Wine Press Northwest Winter 2016 by Wine Press Northwest

WINE TRAVELER'S GUIDE TO THE BOISE, ID, WINE SCENE

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VOL. 18, NO. 4

Winter 2016

WINE PRESS NORTHWEST Wine & Dessert p10

IN THIS ISSUE

A Distant Perspective A veteran’s view of the Platinum judging

Swirl, Sniff & Sip Northwest Rieslings offer something for every table

Touring Boise p16

10 Wine and Dessert, Portland Style 16 72 Hours Touring Boise and its Wine Scene 24 Beaumont Cellars garnering attention in Central Washington 28 Best of the Best Platinum 2016 64 Northwest Wine Events 70 Match Makers

Stars align behind Michael Mina’s RN74 in Seattle

78 Grapes of Roth Old World is for eating

Beaumont Cellars p24

Platinum 2016 Results p28

Match Makers p70

COVE R PHOTO BY VIKI E IE RDAM

Over

50 Years of Construction Excellence Est.1964

Wine Press Northwest is for those with an interest in wine — from the novice to the veteran. We focus on Washington, Oregon and Idaho’s talented winemakers and the wineries, vintners and restaurants that showcase Northwest wines. We are dedicated to all who savor the fruits of their labor. Editor and Publisher: Gregg McConnell 509-582-1443 gmcconnell@winepressnw.com Contributor: Eric Degerman Contributor: Viki Eierdam Contributor: Andy Perdue Contributor: Dan Radil Tasting panel: Dan Berger, Kristin Bono, Ellen Landis, Ken Landis, Gregg McConnell, April Reddout, H. Parks Redwine III, Hank Sauer and Heather Unwin. Moderators were Eric Degerman, Andy Perdue and Ken Robertson.

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swirl, sniff & sip BY KEN ROBERTSON

Northwest Rieslings offer something for every table

ashington first made a name for itself back in the early 1970s by producing brilliant Riesling wine that made the rest of the world turn its eyes to our then fledgling wine industry. Chateau Ste. Michelle produced those wines, and in the ensuing 40-plus years has only honed that reputation, helping build the brand into the world’s largest single producer of Riesling wines totaling more than 1.2 million cases, the single largest varietal among its total production of more than 2.7 million cases. Along the way, it’s produced and inspired an array of styles in the Northwest’s winemakers, ranging from dry to slightly sweet to late harvest to ice wine, making the region into a world-famous Riesling producer. The competition among grape growers and winemakers to produce outstanding Riesling has created some amazing wines. I offer as evidence Wine Press Northwest magazine’s 17th annual Platinum Judging, which included more than 500 of the region’s gold medal winners from 2016. Of those entries, 31 were made from Riesling in one of its many styles, and 14 of them took Platinum or Double Platinum awards, which means all judges on a panel agreed those wines were worthy of a platinum. In a single nine-wine flight, four won a Platinum award, two more Double Platinum. How does that compare with other varieties of wine judged this year? Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Riesling are Washington’s four most-planted grapes. Of 59 Cabernet entries, 18 won Platinum. Of 39 Merlots, nine won Platinum. And of 21 Chardonnays, five won Platinum. The panel of three judges who evaluated those Rieslings included two people who judge internationally and who are not from the Northwest, so it wasn’t a question of inexperience or favoring the home team. I served as moderator for the panel, and all three judges were impressed by the overall quality of the Rieslings. Among their comments: “Dramatic fruit with tropical and 6

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orange blossom aromas,” “Perfect acid-sugar balance,” “Perfect harmony of sugar and acid,” and “Very crisp acidity to finish, a bit of stony minerality.” The Riesling entries came from British Columbia, Idaho, Oregon and Washington and from nine different AVAs in the U.S. and from B.C.’s Okanagan Valley. They were grown in Oregon’s Applegate Valley, Chehalem Mountains, Elkton and Umpqua regions; in Washington’s Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley, Lake Chelan and Ancient Lakes areas; and from Idaho’s Snake River Valley. No matter what you prefer — bone dry, barely off dry, sweet or dessert style — there’s one that will suit your tastes and will pair with almost any table fare — from soup to nuts, from New Year’s Day through the Christmas season. Wine words: Brix and residual sweetness Since we’ve been talking about the many faces of Riesling, a bit of discussion about sugar seems especially appropriate. As many wine drinkers already well know, both terms are measures of sugar content, but they define it at very different times. Brix defines sugar level in ripening grapes. Residual sweetness is the amount that remains in the finished wine. Yeast turn the sugar into alcohol at a rate of roughly two to one. Thus, a brix of 24 will produce an alcohol level of about 12 percent if all the sugar is fermented out of the resulting wine. Growers and winemakers closely monitor sugar development throughout late summer and into the fall, choosing to pick depending on what type of wine they want to make. For sparkling wine, they may want to pick in early to mid-August, depending on how warm the growing season has been. That’s because they may want high acidity and a lower alcohol level of perhaps 9 to 11 percent, which requires 18 to 22 percent sugar. A lighter-styled sweet sparkling wine from Italy may end up containing as little as 5.5 percent alcohol. For a bold red wine, which usually is produced by later-ripening red grapes, a brix level of 24 to 26 percent is typically desired. In the

Northwest, that may mean Cabernet Sauvignon won’t be picked until early November. In 2016, a year that started warm and turned temperate in the fall, Eastern Washington grape growers were wrapping up their harvest of Cabernet in the second week of November, for example. Now, residual sugar. If the winemaker wants to stop fermentation and keep some of the sugar content in a late harvest-styled wine, it’s likely those grapes will hang well into the fall and may not be picked until well into the fall, with a brix level well into the high 20s or, in the case of ice wine, maybe into the 30s because the grapes continue to lose water as they hang and even more as they freeze. There are several ways to stop fermentation. Alcohol will poison wine yeast at somewhere above 15 percent, though specialized yeasts may endure to just over 20 percent. In a Port-styled wine, distilled spirits are injected into fermenting wine, quickly raising the alcohol to about 17 percent, killing fermentation and preserving the sweetness desired. For a slightly sweet wine, a late harvest wine or an ice wine, refrigeration is generally used to halt fermentation. And sometimes, fermentation simply stops, much to a winemaker’s dismay. The consumer usually can determine the residual sweetness by a bit of label reading. Some wines may simply be labeled sweet, others may list sugar by percent and some may list grams per liter (g/L). That’s an easy conversion: Twenty grams of sugar per liter, for example, is 2 percent residual sugar. KEN ROBERTSON, the retired editor of the Tri-City Herald, has been sipping Northwest wines and writing about them since 1976.

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a distant perspective

A veteran’s view of the Platinum judging

valuating wines for well over decade at the Platinum Judging has given me a solid grounding in the wines of the Pacific Northwest, and as with anything that becomes very familiar, we typically approach things with a bit of fore-knowledge. Knowing that in advance helps to mitigate the most negative effects of such prejudicial beliefs. Fortunately, I have learned that the best trait to have when doing such technically repetitive work is humility since the nature of the three-day event, a double-blind tasting, makes it foolhardy to have any preconceived notions that we assume are valid. I have been a professional wine judge since 1981, and have had numerous experiences in which other judges’ prejudices were exposed to be just that, prejudicial. Judging in Canada three years ago, I discovered one of the major pitfalls of having a belief that might once have been true held up to the light of expert scrutiny. I was on a three-person judging panel with a woman who placed herself well above all of the wines, and who clearly did not understand the first thing about some of them. One category she was obviously biased against was dry rosé. One wine was simply fabulous, but she voted it no medal. And worse yet, no amount of discussion would get her to move to even a bronze medal. As it stood, the wine would get nothing despite my vote for a gold. I showed the wine to a Quebec City wine expert, who was startled by my table-mate’s intransigence, and her failure to recognize its quality. Quietly, he took me aside and confided, “She hates rosé. She always has a prejudice against any of them.” The judging coordinator agreed to a compromise of sorts, allowing the other judges to have look at the wine. When the voting of 20+ judges showed overwhelming preference for the wine getting a gold medal, the formerly intransigent judge at last swallowed her pride and voted it a gold too! So it was that I had long since abandoned 8

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my preconceived ideas about looking at the best of the Pacific Northwest. Once, a decade ago perhaps, I would assume that only two or three Rieslings would be good enough to compete against the estimable Chateau Ste. Michelle in that class. I have since learned that all four major growing areas in the Pacific Northwest can now grow great Riesling and make stellar wine. Two additional aspects of the vast PNW region: -- Some of the most interesting wines now are coming from grape varieties that previously were orphans with few supporters. -- Some regions are developing skills at growing common varietals with a pizzazz that leads to great wines, but in styles that are not really mainstream. We saw wines from Gamay, Sangiovese, Petite Sirah, and Pinot Gris that are extremely personable. We also saw Cabernet Sauvignons from places like British Columbia, southern Oregon, and Idaho that were exemplary, although not always made in what would be called a traditional style. Fortunately, most of our judges at the Platinum are respectful enough of the others on their panels to respect the votes cast with due consideration. As such, numerous times when one judge cast a “double gold plus” vote on a wine and another said “Platinum,” the first judge would go back and re-evaluate the wine to see if he or she could justify moving up! It rarely went the other way, where a Platinum-voting judge looked again at a wine in order to downgrade his or her vote for it. I have long since abandoned histrionics at blind tasting events, assuming that I will get my revenge in print. But because of the professionalism of the Platinum judges, little needed to be negotiated since the goal of the event, well understood, was two-fold: to improve the breed, regardless of what the breed was, and to send a message to wine makers about what we all perceived to be important aspects of such events. Notable here is the issue of style. Heavy, hard, alcoholic, tannic reds were not as wellreceived as were more elegant, fruit-evident

BY DAN BERGER

wines that displayed a distinct varietal identity. Among the very positive messages was that judging many of the flights was more difficult than perhaps 15 years ago, when a higher percentage of the wines was clearly flawed. In the past, judging a higher percentage of flawed wines meant we could easily pass on many of the entrants without having to cast a vote other than “no medal.” (One particular wine competition has a notorious reputation for giving out gold medals to simply execrable wines!) In today’s world, flaws are hard to find. The majority of wines that do not get any medal at all reach such a sad fate based mostly on what I call UOTC – which is my shorthand for “unclear on the concept.” These are wines in which a winemaker chose a style most unbefitting the fruit with which he or she had to work. Such as a tannic Pinot Noir that lacked the fruit to taste very good either now or in the future. Or a Riesling with too much sugar for the meager acid. The only weak categories we witnessed were some rather amorphous red blend groupings in which the choice of grapes seemed to be arbitrary and left the wines neither here nor there in terms of raison d’etre. This is to be expected since such categories are rarely very exciting anyway, and since the numbers of such wines are increasing because of the demands of marketing departments to get rid of unsalable Syrah. The real problem here was the lack of supporting grape varieties to make the blends more appealing as young wines. Too often dark-heavy Syrah was blended with more dark and heavy red wines, when a bit more Merlot or Tempranillo (or Grenache!) could have saved the day. In sum, this year’s Platinum results were among the most exciting I can recall, a tribute to Andy Perdue and Eric Degerman’s vision in starting this event. is a nationally renowned wine writer who lives in Santa Rosa, Calif. He publishes a weekly column Dan Berger’s Vintage Experiences (VintageExperiences.com).

DAN BERGER

W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

FEATURE

wine and dessert

Wine and dessert, Portland style STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY VIKI EIERDAM

here are many differences between European and American culture not the least of which is the dessert course. In America, that leans more towards a cup of coffee and a slice of pie. Conversely, dessert in Europe is seen simply as another wine pairing opportunity. While European desserts tend to be less sweet than American selections (i.e. cheese platters are a popular option), they certainly eat their fair share of macaroons, custards and pastries. Borrowing the best from both worlds, I give you wine and cheesecake. Not just any cheesecake, mind you, but all-natural, holiday-inspired selections from Portland Style Cheesecake & Dessert Company. Owner Kim Haines has been focusing on from-scratch, non-GMO ingredients for 27 years. She uses expeller-pressed oil and there are no trans fats to be found even in her cracker crusts. The result is cheesecakes—and butter cakes— that are creamy, fluffy, moist and (nearly) guilt-free.

Seufert Winery 2012 Botrytis Riesling paired with Eggnog Cheesecake

RIESLING & EGGNOG CHEESECAKE The wine: Seufert Winery 2012 Botrytis Riesling, Yamill-Carlton The dessert: Eggnog Cheesecake Why it works: The slight baking spice notes in the wine marry softly with the dusting of nutmeg atop the sumptuous cheesecake making for an inspired Christmas pairing. Both the wine and cheesecake have rich and creamy textures, neither one overpowering the other. Ripe stone fruit and candied aromas in the riesling match the sweetness level of the eggnog. Alternate pairing: Chocolate Raspberry Cake brings the pronounced fruit flavors of the riesling to the forefront. Availablity: Eggnog Cheesecake is available during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays only. 10

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Alloro Vineyard 2014 Vino Nettare paired with Chocolate Mayan Cake W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

wine and dessert FEATURE VINO NETTAR & CHOCOLATE MAYAN CAKE The wine: Alloro Vineyard 2014 Vino Nettare, Chehalem Mountains The dessert: Chocolate Mayan Cake Why it works: This muscat/riesling blend seems created for Haines’ seasonal Mayan Cake. Filled and side-walled with Mexican chili ganache (made with Mexican chili powder), iced in cinnamon cream cheese butter cream and rolled in all natural chocolate, the tantalizing spice of the cake is enhanced by the weight and roundness of the Vino Nettare finish. Alternate pairing: Deep stone fruit aromas mingling with delicate floral notes on the nose make this Vino Nettare an excellent accompaniment to the Christmas ham. Consider honey-baked and studded lightly with cloves. Availability: Chocolate Mayan Cake is available during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays only.

NEBBIOLO & CHOCOLATE SALTED CARAMEL CHEESECAKE The wine: Bethany Vineyards 2012 Nebbiolo, Columbia Gorge The dessert: Chocolate salted caramel cheesecake Why it works: Rose and violet on the nose with a hint of tobacco make this slightly masculine wine an ideal pairing for this cheesecake that’s neither sweet nor bitter but, rather, savory. It is in the quality of the chocolate and the pronounced salty finish that the secret to this combination lies. Alternate pairing: Nebbiolo is a varietal that begs for food. Carry this bottle from main course to dessert with a roasted beef tenderloin. The wine’s tannin and acidity level hold up nicely to the fat of the meat. Availability: Chocolate salted caramel cheesecake is available year round.

BRUT & CLASSIC VANILLA CHEESECAKE RMS 2013 Brut, Willamette Valley paired with Classic Vanilla Cheesecake

The wine: RMS 2013 Brut, Willamette Valley The dessert: Classic Vanilla Cheesecake Why it works: This is quintessential New Year’s. Both offerings are classic and superior in quality. Winemaker Rollin Soles has taken the wealth of bubbles knowledge he procured at Argyle and sealed it in this 2013 vintage sparkling. A blend of higher-altitude Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the lemon grass and dairy components in this brut stand side-byside with the richness of the cheesecake. The result is pure decadence. Alternate pairing: Eggnog cheesecake is also a lovely pairing. Not traditional, it certainly marries with the buttery, creamy components in the Brut. Availability: Classic vanilla cheesecake is available year round.

Bethany Vineyards 2012 Nebbiolo paired with Chocolate salted caramel cheesecake W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

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FEATURE

wine and dessert RIPASSCO & DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CAKE The wine: g. Cuneo 2013 Ripasso, Columbia Valley The dessert: Double chocolate cake Why it works: Winemaker Gino Cuneo prides himself on respecting traditional Italian winemaking methods. Possibly the only Ripasso made stateside, this “repassed” wine comes from predominantly Sangiovese. Although it is produced from a blend of dried and non-dried grapes, it is still a dry red wine. The aromas of raisins and currant met with deep fruit flavors are an ideal match for Haines’ rich, dense double-chocolate cake. Fitting for Valentine’s Day, a day to celebrate the depth and intensity of love. Alternate pairing: Chocolate Mayan cake provides the complexity this wine demands. Availability: Double-Chocolate Cake is available during the Valentine’s Day holiday only.

g. Cuneo 2013 Ripasso paired with Double chocolate cake

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CHINATO D’ERBETTI & CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY CAKE The wine: Cana’s Feast Chinato d’Erbetti, Willamette Valley The dessert: Chocolate Raspberry Cake Why it works: This brandy-fortified wine is made in the traditional Italian digestivo way. Over 18 herbs, spices and aromatic plants are infused with estate Nebbiolo and then barrel-aged for an extended period. The fruit-forward qualities of Nebbiolo—namely cherry and raspberry—coupled with baking spice notes are perfect for holidays. In the case of Valentine’s Day, it is the floral notes of this impeccably-crafted Chinato that present a bouquet to the nose and dance a flirty tango with the raspberry purée of the weighty cake. Alternate pairing: Double-chocolate cake delivers the density this ample wine requires. Availability: Chocolate Raspberry Cake is available during the Valentine’s Day holiday only. I can think of no better time than the holidays to introduce a new family tradition. Portland Style Cheesecakes—and butter cakes—can be found at Fred Meyer, New Seasons and Zupan’s all over the west coast as well as PCC Natural Markets, Metropolitan Market and Town and Country Markets. To see the full line of desserts at Portland Style Cheesecake & Dessert Company, go to www.pscheesecake.com. W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

Cana’s Feast Chinato d’Erbetti paired with Chocolate Raspberry Cake

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FEATURE

boise

72 HOURS

TOURING BOISE

AND ITS WINE SCENE // BY ERIC DEGERMAN, SPECIAL TO WINE PRESS NORTHWEST

OISE, Idaho — A decade ago, it might have been difficult to picture Boise as a hub for wine tourism.

Thanks to a number of winemakers who have fallen in love with the outdoors, the weather and culinary delights that the Snake River Valley has to offer, there’s no looking back. “We’re very approachable, and that’s one of the things I really like about our industry,” said Moya Dolsby, executive director for the

Idaho Wine Commission. “I don’t find that the wine scene here is intimidating at all. On the other hand, I still get intimidated whenever I go to Napa.” Dolsby arrived in 2008 to take over the Idaho Wine Commission after spending several years at the Washington State Wine Commission, and the Great Recession stalled

growth of her industry in Idaho. There are 52 wineries and 1,300 acres of vineyards in the state, about the same as a decade ago. Most of those wineries and nearly all the vines are in the Snake River Valley, a vast growing area that stretches roughly from Ontario, Ore., nearly to Twin Falls, Idaho. The state capital is nearly in the middle, and Boise restaurateurs — particularly those with a farm-to-fork approach — are recognized as a major factor in the growth. Dolsby made sure to reach out to local chefs when she launched Savor Idaho, the state’s largest food

The new tasting room at Koenig Vineyards in Caldwell was designed by Greg Koenig in celebration of his winery’s 20th anniversary. Photo by Kyle Green, Idaho Statesman

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boise and wine celebration. And the continued buzz surrounding these restaurants draws both tourists and residents downtown, where many of Boise’s historic buildings have been preserved and/or renovated. “It’s amazing to see the restaurant wine lists now compared to eight years ago,” Dolsby said. “Idaho wines are on almost every list all year long.” A recent study indicated the Idaho wine industry meant $169 million and 1,250 jobs to the state’s economy. There are exciting new plantings coming online in the next few years, including those by the Martin brothers on the Oregon side of the Snake River in Adrian, but the lack of new sources for Idaho fruit have prompted many of these top winemakers to reach into Washington state for grapes to help slake the thirst for locally produced wines. Seattle-based Precept Wine, the Pacific Northwest’s largest privately owned vintner, owns Ste. Chapelle and Sawtooth wineries, and it recently consolidated production for both brands at its Sunnyslope facility next to Ste. Chapelle. Its investments include the recently remodeled the tasting room and deck as well as plans for a 5,000-seat amphitheater. Within view of Ste. Chapelle are two new tasting rooms for established brands Koenig Vineyards and Williamson Vineyards. And 2016 began with the opening of Telaya’s

FEATURE

Visitors enjoy wine on the outside patio area of Ste. Chapelle winery in Caldwell, Idaho. Photo by Kyle Green, Idaho Statesman

remarkable winery/tasting room in Garden City next to the Riverside Hotel and the Boise Greenbelt. There are bike racks for daytime visitors, a fire pit for nighttime and hotel guests can take a bottle of wine back to their room because they don’t cross a public street. “People in Boise always ask me, ‘Where should I go?’ ” Dolsby said. “I tell them,

‘Well, how much time do you have?’ If it’s only a couple of hours, then it’s Garden City. If it’s all day, then I tell them to go out to wine country in the morning, have lunch at the Orchard House, and stop by the urban wineries on your way back to Boise.” Beyond Boise, the region is behind in terms of lodging and wine-country cuisine, however, there are two on-premise restaurants — Parma Ridge in Parma and Tannins at Crossings Winery in the Hagerman Valley southeast of Boise. Some of best times to hit these wine trails are June — which Gov. Butch Otter has declared Idaho Wine Month — August during the Sunnyslope Wine Festival and throughout Thanksgiving Weekend. However, it’s quite common to meet thirsty winesters from Nevada or Utah throughout the year. And since most of these tasting rooms are owner-operated, it’s always best to call ahead when planning a visit.

URBAN WINE DISTRICT

Wine Press Northwest’s 2014 Idaho Winery of the Year was Coiled Wines. Winemaker Leslie Preston produces award winning wines. Darin Oswald, Idaho Statesman

For wine tourists who start off from downtown Boise, it’s a drive of less than 10 minutes — or a 25-minute bike ride — to reach the popular tasting rooms in the bedroom community of Garden City. Cinder Wines: Melanie Krause studied at Washington State University and trained

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FEATURE

boise

at Chateau Ste. Michelle before returning home to Boise and launching her winery. She and husband Joe Schnerr have turned their industrial-chic tasting gallery on 44th Street into a regional success story, keyed in large part by the gold medals for her Syrah, Tempranillo and Viognier. An expanding tap program and live music build upon the fandom. Call (208) 376-4023. Coiled Wines: The most diversified portfolio in Idaho might be that of frenetic talent Leslie Preston, who worked at famed Stags’ Leap Winery in Napa before coming home to raise her family. She sparkles with muscular reds, bone-dry Riesling and classy bubbles. Call (208) 820-8466. Mouvance Winery: Julon Vineyard in Oregon’s Eola-Amity Hills is the estate source of Pinot Noir for this winery in Boise’s Linen District, and Lonnie Krawl makes these wines in his hometown. Call (208) 629-7781. Potter Wines: A web search for this Garden City winery brings up jalapenowine.com. That’s correct. Von Potter makes pepper-influenced wines to use in cooking and cocktails. He also bottles Riesling and Syrah. Call (208) 866-7765. Split Rail Winery/Strange Folk Wines: Jed Glavin makes serious, award-winning wines more approachable with his eclectic labels, fun names and edgy formats, which includes a GSM-style red wine in a can. He’s shared his facility with Syringa Winery, across the alley from Cinder, and the thirst for his wines has led him to sourcing grapes from Washington’s Columbia Valley. Call (208) 490-0681. Snake River Winery: Arena Valley Vineyards near Parma is one of the oldest sites in Idaho, and Scott DeSeelhorst uses it to make stand-alone wines of Barbera, Blauer Zweigelt, Malbec, Tempranillo and Touriga Naçional. His tasting room/gift shop is in Boise near CenturyLink Arena. Call (208) 345-9463. Telaya Wine Co.: Earl and Carrie Sullivan built a showpiece tasting room along the Boise River Greenbelt. Their program focuses on Bordeaux-style wines from famous vineyards in Washington state and Rhône-style wines from the Snake River Valley. The 2016 Idaho Winery of the Year, Telaya shares its woodsy digs with Coiled. Call (208) 557-9463. Terra Nativa Vineyards: Boise developer Richard Pavelek grooms red Bordeaux varieties grown in perhaps the state’s highest elevation vineyard (3,100 feet) in the foothills east 18

W in e P r ess N or th w e s t • W i n t e r 2 0 1 6

Ste. Chapelle winery in Caldwell. Photo by Kyle Green, Idaho Statesman

of Boise. Annual production is about 600 cases, and he’s open by appointment only. Call (208) 863-5204. 3100 Cellars: Telaya assistant winemaker Hailey Minder pays tribute to Idaho and its 3,100 miles of whitewater rafting with Idaho’s first sparkling wine house. Call (208) 949-6613.

SUNNYSLOPE WINE DISTRICT In 2002, there were just 11 wineries in the state. Most of those had sprung up within view of Ste. Chapelle, Idaho’s oldest and largest winery at 120,000 cases, and the historic Sunnyslope growing region remains the Treasure Valley’s quintessential wine country experience. And in 2017, Ste. Chapelle will make room for a separate tasting gallery featuring Sawtooth Winery. Wine tourists can expect consistent quality throughout the Sunnyslope, in large part because of the presence of Greg Koenig. He heads up the winemaking for his own brand as well as Bitner Vineyards, Williamson Vineyards, 3 Horse Ranch and Scoria. His production manager, Martin Fujishin, also succeeds with his own two brands and tasting room. Bitner Vineyards: Bee biologist Ron Bitner planted Chardonnay and Riesling in 1981 for Ste. Chapelle. Thanks to Koenig’s winemaking, Bitner’s Riesling is nationally recognized, his young Tempranillo is garnering acclaim, and his wife’s Menopause Merlot

project continues to grow. Their deck and B&B offer relaxing views of the Snake River Valley. Call (208) 455-1870. Fujishin Family Cellars/Lost West Winery: Martin Fujishin pours his eponymous reserve-style wines (Rhônes, Tempranillo, Gewürztraminer), fruit-forward Lost West wines and fills growlers inside the historic packing shed for Robison Fruit Ranch. Call (208) 649-5389. Hat Ranch Winery/Vale Wine Co.: Tim Harless went to winemaking school in Texas while training Air Force pilots, then chose the Sunnyslope over Washington and Oregon. He’s planted 5 acres of vines and is making beautiful dry Muscat and balanced reds. Call (208) 994-6416. Hells Canyon Winery/Zhoo Zhoo: Just beyond the crest south of Ste. Chapelle is longtime grower/winemaker Steve Robertson. His Hells Canyon labels are popular with hunters and anglers. His daughters - Bijou, Hadley and Jocelyn - continue the winemaking tradition under provocative labels painted by retired model Babette Beatty. Huston Vineyards: Gregg Alger established his tasting room and vineyard along Chicken Dinner Road, and he works with Melanie Krause on marvelous Malbec, Riesling and the popular Chicken Dinner Red. Call (208) 455-7975. Koenig Vineyards: In 2015, Greg Koenig celebrated his 20th anniversary as an Idaho WINEPRESSNW.COM

boise

FEATURE

and Primitivo. He offers 10 percent discounts to military and first responders. Open by appointment only. Call (208) 906-9590.

SOUTHWEST WINE DISTRICT

Chardonnay vines at Bitner Vineyards in Caldwell, Idaho. Photo by Kyle Green, Idaho Statesman

winery, and the Notre Dame architecture grad renewed his commitment by designing and building a beautiful new tasting room adjacent to his winery and vines. His work with Syrah, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Viognier might be surpassed only by his rare TBA-style Rieslings. Brother Andy’s well-crafted brandy and whiskey can be purchased here, too. Call (208) 459-4087. Parma Ridge Winery: Chef/winemaker Storm Hodge left Seattle to enter the wine industry in his home state, purchasing this estate in 2014. Folks drawn by his gastropub fare become fans of his Storm Red, a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah. Call (208) 946-5187. Ste. Chapelle: Sawtooth’s revival as one of the Northwest’s most exciting brands is because of Boise native Meredith Smith, and the 2016 vintage marks her first since also taking on Ste. Chapelle and its 30+ bottlings - many of them bargains. Call (208) 453-7840. Scoria Vineyards and Winery: Sydney Nederend began her 100-acre vineyard project at the age of 21 in 2014 and hired Greg Koenig and Earl Sullivan to make her bold reds. In fall 2016, she opened her industrialchic Walker Lake Road tasting room. Call (208) 550-2472. Williamson Vineyards: After closing their folksy fruit stand, the Williamson family opened an inviting new tasting room along Highway 55. They farm its 50 acres — and counting — of vineyard and work closely WINEPRESSN W .C O M

with Greg Koenig on their growing lineup, which particularly shines with Syrah. Call (208) 459-7333.

EAGLE FOOTHILLS/EAGLE In 2015, Martha Cunningham successfully petitioned the federal government to establish the Eagle Foothills American Viticultural Area, the Snake River Valley’s first sub-AVA. 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards: Gary and Martha Cunningham operate the largest familyowned winery in state. It’s a dusty gravel road to their scenic vineyards and tasting room, yet the wines made by Greg Koenig, particularly the red Rhône styles, are worth the effort. Call (208) 863-6561. Cellar 616 Winery: Ken Rufe of SprengDay Vintners pours his Cellar 616 wines at the Eagle Art Gallery, focusing on Carménère

While Parma and Caldwell are due west of Boise, the breadbasket for the Idaho wine industry is south of the Sunnyslope at the 400-acre Skyline Vineyards and 50-acre Sawtooth Vineyard. The tasting room for Sawtooth Winery is closing, but ownership wants to lease the former home of Sawtooth to another winery. Indian Creek Winery: Mike McClure and Tammy Stowe-McClure in Kuna made this a second-generation winery, and the popular couple combine to offer some of the most affordably delicious and engaging consumer experiences in the Pacific Northwest. Call (208) 922-4791. Vizcaya Winery: While young to the winemaking, Larry and Kay Hansen entered the industry in 2004 by planting Tempranillo at Windy Ridge Estate Vineyard. Wine Press Northwest’s 2016 Idaho Winery to Watch created a tasting room/winery near their second vineyard south of Meridian. Call (208) 870-8354. Syringa Winery: The winemaker for Vizcaya — Mike Crowley, a graduate of Walla Walla Community College’s wine program — transitions from Garden City for the convenience of the Hansens’ new facility in conjunction with his 10th anniversary. Call (208) 440-1616.

HAGERMAN VALLEY Much of the country’s restaurant trout is raised in this valley, an hour’s drive southeast of Boise and near Mountain Home Air Force

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Wint e r 2 0 1 6 • Wine Pre s s N o r thwest

FEATURE

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Base. This group of vintners continues to develop the Thousand Springs Wine Trail, which also takes in Frenchman’s Gulch Winery in Sun Valley. Cold Springs Winery in Hammett began in 1998 with 30 acres of plantings by Bill Ringert, who recently hired acclaimed Neil Glancey to take over his wine production. As members of the Harvest Hosts network, selfcontained RVers may stay overnight without charge. (208) 366-7993. Crossings Winery in Glenns Ferry long was known as Carmela, and the winemaking by Neil Glancey has taken this riverside resort to the next level, achieving Platinum awards in 2016 for its Cabernet Franc and Bleu Noir - aka Lemberger. It’s a fun destina-

tion with its cozy cabins, golf course and on-premise Tannins restaurant/tavern. Call (208) 366-2313. Holesinsky Winery takes an organic approach to its vineyard and winery in Buhl. James Holesinsky earned a gold at the 2016 Idaho Wine Competition for his Fat Man red blend and recently released a 13-year-old sherry. Call (208) 543-6940. Snyder Winery in Buhl, founded by Salt Lake City refugees Russ and Claudia Snyder, is open by appointment and includes a weekend steakhouse that also requires a reservation. Call (208) 543-6938. Sweetbriar Vineyard and Winery is a young project near Mountain Home created by Air Force retirees Mike and Tamara Mack-

Visitors gather for a tasting of wines from Cinder and Telaya at the 44th Street Wineries. Photo by Katherine Jones, Idaho Statesman

Juniper is the go-to spot for the industry and features a chef’s table menu paired with all Idaho wines. Photo by Kyle Green, Idaho Statesman

W in e P r ess N or th w e s t • W i n t e r 2 0 1 6

enthun. Their early estate wines include two styles of Vignoles, a North American hybrid. Call (208) 599-1502. Feathered Winds Wine serves as a retirement project of certified sommelier Marguerite Janes, and her husband, Bernard. In addition to their young Chardonnay and Syrah vines, they also operate Thousand Springs B&B just a stone’s throw away from the Snake River, where moorage for anglers is available. Call (208) 352-0150.

RESTAURANTS Many winemakers in the region credit the husband/wife team at Cinder Wines for making breakthroughs at these restaurants and serving as ambassadors for the emerging Snake River Valley wine industry. We asked winemakers for some of their favorite spots, so here they are: Alavita is the beautiful little Italian sister of locally focused Fork next door (read below), and 90 percent of its menu can be prepared gluten-free. Call (208) 780-1100. Barbacoa Grill near Boise’s Parkcenter Park is a flashy, fun and serious steakhouse with a Latin influence that supports a number of local wineries. Start with the tableside guacamole. (208) 338-5000. Bella Aquila in Eagle offers Italian-themed dining with a large patio overlooking the Boise River. Call (208) 938-1900. Bodovino in downtown Boise features more than 140 wines available via the Wine Emotion dispensing system, allowing guests to insert a card, push a button and sample Idaho wines by the glass alongside worldfamous wines. Small plates, flatbreads, artisan cheeses and charcuterie add to the experience. Call (208) 336-VINO (8466). Brick 29 in Nampa’s Masonic Temple building spotlights the work of James Beard-nominee Dustan Bristol, who showcases local wines with seasonal flair. His Sunday brunch rivals any in the Northwest. Call (208) 468-0029. Capitol Cellars is in the basement of the historic Belgravia Building just a few blocks from the state Capitol, and it’s headed by Logan Smyser, a sixth-generation Idahoan who came back home after working at some of Napa’s most famous wineries. More than a dozen Idaho producers are featured, and Telaya produces her house wines. Call (208) 426-9777. Castle Ranch Steakhouse at the Boise Hotel and Conference Center near the airport WINEPRESSNW.COM

— thanks to chef/wine director Dean Fuller — was the first in the region to go all-Idaho with its wine list. Call (208) 914-3952. Chandler’s Steakhouse offers Boise guests a marvelous meal with Idaho wine and then an elevator ride up to your room at Hotel 43. Wine director Ryan Robinson is part of the 2017 Somms Under Fire national competition. Call (208) 383-4300. Cottonwood Grille overlooks the Boise River near Boise State University and remains a staunch supporter of Idaho wines, including by the glass. Executive chef Jesus Alcelay grew up in Spain with Basque cuisine, making him a perfect fit for Boise. Call (208) 333-9800. Fork might be the most popular dining spot in downtown Boise, attracting attention with its farm-to-fork approach, seating outside the historic 808 Building and that 75 percent of their adult beverages are from the Northwest. Corkage is $10, but that fee is donated to a local nonprofit. Call (208) 287-1700.

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Wint e r 2 0 1 6 • Wine Pre s s N o r thwest

Juniper is always jumping, and on the other side of its famous brick wall is Boise’s Freak Alley. It’s a go-to spot for the industry, and the chef ’s table menu is paired with all Idaho wines. Call (208) 342-1142. Mai Thai, recognized as the region’s best Thai spot, employs two certified somms who know the Idaho wine industry. Call (208) 344-THAI (8424). 13th Street Pub and Grill in Boise’s Hyde Park neighborhood features local suds but spotlights Idaho wines, too. Call (208) 639-8888. Red Feather Lounge and sister restaurant Bittercreek Alehouse on popular Eighth Street, founded by David Krick, set the table for Boise’s local movement. His picturesque two-floor, glass-walled cellar is filled with regional producers. Call (208) 429-6340. State & Lemp is at the corner of State Street and Lamp Street in Boise. Kris Komori’s hyper-local menu is prix fixe, and the James Beard nominee has just one seating on weeknights with two seatings on Saturday. Call (208) 429-6735. The Orchard House in Caldwell provides comfort food morning, noon and night for Sunnyslope Wine District vintners and tourists, and most of the state is represented on its wine list. Call (208) 459-8200.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially for wine tourists. In downtown Boise, there’s Bacon, the morning side of Berryhill Restaurant and Bar, and Goldy’s Breakfast Bistro on Capitol Boulevard. On weekends, expect to see a line at Goldy’s, but it’s worth the wait. For coffee, there’s Flying M Coffee House, two blocks from the state Capitol, but the Flying M’s remarkable flagship location is in downtown Nampa — not far from Brick 29. And if you crave pizza, the huge pies at Messenger Pizza in Nampa might be the best I’ve ever tasted. For those with a nose for Mexican food after touring the Sunnyslope, there’s Alejandra’s in Marsing, just across the Snake River from Lizard Butte near Ste. Chapelle.

WINE MERCHANTS If there’s a winery you didn’t make it to, don’t despair. This area features a few savvy wine merchants, including Bodovino, the Boise Co-op and A New Vintage Wine Shop in Meridian, which Ilene Dudunake launched just prior to the 9/11 attacks and continues to earn the trust of her customers. The groundswell of support shows up in grocery stores, too. “I stopped by an Albertsons the other day

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LODGING Some of the Pacific Northwest’s top wines come from the Sunnyslope Wine District, but lodging options are limited. For an authentic wine-country experience, make reservations to stay under a winemaker’s roof at Bitner Vineyards B&B or Hat Ranch Winery’s B&B. Boise downtown — aka BoDo — continues to evolve as a destination for dining and lodging. Hotel 43 offers convenience, class and comfort with its modern rooms, parking garage and ground-floor relationship with Chandler’s Steakhouse. A few blocks away, The Grove Hotel includes parking, Emilio’s Restaurant and third-floor “arena rooms” that open up to concerts or sporting events at CenturyLink Arena. The Modern Hotel and Bar is a retooled Travelodge in Boise’s Linen District that serves food and craft beverages at its hip, open-air courtyard. Wine country lodging options in the Hagerman Valley both are near little more than a fly rod cast away from the Snake River at Crossings and Thousand Springs B&B, the sister business for Feathered Winds Winery.

ASIDE FROM WINE A number of cideries have popped up, including Meridale Cider Co. in Garden City and Longdrop Cider Co., near Eagle. And if you don’t leave time to explore Boise’s downtown Basque Museum and Cultural Center, swing into the Basque Market. Other popular outings include tours of the World Center For Birds of Prey, Old Idaho Penitentiary, Boise Train Depot, the state Capitol building and the Idaho Botanical Garden — home to the Savor Idaho festival each June. Need more help? Start with www.idahowines.org. ERIC DEGERMAN is co-owner of Great Northwest Wine, an award-winning news and information company. Learn more about wine at www.greatnorthwestwine.com.

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FEATURE

beaumont cellars

Beaumont Cellars garnering attention in Central Washington BY DAN RADIL

he vast majority of Washington’s smaller, boutique wineries frequently outsource the task of growing grapes to one or more state vineyards. But for some winemakers, such as Pete Beaumont of Beaumont Cellars, the production formula is a bit more flexible. Beaumont has the added option of sourcing a portion of the winery’s grapes from his own vineyards on the family farm, located near the town of Quincy in the heart of Central Washington’s Ancient Lakes Appellation. With annual production at about 2,000 cases, some might put the winery slightly above the boutique classification; but Beaumont Cellars is still very much a “mom and pop” operation. And even though the vineyards and tasting room facility are just a small part of the 450-acre farm, the wines produced here have garnered attention from both wine critics and wine enthusiasts statewide.

FROM ORCHARDS TO WINE GRAPES Farming seems to have always been in Pete’s blood, first as a teenager in California, and then later in the orchards of Eastern Washington, where he moved to in 1988 and later met his future wife, Katie, who originally hails from Royal City. “My Dad had the idea that he would put me to work out in the field and (then) I’d be glad to go back to school in the fall,” Pete recalls. “But I went out in the field and loved it. I said, ‘This is for me.’” The family’s original orchard of 18 acres has expanded over the years with apples, cherries, and pears as the primary crops. Three acres of wine grapes were also planted about nine years ago and include mostly Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Chardonnay. “I started looking at (grapes) as just another crop to make us a little more diversified,” says Pete. “Years of farming apples gets a little 24

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Pete Beaumont behind the tasting bar at his Quincy winery.

routine, so I decided to spice things up with other winemakers who have helped him something new.” through the learning process. And what about winemaking? “Well, I guess I had winemaking in the back of my mind, PUTTING THE WINERY too,” Pete says with a grin. ON THE MAP While most wineries need time to build up a GOOD MENTORS, GOOD WINES clientele and earn a reputation, the Beaumonts Pete’s early exposure to wines came while seemed to have no such problem. working with the Jones family (of Quincy’s “My first year, I only had four varietals,” Pete Jones of Washington winery) in a fruit-produc- says. “On Saturday mornings, I put up an ‘A’ ing partnership. He later met Mike Scott of board out on the road, opened the door, and Martin Scott Winery in Wenatchee, whom he people came. It was amazing!” asked to help make a barrel of Merlot in 2006. Then in just their second year of commercial “The first barrel, Pete looked over Mike’s winemaking, their 2009 Syrah captured a doushoulder while he made it, and the second year, ble gold, best red wine, and best in show honMike looked over Pete’s shoulder to make sure ors at the 2011 North Central Washington he did it right,” recalls Katie. “After that (Mike) Wine Awards. About 240 wines were entered said, you’re on your own!” in the competition. Pete still consults to this day with Scott as “It was a shock. We didn’t expect it,” says well as Al Mathews of nearby Malaga Springs Pete, recalling that at the time, wineries were Winery. He also credits Gordy Hill, currently invited to attend but not told what awards they at Coventry Vale Winery and Jon Zimmerman had won. of Willow Crest and Canoe Ridge Wineries as “The next morning we started to get calls for W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

beaumont cellars FEATURE cases to go out,” Katie laughs. “We were totally unprepared for it.” “That really put us on the map,” adds Pete.

REMOTE LOCATION? NO PROBLEM! One might think that the winery’s isolated location, about a 40-minute drive either way between Wenatchee and Moses Lake, would be a sticking point for some wine tasters. “The freedom, the safety, the quietness…we really like that,” Pete says. “We think that once people come back here, they like our intimate setting and really enjoy it.” Katie agrees. “We could make a grandiose (tasting room), but people, say, ‘No, we like it like this.’ It’s a little diamond in the rough.” The couple notes that the winery draws a number of visitors from the nearby Crescent Bar resort, a popular vacation spot for Western Washingtonians. And concerts at the Gorge Amphitheater have also given the winery great exposure. The Dave Matthews Band, for example, is responsible for the winery’s biggest sales weekend during their traditional concert around the Labor Day holiday. Other events include a spring release party, usually held during Memorial Day weekend, and a series of up to five “Crushpad Dinners” during the summer months that feature a four or five-course menu with wines and local musicians. For those who prefer to do their wine tasting west of the Cascades, the Beaumonts also opened a second tasting room near the Woodinville Warehouse District in January of 2014. “We had a lot of fun putting that together,” Pete says. “We tried to work a warehousey feel into the tasting room,” noting that he had a hand in building the cabinetry and tasting bar at the slick, contemporary facility where he still pays a visit about once every three weeks.

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THE WINES: CURRENT AND FUTURE Beaumont Cellars currently offer a wide variety of wines from sources that include the Wahluke Slope, Columbia Valley, and Red Mountain AVAs. There’s also, of course, their own Ancient Lakes AVA vineyards to draw upon, which Pete says gives him more control over the grapes and, “allows me to keep my options open.” He admits that he has an affinity for bigW I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

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WAKE UP TO ger, bolder wines and a look at a recent tasting menu reveals choices such as a creamy, buttery 2015 Reserve Chardonnay, a dark, brambly 2014 Malbec, and a full-bodied 2013 Reserve Petit Verdot. Plans are also in the works for planting another seven to 10 acres of wine grapes on property north of Quincy, where Pete would like to see some Syrah, Tempranillo and Cabernet Franc. “My winemaking has been more of a passion than a career,” Pete reflects, “so I’m interested all the time in making new wines and vineyard connections. Someday we’ll settle down when we find out what we do best and concentrate on that.” Until then, and given the impressive array of award-winning wines he’s produced, area wine enthusiasts can only hope it takes him awhile to get there. DAN RADIL is a freelance wine writer based in Bellingham, Wash. Dan teaches wine classes at Bellingham Technical College and produces a wine blog, danthewineguy.com.

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BEST O F TH E B E S T Platinum 2016 BY GREAT NORTHWEST WINE

cross the country and around the world, Chateau Ste. Michelle might be best known for its work with Ries-

ling. No winery on the planet makes more Riesling than this historic property in Woodinville, Wash., and the 2016 Platinum Judging also proves that Bob Bertheau and his team continue to produce world-class Riesling. Bertheau and David Rosenthal, who took over the white wine team last year, struck Platinum four times with Riesling, led by the top scoring wine of the competition — the Chateau Ste. Michelle 2015 Dry Riesling. And yes, “the Best of the Best in the Northwest” retails for a mere $9 per bottle. A delicious footnote to this is that virtually anyone who follows the Platinum will be able track down one of the 1.1 million bottles produced. Judge it for yourself. There was 10 times that amount made of the 2014 Columbia Valley Riesling, another Platinum winner, and also $9. That remarkable wine is part of the legacy created by Wendy Stuckey, who left Bertheau’s team in 2014 to become director of winemaking for Constellation New Zealand. Here are a few highlights among the 530 entries into the 17th annual Platinum Judging, staged Oct. 26-28 at the Clover Island Inn, which overlooks the Columbia River in Kennewick, Wash.: Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards in Roseburg, Ore., impressed the judges throughout the three-day event as Stephen Reustle wines were awarded a combined 10 Double Platinums and Platinums. He won a Platinum for work with four distinctly different grape varieties, including Double Platinums for Malbec, Pinot Noir and Grüner Veltliner. Reustle was the first commercial producer of the white Austrian grape in the U.S. Maryhill Winery, Wine Press Northwest’s 2015 Pacific Northwest Winery of the Year, also amassed 10 Platinums as a result of the work by New Zealand-born winemaker Richard Batchelor. The showing gives Craig and Vicky Leuthold’s destination winery along the edge of the Columbia Gorge a total of 41

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Platinum career medals. Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery remains the King of Platinum, picking up eight Platinums this year. Westport Winery Garden Resort continues to prove that Grays Harbor County is wine country as winemaker Dana Robert pulled in six Platinums, with two Double Platinums among his haul. For those who haven’t been drinking Idaho wines, there’s no better time to start. • Clearwater Canyon Cellars in the historic Lewis-Clark Valley entered five wines into the judging. Each earned a Platinum, highlighted by Double Platinum for a Carménère that Coco Umiker makes from Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills. • Boise’s Melanie Krause, a product of “the University of Ste. Michelle,” received four Platinums for wines made from the Snake River Valley. • Crossings Winery earned Platinums for a Lemberger — which it successfully markets as Bleu Noir — and a Cabernet Franc. Wines made by Victor Palencia went on to win five Platinum awards, two for his eponymous brand in Walla Walla, two for Jones of Washington on the Wahluke Slope, and his gorgeous work for rosé led to a Platinum for his Vino La Monarcha label. Bunnell Family Cellar, the winery in Prosser, Wash., owned and operated by Ron Bunnell, checked in with five Platinums — all for red wines that will pair with the cuisine at his wife’s Wine o’Clock restaurant next door. The beat goes on for Richard Funk as the Walla Walla Valley winemaker/grower received five Platinums. Jessica Munnell, another Pross-

er winemaker, made four Platinum wines under four labels — Mercer Estates, Mercer Canyons, Robert Willis and her own Wautoma Wines brand. Milbrandt Vineyards registered four Platinum awards. Zerba Cellars in Milton-Freewater, Ore., also picked up four Platinums, all coming from the Walla Walla Valley. Coyote Canyon Winery, Gamache Vintners and Thurston Wolfe, each with a tasting room in Prosser’s Vintners Village, picked up three Platinums. Rob Griffin, the dean of Washington winemakers with 40 harvests of experience, added to his career total with three Platinums from his three entries. Two of them — his 2014 Chardonnay and 2014 Rob’s Red Blend — are bargains at $14. DeLille Cellars in Woodinville continues to display predictable consistency with its Cabernet Sauvignon-based Chaleur Estate program, winning a Platinum for its 2012 vintage and another for the 2013 vintage. Our judges this year were: Dan Berger, independent wine journalist who runs the Dan Berger’s International Wine Competition in Santa Rosa, Calif.; Kristin Bono, tasting room manager for Goose Ridge Vineyards in Richland, Wash.; Ellen Landis, journalist/ sommelier, Vancouver, Wash.; Ken Landis, chef/wine judge, Vancouver, Wash.; Greg McConnell, editor and Publisher of Wine Press Northwest; April Reddout, wine program manager for the Walter Clore Wine & Culinary Center in Prosser, Wash.; H. Parks Redwine III of Atlanta, Ga., who owns and runs the Northwest Wine Summit competition; Hank Sauer, panelist for Great Northwest Wine in Kennewick, Wash.; and Heather Unwin, executive director of the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance. Our three judging panels were moderated by Eric Degerman and Andy Perdue of Great Northwest Wine and Ken Robertson, columnist for Wine Press Northwest.

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Best of the Best Best Buy! Chateau Ste. Michelle $9 2015 Dry Riesling, Columbia Valley Chateau Ste. Michelle’s second-largest bottling of Riesling also is one of the most exciting wines in the Pacific Northwest, finishing atop the 17th annual Platinum Judging. It’s affordable, produced in large amounts and stunning. What more could one want from a wine? It opens with dramatic aromas of tropical fruit and orange blossoms. Opulent fruit and minerally flavors are the perfect balance of acidity to sweetness (0.85% residual sugar). This has the potential to age beautifully, and we would love to taste this again in a decade. (90,600 cases, 12.5% alc.) Award: Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition (gold).

Double Platinum Yakima Valley Vintners $22 2013 Strand Vineyard Dean’s List Tempranillo, Columbia Valley This wine was created by “the teaching winery,” an arm of Yakima Valley Community College based in Grandview, Wash. And its title clearly is merited. It’s at the top of this year’s double platinum winners because it’s multi-faceted, displaying blueberry jelly, cherry and plum flavors, deep rich spice and mouth-filling tanW I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

nins. Its complexity leads into a long finish of leather, tobacco, cigar box, cherry pipe tobacco, thanks to perfect ripeness and a dark, mysterious, juicy finish. (22 cases, 13.8% alc.) Award: Tri-Cities Wine Festival (gold). Abacela $18 2015 Estate Grenache Rosé, Umpqua Valley Earl Jones and his crew at Abacela in Oregon’s Umpqua Valley just keep cranking out winner after winner. This is simply a great rosé with enticing floral notes, precise, lively red-toned fruit that sports a jaunty red licorice note and puts tons of flavor in the mouth. Its lingering finish closes with a great balance of acid. Try it with a festive meal that includes turkey, ham or pork as a refreshing change from the hefty reds that usually dominate holiday meals. (427 cases, 13.2% alc.) Awards: San Francisco International Wine Competition (double gold/best rosé), Pacific Rim International Wine Competition (gold/best of class). Cloudlift Cellars $26 2013 Panorama Merlot, Columbia Valley Tom Stangeland’s Panorama topped a field of 39 Merlot entries, showing off a classy, “near-perfect expression” of the Merlot grape, in the words of one smitten judge. Its sophistication belies its origins in the gritty Georgetown industrial

district of Seattle just off Airport Way. It opens with aromas of mint, cedar, eucalyptus, blackberries and blueberries, quickly followed by blackberry and blueberry fruit, then a long finish of medium chocolate. It’s a Merlot that shatters the unfair image bestowed years ago by the movie “Sideways.” So, red wine fans, bow down to Washington on this one.(166 cases, 14.3% alc.) Awards: Wine Press Northwest Merlot judging (Outstanding!), Seattle Wine Awards (double gold). Alexandria Nicole Cellars $25 2013 “A squared” Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills This pure, beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon sets the gold standard. The first whiffs present elegant spearmint, inviting spices and a clarity augmented by perfect use of oak. On the palate, it parades more spice, then cassis, leather and tobacco. Jarrod and Alexandria Nicole “Ali” Boyle make a strong case that 2013 was a great year and that the Horse Heaven Hills AVA ranks near the top of Washington’s grape-growing regions. (547 cases, 14.4% alc.). Awards: Cascadia Wine Competition (gold), Seattle Wine Awards (double gold), Savor Northwest (gold). Barnard Griffin $22 2015 Viognier Columbia Valley Making a Viognier this good requires grapes picked at exactly the right time, then careful W i n t e r 2 016 • W i n e P r e s s N o r t h w e s t

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management by a skilled winemaking team. Rob Griffin and his crew have done it again with this faultless, fragrant wine that displays lemon zest, stone fruit, apricot notes and a mouth-watering, palate-coating viscosity. Its beautiful balance of fruit and acidity “just rocks,” as one judge noted, testifying to its perfectly timed picking date. Barnard Griffin usually makes it only once every other year, so stock up. It’s generally only found at the winery. (200 cases, 14.3% alc.) Award: Northwest Wine Summit (gold). Cave B Estate Winery $35 2013 Cave B Vineyards Barbera, Columbia Valley Walla Walla graduate Freddy Arredondo sourced estate grapes grapes near the Gorge Amphitheater for this Barbera. It opens with aromas and juicy flavors of cherries and blackberries that stretch seamlessly from the front to the back of the palate, then closes with mouth-watering acidity and smooth tannins. (140 cases, 13.9% alc.) Award: Cascadia Wine Competition (gold).

CC Jentsch Cellars $36 2015 Small Lot Series Barrel Fermented Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley Northwest wine fanciers have come to expect brilliant white wines from B.C.’s side of the Okanagan/Okanogan Valley. Most commonly, it’s Riesling or some other white of Germanic 30

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origin. But this is a superb example of North America’s favorite white wine grape, Chardonnay. Its aromas display nicely subtle oak, then spot-on flavors of ripe pear and golden apples with zippy lemon zest that brightens its creamy mouth feel. "The best Chardonnay I’ve tasted in the last four months," said one judge who judges thousands of wines annually. Its malolactic fermentation is right-on and leads to a medium-long finish. (92 cases, 12.8% alc.) Award: Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition (gold). Chateau Ste. Michelle $40 2014 Ethos Reserve Late Harvest Riesling, Columbia Valley Washington’s largest winery makes more Riesling than any winery in the world. And every one seems to be an award-winner. This small-lot late harvest-styled wine exudes lovely floral notes to draw you in, including gardenia and honeysuckle, then offers a textured palate without being syrupy. It presents “all the good things about a late harvest,” one judge said. “I would wear it as a perfume,” added another. No wonder it’s a double platinum winner. (200 cases, 9% alc.) Award: Finger Lakes Wine Competition (double gold). DaMa Wines 2011 DaMa Nation Red Wine, Washington

$40

This Grenache-based Rhône-style red blend off Lonesome Springs Vineyard in the Yakima Valley spent 22 months in oak barrels, all of them one or two years old, with oak staves also added to 15% of the Grenache and Syrah for six months. That attention to detail from this Walla Walla winery produced an intriguing wine laden with black fruit, including plums and blackberries, overlain with spice box aromas. The tannins are bright but well managed, concluding a nicely structured wine whose aromas will draw you back for another sip, again and again. (300 cases, 13.5% alc.) Awards: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (double gold), Savor Northwest (Gold). Best Buy! Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery $14 2015 Gewürztraminer/Schonburger, Golden Mile Bench The Gehringer brothers have won more Platinum Awards in this competition than anyone else, and rightly so. This rare blend seduces you with its aromas of spice, apricots and orange peel, then offers a palate of ripe yet lightly sweet citrus. It finishes with Meyer lemon peel, a hint of grapefruit pith and orange zest. (600 cases, 12.8% alc.) Awards: Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition (double gold/best of class/best white), All-Canadian Wine Championships (gold). W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

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Best Buy! Mercer Canyons $13 2014 Riesling, Yakima Valley Mercer Canyons continues to rank among the long list of distinguished Northwest producers of fine Riesling. It offers just a faint trace of petrol, along with lemon zest in the nose, then a stunning mid-palate richness provided by the 1.4% residual sugar, followed by crisp acidity and a long finish. It’s evidence of superb winemaking and phenomenal cellaring potential, if you can keep it in your wine cellar. (2,219 cases, 13.3% alc.) Award: Wine Press Northwest Riesling judging (Outstanding!) Rallison Cellars $45 2011 Dennison Estate Vineyard Blanc de Blanc, Willamette Valley This boutique winery in Sherwood, Ore., has produced a small-lot sparkling wine that has nothing small about in its quality, aromas and flavors. Toasty and nutty aromas lead to flavors of citrus, peach, pear and dried apple. In the glass, it shows off pronounced and persistent small bubbles that help carry its aromas to the taster, then help bolster its screaming acidity as it finishes. It’s a classically styled sparkling wine with leanness (0.2% residual sugar) and calls to mind a celebration that includes oysters on the half shell. (60 cases, 12.5% alc.) Award: Savor Northwest (gold).

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Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards $24 2014 Smaragd Grüner Veltliner, Umpqua Valley Stephen Reustle has shown year after year that he can produce top-quality red wines, especially Syrah and Pinot Noir. With the 2014 vintage, he continues to display a versatility that reaches into white wines, especially with this uncommon grape, Grüner Veltliner. Thus lean wine shows off classic white pepper notes, then striking minerality from start to finish. Aromas and flavors of almond and nuttiness, a fragrance that opens gloriously and immaculate balance make this a wine to covet. (200 cases, 13.7% alc.) Awards: Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition (gold), Savor Northwest (double gold). Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyard $24 2014 Grüner Veltliner, Umpqua Valley This Umpqua Valley winery couldn’t stop with just one great Grüner Veltliner. This example of the Austrian variety displays loads of tart acidity and is so tightly wound it’s worth holding for a while to allow it to really open up. Already, its aromas and flavors are a complex mix of sweet crushed herbs, jicama and a hint of white pepper, which should pair well with shellfish. It’s acidic and lean, a perfect wine to drink while cooking, then have a glass with dinner. Since it’s

just a baby, one judge noted, “I can't wait to try it in a year.” (565 cases, 13.6% alc.). Awards: Monterey Wine Competition (platinum), Savor Northwest (double gold), Oregon Wine Awards (gold), Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition (gold). Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards, $31 2014 Golgotha Bloc Malbec, Umpqua Valley Malbec, that former French blending grape, is gaining a new reputation in the Northwest as a great alternative to Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. Stephen Reustle has produced a fine example from his Golgotha Bloc vines that’s true to variety, displaying black tea, earth, juicy plum and blackberry, plus minerality. It’s a beautiful example of Malbec with its dense black fruit and superb balance. (225 cases, 13.7% alc.) Award: Oregon Wine Awards (gold). Seven of Hearts $25 2013 Tradition, Columbia Valley Many wine lovers are used to the fat red blends from our hottest Northwest growing regions, such as the Red Mountain AVA. This Merlotbased red from Byron Dooley in Carlton, Ore., is a leaner, cool-climate style. It shows off aromas and flavors of rose petal, white pepper and black pepper, plus blackberry fruit and just a W i n t e r 2 016 • W i n e P r e s s N o r t h w e s t

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touch of blueberry with nicely managed tannins. It’s capped by what one judge described as a "fabulous finish." (273 cases, 14.1% alc.) Award: Seattle Wine Awards (gold). Seven of Hearts $25 2013 GSM Plus C, Columbia Valley This perfectly balanced red blend made in the Willamette Valley is named for its component grapes — Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre — plus some Counoise. Its balance begins with its color, then shows from first sniff to well past the last swallow. It exudes fresh and lively red and blue fruit and charcuterie, then dances across the palate, bowing out with a hit of spice. (347 cases, 14.5% alc.) Awards: Wine Press Northwest affordable reds judging (Outstanding!), Seattle Wine Awards (double gold). Westport Winery Garden Resort $29 2013 Jetty Cat Red Wine, Columbia Valley This is a wide-ranging blend from one of Washington’s top destination wineries leads with Cabernet Franc, setting up aromas of dark toast, lush black cherry, chocolate and sarsaparilla with black raspberry and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. It presents a rich, perfectly balanced entry of blackberry syrup and blueberry jam, backed by dried herbs, pomegranate acidity and slaty tannins. The Roberts family’s on-premise 32

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Farm to Fork Restaurant suggests a marriage with Italian Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms. Part of the proceeds from every bottle help the Harbor Association. (420 cases, 14% alc.) Award: Cascadia Wine Competition (double gold). Bench 1775 Winery $55 2014 Whistler Viognier Icewine, Okanagan Valley Making a Viognier ice wine must have been a daunting proposition. When overripe, this grape tends to get flabby, but this example from B.C.’s Okanagan Valley retained a pronounced nose showing an array of fruits and honey, then flavors of stone fruit, beautifully ripe and homecanned pears, dried apricot, golden raisins. It finishes with a surprising crispness, a bite of lemon pie and a pleasing bit of pear skin. (560 cases, 11% alc.) Awards: Los Angeles International Wine Competition (Gold), Dan Berger International Wine Competition (Gold), AllCanadian Wine Championships (Double Gold). Bunnell Family Cellar $48 2013 Painted Hills Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Ron Bunnell has a touch for making stunning red wines at his Prosser, Wash., winery. This Cabernet Sauvignon shows off an enticing touch of herbaceousness, mint and violets on the nose, then blackberry and black cherry

flavors with a bit of sandalwood. Its really long, complex finish stretches out with good acidity and bright fruit. (114 cases, 14.2% alc.) Awards: Cascadia Wine Competition (double gold), Pacific Rim International Wine Competition (gold/best of class), Northwest Wine Summit (gold). Bunnell Family Cellar $44 2010 Discovery Vineyard Syrah, Horse Heaven Hills The Bunnell Family Cellar is likely best known for its exceptional Syrahs, a reputation this example from 2010 Horse Heaven Hills fruit only extends. It opens with eucalyptus, rose hips, lavender and rachis, then on the palate exudes a berry fruit cocktail with black olive, leather, cordial cherries, Baker’s chocolate and lingering tannins that help create a creamy finish. (297 cases, 14.6% alc.) Award: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (gold). Cinder Wines $25 2015 Small Lot Series Gewürztraminer, Snake River Valley Idaho’s Cinder Wines has built a reputation for producing fine white wines from the Snake River Valley. The clonal variation of this Gewürztraminer adds lovely spice notes to its pretty aromatics, then backs it with flavors of stone fruit, lychee and grapefruit. There’s no evidence of sugar or bitterness, both all too W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

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common in Gewürztraminer, which is a great achievement by winemaker Melanie Krause. (158 cases, 12.2% alc.) Award: Cascadia Wine Competition (gold). Clearwater Canyon Cellars $28 2014 Phinny Hill Vineyard Carménère, Washington Coco Umiker of Idaho’s Clearwater Canyon Cellars repeatedly has shown a special touch with this Carménère sourced from Phinny Hill Vineyard in Eastern Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills. The combination produces the gold — and now platinum — standard for this still-rare varietal, showing off white pepper, black pepper, pink peppercorns in the nose that lead into a wine that’s rich without being overripe. “What’s not to love about this wine?” asked one judge. (277 cases, 15.1% alc.) Award: Idaho Wine Competition (double gold). Coyote Canyon Winery $25 2013 Tres Cruces Horse Heaven Hills For several years running, Coyote Canyon Winery, based in the Prosser, Wash., Wine Village has produced this superb blend that’s focused on Syrah from Mike Andrews’s vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills. Once again, the 2013 is dark, brooding, earthy and inky, with a full mouth feel that is gorgeous. The wine manages perfectly the tension between blue and even darker fruit while showing off a W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

hint of vanilla and coconut from spot-on oak. (225 cases, 14.7% alc.) Awards: Wine Press Northwest affordable reds judging (Outstanding!), San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (gold), Seattle Wine Awards (double gold), Denver Wine Competition (gold). Best Buy! Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery $13 2015 Dry Rock Vineyards Unoaked Chardonnay, Golden Mile Bench Gehringer has done it again, this time producing a stunning unoaked Chardonnay that displays pretty aromatics, in its complex nose of tropical and honeydew melon. The melon returns as fresh, sweet fruit on the palate, combining with signature Gehringer minerality for a great mouth feel and a long finish. (980 cases, 13.3% alc.) Awards: Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition (gold/best of class), Northwest Wine Summit (gold). Best Buy! Girardet Wine Cellars $15 2014 Estate Grown Riesling, Umpqua Valley Founded by a Swiss family that came to Oregon and decided to make something else besides Pinot Noir, Girardet Wine Cellars crafted a winner with fruit from its estate vineyards in Roseburg. And the second-generation wine-

maker Marc Girardet offers more proof they can produce Riesling in Southern Oregon that rivals the best in Washington. His 2014 exhibits just a trace of petrol, then shows off aromas and flavors of white peach, citrus and lemon oil, leading to a long finish and a bit of minerality. (225 cases, 10.6% alc.) Award: Savor Northwest (gold) Harbinger Winery $26 2012 Malbec, Wahluke Slope Living up to the winery’s name, this Malbec from 2012 — which some believe may be one of the Northwest’s best vintages of the decade — suggests there are great things to come, both for Malbec and this Olympic Peninsula winery. Its aromatics show off coffee, tobacco and spice. On the palate, it carries a little bite that nicely balances its juicy blackberry and black currant fruit. It was aged 30% in new oak and 40% in 3- to 4-year-old barrels, and 30% in neutral oak for 20 months prior to judicious blending and bottling. Enjoy from 2016-2020. (235 cases, 13.9% alc.) Award: Seattle Wine Awards (gold). Maryhill Winery $36 2013 Proprietor’s Reserve Grenache, Columbia Valley Maryhill Winery owners Craig and Vicki Leuthold chose this 2013 Grenache to carry their Proprietor’s Reserve designation, and it’s easy to agree with that choice. It’s a complex W i n t e r 2 016 • W i n e P r e s s N o r t h w e s t

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wine from Washington’s Columbia Valley that is fruity, floral, velvety smooth and textured. Its juicy raspberry flavors and savory notes make it a logical choice for charcuterie, rosemary-dusted roast lamb or just sipping on its own. (578 cases, 14.4% alc.) Awards: Northwest Wine Summit (gold), Seattle Wine Awards (double gold). Maryhill Winery $36 2013 Proprietor’s Reserve Serendipity Red Wine, Columbia Valley Pair acclaimed winemaker Richard Batchelor with the Leuthold family and Columbia Valley grapes and you have an almost automatic awardwinner. This Cabernet Sauvignon-focused Meritage-style blend displays both heady floral and lush fruit aromatics, including boysenberry, fresh-picked blackberries, plum jam, spicy pepper and savory herbs. Its oak was well managed, creating a spectacular, expressive wine. (486 cases, 14.8% alc.) Awards: Cascadia Wine Competition (gold/best of class), Dan Berger International Wine Competition (gold). Maryhill Winery $16 2015 Viognier, Columbia Valley The Batchelor-Leuthold connection triumphed again with this Rhône white, once again from the wide reaches of the Columbia Valley. It opens with nice apricot, honeysuckle and a hint of honey on the nose, then displays a complex panoply of fruit — orange marmalade, Cream34

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sicle, tropical fruit and honey-drizzled pear. Its careful balance shows acidity nicely offset by a bit of residual sugar, then closes with a hint of juicyfruit. (1,428 cases, 14.1% alc.) Award: Northwest Wine Summit (gold). Palencia Winery $18 2015 Albariño, Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley Victor Palencia spends a fair bit of time working with fruit from the Ancient Lakes, and his wines are predictably delicious. Its aromatics of gardenia, dried pineapple and banana combine in the mouth with a hint of gooseberry, some zippy lemon meringue and a bit of melon. Those are finished off with such bright acidity that you can’t resist a second sip, then a third, then …. (300 cases, 13% alc.) Awards: Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition (gold), Cascadia Wine Competition (gold/best white/best of show), Seattle Wine Awards (gold). Saviah Cellars $25 2012 The Jack Reserve Red Wine, Walla Walla Valley With the Walla Walla Valley riding high as one of Washington’s top wine-producing regions, it can be difficult to find one of its great red wines that’s also a bargain. Richard Funk does that with The Jack, a Bordeaux-style blend sourced from neighboring McClellan Estate Vineyard,

Anna Marie Vineyard and Dugger Creek Vineyard, then aged it for 23 months in 60% new French oak. Supple and correct tannins combine with gorgeous red fruit that is on the edge of peak maturity. Enjoy it within the next two years. Maybe tonight. (294 cases, 14.8% alc.) Awards: Wine Press Northwest affordable reds judging (Outstanding!), Seattle Wine Awards (double gold). Best Buy! Silvan Ridge Winery $15 2015 Early Muscat Semi-Sparkling, Willamette Valley Second-generation winery owner Elizabeth Chambers and her team in Eugene, Ore., likely have a hard time keeping this crowd-pleaser from J.P. Valot in stock. The judges loved its lime zest, honeysuckle and candy aromas, its acidity, and its enticing hint of mango. Its playful tension between sweet (11% residual sugar) and tart and its spritzy bubbles add up to a home run with consumers. Both novices and veteran wine drinkers will love it. (4,000 cases, 6% alc.) Award: Oregon Wine Competition (gold) Spangler Vineyards $35 2013 Petite Sirah, Southern Oregon Ohio native Patrick Spangler has done it again, this time winning awards for his hefty Petite Sirah from Southern Oregon. It displays a nip W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

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of edgy dark chocolate and rich mulberry, blueberry and plum fruit, while carrying his trademark touch for beautiful balance. With its density, smooth tannins and stunning acidity, this will age for decades. How about a grilled ribeye steak? (217 cases, 14.6% alc.) Award: Cascadia Wine Competition (gold). Thurston Wolfe $30 2013 Upland Vineyard Conglomerate Cabernet Sauvignon, Snipes Mountain Wade Wolfe didn’t make much of this Cabernet Sauvignon from the Newhouse family’s site on Snipes Mountain — just 300 bottles. After he aged it 28 months in new French oak, the result is an elegant wine that’s pure, with a perfectly balanced palate, pretty dark cherry fruit and perky mint. In an era when too much Cabernet clobbers the sipper with clumsy oak and tongue-sanding tannins, this wine is a refreshing oasis of subtlety. (25 cases, 14.5% alc.) Award: Wine Press Northwest affordable reds judging (Outstanding!) Thurston Wolfe $50 2010 The Geologist Premium Red Wine, Columbia Valley Combine Wade Wolfe’s decades of work with Washington’s finest grapes with Upland Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (50%), Double Canyon Petit Verdot (38%) and McKinley Springs Malbec, and you can count on a spectacular W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

result. This Bordeaux-style blend is a medal winner two years in a row: It also won a gold medal at the 2015 (yes, 2015) San Francisco International Wine Competition. Its deftly managed oak leads into a sweet fruit entry of blackberry and cherry, augmented by dark chocolate. On the palate, it’s round, rich and full all the way through to its sleek, ethereal finish with a final little pop of lavender candy. (100 cases, 14.5% alc.) Award: Seattle Wine Awards (gold). Best Buy! Valley View Winery $14 NV Riesling, Applegate Valley Nonvintage Riesling is a scarce commodity in our Northwest, but we don’t share that information with the judges. Besides, the Wisnovsky family in Jacksonville, Ore., proves it can make for a fine white by blending from multiple vintages. This Riesling shows off lovely floral and fruit aromas, slightly sweet lime and orange flavors, perfect balance and a long, crisp finish restrained by rather low alcohol. It leaves your palate feeling so tidy that you’ll long for another sip. (675 cases, 10.5% alc.) Award: Wine Press Northwest Riesling judging (Outstanding!) Westport Winery Garden Resort $27 2014 Bordello Blonde White Wine, Yakima Valley

From its name, you might expect this to be rowdy, bawdy wine. Instead this blend of Gewürztraminer (80%) and Riesling from Red Willow Vineyard is softened by its 3% residual sugar. Toasty aromas and hint of petrol lead into dusty, baked orchard fruit flavors. It may seem a bit sweet, but it’s mighty enticing. (151 cases, 11% alc.) Award: Dan Berger International Wine Competition (Chairman's Award). Best Buy! Barnard Griffin $14 2014 Rob’s Red Blend, Washington For decades, Rob Griffin has produced budgetfriendly red blends you can put on the table nightly and never feel your wallet flinch. Starting in 2014, he renamed it Rob’s Red Blend and it’s worthy of his name. The blend of 53% Merlot (53%), Cabernet Sauvignon (33%), Syrah (8%) and Malbec is youthful, with rose petal aromas on its lapel, then clean, pretty blackberry and raspberry fruit, more roses and cassis on the palate. It’s lithe on the entry as tannins spread out and fill in any gaps, producing a superb, tidy finish. (8,300 cases, 13.6% alc.) Award: Cascadia Wine Competition (double gold). Best Buy! Chateau Ste. Michelle $9 2014 Riesling, Columbia Valley Who else but Chateau Ste. Michelle could produce not one, but two, Double Platinum Award winners for the bargain price of $9 each? W i n t e r 2 016 • W i n e P r e s s N o r t h w e s t

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This one hits the million-plus cases mark. Its1.92% residual sugar pairs with the jasmine notes and spice in the aromas, then orange and tropicality on the palate. With just a nip of petrol and spot-on acidity, it’s a tidy wine with a tidy price. Better yet, it’s often on sale around the holidays for about $1 less. (1,004,000 cases, 12% alc.) Award: Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition (double gold). Best Buy! Jones of Washington $13 2014 Pinot Gris, Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley Victor Palencia, the usual suspect when Ancient Lakes fruit is involved in award-winning whites, has created another winner with this Pinot Gris. It combines nice acidity, white peach aromas and flavors, a touch of herbs and tropical fruit, producing a wine so charming that even the most devout fan of Oregon Pinot Gris will find easy to love. (2,030 cases, 13.4% alc.) Awards: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (double gold), Seattle Wine Awards (double gold), Denver Wine Competition (gold). Maryhill Winery $24 2012 Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley Is there a red wine varietal that Richard Batchelor can’t make into an award winner? It seems not. This one will benefit from decanting, 36

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allowing it to fully reveal subtle and pleasing midpalate dark cherry fruit while showing off a delicate version of Cab Franc’s signature leafy component. (828 cases, 14.1% alc.) Awards: Seattle Wine Awards (gold), Northwest Wine Summit (gold). Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards $39 2014 Winemaker’s Reserve Pinot Noir, Umpqua Valley Stephen Reustle is easily among the Northwest’s most versatile and talented winemakers. His 2014 Winemaker’s Reserve Pinot Noir eloquently states the case for his mastery of Oregon’s most famous grape. It opens with honeylike cherry yogurt sweetness, then plum on the nose. On the palate, the cherry and plum repeat, augmented by a mocha finish with just a touch of tarry complexity. Its structure is perfectly balanced and seamless from front to back. Somehow, it manages to be a little slutty like a nouveau Beaujolais with all its fruit. But on reflection, it’s like a date with Cary Grant. (600 cases, 13.8% alc.) Award: Oregon Wine Awards (double gold).

Platinum FairWinds Winery $21 2007 Lemberger, Horse Heaven Hills When Dr. Walter Clore experimented with the

Lemberger grape decades ago as the Northwest wine industry started to reawaken from the hangover of Prohibition, he determined it could have a bright future in the arid lands east of the Cascades. Quality such as this fine example from FairWinds is likely what he had in mind. It’s full-bodied, boasts toasty blueberry fruit and cranberry, plus shows nice use of oak. Though it’s a bit rustic in approach, the tannins are well resolved tannins after nine years of aging. (105 cases, 13.5% alc.) Award: Wine Press Northwest affordable reds judging (Outstanding!) Farmhand Winery $26 2013 Malbec, Columbia Valley Winemaker Steve Sauer used estate fruit from this urban Kennewick winery’s vineyards in the Columbia Valley. Though Sauer says he’s in the heart of this river town, his tasting room overlooks an active cherry orchard. So you get a splash of country as well. He built this Malbec lush, with raspberry, blackberry and other dark fruit. Its tannins are bright but flowing, resolving into an outstanding finish. (42 cases, 13.6% alc.) Award: Northwest Wine Summit (gold). Forbidden Fruit Winery $40 2013 Dead End Game Over Red Wine, Similkameen Valley Just over the U.S-Canadian border in Cawston along the Similkameen Valley of B.C.’s Okanagan region, Forbidden Fruit Winery has roots W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

platinum TASTING RESULTS

in organic farming that reach back 35 years. This red blend from winemaker/viticulturist Nathan Venables is made from Tannat (80%) and Malbec from a vineyard that long ago adopted organic and sustainable farming practices. The resulting wine is high in “Wow!” factor, with an array of appealing aromatics. It manages the lusty tannins of Tannat partly by blending in Malbec, resulting in a complex wine that’s dark, dusty and earthy, showing a bit of savory black olive on the palate to complement bold fruit. (40 cases, 15.2% alc.) Award: Savor Northwest (gold). Gamache Vintners $40 2013 Vineyard Select Reserve Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley The ubiquitous Charlie Hoppes crafted this stunning Cab Franc using Gamache Vineyard grapes (65%) and Ciel du Cheval Vineyard on Red Mountain. He’s built a complex wine that offers up mint, plum flavors, graphite, beautiful acids, spot-on dusty tannins and an earthy, peppery, soft finish. (147 cases, 14.5% alc.) Award: Cascadia Wine Competition (gold). Mercer Estates $24 2013 Merlot, Horse Heaven Hills Jessica Munnell, who became the winemaker for Mercer after stints with some of Chateau Ste. Michelle’s “string or pearls,” has crafted a gem from Merlot with this fine bottling. It’s peppery W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

and savory on opening, then adds a fruit palate of blueberry compote, boysenberry and ollalaberry, closing with great spice and good acidity. (872 cases, 14.5% alc.) Awards: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (best of class), Seattle Wine Awards (gold). Monte Scarlatto Estate Winery $32 2011 Dawn’s Bikini Barbera, Red Mountain Monte Scarlatto, or Red Mountain in translation from Italian, uses fruit from it 10-acre vineyard on, of course, Red Mountain, for this crisp and clean red wine. Its Barbera grows on just half an acre of those 10, so production is diminutive. Its rich fruit of blueberry, blackberry and black currant shows the effect of its warm site and harvest at “as close as possible” to 30 Brix. After aging in oak barrels, it’s smooth, rich, crisp and clean, with well-balanced tannins. (60 cases, 14.3% alc.) Award: Seattle Wine Awards (gold). Moraine Estate Winery $24 2015 Riesling, Okanagan Valley There were plenty of stellar Rieslings in the 17th annual Platinum Judging, and as always, B.C.’s Okanagan region was well represented. Much to the benefit of Northwest wine lovers, winemaker Jacq Kemp (short for Jacqueline) put aside her lab coat as a nutritional scientist

and diverted to a wine education in New Zealand. She produced a balanced Riesling with floral, spice and face powder aromatics, pineapple and orange flavors and a long, crisp finish despite 3.5% residual sugar. (300 cases, 11.8% alc.) Awards: Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition (gold), Finger Lakes Wine Competition (gold). Vino La Monarcha $18 2015 Pinot Noir Rosé, Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley Victor Palencia, owner and winemaker has produced a remarkable rosé that floats like a butterfly but has no sting of the bee. Its tiny kiss of residual sugar — 0.95% – accents the wine’s flavors of strawberries, cream and raspberry, a great combination. One look at its delectable color will make you reach for the bottle. Then you’ll fall in love at first sip. (240 cases, 12.6% alc.) Awards: Cascadia Wine Competition (double gold), Walla Walla Valley Wine Competition (gold). Waterbrook Winery $25 2013 Reserve Malbec, Columbia Valley Malbec is building a strong fan base in the Northwest, and this example from Waterbrook, a pioneer in the Walla Walla wine industry, shows why. It’s fresh, clean and sleek, with an earthy undertone that complements its black raspberry fruit and is so immaculately balanced, W i n t e r 2 016 • W i n e P r e s s N o r t h w e s t

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stylish and bright. The trailing finish echoes its lovely fruit. (2,785 cases, 14.1% alc.) Award: Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition (gold). Zerba Cellars $45 2013 Zinfandel, Walla Walla Valley Though Zerba Cellars is just south of State Line Road on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley, it’s a favorite in Washington as well. And for the folks of Western Oregon, it’s often a surprise to learn they can claim it as their own. This really fine example of Zin sports nice raspberry notes and a hint of fennel that lead to a gorgeous midpalate, black pepper and a long finish. It can hold its own with a California version any day. (333 cases, 15.1% alc.) Award: Cascadia Wine Competition (gold).

Cana’s Feast Winery $35 2012 Montagna Rossa, Columbia Valley Winemaker Patrick Taylor played off his Red Mountain AVA grape sources in naming this Italianate red wine, leading with Sangiovese (50%), backed up by Cabernet Sauvignon (30%) and Merlot. The Sangiovese came from Ciel du Cheval Vineyard on Red Mountain. Tapteil farther up Red Mountain contributed the Cabernet and Wallula Gap, in the easternmost end of the Horse Heaven Hills, added the Merlot. The result is a wine with clean ripeness in its fruit, a hint of earthiness, a bit of spice, subtle and attractive use of oak, and pleasing texture. The blending didn’t take away from its lovely Sangiovese base. (248 cases, 14.5% alc.) Award: Seattle Wine Awards (double gold).

Abacela $18 2015 Estate Muscat, Umpqua Valley Known best for its muscular reds and lean, clean Albariño, Abacela shows its versatility with this sweet, appealing wine made from Early Muscat (75%) and Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains. Harvested at only 22.5 Brix, it displays honeysuckle, lively acidity, nice spice notes, tropical fruit, tangerine zest, and is striking, fully-flavored and zippy despite its 3% residual sugar. (117 cases, 11% alc.) Awards: Cascadia Wine Competition (gold), Pacific Rim International Wine Competition (gold)

Cardwell Hill Cellars $28 2013 Estate Reserve Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley Cardwell Hills Cellars, tucked in the hills near Philomath, Ore., has built a reputation for making stellar Pinot Noir that can rival the best of the Willamette Valley, often at a more attractive price. This one boasts of enticing aromas of violet, exotic tea spice and forest floor. Its mouth-watering cherry flavors includes a hit of cherry cola and beautifully managed tannins. (448 cases, 13.7% alc.) Award: Northwest Wine Summit (gold).

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Harbinger Winery $16 NV Dynamo Red, Washington It might be nonvintage and an unusual blend with its mix of Syrah (62%), Cabernet Sauvignon (12%), Merlot (12%), Sangiovese (9%) and Grenache, but this wine is as smooth and sophisticated as a career diplomat. It shows a nice earthy note going in, then black currant flavors. Its tannins build a sumptuous and well balanced backbone, producing a round palate. It finishes bright with a splash of juicy red currant. (300 cases, 13.8% alc.) Award: Savor Northwest (gold). Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards $29 2014 Winemaker’s Reserve Grüner Veltliner, Umpqua Valley Stephen Reustle may deserve a new nickname after this year: The Guru of Grüner. This one opens with alluring aromas that drive you into the glass, then in the mouth its viscosity and purity both are beautiful, right down to the lingering orange marmalade and lean minerality of its finish. It’s a classic Austrian-style Grüner and rich without being flabby. (446 cases, 12.8% alc.) Award: Savor Northwest (double gold). Schmidt Family Vineyards $23 2014 Pinot Gris, Applegate Valley Cal Schmidt and his family in Southern Oregon have crafted a purist’s Pinot Gris that stands W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

Platinum Judging

”

2014 MALBEC 2014 PINOT NOIR RESERVE 2014 GRÜNER VELTLINER 2014 GRÜNER NER VELTLINER “SMARAGD”

PLATINUM 2014 PINOT NOIR 2014 SYRAH 2013 SYRAH 2014 SYRAH RESERVE 2013 SYRAH RESERVE 2014 GRÜNER VELTLINER RESERVE

SOLI D

STEPHEN M. REUSTLE OWNER/ WINEMAKER

2016 RESULTS DOUBLE PLATINUM

GLORIA EO

.G. S.D

ONE

I would like to express my appreciation to all involved in the 17th annual platinum judging. From the moderators Andy Perdue, Eric Degerman, and Ken Robertson; the esteemed judges Hank Sauer, April Reddout, Parks Redwine, Dan Berger, Ellen Landis, Ken Landis, Kristine Bono, Heather Unwin, and Gregg McConnell; and all the backroom staff working behind the scenes... thank you.

“

WINEPRESS NORTHWEST

UAL N AN

O RY T O G O

A PREMIER DESTINATION WINERY IN SOUTHERN OREGON’S UMPQUA VALLEY. VISIT US AT REUSTLEVINEYARDS.COM

TASTING RESULTS

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up to any of its cousins vinted in the Willamette. This one shows refined subtlety, beautiful aromatics, a hint of white pepper, pear and lime aromas. And when those same flavors hit the palate, they are simply spot on. (224 cases, 14.8% alc.) Award: Savor Northwest (best of class). CC Jentsch Cellars $50 2014 Small Lots Series Malbec, Okanagan Valley British Columbia winemakers love to prove they rank with the Northwest’s best makers of red wine. And this Malbec backs their case, with its dark berry and cranberry aromas and flavors. The careful nice extraction of its fruit adds a spicy note and, at end, leaves the sipper marveling at its balance. Pair it with the meaty elements of any holiday meal. (84 cases, 13.7%) Awards. All-Canadian Wine Championships (double gold), Northwest Wine Summit (gold). Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen $20 2013 Eroica Riesling, Columbia Valley Once again, Mosel producer Ernst Loosen and Chateau Ste. Michelle prove to be a formidable partnership. At three years of age, it shows good acidity and balance, just a tiny bit of petrol, attractive, oily floral notes, then complex citrus flavors and an aromatic mid-palate. It closes with perfect acid-sugar balance with 1.6% resid40

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ual sweetness that make it an impressive and complete Riesling experience. And if you can’t find this release, the latest 2014 vintage might be its equal. (21,840 cases, 12% alc.) Award: Seattle Wine Awards (gold). Chateau Faire Le Pont $46 2012 Elerding Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills The influence of the Horse Heaven Hills growing region shows off proudly in this lovely Cab by Wenatchee winemaker Doug Brazil. The retired Navy helicopter pilot opens with really dark cherry flavors, then delves deep into dark plums, exhibiting the HHH earth, leavened by well balanced tannins and a superb structure. (244 cases, 13.6% alc.) Award: Wenatchee Wine and Food Festival (gold). Cliff Creek Cellars $30 2011 Super Tuscan, Rogue Valley Oregon winemaker Joe Dobbes really nailed it with this one, producing a superb Super Tuscanstyled with using Sangiovese (34%), Cabernet Franc (33%) and Merlot (33%), all grown by the Garvin family. This shows off classic Old World Sangiovese, with dried cherry and red plum fruit, lots of spice notes and an appealing leanness and balance. The combination makes a perfect food-friendly wine. (247 cases, 14.1% alc.) Award: Wine Press Northwest affordable reds judging (Outstanding!)

DeLille Cellars $79 2012 Chaleur Estate, Red Mountain The essences of Eastern Washington’s Red Mountain AVA dominate in this flawless red blend. It’s jammy and a little herbal, then shows off aromas and flavors of tobacco, plummy spice, and black currants. Its presentation of fruit is full without being overbearing, creating a great example of masterful blending, with a strong, lingering finish, and a nice, smooth mouth feel that makes it easy to drink. (750 cases, 14.1% alc.) Award: Seattle Wine Awards (gold). Best Buy! Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery $15 2015 Ehrenfelser, Okanagan Valley Never tried Ehrenfelser? This wine shows why you should not ignore this German innovation made possible by crossing the Riesling and Silvaner grapes. It opens with an inviting nose and hint of melon, then adds lemon-lime, sweet peach and apricot aromas and flavors while showing off gorgeous acidity to balance its 1.3% residual sugar, then finishes clean and fresh. (2,500 cases, 13.1% alc.) Awards: Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition (gold), Los Angeles International Wine Competition (gold/best of class), Northwest Wine Summit (gold).

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Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery $17 2015 Optimum Pinot Gris, Okanagan Valley Is there a white wine those Gehringer boys don’t make superbly well? We think not. This Pinot Gris is indeed “optimum,” with its elements of white peach, unripe pear, white spice and just a trace of color without any phenolic bite. Its good acidity easily balances its 0.8% residual sugar. And its nice lean midpalate makes it just right for food applications, which is rare for Pinot Gris. (250 cases, 13.5% alc.) Award: Indy International Wine Competition (double gold). Goose Ridge Vineyards $50 2011 Sol Duc Red Wine, Columbia Valley Winemaker Kendall Mix came in from the cold of his Edmonton, Alberta, boyhood, then traveled to California vineyards for four years before coming part way back north — to Washington. Before he left for Cadaretta in Walla Walla, he put two decades of experience into this beautiful estate Meritage-style blend, made from Cabernet Sauvignon (59%), Merlot (23%), Malbec (15%) and Petit Verdot. It shows nice cocoa powder and purple boysenberry jam flavors. Some leather, tea and minerality on the palate and sublime, supple tannins. And at five years old, it’s drinking nicely. (236 cases, 14.9% alc.) Award: Cascadia Wine Competition (gold.) W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

Gordon Estate $40 2010 SIX Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley The Gordon brothers planted some of their prized vineyard, which overlooks the Snake River, with clone 6 Cabernet Sauvignon - hence the name. It’s a classic example of a cool-climate Cab from a cool vintage, exhibiting purity of red fruit and barrel spice within a gorgeous structure that shows restraint and elegance. (505 cases, 13.8% alc.) Award: Seattle Wine Awards (double gold).

three generations of experience. It opens with dark and tart berry and huckleberry aromas and flavors augmented by beautiful, high acids. Its sound structure leads the sipper to a rewarding finish. (270 cases, 14.5% alc.) Award: Tri-Cities Wine Festival.

Gordon Estate $30 2012 Block 3 Merlot, Columbia Valley Gordon Estate has been around since 1983, and that experience shows in this fine Merlot from what continues to serve as a classic vintage in Washington state. It offers up elements of Christmas plum in its inviting nose, then cola and black currants backed by fulsome tannins. Its fine balance allows for a very clean finish with a final nip of cola. (126 cases, 13.8% alc.) Award: Seattle Wine Awards (gold).

Maryhill Winery $16 2013 Winemaker’s Red, Columbia Valley Dare we call this a Washington-style Bordeaux? Using a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc with Rhône red Syrah, it doesn’t quite fit that unofficial category. However, with the careful winemaking of Richard Batchelor, the result is pretty elements of raspberry, blackberry, cherry, and tobacco spice, backed by supple tannins that lead to an attractive finish. His judicious use of oak augments its beautiful dark fruit. And then there’s the price and the availability for what’s become arguably their flagship wine. (28,217 cases, 13.9% alc.) Award: Seattle Wine Awards (double gold).

Kiona Vineyards Winery $35 2012 Estate Cabernet Franc, Red Mountain The folks at Kiona Vineyards planted their first grapes on Red Mountain more than 40 years ago. Their pioneering spirit led to this estategrown Cab Franc, which shows elements of

Best Buy! Milbrandt Vineyards $13 2014 Traditions Evergreen Riesling, Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley The sexy aromatics of this Riesling from the Milbrandt brothers grabs one’s interest at first whiff, then are echoed in its lime and orange W i n t e r 2 016 • W i n e P r e s s N o r t h w e s t

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flavors, leading to very crisp acidity and stony minerality, which combine to sweep away its balancing 1.1% residual sugar finish, clearing the palate for another sip. It is, as one friend calls it, a “tidy wine” that cleans up after itself. (1,328 cases, 12% alc.) Awards: Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition (gold), Savor Northwest (gold). Mt. Hood Winery $32 2014 Pinot Noir, Columbia Gorge The Columbia Gorge, home to Pinot Noir grapes since the early 1970s, pioneered the variety in Washington. This example crafted by Hood River native Rich Cushman rewards that long-ago faith. It’s faintly smoky on the entry, with elements of forest floor and earth. Its flavors include classic cherry and cranberry elements, then a bit of anise and mushroom to go with well-managed tannins and great length. And yet, an effort such as this is to be expected from Wine Press Northwest magazine’s reigning Oregon Winery of the Year. (306 cases, 13.6% alc.) Awards: Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition (double gold/best of class). Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards $32 2014 Masada Bloc Syrah, Umpqua Valley This Syrah follows a very tough act. The 2012 vintage was voted the best New World Syrah at the Six Nations Wine Challenge in Australia. 42

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Here, however, winemaker Stephen Reustle may have found the earlier vintage’s match. This one is full of complexity, with a clean, pretty nose, a bit of earthiness, flannel and Marionberry milkshake, then fine-grained tannins, leather and “yummy slate,” as one judge put it. Unlike some Syrahs, it’s palate friendly, juicy and quaffable because of its light, clean style. (500 cases, 13.6% alc.) Award: Oregon Wine Awards (gold). Robert Willis $55 2013 Reserve Malbec, Horse Heaven Hills This was the first vintage of winemaker Jessica Munnell’s Malbec reserve for this side project for brothers Rob & Will Mercer. It’s made so well, one has to hope for many more to come. It’s Malbec (90%) plus Cabernet Sauvignon, resulting in a wine that shows off its Horse Heaven Hills lineage, with earthy, minerally notes and great purity of fruit. It’s made in a leaner style, with a mild tannin-acid structure fund more often in Bordeaux Malbec. It’s not a lapel-grabbing Malbec, but instead presentable and smooth smooth. (207 cases, 14.1% alc.) Award: Wine Press Northwest reds judging (Outstanding!) Best Buy! Saviah Cellars 2014 The Jack Riesling, Columbia Valley

$15

The Jack trumped many of 2014’s Rieslings by crafting this one from Evergreen Vineyard and Olson Brothers Vineyard. It offers a rich, floral nose with subtle spice and a perfect harmony of sweetness (1.7% residual sugar) and acid, plus great structure and a long finish. (1,394 cases, 12.9% alc.) Award: Wine Press Northwest Riesling judging (Outstanding!) Saviah Cellars $38 2013 Tempranillo, Walla Walla Valley Styled after an Iberian Peninsula blend, this one combines Tempranillo (82%), Syrah (12%) and Grenache from the Funk Estate, Dugger Creek and Watermill Estate Vineyards. The result is a wine full of elements of plump blueberry, boysenberry, strawberry fruit leather, leather, spice, heavy, jammy fruit, black tar, violet and bubble gum with the sexy appeal of a table full tapas. (151 cases, 14.2% alc.) Awards: Cascadia Wine Competition (gold), Walla Walla Valley Wine Competition (gold), Seattle Wine Awards (double gold). Skylite Cellars $33 2012 Malbec, Yakima Valley Walla Walla winemaker Greg Matiko shows why Washington has great promise as a major Malbec producer, and Verhey Vineyard near Union Gap already is a sweet spot. It’s full of dense, darkish fruit with a hint of anise and dusty tannins. It’s a smooth, round drink with W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

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zippy acidity to balance its density. This is a Malbec that will appeal to almost everyone. (150 cases, 13.8% alc.) Awards: Cascadia Wine Competition (gold), Finger Lakes Wine Competition (double gold), Seattle Wine Awards (gold). Thurston Wolfe $20 2013 Zephyr Ridge Vineyard Petite Sirah, Horse Heaven Hills Pair Zephyr Ridge Vineyard fruit with Wade Wolfe’s winemaking and the result is bound to be stellar. This Petite Sirah is graceful, edgy and dark, with spicy cedar on the nose, blackberry and licorice flavors, yet remarkably balanced and graceful. It’s a beautiful food wine to pair with a holiday rib roast or rack of lamb with rosemary. (268 cases, 14.5% alc.) Award: Wine Press Northwest affordable reds judging (Outstanding!) Tsillan Cellars $30 2013 Estate Malbec, Lake Chelan Winemaker Shane Collins shows Washington’s cooler climate areas can jump onto the burgeoning Malbec bandwagon. He’s crafted a stunningly elegant wine that shows remarkably purity of fruit, with extraordinary, precise flavors of black cherry and boysenberry with a hint of raspberry. (245 cases, 14.6 alc.) Awards: Indy International Wine Competition (best of class/double gold), New World International Wine Competition (best of class/double gold), Seattle Wine Awards (double gold), Northwest Wine Summit (best of class/double gold). W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

Westport Winery Garden Resort $28 2014 Smoky Nor’wester, Columbia Valley Though named for a foul coastal weather term, this Westport Winery red blend offers smooth sailing for anyone who sips it. Composed of Cabernet Sauvignon (35%), Merlot (31%), Cabernet Franc (26%) and Syrah, it creates complexity and balance. Fresh herbs and a little vanilla on the nose accent its blackberry and boysenberry fruit and a bit of milk chocolate toward the finish. All that fruit produces an explosion of flavor yet velvety, smooth texture. (402 cases, 14% alc.) Award. Denver Wine Competition (gold). Willful Wine Co. $26 2014 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley Portland winemaker Pam Walden blended Pommard clone fruit (80%) from Northridge and Sproed Vineyards in the Eola-Amity Hills with 115 clone berries off Stormy Morning Vineyard for this smooth and elegant Pinot Noir. It opens with cedar aromas, then has black cherry on palate topped off with delicate tannins. An exotic spice element complements the wonderful acidity on the finish. “Smooth and elegant all the way through,” observed one judge. (600 cases, 14% alc.) Award: Wine Press Northwest affordable reds judging (Outstanding!) William Church Winery 2012 2 Spires Red Wine, Columbia Valley

$37

Young winemaker Marcus Rafanelli blended Syrah (72%) and Cabernet Sauvignon from Yakima Valley sister sites Sugarloaf and Elephant Mountain with Cab from vaunted Dineen Vineyard for this stellar red. Its complex nose offers cherry, leather and coffee, then it shows beautiful fruit, including boysenberry and juicy plums. It has intensity but also lightness. (350 cases, 14.9% alc.) Award: Seattle Wine Awards (double gold). Wilridge Winery $40 2013 Melange Noir, Naches Heights Seattle attorney/winemaker Paul Beveridge used organic, Demeter-certified biodynamic fruit from his Wilridge Vineyard in Naches Heights near Yakima for this Meritage-style assemblage of Cabernet Franc (33%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%), Merlot (20%) Malbec (12%) and Petit Verdot. The result is a well-structured wine full of ripe juicy cherry-berry flavors that are round and clean. It finishes long and strong, with just and edge of dustiness. (323 cases, 13.9% alc.) Awards: Cascadia Wine Competition (gold), Capital Food and Wine Festival (gold), Seattle Wine and Food Experience Wine Awards (gold). Zerba Cellars $45 2013 Estate Petit Verdot, Walla Walla Valley Longtime winemaker Doug Nierman has taken this traditional blending grape originally from the Bordeaux and produced a single-varietal wine from the W i n t e r 2 016 • W i n e P r e s s N o r t h w e s t

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Zerbas’ Walla Walla Valley estate plantings that shows off a rich nose, full, floral aromas, plum and black cherry fruit, just a hint of spice and firm tannins in its juicy finish. (144 cases, 14.5% alc.) Award: Seattle Wine Awards (double gold). Best Buy! Barnard Griffin $14 2014 Chardonnay, Columbia Valley The father/daughter winemaking team at Barnard Griffin continues to impress with its faultless presentations of fine white wines. And this Chardonnay is but one of the current array. It offers a welcoming bit of nuttiness, subtle oak, honeysuckle and a hint of grapefruit on the nose. It shows off crisp yet round citrus flavors, then a flawless finish and a bit of length. (12,500 cases, 13.2% alc.) Award: Cascadia Wine Competition (gold). Basalt Cellars $26 2013 Dwelley Vineyard Merlot, Walla Walla Valley With Lewis-Clark Valley winemaker Rick Wasem at work on this Dwelley Vineyard Merlot from the Walla Walla Valley, you get what you expect — a dark, concentrated wine with cedar and black cherry in the nose, a midpalate fulsome with cherry, blackberry and blueberry, then a close of softer, well-managed tannins. Try it with grilled sirloin on the medi44

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um rare side and one of the Northwest’s famous baking potatoes topped with butter and a little no-fat yogurt. (48 cases, 15% alc.) Award: Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition (gold). Best Buy! Battle Creek Cellars $14 2014 Unconditional Pinot Noir, Oregon Inexpensive Oregon Pinot Noirs are difficult to find, but this one from Sarah Cabot’s first crush as Precept’s lead winemaker in Oregon should be readily available. It’s crafted from fruit sourced from Battle Creek (20%) in the Willamette Valley, with the other 80% combined from Yamhela, Roe, Red Hills, Howell Prairie, Waldo Hills and Kraemer vineyards also in the Willamette Valley, joined by Melrose in the Umpqua Valley. It offers up orange zest on the nose, then clean, bright and lively chocolate raspberry, pomegranate and cranberry orange on the flavor. It could double as one of your holiday wines with turducken, or for a chilly night in the Jacuzzi. (6,529 cases, 14% alc.) Awards: Los Angeles International Wine Competition (gold/best of class). Bunnell Family Cellar $38 2010 Northridge Vineyard Malbec, Wahluke Slope Prosser’s Ron Bunnell built another winner with

this true-to-variety wine, using Malbec this time. Its aromatics show a touch of smoke, followed by blueberry and blackberry flavors, a nice hit of olives and round tannins in this balanced, easy-to- drink wine. Holding it on the palate for a moment will yield earth, raspberry and plum. (169 cases, 14.3% alc.) Award: Seattle Wine Awards (double gold). Bunnell Family Cellar $36 2010 Lia Red Wine, Columbia Valley This Rhône blend from the Columbia Valley is composed of Mourvèdre (29%), Syrah (29%), Cinsault (14%), Counoise (14%) and Grenache. It features the complexity you’d expect from this Yakima Valley veteran winemaker and the grapes he selected, presenting hints of black fig, cola, spice, almond, Big Hunk nougat and marionberry. In the nose, those flavors blend into purple fruit, some classic Syrah notes and pepper from the Mourvèdre. It’s capped a good grip of espresso grounds and a sprig of mint. (174 cases, 14.8% alc.) Awards: Cascadia Wine Competition (gold), Pacific Rim International Wine Competition (gold). Bunnell Family Cellar $24 2014 Wine o’Clock Sangiovese, Columbia Valley Add Sangiovese to the Bunnell fleet of fine red wines. This young red, named for the family’s restaurant in Prosser, Wash., comes from W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

Silver Label

SYRAH

Tasting Room Open Wed-Sun 11am-5pm 56504 N East Roza Rd in Benton City PurpleStarWines.com

A legacy of passion for outstanding red wines. Elegance. Character. Consistency.

Don’t miss Walla Walla’s pioneer, award-winning winery in the shadow of the picturesque Blue Mountains.

www.wallawallavintners.com | PHONE: (509) 525-4724 W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

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throughout the Columbia Valley. It features great dark cherry color, a clean nose, sweet yummy black fruit and plum, grippy tannins, and a bright Montmorency cherry finish with leather, and on reflection, enjoyable layering. It’s great as a pizza wine or but can also step up to more formal fare as well. (136 cases, 14.9% alc.) Award: Wine Press Northwest affordable reds judging (Outstanding!) Cinder Wines $18 2015 Off-dry Riesling, Snake River Valley A decade ago, Boise native Melanie Krause established her winery in Garden City, Idaho, just across the river from her hometown. And while Riesling is a new variety for her own brand, she’s been producing some delicious whites with it for Huston Vineyards. Here, she reached into five vineyards — Sawtooth, Skyline, Symms, Trusdell and Williamson — and the result is a Riesling that boasts tropical spices in its nose, plus floral aromas. With its crispness and 1.65% residual sugar, it will pair with spicy Asian food. (420 cases, 12.2% alc.) Awards: Idaho Wine Competition (double gold, best of class). Coyote Canyon Winery $22 2015 Coyote Canyon Vineyard Roussanne, Horse Heaven Hills Owner/grower Mike Andrews and winemaker 46

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Justin Michaud have been releasing remarkable Roussanne for several years, and this may be its best effort yet. It shows off apple, pineapple aromas, then subtly tropical, pineapple and cidery flavors. Its kiss of 0.9% residual sugar is balanced by some of that traditional HHH minerality. (100 cases, 14.1% alc.) Award: Denver Wine Competition (gold). Crossings Winery $19 2012 Bleu Noir Blaufrankisch, Snake River Valley Owner/general manager Doug Jones is a West Coast promoter of Blaufränkisch, a rare red grape with Austrian origins. It’s more commonly known in this country as Lemberger, but Jones has enjoyed success labeling and marketing it in Idaho as “Blue Noir,” a term he’s trademarked yet is willing to share with other wineries to help raise the grape’s status with consumers. Neil Glancey’s work with these estate vines is delicious, thanks to aromas of cranberry and blueberry, followed by spicy flavors of blue and purple fruit and backed by supple tannins and just the right amount of oak. At Tannins, the on-premise restaurant for this winery near the Snake River, they suggest pairing it with Chicken Fried Steak. (2,500 cases, 12% alc.) Awards: Idaho Wine Competition (gold), Seattle Wine Awards (gold).

Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery $42 2014 Signature Riesling Icewine, Golden Mile Bench This is but one more example of Walter Gehringer and his crew building a brilliant wine, this time working on a justly famous Okanagan ice wine. It exhibits great balanced, petrol-creamed honey, dried peaches and a bit of botrytis with some nuttiness. As with the best ice wines, there’s pleasing acidity to present the sweetness (26% residual sugar). It’s supplemented with honey, peaches and nuttiness in its finish, lots of viscosity, then orange marmalade in the finish. (1,000 cases, 10.3% alc.) Awards: All-Canadian Wine Championships (gold), Northwest Wine Summit (gold). Best Buy! Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery $14 2015 Old Vines Auxerrois, Golden Mile Bench Auxerrois is a rare grape in the Northwest, but when Gehringer works with it, the wine becomes sublime. The 2014, with its 1.1% residual sugar, Pink Lady apple nose, floral aromas and round flavors of peaches and apricots, shows off nice balancing acidity and a perfectly done finish. The 2014 edition of this wine topped the 2015 Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition. (1,500 cases, 12.3% alc.) Awards: W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

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Los Angeles International Wine Competition (gold), Northwest Wine Summit (gold). Best Buy! Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery $14 2015 Private Reserve Dry Riesling, Okanagan Valley When you consider Gehringer prices, remember you’re looking at Canadian dollar prices. And that makes this dry Riesling a great bargain with its 0.8% residual sugar, a hint of spice, then orange and lime aromas and flavors, plus a little minerality for a long, clean finish (1,900 cases, 13.2% alc.) Awards: Los Angeles International Wine Competition (gold), Northwest Wine Summit (gold). Best Buy! Jones of Washington $10 2015 Riesling, Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley The Ancient Lakes region, Jones of Washington winery and winemaker Victor Palencia combined to nab another Platinum Award with this Riesling, which sports 1.9% residual sugar, tropical fruit, melons, guava and a nice spice note that’s reminiscent of cardamom. For those who don’t appreciate the petrol common to many Rieslings, there’s none noticeable in this one at this stage. (1,787 cases, 12.7% alc.) Awards: Wenatchee Wine and Food Festival (best white/gold medal). W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

Lodmell Cellars $28 NV Sublime Red Wine, Columbia Valley Walla Walla winemaker Kristie Lodmell used Merlot (65%), Cabernet Sauvignon (21%) and Carménère for a winning combination from her eponymous Lodmell Vineyards and Dwelley Jones sites. The resulting blend shows dusty minerality, pie cherries and cassis with a touch of roasted meat, black pepper and supple spice, augmented by tobacco, nice leather and broad yet fine-grained tannins. (226 cases, 15.2% alc.) Awards: Wine Press Northwest affordable reds judging (Outstanding!), Seattle Wine Awards (gold).

Milbrandt Vineyards $26 2012 The Estates Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope This fine Cabernet Sauvignon was a product of Joshua Maloney’s second vintage at Wahluke Wine Co., an occasion he marked by blending Cabernet Sauvignon (92%), Petit Verdot (6%) and Malbec (2%) into a balanced wine that displays black cherry and blackberry fruit, judicious use of both French and American oak and good acidity. Its fine structure melds it all into a rewarding, seamless package. (3,000 cases, 15% alc.) Awards: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (gold), Seattle Wine Awards (gold).

Maryhill Winery $16 2015 Rosé of Sangiovese, Columbia Valley Maryhill Winery has done it again — produced another fine example of Rosé of Sangiovese and nailed down another Platinum medal as well. The 2015 edition is nearly dry at 0.9% residual sugar that plays well with its juicy cherries, crushed herbs and lively acidity stitched together with a thread of earthiness. The winemaking crew nailed this one, which also closes with a finish that has staying power. (3,797 cases, 12.9% alc.) Awards: Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition (gold), Cascadia Wine Competition (gold).

Mt. Hood Winery $22 NV Summit Red, Columbia Valley This unusual red blend drew from the varietals of several major grape-growing regions of Europe, blending Pinot Noir (40%), Syrah (30%), Tempranillo (20%) and a final 10% that’s a Malbec/Zinfandel mix. Its surprising fruit palette includes plump blueberry, cherry and cranberry, topped with a bit of mint in a carbonic mix that seems like a Pinot Noir with a purpose. The judges loved it. (595 cases, 13% alc.) Award: Cascadia Wine Competition (gold). Northwest Cellars 2012 Intrigue Red Wine, Columbia Valley W i n t e r 2 016 • W i n e P r e s s N o r t h w e s t

$28

TASTING RESULTS

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Versatile winemaker Robert Smasne obtained grapes from Tasawik, Spofford Station, Double Canyon and Coyote Canyon vineyards, then combined them into a blend of Malbec (25%), Merlot (20%), Petit Verdot (20%), Cabernet Sauvignon (15%), Syrah (15%) and Carménère and aged it for 21 months in 50% new French oak. The result is a wine with a bit of leather in its nose, then a hint of blueberry, fulsome, grapy flavors and with its tannins well in check. (474 cases, 13.9% alc.) Award: Savor Northwest (gold). Perseus Winery $50 2013 Invictus Red Wine, Okanagan Valley Winemaker Jason Parkes blended Cabernet Franc (42%), Merlot (38%), Cabernet Sauvignon (13%) and Malbec (7%) sourced from the Okanagan Valley’s Blind Creek, Saddle Ridge, Monarch and Inkameep vineyards. The result showcases the true potential of Cabernet Franc in the Okanagan. It’s a beautiful wine with violet aromas, red cherry fruit, cedar, chalky tannins and acidity that’s ample but out of line. (275 cases, 14.5% alc.) Award: Northwest Wine Summit (gold). Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards $32 2013 Masada Bloc Syrah, Umpqua Valley 48

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Stephen Reustle’s keen understanding of Syrah from his Masada Bloc results in yet another fine wine, displaying lush notes of blackberry, huckleberry and Italian plum. A pinch of white pepper character and meaty undertones make it a great match for a venison roast or some hearty cured meats. (500 cases, 13.6% alc.) Awards: San Diego International Wine Competition (gold), San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (double gold). Rio Vista Wines $29 2015 Antoine Creek Vineyard Viognier, Columbia Valley Some Viognier can be hard to love, because too often it seems to be vinted into a substitute for oaky Chardonnay. Not from John Little, who used grapes from Antoine Creek Vineyard to build a wine with fresh honey and musky melon on the nose with balanced acidity that carried through its rounded citrusy finish. This is how the variety should be made. (110 cases, 12.3% alc.) Award: Wenatchee Wine and Food Festival (gold/best of class). Tamarack Cellars $28 2014 Merlot, Columbia Valley Ron Coleman’s crew at the Walla Walla airport complex used a mix of French, American and Hungarian oak to craft this Merlot, which offers mint, cedar and blackberry/blueberry aromas that give way to a nice midpalate full of

blackberry and blueberry. They resolve into a long finish with grippy Washington Merlot tannins and a hint of spice. (1,100 cases, 14.2% alc.) Awards: Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition (gold), San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (best of class/ sweepstakes). Valley View Winery $28 2009 Anna Maria Port, Applegate Valley Winemaker John F. Guerrero assembled a proprietary blend based on Tempranillo using mostly estate-grown grapes grown in Oregon’s Applegate Valley on dry-farmed vines. He then retained 9% residual sugar, producing a Portstyle wine redolent with classic tawny and candied orange peel aromas, earthiness, faint caramel, toasted pecans and pralines. Put another log on the winter fire and pour a generous glass over the holidays – or whenever. (156 cases, 18% alc.) Award: Wine Press Northwest affordable reds judging (Outstanding!) Westport Winery Garden Resort $30 2013 Swimmer Petite Sirah, Wahluke Slope It’s a pleasant dive into the depths of this Petite Sirah from the Wahluke Slope. This pretty wine shows lovely color, mint, nice toast, blackberry and boysenberry jam with managed tannins and a hint of sweetness to bring out the midpalate. W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

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(212 cases, 15.2% alc.) Award: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (double gold). Zerba Cellars $45 2013 GSM Blend, Walla Walla Valley Rhône Valley wine grapes thrive in the Walla Walla Valley, and Zerba regularly turns them into wondrous wine. This one uses Grenache (34%), Syrah (33%), Mourvèdre (33%) from Cockburn Vineyard to produce a balanced blend with a lovely nose containing fulsome oak and rose petals, followed by flavors of juicy, sweet plum, raspberry preserves, pomegranate and blueberry. It finishes long with complex touches of cigar box, tobacco and pencil lead. (146 cases, 14.8% alc.) Award: Seattle Wine Awards (gold).

Marca included this waltz through an array of Southern Oregon clones of Pinot Noir from Sept. 8-11, selecting Block 8 Dijon Clone 114 (48%), Block 8 Wadenswil Clone 2A (16%), Block 8 Pommard Clone (16%), Block 8 Dijon Clone 667 (10%), and Block 4 Wadenswil Clone 2A. Then, they crafted a wine with careful structure, refined tannins, a little earth and appealing dark cherry flavors. (125 cases, 14% alc.) Awards: Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition (gold), San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (double gold).

Cardwell Hill Cellars $28 2013 Estate Pommard Block Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley Dan Chapel selected the best barrels from his dry-farmed Pommard block and aged them for 21 months in French oak. The result is a seductive wine that shows a potpourri of herbs and beautiful truffle on the nose, then boysenberry and black cherry on the palate. (226 cases, 13.2% alc.) Awards: TEXSOM (gold), Northwest Wine Summit (double gold).

DeLille Cellars $80 2013 Chaleur Estate Red Wine, Red Mountain Winemaker Chris Upchurch drew on some of the finest vineyards on Washington’s Red Mountain, using Cabernet Sauvignon (67%) and Cabernet Franc (10%) from Ciel du Cheval with Merlot (23%) from his own Upchurch Vineyard. He crafted a big wine with anise, earthiness, Moroccan spice, pomegranate and cherry. Its broad-shouldered structure finishes with sandy, fine-grained tannins and a classy bit of cassis. (400 cases, 14.1% alc.) Awards: Sunset International Wine Awards (gold), Seattle Wine Awards (gold), Northwest Wine Summit (gold).

DANCIN Vineyards $36 2014 Trata Pinot Noir, Southern Oregon Brian Denner’s first vintage for Dan and Cindy

Dusted Valley Vintners $60 2012 V.R. Special Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley

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Fruit from Dionysus, Northridge, Red Heaven and StoneTree vineyards was chosen for this tribute to Grandpa Vernon Rhodes, an “amazing man who called his miraculous chocolate chip cookie the ‘V.R. Special.’” The result is a complex wine with cassis, white pepper, cherry and huckleberry that is sweet, rich and grippy on palate, with fine-grained tannins that keep it elegant allowing for juicy currants in the finish. (384 cases, 15.7% alc.) Award: Seattle Wine Awards (gold). Forbidden Fruit Winery $26 2014 Pomme Desiree Iced Apple Wine, Similkameen Valley Steve and Nathan Venables dub this gorgeous apple wine “Pomme Desiree,” a work so delicious and rich that it’s difficult to believe. But it’s made with estate-grown certified organic apples in an icewine-style that concentrates its apple flavors by allowing the sugars to melt out of the frozen apple juice leaving behind 8% residual sugar. It demands skill to present balanced acidity in wines made from orchard fruit. (175 cases, 11% alc.) Awards: Savor Northwest (best of class/gold). Gamache Vintners $40 2012 Heritage Vineyard Select Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley Charlie Hoppes sourced Champoux Vineyard (50%) in the Horse Heaven Hills and Ciel du W i n t e r 2 016 • W i n e P r e s s N o r t h w e s t

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Cheval (Red Mountain) fruit for this fine Cabernet Franc. It opens with a pleasing, creamy entrance that leads to primrose, sweet lavender, eucalyptus and nice tart cherry flavors. It’s a rich, balanced and complex wine to savor. (124 cases, 14.9% alc.) Award: Seattle Wine Awards (gold). Gray Monk Estate Winery $25 2014 Odyssey White Brut, Okanagan Valley George Heiss Jr. and Roger Wong selected an aromatic blend of Riesling (34%), Pinot Blanc (32%), Chardonnay Musque (29%) and Orange Muscat, then finished this sparkler at 1.15% residual sugar. Its nose displays brioche, Hawaiian Bread and apples that carry over to the palate. There, it shows restrained acidity, pretty stone fruit, nice minerality, small persistent bubbles and a long finish with lemon meringue pie and white peach. (1,185 cases, 11.3% alc.) Award: Northwest Wine Summit (gold). Kiona Vineyards $17 2014 Estate Gewürztraminer, Red Mountain The Williams clan has been producing Gewürtraminer since the mid-1970s and this vintage shows a keen understanding of the Alsatian grape. Its 2.6% residual sugar is nicely balanced by remarkable acidity, which lingers on the palate of lychee and just a hint of melon rind. 50

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(400 cases, 12.5% alc.) Award: Tri-Cities Wine Festival (gold). Kitzke Cellars $30 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Made from grapes grown on the Kitzke estate in Richland on the southern slopes of Candy Mountain and just a short hop from Red Mountain, this is an expressive wine full of aromas and flavors. Its theme of huckleberry and black cherry combines with chalkboard dust, a bit of cherry tomato, orange zest, Bengal Spice tea and a pinch of pipe tobacco straight from cedar box in this drink-now Cab. (100 cases, 14.2% alc.) Awards: Wine Press Northwest affordable reds judging (Outstanding!), Seattle Wine Awards (double gold). Maryhill Winery $26 2013 Syrah, Columbia Valley A wine judge could grow short of adjectives trying to describe this complex, cool-climate Syrah by New Zealand native Richard Batchelor. It opens with dried herbs in its nose, then purple fruit, red fruit, spice and leather. On the palate, it’s smooth, juicy and tart with pomegranate, cocoa, then earth and a load of purple fruit in its long finish. (508 cases, 14.6% alc.) Award: Wine Press Northwest affordable reds judging (Outstanding!)

Maryhill Winery $26 2013 Zinfandel, Columbia Valley Zinfandel has found a few hot spots where it grows well in Washington’s highly varied climate. The primary go-to site for Maryhill is nearby Gunkel Vineyards, which poured the foundation for a wine with a hint of tomato vine in its aromas, then added black cherry, brambleberry and black pepper. It’s nicely structured and balanced with grippy tannins. (3,666 cases, 14.5% alc.) Awards: Dan Berger International Wine Competition (gold), Seattle Wine Awards (gold). Northwest Cellars $32 2012 Coyote Canyon Vineyard Merlot, Horse Heaven Hills This collaboration among winemaker Robert Smasne, Kirkland vintner Robert Delf and grower Mike Andrews is a lovely example of well-made Washington Merlot with its sweet herbs, cassis, red and dark cherry, a pinch of horehound, then delicious plums. It finishes with smooth tannins and a juicy combination of Marionberry and pomegranate. (104 cases, 14.1% alc.) Awards: Wine Press Northwest Merlot judging (Outstanding!), Seattle Wine Awards (double gold). Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyard $39 2013 Winemaker’s Reserve Syrah, Umpqua Valley W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

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Southern Oregon grower/winemaker Stephen Reustle seemingly has never met a Syrah he couldn’t make well, and this reserve-style wine is consistently one of his best. This one is sweet on the nose, perhaps owing to a visit from the sugar plum fairy, includes an unusual dash of purple peppercorns, then coffee and caramel. (475 cases, 13.6% alc.) Awards: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (double gold), Oregon Wine Awards (double gold).

Wash., and this bottling from a cooler vintage shows why. It’s a combination of four distinctive blocks, and after aging 22 months in 55% new French oak barrels, it’s a complex wine with flavors and aromas of cedar, Red Vines licorice, Texas pink grapefruit, white pepper and sweet herbs. Vanilla and sandy tannins frame its lovely fruit. Buy more than one and come back to it in few years. (196 cases, 14.4% alc.) Award: Seattle Wine Awards (double gold).

Spangler Vineyards $39 2013 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Southern Oregon Patrick Spangler, owner of this popular Roseburg, Ore., winery, labeled his 2013 Reserve as simply Oregon, but there’s nothing simple about the results. This wine has aromas of vanilla and red currant, then flavors of red and black currants and finishes with brisk tannins and a nip of licorice. It adds to the Umpqua Valley producer’s résumé as one of the Pacific Northwest’s top producers of bold reds. (174 cases, 13.9% alc.) Award: Cascadia Wine Competition (gold).

Westport Winery Garden Resort $28 2013 Charterboat Chick Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills This red blend sets sail with Cabernet Sauvignon (80%) and Syrah. Keep an eye on Discovery Vineyard, a rising star in Washington's Horse Heaven Hills. Aromas of coffee and black fruit overlaid by plum lead to a lush palate of black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, plum and coffee, finished off with well-managed tannins. When you pick up a bottle, the rain slicker-clad young woman on the label is none other than co-owner Kim Roberts. (129 cases, 14.9% alc.) Awards: Cascadia Wine Competition (gold), Wine Press Northwest affordable reds judging (Outstanding!), Capital Food & Wine Festival (gold).

Walla Walla Vintners $44 2011 Sagemoor Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley William vonMetzger and his bosses — Myles Anderson and Gordy Venneri — have long counted on Sagemoor Vineyard north of Pasco, 52

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Basalt Cellars 2013 GSM, Columbia Valley

$36

Clarkston, Wash., pharmacist Rick Wasem combined Grenache (36%), Syrah (32%) and Mourvèdre, a nice balance of the GSM components to make this elegant wine. It arrives with aromas of smoked meat, lavender and hints of green tea, then delivers precisely focused fruit that’s chiefly raspberry, President’s plum and cassis. The finish is long with light acidity and in-check tannins. (221 cases, 14.5% alc.) Award: San Francisco International Wine Competition (gold). Claar Cellars $22 2013 White Bluffs Syrah, Columbia Valley Joe Hudon, a Washington State University product, used Salmon Safe estate grapes from vines overlooking the Columbia River north of Pasco, Wash. The result is a drink that displays cola, mocha, cocoa powder, gingersnap cookies, nice meatiness, black pepper and herbal notes of thyme. It’s full of juicy purple fruit, and in the close has a good grip of smooth, fine-grained tannins, capped by blueberry. (112 cases, 14.1% alc.) Award: Seattle Wine Awards (double gold). Clearwater Canyon Cellars $28 2014 Verhey Vineyard Malbec, Rattlesnake Hills One of the rising stars in the Northwest wine industry is Coco Umiker, who runs this winery W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

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in Lewiston, Idaho, with her viticulturist husband, Karl. Together, they have not only helped to revitalize the wine industry in the LewistonClarkston area of Idaho and Washington, but they also were driving forces behind the new Lewis-Clark Valley American Viticultural Area. The grapes for this superb Malbec came from Verhey Vineyard, a top site in the western Yakima Valley's Rattlesnake Hills. What an enjoyable Malbec, principally for its sunny fruit, herbal layering, sense of place, prickly spice and exceptional length. (201 cases, 15.2% alc.) Awards: Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition (gold/best of class). Clearwater Canyon Cellars $28 2014 Petite Sirah, Washington The Verhey family’s young Roosevelt Vineyard just downstream from the Horse Heaven Hills along the Columbia River has become a prized spot for the Umikers. The nose of sweet oak, coffee, blueberry, blackberry and cola doesn’t disappoint. There’s rich molasses and Marionberry pie on the entry, leading to bold up-front tannins. Juicy pomegranate acidity and spicy raisins lead to Rainier cherry in the end. The Umikers hold a long-term contract for these grapes, which should delight all P.S. supporters. (177 cases, 14.9% alc.) Award: Cascadia Wine Competition (gold). Clearwater Canyon Cellars W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

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2014 Umiker Vineyard Estate Syrah, Lewis-Clark Valley The pride and joy of Karl and Coco Umiker’s program is their vineyard in the Lewiston (Idaho) Orchards, 6 1⁄2 acres in the historic Lewis-Clark Valley. They planted it at 1,350 feet elevation in 2003 on their family’s century farm. The Umikers rely on American oak for much of their winemaking, including Syrah, choosing 30% new barrels for 17 months of aging. Vanilla bean, blueberry and black currant pick up hints of grilled sausage and light toast. It’s not syrupy, but more of a cool-climate style with blueberry pie, serviceberry, elderberry and cherry flavors backed by vibrant pomegranate acidity. Balanced tannins and a pinch of lavender lead to a dark raspberry finish. Try it with gamy meats, lentils and dishes with fresh herbs. (187 cases, 14.8% alc.) Award: Idaho Wine Competition (double gold). Crossings Winery $19 2012 Zabala Vineyard Cabernet Franc, Snake River Valley Southern Idaho winemaker Neil Glancey used Snake River Valley fruit from Zabala Vineyard for this French-styled Cab Franc, producing a lean, delicate wine with aromas of dried herbs and a trace of green tea. On the palate, the fruit is enticing dark cherries and blackberries with a dash of white pepper. It’s a tasty, lighter

style that Crossing’s on-premise restaurant — Tannins — pairs with Sweet Chili-Lime Shrimp or hand-cut herbed French fries cooked in garlic oil. (1,700 cases, 12.5% alc.) Award: Idaho Wine Competition (gold). DeLille Cellars $45 2012 D2 Red Wine, Columbia Valley This superb blend of Merlot (50%), Cabernet Sauvignon (42%), Cabernet Franc (6%) and Petit Verdot is composed of an all-star assortment of grapes from Stillwater Creek, Ciel du Cheval, Red Willow, Klipsun, Boushey, Upchurch, Harrison Hill and Discovery vineyards. The result is an enticing, flawless wine that exhibits flavors and aromas of fresh tobacco, dark cherries and blackberries with a bonus of black plum, framed by balanced tannins. (5,000 cases, 14.3% alc.) Award: Seattle Wine Awards (gold). Gamache Vintners $30 2012 Syrah, Columbia Valley University of Ste. Michelle alum Charlie Hoppes plays a role in many of Washington’s top wines, and his relationship with the Gamache brothers goes back to those days. This work with Syrah is complex one with smoky meat, lavender and brownie mix aromatics, then lush black currants, blackberries and more brownie mix on the palate. It’s easy-drinking, smooth and elegant with a long finish, nice W i n t e r 2 016 • W i n e P r e s s N o r t h w e s t

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viscosity and just-right acidity. (285 cases, 14.8% alc.) Awards: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (double gold), Seattle Wine Awards (double gold). Horan Estates Winery $24 2013 Mike Horan Merlot, Columbia Valley Looking for a consumer-friendly Merlot that won’t break your wallet? Dennis Dobbs in Wenatchee, Wash., crafted the answer with this fruity, jammy, juicy wine that brims with slightly sweet blackberry and blueberry flavors. It’s a wine almost anyone can enjoy. (98 cases, 14.9% alc.) Award: Wenatchee Wine and Food Festival (gold). Chateau Ste. Michelle $48 2012 Ethos Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley This comes from one of the largest reserve programs in Washington and relies primarily on one of Chateau Ste. Michelle’s finest, oldest and warmest vineyards — Cold Creek — for 63% of the bottling. Head winemaker Bob Bertheau directed a program of 73% new oak, and the result are intense varietal tones with deep color, including Marionberry, blueberry, toast, nutmeg, cedar and Baker’s chocolate. Fine-grained tannins allow for a long finish of cinnamon powder, nutmeg and cocoa.(3,130 cases, 14.5% alc.) Award: San Francisco International Wine Competition (gold). 54

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Maryhill Winery $40 2013 Proprietor’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Craig and Vicky Leuthold, the founders and proprietors of Wine Press Northwest’s 2015 Pacific Northwest Winery of the Year, allowed for winemaker Richard Batchelor to develop this massive Cab from the 2013 harvest. It displays mouth-filling and appealing red and black cherry fruit, shows good work in the cellar and a bit of charming rusticity. (284 cases, 14.8% alc.) Award: Cascadia Wine Competition (double gold).

own bottling — now 7-year-old — was aged it for 24 months in 100% French oak barrels, half of them new. This wine coats the glass when swirled, then reveals a dense nose of cocoa powder, Marionberry and lavender. In the mouth, it’s full of textured juicy black currant syrup, then finishes with fine-grained tannins, boysenberry, cassis, hints of leather and chocolate-covered raisins. Here’s a delicious example of Washington Syrah with some time on its bones and a long life yet to come. (1,084 cases, 14.5% alc.) Award: Wine Press Northwest affordable reds judging (Outstanding!)

Maryhill Winery $24 2013 Malbec, Columbia Valley The Batchelor did it — again. Winemaker Richard Batchelor produced a textbook Malbec with an inviting nose, raspberry flavors, hints of fresh tobacco, nice oak integration, good structure, pepper and earth. It’s both a classic and a crowd-pleaser. (751 cases, 13.5% alc.) Award: Northwest Wine Summit (gold).

Saviah Cellars $45 2012 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley McClellan Estate Vineyard supplied the fruit this time for Richard Funk, who aged it for 24 months in French oak, 50% of them new barrels. The result is a nice floral, milk chocolate and mocha nose, then Bing cherry flavors that provide a smooth entry. The tannins are light and delicate, finishing with more milk chocolate and black cherry. (152 cases, 14.4% alc.) Awards: Walla Walla Valley Wine Competition (double gold), Cascadia Wine Competition) double gold.

Purple Star Wines $30 2009 Silver Syrah, Columbia Valley Kyle Johnson produced a series of stunning Syrah releases for the Olsen brothers when they operated Olsen Estates in Prosser, Wash. They closed their winery in 2011, and this bottling is a product of their Edythe Mae Vineyard from the time when their winery was open. Johnson’s

Seven Falls Cellars $23 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

platinum TASTING RESULTS Ste. Michelle executive Doug Gore sourced from vineyards such as StoneTree, Shaw and Jones for another winner with this young brand. This gorgeous Cab is budget-priced as well, often selling for several dollars less than its official retail price. Spicy Christmas berries and almond aromas lead into a smooth entry of black cherry and blackberry flavors, then chocolate and dark plums. It perfectly balances its fruit and spice and has well-managed tannins. (45,000 cases, 14.5% alc.) Award: San Francisco International Wine Competition (gold).

Co-owner/winemaker Jessica Munnell has crafted another award-winner with this Malbec is from StoneTree Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope. A small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon added to the blend came from the estate Wautoma Springs Vineyard near Cold Creek Vineyard. The result is a plummy fruit bomb with spicy pepper and ripe blueberry flavors. (24 cases, 14.5% alc.) Award: Cascadia Wine Competition (gold).

Wedge Mountain Winery $39 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain Using fruit from Kiona Vineyards’ North Block on Red Mountain, winemaker Charlie McKee in Peshastin, Wash., has crafted a complex wine with layered dark cherry and blackberry fruit and light milk chocolate. Smooth tannins carry those flavors from front to back. (174 cases, 13.9% alc.) Award: Northwest Wine Summit (gold).

Skylite Cellars $25 2012 Soireé Red Wine, Columbia Valley It’s a pleasant outing indeed when you sip Walla Walla winemaker Greg Matiko’s decorated red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (52%) from Pepper Bridge Vineyard, Syrah (26%) from RiverRock Vineyard and Merlot from Skylite’s estate vineyard. After spending 24 months in oak and then 24 months in the cellar, it shows off a woody and plummy nose, with dark sweet chocolate, then tar. Black cherry flavors are joined by vanilla, which leads out red currant freshness. (300 cases, 13.8% alc.) Awards: Cascadia Wine Competition (gold), Savor Northwest (gold), Capital Food & Wine Festival (gold), Savor Northwest (gold). Walla Walla Vintners $32 2013 Pepper Bridge Vineyard Malbec, Walla Walla Valley Pair Walla Walla Vintners with Pepper Bridge Vineyard and the result is this memorable Malbec. It’s a finely balanced wine with bright dark berry flavors and aromas, some savory spice and a hint of tarragon. (125 cases, 14.2% alc.) Award: Cascadia Wine Competition (gold). Walla Walla Vintners $25 2014 Sangiovese, Columbia Valley For several years now, Walla Walla Vintners has been producing top-shelf Sangiovese, perhaps inspired by the influence of the many Italian immigrants who settled in the Walla Walla Valley. The 2014 carries an almost Pinot Noirlike color and beautifully clean fruit akin to cherry, plum and sweet blueberry. It’s complex yet quaffable, as smoky and silky as a brunette from a 1940s noir film. Good acidity in its dark Bing cherry finish calls out for another sip. (981 cases, 14.2% alc.) Awards: Walla Walla Valley Wine Competition (gold), Denver Wine Competition (gold). Wautoma Wines 2012 Malbec, Columbia Valley W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

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Yakima Valley Vintners $22 2013 Coyote Canyon Vineyard Dean’s List Primitivo, Columbia Valley Yakima Valley Community College winery technology students, overseen by Brad Smith, move toward the head of the class for their assignment on this Dean’s List Primitivo. It earned high marks from judges for its rich, opulent, smooth and silky texture. A “beveled wine,” as one judge put it. Its combination of red currant and black plum with coffee includes a touch of strawberry and cocoa in the finish. (22 cases, 14.5% alc.) Award: Tri-Cities Wine Festival (double gold). Zerba Cellars 2013 Barbera, Walla Walla Valley

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Using estate fruit from its Cockburn Vineyard, Zerba Cellars built this all-Italian red from Barbera (88%) and Sangiovese. As expected, there’s an abundance of red fruit, including red currant, red plum and a hint of raspberry. It’s smooth on entry, then shows wonderful balance, well-managed tannins and more bright fruit on the finish. A great example of what the Walla Walla Valley can do with Barbera. (188 cases, 14.5% alc.) Award: Dan Berger International Wine Competition (gold). Barrister Winery $39 NV Barrister’s Block Red Wine, Columbia Valley Spokane attorneys Greg Lipsker and Michael White huddled up with their lead winemaker,

Tyler Walters, on this remarkable blend that spans four vintages and some stellar vineyards. While dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon (72%), there’s also Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Syrah from places such as Bacchus, Dionysus, Weinbau, Seven Hills, Pepper Bridge, Summit View and Dwelley. The end game is a big, rich and fruit-forward nose that brings hints of plums, blackberries, leather and dark toast. On the palate, it‘s sexy and spicy, leading with blackberry, earth and pleasing smokiness. Though it’s large, it’s also smooth — almost urbane. (335 cases, 14.9% alc.) Award: Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition (gold).

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Clearwater Canyon Cellars $38 2013 Selway Red Wine, Lewis-Clark Valley This blend is named for a scenic tributary of the Clearwater River, and while the wine focuses on the Bordeaux varieties — Merlot (45%), Cabernet Franc (36%), Cabernet Sauvignon (5%) and Malbec (2%) – it’s the savvy use of Syrah (12%) that undoubtedly helps woo judges and consumers alike. And there’s an extra sense of pride with Umiker Vineyard used for 71 percent of the blend. Red cherry fruit, spice, sandalwood and cedar make a stunning first impression. On reflection, the judicious use of oak results in a charming wine that can age a few years but is ready to drink now. (93 cases, 14.7% alc.) Awards: San Francisco International Wine Competition (double gold), Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition (gold).

Hills. They combine for a nose of violets, red cherry and cedar that transition to a balanced mouth feel of blackberry and blueberry. (275 cases, 14.5% alc.) Award: Wine Press Northwest Merlot judging (Outstanding!)

Coach House Cellars $25 2011 Merlot, Columbia Valley Bellingham winemakers Paxton Rembert and Scott Whitman began in Rembert’s garage — aka coach house — and they’ve focused their Merlot efforts on Les Collines in the Walla Walla Valley and Sheridan in the Rattlesnake

Goose Ridge Vineyards $35 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley This vintage marked the first of four that Kendall Mix spent working for the Monson family, and he left them this gift that seems to offer more over time. It coats the glass and shows tar,

Coyote Canyon Winery $38 2012 H/H Estates Coyote Canyon Vineyard Michael Andrews Reserve Red, Horse Heaven Hills This comes from a classic vintage and showcases winemaker Justin Michaud’s first autumn of work for Mike Andrews, who owns both Coyote Canyon Vineyard and its winery. It’s a gorgeous blend of Spanish grapes Tempranillo (67%) and Graciano (33%), offering sweet fruit aromas and flavors, backed by balance and the characteristic HHH minerality. Its brilliant acidity is the finishing touch. (287 cases, 14.9% alc.) Award: Tri-Cities Wine Festival (gold).

cigar box, cedar, chocolate and berries in the nose. On the palate are clean and focused dark berry flavors joined by anise. Behind the smooth tannins are light touches of chocolatecovered pomegranate. (1,000 cases, 14.8% alc.) Award: Finger Lakes Wine Competition (gold). Milbrandt Vineyards $26 2013 The Estates Malbec, Wahluke Slope Emily Haines crafted this lovely wine, using Petit Verdot (10%) for some additional heft. It’s akin to sniffing Grandma’s old spice box, then it’s late-summer blackberries and boysenberries on the palate, with a bonus of figgy pie. The final impression is sleek, with an earthy element. (1,430 cases, 14.5% alc.) Awards: Savor Northwest (gold/best of class). Palencia Winery $18 2015 Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley Frenchman Hills Vineyard between the Royal Slope and the Wahluke Slope, is Victor Palencia’s go-to spot for Sauvignon Blanc under his own brand in Walla Walla. Sweet florals transition to flavors that whisper Key lime and Meyer lemon. Mouthwatering acidity easily

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balances the dab of residual sugar (0.8%) and there’s a nice touch of food-friendly salinity in the finish. (385 cases, 13% alc.) Awards: Walla Walla Valley Wine Competition (gold), Seattle Wine Awards (double gold.) Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards $34 2014 Pishon Bloc Pinot Noir, Umpqua Valley We ll, well, look who’s back on the medal podium. Stephen Reustle shows off a classic, balanced Pinot Noir with a soft nose of vanilla cherry, raspberry and nicely managed oak. Its medium finish extends the cherry and raspberry, then adds some pomegranate and leather for the finish. (475 cases, 13.4% alc.) Award: Oregon Wine Awards (double gold). Reininger Winery $56 2013 Seven Hills Vineyard Carménère, Walla Walla Valley Chuck Reininger offers one of the Pacific Northwest’s largest and most expressive examples of this fascinating Bordeaux variety that once was feared lost forever in the wake of a phylloxera blight in the late 1800s. This one shows more oak, is leaner and less juicy than some, but its elegant acidity and tannin balance is spot-on. (341 cases, 14.4% alc.) Awards: Cascadia Wine Competition (gold), Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition (best of class/gold). Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyard $39 2014 Winemaker’s Reserve Syrah, Umpqua Valley Another year, another brilliant and complex Winemaker’s Reserve Syrah from Stephen Reustle. The 2014 has light purple aromas, dusty, dried blueberry, cedar, thyme, herb, pepper, blackberry and fine-grained tannins within its juicy presentation. The result is a lusty drink backed by a nice texture. (455 cases, 13.9% alc.) Awards: Oregon Wine Experience (double gold), Los Angeles International Wine Competition (gold), Oregon Wine Awards (gold), Monterey Wine Competition (gold). Saviah Cellars $35 2011 Big Sky Cuvée, Columbia Valley Its name may be borrowed from We stern novelist A.B. Guthrie and Montana tourism brochures, but this blend of Merlot (56%), Cabernet Sauvignon (22%), Cabernet Franc (11%), Petit Verdot (6%) and Malbec from Stillwater Creek Vineyard will broaden your horizons. Its red fruit is plump and meaty, with fig, cinnamon, cassis and currant. The soft, elegant and berry-filled finish brings soft tannins, red licorice and savory notes. Pair it with rare standing 60

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rib roast. (221 cases, 14.1 alc.) Award: Seattle Wine Awards (gold).

cases, 13.4% alc.) Award: Seattle Wine Awards (gold).

Bradley Vineyards $28 2012 Pinot Noir, Elkton Oregon The late John Bradley crafted this Pinot Noir from estate vines he planted in 1983, drawing on both Pommard and Wadenswil clones. It’s quite elegant with pink peppercorn and mocha in its plummy elements. Smooth cherries and rich tannins with dark blueberry present a perfectly balanced Pinot Noir that offers suppleness - a fitting tribute two years after his passing. (139 cases, 15% alc.) Award: Wine Press Northwest affordable reds judging (Outstanding!)

Westport Winery Garden Resort $28 2013 Surfer Syrah, Horse Heaven Hills Discovery Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills is a long way from the coast, but Surfer Syrah does have a certain ring for a coastal winery. Its Old World style shows off blueberry jam, coffee, cinnamon toast and cookie dough in its long, juicy finish, plus some earthiness that hints at its HHH pedigree. (104 cases, 14% alc.) Award: Wine Press Northwest affordable reds judging (Outstanding!)

Cinder Wines $18 2015 Chardonnay, Snake River Valley Sawtooth Vineyard.Boise-area winemaker Melanie Krause used primarily neutral oak for this wine from Sawtooth Vineyard that she put through full malolactic fermentation.The result is a beautiful Chardonnay with the expected light touch of oak, big fruit and crisp acidity, qualities that show from front to back. It will be perfect with steelhead. (380 cases, 13.8% alc.) Award: Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition (gold). Best Buy! Milbrandt Vineyards $13 2014 Traditions Chardonnay, Columbia Valley The combination of winemaker Emily Haines and Columbia Valley fruit created this everyday drinker, which displays tropical aromas, citrusy notes and good acidity. It’s carefully oaked, rich and carries a really nice mouth feel. (6,000 cases, 13.5% alc.) Awards: Cascadia Wine Competition (gold), Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo International Wine Competition (gold). Schmidt Family Vineyards $36 2012 Syrah, Applegate Valley The family’s resident winemaker, Cal Schmidt, tapped his home Applegate Valley for this Syrah, which smells like a perfect Marionberry pie dusted with cinnamon and sugar on the crust. Its plum, cherry skin and rose petal aromas match on the palate, where juicy sweet fruit takes charge. (156 cases, 14.67% alc.) Award. Cascadia Wine Competition (gold). Viscon Cellars $32 2011 Long Road Red Cabernet Sauvignon, Yakima Valley Ben Viscon relied on Lewis Vineyard and an 18-month barrel program to produce what’s now a subtle Cab that shows nice handling of tannins, good varietal expression and has good aging potential for handful of more years. (125

Cinder Wines $29 2014 Tempranillo, Snake River Valley One of Idaho’s most recognized young wineries is building an audience for Te mpranillo. Using fruit from Martin Brothers, Sawtooth and Williamson vineyards, Ste. Michelle product Melanie Krause offers a tempting Te mp with blueberry, milk chocolate and ground savory aromatics, backed by juicy blueberry, pomegranate, Italian plums and cassis flavors. Skilled winemaking sets the table for a long finish with supple tannins and smoky meat, bringing to mind a Spanish Rioja. (616 cases, 14% alc.) Awards: Idaho Wine Competition (best of class/gold). Best Buy! Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery $15 2015 Dry Rock Sauvignon Blanc, Okanagan Valley Pair the Gehringer brothers with almost any white wine grape, and it’s bound to be a winner. With a scant amount of sweetness that merely augments its flavors, this complex Sauv Blanc from their plantings along the Golden Mile Bench brings gooseberry elements with a quiet “meow” in the background. The subtext is filled with lime soda, white grapefruit, lychee, cut grass, savory and slate. (600 cases, 13.3% alc.) Award: Los Angeles International Wine Competition (gold). Whidbey Island Winery $25 2013 Dolcetto, Yakima Valley Puget Sound denizen Greg Osenbach produced this dang tasty Dolcetto using fruit from two of the Yakima Valley’s most respected sites — Crawford near Prosser and Elephant Mountain in the Rattlesnake Hills. Its red fruit opens with Bing cherry and violet, then proceeds to a refreshing finish with lighter, plum-skin tannins and Montmorency cherry acidity. (150 cases, 13.7% alc.) Award: Seattle Wine and Food Experience Wine Awards (gold). For a more complete listing of awards, including gold and double-gold, go to winepressnw.com W I N E P R E S S N W. C O M

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NORTHWEST WINE EVENTS January 13-14 Lake Chelan Winterfest Wine Walk, Chelan, Wash. Lake Chelan Wine Valley stages two wine walks, including a new VIP trail. Go to lakechelanwinterfest.com. 20-22 and 26-29 Newberg and Eugene, Ore. The annual Oregon Truffle Festival, now in its second decade, begins with a weekend in and around Newberg before moving south to Eugene. The second weekend opens with the Joriad North American Truffle Dog Championship. Go to oregontrufflefestival.com. 21 Wenatchee Winter Wine Gala, Wenatchee, Wash. This 14th annual fundraiser for the Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center features regional wineries and chefs. Go to wenatcheevalleymuseum.org. 27-28 First Taste Oregon, Salem. The former Oregon Wine, Food and Brew Festival is back at the state fairgrounds for the fifth straight year with 40 wineries, education and a wine competition. Go to FirstTasteOregon.com. 28 Gifts from the Earth, Seattle. The South Seattle Community College Foundation showcases its culinary arts and wine programs by pairing 15 chefs with 30 Washington wineries. Call 206-934-5809 or go to southseattle.edu/foundation/giftsfromtheearth/

February 3-4 Portland Seafood & Wine Festival. This multiple sclerosis fundraiser brings more than 40 wineries to the Oregon Convention Center. Go to pdxseafoodandwinefestival.com. 3-4 Enumclaw Chocolate & Wine Festival. More than 20 wineries return to the Enumclaw Expo Center for the ninth annual event. Go to cityofenumclaw.net. 4 St. Joseph’s Art & Wine, Kennewick, Wash. The 21st annual fundraiser for St. Joseph’s Parish and School features regional wines, restaurants, artists and musicians. Go to stjoesartandwine.com. 7-9 Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers Convention, Kennewick, Wash. Growers, and winemakers throughout the Northwest meet for the 20th annual meeting and trade show. Go to wawgg.org. 11 Bubbles Fest at Anne Amie. Carlton, Ore. Anne Amie Vineyards welcomes fellow sparkling wine producers to pour on its Willamette Valley estate for the third straight year. Go to anneamie.com/events/bubble-fest/ 11-12 and 18-20 Red Wine & Chocolate Tour, Olympic Peninsula, Wash. Member wineries on the peninsula and islands pour it on over two weekends and Presidents Day. Go to olympicpeninsulawineries.org. 13 Walla Walla Wine @ McCaw Hall, Seattle. More than 45 Walla Walla Valley wineries pour for two hours at Seattle Center. Go to wallawallawine.com.

18-20 Red Wine and Chocolate, Yakima Valley, Wash. More than 50 wineries in the heart of the Northwest’s oldest grape-growing region pair their wines with chocolate. Go to wineyakimavalley.org. 18-20 Valentine’s Wine and Chocolate Weekend, Columbia Gorge. Wineries along both sides of the Columbia River offer special tasting room events. Go to columbiagorgewine.com. 21-22 Oregon Wine Industry Symposium, Portland. Enology, viticulture and business returns to the Oregon Convention Center for the fifth straight year. Go to symposium.oregonwine.org. 23-26 Newport Seafood & Wine Festival, Newport, Ore. The 40th annual event features more than 50 wineries. Go to seafoodandwine.com. 24-26 Seattle Wine and Food Experience. Seattle Center’s McCaw Hall plays host to the ninth annual Northwest weekend celebration of wines from Washington, Oregon and Idaho with more than 20 chefs and live music. Go to seattlewineandfoodexperience.com. 25 Oregon Chardonnay Celebration, Newberg. Formerly known as the Oregon Chardonnay Symposium, many of the state’s premier Chardonnay producers stage a public tasting at the Allison Inn & Spa. Go to oregonchardonnaycelebration.org. 29 Walla Walla Wine @ Leftbank Annex, Portland. More than 45 Walla Walla Valley wineries pour for two hours near Moda Center in support of the Classic Wines Auction. Go to wallawallawine.com.

March 4 Greatest of the Grape, Canyonville, Ore. The Pacific Northwest’s oldest wine event celebrates its 47th anniversary and pairs Southern Oregon wineries with restaurants at Seven Feathers Casino Resort. Go to umpquavalleywineries.org. 4 Classic Wines Auction, Portland. This 33rd annual fundraiser for Portland-area children sells out months in advance. It features famous winemakers and chefs on both sides of the Columbia River. Go to classicwinesauction.com. 9-12 Savor Cannon Beach, Ore. Four days of wine and culinary education include a Saturday walk showcasing awardwinning Northwest wines. Go to savorcannonbeach.com. 10-12 McMinnville Wine & Food Classic, McMinnville, Ore. This 24-year-old event lands at the Evergreen Space Museum. Go to sipclassic.org. 23-26 Taste Washington, Seattle. The Washington wine industry’s signature celebration spans four days of public tasting and education, concluding with two days of grand tastings at CenturyLink Field Event Center. Go to tastewashington.org.

14-16 Idaho wine industry annual meeting, Garden City. Enology, viticulture and business return to the Riverside Hotel along the Boise River. Go to idahowines.org. 17 Secret Crush, Yakima, Wash. The third annual Secret Crush marks the beginning of Wine Yakima Valley's Red Wine and Chocolate Weekend with an evening featuring some of the valley’s highest-rated wines served at Yakima Country Club. Go to go to wineyakimavalley.org. 64

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MICHAEL MINA’S RN74 IN SEATTLE STORY BY ERIC DEGERMAN // PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICHARD DUVAL

EATTLE — There’s an abundance of internationally recognized talent behind RN74 in downtown Seattle, and yet there are strong local ties that may just bind them to this French-themed restaurant for a while. It starts with celebrity restaurateur Michael Mina and master sommelier Rajat Parr, who recruited Woodinville sommelier/winemaker

Jeff Lindsay-Thorsen to head up their wine program. Last summer, they brought on executive chef Ben Godwin, a Brit whose résumé includes Fat Duck — a three-star Michelin restaurant near London and one of the world’s famous culinary destinations. “Ben brings a remarkable amount of creativity to the RN74 team,” Mina said. “His impressive restaurant experience, combined

with his love for the Pacific Northwest and local resources, is a great match for our team and we are thrilled to have him at the helm of the restaurant.” Credit ultimately goes to Godwin’s wife, a Seattle native, for bringing him to the Northwest. “I met her in London at a gig. She was by herself, and I was there with a friend.

RN74 Restaurant is located at 1433 Fourth Ave. & Pike St. in Seattle. 70

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She asked me for the time, and that was it!” Godwin said with a smile. “My first visit to Seattle was in September 2005, and I’ve been coming here and living here off and on for 11 years.” Mina’s took off 25 years ago in San Francisco when he was handed the opportunity to create AQUA, which became a site for power lunches in the Financial District. Twenty years later, Mina took over that Union Square space, part of a growing circle that spans five restaurants in San Francisco. Mina Group — co-founded with tennis star Andre Agassi — now owns 20 restaurants across the U.S. and Dubai. But there’s no chance the Seattle version of San Francisco’s RN74 will go overlooked by Mina. His family emigrated from Egypt and put down roots in Ellensburg, Wash. His culinary career started at a truck stop in that rodeo town prior to moving to Seattle, where he’d cook atop the Space Needle (morning) and at Anthony’s in Kirkland (night). These days, the multi-media star is headquartered in the Bay Area, where he even operates a pub at Levi’s Stadium, but Mina’s family and the restaurant he opened in 2011 near Westlake Center keep the Culinary Institute of America grad connected to Washington. “It’s fantastic when Michael comes through,” Lindsay-Thorsen said. “He’s just a whirlwind in the kitchen, and the amount of energy and talent that just oozes out of him — and the creativity that he inspires — is really incredible.” Route National 74 is the road through the heart of Burgundy. It could also symbolize the type of food, wine and travel that’s been at the core of Godwin’s career, which began at age 18 after washing dishes at a pub in Clare, England. His boyhood dream was to play center midfield for Manchester United, then he thought about coaching soccer, but he found his calling in the kitchen. “There’s no way I’d been able to work in the places I have been and see the places I’ve seen in another profession,” Godwin said. The experience every foodie asks him about dates to 2010 when Godwin was promoted from stagiaire to chef de partie at Fat Duck, Heston Blumenthal’s 38-seat restaurant with a ratio of kitchen staff to guest that’s essentially 1-to-1. “I can’t really compare the Fat Duck to anything anywhere,” Godwin said. “There’s WINEPRESSN W .C O M

Executive chef Ben Godwin’s résumé includes Fat Duck — a three-star Michelin restaurant near London Wint e r 2 0 1 6 • Wine Pre s s N o r thwest

MATCH MAKERS

W.T. Vintners $45 2013 Les Collines Vineyard Damavian Syrah, Walla Walla Valley — 82 cases, 14% alcohol There’s a crass joke within the wine industry about how difficult it is to get rid of a case of Syrah, but Seattle sommelier/ Woodinville winemaker Jeff Lindsay-Thorsen is doing his part in a food-friendly way to promote the grape in Washington state. He’s produced three vineyard-designate Syrahs under his W.T. Vintners brand, and each can be found on the wine list at RN74, around the corner from Pike Place Market. His passion for winemaking came rather organically during a stint working the 2005 crush in Oregon. “I really just wanted to be better at my craft as a sommelier,” Lindsay-Thorsen said. Within five years, he was making Syrah from Les Collines Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley, and the presence of his 2013 Damavian at Michael Mina’s Seattle showpiece restaurant represents Lindsay-Thorsen’s job, winery and family. Damavian is a blended tribute to his three children — Dashiel, Malin and Vivian — making it a unique proprietary name. A relationship with Justin Wylie of Va Piano Vineyards in Walla Walla helped Lindsay-Thorsen get into Les Collines in 2010. The Salmon Safe site is a Walla Walla Valley breadbasket, and the vines at 1,100 feet elevation are tucked up against the foothills of the Blue Mountains just north of the Washington/Oregon stateline. Its roots dig deep into wind-blown loess from the Ice Age floods. “There are as few variables as possible in my wines,” LindsayThorsen said. “They are a true exercise in terroir, and while the amount of stem inclusion varies from vineyard to vineyard, the barrel regimen is with all old barrels and the fermentation that takes place is all native — aside from the ambient yeast that’s coming in from the vineyard. When you taste each wine side-by-side, it’s an expression of the vintage, the vineyard and the site versus winemaking technique.” Lindsay-Thorsen pulled all of this Phelps clone fruit from Block 30. His fermentation program featured “a (expletive) load of stems” — 90 percent whole cluster. And the nose is fruit-forward with Marionberry, black cherry and black pepper notes. On the palate, an early burst of boysenberry gets chased by more Marionberry and a pinch of earthiness. A juniper berry gets dropped in on the way out, and tension behind the tannin and acidity creates a long finish for rich meats. “Washington fruit should be the loudest voice, rather than winemaking techniques or oak,” Lindsay-Thorsen said. “And I’m right on the edge of being a low-alcohol fanatic without being obsessive about it.” While Lindsay-Thorsen’s friendly personality helped him gain initial placements at restaurants, his wines continue to charm wine buyers and sommeliers. W.T. Vintners wines are available on wine lists at spots such as Canlis, Metropolitan Grill, Wild Ginger and Tom Douglas restaurants as well as longtime Seattle merchants Esquin and McCarthy & Schiering. At his Woodinville tasting room, Lindsay-Thorsen suggests serving this with grilled lamb chops, pepper-crusted rib eye or roasted squab. At RN74, go with the duck. W.T. Vintners 19501 144th Ave NE, Suite F1200, Woodinville, WA 98072, wtvintners.com, (425) 610-9463. 72

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the whimsical side of it, and Heston keeps coming out with stuff that’s amazing. One thing that I’ve taken from there is to always question why you are doing things a certain way. That’s Heston’s big thing.” Godwin, 33, has worked at other Michelin-star restaurants, including Alinea (three) in Chicago and Noma (two) in Copenhagen. And yet, he is no stranger to the Puget Sound culinary scene, having worked for Jason Wilson at Crush, Wolfgang Puck Catering, Meat & Bread and as chef de cuisine at the Salish Lodge. “This is it for us,” Godwin said. “We just had a baby, and after seven different addresses in six years, that’s enough. It’s time to settle down. “At this point, I watch football (soccer) when I can, and I usually play pick-up (soccer) on Monday nights at a local field on Beacon Hill,” he added. “Other than that, my wife and my daughter and my dog — she’s a pure mutt — take up all my time.”

Woodinville sommelier/winemaker Jeff Lindsay-Thorsen manages RN74’s wine program. WINEPRESSNW.COM

Roasted Duck Breast Serves 2 2 duck breasts 1 quince 2 teaspoons white soy sauce 1 savoy cabbage 8 black trumpet mushrooms Butter Salt to taste 1. Cook duck breast to desired temperature, starting skin side down over very low heat to render fat, turning and basting with rendered fat. 2. Peel and cut quince away from core. 3. Poach or steam quince until tender. 4. Blend quince in a high-speed blender with soy sauce to create a pureé. (You may need to add a little water to achieve a smooth consistency.) 5. Quarter and thinly slice the savoy cabbage. 6. Sauté black trumpet mushrooms in a pad of butter. When almost cooked, add sliced savoy cabbage and a splash of water. 7. Cook until cabbage is tender, then season to taste with salt. 8. Slice duck and plate with spoonful of quince pureé and cabbage/mushroom. 9. Add a little sliced truffle for elevated luxury.

When there is time for culinary research, Godwin ingests inspiration from the Mexican and Vietnamese fare he finds in Seattle. “But if we are going out for a date, we’re going out for sushi at Shiro’s,” he said. While Godwin works with Puget Sound seafood and Columbia Valley ingredients such as house-aged Double R Ranch steaks and King’s Garden organic vegetables, Lindsay-Thorsen and fellow somm Paul Swanson oversee more than 40 wines by the glass, a deep assortment of half bottles and a global list that’s heavy on Washington. Inventory stretches to $500,000. “You can count on one hand the number of restaurants that invest that kind of infrastructure into serious wine programs in the Pacific Northwest,” Lindsay-Thorsen said. A handful of W.T. Vintners wines — made WINEPRESSN W .C O M

.T. Vintners 2013 Damavian Syrah paired with Roasted Duck Breast, W a dish that includes quince, savoy cabbage and black truffle.

by Lindsay-Thorsen — are available on the floor at RN74. Not long ago, it would have been illegal for RN74 to offer those wines with the winemaker employed there. However, Christian Sparkman of Sparkman Cellars — while he was GM of Waterfront Seafood Grill — blazed the trail in Washington state for the likes of Lindsay-Thorsen. “Through a small step in the legislation he was able to alter the law and allow people to work through multiple tiers,” Lindsay-Thorsen said. “As I understood it, you couldn’t even be in two tiers, let alone sell your product to your employer and then double-dip it — as the state would see it. Now we’re in the free and clear, and more sommeliers are able to venture into making a bit of wine.” At this point, Lindsay-Thorsen, whose background includes Café Juanita and

Cascadia, doesn’t seem quite ready to give up his night job, even though his W.T. Vintners production has reached 2,000 cases and he’s just launched a second label called Raconteur Wine Co. “I would genuinely miss being on the floor,” he said. “The guest interaction and the experiences and the wines you get to taste? There’s no other way to do it.” Some of Lindsay-Thorsen’s neighbors in Woodinville can be found on the RN74 wine list, and their placements are merited. And he’ll create winemaker dinners that involve multiple wineries such as Kevin White, Two Vintners and Savage Grace. “How do you do differently or better than to give the guest a greater experience by bringing in a lot of personalities,” LindsayThorsen said. “Sometimes, it could be 70 to Wint e r 2 0 1 6 • Wine Pre s s N o r thwest

Big Table Farm 2013 Chardonnay from Oregon’s Willamette Valley paired with Dungeness Crab Salad.

Dungeness Crab Salad Serves 2 6 ounces Dungeness crab meat 6 ounces haricot verts, blanched (may substitute green beans) 8 ounces crème fraîche 1 teaspoon pickled mustard seeds Lemon juice to taste Salt to taste Frisee to garnish 1. Combine crab and haricot verts with creme fraiche and mustard seeds. 2. Season to preference with salt and lemon juice. 3. Top with a little frisee to finish.

Big Table Farm $45 2013 Chardonnay, Willamette Valley — 476 cases, 12.5% alcohol Last year, Big Table Farm nearly cracked the top 10 on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list for 2015 when its 2012 Pinot Noir landed at No. 11 in the world among the 18,000 wines rated during the previous 12 months. It makes sense that Brian Marcy would also excel with America’s favorite white Burgundy grape, too, so it’s no surprise that Wine & Spirits magazine named the Big Table Farm 2013 Chardonnay as its Year’s Best Chardonnay in 2015. Spectator named that same wine Oregon’s second-best Chardonnay. And yet, Marcy and his wife, Clare Carver, fled Napa Valley a decade ago for a 110-year-old farm in the Willamette Valley to make wine not as a cocktail but to be best enjoyed at the dining table. Marcy makes that happen by showing restraint, which allows the fruit to shine and the wines to achieve balance. His education began with fermentation science at University of California-Davis, and his talents led him to employment at Napa cult wineries such as Blanket, Neyers, Turley and Helen Turley’s estate project Marcassin. It’s no coincidence Marcy and Carver named their own brand in Oregon rather simply — inspired by a big table they used for wine dinners in Napa. Now, much of what they serve at their own table comes from their farm. And Carver handles the day-to-day chores across their 70 acres, yet it is her fetching artwork on the labels. Her clean and detailed pencil drawings are inspired by scenes and inhabitants around the farm. The back label is where the brand name appears, a now-funny legacy from the disagreement husband and wife had over what to call their winery. Carver’s name lives on, but a decade later, the tradition continues. And the combination of her artwork and the paper stock forces Big Table Farm to handlabel all 4,000 cases each year. That’s 48,000 bottles. Their winsome Chardonnay, which represents about 10 percent of their total production, carries some pedigree. Marcy’s achieves balance with his blend of four vineyards — Durant (Dundee Hills), Yates Conwill (Yamhill-Carlton), Seven Springs neighbor Bieze (Eola-Amity Hills) and Big Farm Table workhorse Wirtz Vineyard, a 40-year-old planting near Forest Grove now managed by Carver and Marcy. A balanced program of French oak yields a fascinating yellow/green wardrobe with a rich nose of lemon curd, white pepper, ginger and lime zest. Inside, there’s a luxurious entry with a theme of satiny lemon custard, apple butter that’s backed by fresh citrusy acidity and Bosc pear. Its finesse balances beautifully with the fresh herbs and crab. It’s no surprise that Big Table Farm supports ¡Salud!, the nonprofit that has raised more than $13 million in 25 years to help provide health care to seasonal vineyard workers in the Willamette Valley and their families. Tastings are by appointment only, and if you spot a Burgundy-shaped bottle with a beautifully drawn honey bee on the label, that’s the 2013 Chardonnay. The 2014 Chardonnay features a community of bee boxes. Big Table Farm, 26851 N.W. Williams Canyon Road, Gaston, OR, 97119, bigtablefarm.com, (503) 6623129.

W in e P r ess N or th w e s t • W i n t e r 2 0 1 6

WINEPRESSNW.COM

MATCH MAKERS

100 people that will take up the full restaurant. It will be a little more convivial than stuffy, and we encourage communal dining here because it helps elevate the mood of the restaurant.” It’s not uncommon for fans to bring friends down to RN74, order a bottle of W.T. Vintners, ask for Lindsay-Thorsen and have him recommend a wine from Europe for them to evaluate side-by-side. “Probably more people know him throughout the Northwest as a winemaker than a somm,” Godwin said. “His wines do well, and they have an audience.” And there’s an emerging trend on Seattle wine lists that’s prompted Godwin to adjust his approach on occasion. “Sommeliers love acidity in their wines, which is difficult because I love acidity in my dishes,” Godwin said. “I find myself dialing back the acidity in my dishes in order to have the wine bring the acid. It’s definitely very new for me.” It’s not just Godwin, the winemaking somm said.

“A lot of chefs don’t approach wine with cooking in mind,” Lindsay-Thorsen said. “They’re looking for this very, very complete dish. Let’s start with an oyster. You bring a Champagne or a high-acid, semi-neutral white wine, and that acts as that squeeze of lemon cleansing the palate. But if you give that oyster to a chef, he immediately puts a mignonette on it or squeezes a lemon to finish the circle.” For the Match Maker project, LindsayThorsen and Godwin — whose fish and chips are stellar — were assigned two wines from their inventory, starting with the Big Table Farm 2013 Chardonnay from the Willamette Valley. It’s one of Oregon’s most famous white wines, which was paired with Godwin’s Dungeness Crab Salad. “There’s the acid in the Chardonnay, and I think of the word Jeff used to describe it was luxurious, so it called for a rich but light dish,” Godwin said. “You’ve got the crème fraîche, which adds a bit of richness, and sweetness of the crab. And in this part of the world, who doesn’t love Dungeness crab?”

Meanwhile, Lindsay-Thorsen’s own W.T. Vintners 2013 Damavian Syrah called for Roasted Duck Breast, a dish that includes quince, savoy cabbage and black truffle. “Whenever I think of Syrah, I think of berries every time, especially in the fall,” Godwin said. “And with berries, I think of duck — and then mushrooms.” Make that a fat duck. ERIC DEGERMAN is co-owner of Great Northwest Wine, an award-winning news and information company. Learn more about wine at www.greatnorthwestwine.com.

G R A N D K I T C H E N S AV IN G S

9 E Columbia Dr Kennewick, WA 99336 (509) 586-1074 www.go2bunch.com

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GAMACHE VINTNERS

COYOTECANYON MARTINEZ&MARTINEZ MCKINLEYSPRINGSWINERY

2DOR WINES SMASNE CELLARS

MILBRANDT VINEYARDS

THEBUNNELLFAMILY& WINEO’CLOCK

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AIRFIELD ESTATES

I EX

The Prosser Vintner’s Village

Where a hub of wineries in the heart of Washington Wine Country's Yakima Valley has emerged as an exciting destination for wine enthusiasts. It's a pedestrian-friendly village where wine lovers can taste wines in 6 individual wineries plus boutique wineries in The Winemaker's Loft. Add a stop at the Yellow Rose Nursery ﬁlled with plants & garden supplies plus personal service.

Winter Events! Thurston Wolfe - Featured artists are:Carol VonStubbe, displaying her shadow boxes. Ed Maske, showcasing his handcrafted Indian bead bracelets. Cathleen Williams, displaying her lovely earrings and necklaces. The Bunnell Family Wine Bar, Wine O’Clock - Custom food and wine pairing menus by appointment, reservations recommended for a la carte wining and dining.

December • 14-January 6 - McKinley Springs - closed • 31-January 2 - Milbrandt Vineyards - closed

(509) 786-7401 www.airﬁeldwines.com

January

• 1-17 - The Bunnell Family Cellar - Annual closure, reopening January 18 • 28 - Coyote Canyon Winery - Wine blending class with Timothy Bowen

February • 3 - McKinley Springs Winery - Vine Vault Friday. Join as they break into the vault

(509) 786-7800 (509) 786-3313

(509) 786-7686

www.thurstonwolfe.com

www.coyotecanyonwinery.com

(509) 786-0004 www.mckinleysprings.com

(509) 786-2392 www.martinezwine.com

(509) 788-0030 www.milbrandtvineyards.com

(509) 786-0060

www.smasnecellars.com

www.gamachevintners.com

(509) 786-2197

and open a limited production Library Wine. Visit with the grower, winemaker and cellar staff. • 11 and 14 - The Bunnell Family Cellar - Special Valentine’s Dinner Menu 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. • 12 - Coyote Canyon Winery - Winemaker’s Dinner with Fat Olives • 17 - McKinley Springs Winery - Brush On! Painting Workshop. Canvas, paint and instruction included for $40. • 18 - McKinley Springs - Winter Wine Dinner • 18-20 - Red Wine and Chocolate Weekend at participating wineries. Reservations are appreciated at some wineries. Visit individual winery websites or wineyakimavalley.org for more information. • 19 - Coyote Canyon Winery - Painting class with Marti Nelson Andrews

www.bunnellfamilycellar.com March Reservations recommended • 3 - McKinley Springs Winery - Vine Vault Friday. Join as they break into the vault and open a limited production Library Wine. Visit with the grower, winemaker and cellar staff. • 11 - Coyote Canyon Winery - Prosser Wine Club pick up party • 15 - Coyote Canyon Winery - Industry Night 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. • 17 - McKinley Springs - Fire Pit Friday Night • 24 - McKinley Springs - Fire Pit Friday Night

(509) 786-0060

www.2dorwines.com

Please call or check individual web sites for more winter events.

COLUMN

grapes of roth BY COKE ROTH

Old World is for eating

hope you didn’t sashay past all the good reading in this edition to wind up at the back of the bus reading my narcissistic blither. Go back while you still have a chance! The editor thinks my column only deserves the attention of a masochistic insomniac having too much time on their hands. If the advertising department would perform better, this page could be replaced with great ideas for cool indulgences instead of my unabashed subjectivity. Until then, you are stuck with this column where the ramblings approach chaos. Recent and enviably frequent pleasure trips to Europe, augmented by domestic destinations judging wines from around the world, have renewed my passion for wines with Old World-style, particularly when it comes around to matching them with food. To me (pay attention, you will strike gold if you take my opinion), Old World styled wines, in a general sense, mean moderate alcohol levels, less oak component extraction, and seem dry. Old World minerality and fruity feel are components that are the product of a slow cook in mature oak cooperage…barrel, not oak. I find that they better match with foods because they don't get into a slugfest with what you are eating… They have Finesse...#eatmewithfood! New World styled wines, on the other hand, to me are more alcoholic, typically have more extracted oak components, and contain perceptible sweetness. Sometimes in a tasting of red wines, one would think the vintners are engaged in a liquid weightlifting contest; plentiful oak components extracted from new, heavily toasted barrels or oak adjuncts, big-ass grapey flavors and close to Martini alcoholic content. My question is: Why eat when you have a meal in your glass? When wines like that are around, I revert to my old college proclamation: “don’t put solids in a hydraulic machine…” These wines for me are muscular, solo drinkers, not arm pieces for a date with a plate. They have Chutzpah ...#drinktheheckouttathem! There wasn’t a New World style 40 years ago…the New World style is, uh, new! Back 78

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in the old days when I was a young whippersnapper, the goal was to take a Bordeaux variety, like Cabernet Sauvignon, and make it taste French. Over a few decades, influenced by a Western-world sweet-tooth and cravings for viscosity, the New World style was born. Moreover, winewriters promoted wines of bolder character, so we were swayed. To create this difference, New World winemakers dutifully stroll through the vineyards looking for physiological maturity. Those artistic visionaries want the grapes to express varietal character; patiently waiting for stem hardening, called lignification, seed browning and distinctive fruit flavors…sometimes to hell with chemistry. The amount of resultant alcohol is generally directly related to its beginning sugar content, and sugar continues to build through protracted photosynthesis and dehydration while waiting for optimum flavors. Concurrently, acidity falls and tannin levels adjust from green to mature as fall marches forward, so you end up with a big, chewy wine. Augmented by a little sugar and compelling influences from new, charred barrels and you have the basis of New World style. It’s not to say that all of the Old World Wines are Old World-styled wines, and the same with New World wines. Anybody can make anything in any place. Take a trip to the Navarre or La Rioja in north-central Spain and you will think you are in Napa or Washington knocking back a made-for-drinking chewable mouthful, with lots of alcohol and extraction. Accordingly, I recently tasted a Chablis knockoff here at home; an orchardy, citrusy, mineralic, unoaked Washington Chardonnay made by my favorite winemaker. Admittedly I have no basis for this broad brush; look at what has happened to Riesling…the vintners abandoned sweet, low alcohol Riesling for dry, more alcoholic Riesling…the consistent inconsistency you have come to expect from moi. By no means am I bad-mouthing the New World-style of wine; for one thing, I’m used to them, and secondly, it's tough finding Old World styled wines here on the left coast of

North America. We drink these strongly flavored wines with dinner, bragging to our friends about how they marry so well with the grilled Kosher dog… And sometimes, for me, the food and New World wine don't clash despite the competing flavors; stronger flavored foods can pair with mouth monsters. I make a complex, heavily herbed marinara sauce, sweetened only by garlic and tomatoes; it works well for me with a hedonistic, 15% alcohol, 2% residual sugar fruit and wood bomb. With that food, there's a seamless transition with the New World wine being the food, having it first without food, then having it with food when you have food like that food, as the Department of Redundancy Department would put it. There are the theories that high alcohol cuts the fat, that the true marriage of food and wine is based on contrasting flavors, and sugar mitigates distracting bitterness. Heck, if that fits your definition of pairing, it’s your mouth...good on ya! Suffice to say, in my highly disrespected opinion, massive wood, over 14.5% demon alcohol and perceptible sugar are the culprits separating the styles. As we wind down this wine whispering event, just thank your lucky stars you didn’t have to listen to me. For very important me, in the broad sense, New World is for drinkin’, Old World is for eatin’… Whatever World you are in, I hope you enjoy varied wine styles with friends, in moderation, frequently. is an attorney who lives in Richland, Wash. He is an original member of Wine Press Northwest’s tasting panle. Learn more about him at www.cokerothlaw.com.

COKE ROTH

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$22 Adults • $11 Kids (5 - 12) • Free Kids (0-4) Add Champagne $6

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