Fresh Press for Jan. 2, 2012 by Wine Press Northwest

Jan. 2, 2012

FRESHPRESS

Red wine is ready to be served blind at a recent Wine Press Northwest judging.

Fresh Press is a weekly publication of Wine Press Northwest magazine. In each edition, we review recently released wines from Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Idaho. Feel free to forward to your wine-loving friends and family. For more information on our tasting methods and review process, please go to the last page.

FRESHPRESS Jan. 2, 2012

Spotlight: Value wines If one of your resolutions for 2012 was to spend your money more wisely, then this is the issue of Fresh Press for you. We are highlighting some of the best value wines we’ve tasted in the past few months from wineries in Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Idaho. The Northwest is loaded with great values, especially when compared with quality. In this case, we look at wines that retail for $15 or less.

Cabernet Sauvignon Excellent. Best Buy! Snake River Winery 2008 Arena Valley Vineyard Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Snake River Valley, $15. Idaho’s Snake River Valley offers some fascinating natural advantages for viticulture. First and foremost is the elevation. Many of the vineyards are above 2,500 feet (compared with less than 1,000 feet for many Washington vineyards), which means the grapes have a better chance of retaining allimportant acidity. The grapes for this wine came from one of Idaho’s top vineyards, Arena Valley, which is the estate vineyard for Snake River Winery. This opens with aromas of black olives, leather, cola, black currants and oregano. On the palate, it reveals flavors of cherries, white chocolate and bright red fruit. It’s a beautifully balanced red wine with medium body and bright acidity. (315 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Merlot Outstanding! Best Buy! Columbia Crest 2009 Two Vines Merlot, Washington, $8. This vintage was the first of three difficult weather years in Washington’s Columbia Valley. In 2009, a freak frost Oct. 10 ended the growing season about three weeks earlier than usual. Fortunately, Merlot is an early ripener, and the grapes for this large-production wine were harvested in the third week of September. Any way you look at this wine, it’s superb. Add in the price (which will be a couple of dollars lower depending on the retailer), and you are holding a bottle that will serve most of your red wine needs. It opens with aromas of cherries, chocolate, mint, slate and subtle oak, followed by delicious flavors of cherry cola, sweet vanilla, raspberry jam and charming dark chocolate in the finish. At around $75 per case, you can make this your midweek house red. (116,000 cases, 13.5% alc.) Outstanding! Best Buy! Cold Springs Winery 2007 Astrology Merlot, Snake River Valley, $12. Jamie Martin is entering his fourth decade of winemaking in Southern Idaho’s Hagerman Valley, and this Merlot drinks smoother than most Merlot made in the Northwest these days. The nose hints at fresh cranberries and pie cherries with subtle oak nuances. On the attack, it is up-front boysenberry with lingering

blackberry jam flavors, backed by tannins that are mature, not out of hand. Suggested fare includes beef stew. (321 cases)

Syrah Excellent. Best Buy! StoneCap Wines 2010 Estate Syrah, Columbia Valley, $8. It’s quite fascinating for a red wine to show so much expression so soon. The nose provides huge gaminess with Marionberry, blackberry, orange Creamsicle and abundant oak tones. The drink shows even more fruit but less from oak influence as it brings an explosion of more brambleberry, black cherry and black plum. There’s pleasing acidity and low tannin to allow for a finish of black licorice, chocolate and coffee. (2,923 cases, 13.6% alc.)

Red blends Excellent. Best Buy! Columbia Crest 2009 Two Vines Merlot-Cab, Washington, $8. Two Vines is Columbia Crest’s value tier, with the wines selling for under $10 (well under, if you look around). This is one of Crest’s most popular blends, which leads with Merlot (52%) and includes Cabernet Franc (43%) and a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon (5%). It opens with aromas of black pepper, toast, saddle leather, boysenberries, pie cherries, cinnamon and a hint of smoke. On the palate, it is a delicious, balanced and elegant wine with flavors of raspberries and boysenberries. The tannins are in check, making this an approachable everyday wine. (90,000 cases, 13.6% alc.) Excellent. Best Buy! Script & Seal 2008 Red, Washington, $13. This new label is part of Dusted Valley Vintners’ Blind Boar Wine Co. project, which essentially is a new brand for retailers, including Haggens and Top Foods. This is a negociant-style wine, meaning the guys at Dusted Valley had the wines custom-made to their specifications. It’s a blend that leads with Syrah that also includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. It opens with aromas of boysenberries, pomegranates, blackberries, Swisher Sweets and even something that reminded us of a grape Tootsie Pop. On the palate, this is a lively wine that emphasizes balance. It reveals flavors of cranberries, red currants, Bing cherries and black olives. Regardless of price, it shows of a certain level of sophistication that may well surprise you. (4,200 cases, 13.9% alc.)

Chardonnay Outstanding! Best Buy! Airfield Estates 2010 Unoaked Chardonnay, Yakima Valley, $12. Prosser, Wash., winemaker Marcus Miller and his father/grower Mike have teamed up to develop one of the top wineries in the Northwest, and here’s just another

FRESHPRESS Jan. 2, 2012

Spotlight: Value wines example. And the fact that this Chardonnay is made without any expensive oak makes this easy for people to enjoy. A crack of the screwtop brings aromas of fresh pear, Jonagold apple, mango and pineapple. The drink is damn delicious with its fresh-cut pineapple, pear and apple flavors. Grapefruit peel adds just the right amount of bitterness, and sweetened lime acidity creates a lingering finish. (2,390 cases, 13.7% alc.) Excellent. Best Buy! Columbia Crest 2009 Two Vines Chardonnay, Washington, $8. The grapes for this high-production wine were picked a full three weeks prior to the killer frost that abruptly ended Washington’s wine grape harvest Oct. 10, 2009. As one might expect from this value-priced Chardonnay, it’s bright, refreshing and shows little oak, emphasizing instead ample fruit and bright acidity. This opens with aromas of apples, pears, mint leaf and lemon oil, followed by delicious flavors of Granny Smith apples, Asian pears and a touch of creaminess on the midpalate. This is an easy-drinking wine that will pear nicely with seafood, chicken in a cream sauce or pasta tossed with roasted vegetables. (195,000 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Riesling Outstanding! Best Buy! AntoLin Cellars 2010 Estate Riesling, Yakima Valley, $14. Tony Haralson, a pharmacist in his hometown of Yakima, Wash., does it all at his new operation. In 2007, he bought a 4-acre block — called Glacier Cellars — in the Rattlesnake Hills near Hyatt Vineyard and planted nearly a quarter of it to Riesling in 2008. While his inaugural release of Riesling stems from third leaf, it’s amazingly complex from the beginning with aromas of fresh-cut papaya and pineapple, peach and apricot, Jolly Rancher green apple candy, honeysuckle and wet stone. The flavors focus on crisp pear, Granny Smith apple, white peach, jasmine and lychee. While the residual sugar sits at 2%, a pinch of mint on the midpalate is the closest sensation to sweetness because of its wealth of acidity. Haralson, whose winemaking degree is from UC-Davis, plans to open a tasting room in downtown Yakima. (100 cases, 12.2% alc.) Outstanding! Best Buy! Columbia Crest 2010 Two Vines Riesling, Washington, $8. One of the

Northwest’s most widely available brands comes in a new package, but the wines remain true to form. Its hugely tropical nose gathers up passionfruit, papaya and lychee notes with whiffs of apple sauce, lavender, jasmine and petrol. Inside, it’s a tree of Granny Smith apple, Mandarin orange and cling peaches without the heavy syrup. The residual sugar of 3.4% will allow for pairings with a leafy salad that incorporates nuts and orange slices or serve with a nectarine cobbler. (11.5% alc.) Outstanding! Best Buy! Gone Fishin' 2010 Riesling, Columbia Valley, $12. The Mercer Estates family tree has roots in Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills dating to 1886, and this second label pays tribute to their four generations of ranching and farming. These grapes come from their Spring Creek Vineyard, planted with the Geisenheim 239 clone. There are enticing aromas of pineapple, honeydew melon, rose petal and diesel. Flavors of a caramel-coated Golden Delicious apple evolve from cotton candy then to juicy pineapple and white peach. It shows balance act with the residual sugar (1.8%). (1,704 cases, 13.5% alc.) Outstanding! Best Buy! Pacific Rim Winery 2010 Riesling made with Organic Grapes, Columbia Valley, $14. Randall Grahm’s fingerprints remain, despite the winery’s sale earlier this year to the New York-based Mariana family — whose European portfolio includes Banfi Vintners. The drive to be as wholesome as natural starts in the vineyards where sheep serve as weed control and continues through fermentation using native yeast. Aromas begin with a drive past a citrus grove, followed by apple pie notes, honeysuckle, President Lincoln rose, flannel and a scrape of minerality. On the attack, it’s a stylish blend of homecanned pear and pineapple flavors. It’s a crowd-pleaser at 3.6% residual sugar, yet there’s plenty of acidity built in to make for a dry finish. (12,500 cases, 10.5% alc.) Outstanding! Best Buy! StoneCap Wines 2010 Estate Riesling, Columbia Valley, $8. In many instances, a Riesling at this price point will lean toward off-dry, but the Monson Family Estate winemaking team of Kendall Mix and Justin Michaud dialed this in below 1% residual sugar. It’s a fragrant drink with aromas that hint at sweet lemon, pink grapefruit, white peach, orange, rosewater, minerality and geranium. Between

Wine ratings All wines reviewed here are tasted blind after being submitted by producers. They are rated Outstanding, Excellent and Recommended by a tasting panel. Outstanding: These wines have superior characteristics and should be highly sought after. Excellent: Top-notch wines with particularly high qualities.

Recommended: Delicious, well-made wines with true varietal characteristics. Best Buy: A wine that is $15 or less. Priced are suggested retail and should be used as guidelines. Prices are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted.

FRESHPRESS Jan. 2, 2012

Spotlight: Value wines the lips it’s loaded with ripe, not sweet, fruit akin to Granny Smith apple, pink grapefruit and lemons. Flecks of minerality poke out in the finish. (1,526 cases, 13.5% alc.) Outstanding! Best Buy! Willamette Valley Vineyards 2010 Riesling, Willamette Valley, $14. Oregon’s Indian summer conditions allowed winemaker Forrest Klaffke to hang this crop until Nov. 2 in some cases, and he brought the grapes in between 17 and 19 brix. Aromas hint at lime peel, starfruit, gooseberry, white peach and river rock, but the drink is far from dry. There’s an explosion of tropical flavors akin to passionfruit, guava and mango with Texas pink grapefruit. Its minerality and almost spritzy acidity more than balances the residual sugar (5%), leading to a finish of lychee, rosewater and lemon chiffon pie. Suggested pairings range from chicken in a brown mushroom sauce to pineapple upside-down cake. (15,133 cases, 10% alc.) Outstanding! Best Buy! Willow Crest Winery 2010 Estate Riesling, Yakima Valley, $10. Prosser winemaker David Minick first planted the family vineyard in the Roza Hills nearly 30 years ago, and he continues to produce stunning whites at approachable prices — thanks in part to his partnership with Precept Wine. The latest example is this fruit cocktailish drink that’s loaded with pineapple, Mandarin orange, spearmint and petrol aromas. It’s luscious between the lips with Fuji apple, pineapple and peaches, but there’s more than enough tangelo and lime acidity to keep it focused amid the residual sugar (4%). In the finish are hints of minerality and lime shortbread cookies. (2,600 cases, 9.5% alc.)

Vineyard, planted in 2007. It opens with aromas of Pink Lady apples, lemons, pineapples and spearmint. It's a hedonistic wine on the palate, showing off flavors of fresh Bartlett pears, mint, lemons, pineapples, white peaches and jasmine blossoms. The acidity is clean and refreshing, and a touch of residual sugar rounds out the palate. (589 cases, 13.5% alc.) Excellent. Best Buy! Erath Winery 2009 Pinot Gris, Oregon, $14. Pinot Gris overtook Chardonnay as Oregon’s No. 1 white grape in 2000, bucking the national trend. Today, Oregon produces about three times as much Pinot Gris as Chardonnay. While Erath is far from the largest, it is a pretty major player with this bottling. This opens with aromas of lemons, peaches and a hint of toast, followed by flavors of yellow grapefruits, ripe peaches, oranges and slate. It’s a bright wine, perfect for shellfish or halibut. (16,000 cases, 13.5% alc.) Excellent. Best Buy! Waterbrook Winery 2010 Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley, $12. John Freeman oversees winemaking at one of Walla Walla’s oldest and largest operations. Now owned by Precept in Seattle, Waterbrook works out of a large production facility west of town. The grapes for this bright and delicious Pinot Gris come from Willow Crest Vineyard near the Yakima Valley town of Grandview. This opens with approachable aromas of apples, peaches, oranges and sweet spices. On the palate, it offers luscious flavors of tangerines, orange zest, pears, peaches and guava. Pair with seared scallops. (2,042 cases, 12.3% alc.)

White blends

Excellent. Best Buy! Columbia Winery 2010 Cellarmaster's Riesling, Columbia Valley, $12. This Woodinville, Wash., winery began in the early 1960s as Associated Vintners and has been a maverick in wine style and quality since the beginning. This is Columbia’s most popular wine, thanks to its consistency and sweetness. It opens with aromas of peaches, apples and a minerally perfuminess that is rather intriguing. On the palate, it is loaded with ripe, juicy fruit, including peaches, mangoes and lemons. At 6% residual sugar, it’s plenty sweet, but it has the acidity and flavor to pull it off. We’d pair this with spicy cuisine from Thailand, India, Vietnam, China or Mexico. (61,900 cases, 10% alc.)

Outstanding! Best Buy! Airfield Estates 2010 Vineyard Salute Flygirl White, Yakima Valley, $12. Not often is Roussanne (43%) blended with Semillon (30%) and Viognier, but here is a flight plan for others to consider. Citrusy aromas are joined by Golden Delicious apple, orange blossom, gooseberry, cinnamon, corn silk and kettle corn. Then the drink is rich and delicious from stem to stern with more apple, Bartlett pear, pineapple and Mandarin orange, finished by the juice and pith of fresh lime. On many weekends, you can meet and listen to “The Flygirl” — a k a Prosser singer Adrienne Bousquet. (756 cases, 13.3% alc.)

Pinot Gris

Gewürztraminer

Outstanding! Best Buy! Airfield Estates 2010 Pinot Gris, Yakima Valley, $15. Winemaker Marcus Miller comes through again with this outrageously delicious Pinot Gris from young estate vines. This wine comes from the Miller family's Black Rock

Outstanding! Best Buy! Chateau Ste. Michelle 2010 Gewürztraminer, Columbia Valley, $9. Hand it to the folks at Washington’s oldest winery: Regardless of what the vintage brings, the wines are pretty consistent. Such is the case with this wine: In three

FRESHPRESS Jan. 2, 2012

Spotlight: Value wines straight vintages — three entirely different harvest experiences — the alcohol has stayed consistent at 12%. This comes as a results of carefully watching the grapes and picking them at optimal moments. In the case of the 2010, the grapes were able to hang longer because of the cool weather. The result is a superb Gewürztraminer with aromas of yellow grapefruits, apricots, lemons and peppermint. On the palate, it’s nearly perfect, with flavors of grapefruits, tropical fruits, lychee, oranges and cloves. It’s a bit off-dry at 2% residual sugar, perfect for this variety. (100,000 cases, 12% alc.) Outstanding! Best Buy! Covey Run Winery 2010 Gewürztraminer, Columbia Valley, $9. Kate Michaud previously worked at Canoe Ridge Vineyard in Walla Walla — one of Washington’s historically best producers of Gewürz — and she showcases that knowledge with this large lot. Classic aromas of yellow grapefruit, lychee, cinnamon and clove come with gooseberry, spearmint and slate. The spicy notes ply onto the palate along with the big dose of orange, grapefruit and lychee. The finish brings a note of an Arnold Palmer along with a nice little acid bite to balance the residual sugar (2.5%). This would be a perfect pairing with dark meat from that Thanksgiving bird. (9,777 cases, 12.5% alc.) Outstanding! Best Buy! Sawtooth Winery 2010 Estate Gewürztraminer, Snake River Valley, $9. With vineyards at elevations of 2,300 feet and higher, this Alsatian variety should do well in the Snake River Valley. Cool nights allow the grapes to retain their natural acidity, which is often difficult for this high pH variety, and provide bright refreshing flavors. This vintage marked the second in Idaho for winemaker Bill Murray, and he nailed it. Aromas include yellow grapefruit, apples, lychee, tangerine, honeydew melon and spicy ginger. Grapefruit flavors follow, joined by more lychee, mango and rose petal. There’s a bit of sweetness to the body, but the acidic bite makes it finish crisply. (230 cases)

Champagne notes of toast, yeast, pecan pie, apricots and white strawberries. On the palate, it is bright and dry with flavors of Granny Smith apples, yellow grapefruits, lychee and peach pie. We love this wine with oysters, as well as spicy Indian and Thai dishes. (17,700 cases, 10.5% alc.) Outstanding! Best Buy! Domaine Ste. Michelle NV Extra Dry, Columbia Valley, $12. This is DSM’s sweetest bubbly and a favorite for weddings because it is pleasing to a broad range of palates (translation: Your grandma will love it). Like the DSM Brut, it is a blend of 88% Chardonnay and 12% Pinot Noir, though the residual sweetness is a bit higher at 2.3%. It opens with aromas of minerals, dusty apples, a hint of toasted marshmallows and premium vanilla ice cream. On the palate, it explodes with flavors of Jonagold apples, ginger, oranges, limes and pears. We love this wine with a wide variety of dishes, from sushi to barbecued pork to Kung Pao chicken. It’s an opulent wine. (51,919 cases, 11.5% alc.) Outstanding! Best Buy! Treveri Cellars NV Blanc de Blanc Extra-Sec Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley, $15. This is the first release from Juergen Grieb young winery, and it is a stunner with expressive lemon and pear aromas that invite further exploration. On the mouth, this opens with creamy, intense flavors of honey and fresh-off-the-tree orchard fruit. It’s a beautifully crafted bubbly. (500 cases, 12% alc.)

Rosé Outstanding! Best Buy! Williamson Vineyards 2010 Blossom Rosé of Sangiovese, Snake River Valley, $12. Many of the Northwest’s best pinks are created from this Italian variety, and hired gun Greg Koenig shows how it’s done in Idaho. It opens with gorgeous aromas of strawberry, raspberry and citrus, and there’s a delicious follow-through between the lips, backed by Rainier cherries. Racy acidity in the finish keeps the 2% residual sugar in check. (90 cases)

Sparkling

Mead

Outstanding! Best Buy! Domaine Ste. Michelle NV Brut Rosé, Columbia Valley, $12. For many years, Rick Casqueiro’s best wine has been the Blanc de Noirs, a sparkling rosé made from 100% Washington Pinot Noir (!). It will continue to be, though with a new moniker. DSM’s Blanc de Noirs will change to Brut Rosé in February, when the freshly renamed wine heads to distribution channels. Expect to see Blanc de Noirs on labels for a few months during the transition — but also expect to see no difference in quality, as the name change is purely aesthetic. As has become a tradition, we granted this wine our top rating under blind conditions. It opens with classic

Outstanding! Best Buy! Camas Prairie Winery 2011 Raspberry Mead, Idaho, $14. Yes, the vintage is correct because the raspberries and the honey were harvested earlier this year. Jeremy Ritter recently became owner of this longtime Idaho winery in Moscow, and he’s proven to be a quick study. Aromas of raspberry freezer jam and strawberry candy evolve into flavors of lip-smacking raspberry and strawberry/rhubarb compote. There’s so much attractive fruit and crispness inside that it drinks much more like a fruit wine than a mead. And it finishes dry, despite the residual sugar of 6.5%. (90 cases)

FRESHPRESS Jan. 2, 2012

Northwest wine regions Multi-state appellations Columbia Valley: This multi-state appellation is 11 million acres in size and takes up a third of Washington. Established in 1984. Columbia Gorge: This multi-state appellation begins around the town of Lyle and heads west to Husum on the Washington side of the Columbia River. It was established in 2004. Walla Walla Valley: Walla Walla Valley: This multi-state appellation is in the southeast corner of Washington and around Milton-Freewater, Ore. Established in 1984. Snake River Valley: This is in southwestern Idaho and southeastern Oregon. It covers 8,263 square miles and was established in 2007.

Washington Yakima Valley: The Northwest’s oldest appellation (established in 1983) stretches past Wapato in the west to Benton City in the east and includes Red Mountain, Rattlesnake Hills and Snipes Mountain. Red Mountain: Washington’s smallest appellation is a ridge in the eastern Yakima Valley. It is 4,040 acres in size. Established in 2001. Horse Heaven Hills: This large appellation — 570,000 acres — is south of the Yakima Valley and stretches to the Oregon border. It was established in 2005. Wahluke Slope: Approved in early 2006, this huge landform north of the Yakima Valley is an 81,000-acre gravel bar created by the Ice Age Floods. It is one of the warmest regions in the entire Pacific Northwest. Established in 2006. Rattlesnake Hills: This appellation is in the western Yakima Valley north of the towns of Zillah, Granger and Outlook. The appellation is 68,500 acres in size with about 1,300 acres of vineyards. It was established in 2006. Puget Sound: This sprawling appellation is in Western Washington. It stretches from the Olympia area to the Canadian border north of Bellingham. It also sweeps through the San Juan Islands and to Port Angeles. Established in 1995. Snipes Mountain: This is one of Washington’s oldest wine-growing regions. At 4,145 acres in size, it is the state’s second-smallest AVA. Grapes have been grown on Snipes Mountain and at the adjacent Harrison Hill (also part of the AVA) since 1914. This AVAwas approved in 2009. Lake Chelan: This area in north-central Washington is almost entirely within the Columbia Valley. It is a young area, with the oldest vines dating to 1998. About 250 acres are planted here. It was approved in 2009. Naches Heights: Approved in 2011, this area near the city of Yakima has fewer than 50 acres of grapes planted.

Ribbon Ridge: This is the Northwest’s smallest appellation at 3,350 acres. It is best known for its Pinot Noir and is within the Chehalem Mountains AVA. It was established in 2005. Yamhill-Carlton: This is a horseshoe-shaped appellation that surrounds the towns of Yamhill and Carlton. It was established in 2005. The “District” was dropped in 2011. Chehalem Mountains: This is the largest within the Willamette Valley. This 62,100-acre appellation is northeast of the Dundee Hills. It was established in 2006. Dundee Hills: Many of Oregon’s pioneer wineries are in the Dundee Hills within Oregon’s Yamhill County. The appellation is 6,490 acres in size. It was established in 2005. Eola-Amity Hills: This important region stretches from the town of Amity in the north to the capital city of Salem in the southeast. It is 37,900 acres in size. It was established in 2006. McMinnville: The hills south and west of the Yamhill County city of McMinnville are more than 40,000 acres in size. It was established in 2005. Umpqua Valley: This Southern Oregon appellation surrounds the city of Roseburg north of the Rogue Valley. It can produce Pinot Noir as well as warm-climate grapes. It was established in 1984. Rogue Valley: The Northwest’s southern-most appellation surrounds the cities of Medford and Ashland, just north of the California border. It is known for its warm growing conditions. Established in 2001. Applegate Valley: This small valley within the Rogue Valley is known for a multitude of microclimates that can result in wines of distinction and complexity. Established in 2004. Southern Oregon: This AVA encompasses the Umpqua, Rogue and Applegate valleys and Red Hill Douglas County. It was established in 2005. Red Hill Douglas County: This tiny appellation — just 5,500 acres — is within the Umpqua Valley. Fewer than 200 acres of wine grapes, primarily Pinot Noir, are grown here. Established in 2005.

British Columbia

Okanagan Valley: In the province’s interior, this 100mile valley stretches from the border in Osoyoos to Salmon Arm in the north. Most wineries are near Oliver, Penticton and Kelowna. It was established in 1990. Similkameen Valley: This warm valley is west of the southern Okanagan Valley. It was established in 1990. Vancouver Island: This marine-influenced appellation is in the southwest part of the province. Established in 1990. Fraser Valley: This farming area is in the Lower Mainland, south of Vancouver. Established in 1990. Gulf Islands: This appellation includes approximately Oregon Willamette Valley: Oregon’s largest appellation stretches 100 islands spread out between Vancouver Island and the southern mainland. Established in 2005. roughly from Portland to Eugene. Established in 1984.

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About us Wine Press Northwest is a quarterly consumer magazine that focuses on the wine regions of Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Idaho. Annual subscriptions are $20. Click to subscribe. Editor-in-chief: Andy Perdue editor@winepressnw.com Managing editor: Eric Degerman edegerman@winepressnw.com Advertising inquiries: Parker Hodge phodge@tricityherald.com © 2011

Tasting methods Recent Releases are evaluated under strict conditions to ensure objectivity. Northwest wineries submit wines to Wine Press Northwest for evaluation by Wine Press Northwest’s tasting panel. After wines are received, they are stored for at least two weeks and a third party serves them “blind,” meaning the tasting panelists do not know the producer. In addition, the panelists are served glasses of wine and are not able to view the bottles or their shapes prior to tasting. Wines are stored in temperature-controlled conditions, allowing them to be served at perfect cellar temperatures. Price is not a consideration in these evaluations, nor is a winery’s advertising activity with Wine Press Northwest, as the magazine’s editorial/wine evaluation activities and advertising/ marketing efforts are kept strictly separate. The panel has a combination of technical and consumer palates. If at least three of the four panelists consider a wine technically sound and commercially acceptable, it is included here as “Recommended.” The panel may also vote the wine as “Excellent” or “Outstanding,” our top rating. Wines considered

unacceptable by the panel are rejected and not included. Reviews are grouped by variety or style and listed alphabetically by winery. Prices listed are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated. To ensure we maintain an international perspective, our tasting panelists judge thousands of wines annually at various competitions, including: Los Angeles International Wine and Spirits Competition, Riverside International Wine Competition, Dallas Morning News Wine Competition, Indy International Wine Competition, Virginia Governor’s Cup, Sonoma County Harvest Fair, Grand Harvest Awards, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, Pacific Rim International Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru, Washington State Wine Competition, Seattle Wine Awards, Northwest Wine Summit, British Columbia Wine Awards, New York Wine and Grape Foundation Competition, Tri-Cities Wine Festival, Capital Food & Wine Fest, North Central Washington Wine Awards and Idaho Wine Competition.