy enough, Goodfriend is a tireless promoter, and helped get The Tasting Room off the ground in Pike's Place Market in Seattle, and his winery ventures are a part of the core group who participate.

Harlequin Jester's Red 2004 is 87% Syrah, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, all sourced from Clifton Vineyard, a 500-acre property owned by the Millbrandt family. Aging was an average of 11 months in 95% French and 5% American oak barrels, about 15% new. Cases produced: 623.

Tasting Notes: Appearance: Deep purple cranberry garnet with a nice haze, semi-opaque. Aromas: Black raspberry, blueberry, caramelized oak, white chocolate and nutmeg/pie spice. On the tongue the feeling is sweet tart and warming with gentle but masculine tannic structure. The juicy cherry berry flavors harmonize with plenty of young toasty oak and echo in the dusty dry finish.

Outstanding value ($15). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content: 14%.

Food pairing: Southern beef pot roast with caramelized vegetables.

By the way, the Northwest wine guru Paul Gregutt, Wine Advisor and Columnist with the Seattle Times has been a good friend of Goodfriend's wines, and recently placed both Harlequin and Latitude 46°N wines on his top 100 of 2006 list.