Fresh Press for June 6, 2011

June 6, 2011

FRESHPRESS

Green leaves sprout and tiny grape clusters begin to appear at a vineyard in Washington’s Columbia Valley.

(Photo by Andy Perdue, Wine Press Northwest)

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.

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FRESHPRESS June 6, 2011

Spotlight: Chateau Ste. Michelle 4111 NE 145th St. Woodinville, WA 98072 425-415-3300 • http://www.ste-michelle.com

Last summer, we placed Chateau Ste. Michelle among our “10 Great Northwest Destination Wineries” for good reason. It was the Northwest’s original wine destination.

But in addition to the tastings, tours and concerts staged at the Woodinville winery, the wine shop also retails a number of wines that are shipped only to members of Ste. Michelle's Vintage Reserve Club. Each spring, Chateau Ste. Michelle releases a number of these special offerings that are pet projects of head winemaker Bob Bertheau and red winemaker Joshua Maloney.

Each of these wines comes with a story and, for the most part, these wines get their birth at Chateau Ste. Michelle’s red winemaking facility near Paterson, where there are plans to open a tasting room for those touring the Horse Heaven Hills. The wines also are sold online.

cinnamon buns and plumminess. The tannin structure is rather fascinating with its texture of cotton ball, and there’s a finish of salted caramel. (197 cases; 15.5% alc.)

Outstanding! Chateau Ste. Michelle 2008 Limited Release C•S•M, Columbia Valley, $30. Bob Bertheau takes the credit for this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (51%), Syrah (45%) and Malbec — hence the CSM reference. It’s yet another example of how Syrah accents red blends, and the package opens with whiffs of vanilla extract, black cherry, blueberry, chocolate, marionberry, smoke meat and cigar smoke. The drink is mouth-filling with blueberries and marionberries, backed by cherry and bittersweet chocolate. Big tannins in the finish call for barbecued fare. (597 cases; 14.3% alc.)

Recommended. Chateau Ste. Michelle 2008 Limited Release Grenache, Wahluke Slope, $25. Tedd Wildman and his Stone Tree Vineyard make for expressive wines, and here’s a hedonistic example of Grenache that Excellent. Chateau Ste. Michelle 2008 Limited winemaker Joshua Maloney favors for holiday dinners.

Release Austral, Columbia Valley, $20. Joshua The aromatics are filled with strawberry fruit leather, Maloney spends most of his time at Chateau Ste. blueberry, blackberry and Chinese Five Spice powder. In Michelle’s red wine production facility at Canoe Ridge the mouth, it’s akin to a handful of sweet marionberries. near Paterson, Wash. Here is a Southern Rhône-style You can feel the juice drip down your chin, followed by blend of Mourvedre (53%), Grenache (35%) and Syrah black cherry candy, vanilla extract and ginger. (853 that opens with aromas of black cherry, cherry tomato, cases; 14.7% alc.)

Nutella, black pepper, ground cumin, sandalwood and a whiff of meat. Delicious flavors are found with hints of Recommended. Chateau Ste. Michelle 2009 Limited cassis, plums, blueberry, dried figs, cured bacon, Release Oak Oval Gewurztraminer, Columbia Valley, chocolate, cinnamon and rice pudding. Suggested fare: $17. While its red wines are made at the Canoe Ridge lamb, pot roast and hearty stews. (997 cases; 14.8% alc.) facility, Ste. Michelle crafts its whites in Woodinville.

Among the toys there is a small oak tank meant to add Recommended. Chateau Ste. Michelle 2008 Limited Release The Druthers Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia mouth feel to selected white wines. Here is Bob Bertheau’s first wine from the tank he calls The Fuder, Valley, $80. One of the most expensive wines produced and there’s no sacrificing acidity in this drink off Jack

by Chateau Ste. Michelle weighs heavily on the side of opulence, too. Cold Creek Vineyard, which overlooks the Jones’ Two Gun Vineyard near Quincy. Think of lemon Wahluke Slope and the Columbia River, supplies most of curd, honey and yellow grapefruit as you drink this, which should pair nicely with a brat. (612 cases; 13% alc.) this drink filled with boysenberry, Luden’s cough drops,

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FRESHPRESS June 6, 2011

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.

For more details about our judging system, see the last page of this document.

New releases we’ve tasted Cabernet Sauvignon Best buy! Outstanding! Milbrandt Vineyards 2008 Traditions Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $15. Butch and Jerry Milbrandt continue to team up with winemaker extraordinare Gordon Hill for tremendous wines for the masses. This opens with a lovely nose of black cherry, black pepper, roasted coffee and lavender with sweet cherry wood smoke in the back. The drink carries a theme of dark black cherry and marionberry flavors with assertive tannins and Chukar Cherry in the finish. (9,061 cases; 13.5% alc.)

Excellent. Northwest Cellars 2007 Les Collines Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $24.

Robert Smasne is building many of the wines for Bob Delf, and this Cab includes some Petit Verdot (10%) and Cabernet Franc (10%). The nose is attractive and hints at the Cab Franc with its cherry, green olive, roasted pepper and cigar humidor tones. They all rejoin on the palate with sweetness, richness and a tingle of acidity, finished with plums and chocolate.

(300 cases; 13.9% alc.)

Excellent. San Juan Vineyards 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $19. Chris Primus oversees the vines and the wines at one of the Northwest’s most remarkable wineries. In this case, he blends grapes from Kestrel View near Prosser and Destiny Ridge in the Horse Heaven Hills. The results feature aromas of plums, strawberry jam, raspberry, cherry and cedar. It’s a dark and creamy drink of black cherry and chocolate, laced with acidity and sweet tannins. Vanilla and fudge brownie notes make for a lingering finish. (309 cases; 14.1% alc.)

Excellent. Silvan Ridge Winery 2007 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Rogue Valley, $20. A product of Jonathan Oberlander’s third vintage in the lead at this longtime Eugene winery, it’s a Cab lover’s delight.

The smoke-filled nose brings thoughts of black walnut, alder and s’mores. Black cherry, blackberry and chocolate flavors follow, backed by sturdy tannins and coffee in the finish. (331 cases; 14.9% alc.)

Recommended. 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards 2008 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Snake River Valley, $19. Our 2011 Idaho Winery to Watch makes this Cab from its organic vineyard, and there’s a long life ahead for this. Tones of plums, blackberry, Dr Pepper, Chukar Cherry and cedar carry into a focused yet tight structure. Chocolate-covered walnuts in the finish add to the attraction. (442 cases; 15.6% alc.)

Merlot Outstanding! Kettle Valley Winery 2007 McGraw Estate Merlot, Naramata Bench (Okanagan Valley), $38. Bob Ferguson and Tim Watts are celebrating their 20th anniversary as winemakers and business partners, yet they’ve been brothers-in-law longer than that. There’s matrimony in this release, starting with aromas of strawberry, red cherry, cedar and red pepper flakes. On the palate, it is beautifully rich and strongly flavored with black currant, more strawberry, minerality. Coffee and vanilla in the finish add to the pleasure. (135 cases; 14% alc.)

Best buy! Outstanding! Milbrandt Vineyards 2008 Traditions Merlot, Columbia Valley, $15. James McFerran stays busy as viticulturalist for the Milbrandt brothers, who farm 13 vineyards and 1,800 acres. That explains the size of this release, and Gordy Hill’s winemaking makes it sell. The almost-endless array of aromatics includes tutti frutti, raspberry, blackberry milkshake, cracked black pepper and green olive. Bing cherry, cassis and plum notes lead the flavors, but there are hints of horehound, slate, lavender and lilac on the midpalate. Juicy acidity and late tannin carry into a finish of Raisinette and Twix Bar. Pair with barbecued pork ribs, and the recipe is available at the winery website (9,079 cases; 13.5% alc.)

Malbec Excellent. Milbrandt Vineyards 2008 The Estates Malbec, Wahluke Slope, $25. A growing number of Washington wineries have taken this Bordeaux variety of their blending programs and are showing great skill with it as a single-variety wine. Here’s one of the best and most available examples. The nose carries hints

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FRESHPRESS June 6, 2011

New releases we’ve tasted of smoky cherry, Aussie-style black licorice, lavender and cinnamon. Bright fruit flavors of blueberry, cherry and marionberry flash among nicely integrated chocolaty tannins. The suggested pairing is with a marinated skirt steak. (890 cases; 13.5% alc.)

Barbera Excellent. Windy Point Vineyards 2008 Barbera, Yakima Valley, $23. Liz Stepniewski’s first crop off these estate vines is a rather rich reward for the consumer. Fascinating aromas of toasted sesame seed, orange peel and wintergreen lead to flavors that begin with dried strawberry, raspberry, cherry and chocolate. There’s a squeeze of Mandarian orange in the midpalate, a pinch of leaf tobacco and late tannin.

Consider serving this with Chinese barbecued pork.

(217 cases; 15.5% alc.)

Lemberger Recommended. Wedge Mountain Winery 2009 Lemberger, Columbia Valley, $26. This Austrian red variety does well in Washington, and Charlie McKee planted some in his vineyard near Leavenworth. The nose is fruit-forward with raspberry, cranberry, strawbery and citrus peel with cedar and a hint of SpaghettiOs. Cherry and raspberry flavors combine for a Hawaiian Punch sensation, tightened a bit by a late sheen of sandy tannin. McKee also creates a sweeter version of Lem. (140 cases; 14.5% alc.)

Red blends Recommended. Kettle Valley Winery 2008 Old Main Red, Naramata Bench (Okanagan Valley), $38. An estate blend of the five main Bordeaux varieties, it’s reminiscent of the Old World with its theme of cassis, raspberry, dried strawberry, root beer, pencil shaving, leather and oregano. The structure features abundant acidity and assertive tannin. (547 cases; 15% alc.)

Recommended. Koenig Vineyards 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon-Syrah, Snake River Valley, $25. A 50/50 blend of Cab off Williamson Vineyards and Syrah from Hells Canyon seems dominated in many ways by the Syrah. It leads with notes of smoky blueberry, gun metal and Graham cracker, backed by rose hips and gritty tannins from the Cab. (140 cases; 14.7% alc.)

Outstanding! 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards 2008 Estate Syrah Mourvedre, Snake River Valley, $25. Idaho’s largest organic vineyard produced this blend for winemaker Greg Koenig, and this lot of Mourvedre (18%) is the first from this site near Eagle. Aromas feature blueberry, plum, cola, rose hips, lilac, lavender tea and hint at a stroll among the Yoshino cherry blossoms in the Quad at the University of Washington.

Crushed cherries, plump blueberry and marionberry

flavors rush in, followed by more plums, watermelon and lingering acidity. (492 cases; 14.5% alc.)

Chardonnay Outstanding! Kettle Valley Winery 2009 Chardonnay, Naramata Bench (Okanagan Valley), $22. This longtime winery near Penticton, B.C., built its cult-like following with reds, but the white program is equally impressive. The deft selection of five vineyards — Dekleva (Oliver), Elgert (Okanagan Falls), Intile and Marchand (Penticton) and Hayman in Naramata — shows immediately with yummy aromas of pineapple, tangerine, Mandarin orange and lemon. Enchanting flavors are of ripe, but not sweet, lip-smacking peach, tangerine and pineapple. It’s a conversation starter and shop stopper that’s capped with a savory sense of umami and a lemon bar. (1,600 cases; 13.5% alc.)

Excellent. Kramer Vineyards 2007 Barrel Select Chardonnay, Yamhill-Carlton District, $20. Trudy Kramer strikes an amazing balance with this oakinfluenced and fruit-filled yet food-friendly Chardonnay.

In the aromas are hints of butterscotch and toffee with lemon meringue pie, pineapple, pear, papaya and cinnamon dust. The drink is filled with Granny Smith apple, pineapple, lime juice and lemon oil, a combination that’s deliciously tart. Enjoy with Vichyssoise or a Romaine salad with feta and olive oil.

(150 cases; 13.5% alc.)

Best buy! Recommended. Kramer Vineyards 2007 Dijon Chardonnay, Willamette Valley, $15. It’s uncommon to find a reserve style Chardonnay at this price. Notes of butterscotch, vanilla and caramel come with lots of citrus and starfruit that bring the focus back to fruit. Its level of tartness is akin to a Sauvignon Blanc, which led to thoughts of pairing with oysters.

(218 cases; 13.2% alc.)

Recommended. Milbrandt Vineyards 2009 The Estates Evergreen Vineyard Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $23. One of Washington’s most famous sites for white wines likely will soon be within the new Ancient Lakes appellation. This fruit from near George, Wash., is dropped into new French oak long enough to pick up perfumy notes of vanilla, lemon LaffyTaffy, toast and NECCO wafer candy. The oak dominates the palate, which does bring in flavors of pineapple, lemon and lime, light toast and some lanolin. (885 cases; 13.9% alc.)

Best buy! Excellent. Milbrandt Vineyards 2009 Traditions Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $12. Gordy Hill tapped into Sundance Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope and Evergreen Vineyard for an utterly delicious offering. The nose is filled with Bartlett pear, white peach, 7UP, fresh linen and a hint of yeastiness.

Golden Delicious apple, Asian pear and pineapple

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New releases we’ve tasted flavors carry into a lingering finish of ripe lemon. It is soldout at the winery, but it is available for $10 at http:// www.madwine.com/633524/products/MilbrandtTraditions-Columbia-Valley-Chardonnay-2009.html (560 cases; 12.5% alc.)

Excellent. Woodward Canyon 2009 Chardonnay, Washington, $44. Rick Small seems to have reduced the role of new French oak in his Chardonnay, and this vintage’s influence was at 20% for this production off Celilo Vineyard in the Columbia Gorge and his estate vines. There are toasted almonds and vanilla, but those notes are behind aromas of Bosc pear, apple, kumquat, quince and lemon pepper. The real payday is on the palate, which brings delicious lemon cream pie, along with more pears and apples, backed by pineapple and honeydew melon. A nice steady stream of acidity finishes with a piece of Werther’s butterscotch candy.

(616 cases; 14.1% alc.)

Riesling Excellent. Kettle Valley Winery 2009 Riesling, Naramata Bench (Okanagan Valley), $24. The only disappointment about this bottling is the scant production and subsequent “sold out” notice by the winery. Aromas of sweet peach, lemon, pear, petrol and lychee are mirrored on a palate that brings lofty acidity with an off-dry style. (60 cases; 9.8% alc.)

Best buy! Excellent. Milbrandt Vineyards 2009 Traditions Riesling, Columbia Valley, $13. The wines are made in Mattawa, Wash., but they are poured at the Milbrandt brothers’ tasting room in Prosser. This is more austere and sleek in its approach than most, which is hinted at with its aromas of goosebery, lemon/ lime, slate, fennel, lavender and geranium. Those citrus components play out on the palate with honeydew melon and anise accents. Its tartness is pleasing and balances the residual sugar (1.4%). (4,704 cases; 12.5% alc.)

Best buy! Recommended. Fujishin Family Cellars 2009 Gewürztraminer, Snake River Valley, $15. Few folks in Idaho work with this Alsatian variety, yet Caldwell, Idaho, winemaker Martin Fujishin chose to stay dry with this sizable allotment from Skyline Vineyards. The theme focuses on starfruit, gooseberry, pear, yellow grapefruit, kiwi fruit and slate. (106 cases; 14.3% alc.)

White blend Recommended. Kettle Valley Winery 2009 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, $24. This slightly off-dry drink carries a theme of fruit cocktail with cling peach, pineapple, grapefruit and lime. Hints of minerality, lime and orange bitters along with treatment in neutral French oak add complexity and a pleasing texture.

Enjoy with Mexician fare or seafood. (360 cases; 13% alc.)

Fortified Outstanding! Kettle Valley Winery NV Starboard Fortified Wine, Naramata Bench (Okanagan Valley), $24. Bob Ferguson and Tim Watts take their Port-style program in the direction of Bordeaux by using Malbec and Petit Verdot from their King Drive estate site and aging it in French oak barrels. Evaluating the bouquet commands attention as it hints at cherry, a blackberry reduction sauce, plum jam, 3 Musketeers bar, molasses, vanilla and cedar. There’s beautiful sweetness and lingering richness with blackened Bing cherry, sugared plums, cola, dried fig, hazelnut and chocolate-covered orange peel. Enjoy it this summer at night around the campfire or with a bowl of ice cream.

(150 cases; 18% alc.)

Gewürztraminer Outstanding! Kettle Valley Winery 2009 Gewürztraminer, Naramata Bench (Okanagan Valley), $22. Four blocks on the Naramata Bench, three from Penticton and another block across Okanagan Lake in Summerland make this one of the best non-vineyard specific Gewürzs in the province.

Hints of grapefruit and spice are in every corner of this wine, which shows remarkable balance with ripe fruit, low sugar and bright acidity. They didn’t just knock this over the fence but also out of the ballpark. (1,000 cases; 13.5% alc.)

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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 AVA is within the Yakima Valley appellation and was 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.

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.

Oregon Gulf Islands: This appellation includes approximately Willamette Valley: Oregon’s largest appellation stretches 100 islands spread out between Vancouver Island and the roughly from Portland to Eugene. Established in 1984. southern mainland. Established in 2005.

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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.

Publisher: Rufus M. Friday 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 and Idaho Wine Competition.

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